Chapter Two: Twice the fun. Double the fear.
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The rose had begun to wilt. Longing for escape, I drive the stake into the cold heart and it disappears. I lock away the temptation and desire... inside a forbidden bloody hell.
A strange room, unknown to even myself, hands dripping with blood, there she is again. The woman with the long purple hair, blood pouring from her chest I held the weapon that did such a thing, the wooden stake that had harmed her so, a strong pain flowing through my body, before I had realised I was wearing her dress, her blood. The pain began to envelop my body and mind, I could barely stand.
Running, running away from him... Ayato! Why am I running from him? Why am I so afraid of him suddenly? This makes no sense! But I can't help it, my body is moving on it's own. Suddenly I was somewhere else, underground? I wasn't sure, all I knew was that now I was alone. The purple haired woman speaking to me, what was she saying? Suddenly she rose her arms up to me, ready to pull me in. Fear snuck into my mind as I saw death across her face, pulling the both of us in.
"You were meant to die, now you've trapped me. You will be mine, or I will have your weakling of a sister..." Said the woman before I jolted awake.
"Just a dream? It seemed so real." I said panting frantically. It was ten AM, I didn't sleep until seven in the morning, just like everyone else, the new night schedule threw me off. I tried to sleep again, but that dream still vivid in my mind I decided that I would draw instead. I turned the page around and began to draw, before I knew it, I had drawn the room I was in, the first day here when I saw that woman on the balcony, strange. Everything still fresh in my mind, I had then decided to change into my casual clothes (White blouse black ripped jeans and her hair is tied up) and organise my still partly packed bags and place everything in my drawers.
"Knock Knock~" Sung a familiar voice. I slowly walked over to open the door.
"Oh Laito, it is you. Thought so." He smiled at me, my face stayed blank and emotionless.
"Were you lonely without me Baka Chan?" He smirked.
"No I wasn't. And my name isn't Baka Chan it's Hikari." I scoffed.
"My bad, Hik. Ar. I~" That sent shivers down my spine as he slowly spoke my name. I then felt a hand on my neck. "Does it hurt?" He asked.
"This? Nope. I've felt worse." I glared. Trying to catch my breath occasionally. Why was I even talking to him, I hated talking to people and on top of that he is choking me! Snap out of it Hikari and do something! I mentally screamed.
"Your life is in my hand and you keep making such bold remarks. Stop your making me blush." He smiled, blushing perversely at my words. "You really are a Baka Chan." He smiled.
"Let go Laito!" I screeched.
"Yell louder, does it hurt now?" What is wrong with this guy, choking me!? My legs no longer on the floor, Laito's hand squeezing my neck even harder than before, if this goes on any longer I might die, I can't leave Yui with these people. I can't! I rose my leg and kicked Laito on the chin, knocking him over and causing him to drop me.
"Ow. Falling hurt, bad idea." I said.
"Quite a kick you've got there." He smirked wiping the drop of blood from the corner of his mouth. "No one has ever made me bleed like that, especially not my prey." Said Laito.
"I'm not your prey, when are you going to realise that I'm not just going to let you have your way, I will continue to fight back until I can't fight anymore!" I yelled.
"Got quite a bit of fight in you, don't you Baka Chan?" He smiled. "But now you've managed to hurt me. This isn't fun anymore. How is your neck by the way, those are Ayato's fang marks right?" He smiled holding the plaster I'd put on my neck.
"What the-"
"Answer me!" He yelled. "Does it hurt?" He said. I understood now.
"So that's what you were doing." I picked myself off the floor. "You were choking me to cause fear and then placing pressure on the bite marks as to cause extra fear and pain, to feed your own ego." I smirked. "No, it doesn't hurt anymore, the plaster was only there to stop it from bleeding again."
"Fine, maybe next time Baka Chan. You and your sister sure are trouble. But hey, double the fun right? You may want to check on her, the smell of blood is coming from her room right now." He smiled, leaving my room, I glared at him and then went to Yui's room.
"Yui?" I knocked.
"Hikar-i" She spoke painfully, I walked into her room, to find Ayato there! Biting Yui.
"Get away from her Ayato." I spoke he smiled instead.
"No, way." He said, I was so pissed off that I lost my composure again, and pressed on the pressure point of his shoulder to shock him away from Yui without hurting her.
"You alright Yui?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm fine, it's just bleeding a little, I will grab something to clean it." She said getting up avoiding Ayato who now stood there in pure shock.
"I smelt Laito's blood coming from your room, what happened?" He chuckled. How did he smell it, it was the smallest amount of blood ever!?
"I kicked him. You should be glad I didn't do the same thing to you just now." I said darkly.
"Damn, violent girl aren't you Kicker?" He smiled evilly.
"Whatever." He then got up and stroked my neck, where his fang marks remained.
"Your blood was way better than your sisters, maybe I will go to your room next time I want to eat instead." He smiled. "Sweet blood. But then again, I tried Yui first, maybe I'll sleep on it." He said leaving the room. I stood there wide eyed.
"Yui..." She came in and looked at me.
"Yes Hika Chan?" She smiled. I looked at her neck, there were two marks!
"When did he bite you the first time?" I asked.
"At school, he dragged me off to make Takoyaki, I couldn't refuse, then when I was washing up he pushed me down and, bit me..." She looked down. "I tried to fight back." I pulled her into a hug, tears forming in her eyes.
"How did I miss that, he must've taken you during math class, it's the only time we were ever in different classes." I said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you Yui, I promised to look after you, yet you were with him all on your own." I hugged her harder.
"It's alright. The pain disappears after a short while." She said trying to smile. "But you know that don't you?"
"What?"
"I heard him speaking to you about it. He bit you yesterday didn't he?"
"Yes. But just like you I fought and sadly lost. But don't worry your right the pain is gone completely, now you should change out of these pyjama's and put on some casual clothes. School isn't until six tonight, it's only eleven in the morning right now." I smiled.
"Yeah you're right. I will, you can go back now, I'll be fine. Oh can you go give these to Kanato, he said that he only tried these once and could never find any after that, and he really likes them?" Asked Yui. Candy?
"You promised him candy?" I asked.
"Yes, he likes candy a lot. I'd give it to him myself, but I also have to finish my homework, I assume you finished already?" She asked.
"Yes I did it yesterday. But alright, I will go find Kanato and give the candy to him now, you get ready and finish your work." I said taking the large bag of candy.
"Thank you." Smiled Yui, She then hugged me and I left.
Where would Kanato be? I don't know where his room is. So where would he be other than there? I wondered around the halls cluelessly for roughly five minutes before coming across a room with singing echoing from it. I peeked in to see who it was and standing on the balcony was Kanato, singing a sad lullaby.
(Play media. Scarborough fair.)
"Oh hello, Hikari san." Said Kanato gripping onto his teddy bear.
"Hello Kanato. That was a lovely song." It was easier to be nice to this brother, I wonder why? I was still talking to these people too. Why?
"It was a lullaby that I used to sing with and for my mother..." He seemed sad, yet a slither of pure enjoyment sparkled in his eyes.
"I'm sure she loved it. It's a beautiful song." I said.
"What would you know what she liked!?" He bellowed.
"Sorry, I spoke a bit out of line there. Well I'm sorry for bothering you but Yui was busy so she asked me to bring this to you. I had no idea you liked candy. Maybe I'll make some for you sometime." I said smiling generally to him, handing him the bag of candy. He smiled back.
"If you live." He said pushing me over the balcony, I gripped onto the concrete railing. Kanato hit my fingers against the concrete causing my right hand to let go of the balcony, I quickly regained my grip and pulled myself up rubbing my hand.
"Did you seriously try to kill me just now? Wow try to be nice to someone...-"
"You weren't being nice, you did it because you had to. Your afraid just like everyone else. Stop saying you tried." He grunted. I hoisted myself over the balcony rail and was safely inside again and moved towards him, shrinking to his size, since I was a bit taller, but shorter than Ayato.
"I'm not pretending, nor am I afraid of you..." He looked up surprised almost head butting me.
"You don't hate me like the others?" He asked. He was being serious!
"No of course I don't. You haven't done anything to make me hate you, you seem like a good guy from what I've seen so far, sure I haven't known you for very long, but you seem nice enough and that's good in my books. It's not like I was pretending to be nice to you. I truly was being kind. So let's put this behind us and start over. Hi I'm Hikari komori. Your name?" I smiled, holding my hand out to the purple haired boy.
"Kanato Sakamaki. This is Teddy." He said smiling at me, shaking my hand and then making Teddy shake my hand as well.
"Pleasure to meet you Kanato, Teddy." I smiled. "So how about it? Fancy making candy sometime?" I asked nicely.
"Yes, that would be... fun." We smiled. "You don't smile often do you?" He asked. He was right too, I never smiled except to Yui, now I find myself smiling at this boy that I've just met. And when we first met he said he wanted to break us!?
"Your right I don't. That obvious huh?" I said.
"No. You just seem like the kind of person who didn't." Oh, should I be offended by him. Nah...
"Guess so." I replied.
"So why smile to me? Your kinder to me than the others." Said Kanato, eating the candy and offering me a piece.
"Thank you. Yeah I am. I don't know why. I guess you just remind me of Yui when she was younger as well as my own brother... he was a lot like you, even had the same hair." I smiled to him. "I can't help but be nice to you." I smiled. Tears threatening to escape my eyes at the mere mention of my brother, I haven't spoken about him in years.
"You had a brother?"
"Yes, a long time ago."
"Is he dead?" Those words rung deep in my mind.
"I asked the same question the day he left, but sadly yes he is. He died when we were kids." I gave a sad smile.
"My condolences, sorry." He said, and I'm pretty sure he meant it. Then as if by natural reflex I rose my hand and he flinched? I placed my hand on his head and patted him on the head to cheer him up.
"It's fine, it was a long time ago. No need to be sorry, you didn't know." I smiled to him and he smiled back. We then spent a few hours sitting and talking, he even sang the rest of his song for me. It was weird, but with him smiling wasn't so hard. This brother wasn't so bad. To be honest I don't think they all are, I guess in a certain light, even Ayato and Laito could seem likeable.
"The sun is starting to set." Said Kanato. I tapped his shoulder and he jolted.
"No need to seem so sad, the sun will be back tomorrow." I said, he really did remind me of a younger sibling like Yui or my brother... Haru.
"Can we talk more tomorrow?" He asked holding my hand on his shoulder.
"I don't see why not, we could even talk later when I'm done getting ready for school."
"Alright. Don't take too long, I will see you downstairs." Said Kanato, leaving the room.
"Alright." We then parted ways and I went straight to my room.
It didn't take long to get ready, all that was left was to brush my long raven hair . *KNOCK KNOCK* I carefully opened the door.
"Hikari." Smiled Yui.
"Hi Yui, are you alright?" I said.
"Yes I'm okay. I just wanted to ask for some help doing my bow again." She smiled rubbing the back of her head embarrassed.
"Alright, come here. You really need to learn to do this yourself." I joked.
"Yeah I know. Did I interrupt you?" She asked.
"Not really, I was just about to brush my hair."
"Really? But it looks fine." She smiled. "You rarely ever tie it up." She finished.
"Yeah I know. But I'm still going to take it out of it's pony tail and brush it down, I need to fix my fringe too." I said.(refer to story picture to see her hair).
"No they look fine, but do as you see fit, it is your hair." We both laughed, after I was finished with her bow, Yui went off to her room to pack her school bag and left me to brush my hair. Once finished I left my room and walked to the dining room, placing my bag on the hook that Reiji told us to put it before school and after school unless we had homework. He must have OCD or something, the minute something even has an inch out of place he goes crazy till it's fixed. But I don't really mind. Some people at the church were like that too, so it was normal for me and Yui, yet she would still sometimes get things wrong.
"Hello Hikari san." Smiled Kanato, hugging Teddy.
"Hello Kanato kun. Oh no you have a scratch on your face, how did that happen?" Kanato then pointed to Ayato and Subaru who were both flinging knives at eachother, one of the knives flinging towards me and scraping my face.
"You're bleeding." Said Kanato.
"Yeah I guess I am. It's fine though a bit of blood never hurt anyone." I said cleaning it off and disposing of the slightly bloody tissue, then tending to Kanato's injury and he smiled at me.
"Let me help you?" Said a cringe worthy voice behind me. "Hi. Ka. Ri~" Giggled the voice. It was Laito.
"No way. Go away Laito." I said coldly. Kanato left us to go to the couch.
"Aww so cold." He faked a shiver. "Why're you so mean to me? Kanato licked your cheek too on the first day." Pouted Laito.
"Yeah and he apologised, you on the other hand made it up to me by trying to choke me to the point where I had to kick you in the face." I scoffed.
"Fine your right. I'm very sorry Baka Chan. I mean Hikari." He gulped. "I behaved poorly towards you." He touched my scratch. "Did Subaru hurt you?" This was creepy.
"Okay I get it your sorry stop touching me, it's creepy. No the scratch doesn't hurt, it only bled for like half a second, it's barely a scratch." I picked up the knife, its blade sparkling in the light.
"Alright, so I'm forgiven?" He asked.
"Fine, just stop being creepy and maybe, MAYBE... I will be nicer to you." He smiled to me and walked away skipping joyfully. These people really tire me out.
"Everyone be quiet and sit down." Commanded Reiji sitting down at the table, checking everyone's uniform was as well done as his. "Laito hat off at the table." Laito reluctantly took off the hat and placed it next to him. "Hikari."
"Yes?" I replied.
"Where is your sister, she's tardy." Said Reiji coldly.
"Um, I think she's still in her room. Should I go get her?" I asked.
"Yes, and hurry up, no one will start until she is here. And you don't want anyone here going hungry do you?" He said suggestively.
"Suppose not. Fine, I'll go get her." I said marching up the stairs. "Yui? Time for dinner, hurry up Reiji is clearly not in a good mood." I said knocking on her door, no answer. I opened the door to see Yui at her desk writing with headphones on. My headphones. I walked up to her and pulled them off. "YUI!" I yelled.
"Yeah? Why are you yelling?" She replied rubbing her ears.
"It's time for dinner, Reiji is angry, come on." I said and with that we went to dinner.
"Sorry for my tardiness." Said Yui facing everyone.
"Don't let it happen again." Said Reiji as everyone began to eat. After dinner we all sat in silence for a few minutes, I didn't eat much, I've never eaten a lot in my life. But once our plates were gone, we all rose up and grabbed our bags ready to go to school.
As usual the car was quiet. Yui was the one to break the ice.
"So Kanato did Hikari give you the candy?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you." He smiled back to her, Yui must feel the same way I do regarding Kanato.
"Good I'm glad you like them."
"Yes, I have them here." He then took out the bag and gave Yui one.
"Wow, Kanato sharing sweets, that's weird, he never does that. You must be special Yui." Said Laito.
"Why? I gave Hikari one earlier too." Said Kanato, the mention of my name pulling me away from looking out the window. "Isn't that right Hikari san?" Said Kanato looking right at me.
"Yes." I said.
"Are you alright Hika Chan?" Asked Yui.
"Yeah Kicker you seem way too quiet." Added Ayato.
"Oh is Baka Chan not feeling well?" Said Laito mockingly.
"You were fine earlier." Said Kanato.
"It is an odd change." Said Reiji joining in.
"I'm fine, just a headache." Yui nudged me twice to double check. I nudged back once to convince her that I was alright.
"Secret sister code?" Asked Laito.
"Seems so." Answered Reiji.
"Yeah, me and Hikari came up with it when we were kids." Smiled Yui. She was much more trusting than I was. I now knew better than to let down my guard in front of them, because if I did, I'd pay by having my flesh bitten into.
"Tell us about when you were children." Said Laito.
"Yes. Who's older and what were you both like?" Asked Kanato, anticipation on his face. Yui looked at me asking if it was alright to say. I nodded.
"Well, Hikari is older, only by three months but she is. She was born in December whilst I'm in March. Hikari and I don't have the same parents since she was adopted by my father and me, so we didn't really meet until we were about seven almost eight. Right Hikari?" Asked Yui.
"Yeah that's right, it was a few days before my birthday." I replied.
"Good, I wasn't wrong. Now where was I? Oh yes! And then when we were eleven almost twelve roughly the same day a few years later of course, my father said we were going to the hospital to pick someone up, that's when we saw Hikari, then we adopted her and took her away from the foster family she was with at the time and took her home, and we've been even closer since then, she wasn't much of a talker when we met, but she changed over time. For the better." Said Yui.
She was right I had changed. After my parents died, I was taken from my adoptive father I rarely spoke, never showed emotion, I was a blank canvas. I didn't even like it when people touched me or hugged me no matter who it was. But since meeting Yui I smiled a little more, but only to her. Then after being adopted by her I spoke more. Still a blank canvas to most people. I didn't like getting close to people.
"How did your real parents die?" Asked Laito, waving a hand in front of my face.
"House fire."
"Is that how you lost your brother as well?" Asked Kanato, Yui gasped.
"He knows about Haru?" Asked Yui.
"Yes and yes. Haru died the same way my parents did." I replied, blank expression.
"We used to visit his grave a lot with Hikari, but we stopped after a while and only she left. I visit with her sometimes. Not as much as we used to." Said Yui.
"Did you ever meet her adoptive father?" Asked Ayato.
"Yes, he was very kind. So was his wife, but she passed away due to illness when Hikari was nine." Replied Yui. Why were we talking about me, I should've said no.
"I'm guessing after that the father became abusive? Am I correct that after her death from the ages of nine to eleven Yui never saw him and you endured roughly three years of abuse Hikari?" Said Reiji. How did he know!?
"Your right I never saw him for the three years. Hikari, why didn't I see him? And why did we have to take you from him?" Asked Yui, even she didn't know.
"Yes Reiji your right. From the age of nine to eleven I suffered from abuse and Yui never saw him because he didn't care anymore, he took up drinking and never visited my school. Happy? Now you all know about the past." I said emotionlessly as I looked out the window again.
"Sorry Hikari, I didn't know." Said Yui.
"I know you didn't. It doesn't matter anyway, let's just leave it be and go to school. Class starts soon." The car stopped and we got out, slowly walking to class.
"I'm sorry Hikari, if I had known then I wouldn't have told. Reiji kun, how did you know about it? Did she tell you?" Asked Yui, just before he could walk into his classroom.
"I spotted some of her scars earlier, when she took off her jacket her back was showing and I saw the scars, done with a knife?" He finished.
"Yes." I replied dully.
"Supposed so. Yui, you should really pay more attention to your sister if that's truly what you plan to consider her as." Said Reiji as him and Shu walked into the classroom, the room slowly filling with chatter about the Sakamaki family and their looks.
"Yeah." Said Yui, bowing then leaving to catch up to me and hugged me suddenly.
"What's wrong?" I asked her turning around.
"I didn't know about the things you suffered from, that's the reason you don't fear them isn't it Hikari? You don't fear them because you can't fear anymore, you don't have any fear left in you. He took it away." Said Yui. I nodded.
"It's fine. A life without total fear isn't so bad. And look it doesn't mean I have none left, it just means that I don't have any fear for them, merely because I understand what they can do and I know it may hurt, but nonetheless I won't be afraid, because to me all the times I was hospitalised showed me that fear is in the mind, and I learnt to switch it off, so don't worry about it. Alright?" I patted her head encouragingly and smiled, walking into class and sitting near the window. School went by quickly that night, and it wasn't long before we all went home.
After doing my homework, I got bored and decided to do some wondering around. One place always caught my attention, the room with glowing lights outside of it. I walked in and saw that it was a pool? There I saw Yui leaning towards the couch and seeing Ayato sleeping there, she covered him up with the nearby blanket that he had shoved off and began to walk away before he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms, I was going to get her but Yui had managed to free herself, all I could think was 'run Yui run!' But he caught her and picked her up.
"You don't want to lay with me, you don't want to feed me then fine. Swim for me." He dropped her. "If you can get out then I will look forward to our future 'meal times' it will earn you a slither of respect from yours truly." He spoke darkly. Yui, she can't swim. I wanted to go get her, but my feet wouldn't move. I didn't understand, then I heard a splash.
I looked up from my unmoving feet and saw that Ayato had jumped in after her. He's saving her? I then noticed he kissed her! I then saw she was breathing again, I'll forgive him since it kind of just saved her life. It was then that I saw the crimson liquid float to the top of the pool. What? No even Ayato wouldn't bite her under there. Would he? It was after he brought her out of the water that I smiled to myself and thanked him in my mind. She was alright. Damn water! Why wouldn't I move? He then lifted her and began to take her in my direction, I ran away and went to my room. Then there was a knock.
"Yes?"
"It's yours truly." Said Ayato through the door.
"What is it?" I asked. He pointed to Yui's room.
"She fell in the pool. Can you go get her out of the wet clothes?" He asked.
"Sure. She can't swim and your soaked. I assume you saved her?" He didn't answer just nodded.
"Thank you." I said.
"How do you plan on thanking me then huh?" I thought for a second.
"Fine." I then lightly kissed his cheek. "Thank you Ore Sama." I bowed deeply and rushed to Yui's room. I know he bit her, but he could've let her die too, so I guess those things balanced but he doesn't know I was there, so this is the best I've got. I then went to change her clothes and eventually left.
Time passed by slowly, bit by bit fading away escaping my being. The sound of my piano music echoed from my headphones and spiraled around the room. I sat at my desk finishing off my homework, it was then that I felt a cold hand touch my shoulders. I jolted from my seat in shock, my father!?
I found myself transported to a cliff near the beach, why does it look so familiar? Where is this place?
"Hikari." Spoke a male voice from behind me.
"Hello father." What? That's me! A young Hikari running beside me towards her father, bruises covering her body. Her short raven hair flapping behind her, her uniform covered in sand.
"Run! You don't know what he's going to do yet!" I screamed, I remembered this day well. They couldn't see or hear me.
"I have a surprise for you. It's been a year since your mother died, so we're visiting Okinawa as a celebration for making it as long as we did." Smiled the man, that was the smile he had on every time he planned on harming me again, and after a year I still didn't understand. This was the first time I was hospitalised...
"Really what is it?" Asked ten year old Hikari.
"Swimming lessons!" He smirked.
"Yay! I've always wanted to learn how to swim. I'm the only one at school who can't." Sighed the little girl.
"No, don't say that." I spoke quietly, it was too late. The large man hit the child in the face, scratching her face with his wedding ring, a line of blood flowing from her cheek.
"Don't complain brat! I was nice enough to bring you here yet you complain, I am even going to teach you the way you should be and you still complain!?" Screamed the large man, hoisting the small girl over his shoulder violently.
"I'm sorry dad! Please don't!" She yelled. I never thought of him as my dad, but his wife begged me to call him that after she died to make him feel better. If only it'd worked. Would life have been different?
"Shut up! Now swim! If you can't then don't get out! Your not my child!" He bellowed at the young me, those words still ringing in my head, watching my past self struggle, yet I couldn't stop any of it from happening.
Why was no one trying to help me? Were they scared?
"No, they just didn't care." I sighed. The man I had once called father, threw the small, fragile girl into the violent waves of the ocean, smiling at her struggle. "That smile reminds me of Ayato... is that why I'm not afraid? No.
"Hurry up!" He yelled. I'd lost consciousness. The next time I woke up I was in the Okinawa main hospital with my foster father sitting beside me.
"She'll be alright, she did take in a lot of water. You should consider this a miracle she lived after all that, she even hit her head against a few rocks, it's good you called us when you did and got her out of the water." Spoke the male doctor beside me, the nurse smiling at me, realising that I was awake.
"Thank goodness you're awake Hikari, your dad was so worried that he dived in after you when you fell into the ocean!" Said the nurse. Her blonde hair in my face as she bandaged my injuries.
"Fell in the ocean?" Asked the little girl.
"More like pushed, but you people can't hear me can you!" I screeched.
"Yes, you fell and the rocks and waves really hurt you, you have cuts, scrapes, bruises and even a concussion from where you hit your head." Said the doctor. My father smiling at me.
"Do I have to go home now?" Asked the raven haired girl. Sadness in her eyes. I knew it, why did no one else?
"Yes, that's good right!?" The nurse tried to be peppy, but now that I'm older, I find it annoying.
"Yeah." Lied the little girl, the next few years flying by quickly showing all the times he dropped me in pools, fountains, oceans. So many times I'd lost count now, drowning was a regular feeling for me. The cuts and bruises and scrapes that the nurse had once described were much deeper now.
"Hikari get here now!" Yelled the man, the now eleven year old girl came out dressed in her school uniform, she was in middle school now she was going to leave to meet with her friend Yui at the bus stop.
"Yes father." Limped the young girl.
"This is the third year since she died just before you turned nine. Now, come here." Smiled the man. The girl knew what was going to happen so she prepared herself, for if she tried to run like before, all that would happen was that she'd have another broken leg.
"Coming." Said the girl.
"Good. Now behave at school and here." The man pulled the young girl into a hug. This was new, she hadn't been hugged since her foster mother died.
"Thank you father." Smiled the girl. The hug becoming tighter and tighter. "Father I can't breathe, please." The limp girl pleaded, nothing. Until eventually they heard a crack. The sound of a broken rib.
"Go to school and don't come back until you can prove that your not useless, your mother real or not would be ashamed of you." Spoke the man, the harsh words hitting like knives, at this point the girl was broken, taken for granted and destroyed. She still felt the sharp pain, but any fear she had left for that man was gone, she was used to the painful abuse and got over it. Just like he said to. No one would save her so why scream out in fear for someone to, all she could do was wait for exactly what he was.
The warm hand of God, or the cold ones of Satan to drag that man away the day he drank too much. All she could do was wait... until that man was gone and she could be free. Free from the only fear she had left... fear of the dripping water that threatened to envelop her, and never give her back to the world of the living.
"Hello Hikari." Chirped a young Yui.
"Hello, Miss. Komori." Replied the girl.
"I told you call me Yui." She pouted.
"Right sorry. Yui." The raven haired girl didn't have much to say like always. She was quiet and never let anyone close. The only one she was willing to smile to in the same fake way was Yui. Later at school the raven haired girl collapsed. I collapsed, the broken rib puncturing my heart slowly. I was rushed to the hospital for the third time in the last six months, and the eleventh time in the past three years. No one knew about the number of times I had been except my doctor.
"A broken rib? How?" Asked a calm male voice.
"Yes, the father claims to not know what happened, and the girl won't answer." Said the doctor.
"Her name isn't girl. It's Hikari!" Yelled a little girls voice. It was Yui... I remember being scared for her, if my father saw her he wouldn't stop from hitting her because she got involved.
"Go away Yui." Spoke the beaten girl.
"Why?" She asked.
"You'll get hurt if you stay here, just leave I'm... alright." Smiled the girl, the fake smile she always gave. Wincing in pain Yui hugged her.
"What's wrong? The rib is broken." Said Yui, her father walking in afterwards. So that's who was talking before.
"Yui leave a moment and stay with the nurse please." He said. "I'm Seiji Komori, do you remember me?" He asked the small girl. She nodded.
"Yes, you're Yui's father. You work at the church." She said.
"That's right, and I need to know how you broke your rib. You've been here a lot over the past few years haven't you?" He smiled.
"Yes."
"So how did it happen?" Asked Seiji.
"Not telling. It doesn't matter, I just want to go back." She said shaking.
"You're afraid aren't you?" He asked sadly.
"NO I'M NOT. I DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID! I WILL NEVER FEAR ANYTHING EVER AGAIN!" Yelled the girl.
"I see the fear is sealed away in your mind. You know I want to help you. So does God. Let the church be your saviour." He spoke softly, but I no longer believed.
"What God? He isn't real, he would've saved me if he were. Where were either of you when the three years began? Where was my so called saviour?" The man sat there in shock. "You have no answer because I'm right." She said.
"No, I don't believe you are. You have been overlooked and taken for granted and I'm sorry this happened to you, but please don't be angry at the Lord for this. I'm sorry we never realised your pain, but you have to tell me so I can save you. Did your father do this?" Asked Seiji, his voice stern yet kind.
"Y-" The girl swallowed her voice. "He isn't my real father." She said. "But it's true, he did this." She said and after a short time, her father arrested and the church took her home. She was happy yet remained broken as ever. Suddenly a dark voice joined me, in the darkness where no one else could see me, I saw her. The purple haired woman!
"You escaped death many times. I'm impressed, but not this time. If you don't lose your life, you may lose your mind. The light you harbour will be put out." Said the woman before I jolted from my desk. A dream? More like a nightmare, reliving all of that and not doing anything about it, and that woman. Who is she?
I heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" I said, my voice shaking.
"Laito. Your favourite vampire." I opened the door.
"Hello Laito, what do you want?" I asked.
"Well if you must know, I want your blood, but that's not why I'm here." Said Laito.
"Then why are you here?" I asked. He seemed strange.
"I wanted to know something."
"What?" I replied.
"Could you draw me?" I looked at him perplexed.
"You're going to have to give me a bit more than that Laito." I replied.
"Ayato said that you were good at drawing and that he was going to make you draw him. So I wanted you to draw me first." He said, smiling at me.
"Well, I guess I could. I haven't drawn using a model in a while, I suppose it's alright. What type of drawing did you have in mind?" I asked.
"Just me, sitting on the couch or something." He said.
"Alright that shouldn't be a problem. I don't see a reason not to, but you can't make any passes at me whilst I do it. You have to stay completely still and completely quiet." I warned.
"Yes Baka Chan I promise. For now." He said. Whispering the last part of his sentence.
"Fine, I will draw you tomorrow. I'm tired right now." I said closing the door.
"No way. You have to do it now, before Ayato comes." Laito was persistent.
"No Laito. Has no one ever told you no before!?" I yelled, making sure he heard me.
"Shut up! What do you know!?" He yelled as he shoved me in my room. "This reminds me a lot of what happened to your sister... I held her down just like this. In front of the stain glass windows in the abandoned church. She called for you, you never arrived. Why is that Baka Chan? Or Hikari?" He smirked evilly as he lifted my pyjama shorts and bit my leg.
"Stop it Laito." I couldn't move. My legs were bound by his fangs and an arm.
"I was wrong. This is different to your sister. Your blood is much tastier than hers. But then again, her reaction was more fearful." He said, continuing to drink my blood, slowly I began to lose my sight, everything becoming blurry. I could no longer feel anything my body had become completely numb.
"Let. Me. Go..." I said, as my conscious mind, shut off and all that remained was black.
"Hikari!!!!" Yelled a voice I thought I recognised. It was Yui's voice! I shot awake.
"Oh she did hear you after all." Said Laito sitting near my head.
"Where am I?" I asked Yui, she ran away from Laito and Ayato and sat next to me. I made sure I was sitting up properly.
"You're in the game room." Said Laito. "We're deciding who gets to keep you and your sister. Ayato wants you both, Shu wants Yui and I want you." He finished.
"Yeah, but seeing the look of suffering on your face as you slept really did it for me, maybe I'll keep you instead of Yui if I have to give one up." Said Ayato.
"Your blood is permeating the air." Said Shu. They all looked at me and my bleeding leg. I saw the bite marks in Yui's neck as well and stood up grabbing her hand.
"Neither of us belong to any of you. Goodbye blood brothers." i said marching out of the room. A strong hand then slammed against the exit in front of me. Shu.
"Your not going anywhere." He said.
"You can't stop me. I'm not in a good mood and I'd rather not feel any worse at the fact that I passed out because of him!" I yelled pointing to Laito.
"Brave words for prey." He said.
"I'm not your prey, neither is Yui, does anyone in this house understand that!?" My voice shaking in rage.
"Fine. Prove it." Before I knew it Yui and I were grabbed by Shu and he tied us to a dart board, the other two smiling at us.
"What the hell!?" I yelled.
"Shut up. If you can get out of this without being stabbed by one of mine and Ayato's darts then you can leave. If we hit you, you become ours. Similar to our previous agreement, but this time we have moving targets. Ayato is this alright?" Asked Shu, not really caring.
"You probably wouldn't care even if it was, so sure. Sounds fun. Be prepared you two." Said Ayato.
"I'm scared Hikari." Whispered Yui.
"I know, we'll be alright. Trust me." I whispered back and she nodded. Good, now it's your time to shine Hikari.
The first dart was thrown, obviously at me. Obviously by Ayato. I moved my head quickly and grabbed it to cut Yui loose, she dropped to the floor.
"Leave Yui."
"But-"
"Now!" I yelled she nodded and ran, when Laito went to go after her I threw the dart at him as a warning. "I won't miss next time Laito." I spoke evilly.
"You really do surprise me Baka Chan." Said Laito.
"You really do change when your sister isn't in the room Kicker." Said Ayato.
"We didn't say you could free her." Said Shu.
"Your right you didn't. But you didn't say I couldn't either. There is no way in hell that I would run the risk of losing her in to you in this so called 'game' of yours." I said angrily.
"So you plan to take the pain?" Said Ayato.
"If I have to. You know what happened to me as a kid. I've known pain my whole life, I've felt darts before, knives. Bring it!" I challenged. Ayato throwing another dart.
"When your darts are gone Ayato, you can't get them again." Said Shu.
"Yeah, but the one with the most direct hits, is the winner right?" he asked. Shu nodded. Laito leaving. I glared at him.
"Don't worry, your blood was filling enough. I won't go after her tonight." Said Laito to me as he left.
Darts flung after one another. Dodging them became harder and harder, the blood loss in my leg from before finally taking its tow on me, I felt tired.
"The blood loss is getting to you isn't it? About two pints he said he took. I'm surprised your even awake anymore." Said Shu.
"Well I would cut myself free, but none of the darts are near my hands like before, so obviously you've learnt your lesson." I didn't answer directly, but he knew that he was right. I was feeling the blood loss. It was not fun.
"This is interesting. Will she pass out before she see's her new owner, or will she pull through?" Said Ayato mockingly. darts flying again and again, how were they not out yet? Then I realised, they had small boxes of darts in front of them, they had plenty to hit me with. As I thought this, Shu's dart flung and scraped my side.
"Damn." I said. "I should've noticed the boxes of darts." The boys smiled evilly at me.
"Yeah, be more observant next time." I huffed at Shu's remark and continued to dodge, Ayato also managing to scrape my side. This pain was nothing. I could control it. Suddenly my legs became numb, I couldn't feel a thing. All my blood was rushing to my swinging feet.
"I'm out of darts." Said Ayato. Shu flung one more and missed, barely.
"Same here." He said. Ayato then walked over and let me down. I fell to the ground, regaining the feeling in my legs, I slowly stood.
"That was fun, Kicker." He smiled licking the blood from my side.
"Yeah, we should do it again." Said Shu, licking blood from the other side, I took a step back from them, leaning against the wall.
"Back off weirdo's." I panted.
"Aww I think she's tired." Said Ayato, Shu nodded.
"This is becoming tiresome, I'm leaving. Have her. Bye." Said Shu before walking out of the room.
"Alright. I won, how does that feel Kicker?" He said triumphantly.
"Worse than those darts." I replied.
"Damn girl. You really like to run your mouth don't you?" He said.
"Yeah, it's a pass time of mine, I truly enjoy shooting down your ego." I said smiling evilly.
"Be quiet. Now how about some blood before I go to bed, this really did tire me out." He grabbed my arm and in retaliation I swung for him and connected with his cheek.
"What the hell is wrong with you!? Do you honestly believe that just because Shu said I was yours that it's true, cos if you do then we need to have a word. I don't belong to you, I'm not your personal blood bank and I definitely won't do whatever you say just because you want me to. I have more important things to do than care about treading carefully around you and your big head!" I screamed. "I'm not going to brush it off and pretend everything is alright because it's not. You cannot just go around and claim people, we aren't food and we're not as disposable as you probably wish we were! I will continue to fight, I will fight you off until the day I can't do it anymore! I will never submit to you or your brothers, because giving up isn't who I am and I will not just let you bite me as you please!" I couldn't contain my anger, the look of pure shock painted itself across Ayato's face.
"You had no right to do that, now you've annoyed me." He said, pulling me in. I fought him off.
"I refuse to lose to you!" I yelled.
"Tough luck then, because if Laito can overpower you then you must believe that I can too, especially while you're so pitifully weak." He smirked at me. He was right though like this I couldn't move. It was flight or fight. I had no strength to fight, yet none to fly either. I was stuck. After some struggling I felt his sharp fangs pierce my very being. I winced in pain.
"S...stop." I said, just as I passed out into the warm body behind me, gradually feeling the pain fade away.
These people, I speak to them, forgetting who they are. Then again, they don't treat me like the devil everyone else used to. What is this feeling? Like, I belong?
My conscious mind went completely blank as the memories of my foster father filled my mind once again. This pain in my neck, what was it?