CHAPTER 56: PAIN AND PITY

Hanna nodded as both of them walked towards the entrance and stepped inside the hotel, which was illuminated by soft lighting paired with soft music, which calmed them.

A spiral staircase was situated at the centre of the hall, leading to the upper floors. Both of them turned left and continued their steps. They soon reached a door with the symbol of praying hands.

Anna pushed it open and walked inside. As soon as she entered, she saw multiple doors which lined the walls; these were rooms for guests and customers to have their chat or whatever they wanted to.

Each door had a lightbulb above it; a few of them were alit, but most were not.

Anna opened the door, which had an inactive lightbulb—indicating that it was empty. She stepped inside as Hanna followed behind her.

Anna took a seat on the sofa and gestured at the sofa in front of her with a smile on her face. Hanna moved and sat in front of Anna; she still had a serious expression.

Anna studied Hanna for a few moments.

"Now, tell me. What is it?" She asked in a serious tone.

She understood by the way Hanna acted that it must be very important, therefore she suggested talking somewhere private.

Anna knew that something was bugging Hanna for a while... and to be honest, she could find out what exactly it was whenever she wanted by reading her threads... but Anna couldn’t do so. Not after what she felt after she killed Sakura... she had read her threads of end— Black colour thread—and doing so had made her untouched by what she had done.... She could only think about her actions after it was too late.

So... it was better not to read those threads, Anna didn’t want to become an emotionless monster after all.

Hanna looked up and nodded at her.

"It’s about the day we went to meet Zora and got into an accident-" Hanna began to speak, but stopped momentarily as her body began to tremble lightly, and sweat beads began to appear on her forehead.

She remembered the guilt she had... the pain she felt... the regrets she held.

Anna saw that, but she didn’t move to console her. She knew that Hanna had to fight back whatever was holding her back to speak out loud... to pour out what she was feeling.

After all, she knew her best... Hanna was caring and a bit of a pushover... She cared about others before herself, and that nature had caused her a lot of trouble as the loathsome ones had taken her care as granted and... that nature was holding her back right now.

Hanna was shaken as the memories of that day struck back... haunting her... stopping her from sharing her burden.

For a moment, she thought of running away... giving up and just letting go of herself. After all, she won’t have to feel like this anymore, right? But she did not let go.

Hanna gritted her teeth and hardened herself... strengthening her resolve as she continued to speak.

And Anna listened with focus... making sure not to leave a single word unheard.

"It’s about the day we got into an accident.... After that day, things have become weird. I-I somehow got strange powers which I can only use at night..."

She paused, breathing heavily... she found talking about these supernatural matters to Anna stupid, but she had no other way, Amaya had told her that it was the only way for her to find her solace.

So, she continued.

"I became like those Midnighters Amaya had once told us about... I don’t know why, but... I just became like this. I know you won’t believe me. That’s why I’ll show you."

Hanna said with a lowered head and closed eyes; her body quivered, but she refused to stop.

"Hah..." A sigh escaped her lips as she hardened herself to do what she loathed the most.

’I must do it!’ She resolved again... forced herself again. She had involuntarily clenched her fists. Looking up, she opened her eyes, which began to glow green.

"Look into my eyes- huh?" Hanna, however, had to stop mid-sentence because Anna was no longer there.

Hanna stood up with a deep frown on her face... her eyes still staring at the sofa Anna was sitting on.

"What?" Hanna blinked a few times as she couldn’t believe that Anna would leave her during such a discussion.

"When did she leave and why?" Hanna mumbled to herself as she stepped towards the door.

She felt lost... betrayed even. She had forced herself to talk about her ’curse’ to Anna... and what did she do? She left her alone and that without even listening to her?

Alas, she had hoped too much; she had thought that she would get her solace, but what she found was more pain... more loneliness.

Hanna stepped forward with a frown, her eyes dead.

She grabbed the handle of the door, but suddenly her eyes widened, she saw something from the back of her eyes, she quickly turned around, and her eyes fell on Anna.

Anna lay on the ground, her body trembling. Disgusting veins were sprouting all over her body and slithering like snakes. Her face was distorted into a grimace full of agony as she tried to breathe, but she couldn’t; the pain was so horrifying that no sound left her mouth.

Hanna’s face went pale when she saw that; it reminded her of her own tragedy, but Hanna shook her head before falling too deep into those thoughts.

’It’s not the time to fall into self-pity,’ she scolded herself.

She ran towards Anna and grabbed her shoulder, and shook her.

"A-anna wh-hat’s wr-rong?" She questioned with a worried tone, her words cracking.

It was stupid, yes. But she was too scared to care about that. Hanna looked at Anna with tears in her eyes.

"A-anna"

Right then, Anna’s emerald eyes turned darker, and her hair began to turn silver and seeing that, Hanna got even more confused.

"W-what’s going on?" Hanna asked with a look of disbelief mixed with worry on her face.