By the Winds of Chance
She woke suddenly, her stomach complaining loudly. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length black hair, she yawned sleepily. Pulling back the thin covers on her bed, she crept to the door and peered out into the hallway. Good, no one else was awake yet.
She tiptoed through the empty corridors. Stepping onto the frigid cement floor, she pulled the cord hanging from the ceiling. The bare lightbulb flickered gently then went out. "Damn, I have to remember to change that."
Pulling quietly on the icebox's door, she grunted softly. The stupid thing was stuck. Her insistent tugging cracked open the small refrigerator. Reaching inside, she pulled the small juice box out. Pulling the plastic off the straw, she brought it to her lips.
"What are you doing? That's mine. You know that." Someone tore the drink from her hands and threw it across the cramped kitchen, where it splattered against the filthy walls.
Whirling around, she turned to face the furious man behind her. "No, I'm sorry! It's just I was so thirsty and..."
"I don't care about your excuses. You're going to pay for that, bitch." He slapped her across the cheek, leaving a crimson mark pressed into her skin. He slid the thick leather belt from his pants and laid it on the counter. Fingering the cracks in the rawhide, he mumbled softly, "You weren't supposed to leave me, Saori."
Her eyes widened. Then they closed as she winced in pain. She bit her bottom lip hard as she fought to keep herself from crying out. She didn't notice the blood trickling from her scalp or the man's wild yells of disgust and frustration. All she could see were the tears streaming down her father's face.
* * *
"Does she know what happened? I mean, she'd have to, right? She was the one who did it, not the other way around." Soujiro shook his head in confusion.
"I have no idea. I didn't get a good look at her, but did you recognize her?" Tsukasa, his brow furrowed, thought hard.
Akira searched his memory for anything that might identify her. Then, he too shaking his head, he announced, "No, she was just one of those random girls that I pick up. Or, in this case, tried to pick up."
The three sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Once in awhile, someone would take a sip from one of the bottles of beer on the glass table.
Suddenly Tsukasa rose from his seat on the couch. "This could ruin us, damn it! Why'd you have to talk to that girl? What was so special about her? There were so many other ones!" He grabbed a lamp and threw it hard, smashing it against the hardwood floor.
Soujiro and Akira stood slowly. Both knew well enough what Tsukasa could do in one of his mindless rages...total annihilation of everything in the room.
They crept out of the room, ducking the priceless china vases and pieces of furniture that hurtled through the air. Once out of the room, Soujiro shut the door firmly behind them. "I think you're going to have to call a couple of maids when he's done in there."
Akira laughed. "You know, Tsukasa has a point; why did I pick that girl? I mean, she wasn't hot or anything and if I'd known what she was going to do, I wouldn't have touched her."
"Dude, I think we're all overreacting. I doubt anyone saw that she held your hand for a second. They'll just all think it's another girl trying to get closer to you." Soujiro tugged on Akira's arm. "Come on, let's go get something to eat and call Rui."
* * *
She felt around in her pockets. Growing frantic, she dragged the blankets off the bed. Opening all the drawers in her desk, she dumped everything out. Rummaging through the piles of objects, she grasped a soft object. Pulling it free, she stared at it. A mangy old sock. Crumpling to the floor, she leaned against the mattress of the bed. Tucking her head into the protective circle of her arms and knees, she wept bitterly. "Where did I leave it? Didn't I take it with me when I left the bar? I couldn't have lost it though; it's too important...I can't take it anymore! Dad just did it again and now I've lost the only picture I have of Mom! What is wrong with me?"
She stood shakily from her seat against the bed. Striding over to the closet, she rifled through the clothes stacked precariously on the shelf. Gripping a sharp knife tightly in her right hand, she lowered the blade slowly...
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I know this was a little slower than my other ones, but I promise I'll pick up the speed of the plot again. I just need some time to think about what's going to happen next. Heehee!
Piglet- Yeah, I'm sure it's the right one. There is a connection, but it's kind of hard to see.
Cuppajava, Ruth- Don't worry! So are a lot of other people! ^.^
Toinks- It's okay. It'll all make sense soon enough.
She woke suddenly, her stomach complaining loudly. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length black hair, she yawned sleepily. Pulling back the thin covers on her bed, she crept to the door and peered out into the hallway. Good, no one else was awake yet.
She tiptoed through the empty corridors. Stepping onto the frigid cement floor, she pulled the cord hanging from the ceiling. The bare lightbulb flickered gently then went out. "Damn, I have to remember to change that."
Pulling quietly on the icebox's door, she grunted softly. The stupid thing was stuck. Her insistent tugging cracked open the small refrigerator. Reaching inside, she pulled the small juice box out. Pulling the plastic off the straw, she brought it to her lips.
"What are you doing? That's mine. You know that." Someone tore the drink from her hands and threw it across the cramped kitchen, where it splattered against the filthy walls.
Whirling around, she turned to face the furious man behind her. "No, I'm sorry! It's just I was so thirsty and..."
"I don't care about your excuses. You're going to pay for that, bitch." He slapped her across the cheek, leaving a crimson mark pressed into her skin. He slid the thick leather belt from his pants and laid it on the counter. Fingering the cracks in the rawhide, he mumbled softly, "You weren't supposed to leave me, Saori."
Her eyes widened. Then they closed as she winced in pain. She bit her bottom lip hard as she fought to keep herself from crying out. She didn't notice the blood trickling from her scalp or the man's wild yells of disgust and frustration. All she could see were the tears streaming down her father's face.
* * *
"Does she know what happened? I mean, she'd have to, right? She was the one who did it, not the other way around." Soujiro shook his head in confusion.
"I have no idea. I didn't get a good look at her, but did you recognize her?" Tsukasa, his brow furrowed, thought hard.
Akira searched his memory for anything that might identify her. Then, he too shaking his head, he announced, "No, she was just one of those random girls that I pick up. Or, in this case, tried to pick up."
The three sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Once in awhile, someone would take a sip from one of the bottles of beer on the glass table.
Suddenly Tsukasa rose from his seat on the couch. "This could ruin us, damn it! Why'd you have to talk to that girl? What was so special about her? There were so many other ones!" He grabbed a lamp and threw it hard, smashing it against the hardwood floor.
Soujiro and Akira stood slowly. Both knew well enough what Tsukasa could do in one of his mindless rages...total annihilation of everything in the room.
They crept out of the room, ducking the priceless china vases and pieces of furniture that hurtled through the air. Once out of the room, Soujiro shut the door firmly behind them. "I think you're going to have to call a couple of maids when he's done in there."
Akira laughed. "You know, Tsukasa has a point; why did I pick that girl? I mean, she wasn't hot or anything and if I'd known what she was going to do, I wouldn't have touched her."
"Dude, I think we're all overreacting. I doubt anyone saw that she held your hand for a second. They'll just all think it's another girl trying to get closer to you." Soujiro tugged on Akira's arm. "Come on, let's go get something to eat and call Rui."
* * *
She felt around in her pockets. Growing frantic, she dragged the blankets off the bed. Opening all the drawers in her desk, she dumped everything out. Rummaging through the piles of objects, she grasped a soft object. Pulling it free, she stared at it. A mangy old sock. Crumpling to the floor, she leaned against the mattress of the bed. Tucking her head into the protective circle of her arms and knees, she wept bitterly. "Where did I leave it? Didn't I take it with me when I left the bar? I couldn't have lost it though; it's too important...I can't take it anymore! Dad just did it again and now I've lost the only picture I have of Mom! What is wrong with me?"
She stood shakily from her seat against the bed. Striding over to the closet, she rifled through the clothes stacked precariously on the shelf. Gripping a sharp knife tightly in her right hand, she lowered the blade slowly...
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I know this was a little slower than my other ones, but I promise I'll pick up the speed of the plot again. I just need some time to think about what's going to happen next. Heehee!
Piglet- Yeah, I'm sure it's the right one. There is a connection, but it's kind of hard to see.
Cuppajava, Ruth- Don't worry! So are a lot of other people! ^.^
Toinks- It's okay. It'll all make sense soon enough.