“Where are you taking me?” Kaoru asked nervously. I smoothed out the wrinkles on my dress and tugged him around the corner. “Why the random kidnapping? What’s going on?”
“Do you know what day it is?” I asked. Steam swirled from my lips as I spoke. I shivered, and out of reflex, curled into his body. He tensed.
“It’s Sunday, right?”
I gave a dull nod and smiled. “Sunday.” I repeated. I’d been in Japan for a month and I refused to do the one thing that was most important to me, even more important than singing. I stumbled along the sidewalk toting Kaoru along with me. I recognized a few faces from school. A group of girls paused to stare at Kaoru exchanging confused looks before giggling and waddling away. I let their faces warp into the back of my mind.
“What’s gotten you so worked up? Are you still thinking about the performance on Friday? Listen, Indie, I thought things had gotten better between the three of us. I made Hikaru promise to leave you alone, he can’t hurt you anymore.”
I froze.
My dark hair dangled over my eyes.
I touched my choker.
Letting out deep, uneven breaths,
I smiled.
“I’m over it. Really, I would’ve done this even if Hikaru was my best friend. Can you please just trust me?”
He opened his mouth then snapped it back shut. I laughed and pulled him in front of a tall, traditional Gothic styled building. The both of us gaped up at its structure. Gargoyles beamed down at us, water poured out of their mouths as marbled angels bowed down before iron crosses.
“A church?” Confusion captured his voice. His lips twisted into a tight, crinkled oh. “I didn’t even know we had one of those, let alone an English styled church. Where’d you find this?”
“I believe the better question is ‘when’ did I find this.” I corrected. My insides fluttered to life. I couldn’t contain my excitement. “And to answer that, this is the church my Mom used to go to back when we lived in Japan a long time ago. I’d been looking for it for a while, but couldn’t really remember where it was. After spending hours looking for it on the internet, I was finally able to contact the Pastor who gave me directions, so, yeah. Ta da!”
Kaoru looked at me sideways. I blushed. I hadn’t even asked him if he was a Christian, and up until now, the thought that he might hate me for dragging him to a church without his permission didn’t even occur to me. Oddly enough, I wasn’t worried. There was something different about Kaoru.
Something really amazing.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” He asked with a smile. “Let’s get a seat.”
“Really?” Joy exploded through my body and tickled me from the inside out. I started bouncing up and down, grinning a wide Cheshire grin for ear to ear. Kaoru smiled back and lead the way inside. He found us a place in the middle of the room, apart from the traditional elderly women at the front of the building. I folded my hands into my lap and waited for the Pastor to return. From the far corner of the room, he entered clutching a thick Bible in his hands. He placed the book on the podium and gestured for us to rise. Kaoru and I stood.
“Thank you. Please join me in a word of prayer.” He smiled. I took note of his face. He seemed so much older when I talked to him on the phone, but looking at him now, he appeared younger. No older than fifty. He had fine salt and peppered hair and tanned skin. His eyes were tiny and hidden by thick horned rim glasses. He wore a traditional black suit and shiny black shoes. My smile widened. “Father in Heaven, we gather here before You to thank You for all that You are. Blessed be Your name. Please lead us and strengthen us in times of need. Protect our hearts and touch us in a way that we’ve never felt before. Father, we apologize for the sins that we have done, but we rejoice in the fact that You have already forgiven us and love us all the same. Father, I know that Your people are hurting and I pray that You heal them from the inside out. Let them know that they are not alone, that You are always by their side. Heal them, Lord, like You have healed so many. We pray this in your name, Amen.”
“Amen.”
“You may join us in Hymn. Worship by any means you feel lead to.”
I glanced around the room. A few women had already kicked off their shoes and started wiggling their hips. A few men opened up their arms and leaned back their heads, while children raced around the room like wildcats. I licked my lips.
“What are you thinking?” Kaoru asked. In truth, I was thinking about leaving my seat to join the dancing women and children in the isles, but I was worried about Kaoru and what he’d do if I left him. “Do whatever you feel lead to do.” He encouraged. My eyes widened. I embraced him in a hug.
“Thank you.” I whispered into his ear.
“No worries.” He chuckled. “I’m right behind you.”
He let me slip in front of him and out into the open area. The band kicked into action, and a woman started to sing. Everyone in the tiny room started dancing and singing at the top of their lungs. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to slip into the lyrics and got lost in the words. I drifted by, floating like a cloud. The Holy Word filled me to the brim, getting me addicted to its nature like a drug. I wondered if I could have the same affect on people if I tried, or even if that was what I was lead to do. What did God think of me? Was He worried about my lies and my secrets?
No.
The voice was so clear in my head.
I was sure He loved me,
Just as the Pastor had claimed.
I bowed my head and started praying.
The music continued soaring through the air.
And the people of the Church followed.
Worshiping
My Father in Heaven looked at me and smiled. He saw all of my flaws and scars and thought of me as perfect and beautiful. He loved me for myself, and undoubtedly had a plan of me. Through of all the chaos, through all of the madness and hardship, he was planning something. I just had no idea what it was.
“If you will now please be seated.”
My eyes fluttered open. Kaoru was already sitting. I quietly joined him. The Pastor smiled, filing through the Bible.
“Faith and trust in the Lord.” He said carefully. His voice even seemed to be smiling. I looked at him sideways. “This is a very hard thing to do. Sometimes it’s easier to trust and believe in something tangible, but not God. This is an area I struggle in tremendously. I find it difficult to trust people because I can’t trust the Divine Creator. Sometimes I drift away, it’s a very human thing to do. But God loves us and He understands this. If you have your Bibles with you today, I’d like you to turn to Deuteronomy 31:8. ‘It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ We can find comfort in His word and promise to us.”
I chewed on my bottom lip and turned to Kaoru. He rested his elbows on the back of the empty pew and leaned forward into his hands.
He was listening. I smiled. Good.
***
“No kidding, she dragged you to church?” Haruhi seemed to be caught between shock and confusion. I shrugged my shoulders and clasped my hands behind my back.
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked nervously. She slowly shook her head no.
“Not a bad thing, just weird.” She turned her attention back to Kaoru. “So what did you think about this whole thing?”
“I actually rather enjoyed it.” He ensured her. “It was really interesting seeing the Christian beliefs first hand. I hear rumors and watch anime on it, but it’s completely different witnessing it for myself. They spoke about trust and faith, and were really encouraging. Such a strange concept, though. One God and the Trinity.”
She nodded, still in a daze. My cheeks warmed. I had forgotten that not many Japanese believed in the Bible, which is why Mom had chosen to be a missionary here in Japan in the first place. Back in the United States, it was a common thing to go to Church, but here…
“Where’s Indie?” Kyoya demanded bursting through the door. Hikaru lapped after him wearing a sinister smirk. Haruhi rolled her eyes.
“You’re starting to act like Tamaki.” She commented. “This is really unlike you, what do you want?”
“I have a surprise for her.” He beamed with an emotion I couldn’t quite indentify. Once our eyes met, he waved a stack full of papers around in the air. “But now that everyone’s here, I guess that means I have a surprise for you as well.”
“What are you babbling about?” I asked. I’d never seen him so worked up before. He seemed crazy, wild, and not at all himself. I crossed my arms over my chest. “What do you mean you have a surprise?”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the paper, not even for a second.
Kyoya’s smirk widened.
“Tamaki, why don’t you bring our special guests in for everyone to see?”
My brows knit together in confusion. Special guests? Who could he mean? My heart sank. I prayed it wasn’t Yuki, anyone but him.
“My ladies.” Tamaki stepped through the door and joined Haruhi’s side. Out of the darkness, two silhouettes emerged. Two girls in matching height and weight, both with dark green eyes and porcelain skin. The first girl wore her mousy brown hair short and in messy curls, the second dyed her hair an inky black and wore it long and straight. My heart leaped at the connection.
“Karma and Kassandra!” I squealed in delight. Without thinking, I raced to their side and embraced them both in a tight death hug. It felt amazing having them with me, and I was overwhelmed by excitement. “What are the two of you doing here?”
“Ky-whatever his name bought us plane tickets.” Karma said tucking a messy brown hair back behind her ear. She blew a pink piece of gum up and popped it, smacking it back into her mouth. It took a few seconds to realize she had spoken English to me. The rest of the room shot us blank stares.
“I believe you mean ‘Kyoya’.” Kassandra corrected promptly. I smiled.
“It’s so good to have you back.” Speaking English for the first time in months felt foreign to my tongue. I licked my lips. “How did he find you?”
The question had even taken myself off guard. Karma stepped forward. “He posted a video of you singing ‘Human’ on the internet and tagged it ‘Mystery Girl’. The description of the video said that you were unknown, and that he was really interested in finding out more about you. We contacted him right away because, well, we were looking for you too.”
I frowned shooting Kyoya a death glare out of the corner of my eye. Tamaki blinked twice.
“Will someone please explain to me what’s going on?” He asked. Haruhi whispered into his ear, quietly explaining to him everything that was happening. I cleared my throat.
“So, uh, what happened next?” I asked nervously. I had a horrible sinking feeling there was still a shark in the water.
“Kyoya bought us plane tickets.” Kassandra said smoothing out her long, dark hair. She frowned. “It was then we realized it was a ploy to get us to spill everything we knew about you. October, he kept calling you Indie. Is that what you’re going by now?”
I gave a dull nod. My body felt as if it’d been lit on fire. Reality started sinking in. Kassandra and Karma were here, and they were the only two people in the world who knew exactly what had happened a year ago.
Panic started in my stomach
And spread through my body.
Anxiety pinched my skin
And cut off my wind-pipes.
What had he done?
“K-what’s-his-face promised that if we spilled the beans, he’d let you rejoin the Dizzy Dots. Isn’t that what you want?”
I bit my lip. It was hard to think. Everything was cloudy and blurry.
Spinning
Spinning
Spinning
Around the room and warping into a giant, messy blob. What was happening? What had they said? This wasn’t a happy reunion, not at all. I had vanished for a reason, and it was a great reason. If they knew, my new friends, then what would happen? What would he do? I touched my choker, feeling the scar burning underneath. If he found out they were here, he’d remember everything. Oh, Ryley was right! Singing was dangerous. Why on earth didn’t I listen to him? Why did it sound like such a good idea?
I collapsed on the floor, wheezing out tight, sharp breaths. Kaoru raced to my side. Tears brimmed in my eyes. Karma and Kassandra mirrored each other’s expressions.
“What’s wrong?” They asked in unison. “Don’t tell us you’re still-“
“I need to find Ryley!” I exploded. “I need to get to him first! I need to find him! I need to find Ryley! I need to find Ryley!”
“Ryley?” Hikaru asked.
“Her brother.” Kaoru responded. “Why do you need to find Ryley? What’s wrong?”
He placed a hand on my shoulder. I violently slapped him away. “Don’t touch me!” I snapped. “Where’s Ryley? I have to find him!”
“October, what are you doing?” Karma asked. “Are you serious? I thought the reason you moved to Japan was to-“
“Please, don’t say anymore!” I begged. She shook her head. Tears streamed down my face. “Please, Karma! Please! I wanted to go, I did! I just-please!”
“Sweetie, what happened?” Kassandra cooed. They sandwiched me between them. I shoved away.
“Let me go, I’m begging you! I need to get to Ryley! I need to find him before it’s too late! Please! If he finds out, If he does, if he-“
“No.”
Kyoya was speaking.
All eyes fell on him as he strode closer towards us.
I glared.
“You did this!” I hissed. He smiled.
“It needed to be done, India Valentine. Or should I say October India Jones.”
I ground my teeth tightly together.
“What are you talking about?” Kaoru asked. Pain pinched his expression as he turned his attention back to me. “You’re India October Valentine, right?”
I looked down. “I need to find Ryley, please. Let me go. He can’t know about this. If he finds out-“
“She lied to us about her identity.” Kyoya explained. “Isn’t that right, Karma and Kassandra?”
He spoke the last part in broken English so the others could hear. The girls tightened their grip on me.
“That’s right.” Kassandra spoke. “But you don’t understand the situation, she had-“
“October Indie Jones, age sixteen. Born in Japan on October 31st, 1994. Her father’s maiden name is Valentine and he is an inventor for a local business that’s recently gone corporate. Her mother, Miss Jones, was killed in a car crash last year. From 2008-2010, October was in a band called the ‘Dizzy Dots’. They had a few hit songs and even managed to land a record deal and CD before October mysteriously vanished in 2010. Isn’t that right, ladies?”
Kassandra gave a faint nod. “That’s right, but you really don’t understand-“
“During this time, October dyed her hair from blonde, to red, then brown to conceal her identity. There are no records of a serial killer who kidnapped her leading me to believe that is all a lie, isn’t that right, ladies?”
Kassandra looked to the ground. “Is that what you told them?” She asked in English. Karma looked at us both confused.
“I’m the only one here who doesn’t speak Japanese, please tell me what’s going on.”
I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. “I need to find Ryley.” I whispered. “He doesn’t know.”
Karma nodded rubbing my arm. “I know baby, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Kassandra nodded in agreement. “Don’t do it.”
I didn’t have much of a choice.
I was being torn to shreds by my new friends
And my old friends were left in the dark.
No one understood.
I ripped out of their grips. My heart exploded inside my chest. I shook my head no and darted out of the room.
They had no idea what could happen
If I didn’t tell Ryley.
I had to find him
Before it was
Too late…
Author's Notes:
Hey, guys! I don't do this often, but apparently I do now! Haha! Check out the external link for more fun. And now I feel awkward because I have nothing more to say...La la laa love you!
Pecasce, Love, & Zombies,
Rachel