Death Note - J (Discontinued)

□Chapter 24□ - Home Sweet Home...well, not really

      Is this really the life I've been living...where I did what I've always wanted to do? I finally left that stupid House...I got into detective work, I somehow, out of all people, 'reunited' with Ryuuzaki. Or was there more behind it?

    Why would he know? Were we that close? How can I not know about myself!? Have I've been lying to myself everyday?

    I don't remember much about being home, only that it was an apartment, I allowed myself to be in very specific rooms, and that mom and dad were never home... That's all I allowed myself to know.

    Anything else about that dirty, tattered apartment I forced myself not to know. It was like every nerve in my body would get shaken up everytime I get near a room I wasn't "supposed" to go in. I always restricted myself, and I want to find out why. And--

    That's right...I was not only depriving myself of sleep because of the case...it was because I'd dream of those times like that, but only in situations of unbelievable stress.

    That's one restriction: sleep. I wonder what else...

    "We're here."

    "Huh? Oh, right." Being lost in thought, I forgot about the taxi I was in. I payed the driver. "Thank you." I said right before I shut the door.

    There it was. An aging apartment building; I'm surprised they haven't condemned it yet. I see some familiar faces as I walk in, they were the same since no one else bothered to go here. I didn't dare take the elevator, I'll bet my sight and eyes if that thing can go a month without breaking down, and if they spend less than six months to repair it.

    I climbed up the creepy, screeching stairs. I remember how unsettling it was on these since there are patches of darkness every once in a while; you guessed it, scattered lighting everywhere. 5th floor...room 352.

    As always...no lock. No lighting, no pleasant feelings in mind at first sight. Any normal person who's easily spooked by a haunted house or such would take off running.

    So what was my life here? I would always come home to an apartment that "needed work", with a century old alarm clock as the closest technology that came with the room. Anything else was bought by me.

    But there was a surprise waiting for me on the couch.

    "Ayame-san..." I whispered. My adoptive mother...unconscious with a bottle in her hand, and many others scattered around the floor. Now I remember... Takeshi-san walked out on us. I walked over and place a hand on her head full of tangled, thick frizzy hair and shook it. "Ayame-san." I said louder. No response. "Ayame-san." A stir. At least she's alive...

    I walked out of the first room and cautiously entered the gray kitchen (well, everything was gray). I guess I would tell myself if I was allowed in the room. There was a small hallway entrance and three other small rooms. Quite a large apartment...

    Pick a room, any room. I walked towards to the second one towards my left, I know that's mine. I was tense passing that first door, felt an unknown resentment. So that's one of those rooms. When I entered my room, I chuckled shyly when I saw how I had left my laptop there, the only electrical bill was of to charge that. Everything seems alright...

    The other room was simply the parents' room, nothing to worry about there. So it's just that one. Go in, find out.

    I spent all that time hiding it from myself, I'm really going to bring it all back? Yeah...not knowing isn't helping me at all. But if I really tried...