The following day, as if the world is mocking my misfortune, it rained.
I ran down the streets, not bothering to take the train to school. As I head to the school's gates, the bell already rang. I head to class and was punished severely by the teacher. As it was not enough for him, he added another task.
"Isao, if you would be so kind, stay after school and clean this room. I want it to be spotless and not a speck of dust to be seen. If, I come here, and is not up to my expectations, I'll file a complaint to the Headmaster for your expulsion."
The students sneered at me. Some even gave a sigh of relief.
I nodded as I head to my seat, caressing the marks on my hands.
During second period, Kanjiruo and his lackeys came for me.
"Isao! I want you to come after school. You have money. Buy us dessert.
"Yep! Including the "goods."
I looked at them and sigh.
I see, It's Friday, isn't it?
This is the day I dreaded the most, a time that I wished is not printed on the world's calendar.
During this time, Kanjiruo and his gang is more than meets the eye. They are not only delinquents, but also a disgrace. The school know about it, but they turned away from it, not even as bat an eye.
I smile as my response.
I hated it. But, what can I do? I have no choice but to go.
....
As the day draws to a close, I skip class and head to my shoe locker to retrieve a video camera. Afterwards, I went to the boy's restroom and glance at the mirror. I stare at myself and struggle to calm my anger.
"This will be over, I just have to pretend that I am not there to witness it."
As I thought on these meaningless words, flashbacks peeks from the dark corners of my heart. The black and white memories roll in one by one, as if reminding me of what would happen if I had not restraint myself.
"..."
...I should go and find the next target....probably a freshman...
...
...
.....
As the last bell rang, I came at the usual spot and sit on the old bench and look at nothing in particular, allowing myself to be drenched.
As expected, the possible targets all head home by a sick leave. As I pondered what to do next, she came from behind me, her scent overriding my senses.
"You're a fool, you know that, right?"
Her comment coldly pierced my heart. I glare at her.
"...this doesn't concern you..."
"Does it now? The Talentless will hate you. If anything happens to them, they may as well find a way to end your life."
"....It does not matter about my life... as long I remain silent, at least I get to see another day...."
"So, you only care about your own well being? Your nothing different than the strong who looks down on others. If so, why bother saving me? You could have just left me alone."
"...."
I have nothing to say to that. To this day, I still can't comprehend my actions that night. It's as if I'm drunk by her scent, causing all reason to fly out the window. I felt something within me churning my stomach and I can't help but snap at her.
"Why don't you find someone else to bother!? You are making me sick with you just being around! Get the hell away from me!"
She flinch slightly, her eyes flashing with a hint of sadness.
Why? Why do I suddenly feel guilty? It's her fault that I am feeling this way. She is part of this world's inner circle. She has nothing to do with me, but what I feel contradicts that inner statement. I was about to apologize when Kanjiruo and his gang appear from around the corner.
"Ah, Isao," greeted Kanjiruo, "So, you decide to bring us the witch, huh? Great choice! "
A sense of foreboding came over me.
This...isn't good....
....
....
....
The rain continues to pour down on us. A cold shiver ran through me as my heart begins to race.
... I should have gone home. Why did I have to drag her into this?
The beatings would be far nicer than having her being dealt by them.
I swallowed as I watch them approach her, eyeing her as a meal for tonight's dinner.
"Dang, Rika! Have you always looked so good?"
"Hahahahaha! The beauty queen hangout with a guy like this is her mistake! She should have ran away like any sensible person should!"
They laughed as if hearing a good joke. Only I and Rika remained silent, of course Rika's face is shadowed by clouds of her current emotion, though I can only imagine what they may be.
Suddenly, the laughter came to a halt, and a sicking emotion came over me by Kanjiruo's change of tone.
"Come with us. Don't bother to run away."
One of the lackey's grab her by the arm and drag her to the old school house behind Miyama High. Her face remain frozen in place, as if what happens next did not matter. I clench my teeth.
What should I do?
Kanjiruo grab my shoulder and clench it hard. He gaze at me with cold eyes.
"You better have enough film, got it Isao? Don't humiliate me the second time."
He shove me along.
When we went inside, we walked to the usual room that is situated to the back away from prying ears. The room is a classroom with wooden floors and empty desks. The black board remains to be seen, smeared with caked up blood from it's previous victims. The only difference is a futon and a floor lamp that is on the east side of the room.
Kanjiruo push her. She collapse to the futon, her expression blank as the color of snow.
"Take them off." He ordered.
Rika blindly do as he says, slowly removing her blazer. That sinking feeling grew ever so cold, as the lackey went to a nearby desk to grab the tools.
One of the rookies knock on the side of my head.
"Get ready to film! Don't disappoint the boss!"
Thoughts race in my head as a wild flame.
I don't want to do it. I can't, not her. If this happens to her... would I still be the same? Those boring days that I hated with an merciless passion....they would all be over. I know that, so why? Why am I pained inside?!
"Isao, come on, start filming!"
Kanjiruo's voice snap me back to reality.
My hands squeeze the camera as I look at her. She lay vulnerable, exposed to them with a nonchalant expression. Her eyes remained distant like a dead fish. She has been drugged. I clench the camera tighter, now knowing that my next move might be my last.
"I'm.... not doing it...."
The room got quiet. The atmosphere got deadly cold, as if summer had come and gone.
I drop the camera to the ground and cross my arms.
"Tch, he is chickening out again, boss."
"Are you stupid, brat?"
Kanjiruo got up from the desk and approach me. His face is still like ice, barely no expression at all. He stop at me.
"Why not,huh? You haven't said anything after that one girl. I thought you got used to it. Why her, now?"
....
I grunt and coldly look at him
"....Do I need a reason?"
"I want an answer."
After a moment, I shrug and brace myself for what's about to happen. This is going to hurt.
I clear my throat and said these words that I never thought I would.
"I like her, is it a problem?"
*WHAM*
His punch sent me flying to a pile of desks. I collapse to the floor and cough up blood. That hurted more than I expected. Is he that mad at me? What the hell?
Before I can recover from the blow, more punches fly at me. They landed on my face and stomach. I double over from the pain and it became hard to breath.
"You bastard! Do you know how I feel, huh?! You falling over some witch makes me sick! A woman no less! What are you, nine!?"
My vision became hazy after each blow.
Thoughts of his peculiar words troubles me. There is no way.
I struggle to say the final blow.
"....you're gay, Kanjiruo? "
He stopped. I can feel panic rising from his lackeys. Suddenly, he kicked me in the stomach and his next words make my blood run cold.
"Hold him down. I'm going to teach him."
"Okay, boss. "
The lackey's pin me to my knees. My vision is still blurry from the pain.
They lift my head to make me watch as Kanjiruo grab a knife from the nearby table.
I try to remain calm, but that act itself is not enough.
He is going to do it. He is going to do it. Don't do it. Please, don't do it.
As he was about to slice into her flesh, the past resurface itself; those muddled black and white memories of pain and insanity race through my mind as a time bomb, waiting to set the beast within me free.
At this rate, I'll....
I watch in horror as the knife cut open her wrist. Blood escape from the wound like tears. She did not move or made any sound.
Then, that sweet scent spike my senses. My heart pounds loudly in my ears. The blood within began to pick up speed and my breathing becomes shallow, as if I'm suffocating.
"Stop it!"
My voice is hoarse.
Irritation and anger slowly seep into my voice, gradually revealing my true character. They continue to laugh as Kanjiruo coldly slice into her exposed flesh; the blood spilling on the blanket became as medium sized droplets. As the blood slide down her porcelain skin and delicate frame, my thirst for her becomes stronger and irrationality rips through my mind as a blade.
I struggle to free myself from the hold, as anger and panic become more than I can bare. The since of awareness quickly fades from my mind as the sanity and humanity shatters as glass.
Laughter sounds as echos in a chamber...I can no longer tell what they are anymore, all I know is bloodthirst.
"Boss, what are you going to do next?"
"What else?! Kill her, violate her, I don't care! Do what you want!"
Laughter and cheer echoes in my head.
With a sheer shred of humanity left, I said my last words.
"DON'T! YOU! TOUCH HER!"
After that, everything went dark....
....
....
....
"Isa...o....st...o..p.....t.."
A familiar voice echos in the dark. The sound of slurpping noises can be heard. Something warm and sweet enters into my mouth. The smell of flowers invades my nose.
I want to relish this taste. I want it to be mine, forever. It's no one else's but mine.
I then bite at it. Hard. The sound of tearing ripples in my ears as I relentlessly ravish in its aroma. The desire screaming in my heart for more and more, whatever it may be.
"I..sao....kno...of..."
Strange...when did I.....it sounds very familiar....
"ISAO! Stop it!"
A sharp pain shot in my frame. Something warm flows out of my stomach. It's hot. I can feel the steam rising to my face.
"Isao! Wake up! Wake up, damn it! Get yourself together! "
"...."
I know this voice. Strange, I feel a sense of unease. It's like I committed a sin. I stop biting and struggle to remember.
"Isao! Wake up! We need to get out! Wake up! Come on!"
"...."
I responded to the voice, as if I am familiar with it.
"Hit me."
Suddenly, I feel a rush of pain came on my left cheek. As if coming out of water, my vision escape the darkness.
There is a familiar lady before me. Her cold grey eyes glare at me through her lavender colored hair in anger and in fear. She is covered in gashes and open wounds. She has a blazer over herself.
....what a lovely creature....
She raise her hand and slap me across the face.
"Wake up! We don't have time! Stop dazing off!"
A sense of reality break through my muddled thoughts. My humanity rush in like an electric shock. My shallow breaths eventually slowed down as the pain subsides like the ocean after a storm. However, the pain from the stomach remains to be clear. Very clear.
I clear my throat. I grab her hand and force her to her feet. I use my power to heal and repair the wound on my stomach. As I did this, I turn to her. I noticed something on her arm. A bite mark. A feeling of remorse overcame my heart.
"I'm....sorry...."
After I said this, the old school house began to shake violently. It's as if the earth is enraged.
An earthquake?
As if on cue, she spoke up.
"Come on. Let's get out of here. "
She grab my hand and hurriedly lead me to the door. I realized that something is amiss. I asked her.
"Where is Kanjiruo and the others?"
Without turning back, she answers me, as if it's obvious.
"They are gone. You killed them."
A wave of fear and shame shadows my mind.
I can't control myself. I failed. Again.
As if sensing my emotions, she said something unexpected.
"You did what you have to do. Don't feel shame about. Focus on what's ahead, okay?"
I grunt and nodded.
When we came to the entrance of the old school house. A peculiar scene awaited me. I slowly step outside, gazing in wonder. I stretch out my hand. It feels warm. It's red like blood.
The rain changed to the color of blood and warm as if extracted from a beating heart. That isn't what made me stop, though.
The rain...
It's rising like a spiral toward the sky, a sky that is warping. The sun is red as blood. The black clouds spiral by a mysterious force, heading to what seems to be another planet. A planet that had not been seen at all throughout our life time. It seems to be heading our way, as if about to collide with us at any moment.
What...is going on?
Suddenly, the magnitude of the earthquake skyrocket. The ground wrench open and the building behind us began to collapse. At that moment, the moment I saw her face, that expression showed nothing.... but relief.