*SLAP*
"You stupid girl! I knew you were getting thinner, but starving yourself so you could give it to the, 'Devil boy'?" The man slaps the young girl again, as two red stinging handprints appear on her face. "I thought I taught you better than this!" He lifts the girl up to his face. "Give me one reason I shouldn't beat you. Give me one!"
"Father…" Said the girl in a defiant, yet soft voice. "God said that we should help the poor and needy. We should help the ones that need it most! Who needs the food more than him?" She looks at her father with her bright green piercing eyes. They were so full of love and beauty that most people can't help but stare. They normally just aren't very fiery especially not like today, for today, they have an authority that surpasses her own.
"Elizabeth-chan… Why are you doing this? Just for that boy" I watch as my father slaps her across the face again. "Please stop! Stop hurting her!"
"Elizabeth. Stop giving me that look, it's its…" The man looks away from her and throws her at the wall hard, just to try to escape that look. "Elizabeth, stop doing what you're doing. Even if you feel justified, God also said, that he doesn't want you to get sick because you are starving yourself for others." He walks away from her grudgingly, because he could see the power behind those eyes, and he can't do anything more to her.
"Elizabeth-chan!" Genichirou say terrified as he runs over to my crumpled up body. "Ar-are you ok?" He says as he gently lifts me to a sitting position. "Why I should smack him good and give a fuss for doin—"
"Nii-chan." She said gently, cutting the older brother off. "I wish someday I'd be able to read the bible myself to see if what dad says is true. But, is it so wrong to help others? Nii-chan, I'm so very confused. If we are Christians, then shouldn't we, act like it?" She looks up at the brother with her bright green eyes, so loving yet he can tell she's feeling very conflicted. She wants more than anything, to help others, yet her father says she should care only of herself, and her preservation. "If we are Christians, then why, why should we care about what happens in this life?"
"Well…" Darn it! I hate it when she can ask all these questions and I don't entirely know the answers to them myself. "I don't believe it's wrong. Just he's right, you haven't eaten in 3 days, and you're a growing girl, you need to eat now or you'll end up being stunted." I laugh quietly, and ruffle her hair gently. "Because God gave us this life. And don't you think he loves his children so much that he'd want to prosper his children?" I then crouch closer and whisper into her ear. "Don't you think you can help more people if you live longer?"
She turns and looks at me, eyes full of shock. Then it softens quickly. "You're right nii-chan." She flashes me a warm wholehearted smile.
I ruffle her hair more, and laugh. "It's so good to see you smiling! You go on and help people to your hearts content, if that's really what you want. I can't stop you Imouto. Just, no matter what, don't be Tarundoru, ok?" I smile slightly "Don't worry about father ok."
"Yeah I know, he's just doing it because he loves me." She smiles kindly.
She then stands to her feet and rubs her cheeks gently, trying to make the stabbing pain and those bright red marks disappear. She then starts bundling up her food, and then runs out the door. "She normally.. Does it when I can't see. She must, trust me enough to allow me to see now." I chase after her to the door, but when I reach the door, it's like she disappeared. God, she's fast..."Gambatte Elizabeth." I whisper as I walk back inside. I look at my bento, and decide I put half of my food in her empty bento. "Maybe now, you'll eat something." As I walk out onto the porch, and eat my food in my bento. I turn my head to see father and mother walk out of the house together. I twist my body and hide behind one of the posts quietly and stop eating. I press my ear against the post and strain to hear their conversation.
"Was that really necessary Takano? I heard you slapping her from across the house!"
"Reika, of course it was. Elizabeth has been starving herself for a while, I've noticed!"
"Well she's still young, maybe she's into a boy? And she's trying to look good for him." She chuckles happily.
"She's 8! She doesn't know the meaning of the word 'Love'…"
"Oh Takano," She laughs, "or you're just being too overprotective."
"I don't know how it works where you are from Reika, but in Japan, it doesn't work that way. But she is giving her food to some boy."
"Japan's special ne?" She pouts playfully. " How do you know that?"
"On my way home from work, I saw her running around, so I followed her to make sure she wasn't getting into trouble. I saw her give the food to that devil child. The one with the red skin and white hair."
"Oh my." She puts her hand to her mouth shocked. "She may be generous but, but helping that boy? He's so demon possessed he can't even talk! And that man taking care of him, is just… Horrid! No wonder he's turned out this way. She should just let him die, everyone would be happier."
"Everyone except her. She seems to care about that boy."
"Oh honey… Just, I don't want that, thing, hurting her."
"That's why I treated her that way today. Yet, I doubt it'll do any good." Mother looks up at father with a look that shows she doesn't understand. "She's got my stubbornness, no amount of punishment can change her mind." He laughed wholeheartedly, then returned to his stern, steely look from before. "That's why I'm worried."
This boy? And Elizabeth just ran off to help him a while ago, maybe I can find him. He better not hurt my sister. Or I'll make sure he never sees her again. I find my katana, and run off in the direction I normally see her run to. I follow a trail worn into the grass. She visits a lot…sweat rolls down my face as I run faster to try finding her. She runs all this way as well? I duck under branches, and swat away twigs that try stabbing me, from all directions, when after about 15 minutes I arrive breathless at a clearing. When I see her run towards the house from the left. How'd she get there? I inch closer to the house she was running to. I see the boy and immediately take out my katana, and wait until he makes a move against her.
"Oooh look who's returned." The boy snarled. Then his face changed as if it was someone else.
"The fiery red hot!" His face contorts again.
"Maybe we should kill you. Lets see your body become as red as your hair!" He laughs menacingly.
"But if we kill her, then who will take care of us?" I set the food I brought, down on the ground, almost completely ignoring the voices. They aren't who I'm here for.
"Fine, just a little blood? Just one scream? Come on guys."
"You guys, shut up." The boy looks up at me with a mocking snarl and an evil smirk. Now I see so clearly the scars that cover his face and arms and legs. His face is completely red with huge black circles under his eyes, and it's almost ragged with all deep cuts and wounds. His eyes are totally bloodshot, and his eyes are light blue and beady. The ground which he sits on, is filled with his blood and gore. And his arms are covered with deep cuts made from a whip, and knives. With a few traces of bandages here and there.
"Make us, Redhead. Or are you too scared?" He said in a very mocking voice, his eyes change as if they are just daring me, to do something.
My face changes, I don't know how or why, yet something feels different inside me, any doubt they tried planting in me, melted away as I said in a firm voice. "Go, now, in Jesus name." It may be plain and simple, yet it felt different somehow. I watch as his body writhes away from me and he tries to hide himself with his arms. When he suddenly slumps down, eyes closed. "Hey Akaya-kun. I'm sorry I forgot to bring water. But I brought it for ya." A smile makes its way across my face.
One eye opens slowly and looks up at me threateningly, as I move closer. A look of recognition passes over him and his glare softens. "You came again today? I must be special." He laughed, halfheartedly, and breaks out coughing. He covers his mouth and his hands become soaked with his own blood. I remove his hand and have him drink some water. "Haaa…haaa…" He catches his breath, and looks up at me. "Arigato." He looks at the food down by his feet, and he reaches for it. He picks up the chopsticks and tries to grab the food. Always staring at me, to make sure I don't try something. Yet all he sees is a kind reassuring smile.
*ting ting ting ting* I look down at his hands to see them shaking so terribly that they keep knocking the chopsticks around the metal bento. I gently take them out of his hand. "You're still too weak, Akaya. Here, let me help." I inch forward a little as I feed him some of the food.
He grabs my hand after a while and tries to feed himself repeatedly.. Yet he's too weak right now, he can't keep his grip, yet he keeps trying. "I can do it. Stop trying to help me!"
I raise my eyebrow, doubtfully at him. And watch him fail a number of times, until I finally take it back and start feeding him again. "Jeez, if you're gonna waste so much food, I'll just eat it." I smile cheekily, as I bring the food up to his mouth.
"Yeah *chew* ok."
"Don't talk with your mouth full, you."
"God, you aren't my mother or something, you know!"
"Haha I know, I know!" The two of us laugh happily. He then reaches for the water and starts bringing to his mouth, when his hand shakes too much and water spills down his hand and he drops it suddenly. I grab it before it hits the ground. And bring it to his lips. He looks cautiously at me, then down to the cup, then back again. He allows the cool water to pass into his mouth, and run down his throat.
After a while, I get up after feeding Akaya all his food and water, and start to walk away. When he suddenly stands to his feet, and wraps his arms around me, and stops me from walking away. "Please. Stay with me a little longer, I don't want, to be alone again." I turn and look at him quite shocked. My looks softens into a kind smile.
"I'll stay, but only a little while longer. Ok?" He pulls me closer to him and buries his head into my neck. This action shocks me a bit and I squirm a little.
"I'm so glad. Your hair is so soft, is it natural?" He says innocently as he starts playing with it, and pulls me into a sitting position on the ground next to the house.
"What do you think it is, Akaya?" I say as I watch him play with it. From here he looks so peaceful, when he accidentally gets my hair stuck in the manacles that chain him to the house. He then untwists it and sets my hair free.
He turns and flashes me a cheeky grin. "Beautiful?"
"I would smack you, if you weren't so hurt!" I say laughing.
"Can I keep playing with it?" He looks at me with his bright blue eyes, they seem so much fuller, and brighter now, then when I first arrived.
"Yah sure. Do you really think I'd stop you?" I smile, as his face brightens.
"Awesome, no take backs!" He says flashing me a glare, then it changes back into his grin.
I've been here for 2 hours now, and he hasn't tried anything. Maybe he isn't as bad as they say. Plus he's chained to the wall, so if she ran she'd be fine. I hear my stomach growl as I realize I never finished my food, and start off going home. I reach the house, and eat my food. Staring off into the distance, waiting for Elizabeth to run prancing through that door behind me.
I fall asleep on Akaya's shoulder, as he cuddles closer to me in his sleep. When after a few hours or so I wake up and realize it's dark out. I shiver, and inch away from Akaya, trying to unhook his arms. Does this poor guy actually sleep out here every night? It's freezing! When I escape his arms he opens his eyes. "Eliza-chan…" He rubs his eyes. "What are you doing here? It's so late." He yawns and stretches. He then notices the bloodstains on my clothes. "What happened to you?" He looks at me scared, wondering if he did those, or if his 'father' did.
I look down, very shocked to see myself covered with blood. When after closer examination, I realize it's not my own, but Akaya's. "Don't worry bout it ne." I smile kindly at him.
"Won't your 'parents' care when you arrive like that?" He said parents like they were some horrible thing. It makes sense, since they are the ones, making him live like this.
"I'll wash off in the stream or something. See you tomorrow. Take care ok?" I smile kindly at him and I run off. I find the stream and wash my clothes and self in it. I get all the blood out, then wring my clothes, out. I then run home to await my inevitable punishment. Instead I found all three of my family embracing me. Freaking out because they thought something terrible happened.. Then dad through his happiness sent me to my room without dinner. To try to teach me not to hang out with Akaya. Does he really believe that will stop me? I lied down on my bed, and try to fall asleep.
"Please. Stay with me a little longer, I don't want, to be alone again."
To be continued..
