"Laura! We're home!"

Laura got up from her bed and looked at the open door. They were back? The sound of a door closing in the distance confirmed her thoughts, and she ran through it, nearly clipping the edge of the wall with a sharp turn. Laura ran downstairs, almost flying, passing by pictures on the white porcelain shaded walls of her with her family.

Laura skidded to a halt when her feet touched the carpet floor. She was jumpy and excited to see her family again for the first time in two days.

"Mom! Dad!" Laura shouted and ran over to hug the two, but stopped just a few feet away from them.

In the arms of her mother, wrapped in a blanket, was an unknown individual with a scent she had never previously smelled before. It smelled untainted, fresh, and had a unique odor that Laura had only caught when passing by strangers who had an infant with them.

Laura looked between her mother and father, both of whom were hugging each other with smiles on their faces.

Laura's mother stood tall at six feet, towering over herself and her father. Her mother had beautiful silver hair that reached down to her lower waist with a slender hourglass body, her face

Laura's father, in contrast, stood at five feet and six inches. For a short man, he was no joke in the eyes of anyone who knew him. Considered one of the toughest men alive, Laura's father was renowned in the United States according to the family friend, 'Uncle' Wade. Laura's father was a bulky, muscular specimen with a combination of quirks that anyone would envy. His hair was one-of-a-kind: A short widow's peak-esq with two spikes on either side of his head with full sideburns, and accompanied by a mutton chops beard. His face

Mom's face…

Father's face…

"Laura," Laura's mom softly called to her.

Laura looked at her mother and tried to listen, but she sounded far away. Probably just Laura's senses acting up again.

Laura's mom knelt at her level and revealed the small entity in the blanket. Inside was a baby with the tiniest horn on her head. A pink cloth cap covered her hair, but Laura could faintly see just some silver hair escaping the cloth.

"This is your baby sister," her father spoke, his voice rough and thick with a foreign accent she couldn't remember right now. "Her name is Eri."

"Eri…" Laura mumbled to herself as her mother held out Eri to Laura, gesturing to her to hold the infant. Laura awkwardly held Eri while her mother adjusted Laura's arms to help her properly hold Eri and support her head.

Astonishment filled Laura's gaze as she looked down at Eri. Laura's eyes widened as Eri shifted in her blanket and let out a soft whimper before slowly opening her eyes. Laura's eyes met Eri's red eyes as the two stared at each other.

"H…hi…" Laura stuttered, too stunned and shy to speak, "I'm…Laura."

Eri didn't speak nor move, only gazing onto Laura with no thoughts behind her innocent eyes.

Laura could hear her parents talking but couldn't catch what they were saying because she heavily focused on reveling in the moment.

This was her baby sister. The child that her mom and father have been talking about for months. She was here. And she was looking at her. Laura didn't know what to say or do. She has been preparing for months for this moment when she gets to meet her new sister, but seeing Eri now, Laura didn't know what to really do other than look at her and say her name. It was like the plethora of emotions that were coursing through her overwhelmed Laura.

Eri is here.

"Laura," Laura's father tapped Laura on the shoulder, breaking Laura's concentration on Eri and looking to her father, "Give Eri back to your mother. I need to talk to you about something."

Laura looked back down at Eri and oddly didn't want to relinquish Eri to her mother. Something in the back of her mind was screaming at her to not do it, but Laura did so. Laura watched her mother grip Eri in her arms, with Eri not breaking her focus on Laura. Laura couldn't see it, but she sensed distress coming from Eri. Like Eri was telling her that something bad was coming, but Laura didn't understand why she was feeling this way.

Laura's mother walked upstairs while her father led Laura to the living room couch. Laura's focus was foggy as she tried to understand these feelings of anxiety and fear. Everything around her felt disoriented, but her father's voice stopped her disorientation. His voice brought comfort to Laura. A protection she loved and suddenly craved rapidly.

"Laura," her father leaned in, placing a hand on his knee, "You're a big sister now, and being a big sister comes with responsibilities." Laura's father grinned and chuckled, "I'm not asking you to wipe her ass, feed her, take her a bath, or anything of that, but I expect you to not be rude to her and treat her well. Eri is a baby, and she's going to learn from all of us, just like how you learned from us. Eri is going to need proper care and lots of attention, and that means your mother and I will not always have time for you as much as we used to. We will try, but Eri will come first if need be. You're a big girl now, so I know you will understand."

Laura nodded her head. That was easy to tell. Eri is a baby and Laura is in her…in…what grade was…

"Now about your responsibilities," Laura's father continued, Laura refocusing on him, "When Eri is crying, do your best to comfort her, but let us know so we can handle her. Check on her now and then, even if she is sleeping. Always monitor her if she is nearby because Eri will be curious but unaware of anything and could hurt herself, and we don't want her to get hurt. Make sure items that are not her toys are out of her reach. If she falls asleep on the floor, pick her up and put her in a crib on her back and with the blanket over her body, so she stays warm."

Laura's father grunted and rolled eyes. "Your mother told me to tell you, but I know you have enough common sense to recognize these things."

Laura giggled a bit. Her mother always wanted to make sure Laura understood things, even at her father's expense.

Laura's father suddenly got serious and moved his hand from his knee to Laura's. Laura looked up at her father intentively.

"But the most important responsibility you will have as Eri's older sister is to protect her." Laura's father's voice echoed in her head, "That is your number priority. Eri is a baby, and even when she grows, she will always be your baby sister and you will always be her older sister. There will be days you two will not get along, you may even fight - and I will kick both of your asses if you do - but you will protect her no matter what. That is your greatest responsibility."

Laura felt the pressure being weighed onto her, and it was slowly becoming immense. Her father thrust the grand undertaking of protecting Eri from anything upon Laura, leaving no room for her to bargain.

"Promise me you will do everything in your power to protect Eri, even if that means leaving us behind." Laura's father's voice boomed as the room broke apart. Cracks appeared all over the walls and the floor, with everything caving into an endless darkness.

Laura jumped off the couch and tried to yell at her father to notice what was happening, but the loud noises of her house being torn apart made it impossible for him to hear her. Laura watched in horror as her father glowed a bright green color and, in a blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

Laura ran to her father, screaming for his return and desperate to feel his warm, protective embrace.

"Promise me you will do everything in your power to protect Eri, even if that means leaving us behind."

Laura heard her father's plea and frantically looked around, trying to find her mother and Eri-

"ERI!"

Laura shrieked and ran into the darkness to find Eri inside. As Laura ran deeper into the void, the surrounding area dimmed with light, revealing a dark forest of trees surrounding her.

"Mom, where is Eri?"

"I…I gave her away."

Laura sprinted through the forest and pushed past trees and bushes and branches, feeling every scrape, lash, and skin tearing punishment, but she wouldn't relent. Laura had to find Eri!

"Eri!" Laura cried out once more and unsheathed her claws to cut down everything in her way. Laura could hear the trees and bushes screaming in agony and pleading with her to not cut them down, but she didn't care if they felt pain or not. They were in her way!

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?! ERI IS YOUR DAUGHTER! MY BABY SISTER! WHERE IS ERI?!"

"IT IS A MONSTER THAT KILLED MY HUSBAND! IT WILL KILL ME! IT WILL KILL YOU!"

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!"

"Eri!" Laura roared and felt the rage of a thousand suns coursing through her as the trees began to suddenly fight back and take on a more humanoid form. Laura hacked and slashed through them all with her howls of fury, overpowering every wailing groan and moan from the lifeless husks that surrounded her.

"LAURA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! GET BACK HERE!"

"I HATE YOU!"

"ERI!"

Laura furor erupted into an explosion of violence, with Laura striking at anything that moved or showed a semblance of life. "Where is my baby sister?!" Laura yelled at them over and over until there was nothing left on her warpath.

The forest was gone; obliterated by Laura's rampage. Just in clear sight, in a grassy field, sat a small child with silver hair wearing a ragged hospital gown.

Laura sheathed her claws and dashed towards Eri with her arms stretched out. "Eri!" Laura called out and lifted Eri into her arms, but Eri disappeared into smoke.

Laura's pupils shrunk, and her heart raced, threatening to pop out of her chest. Laura looked around frantically and spotted Eri again, and tried to lift her up, but Eri vanished once more and reappeared in another spot.

"Eri!" Laura whimpered, her lip quivering and her eyes and body burning with raw emotion.

"Why are we still here?" Eri asked, not looking at Laura. "How come you haven't taken me to safety?"

"Eri…I…" Laura tried once more to hold Eri, yet Eri moved to a different spot! "Eri, please just let me hold you and I'll take you to safety!" Laura pleaded with gritted teeth and tried to not let her tears flow.

"You said we couldn't trust Nemuri, and yet we remain with her. It's been months now, Laura, and you won't take me away from her." Eri stated apathetically.

"I'm trying, Eri!" Laura shouted at her and walked towards Eri, trying to see if walking to her will prevent her from leaving. "I just need more time!" Laura failed once more to grab Eri in her arms.

"Need more time to leave, or need more time to realize you don't want to leave." Eri declared, standing on her feet, "Maybe you don't want to leave Laura, maybe you don't want to run away again from mother, maybe…you want to feel the embrace of a parent once more. To tell you it is okay, to make you feel you are wanted, to be told…" Eri looked to Laura, her face drooped with pain and sadness that was void of life. "I love you."

Laura couldn't take it and made a last attempt at dashing at Eri, but a shadow knocked away Laura. Laura fell to the floor, seething in pain, and looked up at the shadow that was towering over her. Laura couldn't see who it was, but made out that it was a tall, muscular female with a smile that took pleasure in being superior to her. Laura got up and attempted to fight the shadow, but Laura was quickly losing the fight as the shadowy female dodged every attack and countered with precision and brutal strikes that left Laura struggling to stand.

The shadow laughed at Laura and grabbed at her hands, tempting her to unsheathed her claws. Laura unsheathed her claws and went for a lethal blow to the shadow's ribs as soon as the shadow released her hands. To her shock, her claws didn't penetrate the shadow's skin.

"Poor little Laura," the shadow's voice hauntingly called out, "Too weak to defend yourself, and even weaker to protect your baby sister." The shadow mocked and grabbed Laura's hands, twisting them harshly and breaking her wrists. Laura wailed in anguish and further let out screams of pain with the shadow pushing down Laura to the floor and stomping on her ribs mercilessly. Laura's screams died out with attempts at breathing, replacing them. The barbaric stomps on Laura's ribs left her broken and struggling for air as she felt her ribs break and shatter.

The shadow laughed out loud and regressed into the void. Laura looked up at the sky and watched the stars turn red with constellations of plague doctor masks appearing everywhere. Laura staggered to breathe and willed herself onto her stomach, and used her broken hands to claw at the ground, dragging herself closer to Eri.

"E….Er….Eri…" Laura strained out, crawling towards Eri in desperation to save her.

"Why didn't you protect me?" Eri asked, an enormous shadow of a man appearing behind her. Laura gazed up in terror and wept, as she knew she couldn't stop what was going to happen next. "Why did you promise dad to protect me when you can't even protect yourself?"

"No…please…" Laura sobbed and held out a hand towards Eri, "I'm sorry…I…don't want to lose you too…"

The man in the plague doctor mask looked down at Laura and then to Eri, "Don't you realize, Laura, that you are preventing what is necessary for the world to be cured? Eri listens to you, and your constant struggles to leave are only making this difficult. I didn't want you here, but here you are. You chose to be here; you chose to come here. You gave up a life with your mother to be here with me, and now you want to leave? You don't get to decide that. You made the choice to be part of the cure, and your consistent interruptions of my plans have burned through my patience." The man placed a hand on Eri's head. Eri, empty of any life in her eyes, cried.

"Please, no…no more…" Laura tried to stand up, but a vicious stomp to her back prevented her from getting up.

"Still too weak," the shadowy woman howled at Laura in cynical delight.

Laura bawled onto the floor, uselessly, and mumbled, "Nemuri…Izuku…please…save Eri…anyone…I…I can't do it…I'm too weak…"

"LOOK AT ME!"

Laura gasped and looked up in obedience as the man's voice shattered the space around them. His hand clenched on Eri's head, "I've had enough of your insolence!"

"No…" Laura pleaded and held her at Eri, "She's just a baby…"

"And now Eri will pay for your disobedience!"

"Stop!" Laura cried hard and continued to reach out to Eri helplessly, "Don't hurt her!"

Eri looked to Laura, her tears still flowing down her cheeks, "It should've been you. Not dad." Eri's figure turned gray. Her skin losing all pigment, her eyes hollow, and being replaced with ashes.

"NOOOOOOO!" Laura screamed as the wind blew Eri's ashes into the wind. "ERI! ERI!"

"ERI!"


Laura sat up, arms at her sides and her claws unsheathed, breathing heavily with sweat dripping down her brow and onto the blanket below her.

Laura wildly looked around the room, trying to recognize it when she realized she was inside her room that was inside Nemuri's house.

Nemuri's house.

Eri!

Laura jumped off the bed and scampered over to the other bed and looked down at the sleeping Eri. Laura held her hands to her mouth and tears dropped onto the floor below her. Her legs grew weak, and she fell onto the floor in a heap. It was a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. But Eri was okay. She was safe. She's still here.

Eri isn't dead.

Laura curled into a ball, hugging herself, and cried into her hands. Laura wept and sobbed as the memories of her past flooded her brain nonstop and tortured her with her long kept feelings about everything that has transpired since the day her father disappeared.

"Daddy…" Laura cried out softly, longing for her father to come back to her and take her and Eri away from this miserable life.

Laura missed him so much. She wanted to be held by him; to be told that everything was okay and that he would protect her and Eri, and that they could go back to living like a family again. Going on trips, eating delicious foods together, watching movies, playing games, and going to sleep, knowing he would be there when she woke up.

But every night Laura fell asleep, and every morning Laura woke up, he wasn't there. No matter how much she cried and pleaded and begged, her father would never walk through the door.

Laura didn't even have the simple luxury to visit a grave.

All Laura had was a promise.

"Promise me you will do everything in your power to protect Eri, even if that means leaving us behind."

Laura's father's words echoed, and she fought with herself to calm down and reclaim her breath. Her father was gone. He was never coming back, and Laura made a promise to protect Eri, no matter what. Even if Laura feels useless, as long as Laura is alive, she will shield Eri from everything and everyone.

Even if that means she has to abandon the memories of her old family, her father, once more.

Laura regained as much as she could of herself and stood up. Laura looked at her bed and feared getting back in there. She would be alone, and Laura didn't want to be alone.

Laura instead got into Eri's bed. Laura needed to be close to Eri. She needed to feel that Eri was still here; she needed Eri's presence to ground her.

Laura held Eri close, her arms around her and her head resting gently on Eri's. As Laura's anxieties retreated to the darkest corners of her mind, she felt herself becoming complete again. Laura showered Eri's head with soft kisses, holding her close until sleepiness overcame her. Laura closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her once more.

"I love you, Eri…" Laura mumbled into the quiet night, falling asleep quickly.

"...I love you too, Laura."


Deadman's Gun - Red Dead Redemption OST by Ashtar Command