Trials of Sin

Chapter one

            Sakura woke with the listless light seeping through her window and onto her face.  The sunless morning sky seemed unwelcoming and Sakura buried her head deeper into her pillow.

            "S-Sakura!" Kero's quivering voice made Sakura slowly open her eyes.

            "Mm…?" Sakura mumbled sleepily.

            "W-w-wake up!" Kero stuttered.

            …he sounded worried, scared…that got her attention. She opened her eyes and found that Kero was clinging to her blanket, his eyes somewhere on the far corner…she followed his eyes, seeing nothing but shadows.

            "What is it?" Sakura asked.

            "…gulp…there's…something there…" Kero replied.

            "Are you trying to scare me? Look, I wasn't afraid when we saw that horror movie yesterday, so don't think you can trick me like last time—" Sakura was cut off when she heard a growl coming from the corner of her room. She squeaked and picked up Kero in her hand.

            "Wha—what was that???" Sakura murmured fearfully, her bravado gave out.

            "I—I don't know!!!" Kero whispered back.

            Sakura slowly slid out of her bed, her eyes still on the corner. Kero clung to her fingers. She picked up the phone quietly and slowly. She pressed the speed-dialer and her phone called…

            Brrrring! Brrrring!

            Syaoran slowly raised his head from the pillow. He looked at the phone that was ringing. He groaned and slowly crawled out of his bed. He felt sick. Why? He ate Meiling's 'specialty' food dish…he should have known better than to eat it! He might as well have eaten poisonous mushrooms. He picked up the phone.

            "What do you want?" this was Syaoran's 'warm' greeting.

            "S-Syaoran! C-come to my house! Please!" Sakura's voice was filled with fear on the other line.

            "Sakura? What's wrong?" Syaoran was now more than awake.

            "I—I think someone is in my room….something." Sakura's trembling voice created a sickening concern in his stomach.

            "Are you sure?" Syaoran asked.

            "Y-YES! Just please come over!!!" Sakura whispered desperately.

            "Okay, calm down! I'll be right there—"

            "Waaahhh! –Ahhh—!!" there was Kero's scream first then Sakura's scream. Syaoran heard the phone drop to the floor and footsteps running.

            "S-Sakura?!?" Syaoran called, feeling his blood run cold now. He waited for a few seconds and realized she was not picking up the phone…He dropped the phone to the floor. He dashed out of his apartment, slammed the door and sprinted to Sakura's home.

            "If anything happens to her…" Syaoran thought. The thought of Sakura being harmed (or worse) filled him with concern that over-whelmed him. And the thought of her being injured and HE couldn't prevent it even though he had the chance to made him feel ten times worse. As he ignored the stinging cold of winter, he rushed to her house. He didn't know why his heart or chest felt so heavy as if filled with concern to the fullest…he couldn't have loved her like THAT…right?

            Enough questions!! He threw any thoughts out of his head and tried to run faster.

            Sakura ran into her basement hiding behind one of the many bookshelves. She peeked her head and watched the closed basement door with careful, worried eyes.

            "Oh my God, oh my God…" Sakura gulped in fear.

            "…can't….breathe…let go…" Kero struggled for breath. Sakura looked at her hand and realized she was still holding Kero…and squeezing the life out of him.

            She sweat-dropped and quickly loosened her grip.

            "I'm sorry, Kero! I'm just s-so scared!" Sakura whispered.

            "Gaah!" Kero sucked in air. "Well, careful! I almost died! You were about to kill me before that 'thing' was!!" Kero exclaimed.

            "Kero…wha..what WAS that?" Sakura asked, serious and frightened now.

            "…well, it didn't have skin…and I'm sure humans don't have glassy black eyes like that thing…" Kero murmured thoughtfully. He looked so calm—

            "IT'S A MONSTER!!" Kero yelled.

            "SHHH!" Sakura hushed him. "It might hear you—"

            They heard heavy footsteps coming down the top stairs…it was coming from Sakura's bedroom.

            "…ehhh?" Kero and Sakura looked fearful as they listened.

            The footsteps weren't footsteps…no one could make loud steps like that unless it was somewhat of a sumo wrestler.

            "It's the monster!" Kero cried, clinging to Sakura.

            "I—It's can't be! Th-there's no such thing," Sakura stuttered. "And I can get rid of that so-called monster with the power of my cards!" Sakura felt a rush of courage in her now.

            "…but the cards are in your room!" Kero remarked.

            "…oh, crap." Sakura mumbled.

            "I'm sure you can take it on without the help of your cards! I'm sure it's nothin' but a stupid, mindless 'whatever-it-is'!" Kero encouraged, trying to make Sakura feel better.

            "Yeah, I hope you're right…or we're dead meat." Sakura remarked hopelessly.

            "I'm sure that stupid monster won't find us! And if it does you can beat the stuffin' out of it—" Kero started but they heard the basement door open slowly.

            Crrrreeeeekkk…

            "It's just like in those scary movies! Now, Sakura, just be brave and you can scare it away and then you can kill it—" Kero remarked, but…

            Sakura's eyes widened and her mouth slightly fell open as she saw what she hoped was a nightmare. What looked like a shadow had slick, glossy black skin and glassy black eyes that were slanted and looked terrifyingly angry and deadly…silver claws made its fingers and toes. It had the body of a muscular human, but the appearance of a monster of nightmares.

            Suddenly its black eyes shot straight to the bookshelf to where Sakura was standing. It glared at her with all fury and hate the shadow was made of.

            "…oh, crap." Sakura swallowed hard.

            Syaoran saw Sakura's house in view. He reached his hand out to the doorknob but his hand a transparent barrier inches from the door.

            "The hell?!" Syaoran exclaimed. He threw a fist at the door but instead of hitting the door, his hand hit a glass-like barrier. He was about to throw his fist again, but a rush of dark energy ran through him…an aura of darkness was within Sakura's home. It was so strong…he felt his bones seeming to quiver.

            "Sakura!!" Syaoran called her name, hoping she would call back…hoping she was alive…

            Sakura saw the glassy black eyes lock onto her. That thing walked down the stairs, slowly.

            "Sakura!!"

            Sakura gasped when she heard her name. She recognized the voice.

            "Syaoran!!!" Sakura yelled as loud as she could as she saw the monster's glassy eyes gleam with malice. Her scream didn't seem to affect the monster at all.

            Syaoran did his most powerful kick against the barrier. It made a sound almost like glass ready to break, but it was still there…

            "Alright, this barrier is stubborn….well, so am I!" Syaoran clenched his teeth and kicked it again and again.

            Sakura held Kero tighter as she clung to her fingers.

            "Sa…ku…ra…" a raspy voice escaped the monster's lips.

            "… …" Sakura looked at the shadow-like figure, her green eyes filled with dread.

            "Sa…ku…ra…mu..st…die…" the monster's held up both of its' hands with silver blades as fingers.  Its eyes flashed blue then the claws snapped longer and more deadly looking.  It did a cross-slash toward Sakura.

            "AHHHH!!" Sakura screamed in terror and threw herself to the side. She saw the claws cut straight through the woods and slashed most of the books in perfect halves. Kero was rolling to the side from the force of power and slammed into the wall. He fell to the ground…motionless…

            "Kero!!" Sakura gasped.

            "Sa…ku…ra…" its' raspy voice growled.

            "N-No! Get away!!" Sakura threw a fairy tale book at it.

            The black monster cut it in four pieces with it's four finger-claws.

            "That was my favorite book, too…" Sakura thought.

            In her desperation, Sakura then threw an even heavier book at it, hitting it right on the head.  It was an old, boring book given by her uncle. The monster was caught off guard and stumbled back with an inhuman roar of fury.

            "I knew that book was good for something!" Sakura exclaimed as she started to scramble away. Suddenly her head bumped into someone's leg.

            "Syaoran—!" Sakura exclaimed hopefully, but instead she saw the face of another boy with brown hair that was blond at the roots. His icy blue-gray eyes locked with her green ones. Sakura's hope and happiness melted away like butter on a hot pan.

            "W-who…?" Sakura whispered, fearful when she saw an extremely sharp-looking short sword in his hand.…

            "I am your guide to your doom, Sakura Kinomoto."

            "… …" Sakura tried her best not to look afraid as he stood in a deadly stance, his short sword ready to strike.

            "I apologize for the pain I will bring to you—but that is life and it is best to face it willingly. So accept your suffering." his voice was smooth and expressionless.

            "I don't want to die, damn it!" Sakura cursed as she put her hands to her face and covered her eyes as she heard the sharp whistle of the blade gliding through the air…

Author's note: Hope you liked it—even a bit! Please review!!