Anarameha

Chapter 18

A lot of time had passed, more than Jiro realised. When he emerged from the path that led to the courtyard, he saw the rays of sun shining against the buildings. Panic set in. Not only was he in the upper levels at dawn, but the entrance to the drains would be shut. He couldn't go down there and settle into a dark corner because he didn't know where one was or how far the sun reached down there. The vampires never saw the sun because they always returned to their apartments and lowered the shutters.

He could not hide in the courtyard. There was too much risk of light seeping in from various angles. If he knew the place well and understood where the sunlight reached, then it might be an option.

He could find an abandoned building, but they were rare in a city that was short on space. Shops would want him to buy things, and he couldn't spend the next twelve hours in the one shop because leaving would not be an option.

In his mind, Jiro knew that there was only one place that he could guarantee the light would not get in. He hoped that Ana would open her door to him again.

Jiro rushed towards the building, vowing that he would not care who was at the door. He'd fed, so there was no hunger gnawing in his belly. As Jiro turned the corner, he raised his arm to shield his eyes from the harsh morning light. The burn radiated through his skin, sizzling across the once soft flesh.

Pulling back into the darkness, Jiro knew that he was in trouble. The higher the sun got, the more the light reached. He also knew while entering the building through the lobby was possible, reaching Ana's floor was not. There were windows at each end of the building, and the sun would be pointing directly at the staircase.

Looking around, Jiro knew he had to get into the building somehow. The door was no longer an option, but if he could bang on her window, then Ana would let him in. He knew that she sometimes used it as a secondary entrance.

Finding a staircase, Jiro ran to it and sped his way up to the tenth level, then darted into the darkness. He winced, trying not to move too much. The pain was intense, and every moment caused it to flare up again.

Looking at the building, Jiro knew that he was on the wrong side. That meant that he had to run to the other side and be in full view of the rising sun. He was going to be burned more.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully pulled his jacket off and raised it over his face and body. He hoped it would be enough.

Jiro felt the warmth slide over his body, the sun penetrating the material and finding a path directly to his already burned skin. By the time he reached the other side of the building and was in the temporary safety of the shadows, he was a mess.

Making his way over to Ana's window, he reached over and banged on the shutters. He didn't want to be too loud and wake the neighbours. Still, time was of the essence and being polite was not a good idea. So, he banged again, this time more insistently.

On the other side, Ana had just fallen asleep. Her thoughts of her future weighed heavily on her mind and kept her awake. Hearing a bang on the window made her groan.

"So much for sleep," she muttered softly.

Getting up from the bed, she turned off the alarm that was going crazy at her and looked at the images on the security camera.

"Jiro?" she whispered.

Confused, she turned back to her bed and flicked the switch to raise the shutters that sat on the wall above it. She climbed onto the mattress and opened the window.

"What are you doing? It's six am. Have you gone mad?"

"I was distracted with my dinner after delivering the information. I know that things are tense, but I could really do with a little safety from the sun for the next twelve hours."