Little Shadow
Chapter 10: Howl
Horrified. Hisana was horrified. Surely, there's no way… How… How could she?
Seki had known her before. One look at that picture of the small child he called Rukia was more than enough to convince her he was telling the truth. The similarity was startling. The hair, the nose, the chin, those eyes.
And she'd killed her.
The look of disgust on Manami's face was nothing compared to how Hisana felt. The cold sense of dread started to weigh heavily in her stomach as tears threatened to burst the dam. She felt sick.
"And so you see, my dear, I have been left in a difficult situation," Seki took hold of her icy, clammy left hand. "Whilst I am a compassionate soul and wouldn't think twice about taking in a waif and stray," his index finger trailed her wrist, "you disgraced yourself under my roof. You never knew who the father was, and then you abandoned the poor child knowing she was sick." He suddenly yanked Hisana forwards, his talons digging painfully into her inner forearm. "You owe me money."
Hisana's face was almost grey, her watery eyes wide and fearful. "O.. of course, just… I need time to-"
"To what? Get the coin?" Seki leered menacingly. "Oh no, my little dove. You always needed more time. More time to get yourself together. More time to sort something out. More time for playing the damsel in distress."
Manami took no notice of the change in the atmosphere, and instead took to lighting the two lanterns to keep the ever-increasing shadows at bay and moving Hisana's untouched meal out of the way. Seki stood and turned to the young girl. "My sweet, if you could take this," he gestured towards the dishes, "and tell my associates downstairs that they are needed up here."
Hisana fell back, trying to put as much space between her and Seki and his animalistic sneer as possible. "So here's my solution to our predicament, little dove. You give me what I want now, and continue doing so until I consider you debt paid, or," the door burst open as the most disagreeable looking rabble fell raucously into the tiny room, "you entertain my guests until they consider your debt paid. Your choice."
Choice.
What choice?
Hisana could barely see anything as the panic and the bile threatened to burst forth. She felt herself being lifted by the throat as Seki pressed her into the wall, the pressure causing her to choke and to lose her voice as she tried to call for help. She knew it was pointless anyway. She could hear the jeers and her blood ran cold at the weight of their stares as she hopelessly thrashed in an attempt to delay the inevitable.
That was when she heard it. The most desolate sound to have ever pierced the air of Inuzuri, desperate and terrifying. For a split second, she felt the grip around her throat loosen and suddenly the monstrous gang surrounding her didn't seem quite so assured.
The reprieve was only momentary, but it was enough for Hisana to notice that in the struggle they'd knocked over a bottle of saké and that with another couple of inches she'd be able to reach one of the lanterns.
Seki had just regained his hold on her when a second howl, equally torturous and anguished penetrated the atmosphere. Louder this time. Closer.
Agitated, he gestured to the brute closest to the door before returning his full attention on his prey.
His knee sharply pushed between Hisana's legs and try as she might, she could do nothing to release his grip on her throat. She was growing dizzy and faint with fear and lack of oxygen, and somewhere a thought told her she might be better off if she was to fall unconscious, but the fight had not completely left her. She could not bring herself to submit. Could not. Would not.
Suddenly the door crashed open and Hisana's heart almost broke to see none other than Katsu standing there, pale and breathless. The situation in the room seemed to dawn on him as he found the victim's eyes. Speechless, it was only when Seki roared at him "What now, you little shit?" that he remembered he'd come there with a purpose.
"They're here," was all he could manage through his laboured pants.
"Who?" Seki snarled. It was clear he was furious with all the interruptions and blood would be spilt before the end of this.
"The Shinigami." A third shriek filled the room, accompanied with the pungent reek of death. Screams and wails from outside confirmed that a Hollow was terrorising the streets.
It was in that moment Hisana saw her golden opportunity, as she gave one final twist and managed to hit that precious lantern with her left foot. She could barely swallow her hysterical laughter as the dry, dusty wood and the rivulets of saké caught light quicker than she could have ever imagined.
Hisana quirked a masochistic grin in the face of her self-destructive accomplishment, as the chaos overcame her and she closed her eyes, willing for the death that would free her from Seki's clutches.
Fate, it seemed, was not on her side, for it was in that penultimate moment before darkness that she heard a new voice.
"Scatter."