The Ability to Fall (Death Note)

07 ♚ Nightmare

♚ : 07

— Nightmare — 

There was no hope of Lawliet’s life being saved. I trembled, tears streaming down my cheeks from how real it felt. He was in so much pain; so helpless. And there I stood, not being able to do anything about it. But with one more gasp of air that he took, I couldn’t help myself from swinging the door open. 

“Please,” I breathed out, “Don’t do this to him.”

I honestly didn’t have a clue about what Light could possibly be doing to hurt Lawliet. He wasn’t beating him up or stabbing him to death. Maybe he’d given him some sort of poisonous fluid to him. Either way, I knew somehow that he was the cause of Lawliet’s pain, and that all I could do was watch hopelessly. 

“Sorry, but it’s too late now,” Light sighed after his mad fit of laughter.

I felt a pair of hands grab my wrists from behind. They were far too small to be the hands of a man, so I assumed it was a woman. I tried to break free, but Light shouted at her to hold me still, and she did so with all of her might. 

Through all of his choking and coughing, Lawliet stared at me with sorrow and worry in his eyes. “Light,” he wheezed.

Light completely ignored him, and turned towards the woman who was holding my wrists down. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into my skin. 

“What’s her name?” Light asked. 

She told him my full name, first and last, and then giggled evilly. “I’m so glad, Light.”

“Me too,” he grinned.

Why would he want to know my name? No, the real question was: how did that lady know my name?

“You were a worthy opponent, L,” he sighed, “I wish I could have played this game a little longer with you. But you see, I have too many other tasks at hand as of now.”

My mind was filled with confusion and hurt. I looked at Lawliet, wondering why on earth Light had called him L. L was the world’s greatest detective. While I was well aware of the fact that Lawliet was a genius, I never considered the fact that he may have been L. 

But it was too much of a long shot for me to think twice about it, especially since the situation I was being put in couldn’t get any worse.

“L— Ryuzaki,” I whispered nervously. “Let me go!” I shouted. With great force, I shoved the woman to the side and ran to Lawliet. I sat down in front of him and took him into my arms.

His wheezing lessened slightly, and he looked at me with such sadness that I couldn’t stand it for much longer. He whispered my name and brushed a tear from my eye with a trembling hand. 

“Ryu—” I began. But the lump in my throat prevented me from talking any longer.

“I…” he mouthed.

His eyes shut tight, and he clutched his chest while giving a final wheeze. His eyes then popped open, and then slowly closed after a few seconds. His hand fell from my tear-streaked face.

“Lawliet,” I mouthed back. 

My heart pounded in agony. I breathed heavily and nodded my head side to side. “No... no...” I cried as more tears streamed out.

“No!” I shouted, and stood up abruptly to face Light. “Why…” I murmured.

Light laughed. “I’ve won! I’ve won!” he screamed, his eyes now completely scarlet.

“Now it’s her turn,” the woman beside him giggled.

I’d just realized that the woman was who Lawliet had mentioned was under suspicion earlier; Misa Amane. Her eyes were completely red as well.

Through my blurry vision, I might have seen Light smirk at me. I felt a sudden pain in my chest. I found it harder and harder to breath, and just before I hit the ground, I opened my eyes back to reality.

I woke up in a cold sweat with a scream.