Hortus Arcanus Silvae

【novel】

Ah… honestly, what am I even doing?

I slept so much, and yet I’m still exhausted.

Muttering to myself, I held my head

and lowered my gaze to the floor, scattered in disarray.

I should clean this up.

Thinking that, I picked up the teddy bear.

Then—maybe the string had snapped when I dropped it—

the button the boy gave me back then

rolled softly across the floor.

…Him again.

What is this, I wonder?

Lately, more than ever,

it feels like his presence has been growing inside me.

As if to cut off that indescribable feeling,

I picked up the button,

and with the same hand, reached for the book.

At that moment, suddenly—

A blinding light burst forth,

engulfing my entire body,

and I was pulled in,

as if being swallowed by the book—

falling,

deeper and deeper.