Even though the ash doesn't invade my lungs, I still feel like I'm suffocating. I cough up something that looks like blood but doesn't entirely feel like it. I look around the area and see nothing but a field of flame. Even though it's been 11 years, there's no way the fire was this big when it happened. Anxiety fills me as I vomit all over the floor. I walk through the fires, being careful not to touch them even though it doesn't seem to be that hot. Here I am drifting through my PTSD like it's a highlight reel. Whoever came up with this bullshit should go to hell. Drifting up the old hill we used to climb on, memories of my brother and me playing rush through. It even manages to obscure the vision of the flames temporarily and reminds me of better times. As I reach the top, the reality of the situation hits me like a freight train as I see my grandpa's charred body, and even though I've seen it countless times in my nightmares, it still hits as hard as the first time.
"Ay, they got you good, didn't they, abuelito? "I say while crouching down, touching his ashen skin. They don't make tragic backstories like this manga nowadays. I chuckle to myself as the flames crackle, reminding me that this isn't the time to be making jokes. I sigh and get ready to move on, but I can hear the sound of crying in the distance. Pattern recognition.
I walk over and see a little kid bawling his eyes out as he just stares at the house, helplessly, powerlessly, and pathetically.
"Must be heartbreaking, eh, kid?"
"Watching your childhood home and everything in it go up in flames, all the hours you spent playing in it with your family, because they were there when no one else wanted to be."
"That's gotta hurt... right?" I say, noticing a streak of water falling down my cheeks. I wipe my face in a hurry, realizing that I need to move on.
"Hey..." "I'll catch you later." Walking off, I start to pick up the pace with little regard for this ridiculous nightmare as I reach the doors of the mansion. Open sesame. Noticing a very distinct change in the environment, as the inside of the house is not burning. Huh? That's strange. But I barely even notice it as it feels like a breath of fresh air. Seeing the house in a normal state causes me to instinctively relax and reminisce.
"Man, this really takes me back, man." But even as I relax, I realize I don't even get that luxury from a place like this. A shadowy figure blitzes my vision and races across the halls. I don't even register the footsteps, as what sticks out to me more is the figure of the silhouette. I try to keep up and run across the halls with it, and I don't see it until it's standing a good distance away from me, as the house suddenly catches on fire. My body shrinks into my childlike being from years ago. The hell? I lose my balance and fall over a couple of times. Even as a child, I was more athletic than most, so I was still able to make my way around the house pretty quickly, albeit crashing into more and more furniture.
"Hey! Stop moving around so fast, you bastard!" My squeaky child voice surprises me as I stop and stroke my throat. Was I really this wimpy back then? Wait, that doesn't matter right now! I turn a corner and see the figure, with its back turned to grandpa's study. I rush towards the door, and it closes. DAMN IT! I beat on the door with furious fists. As I get ready to hit with all the force I can muster. The floor collapses in on me. Oh shit! I hit the ground, and the rubble comes crashing down with me. It batters, breaking a whole bunch of my bones. I can feel every snap, crunch, twist, and tear. I scream out in pain as this feels like the most pain I've felt today, ironically.
"What the hell is even going on?" Looking around, I see the silhouette as it creeps closer towards me, and even with the mind-numbing pain running through my body, I can still feel the anger building up inside of me. I ball my fist up to the point it bleeds.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!" I say watching as it gets closer.
As the shadow leaves the figure, the mystery drains from it as my hopes get crushed in the absolute worst way possible.
"Mark?"
I wake in a cold sweat, as a sharp pain shocks me. Where are the monkeys? My body doesn't give me any rest as flames erupt from my skin, setting the surrounding area ablaze. I writhe in pain and agony, begging for it to stop as the truth sears its cruel hands onto my brain. As the rampant flames continue to rage on, my body cools down, allowing me to actually get up and gaze upon the chaos. My curiosity gets satisfied when I see the two Ethreals burnt to a corpse.
"What have I done?" This time... I've brought the nightmare with me.