Alright folks. First story in a long time. I'm going to save most of my yapping for the end. This is here for one reason.

TRIGGER WARNING

This story will delve into dark and unfriendly places. For plot reasons I can't reveal the specific nature of the content. I can list some forms that do not appear: Racism and Eating Disorders. You are duly advised that if you suffer from any form of PTSD this story may trigger you off. You have been warned.

END TRIGGER WARNING

Kairi woke to a feeling of incredible warmth. Beneath their shared covers she could feel Sora's arm draped over her, holding her to him. The sun streamed in through the window, casting a golden glow around the whole moment. Cocooned in the sheets, Sora, and sunlight, Kairi felt happiness settle over her like a blanket. This moment, right here, was utterly perfect. Waking up next to Sora was something relatively new to her. They had only been living together a month and the feeling of utter contentment every morning hadn't slipped. And having thought of the man, she rolled over to find his cerulean eyes staring right back at her.

"Good morning." His words conveyed so much love and affection that they took Kairi's breath away. It was a habit of his that she'd always admired.

"Good morning." She tried to do the same, but didn't quite pull it off.

"You seem happy." They stretched languidly before settling back into a loving embrace.

"It's a good day, I can feel it."

"Have I told you how much I love you today?"

"No, although you did tell me yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, you're staring to get repetitive," she said with a giggle

"Ah well, with a girl as special as you, it needs to be said."

"Sora, you always know how to make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

"I already know I'm the luckiest guy," He said with more than a hint of self-mockery.

"Alright, cheese ball, now you're pushing it."

"Well if that's how you feel," He tried to feign sadness but his eyes gave away a smile beneath the surface. And then he just gave way and started laughing. She had to join in, his laugh was infectious and heart warming. Eventually their giggles lapsed into the happy silence of staring into each other's eyes. It was this fleeting and eternal happy moment that Kairi would remember over the coming months. It would be a long time before either of them felt happiness like this again.

Dreams of burning buildings and screaming ceased, interrupted by a well known sound. His lifeline saved him one again. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Thrice. Leon woke on the second ring and had it in his hands by the third. Being the top detective at the local station, this was second nature. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in longer than he could remember and he knew for a fact he hadn't had more than one in a row in the last eighteen years, though that was due to his nightmares. There was always something someone wanted or wanted to know. It helped that Leon didn't like sleeping much. Or that at the moment it was around noon.

"Hello?"

"Leon, it's Mickey." Leon checked his bedside clock, it read in it's big, comforting luminescent way, 12:07.

"Chief, you know what time it is?" The joke fell flat.

"Yeah, you need to hear this one."

"What's happened?"

"It's Vince..."

"What did he turn up drunk again?"

"No, he's dead." There were a few seconds pause as Leon digested this.

"Shit, really?"

"Yeah."

"Was it an accident or...?"

"Leon, he killed himself, you're going to want to see why."

"I... I'll be right there."

"Don't drive too fast and break your neck, we really need you."

"I won't chief."

"I'm sorry it had to be like this."

"Yeah, me too." and then the line went dead.

For every call like this Leon had taken in the past 18 years, Leon prided himself on his ability to be dressed and out the door in under five minutes. This time he just sat in place while his internal timer rang out and tears ran down his cheeks. There was time for his job later, time for revenge.

His last friend was dead.

Leon arrived at Vincent Valentine's residence fifteen minutes after he got the call. It was usual crime scene stuff. Police vehicles casting red and blue glare, the inevitable and blessed cordon. And yet it seemed so out of place in Vince's building. He climbed the same set of stairs, counted the same number of landings and walked the same number of steps to his best friend's door. But inside everything had changed. The forensics team were there for one thing, in their almost comical attire. The chief was just inside the door, waiting.

"Leon, I'm sorry."

But Leon wasn't listening yet, all he had eyes for was Vince, slumped over his crappy imitation wood table, with a finished glass of whiskey just out of reach of his left hand, his service revolver just out of reach of his right, and a fine red mist covering the wall behind him. Leon just stood for a moment, letting the sadness wash over him. Vince was gone. He was alone. And the day was far from over.

"Why?" Leon croaked out, eventually.

"This is the hard part Leon."

"Did he leave a note?"

"No," Mickey's face flickered as if pained, "We found something worse."

"How could it possibly be worse?" Leon said sadly.

Without a word, the chief held something up to Leon. A thing from the past. A thing from Leon's nightmares. A thing of horror. A thing of evil. Leon knew the what it was before it was even half way up. Six cards sketched on a piece of paper.

The room suddenly went quiet. In an instant Leon felt more lost and abandoned than he ever had before. These were darker days than the last time. He was alone in a sea of grey, doubt and crushing despair. From a distant, far off place across the water he could hear sobbing. He realised it was him. Then the floor rushed up to meet him and he felt no more.

That day, Kairi left work at The Thirteenth Street Diner three minutes early. At 4:57 the streets of Trinity city were alive with busy people. As she crossed the threshold of the place she felt a chill pass through her, but couldn't place why. It was a five block walk to the apartment. The first block was along Thirteenth Street itself, as she reached the end of this first leg of her journey she failed to notice a van peel out of a parking bay right outside the café and trace her path. Though why would she? The sun was shining after all, and the day was still warm. She could only think of the warmth of that morning, and what awaited her at home. And it was a busy street. Though it's cross street, Fourth Avenue was not quite so busy. She turned left at the end of the block like she always had. The van followed, turning the corner and shooting ahead to the parking near the end of the block. This time Kairi saw it as it passed, but didn't notice it. After all, how many white panel-vans do you see everyday? Kairi kept walking, shoes beating a breathless rhythm against the pavement. For the next leg of her journey home, Kairi turned right, onto Twelfth Street street and keep walking. Twelfth ends in a cul-de-sac at the end of the block, so when the van drove past Kairi this time, she noticed. But she didn't feel nervous yet, at least not consciously. This time the van stopped right at the dead end, in front of the loading dock of a courier service office. This wasn't in the least bit suspicious because unfortunately for Kairi, this company used unmarked white vans for delivery. As a consequence of having walked this route four times a week for the past month she knew this, and as such wasn't on guard. But having noticed the van she walked straight into an elderly man. Apologising profusely, she continued on. She was now two blocks from home. All she had to do was take the alley that ran from twelfth to eleventh and walk the remaining distance to the apartment building. But she never made it home.

The alley wasn't particularly narrow, it was easily wide enough for a car, or at a stretch a car and a pedestrian. It had always made Kairi nervous though, for one, there were no windows that overlooked the stretch of pavement. For another, it curved in such a way that for a significant stretch, she was completely hidden from both entrances. One company had wanted a convex building, the other a concave. The result was an outright terrifying stretch of almost deserted walkway. They'd done it up with lights and zebra striping but almost no one used it. Kairi had seen precious few other people here. On this day, there was no one else. As the entrance faded from view she quickened her stride. Then she heard an engine, coming closer. She started jogging, but as always the vehicle was faster, she hugged the right wall of the alley to prevent herself from being run over. The white van that had been following her sped past her left side and stopped in front of her, swerving slightly so it blocked the alley. In a blind panic now, Kairi turned around and sprinted, behind her she heard the van's door open, fast footsteps and then a hand on the back of her neck jerked her backward, she felt a sting in the side of her neck followed by an almost immediate burning in her neck and right throughout her body. She felt all her strength drain, and whoever had arrived in the van grab her and haul her backwards by her armpits. Before her eyes closed under the lead weight which they seemed to have taken she got one lingering glance at the sky.

It would be the last she saw of it for some time.

Alright. You made it through? Good.

Let's talk.

My last posted story was written 6 years ago. During that time I've changed. This story will be dark and edgy and in places evil. If this chapter went down badly, every other chapter for a while is going to get worse. So leave now.

A further note. I have ridiculous standards for myself and limited and stunted writing experience. I will update infrequently, I cannot promise an update every day, or even every second day, or possibly even every week. I want to make sure every chapter is the best it can be. And yes, it is kind of cruel of me to post this with only one chapter written. However this story sits badly inside me, it weighs on me. I've got to get it out. I'm also starting Uni, next week is orientation. So yes, I picked a bad time but I've been trying for so long to get up the courage to publish something that I don't want to lose momentum.

One more thing. I am trying to keep this story as true to life as possible. Some of it will strain belief, but otherwise, techniques, items and other things described are researched and quite real. Hope this doesn't keep you up at night.

So, Read, Review and Most Importantly: Enjoy.

If you have any queries, drop me a PM.

Yours Sincerely

Everhopeful83