I have no tastebuds

Chapter 4

You'd think that when you're dying, time means something. Time is all you can hope for. I suppose that's not always the case, especially when you don't know how much time you have left. Wondering aimlessly though the woods does nothing for the concept of time either. Eventually my knees buckle and I find myself leaning against a tree. My breathing is labored. I throw up, but it's mostly just stomach acid that burns my throat. I finally collapse to the ground, nearly falling in my pile of vomit. My sight begins to blur and the world around me seems to go silent. I roughly roll onto my back, but it uses up all of the strength I have. I don't want to give in but there's a tug at my heart, like a string has wrapped itself around it. I feel like it's tugging me into darkness.

The temptation to close my eyes is great, sleep is all I could ask for right now but it never comes. Instead I'm left limp on the forest floor, barely conscious. Though I'm terrified, I can't help feeling relief. Dying wouldn't be that bad. It's peaceful right now, it'll be just like I'm sleeping back in my flower patch. I stare up at the canopy of branches above me, sun just peaking behind the leaves. It shines on my face, warming the cold skin. I take in a large breath and sigh. I can hardly feel the tears that slip from my eyes and I know death is approaching. The sun shines in my eyes and I opt to close them. Even closing my eyes is a struggle. I start to become less aware of the things going on around me. Then everything is silent and I feel numb. That backs of my eyelids are the last thing I see before I die.

At least, I think I'm dead, I can't really be sure. I know I've stopped breathing but my mind is still working. I'm to weak to check my heart beat. If I even have one. I can no longer feel anything. Maybe this is my body's weak attempt of keeping me alive or perhaps my brain will continue working for a while after death. It's no matter. I only hope that this isn't the afterlife, eternally stuck in my own mind. My conscious. I wonder, my conscious saved my life once, maybe that's what's happening now? Though I see no horror's surrounding me and no voices that echo through my head. Everything is dark, until it isn't and suddenly I'm gasping for air and my body shoots up. I expect to see I'm laying in the forest.

Instead I'm sitting on what looks like a hospital bed. Where am I? I rack my brain for ideas but find none. In fact, I find nothing. I seem to have no memory of anything. I start to hyperventilate. I can't even remember my own name! I look all over the room and go to stand up. My hand is caught on an IV and I yank it from my vein. I stand up but my legs fold beneath me. I try to crawl to the door but a loud beeping goes off. I hear heavy footsteps and roll myself under another bed in the room. It looks like there's a person on it. Lots of shoes come rushing into the room. They all start to shout and coral around the bed I was at. They seem to be looking for me. Who even are these people? Panic begins to set in their voices, though I can't see their faces. They keep saying a name. Y/n. I suppose it must be my name but it doesn't sound right.

All of their clothes seem to be a bit worn out, at least their shoes and pants. Eventually they all run out of the room and I crawl out from under the bed. I try to stand up and take a few wobbly steps. This won't do. I need to get out of here. I don't know where I am or why I'm here. I look back at the hospital type bed. Maybe they aren't that bad, after all they were taking care of me, right? Unless they weren't and they did that to me. Maybe they're the reason I can't remember anything. I need to find a weapon, something to protect me. I look around and find a mirror and decide I have time to take in my face. I have completely white hair and my eyes seem to be the same but they almost have an undertone of a sea-green.

I'm dressed in a white hospital gown but I'm barefoot. I look around the room for some kind of weapon but all I find is a large empty syringe. It's all I've got so I'll roll with it for now. As quietly as I can I crept out of the room and was stunned to see I was in some kind or tree village thingy. Sort of like a tree house that's all connected. I quickly move into a larger part of the tree building. It almost feels familiar but at the same time, there's something about this place that seems wrong, like I shouldn't be here. Or maybe it's a place that I used to know. This place is practically swarming with children, though none seem to notice me. I'm on the second floor of wherever I am an I spot and exit on the first. I consider just making a run for it but I don't know how far my legs would take me or how fast I am.

"There she is!" I hear a voice and turn to see an orange haired girl running towards me. I make a split second decision that I might regret later. I stand up on the railing of the bridge I'm standing on and spot a rope holding a basket, hanging a few feet from me. I jump to the rope, almost falling. The orange haired girl stares at me in confusion. The basket starts to descend. "Y/n what are you doing?!" The basket hits the floor and I fall onto the ground. I quickly stand and make a run for the door that I assume to be the exit. I make it to the door faster than I anticipated and fling it open, almost falling out. There's nothing on the other side of the door. I turn around but I'm surrounded by people. They all seem excited and/or confused. I bare my teeth and try to seem as menacing as I can. I grip the syringe and hold it threateningly in front of me. "Stay back!"

"Y/n it's us! We found you and now you're awake! We've been worried-" I cut a white haired boy off. "Get away from me!" Suddenly a black haired boy pushes through the crowd and comes running towards me. I don't recognize him. "Get back!" I stab him with the syringe in the shoulder, and he steps back suddenly. "Y/n it's me Ray!" I put my hands up in defense. "I don't know any Y/n's or Rays!"