I'm sorry I've disappeared for so long but I went on holidays in Marocco.
I can't promise anything in this chapter. It's so weird! If you don't really understand it just ask me coz while proof-reading I got a bit confused myself XD.
Btw: Fudo is Rei's nickname invented by Mariah in case you've forgotten...
Chapter 48
Stolen
The sand bag swung under the pressure of Mariah's kick. When it came back, the ninja was ready. She leapt up and swung her leg with such force that the bag hit the ceiling. Mariah caught it when it came back down and steadied for a while. She wiped off her sweat with her kimono sleeve, taking deep breaths. It was good to be training alone. She began taking a liking in solitude. That should be strange since she was brought up to be an animal of the night and parties. Mariah looked over her shoulder to finger her long pink plait. Was it…? Mariah punched the sand bag. His sorrowful eyes breathed into her skin, making her know how he was suffering as well. Mariah was sure that she wasn't inventing anything. He didn't want to leave her as much as she wanted to stay by his side forever. It reminded her of a song she heard a long time ago:
In the cold lonely night
The moon is shining bright
Under the fields of light
A young girl sits uptight
The wind play with her hair
She sighs to the empty air
Calling for the one she cares
In her heart, he's always near
Dear Night, do you hear me?
Listen to this mournful song of a fallen tree
Under your wings take me home
There where he awaits, in his tomb
I wish for nothing but to rejoin him
Eternal truth, to thee I pledge
Eternal love, for thy I give
For an eternity must I wait for myself to die and for you to rise
Will we meet again?
I wish us to be doves, free to fly away
Will you accept me again?
It's not that I'm crazy but my love for you is real
Rain drops turn off the light
Red clouds close in the night
She wishes with all her might
To reborn with her dark knight
Is this only a nightmare?
And when she opens her eyes,
He will be right there
To wipe away her girlish tears
Dear Night, do you hear me?
Listen to this mournful song of a fallen tree
Under your wings take me home
There where he awaits, in his tomb
I wish for nothing but to rejoin him
Eternal truth, to thee I pledge
Eternal love, for thy I give
For an eternity must I wait for myself to die and for you to rise
Will we meet again?
I wish us to be doves, free to fly away
Will you accept me again?
It's not that I'm crazy but my love for you is real
Eternal truth, to thee I pledge
Eternal love, for thy I give
For an eternity must I wait for myself to die and for you to rise
Lost and found, my love for thee is anew
For eternity time it passes fire and rivers
To you I belong
Let me lie on your shoulder
Eternal truth, to thee I pledge
Eternal love, for thy I give
For an eternity must I wait for myself to die and for you to rise
For an eternity must I wait for myself to die and for you to rise
My love for you is eternal
Isn't there a way out? She could not afford to live her life without Rei. It was beyond her power, her will. Mariah kicked harder at the sandbag until it began to weep streams of sand. The sight of him, the knowledge of his love put her in a chimera that she could not bear to part.
Mariah saw herself in the school navy skirt. The breeze tucked at it playfully but the girl wasn't in the mood for it. The sun was barely out. Thick clouds strangled the golden orb under their envious clutch. Everyone went back home by now. There were only those from the swimming club that were still training in the school's swimming pool but Mariah didn't care about them. She didn't have problems pushing Kimi to go home before her because there were always many guys proposing to accompany her. So she was alone by the school's gate, looking down at her Minnie Mouse watch. It was quite a childish watch. The dial was in a sparkling pink with Minnie's face in the middle while the frame was dotted with pink gems. Minnie's silver gloved-hands pointed three forty five. Mariah's heart was banging so loud she feared it should come to burst. In the schoolbag at her feet were all her belongings. He told her not to bring anything unnecessary. Mariah had packed her toilet case with some pads in case of accidents, she also bought three or four underwear stuffed in her pencil case, her father's large T-shirt for sleeping, two more changing clothes, socks and her credit card. She knew that the money on her account wouldn't last more than a month but then, he would bring some too and one month should be enough for them to settle down. Mariah ventured looking over her shoulder at the imposing school building. She didn't like the idea of meeting at the school. What if someone spotted them and alerted her parents? Mariah told them that she and some other girls were kept in Science class for a project they meant to prepare together with the teacher so she'd be home at around six pm. It wasn't a right-down lie since they were indeed meant to make a project with the Science teacher but it was just a meeting for materials and didn't last more than twenty minutes. Now she was waiting anxiously for Fudo. He was the president of the student council so he had to attend some sort of reunion that took place every Friday. But he told her that it would last only an hour and he should be able to come out at four.
Their plans were carefully arranged. Fudo had purchased two tickets to France. The plane was to take off at six. That was why Mariah had told her parents that she would be home at six. Wherever Fudo was, Mariah would be at home with him. She belonged to him as much as a wheel belonged to the bicycle. They were going to take the bus to the airport at four fifteen. There shouldn't be a flaw to their plan. Mariah checked her watch again. Only twelve minutes left. She imagined seeing Fudo walk down the walkway to the school gates with a weary smile on his beautiful face. Under his arm would be his gym bag stuffed with belongings as Mariah's school bag was. The reason they decided to leave from the school was more a question of commodity than precaution. It was the only place where both of them could be together without catching attention. If they had met in a café, people would wonder what they were up to. But school was a safe place because boys and girls were mixed together and there was nothing strange to it.
France. Mariah dreamt of the place like a silver landscape wide beyond reach, a refuge for lovelorn couples. The name gave a feeling of a young woman whose generous breasts were offered to all. Regardless the race, sex or age, she gathered around her, foreign martyrs like her younglings. It was a good country to runaway to. They would have chosen an English-speaking country but nothing was like France. In France, there was everything. Fudo trusted France because he heard of her honest fight. She didn't just play the caring mother but also the hen that protected her children. They would not be able to catch them in France. It was like a holy land where they would remain out of reach. Mariah had already prepared her French name, Eleanor which meant the light of the sun and Fudo would be Phoebus, the sun himself. Her hopes lied in that foreign place now.
A figure was walking from the school towards the gate. The sun which was setting behind the school building blinded Mariah so that she could only wait. He was tall and slender. His uniform was clean unlike many others. When he came nearer, Mariah perceived a graceful smile on his face.
"Fudo-san!" she called out, her precaution swept away by the sight of her beloved.
She ran up to him as he came out of the school gate. But she halted before throwing herself into his arms, out of bashfulness. Fudo tipped her chin up so that she would look into his eyes. The sunlight behind him created like a crown on his beautiful face. Mariah could only hold her breath at such a beautiful sight.
"Are you ready?" he asked in a smooth Japanese.
"Hai," she answered.
Together they walked to the bus station not far from the school. Aiko wanted to ask him about the reunion but she couldn't find her voice. They were walking at a quick pace, both childishly nervous. When they reached the bus stop, Fudo cleared his throat and glanced down atMariah.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Hmm."
Mariah wanted to tell him how she wanted to hold his hand for support and hear him tell her that everything will be alright. But she couldn't do anything of the sort. Her body seemed to be paralyzed with tense. Her throat was dry. But Fudo wasn't touching her either. She wondered whether it was because he was paralyzed as well or that it was one of his gentlemanly ways.
At last the bus arrived. Mariah got up behind Fudo. Her foot left the pavement, last sign of her upon this earth. Now she was entirely in destiny's hand.
