(Warning!)
This chapter contains abuse, violence, mentions of death, and mentions of religion.
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I knew my life was on the line, in merely one second It could be over and I would be free. I thought that maybe in my next life I could live it better than I have in this one. I see now that I was wrong, my life wasn't over just yet.
Instead of being killed, they decided to abduct me and see if I could be of better use to them. and currently, I was laying down in the back of a moving vehicle with a blindfold, a gag, and both my hands and wrists tied up.
Not the most comfortable ride, but I had no choice. I welcomed death and now they want me alive, this was going to be miserable.
I felt the car turn left and slope downwards, eventually coming to a complete stop. I felt something hit my head, so I ignored it.
"Get up." I felt it again, it must've been this guy's shoe.
I sat up and felt the ropes on my ankles get loose and slide off, I guess they wanted me to walk. I stood up and felt a pair of hands on my shoulders force me forward.
"Jump."
I did as asked and hopped off the edge of the vehicle, and soon after I heard the person behind me do the same and continue to force me forward. We walked like this for a few minutes, until we entered a warm room where I was pushed to my knees.
"What's this?" I heard a husky voice ask from in front of me. I stayed silent.
"He wished to die, but I thought we could make him of use." Someone behind me replied, assuming it was the same person that forced me all the way up here from the sound of his voice."
"What are you proposing?"
I heard muffled whispering as I sat there on the floor staring into the black fabric covering my eyes.
"Hmm, that pleases me. Do with him what you will, but do not harm him."
"Yes, sir."
I was forced onto my feet again, thoughts running wildly through my head.
What are they planning to do with me? Why aren't I dead yet? Where's Kanoe, is he okay? Where am I?
I was brought to a cold room that reeked of death, and I'm pretty sure I stepped in a puddle of something I really hoped was just water.
I was tied to a chair with freezing metal chains, they didn't remove my blindfold but atleast they removed my gag. The sound of footsteps slowly faded away and a heavy door shut after it.
"Miyazaki? Is that you?" I heard a familiar voice say, coughing after speaking.
"Kanoe?! Oh god, I really hoped you hadn't ended up here. I guess that was foolish of me, you're the one they're after."
"Are you alright? They hurt you, didn't they?"
"No, I'm fine. I wasn't expecting to be apprehended, so I can't say I'm too pleased at the moment." I reassured him, easing the tension in the air.
I heard a harsh cough come from his direction. "Did they say why you're here?"
"Not exactly, they said I could be of use to them. I'm not sure what it means but I guess I'm not going to die just yet. What happened to you?"
"I got back to our room and got ambushed, I guess..." Another coughing fit and something that sounded like liquid hitting the floor echoed in the room, "they got me pretty good."
"Kanoe, are you coughing up blood?! Where'd they hurt you?!" I asked in a demanding tone.
"I'm fine, worry about yourself."
"No, all I have is a sore spot where they tied me up. You're hurt way worse, so tell me!" He coughed again, and this time I began to worry, "I'm going to freak out if you don't tell me god damnit, so spit it out!"
"I got hit... a lot. My stomach hurts like hell and I think they broke a few ribs."
"Sh*t, you might have internal bleeding. Do they know about...?" I trailed off, worried they might be listening in to every word we spoke.
"I'm not sure."
I let out a long exasperated sigh, we couldn't do anything in this situation and from the looks of it there wasn't any way we could possibly escape with my life in tact.
"I'm not gonna be able to sleep tonight."
"I know, I know. I wish I could do something about that, but I'm chained to a wall. Can you move your chair?"
"I can try."
I used my feet to push against the floor and move the chair, it wasn't easy to get over to him but sure enough I hit the wall and leaned against his side as he hung there.
"I'm not gonna lie, but it would've been nice to be tied to a chair like you instead of strung up like Jesus on the wall."
"Just wait until tomorrow, your wounds will heal again and it won't be as painful." I replied, feeling him inhale and exhale in an exhausted manner.
"It's less painful with you here, but at the same time I can't help but think they might do something to you and that makes them hurt worse."
"Don't think, just listen to the silence. It's so quiet down here that you should be able to fall sleep easily."
"I don't actually need to sleep, you know."
"Yes, you do. So shut up and sleep."
"I meant that as a fact, not an excuse." Kanoe said, "Since my wounds heal after 24 hours I can get a sleepless night and be fine in the morning. I only slept before because you offered the option to me and I didn't want to disappoint."
"... I'm putting my futon back if we manage to get out of here."
"If?"
"Yes, IF we get out. If not, then I'll ask the mafia boss guy to write a note and stick it on my corpse that says 'Don't autopsy me, I already know how I died' and 'Please put my futon back in the closet, I will be able to find eternal rest if you do'."
"I would appreciate you not mention your end so casually in front of me, your life actually matters to me unlike others." His words were laced with worry, compassion, and distress. Making me wonder if he really meant it.
"I'm sorry, I've never accepted life as something worth my efforts when all I do is work hard and receive nothing in return."
"Am I not something you recieved?"
"You are not something I am worthy of recieving. And you are not an object, you are a person."
My words rang and echoed through the room, eventually settling into an eerie silence surrounding us. I have never told anyone of my life, what it means to me, or what I believe in. As a matter of fact, I haven't even had friends until now. Only coworkers and coworkers that like me more than they should.
"Why do you hide your past from people?"
"Because my past is simply that, past. If you can't put it behind you then you'll never move forward. And so, I don't speak of it to other people."
"What do you believe happens after death?"
"Energy needs somewhere to go, and it cannot be destroyed. So, if our souls are like energy, I think they go into someone else. I knew someone once who told me that if you don't treasure the life that you have now, you'll be given something worse in the next."
"So, you believe in reincarnation?"
"Yes, I do."
"I don't believe in anything really, I can't die so I felt no need to. But, I guess your beliefs sound logical. If I wanted to believe in anything after death, I think I'd adopt yours."
"Wow, such a comforting thought."
"You should sleep, it's probably late and you'll need strength for whatever tomorrow brings."
"You're right, I'll try."
"Thank you."
"Oyasuminasai, Kanoe."
"Oyasumi."