Chapter 10
The Cardinal
Ikuto rubbed his throat, which was red from the event that had happened. Shaking slightly, he took a step towards his kitchen, and sat down on a chair. The memory of the girl's face as she choked him would remain with him until he died, he knew that. The large smile on her face looked unnatural and evil and her eyes were so bright they would light a fire. Ikuto's head fell into his hands, and he sighed heavily.
This couldn't be happening. Why hadn't he just given her to his sister after the incident in the art room? It was clear that she had problems. He had seen the multiple scars all over her body, and her eyes were always haunted. The doctor had asked if she had been beaten, for there were many injuries that weren't just from her episode.
He had told her that he didn't know. "I need some vodka," he mumbled as he stood up. As he pulled out the bottle, Ikuto wiped away the tears that had pooled out of his eyes when he was being choked. I would have never expected her to do that sort of thing, he thought as he pulled out the top, and poured himself a glass. The strong alcohol burned his throat, and warmed his stomach.
"All that's left to do now," he said, "Is go look for her." But did he really want to find her? What would she be like? Would she still be homicidal, or would she scratch herself so much that it hurt her so much? What had she meant when she said, "I killed them,"?
Was it a guilt thing? Had someone died, and she felt responsible? Or did she literally kill someone, as she would have done to him? These thoughts swirled around in his head, but were quieted when he remembered her face when she was laughing. When she had stuck her weathered face hear his, and said, "I don't think you'd forget about me." She was right. He knew that much.
A knock on his door silenced his thoughts completely. Was it her maybe? Was she back this fast? Or was it someone else? Ikuto shrugged these questions off, and approached his door. Peeking through the window on his door, he saw two men in trench coats, with very serious expressions, holding up their badges. He sighed and opened the door. "Are you Ikuto Tsukiyomi, resident of this house?" one of the men, the one with dark complex and big eye brows, said. Ikuto nodded wordlessly.
"How may I help you?" Ikuto said after swallowing. "We're here to investigate the girl who was admitted into the hospital this Wednesday," the pale man asked, who had no hair at all, "Could we ask you a few questions?" Ikuto nodded again and opened the door wider so that they could get through.
Almost simultaneously, both of them looked at his neck, red and in the shape of a small hand. Unconsciously, Ikuto rubbed his neck. The three sat at the kitchen table, which still had the vodka bottle on it. The two detectives eyed it. The man with the bushy eye brows took out a note pad and pen, and the bald one began to question him.
"What is the name of the girl?" he asked him, his thin eye brows high up on his head. Ikuto shook his head. "I have no clue. Truth be told, I've only known her for about three days." Two pairs of eye brows shot up, but the bushy eye brows disappeared underneath the man's black hair. "Where did you meet her?" the bald man asked him. "I didn't really meet her," Ikuto laughed nervously while scratching his head, "I found her." The bald man gave him a confused look. "Found her?" he said puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Ikuto sighed again. "Ok, this is what happened," Ikuto began. What's the point in lying? If they find out on their own, then they won't be so happy with him.
"I play violin on the street sometimes for money. One time I worked really late, and I was so tired that I took a quick nap on a park bench." The two men looked at each other, their expressions saying, "How dumb is this guy?"
Ikuto sighed again. "I realize that this sounds really dumb, but just deal with it, ok? Anyway, I woke up to see this girl looking through my violin case, and stealing my money," the bushy eye browed man was scribbling furiously in his notepad, "so I confronted her, and she ran. But, see, she ran up a tree, where she probably lived. She looked like a street kid, maybe homeless. I chased her, but she managed to get away. The next day, I met her again, and managed to catch her. But she collapsed, so I brought her home, to make sure she was alright. She got to know me, but would always change the subject whenever I tried to get a straight answer from her." Ikuto ran his fingers through his hair.
"The day she was brought to the hospital was when I think she had a psychotic melt down. I found her in the art room, which is upstairs, ranting, with room covered in paint. I brought her to the hospital, where she stayed overnight. I brought her back home and suddenly, she chokes me." Ikuto pointed to his neck when he saw the large eyes on their faces.
"She ran out, and this is where I am now." He ended his story, and leaned back, letting the two men digest it. "So," the bushy eye brow man said after a brief cough, "You take in an unstable homeless girl, just because you have a generous heart?" They sent him strange looks of disbelieve.
Ikuto shook his head. "No," he said with a small voice, "She reminded me of someone I knew." The bald man cocked his head. "Who?" he asked. Ikuto's gaze wandered over to his large window. A cardinal was chirping happily on an ice covered branch, hopping occasionally. A sad smile graced Ikuto's lips. She always liked cardinals, he thought sadly.
"Her name was Amu. She died in a fire."
Eclipse: HELL YEAH!
Ikuto: Wait, what? NOOOOO!
Review Button: You do realize that people hate your frequent cliff hangers?
Eclipse: MWHAHAHA! I'm just evil like that!
Review Button: Good lord…
SHOUT OUT!
Bookworm290 – I hope you turned in your overdue English homework and got credit! I do that a lot… isn't it sooo annoying? Once again, thanks for reviewing! It means the world to me!
Narutogirl101 – Yes! Confusion is good! Curiosity is good too! I LOVE it when people call things I make different! : ) HUGS FOR EVERYONE!
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