Asylum [BNHA]

Chapter Eleven

               In the driver seat was the charred corpse of the farmer slumped over the steering wheel. All of his skin had been burned off, the mobile device in his hand looked mostly melted and no longer functional. Toya kept walking along the road in the direction they'd been going.

               He reached the outskirts of a small town before the sun had risen. Thinking back on the radio broadcast he frowned. It wouldn't be wise to be seen by anyone else. He glanced around and saw a trail leading to the mountain. It appeared to go to a run-down shrine that had fallen into disrepair.

               "Toya." Tira breathed softly in her sleep as a single tear slipped from her hold.

               He shifted her sleeping form in his arms squeezing her tight, "I'm here."

               After a short hike he reached what appeared to be an abandoned shrine. From the looks of the graffiti on the outside he concluded it wasn't used very often. It wasn't the kind of accommodation he'd wanted to get her to but he couldn't risk being seen and having Tira taken away from him.

               He stepped into the main shrine building and found a clean corner to sit down and rest. Placing Tira on his lap so she wouldn't have to touch the dirty floor, Toya relaxed with her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and let his eyes drift closed.

               Toya woke at sometime in the afternoon. Tira was still sound asleep in his arms. The dark circles around her eyes had faded away as she managed to get a peaceful night of sleep. Shifting her slightly so he could stretch out some of his aching muscles, Toya smiled softly to himself as Tira mumbled something incoherent in her sleep and tried to cling to him.

               "Hey, are you planning on sleeping all day?" He gently smoothed her frosty white hair back.

               Tira's steel grey eyes fluttered open. A soft yawn escaped her and she rubbed the sleep from her eyes before glancing around curiously at their surroundings. Her body relaxed as she turned her head slightly and looked at Toya. Tears welled in her eyes and she threw her arms around him with a cry as if she were relieved. He had a feeling she thought it had all been a dream and it made his heart hurt. How often would she wake up and panic thinking she was back in that hell and her escape had been a dream?

               She cried quietly in his arms. He rocked her gently and rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. Once she'd finally calmed down, he held her at an arm's length away and wiped away her tears.

               "Sorry for being late." Toya said quietly as he dried her tears.

               A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stopped her crying, "you were right on time."

               Toya tenderly caressed her pale thin cheek catching the final tear that slipped from her hold. "Tell me what happened. Your call for help was quite alarming."

               Tira withdrew slightly, she knew if she told him, he'd get angry. She didn't want him to act on that anger and do something he regretted. "It doesn't matter anymore." Her throat hurt she was using muscles she hadn't used in years. She winced and rubbed her neck.

               Toya caught her hand in his and leaned forward. He kissed the sore spots on her neck and held back a laugh as her cheeks turned a bright shade of scarlet, an adorable squeak escaped her and she tried to scoot away from him.

               "Why did you do that?" She asked red faced.

               Toya smiled, "does it feel any better?"