Okay, so maybe this is a bit late, but a gazillion thanks to all those who stuck with me in this fic – all you lovely readers including Rumiko, Mayumi, Miyahara Yuuki, Keax, Nakkie, Megane-chan and everyone else! Thank you for your support and I hope you would continue reading this little mini-series!
I'm trying to make it scarier – err … I don't know if it's working too well.
THE SPIRIT 5
"There's a shrine just in the next building where you can pray." Sakuragi said. "Do you want to go?"
"Yes." Mitsui nodded.
"Come on then." Sakuragi said, motioning for him to follow him. After listening to his story, he did not know whether to run himself or just laugh. Who would have thought that Mitsui – Mr.-toughie-I'm-a-gangster would be scared of his own imagination? But Sakuragi, for some reason, believed him. It was kind of true anyway. Mitsui has changed in some sort of way ever since getting that knock on the head and nearly loosing his eyesight. He was a bit more open, less arrogant somehow. Still his sarcastic self and with the big ego, but not like before.
Sakuragi believed him.
After all, his aunt had a third eye.
The shrine was empty when they entered. Mitsui knelt in front of the jade Buddha statue and clasped his hands together in a prayer. He began to move his lips as he whispered his prayers, asking for protection. Sakuragi prayed too, but by the time he was done, Mitsui was still praying – frantically. Having nothing to do, he stared at the statue, marveling at the beauty of its smooth jade planes, the perfection of its carving, very precise and almost real. He lit an incense stick and watched as it burned.
Mitsui clapped his hands twice before lighting an incense stick, placing it on the pot filled with golden sand, the burning top facing the heavens. He inhaled deeply and somewhat felt relieved. He felt safe in the shrine. "Feel better?" Sakuragi asked, looking at him.
"Yeah. Much better." Mitsui nodded, a smile gracing his slightly dry lips.
Sakuragi nodded and got to his feet. Mitsui followed suit and both of them bowed before the statue. Both turned to leave, heading for the door. Before Mitsui could take a step forward, he froze in his standing position. He grabbed Sakuragi's sleeve and stared wide eyes directly in front of him. There were people, dressed in plain clothes, four of the people wearing kimonos. All were kneeling with their hands clasped together in front of them, whispering prayers.
"Oh god." Mitsui whispered, feeling his breath come out in jagged deep gasps.
Sakuragi looked around him, seeing nothing. It was just an empty shrine, with the smell of sandalwood dancing in the air. There was nothing, save for maybe the dancing shadows from the small yellow lamps in the corners. "What? Can you see something?"
Mitsui opened his lips to speak, to tell Sakuragi what he was seeing. Just as he was about to, the group of people praying before him raised their empty gray eyes and shook their heads, holding a finger in front of their lips.
Don't speak.
Don't speak.
Don't speak.
Don't speak.
Don't speak.
Mitsui winced, having looked directly in to one of the many pairs of eyes. His eyes began to burn and tear. Shivering from fear and suddenly perspiring cold sweat, he gathered all his courage and made a run forward. He passed through all the people praying and rushed to his room, running blindly.
"Oi! Oi! Mitchy!" Sakuragi said. He suddenly felt extremely cold. He looked around the empty shrine, the shadows shifting from his rapid movements from looking around frantically. He swallowed hard and forced himself to move from his suddenly frozen position.
He suddenly felt extremely cold and jumping slightly, he ran out of the shrine and back to their ward. He found Mitsui entering his room, leaving his door to swing close by itself. He let himself in and found Mitsui on the couch, blanket over his head, shivering.
"I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy." It was a rapid mantra coming out of Mitsui's lips.
Sakuragi felt extremely sorry for him then and there. The once-proud boy now reduced to nothing but a shivering fit of bones made him wonder if there was anything he could do. He kneeled beside Mitsui, placing a hand on his shoulder. He pulled the blanket down from his senior's head and patted his shoulder.
"I have an idea. Why not change rooms? You can stay with me. There's an extra bed. My roommate was moved up to ICU. Cancer treatment. You can take his place."
"Really?" Mitsui asked, eyes shimmering a darker blue under the dim light.
Sakuragi nodded, glad that somehow the shivers had reduced. "Yeah! That way, you don't have to be alone. Man, look at you! This is how you are on your own? Who can tell what may happen to you when no one is looking! At least I'll be there to help, you know?"
For the first time that entire evening, Mitsui smiled a smile of relief.
*
"Say what?" Dr. Hajime asked, looking at Mitsui. "You want to move with your friend?"
"Well, it is kind of lonely around here. And besides, it would be good for me. He can remind me of a few things that I need reminding of, know what I mean? And my moving in with him may help in keeping that area a bit quieter. I hear he's really loud when his food comes."
"True. True." Dr. Hajime said, nodding. He had just finished assisting him with his therapy. Lunchtime was over and the ward was more silent. "I guess it won't do anybody harm. You look like you could use some company."
"Yeah." Mitsui nodded. You have no idea, he thought to himself.
"Very well!" Dr. Hajime said, nodding. "You will be able to move in tonight. I'll have that room ready and arranged. A nurse will come and guide you there. I'll have them take down your posters and hang it there. That all right?"
"Perfect!"
*
That afternoon, his posters were taken down. The nurses told him that in about an hour or two, he would be transferred. They also said that they were arranging the room – since it was kind of in a mess. They said no more after that and Mitsui understood.
Sakuragi and hospital does not go hand in hand.
He remained on the couch, blanket still over him. His bed sheets were taken away for washing along with the blanket. He was given a new one. Mitsui had finished his therapy that morning in a daze, for he was so sleepy. He had dark circles under his eyes and they were getting more visible each passing day. He wouldn't be surprised if people called him a panda once he was out of the hospital. He knew he looked terrible; he didn't need a mirror for that.
Another reason was that he was also afraid of the mirror. Afraid of what he might see, hence he avoided it at all times.
He sat on his little chair, clutching the blanket around his lithe frame (for he was shirtless since most of his clothes were in the Laundromat of the hospital for washing), staring out the window, when a knock sounded on his door. "Come in." He said, his voice cracking. He reached out for the bottle of water by his side and took a long swig at it. He heard footsteps approaching him and figured it was one of the nurses or maybe a group of them. So he did not really bother to turn around. They've been coming in and out the whole day anyway. Apparently, a new patient was going to take his place. He hoped that whoever he or she is, he or she would have more luck in case of sanity than he did. The room gave him the creeps.
"Mitsui-kun."
Mitsui blinked and turned his head, long hair swishing. His eyes nearly popped out. Almost immediately, he got to his feet and apologized, his grip on the blanket loosening, baring his shoulders and his chest. "I – I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect, Anzai-sensei. I thought you and Mrs. Anzai were the nurses. They've been in and out of my room lately."
Anzai laughed heartily. "I see." He nodded.
"Oh, but son! Won't you catch a cold wearing no shirt?" Mrs. Anzai asked.
Mitsui flushed a bit and quickly wrapped his blanket around himself again. "Ah! No, no. Actually, all my clothes are in the Laundromat. I won't have any till tonight."
"Oh you poor dear." Mrs. Anzai shook her head.
"Uh – uh –" Mitsui looked around and then gestured for his seat. "Please. Have a seat. I – I'll go get another –"
"That is not necessary. Mitsui-kun." Anzai said, shaking his head. "Standing is fine. We won't be here for long." Mitsui swallowed nervously, feeling suddenly very jumpy. He remained standing, slightly swaying on his feet. For some strange reason, he suddenly got an exploding headache. "Why don't you lie down, Mitsui-kun? You don't look very well."
One look at the bed sent shivers down his spine. "Uh – no thanks. I'll – I'll sit." He sat down, and pulled his knees to his chest, tightly wrapping his blanket around him. It was so cold so suddenly.
"How are your eyes?" Mrs. Anzai asked, smiling at him.
"They're all right. Fine, actually. I can see clearly." He answered, nodding.
"That's very good." Mrs. Anzai smiled again, this time one of relief. "When we heard, we were most worried."
Mitsui felt his throat suddenly tighten, eyes tingling. He never had anyone to worry about him – the parental way. It made him feel so mushy inside, almost loved even. He looked down, eyes glistening with tears that he was holding back. "Really?"
"Of course, Mitsui-kun. I was very afraid that you might have lost your eye sight." Anzai said, approaching him and giving him a small smile. "But thank goodness that did not happen." Mitsui licked his lips and looked up. Anzai gave him a reassuring look. "Tell me, how is Sakuragi doing? The doctor tells me you are moving with him. We passed by his room but he is undergoing x-ray examinations now."
"Ah, Sakuragi." Mitsui shook his head. "He's doing great! We're always chatting and walking around. Nothing much to do around here."
"Ah!" Mrs. Anzai clapped her hands together. "That is wonderful!"
"Very wonderful." Anzai added, nodding.
Mitsui inhaled deeply and sighed. He felt a smile tug at his lips but it quickly faded when his vision suddenly blurred. He frowned and sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. He strained to look ahead, but it was getting very blurry. Panic was rising in him. "Mitsui-kun? Is everything all right?"
Mitsui looked up and stared at the bed. His lips thinned in surprise. On the bed, Kai was lying down, head facing the window. He blinked and it was just a bed once again, without a pillow, sheets and blankets. He frowned, for now, his vision was suddenly clear again. He rubbed his eyes and then looked up at Anzai. "I'm all right." He still had a frown.
"Are you sure?" Anzai asked, now worried. "Maybe the doctor should take a look at you."
"No, no. Really, I'm okay." He said, shaking his head. He looked at Anzai for some time before his lips parted to speak. "Anou – Anzai-sensei, did you know anyone by the –" He stopped dead, eyes widening when he saw a person standing behind Anzai.
It was Kai.
"Mitsui-kun?" Mrs. Anzai asked, looking at him with a very worried expression. "Are you quite all right?"
Mitsui kept staring at Kai, who smiled at him, eyes glimmering. She held a finger to her lips and slowly shook her head. She then took a step back and slowly faded. Mitsui blinked and turned to look at Mrs. Anzai. "I'm fine. Just – just a sudden memory flash." He blinked several times, running shaking fingers through his long hair, pushing them back. "I – I was just about to ask if you – you spoke to Sakuragi anytime before today. He – He looks like –" He suddenly sighed and buried his face in his hands.
It was too much!
"Mitsui-kun." Mrs. Anzai stood beside him and placed gentle hands on his shoulders. He looked up to meet her blue-gray gaze and swallowed. "Don't worry. What you should do is gather all your strength and get well soon."
Mitsui suddenly wished his mother and father were there. He desperately needed paternal and maternal support. He was breaking down fast and in to a million pieces. He's been conscious for five days, and he would leave in two days, but in such time he already doubted his own sanity.
"Let it out, Mitsui-kun. Let out your troubles." Anzai said, standing beside him, placing a hand on his back.
Mitsui refused to break down in front of them. He looked at his hands. All the things he saw, all the things he's been through, they suddenly came crashing down on him. He bit his lower lip, tears dropping down his cheeks on his blanket in large crystal drops. "I – I –" He hung his head, shoulders now shaking with silent sobs. "I can't take it anymore!"
Mrs. Anzai, knelt in front of him and in a motherly way, cradled his head in her arms. He cried like a child. He did not know how long he remained beside Mrs. Anzai, in the maternal warmth that she radiated, but for once, he felt safe from all the demons that has been haunting him so far.
*
"He fell asleep." Mrs. Anzai said, running her fingers through Mitsui's soft long hair.
"The poor boy. Nobody deserved to go through what he's going through. Not in his age." Anzai shook his head, pulling the blanket over Mitsui's bare shoulders.
The doctors and male nurses came in. "Oh dear. He must be really tired. He hasn't been sleeping ever since he woke up." Dr. Hajime said, checking Mitsui's pulse and temperature. He was carried on a stretcher and given another round of IV fluid. "He hasn't been eating much as well."
"Oh my." Mrs. Anzai said, gasping. "Is that so?"
Dr. Hajime shook his head. "He'll be in a new room now, Sakuragi's room. I'm sure both of you are familiar with it. Room 1402."
"Yes, indeed." Anzai said, nodding.
Mitsui was wheeled out of the room and taken to Sakuragi's where he was gently lifted and placed on the bed. He was sound asleep, that not even all the movement roused him. His fatigue and state of mind was running him down, that both Mr. and Mrs. Anzai worries doubled. Mitsui had no parents, just like Sakuragi, which is why both of them made a point to come twice a week to check on the two.
"We better get going. It's getting late. Would you kindly pass a message to both Mitsui and Sakuragi that we will come the day after?" Anzai requested.
"Most certainly." Dr. Hajime replied.
The elder couple left, silently walking down the hospital halls, looking extremely worried.
*
The bed he was lying on was cold and hard – almost metallic. He gave out a low groan of pain, since his head was pounding and his eyes behind the closed lids were slightly irritating. He brought a hand to his closed lids and rubbed them, trying to ease away a bit of the irritation. It was itchy – real bad. He gave out a light cough and knew immediately that he was coming down with a cold. Maybe I should have borrowed a shirt from Sakuragi or something, he thought to himself and forced his eyes to open.
He winced at the sudden brightness the overhead white light was radiating. He was on a cold metal table, and beside him a tray on a high metal trolley with all sorts of instruments. He looked around and saw pipes – lots of pipes – and thick electrical cables. He got down on his feat and felt the rough textures of the concrete ground. Little pebbles and graphite bits dug into the skin of his feet as he walked around. He suddenly stopped and came face to face with a huge cylindrical water tank. It was empty and it had electrical cables attached to it, beside it a computer that was switched off.
The place suddenly felt extremely cold to him and could feel eyes prodding at the back of his neck. He brought his arms around himself, shivering involuntarily. He circled the cylindrical glass and came to a stop, placing a palm on the spherical planes of the clear fiberglass. He heard a loud crash behind him and turned around. He found the twins chasing one and other. He did not know who was who, but one of them was clearly angry with the other. They were shrieking, until one of them caught the hair of the one she was chasing and began to charge towards him. He immediately stepped aside and watched with horror as the angry twin rammed the victimized twin on the surface of the cylindrical glass. A cry of pain shattered his eardrums. The poor girl fell crumpled to the floor, hands covering her face. The other sauntered off from where she appeared from and never came back. Mitsui remained rooted to the spot, watching her nurse her bleeding nose and cut lip.
She looked up at him, as if in cry for help. She grabbed his legs and he jumped with a start, trying to shake her off. Her lips moved in sync with the words that she was mumbling out, but he could hear nothing.
He could only hear the sound of water rushing in his ears. He closed his eyes and gave his leg one hard pull. He lost his balance and fell, but nothing solid came in contact with his body.
Instead, he was in water and ahead of him he could see blood. Blood dripping – lots of it, but it was not merging with the water.
Through the crimson haze he looked further, the need for air getting to him. He banged his fists in front of him, meeting the surface of fiberglass.
A loud bang sounded and in front of him was the face of the twin, half of its skin gone, an eye hanging out and mouth opened in a twisted manner, showing gaps of missing teeth with a tongue sickeningly sticking out in some sort of sick mocking gesture.
Mitsui gave a loud yell of fear.
TBC