My silence is like the silence of the tide
Thatburies the playground of children.

-Hunger by Laurence Binyon.

'"You are and always will be alone." They drill into me. "You are un-savable. Who would want to waste their time saving someone so.. Broken?" I have no hope of being saved. My hope lost its light 5 years ago.' Kohana thought to herself as she sat next to the window in her dark prison. There was once a time when she called this room her sanctuary, but then she saw the ugly truth of what it really was. Her cell.

'They leave me alone for the most part. They stopped coming every week to collect my 'precious' tears. Not that there are any to collect. The threat of death doesn't scare me anymore. If anything.. It would be a relief to die.' Her thoughts will never be voiced. She hasn't spoken in 5 years. Her silence was the only thing she could control.

The door opened and a small ray of light fell upon Kohana. She was deathly pale, and slightly starved looking. She appeared younger then she really was. The thing that stood out the most about her was her empty eyes. Everything about her screamed death.

"You have a new room mate." The fat ugly slob said as he shoved a innocent looking girl into the room.

"Sleep tight girlies. Don't let the rats bite." He said with a bark of laughter.

He slammed the door shut and locked the door. The room fell into darkness, the only light in the room was from the small window.

"Hi, my name is Yukina" said the new comer as she carefully went up to Kohana.

Kohana looked at the girls brightly shining eyes. 'Those eyes, they shine with so much hope. Was I once like that? Did I ever, look so.. alive?' Kohana thought. Kohana couldn't explain why, but she felt compelled to say something.

"My.. Name.. Is Koh-hana. W-Why are you h-here?" Kohana asked in a hoarse voice. It was obvious that she hadn't talked in a long time.

"They want me because when I cry, my tears turn into priceless gems." She said in a soft voice. "Why are you here?"

"I am h-here also for my tears." Kohana said as she went back to looking out the window. Yukina looked at her sadly and grabbed her hand.

-----

A couple of days went by till the 'leader' came to see Yukina. It was physically painless, because all he did was threaten to kill Kohana and she started crying. Kohana was baffled. 'Why would she cry for me? Does my death really mean that much to her?' She thought as she comforted the sniffling Yukina.

"Why do you cry Yukina? What does it matter that I die?" Kohana said out loud and Yukina looked up at her.

"Because! You deserve more then death! You should live, and see the world. There is more the life then this room."

"For you maybe, but to me the world is this room. I haven't left it in 5 years." Kohana said softly, almost as if she was embarrassed.

"Well, we will get out of here! And I will show you what life really is. And believe me, there is more then this room."

Kohana just looked at her, and despite herself she smiled. It wasn't a sad little smile, or a smirk, but a real smile. Almost as if she had gained some hope that she had lost. Or maybe Yukina was rubbing off on her, but whatever it was, Kohana was beginning to feel happy. If that is possible in a dark room with only one window.

-----

Kohana was starting to get worried. They haven't come in along time. Maybe 4 or 5 days. Not that she wanted Yukina to get hurt, she was just worried that They were planning something horrible. Yukina was feeling the complete opposite pf Kohana. She was hopeful that They weren't going to come back.

"Don't worry, my friends will come to save us!" she said for the millionth time that day. Kohana didn't know if she was trying to convince her of herself.

"There is so much we have to do! So much you have to try Kohana. First thing we will do though, is drink some tea. And watch a movie! Then maybe go shopping with Keiko, Shizuru and Boton. You wil really like them." Yukina went on like that until they heard a bump on the door. Yukina's grip tightened on Kohana's hand as she looked at her with wide eyes.

"Just cry, think of something that scares you. Please just cry, before They hurt you." Kohana whispered desperately in Yukina's ear.

The door burst open and a unfamiliar tall man walked in. His beady eyes darted all over the place until they landed on Yukina.

"Yukina my love! I am here to rescue you!" he said as he started to come towards her. He didn't get far because he was tripped by a guy with slicked back hair.

"We came to rescue you." he said with a cocky smirk.

"Kazuma! I knew you guys would come!" Yukina exclaimed as she helped Kuwabara up.

"Lets go home Yukina." Kuwabara said sweetly.

"We can't go just yet." She replied and stepped away from him. Everyone looked at her surprised.

"Why not? We killed the bad guys." Yukina went and sat down in front of Kohana.

"Come on, lets go, we are free!" Kohana looked into her happy eyes and then to the 4 guys who 'saved' them.

"How? How could they simply just have killed Them? They must be lying. They are still alive." Kohana whispered softly to Yukina. Yukina just smiled at her new best friend.

"Come on we have been saved. They are dead." Yukina said and pulled on Kohana's kimono sleeve.

"It's better if you just leave. If They are still alive there is a better chance you can escape without getting caught if I stay here." Kohana said simply and looked out the window. Yukina looked at the guys then back to Kohana.

"I am not leaving without you." Yukina said firmly and laid her head on Kohana's lap.

"I can't leave you. You are my best friend." She whispers. Kohana lays her hand gently on Yukina's head and softly begins to play with her hair.

"Please leave before They come." Kohana says.

Hiei, who started to get annoyed about how long this was taking, walked up to Kohana.

"Get up Human. We are leaving." Kohana looked into Hiei's eyes. 'His eyes, they are the same as Yukina's. But instead of the happiness in her eyes, his are cold and empty. Are mine like that now? Do I look so.. Empty?' She thought.

"Then leave" Kohana said simply.

"Fine. Lets go Yukina." He said coldly. Why was he going to waste time on someone who obviously didn't want to be saved.

"No! Not without Kohana!" Hiei rolled his eyes and he grabbed his sheathed katana and hits Kohana on the back of her head with the hilt.

"Problem solved." He says and walks out of the room.

"Kohana!" Yukina cried as Kurama picked her up.

"I guess we should be leaving now."