Slam Dunk is not mine!!!! Life is so unfair!!!
Chapter 8: Odd Reaction
It was two whole days before the forlorn group continued their fruitless search. Now, they were searching out the Wakou Cemetery. At every snap o a twig breaking, or every rustle made by the wind stirring up dead leaves caused all of their heads to snap up and stare around in a wild, fearful way. Each of their faces no longer looked normal, instead were tinted with a great strain and fear. Paranoia was slowly eating into them. Yoshiko bent over a gravestone and gingerly cleared a layer of dust from it with her fingers. At the same time she held the little pouch of crystals right under the name carved. They did not light up at all, but only a faint swirl of light coursed through the dull fragments, as if mocking their fruitless attempt.
"I'll bet that there's nothing in here at all," muttered Kiyota grumpily. He was trying to sound normal, but there was a strange unnatural quality in his voice, causing Maki and Jin nearby to shiver. Did they all sound like that? Like they were all losing it?
"You never know, that might be a chance," said Kogure.
"Fat chance, Kogure-san," snapped back Kiyota.
"Oh, we'll still have to try even if there's little chance of it being here," said Yoshiko waving her hand a little impatiently. They continued to trudge through the silent cemetery, Mitsui and Yoshiko leading, with Kiyota and Jin trailing far behind.
Kiyota was pouring out an endless list of complaints to Jin, who was listening vaguely, his eyes glancing warily about for any sign of eerie presences about. There was none. Then, something caught his eye. His shoelace was undone, and it was trailing in the mud behind his shoe. He bent down and absently began to know his shoelace up again when he froze. Surely that was a little cackle of mocking laughter coming from somewhere near him. A strange chill was creeping up his spine, and his blood turned to ice. He let out a little gasp, and immediately, his jaws remained wide open as a cold force darted out of nowhere straight into him. It was going to take over him! It was controlling him! He opened his mouth to scream, but his mouth would not open in its own accord any more.
He desperately tried to fight off the alien force inside his own head, but it was too strong. It was already in him. Then Jin's eyes swiveled to Kiyota a few steps ahead, still mumbling and complaining to himself. A strange smile lit up his features. Meanwhile, Kiyota, not aware that Jin was no longer beside him was continuing to mutter, "Number one Rookie just knows that there is nothing in this graveyard. We're just wasting precious time."
"Kiyota," came a strange voice behind him. Kiyota whirled around instantly and saw only Jin. He nearly heaved a sigh of relief. Then his eyes lingered on Jin's face and he froze. True, this person looked exactly like his friend, but there was a strange chilling quality in his voice at the way he said his name. Then Jin's smiling face began to alter, to a half pleading, half warning look, as if some creature inside was fighting to warn him. Then his face snapped back to the strange, lingering smile. In a flash, Kiyota knew.
"You're – you're not Jin-san," he gasped. Then he began to yell out to the others at the top of his voice. "You're not Jin!"
In a move of surprising speed, the creature controlling Jin knocked Kiyota over and pinned him to the ground. His fingers snaked around the throat of the struggling boy, crushing his windpipe, blocking out the air supply. Kiyota fought as hard as he could, trying to pry the malicious fingers on his neck, but Jin, with superhuman strength did not even waver. He could not kick up at his assailant, as Jin's weight was pressing down on him.
Meanwhile, Maki, Rukawa and Fujima streaked back to the scene. "Jin!" yelled Fujima in horror. "What are you doing?" The three of them fought to pull Jin away, but Jin merely shoved them and they went flying, crashing into the ground. Kiyota's violent thrashing was subsiding a little, and his arms, though still slinging on to Jin's hand was almost limp. Then Rukawa jumped in front and valiantly tried again to separate the two of them. It was then the creature controlling Jin looked up for the barest of moments. The expression on his insane features froze for a moment. Slowly, unmistakably, his face shifted into a look of utter amazement.
Everyone else stopped and stared to. Was this evil creature looking susprised? Kiyota seized the chance as soon as he felt the grip on his throat slacken and with a terrific effort managed to push Jin off him. Jin continued to stare at Rukawa, who, completely nonplussed stared back. Then the creature made Jin's legs spring up and sprint away nimbly avoiding the gravestones on the ground. "Stop him!" choked Kiyota suddenly. "That's not Jin-san!"
Immediately, Mitsui, Sendoh and Rukawa sprinted after the running figure. They crashed through the bushes and twigs clumsily, tripping over gravestones as they ran. Mitsui could clearly hear Sendoh utter strings of curses at every trip. Jin, however, with inhumane speed darted out of the cemetery….straight into the main road. He paused in the middle of the road, right in front of an oncoming car. The real Jin inside began to yell in fear.
What are you doing? Let me out!
The reply came soon enough. I will, in a moment Jin-san. Jin felt the thing leave him just as the car crashed into him. The thing had left him to die. Before he could jump safely out of the way, he felt a terrific impact jarring his body, rattling his whole body. The impact scooped him up and threw him at the side of the pavement with a sickening thud. He lay, his body at a very odd angle, a crimson pool beginning to form around his form, spreading wider and wider in a circle of blood, staining the pavement. He felt that his bones were all broken as his organs shattered. Darkness closed in from all corners of his vision. The others, who were struck still at the other side of the road had watched the scene horrified, unable to help their friend.
"JIIIN!!!"
Tbc.
Nice? Review and tell me. I'm sorry if the plot is a bit hazy here and there.