Chapter 7: Cruelty of my reality

What is this dream?

This river and path seem so familiar to me. It's so familiar for me, letting my body move on its own.

It feels like I know my destination.

That's right when I cross on these river stones. I will arrive there.

To that house.

I'm so happy and excited about running.

I wanted to see you again.

"Mother."

Surrounding started to make a creaking sound. The land and the mountain started to crumble in my own eyes.

I keep on running and reaching my hand to the house.

...

Opening my eye's I found myself in the bed.

"Lenny? Do you have a bad dream?"

Grandma asked.

"I have a dream... But I don't remember it..."

I replied and get up.

"Then, Lenny why you're crying?"

When grandma said that I found myself crying.

I use my hand to whip my tears.

"It's nothing grandma... By the way, where is Mama?"

"She goes out to buy medicine."

I turn my head toward the window and look outside.

It's already dark and the moon is shining bright. the moon is shining bright in crimson red color.

I pointed out the moon using my finger and asked my grandma again.

"Grandma? Is the moon always look like that?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? It's always red. Didn't your teacher teach you about that..."

"But the moon is supposed to be a bright yellow or white..."

"What is that non-sense Lenny... Your head might be dizzy making your memories jumbled. Go and have some more rest."

Grandma left me in my bedroom.

Maybe Grandma is right... I guess I will have some more rest.

In the following days. I started to get better and better. The Winter season is about to end.

We get a big celebration.

"Happy birthday Lenny!"

Said, my friend, and my family.

Many people are currently in the house to celebrate with me. There was cake, Ice cream, spaghetti, carbonara, roast meat and of course Fried Chicken.

Everyone is so cheerful and happy.

I reach the age of 7 and it's about the time to give me my crest. It's a tradition in this town to give the children the family crest. It's the symbol that you're a member of the family. The crest also gives the bearer a boost in magic.

My Grandma use her magic to put the crest in the back of my neck.

"There, there Lenny-chan is now officially recognized as a part of Astria family."

Grandma said.

I can feel that magic in my fingertips with this I will be able to use magic like a mother. I'm so happy.

"The party continues!"

...

Days later the snow is piling up around the house. I get the shovel and go outside.

I climb the roof and started shoveling snow.

After that, I go down to shovel the snow in the backyard.

Then a stranger came.

I didn't recognize her face because of the hood covering her face. She is having a katana on her waist.

Maybe she is an adventurer.

I turn my head toward her and asked.

"Ma'am, do you need something? Ma'am?"

"Yeah, I need something... Konoha."

She replied

"Konoha?"

I'm puzzled after she says those words.

Then it rings a bell.

When I was having a fever someone from my head is calling me Konoha.

"Konoha, you need to die."

She continued and draw the sword in her waist. The sword started to spark lightning.

I saw her crimson red eyes gazing toward me.

I don't get what's happening? But it makes me step back and run away.

It triggers that this person is a dangerous foe.

"Konoha... I didn't teach you to run to your opponent..."

Lightning blade strike!"

She cast a spell toward me.

The lightning spell directly hit me. Giving me some minor burn. I collapse in the snow.

The woman started to walk toward me.

"Remember, it Konoha this is not the reality."

She said and faded.

My mother came to help me get up.

"Lenny... Are you okay? What happened to you? Lenny?"

Then again I was bedridden for the whole day.

...

That lightning shock reminds me of something.

It's in the middle of the night and my mother is beside me looking at my face.

"Mama... Why you're here?"

"I just missed my little princess... I wanted to singer lullaby while looking at her cute face."

She replied.

"I'm already a big girl you know."

"No, Lenny is always my little princess."

She said and patted my head gently while humming a lullaby.

It's so comfy.

Is all mother like this? I wonder... I would love to stay like this forever but something needs to be done.

"Mama... Why you're killing children?"

I asked.

"Huh? I didn't kill children... What are you... Saying... Len... nny... Your eyes are so sad. What's the matter?"

She replied in a confused expression.

The expression of sadness is on my face.

I started to cry silently. Big tears started flowing out of my eyes.

"Mama... I'm sowwy... I'm Sowwy..."

I struck a sharp knife on my mother's belly. Blood sprayed out of her body.

"I'm sorry..."

After that, the dream spell is broken.

Making both of us wake up in reality.

We're still in the forest. Lying in the soft flower bed.

The white petals of the flower got stained by the red blood from the fairy.

"Lenny how could you do this to your mother..."

I continue to cry after waking up.

This feeling, It's so painful. This fairy restarts my life in a dream world and takes care of me. Giving me a wonderful life. I'm so grateful that someone like her makes me feel like I'm something precious in this world. She is a true kind mother, but why does everything need to be like this.

Reality sure is cruel.