Kagome stared at the dark water below her.

Jump, her mind ordered her. Jump then you'll be freed from all these pain.

Slowly, Kagome let her foot slide on the bar, letting herself getting into a more dangerous position with every passing second. Alas, just before she can loss her balance and plunge into the dark water below her, an arm shot out from behind, grabbing her by the waist.

"What do you think you are doing?" a rough male voice demanded.



A Life Not Worth Living
By sunflowerobi

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*~*~*~*~*

Sirens and conversations could be heard everywhere. Lights flashed, half-blinding a lone girl sitting on the bottom of the concrete stairs to an old shrine. The girl, fifteen-years-old, known to her friends and families by the name of Kagome Higurashi, stared into the space with a dazed expression on her pale face. Her seven-years-old brother, Souta, was curled up on her lap, bawling at their loss. A lady she didn't know at all was talking to her in a hushed voice. Everything didn't make sense. Nothing made sense.

Slowly rising from the concrete stairs, Kagome walked after the lady, with Souta in her arms, to who-knows-where. She doesn't care. She has nothing to care for right now. Except, maybe Souta. He's as lonely as she is. They have nobody except each other on this Planet Earth.

Bit by bit, the lady's hushed voice was making its way into her ears. "...I'm so terribly sorry for your loss..."

What do you know? Kagome thought bitterly. What do you know of this pain me and Souta are being put through right at this moment? YOU didn't lose anything!

"...I know how hard it is, but none of the possible foster families will take in two kids, especially within such a short notice. Fortunately, we already found a nice family for our brave little Souta here... Unfortunately..." the lady trailed off.

"Yes?" Kagome asked, expecting the worst, yet hoping for the best.

The nameless lady looked down, unable to meet Kagome's piercing gaze. "Unfortunately...this family won't take you in, Kagome. I fear... I fear we have to separate you and Souta..." Her head hung low as she waited patiently for Kagome's reactions.

Kagome's eyes widened in alarm. Separate her and Souta?! Why, they must be out of their mind! Souta is her only family right now, with her dad, mom, and grandpa dead. How do they expect her to live on, huh?

Abruptly, Kagome stood up, with a dozing Souta in her arms. "Separate us?! Never! I will never allow that!"

Hugging Souta closer to her, Kagome dashed out of the little office they had arrived a few minutes ago.

"Kagome!" the lady was yelling. "Wait!! Don't go!"

When that seem futile, the lady punched a few number pads on her cell phone. "Get me the securities!" she hollered, "The girl is trying to get away!!"

They won't take you away, Souta!! I promise!!

***

She had fled like she had never before. She had ran, walked, and stumbled, until she was sure that the securities won't be able to catch her and take Souta away.

Now she stood in her former home's courtyard, with the night's shadow hiding her form. Gently, she had put Souta behind a bush, hiding him from view, and had crept towards the small shrine, where she knew her Grandpa had hid some money, just for emergency.

...Well, this is an emergency right now, she thought, an ironic smile on her lips.

With but a few small noises, Kagome managed to get the small wooden money box out from its hiding place. Dusting the dirt of the lid, she stood and walked outside. Sighing slightly with relief, Kagome paced quietly to where she hid Souta.

This is all too fortunate to be real.

And in a way, it was, as a deep voice pierced through the air. "FREEZE!"

Suddenly, lights flashed everywhere, almost blinding the poor girl. However, dimly, she could make out a small form behind the rings of police surrounding her, looking confused at everything.

"Nee-chan?" the small form of Souta called. "What's going on?"

Arms grabbed her, preventing her from running away again, but Kagome would have none of it. Thrashing wildly, she broke free of the arms and ran, gaining distance between herself and the police.

"NEE-CHAN! DON'T LEAVE! PLEASE!! NEEEEEEEE-CHAN~~!" Souta's voice wailed as he also attempted breaking away. Prepared, the police held him down.

Glancing back but still running, Kagome witnessed a doctor drugging Souta, putting the wailing boy to sleep.

Souta, tear stained her cheeks, I'm so sorry...

*~*~*~*~*

Hours later, the fifteen-year-old girl can be found under the bridge, leaning against the pillar and sobbing her eyes out.

"S-Souta..." she sniffled.

Eying the dark water with hatred, an idea suddenly occurred to her.

If you jump, then all of this pain will be gone...

With renewed energy, Kagome ran up the cement stairs, heading for the bridge's middle. Climbing onto the thin bars, Kagome balanced herself with the pillar next to her.

Push, Kagome, just push. Push off of the pillar and jump off the bar... You'll be free, Kagome... Free of all these pain.

Biting her bottom lip with anxiety, Kagome glanced at the water below her wearily.

To jump, or not to jump?

Finally making up her mind, Kagome pushed off from the pillar and let her feet slide on the bar.

One second, and it'll be over.

With every passing seconds, her feet slide more, making her falling into a more dangerous position. Unfortunately, or fortunately, before she can completely lost her balance and dive into the deep water below, a rough arm shot out from behind, grabbing her around the waist and restraining her from suicide.

"Let me go!" Kagome shouted, her voice hoarse. "Let me go!"

"Dammit! Quit struggling!" a voice from behind her demanded.

"Let me go," weakening, Kagome broke down, sobbing once again. "Let me...suicide..."

The youth behind her raised his eyebrows. "Life ain't all that bad, ain't it?"

"Yes it is..." Kagome continued to sob, crumbling into a small ball when the teen let her go.

"What's your name?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"What does it matter?" she fixed him with a good glare. "My family all left me now..."

He whistled. "Damn. That sucks."

Getting out of her sobbing state, Kagome continue to send him daggers. "What do you know? I bet you haven't lost even a penny."

"Oh, I lost plenty of penny," he frowned, "and my parents."

Looking up at him in a new light, Kagome stared at him with new curiosity. "How can you live with that? I'd sooner suicide. That is, if someone haven't stop me." Another glare was directed at the guy.

"Well, you just have to live with it, it's just life. Too bad my good-for-nothing bastard brother didn't die. That would have made my life much better." He shrugged indifferently.

"Why? Is he so bad?" It seems as if all of Kagome's sorrow just vanished as she talked to this person.

"Heh, worse than bad. Can you imagine? His name, by the way, is Sesshoumaru."

Kagome shuddered. "Man, just hearing his name is scary."

"So, are you done with your act of suicide now?" the guy eyed her warily. "Or are you going to sit there all night?"

She grimaced. "I'm not acting! My family just died, dammit!"

"Whatever you say. So what's your name?"

Debating if the person is really good or bad, Kagome finally whispered in a small voice, "Kagome...Higurashi."

"Oh," his voice was soft. "My name is Inuyasha Takashi. So you coming with me or not?" He had no idea why he's doing this.

"Where?"

"My home. You have no intention of going back to them, correct? And I doubt you have a place to stay, that is, if you don't count this bridge." He waved his arm around him, indicating the bridge they're on.

Reluctantly, Kagome nodded. "Though I hate to admit, I don't really have a place to go."

"So come and hop on!" Getting back to himself, Inuyasha started to get irritated.

Securing herself on the backseat of Inuyasha's bike, Kagome muttered, "I'm okay now."

"Don't scream."

Without further warning, he sped down the road, heading towards Gods-know-where. Kagome had to close her eyes and bite on her tongue to stop from screaming. Suddenly the bike halt to a stop, and Kagome felt Inuyasha getting out of his seat.

"We're here, and you can stop wrecking my bike now."

Opening her eyes, Kagome's eyes fell on a set of door.

"Come on," Inuyasha ordered.

Kagome turned to him with confused eyes. "What?"

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha repeated again, "I said, come on."

When she got off the bike, Inuyasha hurl it onto his shoulder. "Follow me."

Kagome followed at a safe distance, afraid of getting wacked by the bike. She found herself getting into an elevator and went to the third door at the right on the fifteenth level with Inuyasha.

"One of the good things that Sesshoumaru is alive." Inuyasha commented when he saw Kagome gasped at the sight below them. "But that's all baloney."

"Come in," he called when he walked inside, "unless you want to stay out there all night."

"No way in hell." was the reply.

The youth set the bike down on the porch then went into what Kagome supposed his bedroom. He came out with a gigantic T-shirt.

"Go take a bath, or you'll stink my apartment." He pointed at a door to her left.

She gave him a well-earned glare. "What about my clothes?" she demanded, fingering the material of her clothing.

Throwing her the oversized T-shirt in his hand, he smirked. "Problem solved."

Grumbling, Kagome stomped toward the door, then slammed it behind her when she was inside. Outside, Inuyasha couldn't help but grin.

A/N: So how was it? I might continue, I might not. I will when inspiration hit me again. So far, it's only an one-shot. Comments? Questions? Criticism? Praise? Just REVIEW!! ^_____^