Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, it probably wouldn't be as brilliant as it is. I also do not own the song that I have included in this chapter. 'Sky Is Over' is Serj Tankian's brilliant masterpiece.
As He Sees It
Chapter 1: Birthday
A/N: Early Birthday fic for my friend Nii(Happy Almost Birthday!!). This is my interpretation about Beyond Birthday's Shinigami Eyes. Please don't flame. ((Chapter Song: 'Sky Is Over'-Serj Tankian))
He couldn't be late getting home today. Beyond grabbed his backpack and rushed out of the classroom before any of the bullies in his class could stop him. He wouldn't be stopped today. Today was his eighth birthday, and he was looking forward to the wonderful dinner his mother had spent preparing.
Angry shouts and crude names followed him as he ran across the playground. Beyond had always been shunned by several of his classmates since he could remember. Was it his dark, shaggy hair? His unkempt appearance and slightly tattered clothing?
He never understood why they hated him so much, but as the days passed, he steadily began to grow accustomed to the abusive treatment directed at him by other students. He often came home from school with a black eye, a bloody nose, or even with torn and blood-stained clothing.
Today wouldn't be that way. It was his special day, and Beyond was determined to enjoy every second of it. Rocks pelted his pale frame like a horrible hail storm, but he paid it no mind. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his backpack bouncing from side to side with every step he took.
I can't wait!! I want to get home now!! he thought, panting heavily. Beyond only lived about a block away from the school, so he walked to and from school every day. He wouldn't mind having someone drive him to school, but Beyond's mother was very afraid of traffic and his father had to be at work three hours before Beyond even woke up.
When he reached the corner of his street, he put on a burst of speed, dashing through the large bush in the neighbor's yard. He held his breath, hoping to see his father's blue car sitting in the driveway, home from work early. But the sight he beheld was the most horrifying thing he had ever seen.
Several police cars were parked along the street, an ambulance and firetruck parked in front of Beyond's house which was smoldering and being blocked off by several officers with rolls of DO NOT CROSS tape. He threw his backpack to the ground and sped towards the house, his mind racing and screaming for him to stop.
He stopped at the edge of the driveway, staring at his home. Wh-what is this? he wondered, unknowingly stepping closer to the house. The sound of sniffling and whining from behind reached his ears. The neighbors were standing behind a line of officers, several of them tearing up or trying not to cry.
Beyond felt his eyes sting from the smoke that billowed from the scorched structure before him. This... has to be a dream... Just a dream... a bad dream... he told himself, trying to deny what he saw.
"MOM!! DAD!!" he cried, starting for the front door. He felt himself being pulled away from the driveway by someone's powerful arms.
"You can't go in there," a voice said.
Beyond spun around, coming face to face with a teary eyed officer. The officer picked the child up, carrying him to one of the patrol cars and setting him on the hood of the vehicle.
The boy stared at the officer, trying to persuade him to let him into his now ruined home. The officer ruffled Beyond's hair affectionately with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry, son. I can't let you go in there. It's just too dangerous," the officer said, patting the boy on the shoulder.
"But why?" Beyond demanded. "My parents are in there!! I have to help them!!"
The officer glanced at the remainder of the once beautiful two-story house and sadly shook his head as he watched two of the paramedics carry someone covered in a sheet out of the wreckage on a stretcher.
"No, son. I'm afraid it's... too late for them," he said solemnly, bowing his head.
Beyond's eyes widened in shock and fear. "What? ...You mean... they're...?"
The officer nodded and pulled the now homeless child into a tight hug. The boy felt his body numb. How could this have happened? How?
"NO!!" Beyond shouted, breaking free. He jumped off the hood of the patrol car and once again sped towards the smoldering structure he had once called 'home.'
His eyes welled up with tears as he moved, almost in slow-motion, towards his haven. Shouts and screams echoed in his head as he ran through the CAUTION tape.
He felt his shoe hit something solid and he plummeted to the hard gravel. Beyond hit the ground with a loud THUD, his head making contact with the gravel first. There was a shock of pain, and the scent of iron numbed his senses.
His vision flickered from black to white, black to white, black to white, before he regained his focus. He saw the frightened faces of several officers and paramedics hovering over him; their lips moved, but no sound reached his ears.
Everything Beyond could see from his position on the ground once again began to flicker back and forth between black and white, making him dizzy. He felt his eyes close, but he was still conscious. A splitting pain ravaged his head, and ceased when he opened his eyes again.
But this time, everything looked the same, yet... different. Beyond could still see everyone fussing over him, but there was no color... except red. He could still see everyone, but it was as if he were looking at them through a red lens.
There was something that looked like white letters and numbers hovering over the heads of the people he saw, which Beyond soon identified as their names and lifespans.
And then... everything went black.
There. Hope you liked it. Please review. ((And you really should listen to 'Sky Is Over' if you haven't already.))