Breaking Branches (Death Note Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

Katana's POV

My vision was still a bit blurry and my breathing was uneven. Why do people save me every time? It only made me feel worse, seeing them go through all the trouble to spare my life when it never mattered in the first place.

Zero stood beside me. I was so confused. Whenever I tried to commit suicide, he seemed like he didn't want me to die. This was the only way he'd get a death note, so why did he want to fail? I was honestly mad at everyone who had saved my life. The day I met Zero, I made a promise to him that if anyone was going to get him a death note, it would be me.

~Flashback~

Zero's POV

I had already read several of her thoughts. The poor child seemed pretty sad. Looking back at her life, she must be traumatized. Being abused and almost killed by her own mother... it seems like the most depressing childhood anyone could ever have. A perfect target. I only needed one more life to take before I would earn a death note, this sort of a person is perfect.

As I appeared behind her, I prepared for the high-pitched scream any normal child would make at the sight of a monster. Or in this case, a shinigami.

I tapped her on the shoulder, and watched as she turned around. All she did was smile at me and turn back around, continuing her drawing. This was the most shocked I had been in years. Even an adult would most likely be scared if they saw me. Isn't she only four years old?!

"Don't tell me you aren't afraid." I said, trying to scare her. The more afraid she was, the more willing she'd be to obey me, I thought.

She stood up and walked over to me. "Why would I be scared? It's rude to be afraid of new people."

New people? What's she talking about?! Has she seen other shinigami before?

"Schizophrenia..." I muttered. She nodded at me. She's pretty smart for her age, isn't she...

She held out her hand, inviting me to shake it. "Katana Dokuro, what's your name?"

"Zero." I shook her hand and smiled.

"What's your story?" she asked.

I gave her the whole explanation of what I was and why I was there. I told her everything about the death notes and shinigami. Once I finished my story, she looked at me, her eyes full of wonder and interest.

"So you'll get a death note if I kill myself?"

I nodded in response. I expected her to say something like "That's crazy," or "People like you are always liars."

All she did was hug me. I hugged back, and heard the strangest thing.

"I've been waiting for this opportunity."

She's merely a toddler! What kind of a child has such dark thoughts?!

She rolled her sleeves up as my eyes widened in shock. Cuts, scars, and bruises covered her arms. Some of them looked over a month old. I actually felt a bit of fear. Was she even human?

It was only then that I noticed her bangs covered most of her face. I brushed them away, only to reveal dull and bloodshot eyes. Looking beneath them, it was obvious she hadn't slept in a while. I began to examine her. Her skin was so pale she looked like a vampire. She was unbelievably scrawny, telling me that she either had anorexia or bulimia.

It hurt my heart to see her suffer like this. I understood that if I wanted a death note, she had to kill herself, but...

Something about her makes me want her to live.