Night Twenty-Four:
"Are you sure she's ok? It's been over twenty-four hours."
"I'm sure. She was unconscious. It's gonna be awhile till she gets back to the world. "
"She did lose alot of blood."
"Man, I can't believe she actually took down a Level E like that."
"Geez, you make it sound like a big deal. She shoulda done it alot faster."
"Guys, please stop fighting. "
"Oh shut it."
"She's right. Just because Sakika is not awake doesn't mean that she can't hear us."
"Who got out of the building?"
"Dad said he didn't see anything, but when he went to intervene, Sakika was already outside the building collapsed, and out cold, and the monster was dead. Don't know what happened."
"Hmph."
I heard voices talking around me, but it was hard to follow any particular conversation. It all felt so jumbled together.
My head pounded.
My shoulder hurt.
No, it wasn't just my shoulder. My whole body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes hurt. It was hard to tell why, and I couldn't remember fully what had happened. I had to back track.
Last thing that I remembered was that I had woken up, and looked at those files. Mikami asked if I wanted to go out with him, Kyou, Mizuki, and Ruri. I don't know what Yakumi was up to, but I assumed that he was going as well. I was ready to leave when my father called out to me...But what next? What happened after that?
"Is she awake yet?" An unfamiliar, female voice asked.
"No. She's still out. Her fever spiked."
"Oh dear." I heard water run, and then something was put against my forehead. It felt a bit rough, and wet. Ah, a cold cloth to bring down my fever.
Wait. Why was I having a fever? Was I injured? Sick?
I tried to think again of what could have happened that could have landed me in such a state.
Ah. I remember.
My father stopped me because he had a mission for me from the Association.
I didn't want to go. I wanted to go out with my siblings, and have a nice time, but I didn't want to disappoint my father. I was the only one of his children who actually made it to become an actually Hunter, and I wanted to make him proud, so I went.
The Level E was a former business owner who then hid in his old building where he was attacked, and turned. He lured people there, and then killed, and ate them. I was so scared, but I had to calm myself so I wouldn't lose site of the important things. I didn't want to disappoint my father.
"Her shoulder is pretty bad. Is it gonna heal right?"
"No. She'll probably won't be able to use it right again. Her leg is pretty bad as well, but that'll heal fine. She'll probably just have some leg trouble."
"Oh. Will she be able to continue her work as a Hunter?"
"I don't know."
I injured my leg? My shoulder was injured? When did that happen? Ah, yes. I know.
I was scared, but I still fought. Perhaps it was because I was scared that I wasn't fully concentrated. The Level E, however, retained some of it's human intelligence. It was able to fight well.
It pushed me against some steel feeling things that injured my shoulder. It slashed at me, causing me to lose a whole lot of blood.
I took two...Or was it three? Swipes to kill it. But what happened after that? That's where it got really foggy.
"She still isn't up?" Something shifted. I was on a bed, I realized, and someone had sat on it. I felt some light pressure on my leg, and I knew someone was touching my leg, as if trying to assure either themselves or myself. Or both.
"No. I don't think she'll get up anytime soon. She lost alot of blood, and was injured pretty bad. She has a couple of broke ribs, her shoulder is all messed up, and her leg is fractured."
"Oh my."
Was I in the hospital? Is that where I was?
No. I couldn't be in the hospital. They don't allow this many people in one room. They don't allow people to sit on patients beds. Besides, where is the beeping noise of those machines? What about the iv? No. I couldn't be in a hospital. But if I wasn't in a hospital, than where was I?
"She's strong. She'll be fine." My father's voice.
I felt so relieved to hear my father's voice. I wanted to call out to him. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was that any of this happened. I wanted to apologize for disappointing him.
But my body wouldn't obey my commands. I couldn't open my mouth to say anything. I felt like there was a heavy weight on my body. This weight wouldn't let me do anything at all. I hated it.
A strong hand gently moved my head, as if checking something. What it was, I didn't know.
"It bit her!" Someone yelled out i a mixture of surprise and disgust.
I felt shamed. A second time a vampire bit me. What kind of Hunter was I if this sort of thing kept happening?
What kind was I? I was no kind. I couldn't do this.
"It's not like a bit from a Level E. This doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be this clean."
"Was there another vampire?" Yakumi's voice. I felt shamed even further.
"I would have noticed if there was another. This doesn't make any sense."
"We'll ask her when she wakes up."
"That's if she even remembers. It looked like she hit the ground pretty hard."
Wait. Was that why there was so much fogginess in my memory? It had to be, but I felt like that wasn't the reason at all. I tried to remember what happened after I killed the vampire.
I collapsed. I had lost alot of blood. My body was in pain. But there was something strange.
I could have sworn I saw a familiar face, a familiar person, pick me up, but I couldn't make out who it was. I couldn't even conjure a name. Who was this person?
I tried to focus more. I tried to figure out who this person was, but I couldn't make out any details, and it hurt my head to think about it.
"I think she's waking up."
"Everyone, not all at once."
"Give her space." The person on my bed moved.
I groaned as I opened my eyes. I looked around in confusion. I was back in my home. In my room. I looked at my family's relieved expressions.
"Honey, we were so worried about you!" My mother exclaimed, half crying, as she hugged me. I groaned slightly, but couldn't raise my arms to hug her back.
"She's in pain. Give her space." Father instructed, touching my mother's shoulders. Mother looked at him, and nodded slightly as she stepped back, sniffling. Father looked at me, jaw set hard. I felt myself deflate, and I looked away. I felt ashamed."Sakika?" I looked back at my father wordlessly."Despite this little set back, you did well. Not every mission goes according to plan, even with experienced Hunters. You should be happy that you didn't get hurt further." I wanted to speak, to say something, but nothing really came out, so I just nodded.
"Do you need anything, Sakika?" I looked at Ruri. I felt my throat dry. I knew I needed water. My stomach was cramping from hunger. I knew I needed food. But I wasn't sure if I could handle anything. I felt so sick. So, I shook my head. Even that little monition caused pain through my body. What had happened after I fell unconscious?
"We should let her rest. She looks like she's in pain." I looked at Kyou, thankful that, though she was still mostly a stranger to me, she was kind enough to consider how I might be feeling.
"Sakika's stronger than she lets on. She'll be fine." Father dismissed what Kyou had suggested, and then looked at me, his arms crossed over his chest. I felt him silently judging me. It made me feel even worse. Couldn't he just be understanding this once? " Do you remember anything?" Father asked, eyebrows drawn together in worry. I tried to think back, but things weren't as clear as they were just moments ago. Some things remained, however, and I nodded slightly.
"I...I was on a mission?" I meant for it to come out alot stronger than the statement ended up sounding. It sounded more like a question. I could feel that they were waiting for me to continue, so I tried my best."Um, the vampire...It was...More intelligent than it had let on...B-big struggle..." I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut. Mother gripped my hands, squeezing in reassurance.
"Dearest, let's save the questions for when Sakika's feeling better. She's still in pain." I opened my eyes, and smiled at my mother. At least she was being considerate. Father sighed heavily.
"Yeah. Sure. Let's just make sure she gets what she needs for now. Ruri, why don't you get your sister some water, I'm sure she's thirsty. Mizuki, go get her something small to eat. Maybe something soft. Like a banana." With my father's commands, Mizuki and Ruri left the room. Kyou followed after them, biting her lips nervously.
I looked around the room at Yakumi, Father, Mother, and Mikami. I felt confused, but the more I tried to make sense of everything, the more my head hurt. It was just easier to let things come as they came to me.
"Sakika, you really don't remember anything?" Yakumi asked in his usual neutral tone. I could hear the faint trace of worry in it though. I merely looked at him, and shrugged slightly.
"I remember some." I said softly, groaning again.
I felt that there was going to be more questions, but whatever was going to be said was quickly stopped when Kyou, Mizuki, and Ruri re-entered the room. Mother and Mikami helped me to sit up. I ate the banana faster than I would have thought, and drank the water rather fast. I didn't realize how parched, and hungry I truly was until I had water, and something to eat.
"Why don't you get some more rest?" Mother suggested, laying me back down. She smoothed out my hair as I looked at her. I nodded slightly, shifting to make myself more comfortable in my bed.
"You can tell us what happened when your in a better state." Father said softly. I looked at him, smiled slightly, and nodded. I was happy that he was being considerate at least this one time. It was a nice change of pace.
I closed my eyes, and allowed my self to relax back into sleep.