Sixteen

"You can't run from me Ruri! I'm coming to get you!"

Ruri tried to run faster down the hall, not wanting to turn around to see the dark beast that was chasing her. Its evil laughter followed her.

"You can't get away!" She felt it closing down on her.

Her escape was suddenly barred by a door. She grasped the handle and pulled with all her might, but she couldn't get it to open. Fear overwhelmed her as she realised she was trapped.

"Ha ha ha ha! Now you're mine!"

She couldn't bring herself to turn around, but she felt the blackness consume her. What was happening? Was she dying?

Wait this isn't real.

I must be dreaming…

Ruri awoke with a start. A moment later she established that she was still in her room at Seven Oaks and everything seemed normal. Street lights from outside lessened the darkness, so she could see Mikoto and Tina in their beds, both sleeping peacefully. Except for her own rapid breathing, the room was silent.

As it became clear that she had been dreaming, she sat upright in bed, trying to regain her composure. Her heart was racing and her fringe was glued to forehead with cold sweat. She wiped it with her hand, and then leaned over to read the red digits on Mikoto's bedside clock. 2:24 am. It was still the middle of the night.

Taking care not to make a sound, Ruri swung her feet over her side of the bed and got up. She walked out onto the dark landing with soft steps and stopped a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Once she had sufficient visibility, she walked across the landing over to the bathroom. The white tiles froze her bare feet as she closed the door behind her. She groped around for the pull-string light-switch and screwed up her eyes in pain when the room burst into brilliant light.

After her eyes became accustomed to the brightness, she turned on the warm tap and watched as water trickled into the basin. Once it was full she leaned over and splashed lukewarm water onto her face. The cleansing feeling made her feel fresher and more awake. As she brought her head up again, she caught sight of her own image in the grimy mirror opposite her. She met the stare of her reflection. The face was familiar – her colossal golden eyes contrasting her petite nose and mouth. Her silky white hair was unbound so that it avalanched down behind her as far as the small of her back. As usual, her expression was one of severe neutrality, with the down-turned mouth and stony eyes, but to Ruri's mind it seemed much sadder then it had been aboard the Nadesico. Perhaps that was because now she felt the melancholy normally only shown on her exterior.

Instinctively, she reached out and touched the surface of the mirror, as if to touch her other self. It felt ice-cold under her colourless fingers.

"I still can't believe this my reality,"

Yet it was. She, Ruri Hoshino, was still living in this orphanage and was now a target for assassination. Such a completely different reality from the one she'd once known.

"I wish I could chose my own scenery,"

But then, what would she chose? Where did she truly belong? What kind of life could offer her true happiness?

"I suppose some people aren't meant to lead the lives that suit them. It's just like Mr Tenkawa and how he didn't want to fight. But he did it anyway because he had no choice, but to fight. Just like me. I'm here in this situation because I have no choice,"

Well that was certainly true. But by now she'd decided that the real problem was with her, not this life. Another girl would find life at this orphanage acceptable. But not her. She was just too different. A child with too much intelligence and too little humanity. She was a freak in this environment. She didn't belong here.

"I never asked to be me. To have my emotions traded for mental ability. To have my childhood surgically removed. I would have been happy to have been a normal girl living a life with people who I love and who loved me back. But I can never have that. Who could ever love me? I'm not human, not really. I don't have emotions like other people. I'm just a misfit. I don't belong anywhere."

What a depressing thought.

Sighing longingly, she lowered her head to the basin again and tossed more water onto her pasty cheeks. She'd had this conversation with herself too many times recently. But now was hardly the time to look at the big picture. Her main concern at the moment should be that assassin of Nergal's. She was certain now that the assassin was staying away from the orphanage, on the grounds that no attempt had been made on her life during yesterday. Of course, it could be that he was biding his time in order to decrease suspicion after his blundered effort the day before yesterday, but Ruri doubted it. Surely the best thing for him would have been to get rid of her ASAP, before she could do anything about it. But he hadn't done that either. It seemed that her theory of him staying away from the orphanage, on the grounds that her death had to meet certain conditions which didn't indicate murder, had been proved correct.

Ruri had to admit that after the peaceful day she'd just had, the idea of an assassin on her trail seemed unreal. But she wasn't naïve enough to believe that he'd just given up on her. She couldn't hide in the orphanage forever - she knew that she would have to strike back before long if she didn't want to end up dead. But what could she do though, short of going on the run?

She didn't have many tools at her disposal. She'd sent that message to Miss Fressange, but she hadn't replied yet and there was no way of knowing when or if she would. Even then, she didn't know if the blonde scientist would actually be able to help her. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to take another sick day tomorrow and, if she hadn't replied by then, give Akatsuki a call. If she caught him out, then perhaps he'd baulk and withdraw this assassin of his. After all, it would be a great risk to assassinate someone who knew where her death warrant had come from – she could have informed someone beforehand, who could then reveal who it had been after the murder had occurred. Yes, that was the way to go. She could go in and use the school's printers to produce a printout of the assassination order from the Nergal network, which could be used as evidence. Akatsuki would have to pull back, right? He didn't want her dead that badly, surely?

Well, all she could do was hope. For now it was time to get back to bed, though she didn't see how she'd be able to sleep after this little mental conversation. She dried her face and drained the sink. After drinking a glass of water and using the toilet, she returned to her room, groping the walls to help her find her way.

She opened her door slowly so that it wouldn't creak. Almost instantly she felt a slight breeze on her face, which surprised her. She then looked over to the far curtains and saw them blowing in slightly. Strange, she'd thought she'd closed the window before going to bed. Yes, she definitely had. So someone must have opened it again…

Far too late. Just as Ruri's mind leapt to the logical conclusion a hand covered her mouth and she was pulled back with force. This sudden shock sent wild panic running through her whole body

"I'd be quiet if I were you," murmured her captor. "Or else I'll slit your throat right here,"

She felt the cool metallic touch of a blade press against her neck, pushing her fear to astronomical levels. Instantly, she froze every muscle in her body, forcing herself to be completely motionless. She kept her screaming confined to her head, knowing that a peep out of her would bring instant death.

"Good," said Matador, sensing her lack of resistance "We're going for a little walk. Now get moving!"

At the moment she had no choice. She had to cooperate or else she would die here and now, in her own room. Ruri allowed herself to be lead downstairs at knifepoint, boundless terror completely invading her heart and mind. She was in the clutches of an assassin now and at Nergal's mercy. The distant nightmare had become reality in a second. Now, the next move wouldn't be hers to make after all…

A/N – Okay, I've got a little announcement to make. This Saturday I'm going on a three week camping trip to Canada, so I won't be able to update for a while. For this, I can only apologise. However, once I'm back, I'll be working flat-out to get it finished. Please don't assume this story's been abandoned – it WILL be continued once I return home, honest! Expect the next update sometime in mid-September.

Cheers,

Dave (a.k.a. Huhn)