Survive

"-se. Eclipse! ECLIPSE!"

Nauseating pain filled the man's head as he slowly opened his eyes, trying to make out what just happened, including his surroundings.

The only thing he felt was 'cold'. His body did not understand the full extent of the feeling that coursed throughout his entire being but that did not change the fact that his entire body shivered and he felt just about ready to collapse from his weak legs.

Where am I?

He looked around himself, not able to make out much apart from the fact that it is dark and the skies were littered with stars that gripped his attention from the moment he looked at them.

A throbbing pain seared through his head the moment he looked up, almost falling over from the pain. Touching the spot, he pulled back to look at his bloodied hands, a slight frown coming on his face.

What the … what happened? Wait, who even am I? My name … my name is … is … what is my name?

Getting to his feet, the man tried to steady himself as blood trickled down his head, running down his face and falling into the pure, white snow underneath him.

Confused, and panicked, he tried to walk, stumbling with every step he took. There were not many people around him but those that were, were either drunks or they were couples that give him the side-eye before avoiding him completely.

They must think of him as something of a drunk or a lunatic. Not that he could blame them.

Leaning against the brick wall of a house, he closed his eyes as he tried to remember what happened to him before he woke up. Nothing of that sort happened, however, the pain only increased and he felt himself freezing over.

Who … who am I?

Shivering from the cold, as he was just wearing a robe with a cloak on top, including the fancy jewels he was covered with did not help as he felt the frostbite begin to start and, if he did not get any help, he would freeze to death in no time.

But in his state, he is not able to ask anyone for help, no matter how much he wanted help.

Leaning against the wall he chuckled to himself, not sure what was so funny but part of him seemed to like laughing. It just felt so natural, like crying is to sadness. But he isn't happy now … just very confused.

Sighing from exhaustion, the man just decided that, maybe, he should throw himself to his fate. Whatever happens, happens. After all, there is nothing he can do. Nowhere he can go.

If I am to die here from the cold, so be it. He thought, legs swaying as he bumped into someone, not realizing that anyone was even behind him.

Turning around, the man looked at the person he bumped into, only to see a familiar face. He can't quite place where he saw this man before but … he just seems awfully familiar with him for some reason.

"What do you think you are doing??" Two of the men on his side grabbed him and pulled him off the man as the blood continued to drip down his face.

"Wait." The man took off his hat and he watched as the golden locks began to fall over his face, a cigarette dangling from his lips, casually. "He seems to be injured."

"You …" He said, struggling to form words as the cold continued to bite into his skin. "I know you."

"Really? Which pack are you from?" The man asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Depending on your answer, we will see what we do with you."

He shook his head slowly, leaning into the men's arms that were still wrapped around his own.

"Don't know. Don't remember."

"Hmm?" The man reached up and pulled the bangs from his face, taking a close look at the blood trickling down into the pavement before whistling. "That's a nasty bruise you got there. You will, most likely end up dead in ten minutes. Not to mention the cold."

"It's ok. Just leave me be, Aseko." He said, losing all strength in his legs as he fell into the snow, slowly losing consciousness. Suddenly, a jolt of pain filled him as the man grabbed onto his hair and pulled him to face him.

"What did you just call me?" The man asked, glaring at him, his blue-green eyes glowing ever so slightly.

"Your ... your name." He said before passing out, unable to take the shock of everything, the cold and the pain anymore.

Life begins from when you remember it to begin. Such a short life I have lived then.

________________________________

Clank.

The man's eyes shot up as he shot up, before pain filled his entire body once again, making him fall back down on the soft clouds.

Wait, clouds?

Looking around him, he could make out that he is laying on a bed, bandages wrapped all over his hands, head and legs. Carefully sitting up, he saw that there was nothing else around him but bars. Beyond the bars is what looks like a room but he could not tell much else about it.

With every movement, he heard a clank and, pulling up the covers revealed that there was a chain stuck to his leg. The man took one look at the chain around his ankle and could not help bursting out laughing.

It was too amusing, considering his situation. Fortunately, he retained his memory this time. From the moment he woke up in the cold to the moment he lost his consciousness. But other than that, he was pretty blank.

Am I somewhere else or is this the same place I lost consciousness in? He thought, feeling much calmer than he did when he woke up the first time. Well, at least I am warm, compared to before.

Anyway, how did I know that man's name? I don't feel like I know him personally but … he was there in my memories. Strange.

Ok, let's try to recall what I can.

I woke up wearing strange clothes that did not match the weather, so I was not planning to be in the snow anytime soon, I think. Unless I was attempting to commit suicide. But … with the way it is, I don't think that is the case.

He looked at his hands, not seeing the jewellery that he wore before. But some part of his mind remembered every make and shape of them. He might even be able to draw it perfectly if asked to.

Those … they look to be rather real silver or real platinum. They were also embedded with diamonds so … do I come from a rich family?

Was it that I was ready to go to … something like a party and was attacked? That is plausible but that could not be the only option, right? Besides, the place I woke up seems to be quite … open … for a murder.

Not to mention, they would have taken some of the things I wore, right? I am sure they would have. But this is my only possibility at the moment, best to keep my options open for now.

A sudden movement startled the man as he looked straight ahead at a woman in a nurse's uniform, undoing the lock on the gate and walked in with a tray of fresh bandages.

"Oh, good morning." The brown-haired woman greeted happily.

She looks quite young. How old is she?

"Good morning." He greeted cheerily, again that smiling face, that bright eyes and gentle despondence is something quite easy for the man to put on. So easy to the point that he cannot tell if he is really happy or if it is an act. Not that it matters.

"I will be changing your bandages, if that is alright with you." She said, holding up fresh bandages as she walked to him. "Could I ask you to take your shirt off?"

He stared down at the simple white shirt he wore, slightly confused as to where it came from but decided to ignore it for the time being as he took his shirt off.

"When you first came in here, you were bleeding from all over your body, so much that we thought you were not going to make it." The woman said, slowly taking the bandages off his torso. "But you actually survived!"

"Came here? Who brought me here?"

"The boss, of course." She said with a dreamy sigh. "The boss is so kind like that. If not for him, you would have died in the streets. Remember to thank him."

"I will." The man said, looking straight ahead at the figure that appeared in front of the bars. Shouldn't wolves conceal their presence? I could sense him a mile away. "Hello, sir."

The golden-haired man neared the cage just as the woman moved away from him, a look of horror on her face.

Hmm? The man looked at his chest, seeing something that eerily resembled a black rose surrounded by a full moon. What is this?

"I-it's … it's … it's a curse!"

A what?

"You … just who are you?"