*Disclaimer*: Don't own the characters, don't own the Shinra building, don't own... basically I don't own the copyrighted stuff. Don't sue!
=[Mind of a Child]=
Rufus ran blindly, his heart pounding. It was still after him. He knew it; even though he was only six years old, he knew it. His feet padded on the floor as he rushed to the elevator of Shinra Headquarters. His footsteps echoed around him; where was everyone? Shouldn't someone be there to help him?
The elevator doors slid quietly open, and he hurried in, pressing the button for floor 61. Even the social lobby was empty, he noticed, as he ran inside. There was no one to help him. And it was getting closer. He let out a sob, and knew he had to hide somewhere, away from the bad thing trying to get him.
He ran and then slid under the table, holding his knees to his chest in terror. The elevator doors made a loud ping as someone arrived at floor 61. His breathing quickened, as heavy footsteps pounded out of the elevator; pounding into his mind forever. Where was Daddy? He could die here, and his father wouldn't even know…
The thuds headed towards the back of the room, slowly but delibrately. Closing his eyes, Rufus dashed out from under the table and into the open elevator, desperately slamming his finger against the button that closed the elevator doors. He held his breath as they slid shut, and screamed as something long and heavy thudded into the doors just as they shut. But all was quiet, as the elevator ascended towards floor 64.
His six year old mind couldn't even begin to comprehend what was chasing him, for the truth was something a six year old isn't meant to understand. All he could do was run, and hide. He wondered how long he would run from this thing, before it finally caught up with him. The doors opened and he ran out, heading for the back part of the floor. It was a locker area.
Just as he reached the door, the elevators opened again, and the thuds of the shoes returned. He gasped, and hurried into the locker room, breathless. The footsteps were getting closer. He pushed himself against the wall, crying. The door to the locker room slid open, and he knew it was over. No more running. A shadow fell over his trembling body, and he dared himself to look up.
It was not a monster, but a man. A man that he somehow feared more than any monster. The little boy sniffed, as the man looked coldly down on him. He clutched a baton in his hand tightly, and wore a white coat. Rufus looked up into the man's eyes, and saw nothing but blue eyes that mirrored his own. No anger. No mercy. No emotion.
The man suddenly raised the club, and Rufus screamed and screamed, covering his head with his hands.
========================
"Rufus! You stupid kid! Wake up!" Rufus was shaken awake by someone strong, tears rolling down his pale cheeks. He opened his eyes, which were wide pools of fright. His father looked down at him in annoyance. "You've been screaming the last ten minutes, you know."
Rufus didn't answer, shivering despite the warm night. His father just sighed.
"What did you dream about?"
"It wasn't a dream, Father. It was a nightmare." Shinra shrugged at his son.
"What was it about?"
"I- I don't know… someone was chasing me…"
"Who?! I'll get them killed. Who was it?" But Shinra, chuckling at his own joke, never heard his son's quiet reply.
"Me."
=[Mind of a Child]=
Rufus ran blindly, his heart pounding. It was still after him. He knew it; even though he was only six years old, he knew it. His feet padded on the floor as he rushed to the elevator of Shinra Headquarters. His footsteps echoed around him; where was everyone? Shouldn't someone be there to help him?
The elevator doors slid quietly open, and he hurried in, pressing the button for floor 61. Even the social lobby was empty, he noticed, as he ran inside. There was no one to help him. And it was getting closer. He let out a sob, and knew he had to hide somewhere, away from the bad thing trying to get him.
He ran and then slid under the table, holding his knees to his chest in terror. The elevator doors made a loud ping as someone arrived at floor 61. His breathing quickened, as heavy footsteps pounded out of the elevator; pounding into his mind forever. Where was Daddy? He could die here, and his father wouldn't even know…
The thuds headed towards the back of the room, slowly but delibrately. Closing his eyes, Rufus dashed out from under the table and into the open elevator, desperately slamming his finger against the button that closed the elevator doors. He held his breath as they slid shut, and screamed as something long and heavy thudded into the doors just as they shut. But all was quiet, as the elevator ascended towards floor 64.
His six year old mind couldn't even begin to comprehend what was chasing him, for the truth was something a six year old isn't meant to understand. All he could do was run, and hide. He wondered how long he would run from this thing, before it finally caught up with him. The doors opened and he ran out, heading for the back part of the floor. It was a locker area.
Just as he reached the door, the elevators opened again, and the thuds of the shoes returned. He gasped, and hurried into the locker room, breathless. The footsteps were getting closer. He pushed himself against the wall, crying. The door to the locker room slid open, and he knew it was over. No more running. A shadow fell over his trembling body, and he dared himself to look up.
It was not a monster, but a man. A man that he somehow feared more than any monster. The little boy sniffed, as the man looked coldly down on him. He clutched a baton in his hand tightly, and wore a white coat. Rufus looked up into the man's eyes, and saw nothing but blue eyes that mirrored his own. No anger. No mercy. No emotion.
The man suddenly raised the club, and Rufus screamed and screamed, covering his head with his hands.
========================
"Rufus! You stupid kid! Wake up!" Rufus was shaken awake by someone strong, tears rolling down his pale cheeks. He opened his eyes, which were wide pools of fright. His father looked down at him in annoyance. "You've been screaming the last ten minutes, you know."
Rufus didn't answer, shivering despite the warm night. His father just sighed.
"What did you dream about?"
"It wasn't a dream, Father. It was a nightmare." Shinra shrugged at his son.
"What was it about?"
"I- I don't know… someone was chasing me…"
"Who?! I'll get them killed. Who was it?" But Shinra, chuckling at his own joke, never heard his son's quiet reply.
"Me."