Chapter 21

Family bonds

Two months earlier

"Hey Aya, you're so pretty."

"A-huh" replied Aya. She continued walking, trying to ignore the two boys. They had just turned up. Always had a habit of attracting the wierdos. Just had to take the short cut through the alleyway- now she'd probably be pestered the whole way.

"Hey, my friend paid you a comment."

"Hey cutey, want to go out with me? I'll make it worth your while."

"No thanks." Just keep on walking and ignore them, it's not like they'll do anything.

"Why not babe?"

"You're four years older then me! And I'm not interested." And he had bad teeth, a hunchback walk, she disliked him and he had a lingering smell of BO.

"Ouch, rejected!"

"I don't take kindly to being told no. I don't like it at all- especially from some little bitch like you."

Aya sped up. However the boy followed her, walking across to her. They didn't seem to merely be trying to intimidate her.

-

Yusuke watched his sister walk down the large but empty alley. The two had had a quick drink after looking for a birthday present for their father. Two boys arrived, walking quickly down the alleyway. Following her? Dad was right, he did worry too much. Saying something now. Insulting her? She was big enough to walk away.

Following her. One of them grabbed her. Pushed her against the wall. He was running down the alleyway, splashing through the puddles before she hit the wall.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" he yelled.

"Just having a disagreement."

"Looks like more then that to me."

"Fuck off kid" replied the boy.

"That doesn't look like anyway to treat a girl."

"Leave. Now."

"Hey, he's right" said the boy who had merely been standing there, "You shouldn't be doing that. Come on man, look at what you're doing."

"Don't wimp out on me now. This little bitch insulted me." He turned around and looked at Yusuke. "What the fuck are you still doing here? Who are you?" he said.

Yusuke's fist smashed into the boys face as he released Aya. He stumbled backwards, his nose bleeding. "I'm her brother."

"I'm going to kill you."

"No, just leave it" said the other boy. "He's just defending his sister- you had it coming."

"You better leave now" replied the boy, his partner backing away slowly.

Yusuke looked at he boy who was backing away. "I won't tell them anything" he said to Yusuke.

"Yusuke don't!" yelled Aya.

Yusuke caught him in the leg as he punched the boy in the face, bringing him to the ground. Yelling, unable to hear his sisters protests, he punched the boy in the face again and again and again. Blood on his fists…

-

Yusuke didn't do too much to the boy. Bruised the eyes nicely, chipped a tooth. Came very close to breaking his nose. Eventually he relented, walking around in circles, in disbelief at what he'd done. The other boy had picked up the injured boy, and apologized to Yusuke. The two had walked off, Yusuke never seeing them again.

"Come on Aya, lets go home."

---

Aya slowly woke up. This place was strange. She knew she hadn't been here before. A dirty tiled floor. Light blue wallpaper that was fading slightly. The legs of a person sitting on a chair.

"Good to see you are awake and well."

She tried to reply, but her head was twirling, dizzy a deep feeling of nausea. She stumbled slightly, falling back against the wall gently.

"Calm down there Aya! Don't want to be hurting yourself anymore."

"You-you hit me."

"Yes I did. And I'm very sorry. But in a situation like this I'm afraid I didn't have a choice. It's not like you would have come with me if I simply asked you to."

"So what now? Kill me…torture me?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that. As long as your friends don't do anything too idiotic you should be fine. I'm leaving now. I've left you some bottled water. There are no windows and" he said this door opens outwards, so I'm going to be locking you in with a heavy desk. Try not to trick yourself into believing that you can get out of here."

"So I just sit here. What if this place becomes a danger zone?"

"Pray I push the desk out of the way in time."

He calmly walked away, Aya making a note of the limp. She could have tried to rush at him, but her head was still shaking and pounding greatly. All she'd probably be able to do now is stand up and then fall face first into the floor. The door was pushed shut. She listened to the loud screeching noise as Yuji shoved the desk in the way. No way would he be able to move it to give them enough time to escape.

---

"So he's taken Aya prisoner?" asked Yusuke.

"Took her somewhere- but he hasn't told us yet" replied Takamasa.

"The hospital."

"What Yusuke?" asked Miki.

"I bet they're in the hospital. It offers shelter- large enough to hide. He said he'd slit her throat with a scalpel. Plenty of rooms to trap her. And it's close by- I doubt he'd have the strength to drag her a great distance" said Yusuke.

"There's a great chance he could be- Takamasa would have noticed him moving to any of the houses by him, and we didn't see anyone walk past. And they were at a building close to the hospital" said Ryo.

"So what now then?" asked Miki.

"We give him the weapons. Tell him it's a deal- we can't risk Aya" said Takamasa.

"And I'll try and sneak in" said Yusuke.

"What?"

"Let's just say a former girlfriend, and her house has given me some knowledge of both climbing and sneaking into buildings. I could try and find her- I do- we don't give him the weapons. I don't we do, and he better let her walk free."

"Well it does sound like a plan" said Ryo. "Oh and Yusuke, could I have a quick look at your collar" he whispered.

---

Miller was certain he'd heard something. Someone had been moving around behind him, hidden. He rushed through the forest, quickly finding footprints. However this had quickly disappeared as the loose soil was replaced by scarred stones resting on top of the soil.

He'd wasted twenty minutes searching for a phantom. And all he'd been able to find was a solitary shotgun shell resting on the floor. Now he had to make it back to the village. Damn that probably take another half an hour now. Still, he was the most heavily armed student on this island…he believed…and there ought to be plenty of people waiting for him.

Waiting for his show to begin.

He hoped the people viewing this game liked action.