~Namine~
Just a Thought
You don't know what can happen behind closed walls. Willing to object? I've had my whole world twisted around and wrung out like a fresh towel that has just been through the rinse cycle. Have you ever experienced a life-shattering moment in which everything you thought you knew about your past, your friends, your life- all turned out to be lies? Did words that reached your ears seem so unbelievable, even when the evidence of the fact was impossible to deny?
What if things you thought never existed, things that you were fooled into believing were humanely impossible stared you right in the face? Would ever listen to reason again? Would you continue to trust your instincts? What if your whole w0rld w4s su993n1y 7urn3d ups1d3 d0wn?
Chapter 1
~Namine~
The day that drastically changed my life forever started off like any other normal day. I was at Twilight Town High, waiting for my boyfriend, Riku, to meet me by my locker before first period. He and I have been going out for almost a year. The first time I met him, he was really mysterious. But I couldn't resist his charming green eyes and long, spiky silver hair.
"Hey Naminé!" Riku called as he quickly walked towards me. His younger brother, Sora, lagged behind him. Sora and I were both the same age, but Riku was a year older. Without saying anything, Sora looked at me through his brown bangs and blue eyes and gave a quick wave. I've never seen Sora talk to anyone before except his brother, but that was from a distance and I've never heard his voice. When I tried asking Riku why Sora didn't talk to anyone besides him, Riku said that Sora had been through a lot and had seen things that made him taciturn. He usually stopped talking after that, and I didn't ask any more questions. Sora's business was his business.
"Hi, guys. What's up?" I replied. Riku leaned against the lockers while Sora stood next to him, a perpetual sad expression on his face. I couldn't help but notice how Sora always looked so small and fragile next to his older brother.
"I was thinking that maybe we could all hit up Sunset Sweets after school. I know how much you like their Sea Salt ice cream," Riku teased. I blushed. He was referring to the first day we both got ice cream together. We made out after eating, and I told him his lips tasted salty and sweet - just like my favorite flavor. Sora wasn't there that day because he was sick, but he usually comes with us. "So you in?" Riku asked me.
"Sure. I'll call Axel and tell him to pick me up afterwards." Axel was my brother, and he was in his twenties. Like Riku and Sora, Axel and I lived together by ourselves.
The bell rang, and I picked up my bag. Sora and I had first period together. He nudged Riku with his elbow, silently telling him that he was going to class before walking down the hall. I kissed Riku on the cheek and hurried after Sora.
You may think it was, but the silence between us wasn't that loud. I was so used to it that it wasn't awkward anymore, but it was definitely different from being around Riku. Sora opened the door for me and we walked into English class. Instead of being greeted by our teacher, a man with an eye patch and a scar on his face was standing by the chalkboard. His name was Mr. Braig, and he was our substitute teacher because Mr. Zexion had called in sick a day ago. I took a seat next to my friend, Olette.
"Good morning. I am substituting for Mr. Zexion again today." Mr. Braig stared directly at me with a small smirk on his face.
"Hey Naminé, Mr. Braig's checking you out," Olette joked.
I playfully hit her with my elbow and laughed. "Ew, gross!"
Although, Mr. Braig had been acting strangely while he was substituting for Mr. Zexion. For instance, he kept asking about my brother Axel during class as if they were good friends. After school I asked Axel if he knew Mr. Braig, but he had never heard of him before. I thought that was a little creepy. Sora must have sensed something too, because he was staring intently at Mr. Braig with a weird expression on his face.
"Alright class, settle down and take out your homework. Sora, stop looking like someone just drowned your goldfish," said Mr. Braig.
Sora turned away and proceeded to take out his homework.
"He's so stupid. Everyone knows you can't drown a goldfish," Olette whispered.
I laughed. "At least it's better than his pickle jokes," I whispered back.
I think Sora heard us, because I saw the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.
After having to endure science class with Mr. Ansem, computer class with Mr. Cid, and a bunch of other classes I'm too lazy to mention, it was finally time to hit up Sunset Sweets with Riku and Sora. Riku was old enough to drive, so we took his car to Sunset Station. Riku parked his silver car in the parking lot and we walked the rest of the way. The shop was inside of the station building. We all bought sea salt ice cream and sat outside on the front steps. I nibbled on my ice cream bar, Sora munched on his, and Riku was practically murdering his treat with his mouth-he liked it that much.
Sora finished his ice cream and nudged Riku, getting him to look at the empty stick in his hand. It had a word printed on it. Riku talked around the stick in his mouth. "Oh, you found a WINNER stick. That means you can get one for free. Man, I wish I'd gotten a WINNER."
Sora solemnly stared at the stick in his hands, lost in thought. Riku and I exchanged looks. Sora was thinking about something depressing. This usually happened on a regular basis. When Sora seemed down, we would both try to cheer him up.
"Hey Sora," I tried. "Bet you don't know why the sun sets red?" Sora just looked at me. I continued, knowing he wasn't going to verbally answer my question. "You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest. Axel taught me that."
Now Sora looked even sadder. Why is he so sad?
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" I asked Riku, who was watching his brother.
"Don't worry, Sora's just having a bad day. Right, ice cream boy?" Riku joked, playfully hitting his brother on the back. Sora cracked a smile. I let out a sigh of relief. No matter what mood Sora was in, Riku was always able to make him smile. Even if his jokes were crap.
The clock above the station chimed six times, which told us it was time to leave. Sora stuffed his stick in his pocket. Riku took my hand as we walked to the parking lot.
"You said Axel was gonna pick you up, right?" Riku asked me when we reached his car.
"Yeah, he should be here soon," I said. I glanced around the parking lot, but Axel's red car was nowhere in sight. I didn't mind, since he was usually late all the time.
"Want me to wait with you 'til he comes? I'm sure Sora wouldn't mind," Riku said.
I looked over at Sora. He was leaning against the car and watching the sunset, his hand in his pocket. He looked so lonely… "Nah, that's okay. You two should get home. I'll be fine." I assured him.
"Okay, but call me if anything comes up." Riku gave me a kiss. I waved as he and Sora got into the car and drove off. I sat down at the curb and thought about Sora. Something had to be bothering him. A few minutes later I heard footsteps approaching.
"Last one there has to buy the winner ice cream! Better get flyin' or you'll end up buying!" a boy shouted.
"No fair!" another boy whined.
"Wait up!" a girl called.
Hayner, Pence, and Olette came running down the street. They all shouted greetings as they ran past, but only Olette stopped to talk to me.
"Hey, Nami. Where's Riku and Sora?" she asked.
"They just left." I thought for a moment. Olette might know what's going on with Sora. "Olette, you've been at Twilight Town High since preschool, right?"
"Yeah."
"How long has Sora been so…depressed?" I asked her.
Olette thought for a minute. "Actually, Sora wasn't always like that. He was just another regular goofy kid in our elementary class. Then one day during middle school, Sora and Riku didn't show up. We waited and waited, but after a few weeks we realized they weren't coming back. No one knew what happened. They were gone for about a year and a half when all of a sudden they both showed up on the first day of 8th grade, a year before you came to school. Riku seemed more mature and tough, and Sora was really distant. They didn't tell anyone why or where they went. Whatever happened, it had a major effect on them."
"Wow. I wonder what they went through…" Military school, probably?
"OLETTE! PENCE IS TRYING TO EAT YOUR ICE CREAM!" Hayner shouted from the station.
Olette sighed, exasperated. "Those boys…I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?"
"See ya." I waved as she hurried up the street to the clock tower. My phone buzzed as I got a text from Axel: 'I'm almost there. Saved any ice cream for me?'
'Oops XD I forgot to get you one.' I replied. 'I'll be waiting by the parking lot.'
I heard tires screeching against the pavement farther down the road. I stood up and strained to see. Was Axel here already? The vehicle came into view, but I lost interest when I saw that it was just a gray van. Then I noticed something. The van was awfully close to the curb that I was standing on, and it was coming close really fast. I realized with horror that if I didn't move and the van swerved onto the curb I might get run over.
Before I could register what was happening, the back doors opened and a hand shot out and grabbed my arm. I was being pulled off the curb and into the van. I screamed and accidentally dropped my phone on the curb outside. I landed on the floor of the trunk hard, and the doors slammed shut as the vehicle violently turned a corner. I panicked, trying to see through the darkness. The back windows were tinted black, and a wall separated the trunk from the front of the van.
I'm being kidnapped…I'm being kidnapped! I did the only logical thing I could think of doing at a time like this-I screamed again. A hand quickly covered my mouth. It was so dark I could only make out the soft glow of someone's eyes.
"Shut up or I'll shut it for you." A male voice warned me. Something sharp poked my side. I looked down to see what he was threatening me with, and I saw the glint of a very huge knife in his other hand. My heart almost stopped.
When he saw how frightened I was, my captor took his hand off of my mouth and reached behind him. Then he pushed me down onto the ground and tied my wrists together with a thick rope.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, scared.
"Didn't you hear me? I told you to shut the fuck up!" He slapped my face so hard it stunned me. Then he sat down somewhere on the other side of the dark moving van, leaving me on the floor. The slap had stung, but I held back the tears. As the van jerked and swayed, I thought about Axel, who must be waiting for me back at the station. I also thought about Riku, Sora, and Olette, who were probably at home, working on homework or doing something fun. My fear overwhelmed me as I hopelessly tried to get free. What if I never see them again?
This story will be told in many different POVs as time goes on. Also, it will involve death/torture so...yeah. Please don't read if you are uncomfortable with those things.
R&R?
~IJustDrownedUrGoldfish