A heartfelt letter home.

Hey everyone, it's Saturday and that means a new post from me, Alex. This week has been kind of hectic for me, unfortunately, and until today I didn't have anything to post. Between my grandfather having surgery, musical auditions, homework, fatigue, and depression I'm behind on my normal schedule. The result is a shortened post to end part one of Ankoku no Ki. Although not the first ending I had in mind, I do feel that this letter from Rachel to her Mother a year after her escape summarizes what I had in mind and introduces the part two fairly well. So, here's chapter eight.

Chapter 8

Maybe Memories

Dear Mother,

            Do you remember my name? I barely remember it myself nowadays. I cannot help but doubt who I am. Everyday changes everything and I do not know how much longer I can hold out. Each day I think about you both, but with no letters or calls I almost think that you do not remember your only daughter. It has been over three years since I saw your crying faces as you dropped me off at the university—I wish it were shorter. I know that you wanted the best when you sent me there to study philosophy, but it seems that fate has wanted something entirely different.

For a year and a half, everything was fun, new, and so much more peaceful than my senior year at Lemon High. Unfortunately, the peacetimes away from Monroeville only lasted that long. I started having those dreams again, like I use to have right before we left Liverpool. You remember, right? The ones where I was in the empty void? The terrible part was that the dreams finally came true. Suddenly, I found myself beside myself and accused of a murder that I did commit, at the fault of a deity who calls Eris who only wanted to protect me. When the military found out, they imprisoned me for several months and subjected me to treatment that I never wish to speak of again. As you may have figured out, I am no longer a prisoner. In fact, I escaped with the help of a German scientist named Friedrick. He is such a nice man and reminds me so much of father. I am certain that you would love him.

Currently, I am living somewhere in Japan with Friedrick, Justin, and four others who are just as downtrodden as I am. There are decisions in this life that are my own to make. With all my heart, I wish that such decisions would bring the two of us closer, but I do not believe that will ever happen. I am not certain how much longer I will be of this world, but I do not write you so that you will worry. Mother, I sincerely hope that you will not worry. Justin will keep me as safe as possible as long as he can—we both know how reliable he is. I sometimes wish that I could have taken your advice and tried to be more than friends with him, but love is not exactly something I should be worried about love right now, according to Friedrick.

There is so much more that I wish I could tell you, and, as much as it hurts me, this may be the last chance I will ever have to tell you anything, but there’s only so much paper and electronics reveal my location too easily. But, Mother, please stay safe. I heard of how the warfront had been brought to the States. Each day I pray for your safety, just as I pray that this letter reaches you. Just remember how much I love you and every day I will do my best to make you proud.

Your loving daughter,

Rachel

~End of Part One~

Fate drives me

~Alex