Un-Chain

Uteu carefully cradled the butterfly to his c.h.e.s.t. His mind reeled from the information he was shown.

He honestly wasn't sure of what to think. He swallowed with difficulty and clung to the bit of warmth Uti sent to him.

The word 'mother' was a bit of a taboo word back when he had stayed with his caretaker up on that hill in that big lonesome wooden house.

He remembered when he was much younger, younger than even Uti and Ulo, he had gone to his caretaker and had asked her if she was his mother.

The look on her face and the sting to his cheek still haunts him to this day. It was the one and only time he had ever seen the smile slip from her face and the only time she had ever hit him. She had apologized to him immediately after, begging him to forgive her, over and over again as she hugged him close and rocked him like a baby.

He never dared to so much as say the word aloud ever since.

The very next day she was gone and he got a long month alone with his father. He had somewhat forgotten about the whole incident while his father was there. Not once did he even ask about his caretaker, he was just so overwhelmingly happy to have an entire month with his father. It was one of the best months that he could remember.

Soon though, his father had to leave and the caretaker returned to the house to take care of him. She seemed even more reserved than before, barely speaking to him and keeping her distance as if she were afraid of something.

Uteu had quickly learned that there was no love to be found in that house. His father returning home was sporadic at best. The caretaker seemed to grow ever more distant as the years passed by.

This changed after Uteu turned ten, when his father came back with the twins. The caretaker was much warmer when Ulo and Uti were born and brought to the house. She seemed to genuinely adore them. His father was even around more often, though Uteu scarcely saw him, his father took care of the twins well.

While he truly loved his siblings, he felt alone and unwelcome in that house. Which was why he had wanted so desperately to leave and live on his own.

So now... after finally seeing what his mother actually looked like, he really didn't know how to feel about it. To be honest, he felt a bit numb to it. Neither happy nor sad. Whether she is dead or alive he doesn't know her at all. Perhaps it'll change if he ever gets the chance to meet her. Uteu didn't want to give himself the slightest bit of hope though.

The butterfly pulsed in his hand and grew brighter. The remaining pieces of the black space finally tore apart and his vision was filled with red from all around him.

Although it was difficult, Uteu found that he could still breathe in this sea of red. He couldn't move well, however. The red liquid constricted his movements far too much. Merely trying to even move his fingers required a great deal of strength.

The butterfly left his hands and floated above him. It fluttered it's wings twice before floating off. As it effortlessly moved through the red liquid, it became more and more difficult for Uteu to keep his eyes on it. The further it went the more obscured it would become within the red sea.

Just when he thought he would lose sight of the butterfly, it would stop and wait for him. Unable to use anything to help him towards it, he could only rely on his own determination and willpower.

Every single muscle protested his movements but he persisted. Uti kept slipping through his fingers, he isn't sure if he can take it if he lost her again.

As he neared the butterfly it once again fluttered it's wings twice, this time though, it floated downwards. Following it with his eyes, he saw a small unmoving body in the red liquid.

He realized at once that he had finally found Uti. The butterfly glowed brightly as it approached her, the light that it emitted helped him confirm what he already knew. It was Uti, from her pajamas to her hair, it was definitely her!

The butterfly disappeared as soon as it touched her forehead and she opened her eyes. Uti took in a gasping breath and turned his way.

Her green eyes were wide and warm as she immediately made eye contact with Uteu. He let out a breath and reached out for her. With difficulty the two of them latched onto each other.

He could feel her tremble and her fingers dug into his shoulders with all of her strength. He couldn't help the few tears that escaped his eyes as he clung onto her small form.

"Awe, how adorable. It makes me sick to my stomach to see."

Uteu immediately snapped his eyes wide open and he turned to face the owner of that annoyingly familiar voice.

Harkal stood there with his arms crossed, his hair a mess and his clothes disheveled.

"It's all your damn fault you know? You're always ruining all of my plans. I should have killed you when I had the chance. It was my mistake for toying with you."

Harkal then sighed, "We're stuck here now though, together for all eternity. I hope you're happy."

Harkal glared at Uteu. Uteu blinked and before he knew it, Harkal had closed the gap between them.

Uti let out a cry of fright as Harkal's hands closed around Uteu's throat. Uteu on the other hand didn't utter out a noise or even bother trying to stop him.

A full body shudder made its way down Uteu's spine. While this man before him was foul and retched, the true danger was not him. Uteu knew that he was not the immediate threat, at least.

A cloud of dark red was quickly approaching them, crystalizing everything it touched into an ominous black crystal shaped as arms and hands.

Uteu paled. It was the resentment, it had finally returned.