ELSIE
Three weeks. That's how long B said I had left to live, but that was over a month ago. The threat of my impending death doesn't scare me now. Clearly B was wrong, and insane. He proved that. I sit, huddled on the bed next to L. Laying asleep across his lap his Near. L has one hand rested on Nears head. He holds me close to him with the other. Mello has been more irritable recently, continuously trying to take control of Near. L, being concerned by this, rarely lets Near out of his sight for too long, and whenever he does have to do something, he leaves Near with Watari or Matt.
"Whenever I look at him, I see Coby, and it feels like he's dying all over again…" L whispers in a barely audible, exhausted voice. To anyone who does not know L well, they wouldn't know how badly he's been affected. But he sleeps so rarely that he often collapses with exhaustion in the middle of the day. He eats so little that he cannot properly concentrate on anything, and becomes so shaky that he cannot sit in his usual manner without falling over. And yet, he spends every waking moment, of which there are many, trying to make others happy, in particular, me and Near.
"You have to remember the good things that happened in Coby's life, not his death, or his past." I sigh tiredly, looking up into Ls eyes. They're far away, zoned out but still beautiful.
"….yeah…I suppose so…." Near stirred a little in his sleep, making a tiny, sad whimpering noise as he did so. L very carefully sits up, and I move over so that there is some space between us. He slowly shifts Near so he is laying between us, and covers him with a blanket, before lying back down.
"I'll be okay as long as the two of you are, Elsie." L murmurs, staring intently at the ceiling.
"I hope so." I reply, before slowly drifting into a worried, troubled sleep.
Near
The day go by. Then the weeks, but the atmosphere in the orphanage remains tense and depressing. Five weeks after the funeral, I decide im ready to carry on with my studies. As I shuffle into the small classroom with the others, I get some strange looks from people.
Some look sympathetic and some look amused, presumably at my height and hair. I ignore them to the best of my ability as I take a seat near the back of the room. Matt stumbles clumsily into the classroom, and shuffles over to sit with me.
"Hey N, good to see you up and about again." He smiles, ruffling my hair. I chuckle slightly, and pretend to be interested in the teacher speaking at the front of the room, but I quickly find myself daydreaming out the window. I watch as two raindrops seemingly race each other down the glass. I avert my eyes from the window for a moment to take notes in my book so that I don't fail the class, but when I turn back to the window, I nearly fall out of my chair with shock. Sitting casually next to me on the windowsill is a boy. He has the same white hair as me, only it's straightened. Also he has the same stormy grey eyes as me. However, one half of the boy's face is very badly burnt, as if a bomb has gone off in his face. He is dressed entirely in leather, with an ironic rosary around his neck.
The boy looks at my surprised face and laughs, in a low growl, that I recognise all too well.
"What's up Near? Surprised to see me?" the boy laughs pretty sinisterly.
"How can you be here?" I reply, in an irritated, terrified, and rather loud voice.
"Because im stronger than you. And you're crazy…that helps too." Mello shrugs, and slips off the windowsill, onto his leather clad feet. "It's about time we talked about something, that's been bothering me." Mello sighs and crosses with arms over his chest, leaning against the desk.
"What?" I ask quickly, confused and concerned. How can Mello be here?
"It is Ls fault that Coby died, and we need to kill him." My threatening other personality snarls. My anger quickly builds, and I find myself crying suddenly and hysterically.
"No it wasn't! It was beyond!"
Mello rolls his eyes and stands behind me. Whispering into my ear.
"Im getting bored with you Near. You think you are the one in control but you're not. You're just a weak little sheep. So little lamb, if I were to attack anyone, what the hell would you do about it? we will kill L." I stand up quickly and scream at Mello.
"Stop! Stop!"
Mello sneers.
"No. just to show you whose really in charge, let's have some fun here…"
Mello vanishes, and im aware of everyone staring at me. I feel a sudden wave of anger come over me, and I can feel myself grinning. But I can't control my body…Someone gently touches my shoulder, and are thrown across the room with strength I didn't know I possessed. My new found strength destroys everything. Tables, chairs, a window, and various people are bleeding. Screams, shouting, arms holding me down and a needle in my arm. My blood on the floor and the shattered windows glass. The last thing I see before the anaesthetic drags me under, is the destruction Mello caused in only five minutes of being in control. Tears stream down my face as I slowly close my eyes, and the calm rushes over me.
Elsie
"L listen! It sounds like screaming..." His face pales, as we both realise that the noise is coming from the class Near is currently in. We bolt to the room. The first thing we see is a smashed window. The glass still in the frame is smeared in blood. L throws open the door, freezing upon seeing the state of the class.
Tables and chairs are upturned. All the children are up against one wall in a line, some clutching bleeding wounds. They all look up at us as we come in. A teacher rushes forwards to L.
"L, we have a situation…" she starts, but L cuts her off.
"We can see that! What happened?" he demands.
"It's Near, he started screaming and shouting at something, some of the things he said scared the children…"
"What did he say?" L presses, infuriated by the teachers slow talking.
"He said he…he said he's going to kill you, and that it was your fault his brother died. But it was like he was arguing with himself about it. Does that make sense to you?" She asks with a sympathetic sound to her voice. Any mention of Coby, and L usually shuts down, but he nods at the teachers question.
"What happened afterwards?" The teacher is lost for words. One of the kids, Matt, limps over, holding his shoulder.
"I tried to snap him out of it, but he threw me across the room. It's like he got superhuman strength suddenly…" Matt shudders, and cries a little at the pain in his arm and leg. Quickly I step over to him, and hug him gently.
"Where's Near now? Is he going to hurt anyone again?" I ask softly. Matt shakes his head and turns to look behind him. Two adults sit on the floor opposite each other. I put a chair back upright and help Matt over to it. Then I run over to the two adults on the floor. Laying between them is Near. I gasp as I see the state of him.
There are blood smears all over his white clothes, and his hand is badly cut. He has tears on his face. The two paramedics, see me and move away from him a little, but one of them stays close and begins to bandage his hand.
"Careful, the kids insane. If he wakes up he'll hurt you." One of the paramedics warn. I clench my fists.
"He is not insane! He has a split personality! The real Near is a gentle sweet kid. Now move! I'll bandage it." I shove the paramedics away and take up the bandage.
"Go and take care of the other kids."
They don't dare to argue with me, and shuffle away. I begin to wrap the bandage around his hand carefully. I get a better look at him now. I roll up his sleeve to get it out of the way of the bandage, and notice there are bruises trailing up and down his arm. As I observe them, L jogs over and sits by Nears head, placing a cushion under it gently.
"L…Look at this." L shuffles over and glances down to Nears arm. His face is troubled. We are both thinking the same thing. But L voices it.
"It can't have happened in this incident," He gestures around the room, "They wouldn't be this yellow colour yet, He's had these a while…We need to ask him about these." He concluded, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes tiredly. I tie off the bandage and wrap my arms round Ls waist. He embraces me back, but weakly.
"You need to get some rest L…"
"How can I? with all this and Coby, and…" He stops, thinking hard about what to say next. I urge him on.
"I keep, seeing things, it might be just from the insomnia, but… I swear I keep seeing that grey haired man who kidnapped me when I was 8. Just watching me from the woods…" I widen my eyes suddenly, but I relax them quickly, hoping L didn't notice.
"What is it?" he asks worriedly.
"I've seen something very similar too." I confess slowly. L lets out a hitched breath and shakes his head.
"It's a coincidence. He can't be here. Anyway, let's deal with Near…" L trails off. Standing to go and speak with a paramedic…
I sigh and shake my head, tentatively holding Nears good hand… A short while later, the paramedics, who had left the room, returned with multiple stretchers, carrying away 4 children, including Matt and Near who need medical attention…L goes in the ambulance with Near, while I go with Matt.
L
I can hear a crying child. I can see a beaten body chained to the wall. I see the grey haired man of my nightmares burning the flesh off the defenceless bag of skin and bones.
I jolt awake with a small gasp, gripping my knees tighter to my chest breathing in and out deeply. I hear a tired and weak voice from beside me.
"L, are you alright?" I look into Near's stormy, concerned eyes and force a smile.
"Im fine N, just a bad dream. How are you feeling?"
Near looks at me sceptically but answers nevertheless.
"Im feeling better...but I can't remember much of what happened…" his sentence trails off as he crinkles his brow in thought.
"What do you remember?" I ask, pushing him to answer.
His eyes light up as he remembers.
"Mello. Mello was sitting next to me…he told me that he's in control, and I blacked out. The last thing I remember is someone putting a hand on my shoulder…then screaming..." He suddenly flinched and shuddered, lowering his eyes from mine.
"Who did I hurt?" he asks in a sad, quiet voice that I have to strain to hear.
"It's not important. Everyone's ok now, and the situation was explained to them. No one is upset with you." I soothe in a calm tone. He sighs and lay back in the hospital bed looking up at the ceiling.
"I wish I could close off all my emotions. Then I wouldn't be in so much pain all the time." Near closes his eyes and takes in shaky breaths. Unsure of what to say at first, I shift so that im sitting on the edge of Near's bed. He looks up at me with sad eyes.
"Near, no matter what happens. Never let go of your emotions. They make you who you are. They make you able to feel happiness. Accomplishment. Love. If you have to experience sadness or anger from time to time to have a chance at happiness, then it's worth the current pain." Near nods his head slightly as white ringlets fall over his eyes.
"I suppose you're right. But its gonna take a lot of painkillers to get through this stage." He sighs. And to his surprise, I smile slightly and ruffle his hair.
"How poetic of you Near. Just like your brother." I laugh. He smiles and leans over to hug me.
"Well, my other brother. You aren't all that poetic." He chuckles.
Elsie
I jiggle my leg worriedly as I wait for L with Matt, who is sitting in a wheel chair with an arm in a sling. When L finally emerges from the office, I sigh with relief, noting the cheery look on L's face.
"He's going to be fine to come home soon. But we'll have to keep an eye on him and keep him out of the school environment." L sighs, coming over to link hands with me comfortingly. He turns to Matt.
"How are you now Matt? Better?"
Matt shrugs his good shoulder and speaks in a light-hearted tone.
"I've had worse. Im just happy that Nears ok."
L nods and leads the two of us to the Livingroom, his smile fading slightly as the two of us sit down. Matt rolls the wheel chair over to a space opposite us.
"There is something that will need to be looked into a bit more though." L puts a thumb to his mouth and bites his nail.
"What? What's wrong?" I ask, suddenly concerned. L looks hesitant to answer.
"L? tell me what's wrong." I push calmly. He looks over to a window as he speaks.
"It's the bruises on Nears arm. I asked him about them…when he gained consciousness briefly in the ambulance…you won't believe how he got them. Im afraid what we spoke about wasn't a coincidence after all…"
Near-4 hours previously
I can hear the roaring of an engine and the loud blaring of a siren. I open my eyes to a hazy image of someone sitting beside me. Excruciating pain suddenly rockets up through my frail body emanating from my hand, which although heavily bandaged has blood leaking through.
Whoever is sitting with me stands quickly also noticing the bandage, and proceeds to wrap another bandage around it. My vision slowly returns to normal and I recognise the figure with me to be L. His onyx eyes stare at me worriedly. He speaks to me in a calm, gentle voice as I try to move.
"No Near, don't move, you've lost a lot of blood. You're in an ambulance." Im about to protest, but L places a cold hand on my forehead and sweeps the snowy hair off my face, which is hot and clammy.
"You'll be okay, N, stay calm." L soothes. I sigh in defeat and cease all movement. L looks at me with a concerned face.
"Near, how did you get those bruises on your arms?"
My heart falters slightly and I gulp. I would freeze if I weren't already still. He said if I tell anyone, he would kill me. L sees the nervousness on my face and analyses me as always. Detective mode turned on. He will not give up until I answer.
"Tell me who did this Near. Tell me!" L raises his voice slightly, not quite shouting.
"It was a man! He's been stalking around the orphanage! He cornered me when I saw him and grabbed my arms! He said if I screamed or told anyone, he would kill me! He must of hit my head against the wall, because I blacked out, and when I woke up he was gone.!" I cry loudly, cringing at the memory. Remembering how the man had whispered in that snarling way, how much he reminded me of my father, holding Coby to the wall. Only this time I didn't have a gun. Ls face pales, like he'd seen a Shinigami or a phantom.
"Near! You should have told me! What did he look like Near?" L asks in a panicked manner. I wrack my memory to recollect the man's image.
"He was middle height, but kind of muscly and…"
"And what?"
I look L dead in the eye, remembering the most important feature of all.
"Grey…grey hair..."
L looked like a lost child, scared, defenceless. The last thing I heard before I drift back to sleep is Ls voice whispering, terrified.
"Sylas? It can't be…"
L
My eyes snap open. Looking around me I realise I am standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to the roof. Slowly, I stumble up the stairs in the dark and climb through the hatch to be met by the starlit sky. I see a figure sitting with white trouser clad legs hanging off the roof. I sit beside the figure, also sitting with my legs hanging off the roof.
"So how have you been holding up then, you know, since this." Coby smiles, turning to face me but gesturing to the blood stained t-shirt he is wearing. I avoid the crimson and instead look into my friends ever beautiful, stormy eyes.
"Not great. But hey, at least I didn't get stabbed." I frown, shrugging my shoulders. Coby laughs.
"True, very true. You know being dead wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't forced to talk to you still every time you're sad. I never get a break." He grins nudging me slightly. I smile and shove him back.
"Im sorry for the inconvenience." Coby shrugs and looks up at the sky, the starlight reflecting off his grey orb eyes. He sighs and looks down at his feet.
"So what's wrong L?" Coby asks, the light-hearted smile fading a little.
"I just miss you. And im worried about Near. They haven't found B yet. What isn't wrong is probably a better question." I hold my head in my hands. Coby shrugs again.
"There's nothing that you can do. Just take care of Near for me. Don't worry about B. And remember that im always there for you. In here." Coby dramatically holds his hands over his chest. I chuckle and stand up.
"That's so cliché' Coby. You moron." Coby smiles.
"I love you too L."
I turn and jump from the roof.
Near
L walks silently with me as we exit the car that drove us back from the hospital. His eyes seem to dart around uncharacteristically nervously, searching the woods for any sigh of someone lurking. Despite the fact police had searched the area for any sign of the man, Sylas, and had found nothing, no one is convinced that he's gone.
"Near, from now on, do not leave the house without someone with you. Understand?" L asks sternly, looking at me with demanding eyes, to check im listening.
"I understand." I mumble. L gives a satisfied nod and smile, pushing open the door, then shutting it behind us. Elsie emerges from the living room and rushes forwards, giving me a hug, then giving L one.
"Im so glad you're ok Near. L told me what happened to your arms. Just, tell us if need anything ok?" Elsie softly breathes out, in obvious relief. I think since her brother died, she's viewed me as a brother. But I don't mind in the slightest. I nod my head to answer, and turn to face Matt as he rolls out of the other room in a wheel chair. Expecting him to be upset or angry with me, im surprised when he wheels over to me and smiles.
"Hey buddy! Good to see you. Just wanted to say that im not even a little bit annoyed with you. Im actually kinda impressed!" im taken aback with surprise.
"Really? W, why?" I stutter. Matt laughs.
"You, my strange little friend, are insanely strong for such a small guy. Also I know all about Mello. I read your file, sorry about that by the way. Oh! Do you want to go and play some video games with me! I'll probably beat you obviously but come on it will be fun!" I don't have a chance to answer before he is turning and wheeling away shouting,
"Good, knew you would, lets go!" I look at L and Elsie briefly, who are trying very hard not to laugh, and I speed walk after Matt.