5Title: Covered in Rust
World: .flow
Words: 1,017
Author's Note: Trying something different here. I want to write horror...and .flow. Psychological horror is the best kind of horror.
Disclaimer: I don't own .flow or the characters, settings, or most of the items mentioned, except for Sabitsuki's unnamed mother, the unnamed co-worker, and Cleaner's name.
White, desolate, and cold. Those were just a few words to describe my hometown, if you could call it that. I grew up in a small, snowy town far in northern Japan. It was a very tiny industrial town, and had more smokestacks than actual homes. I was an only child, and my father died a few weeks after I was born, so it was just me and my mother.
I was a sickly child, thanks to the chemicals in the air, but at least back then I was happy. I lived in a small house with Mother, and she tried to give me the best childhood she could. She fed me the best she could, and educated me the best she could, which, in all honesty, wasn't that well. Mother was a factory worker in one of the many plants in our town, and didn't make decent pay. But what Mother couldn't give me, she made up for it with love. Despite being ill, my early childhood was good. When Mother wasn't working, she'd spend every waking moment with me. Sometimes she'd take me to the next town over to look at the cats at the animal shelter. I always loved cats; but sadly, Mother couldn't afford to buy me one, never mind to feed it and vet bills. When we didn't leave town and the weather favorable, Mother, always with soft words and a gentle smile, would wrap my frail neck in the sunny yellow scarf she made specially for me and take me outside to play in the snow. When I was chilled to the bone, and sick from the rancid smell in the air, we'd go back inside for hot tea and a piece of her sugary homemade cake.
The best years of my life was when Mother was alive. I wish Mother didn't have to die. She passed away while at work on a snowy, frigid January day. The sulfur dioxide, they said. I don't know why I was so shocked, it's not like it hadn't happened to other people in town.
The funeral was short, and not many people were there. Just some of Mother's close friends and co-workers. I wore a black dress, with black lace work gloves complete with a black floral hat. A close friend of my mother's, Kanoko, bought it for me. Apparently the same co-worker who informed me, called Kanoko to tell her the bad news, and she came straight from the city, and took it upon herself to take care of me. When she heard that I had nothing to wear to Mother's funeral, she immediately took me to a clothing shop to buy that dress. At least that's what I can remember. My memory had been foggy on that damned day, when the co-worker told me that she died at work after I got back from school. Everything for me was blurred from then up until the funeral, when Kanoko took me back home.
"Sabitsuki," she called out to me quietly tucking an unruly lock of black hair behind my ear. "Sabitsuki, honey, listen to me."
I lifted my head to acknowledge her. She smiled gently, but it seemed strained.
"I know you're hurting, and I know this is hard for you. But I need to talk to you about something. Your mother had been very sick for a long time. She loved you very much, and...I think she knew she was dying."
Tears came to my eyes, causing her to pause in her speech. When I looked at her expectantly, she continued.
"Whenever we talked before, she always spoke of you. The last time we talked, she asked me if something happened to her, if I would take you to the city to live with me." Her voice started cracking. "Sabitsuki, I understand that now isn't the time-"
"It's okay," I spluttered. "I understand. I can't stay here by myself."
Kanoko seemed to calm a bit, and wiped her eyes. "Thank you. I didn't want you to think me insensitive." I smiled despite myself. She was always worried about others.
"I can understand if you don't want to leave now, Sabitsuki. We can stay here for tonight, if you wish. But only for tonight. I need to be back to work by Sunday." I shook my head.
"No, I'm ready to...leave now."
"Alright, I understand," Kanoko replied kindly, and tried to smile a little brighter."Sabitsuki, you'll love the city, I promise. The air is actually cleaner there, and I'm sure you'll feel so much better. Oh, and you'll go to a new school, won't that be nice? There's more children in the city, and you'll make wonderful new friends, and I'll treat you like you were my own child, and-"
"Kanoko," I interrupted, "I'm fine, really...you don't need to try to cheer me up. I'll be...fine. Really." I felt like I was trying to convince myself of this instead of Kanoko. I really appreciated what Kanoko was trying to do for me. I had always been close to her, but I couldn't say that I was entirely comfortable with what she was doing. Kanoko was more of an aunt figure to me, and here she was, trying to replace my mother. As much as I loved Kanoko, she couldn't replace her. No one could replace Mother. No one had the right to.
"Okay, dear. Well, let's get ready to go."
Kanoko proceeded to help me pack my things. They consisted of the little clothes I had and a large pink pillow in the shape of a kitty head. I remember Mother buying it for me from a flea market one day when we went to town to look at the cats. I smiled very slightly at the memory. I wore my yellow scarf instead of packing it in the briefcase with everything else. Not only because of the cold, but because I wanted to feel something physical from my mother.
Only an hour later, Kanoko and I found ourselves at the train station with two tickets to the city and to my new life.