Chapter Forty-Seven: Little Red Book
Darkness spiraled around him like the currents of an ocean storm. He wasn't sure how long he'd been running for, but his legs threatened to give out at any moment. Legosi continued his dead sprint, panting heavily while the rest of his body screamed at him to stop. His eyes darted around, frantically searching for something, anything at all. The blackness continued, seemingly infinitely into the distance.
"Legosi…" a voice whispered softly into his ear.
The wolf gasped, slowing to a walk. His ears stood at attention, searching for the source of the noise. Aside from his own breathing and his heart beating in his ears, Legosi couldn't hear anything. He looked left, then right, the empty void staring back at him from each direction. He turned his head forward, his shoulders slumping.
"Hello?" Legosi replied.
A sudden flash of bright light erupted some distance in front of Legosi. He shut his eyes tight, lifting his hands to shield them further. A few seconds passed before he felt safe enough to open them again. A hundred meters from where he stood, a pillar of light rose high into the pitch-black sky. He stared in awe; his jaw hung open.
As he took a step toward it, what sounded like thunder cracked around him. Legosi's fur bristled, his heart nearly jumping out of his chest at the sound. He ducked to the floor, covering his head and ears while the rumble slowly faded to nothing. He opened one of his eyes; the environment around him remaining unchanged. The pillar of light still stood in the void that surrounded him.
Slowly, Legosi picked himself up from the ground, shaky breaths escaping him. He looked to his body; he wore no shoes, but still had his jeans and shirt. Returning his gaze to the beacon ahead of him, he carefully took another step forward, bracing himself in case of another loud noise.
"Legosi…" said the voice again, louder this time.
He couldn't figure out whose voice it was, as it was distorted just enough to cause him doubt. As garbled as it was, Legosi was able to determine that the source of the second voice, as well as the first one, weren't too far away.
"It's just up ahead…it came from the light…"
Legosi continued forward at a brisk pace. The closer he got to the light, the smaller it seemed to become. By the time he'd arrived within ten feet of it, it'd shrunken down from a tower ascending endlessly into the sky to about the height of a doorframe.
He approached the beam cautiously, squinting as its brightness threatened to blind him. Ten feet turned to five; the outline of a door left ajar came into view. The light began to dim, allowing Legosi to open his eyes further. A silver knob appeared, shining against the darkness. He reached out to grab it, only stopping once the silence that surrounded him was broken again.
"Legosi…"
The wolf's eyes widened. The voice rang through loud and clear. It finally clicked with him to whom it belonged. He stared at the door, the memory returning in full force. Dread filled his mind as a shaky hand was placed upon the knob. He held his breath, using his remaining strength to push the door open.
Though he'd hoped to see a different sight, a piece of him deep within him knew that it would come up again. He'd only wished it wasn't so soon. On the floor in front of him, just as he was less than a day before, lied Kachi. Blood coated his arms as well as the floor around him, and his head turned to face Legosi, the light in his eyes dimming.
"Legosi…" His voice was quiet, adding to the pain the wolf felt while he stared at the scene around him.
Legosi fell to his knees in the doorway, mere feet from the other canine. "Kachi…"
"Legosi…" Kachi planted his hands onto the floor, sitting himself up against the wall. Trails of blood ran down his arms, pooling around and under his hands. The little splashes that echoed out from beneath them threatened to make Legosi sick. "…Help me."
He tried to answer, but the words were caught in his throat. All he could do was stare while Kachi extended a hand toward him, blood dripping from both his arms and his hands. Legosi gasped as the canine's hand returned to the floor with a wet smack, more blood splashing out in all directions.
Looking around him, the volume of blood in the room had increased; the sizes of the puddles had doubled, and thin trails of it seemed to be flowing toward Legosi, much to his horror. He tried to pull himself away, but the trails had already reached him and were soaking into the fabric of his pants.
Kachi began crawling upon his arms toward Legosi. There was no life within the canine's eyes, their normal blue color fading to black. Legosi backed away, narrowly avoiding touching Kachi's bloodied hand.
"Legosi, I'm scared!" he shouted, his voice tearing with each word.
Kachi's breathing became heavier as he made another swipe at the wolf. Legosi jumped out of its way again, falling backwards through the doorway and into the void. Kachi attempted to pursue him, but as he was about to pass by the door, he was stopped. Kachi recoiled in pain, lifting his hands to his head. It was as if a sheet of glass had fallen between them, trapping Kachi inside the washroom.
Kachi struggled against the glass to pick himself up. Legosi could only watch in silent shock while the canine shakily rose to his feet, leaning upon nothing and trails of blood seemingly floating in thin air.
The two canines locked eyes. Kachi leaned upon the obstruction, his hands balled tightly into fists. Tears rolled down his face, dripping from his jaw and landing on the floor where the volume of blood had increased again in the form of a thin film.
Legosi trembled on the ground while Kachi stared, blood-stained tears streaming from his darkened eyes. Kachi tapped lightly upon the obstruction, causing Legosi to recoil. "Legosi, help me…please?"
Legosi swallowed hard, choosing to stand back up despite his knees threatening to give out on him. He stepped forward, meeting Kachi at the door. "What…what do I do?"
In a sudden fit, Kachi banged his right fist on the glass, blood splattering and coating it further. Legosi jumped backward, his heart rate skyrocketing. "Don't leave me here!"
Legosi growled, reaching forward to try and grab Kachi's hand, however he found that not only was Kachi trapped inside the washroom, he himself was also being prevented from entering. Legosi scratched and pounded away at the obstruction, hoping that, by chance, he could break through. He tried for several minutes, finally giving up after running out of breath, and all while Kachi's panicked cries echoed in his ears.
Legosi gave it one final punch. "I can't do anything!"
Kachi collapsed to his knees. "Legosi…it hurts…please make it go away…" he whimpered.
Legosi let out an uneasy sigh. "What do you want me to do? I—I can't…"
Kachi placed both hands gently upon the glass. "Then…let them know…it's your fault…"
Legosi's stomach dropped. "What?"
The light in the room began to brighten, as did the fur on Kachi's body. His eyes glowed, turning from from their darkened state back to blue, and finally white like everything around him. Movement within the room slowed while Legosi watched in terror. Finally, all movement stopped except for Kachi's head.
Everything fell silent. Legosi tried to speak but found his voice muted. He tried shouting louder and louder, feeling his vocal cords tear, but still no sound came out. Kachi stared blankly toward the wolf. All that remained of him were the whites of his eyes, and a blank expression across his face.
"It's your fault." He repeated. "You killed me."
Legosi tried to reply, but he was still unable to speak. Kachi began repeating the words as the bright light began to crumble and drift away into the void surrounding him. Legosi reached out to try and grab Kachi again, but the obstruction that had fallen between them remained.
"It's your fault. You killed me. It's your fault. You killed me."
His voice screamed louder as pieces continued to flake and fall away. Legosi tried to cover his ears to block out Kachi's voice to no avail. He could still hear the canine loud and clear, as if he were speaking directly to his mind.
Even after Kachi's face and body had disappeared, the voice continued. Legosi tried to scream, but still, he was silent. His throat seared with pain and he began to taste blood in his mouth. He coughed and sputtered as it pooled in his throat, suffocating him. He held his hands to his neck, trying his hardest to breathe, but quickly losing that battle. He tried one last time to shout. Silence.
Legosi awoke with a start. He inhaled sharply, his head shooting off the dust-covered pillow, chest heaving. His breathing remained elevated; his body felt as if it were on fire and he hadn't even been under the covers. The darkened basement helped somewhat, but the wolf still had to put all his resources into resisting the urge to vomit.
He pulled his hoodie over his head with great care not upset his stomach further. He cast it aside, hearing it land on the floor just next to him. His head throbbed with every beat of his heart; a splitting headache had formed behind his eyes. Legosi swallowed hard, continuing to pant while he stared to the floor.
The dream, if it could even be called one, flickered in his still-exhausted mind. The thunderclaps still echoed in his ears, as did Kachi's cries for help, the banging on the glass, and his chants. Visions of the sheer amount of blood the canine lost flashed in his eyes. Legosi clenched his jaw shut; a single tear rolled down his cheek.
Is it my fault?
Still panting, he lifted a hand to his face to wipe it away. Legosi did his best to avoid looking into brighter areas of the basement, wanting to keep his headache under control. He looked around him, unsure of what his next move should be. Remembering his phone in his pocket, he reached into it and pulled the device out, the screen thankfully at its dimmest. It was nearing one in the afternoon.
Almost on cue, footsteps rang out from above, followed by the muffled voices of Kachi's parents. The distant conversation reminded Legosi that he wasn't alone. He closed his eyes; though he was unable to pick up on what was being discussed, the voices were able to help him calm down.
Once the nausea in his stomach subsided and his breathing returned to normal, Legosi finally felt confident enough to move. He picked himself up from the bed, accidentally stepping on his sweater in the process. He bent down and grabbed it, giving it a good shake before putting it back on.
Even with the sweater on, Legosi still felt shivers coursing through him. His fur bristled, clasping his hands together in the front pocket as he carefully made his way to an open part of the basement. The cold floor didn't help with the wolf's chills; he shuddered with every step he took.
The sun that illuminated the area earlier in the day had since disappeared, leaving a bright, yet cold section in its wake. Legosi glanced up the stairs; a thick cloud cover had rolled in, and a gentle snowfall had started. The voices just upstairs had grown louder with his proximity, tempting him to join them, though there was one thing keeping him cemented in place.
To his right, the darkened hallway stared down at him. Legosi turned to face it, exhaling shakily. If it weren't for the fact he was inside, he could have sworn he could see his breath. The air current passing by him from the space was colder than the rest of the basement, causing the wolf's fur to bristle even further.
Legosi climbed the small set of stairs, allowing the darkness to pull him into an icy hug. He shuddered, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in light. At the top of the stairs, he stopped. To his left, the door to his friend's room. It was closed, the dark colored paint nearly causing it to disappear.
With every step forward, his mind yelled at him to stay away, but the closer he got, the more frequent the short flashes of his dream became. The sounds drowned out all reasonable thoughts, and the images caused all around him to fade, leaving only the door.
It's just like the dream…only the lights are off and the door is closed…is it a sign? I won't know until I go in…
The noises came to a stop the second Legosi's hand touched the silver knob. He froze for a moment, holding his breath while he decided whether to follow his gut. His grip on the knob tightened, his brows creasing. He inhaled slowly through his nose to steady himself.
Here goes…
Legosi gave the knob a sudden twist. It unlatched with ease, confusing him momentarily as he'd expected it to be locked. The door swung inward slowly, propelled by the gentle push the wolf had given it. What little light there was in the hallway soon cascaded into the bedroom, and it was just enough for his canine eyes to get a good picture.
It'd been a week since their departure from Nevers Road. Legosi recalled the state of the room when they left, and it certainly wasn't what he was looking at. To him, it looked as if he'd just entered a hotel room. The bed was neatly made, the floor was clear of clutter, and the air smelled of fabric softener. Legosi's jaw dropped as he stepped further into the room.
He turned around, catching a glimpse of Kachi's computer desk and bedside table. Even those surfaces had been cleared of junk and dusted spotless. The computer tower stood tall above everything; silent, its fans sitting still. Legosi reached forward, pressing a few of the keyboard's keys down, each one giving an audible click.
The keyboard's lights turned on suddenly, illuminating a small space on the desk in a bright red. Legosi pulled his hand back, the sudden change surprising him. He returned his hands to his pockets, making a mental note not to touch anything else. Looking around the room one last time, nothing else caught his interest.
There wouldn't be anything in here, would there? It would be…back there.
Legosi shivered at the thought of returning to the apartment. Every time he thought about it, the image of Kachi on the floor resurfaced. The blood, the cuts, the life fading from his eyes. It all made Legosi sick just to think about. He swallowed hard, remembering that Shen had brought up returning earlier in the day.
Legosi turned around and left the room, the voices from upstairs beginning to ring through again. He focused on Shen's as he stood at the bottom of the staircase.
I don't want to turn him down…If I say no, would he be upset? What reason would I even have to say no? Ugh…doesn't matter. You'll be okay, Legosi…just stay away from…there…a-and you'll be alright. Yeah. You're fine. Just close your eyes…deep breaths…think happy. Easy.
He put one foot in front of the other, ascending the staircase one step at a time. The temperature change from the basement to the main floor was noticeably with each one. Legosi kept his gaze to the floor while Shen and Rae-Anne continued their conversation. He tried to listen in, but none of what was being said made sense to him.
His ears stood on end once he heard his name called. He stopped, looking up to find both canines staring back at him. Legosi stared blankly, keeping his body still and his mouth shut.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty…assuming you slept, that is," Shen joked.
Legosi cracked a weak smile before giving a nod. "Yeah." His voice was dry and raspy. Realizing how he sounded, the wolf cleared his throat and repeated himself. He then looked away, embarrassment rising in his chest.
"Great! Can't very well get anything done without rest…" Shen continued. He glanced back at Rae-Anne, who was standing across the room just behind him. "So, Rae, you're saying you wouldn't object to driving Legosi and I to the apartment to get some things?"
Rae-Anne rolled her eyes, her hands quickly folding over her chest. "You make it sound like you're moving in. Didn't you say you could go back sometime tonight?"
Legosi looked to the fox just in time to see an eyebrow raise. A small grin was spread across her lips. Shen scoffed. "True, but it'll be midnight. You're not kicking us out, are you?" The grin the elder wolf wore matched that of Rae-Anne.
"No, I guess not," Rae-Anne conceded.
A quiet chuckle escaped Shen as he looked back to Legosi. "Thank you…besides, I'd like some daytime clothes…not a big fan of wearing pajamas all hours of the day."
Legosi glanced to Shen's legs, and sure enough, a pair of loose-fitting plaid pajama pants covered them. He then looked to his own clothing. He hadn't had time to change himself; he was still wearing the same outfit he did the day before, consisting of a pair of dark jeans and a sweater. They were beginning to feel a bit stuffy, and the thought of clean clothes was enticing, as was the shower, preferably boiling, that would come before them.
"…Right. So, are we doing this now? Or can it wait?" Rae-Anne chimed in.
Shen shrugged. "I think the sooner we go, the better. Besides…if we do get the call while we're in town…we won't have wait as long to see him."
Rae-Anne's eyes widened, her grin disappearing. She slowly lowered her hands to her pockets, gripping the edges of her phone within them. She sighed. "That's true…I just hope they call soon. I don't like being kept waiting, it's so stressful."
Shen extended a hand and placed it on Rae-Anne's shoulder. "You can say that again, we're in the same boat. It's torturous, but it can only go up from here." He left his spot in the living room and joined Legosi in the landing. "So, are we going?"
Rae-Anne nodded softly. "Yes. Just give me five minutes to change." She crossed to the small staircase leading to the upper level, disappearing into her bedroom. The house fell quiet as the two wolves stood together, awaiting the fox's return.
Shen sighed, grabbing his jacket from the coatrack. "It'll be nice to, at the very least, get my truck…Just hope the police let us in."
"Why wouldn't they let us in? It…it was only in the room," Legosi replied, forcing himself to think of something else.
"My guess is they just want everything to be unchanged until they can have a look at it." Shen slipped his arms through the sleeves of his coat before turning around and fetching his shoes. "Well, too bad for them, I'm getting a pair of regular pants."
Legosi tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a groan. "Yeah…I'll just run in really quick, grab my bag, and leave. I never unpacked it."
Shen nodded, finishing up with tying the knot on his second shoe. "Right. Shouldn't take more than an hour. Go to the apartment, get some clothes, get my truck, then come back."
"Right…" whispered Legosi. He put on his own jacket and shoes just in time for Rae-Anne to return from her room. He didn't notice until the vixen was right in front of him. In the time he'd started getting dressed to her coming back, it'd dawned on the young wolf just how much he didn't want to go back to the apartment.
It's okay, Legosi…breathe…it's okay.
Rae-Anne jingled her keychain in the air, allowing it to hang from her finger. Shen stepped out of the way of the coatrack, letting her get dressed herself. "All set?"
"Should be. Legosi?" chimed Shen.
Legosi jumped at hearing his name. He looked up from the floor to see both Shen and Rae-Anne staring in his direction. His ears fell flat, his hands slipping away into the pockets of his coat. "Uh…yeah."
Rae-Anne gripped the door handle, giving it a twist before pulling it open. She stood waiting for Shen and Legosi to file outside. They followed her non-verbal direction, quickly exiting the house and standing just outside on the patio. Rae-Anne herself then exited the house, turning and locking the door before passing them by on the way to the truck.
A chill shot up Legosi's spine as he sat down in the rear. The truck hadn't been preheated, making the material seats cold and stiff. The vehicle was already in motion before either he or Shen had the chance to put their seatbelts on. Legosi nearly tumbled from his seat with the sharp right turn the truck made leaving the driveway.
He quickly threw on his seatbelt, giving himself a moment to catch his breath while he stared out the window. With the truck so cold, the wolf's breath was visible leaving his mouth. Legosi huddled into his jacket as shivers continued to course through him. To some degree, the young wolf was glad it was cold; no one could tell he was shaking due to his anxious mind.
The entirety of the ride to Sapporo was spent trying to keep himself calm. Legosi focused on the road just beyond the glass, breathing in and out steadily while he retained a tight grip on the seat underneath him. The downtown drew nearer with each passing minute, and he was finding his tactics less and less effective with every city block.
Finally, the truck stopped in front of the building in question. The gym on the lower floor was still closed for the holidays, and the only other vehicle parked on the street in front of it was a solitary police cruiser. Rae-Anne shut off the engine, shifting into park before staring at the car in front of them.
"Are you sure you're even allowed in? The police are still here."
Shen scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "It's my apartment, they have to let me in. I'm just getting clothes anyway. I'm sure most of their work is done."
Rae-Anne rolled her eyes. "And if it's not? What then?"
"I— Well, I was gonna say get my truck and go to the mall to buy something to hold us over, but that's definitely closed today…guess I'll just have to try talking to them if they show resistance." Shen pushed his door open, stepping out onto the street. Before he closed it however, he stuck his head back into the truck, looking into the rear toward Legosi. "Coming?"
No, I'm okay, thank you.
"Yeah, I'll be right there."
Dammit.
Legosi opened his own door and exited the vehicle, his fate sealed. He waited on the sidewalk for Shen to accompany him, the whole time hoping that the authorities would show just enough resistance for him to give up. While it meant he would have to live another day in dirty clothes, it was another day he didn't have to return.
Unfortunately for Legosi, they were met with no resistance passing through the first door. Choosing to remain behind Shen, Legosi ascended the wooden staircase to the second floor, where to their left, the door to the apartment was located. Shen gripped the knob, giving it a twist. He scoffed.
He glanced down to Legosi, eyebrow raised. "Maybe there's no one here…maybe that car was just left here from last night?" Legosi nodded along, hoping it wasn't true.
Shen fetched his keychain from his jacket, flipping through the numerous keys until he found the one he needed. He inserted it effortlessly into the lock, the bolt unlatching with one turn. He pulled the key out, turning the knob a second time and pushing the door in. He wasted no time entering, while Legosi remained frozen outside.
Shen peeked his head through the doorframe, locking eyes with the young wolf. "Legosi…you alright? You look a bit uneasy."
I'm losing my mind here, thanks for asking.
"Huh? Oh, no, I'm alright." He stepped forward, joining Shen in the entryway.
The scent of the apartment was different. It didn't smell like a home anymore. The scent closely resembled that of the hospital's emergency room: sterile, cold, and unwelcoming. While the sights were largely the same, the atmosphere was forever changed.
Legosi followed Shen deeper into the apartment, only to be stopped when an officer in uniform emerged from the hallway. The two wolves stopped, both looking the feline officer in the eyes. The officer stood, emotionless, staring them down. "You're trespassing."
Shen tilted his head with a smirk. "It's my building."
The officer crossed her arms. "We're conducting an investigation."
Shen inhaled deeply, his hands finding their way to his hips. "Yeah? The air in here smells of bleach, meaning you've already cleaned the bathroom, yes?"
"No, we were just about to have that started," she replied dryly.
"Oh? So if you're cleaning in there…that means you're done, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "Technically, sir—"
"So if you're done, why can't I step inside for a change of clothes?"
The annoyed expression upon the officer's face didn't falter as she looked between the two wolves. An exasperated sigh left her lips while she stepped to the side. "Look, sir, I don't have time to argue with you, so…stay away from the washroom, get what you need, you have five minutes. Go." She motioned toward the hallway with her arm following another deep sigh.
Shen quickly disappeared down the hallway, leaving Legosi and the officer alone. Though he was a good foot taller than she was, the way her slitted pupils seemed to stare right through him gave Legosi the shakes. He clasped his hands together, avoiding eye contact by staring at the floor.
"You're here for clothes too?" she said suddenly, causing Legosi to jump. He was forced to stare back into her beady, vacant eyes. He gave a shallow nod, sure that if he were to try and speak, nothing would come out. What sounded like a growl escaped the feline's lips. "Then what are you standing there for? Go!"
His legs began to move on their own, taking one step after another down the hallway. Legosi held his breath and closed his eyes, ducking into the bedroom and closing the door behind him. He let go of the breath, promptly gasping for air with a hand planted firmly over his heart.
The scent of bleach had grown stronger. With every breath Legosi took in, the overpowering chemical scent filled his nostrils. The strength was enough to cause his throat to burn and his eyes to water. He put a hand over his mouth to try and stifle his pants. His legs threatened to give out underneath him as he leaned on the door for support.
Once Legosi was able to calm himself down somewhat, he reached to his right and flipped the light switch. The sudden brightness blinded him momentarily. He shut his eyes; the tears that had formed from the bleach fumes began streaming down his face. A frustrated groan escaped his lips. His heart was still pounding, his chest hurt, his eyes burned, and his mind was filled with the memories of what had occurred in the washroom just behind him.
What's wrong with you, Legosi? Pull yourself together!
With another series of deep breaths, Legosi pushed the intrusive thoughts and memories to the back of his mind. His eyes had adjusted to the light in the room, though they still watered somewhat. He wiped his cheeks of the tears that had fallen and stepped further into the small space. It only took a moment for him to find his backpack at the foot of the bed, still zipped shut.
He knelt and gripped it by its straps, holding it up in front of him before throwing it over his shoulder. Everything Legosi brought with him was in the bag now on his back, all he had to do was leave the room, leave the apartment, and wait for Shen. He turned around, facing the door but unable to move.
It would have been too easy just to grab his things and leave. Even with immense anxiety filling his blood, the curiosity in his mind was telling him there was still the other half of the room to look over. Slowly, Legosi turned his head, the computer desk and bed entering his vision.
The bed was unmade, the computer chair was pushed back against the bedside table, and the desks contents in front of the monitor were haphazardly cast aside. A shaky breath left Legosi's mouth. He recalled the amount of blood he found on the desk, as well as all he did to get it cleaned up. The memory of the scent made him gag, but it still wasn't enough to stop his advance.
Legosi brushed his fingers over the wooden surface, his claws creating a soft scratching noise that made his ears twitch. Despite having dried onto the wood, there was no evidence that blood had ever touched it. As he was about to pull his hand away, his gaze fell upon the computer monitor.
The display was covered in dust, as was the overturned keyboard and mouse just in front of it. Legosi followed the edges with his finger, the cold plastic feeling soft against it. He followed the tip with his eye, passing over one, two, three corners. Before he reached the fourth, his attention was drawn elsewhere. He squinted, unsure of what he was looking at.
Just behind the monitor sat a notebook accompanied by a pen. The front cover was of a red hue, a contrast to the blacks and browns of the surrounding environment. Legosi lifted his hand from the keyboard to grab it, stopping halfway to look at the door. Once he was sure no one would barge in, he gripped the book by its base and pulled it free.
The book had also acquired its own coat of dust. Gently, Legosi blew the cover, sending particles flying into the air. He stood staring at the cover for a moment, unsure if he even wanted to open it. He exhaled sharply, figuring that since he'd gone through the trouble, there was no reason not to open it. He pulled the two covers apart, the notebook opening to the first page. His eyes widened, the scent of blood returning to his nose.
Upon the bloodied pages, scrawled in pen, paragraph after paragraph. In the back of his mind, Legosi knew exactly what he was reading, but it wasn't until the note started listing people off that he could confirm his worst suspicion: the note belonged to Kachi, and it was written shortly before he attempted to take his own life.
Legosi closed the book with force after finishing the paragraph with his name as the header. He couldn't read any further. He stared, wide-eyed at the book's cover, the words he'd read on repeat in his mind.
Oh, Kachi…I—I'm so sorry…don't blame yourself…I should have been more adamant from the very moment I noticed something wrong. My lack of care put you in the hospital and I'll never forgive myself. I would say it should be me who's suffering, but God knows I already am…
He gripped the book tightly in his hands, a growl bubbling in his throat. He wanted to shout, to get angry, but he knew it wouldn't bring anything good. Just as quickly as the growling started, it ceased, leaving Legosi standing in silence again. His attention was brought back to the book.
I can't show this to anyone…not yet…if I show Shen, the cops will take it…I can't let them have this, it's too personal.
Thinking quickly, Legosi put his bag onto the floor, swiftly undoing the zipper and stuffing the book into it. He struggled with the zipper for a moment before it finally cooperated, and as if nothing had happened, he slung the bag back over his shoulder and made for the door. He pulled it open, flipping the light switch and stepping into the hallway, the scent of bleach again filling his nostrils.
He held his breath, staring at the floor until he reached the end of the hallway. He looked up toward the sneering officer, giving her a nod and making a left toward the door. "Thank you," the wolf breathed.
"The other one's already outside." Legosi didn't acknowledge her as he left the apartment, closing the door behind him. He sprinted down the stairs, not wanting anything to do with the apartment anymore.
What little sun that broke through the clouds was bright, though it provided no warmth. Looking around, Legosi was shocked to see Rae-Anne as well as her truck was no longer parked behind the police cruiser. He panicked for a moment until he heard a voice calling to him from behind. He yelped, turning around to see Shen sitting in his truck. A sigh, both of relief and frustration, escaped the wolf.
Legosi gripped the small pickup's door handle and pulled it open. Shen reached over and moved a small pile of clothing from the passenger seat to the middle before Legosi could sit down. While Legosi situated himself, Shen shifted the truck into gear.
"Another minute and I would have gone in and started looking for you. What took so long?" he asked pulling out onto the street.
"Uh, I had to put all my stuff into my bag. There were a few things strewn about the room and I wanted to make sure I had everything…guess I did kinda unpack it." Legosi lied. He held his backpack tightly against his chest, knowing the book was hidden deep within it.
"I see…well, Rae went back to the house. I told her she could leave if she wanted to and she did, so—" While Shen spoke, a ringing erupted from somewhere in the cabin. Shen reached to his pocket, feeling around for a moment, before glancing momentarily to Legosi. "That's your phone, right? Mine's not vibrating."
Legosi reached into the pocket of his coat and sure enough, his own device was vibrating; it continued to ring until Legosi lifted it to his face, having swiped the screen once to answer the call. "Hello? Who is this?"
"Uhm, hi, Legosi? It's Pina."
Legosi's eyes widened. He lowered the device from his ear and set it to speaker. "Yeah, it's me…uh, what's going on?"
"Not much…just a quick question…what is the address of your current place of residence in Sapporo?"
Legosi recoiled in confusion. He stared through the windshield. "What? Why do you need that information? What are you— are you in a car?"
"Heh, yeah, about that…Since I received your text early this morning, my father and I have embarked on something of a cross-country journey. We considered flying, but there was no way in Hell there would be a flight with open seats on Rexmas."
Legosi creased is brows. "Wait, wait…slow down. You and your dad just decided to drive to Sapporo…from Tokyo? Are you insane?"
"Insane? Possibly. Not the point. We've been driving for about twelve hours now and will be arriving in Aomori within the hour for our ferry. Dad will get some much-needed rest before the final stretch."
Legosi sighed, putting his phone down onto his backpack. He thought for a moment, realizing the what the thirty-second phone call he'd had with the ram had brought on "I see…so you're coming to Sapporo then…I don't mean to seem rude, but why? The length of the trip alone is already an obstacle."
"Legosi…You know about Kachi and I for sure, don't you? Well…there are some things he and I hadn't sorted out before he left. I love him very much, and I just want to talk to him. Face to face. It's rather personal."
Legosi nodded. "Right. Personal. So, address, right?"
"Yes. I'd like to get it before we get on the ferry so we can punch it straight into the GPS once we get off. I called before since, y'know, no service in the middle of the strait."
"Fair enough…alright, uh…" Legosi wracked his brain for the address of the home on Nevers Road. He recalled the street name, but the number slipped his mind. He glanced over to Shen, who already seemed to have his answer prepared.
"The address is Number Eleven Nevers Road," stated the elder wolf, leaning toward the device's microphone.
"Number Eleven Nevers Road…got it. Thank you—Wait, who was that?"
Legosi hesitated. "Uh…I guess you'll meet him once you get here."
"Ah, that's right. Well, I guess I'll let you go, but before I do, we'll most likely be arriving sometime around six or seven this evening. Alright, bye-bye."
"See you tonight, I guess…" Before Legosi could grab his phone and hang up, the ram had beaten him to the punch. Legosi returned the device to his pocket. The silence in the truck's cabin persisted for a few minutes before Shen stepped up and broke it again.
"Hey, I…couldn't help but stick on what that guy said…about loving Kachi very much?" Legosi nodded. "He never told me he had a partner."
Legosi tilted his head. "Really?"
Shen's ears fell flat. "No. Either that or I wasn't listening well enough…"
Legosi sighed. "I'm sure he just never said anything about it…his name is Pina, by the way…he's a Dall sheep and they met in our school's drama club. They seemed to hit it off pretty well and they got together about a month after that." Legosi debated continuing the story but opted to leave the other half out.
Shen smiled. "Ah, that's nice…I like that name, Pina." His smile disappeared as quickly as it showed up. "Just wish it could have been Kachi telling me and not you."
Legosi returned his gaze to the highway in front of him. "Mhmm. Hey, you'll get to talk to Pina later today…you'll get to learn all about him firsthand."
Shen gave a shallow nod, not taking his eyes off the road. Legosi sighed, allowing the silence of the cabin to return. The awkwardness inside was suffocating, but Legosi didn't want to roll down the window and let all the heat out. He gripped the bag in his lap tighter, hoping that he and Shen would arrive back at Nevers Road soon.
You're going to read the rest of that note, no matter how much it kills you.