The Dreamer's POV

Chapter 10: Cruelty

[7:31 AM; Sunday, 30th of April, 2024]

"Perhaps I should explain things to you… even though there's no point."

Hearing Lisa's distant tone caused my heart to ache beyond the point I could bear. My throat felt hot, and my head began to burn. It felt like I was going crazy, merely looking at her face.

"I… lied to you, Mikey."

She… lied to me? Seeing how the situation played out now, I could certainly accept those words. But I was yet to understand why.

'Why are you doing this, Lisa?'

"I told you earlier that I can't contact my family, didn't I? I also told you how my reach is limited to this place. By this place, I mean this hotel. I have friends who are stranded in respective areas in here…"

It sounded like Lisa was genuinely worried. Her distant eyes told me that she was concerned—of course, not for me. It didn't seem like she was thinking about me at all.

"They need sustenance and shelter, and this suite would be perfect for them. I… would have pitched the idea to you, but I knew what would happen then."

What would happen? Why was she assuming things without talking to me first? I saved her, didn't I? Didn't she say I was a kind person? That I didn't seem like the kind of person who would abandon another friend?

"I have four friends here. Surely, you know what that means."

'Ah, I see…' This was about my supplies.

"At most, it can only feed about five. And even then, the food would have to be rationed. I can't abandon any of them… which means…" A sharp glint appeared in her eyes as she stared at me.

It was clear she chose her actual friends over a guy she just met not long ago.

But, Lisa…

'What the fuck do you think you're doing?! I paid for this suite myself! I bought those supplies myself! This is my place! How can you do this to someone who brought you into their place? This isn't fair!

Even after I saved you! How… why…? What did I do to deserve this?!'

My thoughts on her selfishness and cruelty were endless. Tears burned in my eyes as I stared at her, wondering how anyone could be so inconsiderate towards another.

Especially when they were supposed to be grateful toward them!

"I know what you're probably thinking. You must despise me for my choice. While I don't blame you for feeling animosity toward me, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to feel mad at me for what I did?"

Hypocritical? What was this bitch talking about? I watched as she looked at me with cold eyes, and I felt like my heart would explode with rage.

How could she? How could—?!

"You also did the same, didn't you? To save yourself, you condemned everyone else to die. At least, for me, I'm not just considering myself. I am concerned about others—my friends. I suppose you wouldn't understand… given you don't have any."

'Keuk!' My heart felt a sharp sting as I heard her words.

H-how…? How could she say those words to me? I… I had to take the steps I did. So what if I didn't have any friends? So what if I had no family? I had those I cared about too!

They all became monsters, so what was I supposed to do?

'Do you think I wanted this to happen? How dare you try to pin this on me? In the first place, who would have believed me if I told them that the world was going to end and monsters would spring out of nowhere?'

"I know you must be making excuses in your head. You must be thinking that no one would have believed you if you told them the truth. Well… how can you be so sure?"

Was she crazy? Who in the world would possibly—

"Me." Lisa suddenly pointed at herself. "I would have believed you."

'A-ahh…' My heart began to ache even more as I stared at her cold gaze.

"I understand your line of thought, though. I felt the same way when I considered what to do. I knew there would be a conflict of interest at some point, considering the fact that the rations would barely be enough for five people. I thought of other ways I could save both you and my friends."

'W-what are you saying? Why are you…?'

"I could have told you of our plight and then killed you. Then, you would return to the past and tell us on time, so we could all prepare for the whole thing. But, wouldn't that mean you died intentionally? In that case, you'd have just died for nothing."

'Why did I tell her my abilities? Why did I reveal my limitations?' Like a fool, I had divulged everything to Lisa.

"I also thought that if I told you, and then killed you without you knowing, you would understand why I did what I did. But that too proved too risky. Why? Because there's a chance you might not see the reason behind it, and then avoid me when you return to the past. There's also the chance that your return to the past might simply cause an alternate reality, and I'd still be stuck in this one.

Do you understand now? I thought this through."

'H-how long?' How long had she been plotting her betrayal?

Was it when we were talking with each other?

When we were laughing together?

When we were crying beside each other?

How long?

'ANSWER ME, YOU MONSTER!'

"Even now, I'm unsure of what my actions might cause. But I believe this is for the best."

'The best for who? You, right? You… you..'

"I know I'm being selfish by choosing my friends and using your supplies. However, you're selfish too. In the end, we are both selfish."

'I… I… but I… I saved you, didn't I?' Tears fell from my eyes as I watched her rise to her feet. At this point, my body was already acclimating to the crushing pain that nearly drove me insane.

"Don't worry, you won't be restrained forever. I just had to do it this way so you could understand why I did what I did. Eventually, you'll be able to wiggle out of the restraint. A day or two without food should reduce your muscle mass for that…"

'W-what? No… you can't be serious."

"At this point, you have two options. Either wait till you die of hunger, which would probably be in about a week, or…" Lisa's voice trailed as her blurry image was burnt deep into my eyes.

I couldn't even tell what kind of expression she was making this time.

"I'll drop a knife in here. Once you get out of your restraints, you can choose whether to kill yourself and end things permanently, or die by natural causes and regress."

How… how could she be so cruel? Was there even a choice to be made here?

Both of them were equally awful!

If I killed myself, I wouldn't be able to activate <Dream>, and certain death awaited me. However, if I did die by starvation, which was the worst way to go, I would only return to the past day—which would cause me to suffer even more before repeating the same day and dying again.

In the end, I would caught in a loop of suffering!

'S-so cruel…'

"You know, I'm pretty reluctant to do this. I mean, what if you trap everyone in a time loop by dying and repeating the day? But, I have a strong theory that your regression works by creating a branch reality instead."

Lisa… she really thought things through, didn't she?

"I might be wrong, but I think you'd kill yourself before it gets to that point, though. As for why I think that… you seem like that kind of guy, I guess."

'Ahhh… Haaa…'

My thougths were a mess. It felt like my mind would collapse from the excess weight that were being shoved inside. The more I acclimated, the more new sensations caused me misery.

I found myself slowly sinking into despondency.

"Once agiain, I'm sorry, Mikey. I really am. It might not mean much, but… I had fun. You are a pretty nice guy."

And then, just like that, Lisa left the room with the door tightly shut behind her.

She left me inside this dark, completely isolated space… completely broken by the time all she said finally settled into my head.

Once I realized everything that happened was really true, my thoughts finally sank into despair.

'Tell me… someone please tell me… that this is a dream.'

I never thought I would ever get so desperate as to wake up from reality itself.

—To wish everything was simply a bad dream.

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading!

How will Mikey get out of this situation? What choice will he make? And what about Lisa? What will become of her and her friends?