Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: T

Tale of Fear

By Nymphe

Summary: A Halloween story… KxK

"You have never heard the story about the old rotten zombie in the train?"

"Oh, please, Misao. Aren't we a little too old to believe such tales?"

"No, Kaoru, it really happened."

"It's just like other ghost stories…"

"A zombie is not a ghost."

"It's all the same Misao."

"Oh really? I prefer to meet a ghost and not a zombie…"

"Misao! Just quit about it."

"You should know the tale, Kaoru."

Exasperated I stopped walking and looked at my babbling friend.

"What will happen on the train? The train will stop? All the lights will go out? No, perhaps the zombie could come out and drink my brain with a straw… I'm so frightened now… NOT!"

I turned around and walked towards my locker.

"You don't have to be so dramatic about it… The zombie is caged on the train. He won't get free. It's his smell you should be worried about."

"I don't want to know, Misao."

"But, you need to know this!"

"Will you shut up after you tell me?"

"Yes!"

"Fine, tell me."

"Well, I heard it from a friend."

"Which friend?"

"You don't know him."

"His girlfriend's younger brother told him what happened to his second cousin's friend."

I rolled my eyes…

"She took the train, the same one you are going to take, a year ago. She had smelled him; the scent of rotten eggs. The lights went out and she got bitten."

"By what?"

"No one knows… They can't compare the bite. Now let me tell you what happened to her. The lights went back on and she was alone in the cabin. She heard a noise from behind her and she saw a werewolf. Frightened she jumped to the door to open it, but it wouldn't budge. The werewolf came for her, but in the last count she could dodge his attack. With a last prayer she jumped out of the window of the moving train. Her body was found, highly mutilated in some bushes."

"Great story…"

"It isn't finished. The other travellers saw what happened."

"They saw the werewolf?"

"No, they saw the girl jumping out of the window, frightened and without reason."

"She imagined everything?"

"Yes! The smell makes you hallucinate."

"Really now? How come you know what she hallucinated?"

"Her friend told the tale."

"And how come the others didn't hallucinate?"

"What do you mean?"

"She sat in the same cabin as the others. Why didn't they smell the acid odour?"

"Euh,… because they had a cold?"

"Yeah, right!"

"Kaoru, you are sometimes impossible!"

"My boyfriend says that too."

"I try to warn you and you just outsmart me with silly questions."

"Don't worry. If I take the train tonight, I will act like I have a cold…"

"You are impossible!"

---

"One ticket to Ankerville, please."

"That will be two dollars fifty, missy."

"K, it's the train on platform two?"

"Yes. Oh, and missy?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful!"

"Don't worry, I will be…"

Quizzically she looked at the ticket seller. Misao's warning rang in her head.

I must be imagining things… Get a grip on yourself!

With her belongings she stepped on the train.

Let's see… I have number 413. I have to go left…

The conductor whistled.

"All on board!"

I found my seat in the cabin and grabbed my book.

The mystery of the swamp… Where was I? Oh yes. The dog of Bakerville look-a-like…

A man seated in front of me.

Yuk, he smells like burned eggs…

The minutes passed, but I couldn't focus on my book. I constantly thought back on Kenshin; our first memories together. How we met… The first kiss…

Kami, I love him so much… I can't believe we already are a year and a half together. Sometimes I believe I don't deserve him. He's so sweet and kind… Every time I see him, my belly still does some crazy stuff to me… I can't wait to be in his arms again. Completely safe… He will protect me…

---

"Next stop Ankerville… Have a safe journey home!"

What happened? Where am I?

My book fell on the ground.

"Here you are, miss."

"Thank you."

I'm still on the train… I must have fallen asleep.

The train slowed down and the platform came into sight. I took my belongings and waited for the doors to open.

It was already dark; a few lights lightened my way.

"Come on, Kenshin… Where are you…"

I already waited for twenty minutes on the platform.

Kenshin, bake, you promised you would come and get me… Perhaps I should take the bus… He could have fallen asleep already…

Step for step I carefully walked towards the bus station.

Damn I have to wait another ten minutes for the bus. Baka, you are so lucky that I love you or else I would have turned back.

The bus stopped at my stop.

I will be in his arms in less than five minutes. I can't wait to feel his hands and lips again…

Through his street I walked, happily to know that his house was only ten feet further. I took the key he gave me and put it in the keyhole.

It doesn't fit… Is it the same house? Yes it is? The number? It's the same. Perhaps he just changed his keys without telling you…

I rang on the doorbell and a sweet old lady opened.

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm sorry… Do you know where Kenshin is?"

"Kenshin?"

"Yes, Kenshin. He's my boyfriend. He's a little taller than me and has red hair…"

"I'm sorry. There doesn't live a Kenshin here."

"What do you mean? This is Kenshin's house."

"No, my dear, I live here. I'm born in this house…"

"No, that's not possible… He lives here!"

"Dear, are you alright? Come inside for a minute…"

Kenshin…

I took my cell phone and searched for his number.

It isn't there… How is that possible?

Hopelessly lost I felt the first tears running down my face. My knees couldn't support my weight anymore…

My boyfriend, the one I love… Doesn't exist…

Kenshin…

"Next stop Ankerville… Have a safe journey home!"

What happened? Where am I?

My book fell on the ground.

"Here you are, miss."

"Thank you."

I'm still on the train… Was it a dream? Please be a dream… Kenshin… Please be there…

The train slowed down and the platform came into sight. I took my belongings and waited for the doors to open.

It was already dark; a few lights lightened my way. Step for step I carefully walked towards the bus station. Someone grabbed me from behind. I turned around in his arms while he bended his head. His lips came into contact with the skin of my neck.

"All I want is your blood, my pretty girl!"

Frightened I tried to push him off me.

No! Get away… Ken…

"Kenshin!"

"How do you know it was me?"

His soft amethyst eyes looked at me.

"It's you!"

I hugged him close to me.

"Oh Kenshin, it's you!"

"Kaoru, what happened?"

I didn't want him to know.

"Kaoru, look at me."

"It's nothing."

"You're crying."

He wiped my tears from my cheek.

"I'm just so happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too. Now tell me what happened on the train!"

"I love you, you know."

"I love you too, Kaoru, but…"

"Can't we just go home, Kenshin? Please?"

"Sure…"

Hand in hand they left the train station.

Red eyes followed our happy couple. A muscled person passed them. The eyes followed him. The man stopped, put his bag on the ground and searched for a bottle. The sweet taste of sake entered his system. After a sip, he closed the bottle and stepped on the train. The red eyes danced in delight.

"All on board!"

The horrible sound of his laughter could be mistaken for the sound of the moving train.

Let's see what your greatest fear is…

I would like to read about it!

Happy Halloween!!!