TWISTED

ShinSeiFuji

PROLOGUE

Heero walked in an endless space. He didn't know when it all started, but the journey seemed to have wasted all his life. He was walking without direction. Not knowing where and when to stop. In a path where infinity seems to have ruled. What was beyond was the same empty space he kept on traveling.

A gust of wind blew in his ears. He somewhat knew he was going nowhere, and the idea to stop came to his mind. Heero's usually expressionless face became twisted with mystery, as the wind seemed to have spoken to him.

That voice. It's familiar.

"Hee…o… rrro," the vagueness of the words made Heero's brows cross more. Heero walked to where the voice seems to come from. Slowly, the words became clearer. They were words of desperate longing, agonized in pain.

"Heero…"

It's calling my name.

"Heero…"

The low tenor of voice was accompanied by sobs as Heero nears his destination.

Heero's steps became slow and careful as he sensed the presence of the being calling him. He stopped.

"Heero? Is that you?"

He stiffened as the voice played a familiar tune to his memory. A figure cleared from the shadows. Heero made a defensive stance, ready for action.

"Is that you Heero?" the creature asked.

Heero looked closely. The creature almost seemed… human. It was like a young man enveloping himself digging his face through his thighs and embracing his legs.

Heero turned away as the decaying body perfumed the air.

"I've been waiting for you to come… What took you so long?" the creature asked Heero while not looking at him.

"Who are you?" Heero said in a flat tone. A small trace of nervousness from his voice.

The creature seemed to wince in pain. "W-why, you don't recognize me now, Heero. Has it been that long?"

"Who are you?" Heero demanded. Heero looked closely but the creature wouldn't lift his face. Heero's eyes were filled with disgust as he saw the body was a piece of rotting flesh.

The creature seemed to cry more. "You have forgotten me. Why Heero? Why? Why did you leave me alone? I… I needed you…"

Heero backed one step as the creature's words ate his mind slowly. Frustration crossed his perfectly outlined face as cold sweat trailed his skin.

"And now you're turning away from me. Why so cold Heero? Why so cold to me?"

Heero felt himself chill as a gust of wind accompanied the rapid beating of his heart.

"No…" was all Heero could say. He wanted to say something, he wanted to defend himself, he wanted to explain, but something held his throat back.

Guilt.

The creature slowly stretched his legs, arms supporting its pieces of rotten flesh. It stood, its head still facing down.

"No… please…" Heero's eyes looked as if tears are welling in his eyes.

"Please?" the creature neared Heero. "It's not like you… Tell me why, Heero. Why?"

The creature lifted its head. A skull dripping with blood, with scattered rotting flesh gave Heero impulse to shout.

Fear? Anger? Guilt…

"No! DUO!"