:::Chapter 9:::
One thing about magic is that, no matter how strong it is, it will wear off after a while. The stronger the magic being cast, the longer it will stay. This was a fact that Chihiro Ogino had just found out, not too long ago, for herself. At the beginning, the ropes around her wrists and legs were extremely tight that the blood circulation was almost cut off. Then, her hands and legs were able to move just a slightest bit, but it was still a movement. It was almost like a spark of light in the darkness of her current world.
Renshi, her kidnapper, had been too over-confident to actually dismiss the fact that his magic, like every other magic-caster, would wear off one day. Being too foolish, arrogant or absent-minded, Chihiro didn't care. To her, all that mattered was that he forgot to re-cast the spell that held her binds together magically. Having being in that dreadful place for almost a month, she could stand it no longer. The magic around the ropes was so weak that the binds were actually very, very loose. So loose that she could actually make her escape.
Slowly, as her thoughts wandered form one to another, Chihiro recalled that day when Renshi had bragged to her about her parents' death. It was about a week ago…
::: Flashback :::
He had entered her room, a malicious smile on his face. Chihiro had often wondered whether she was supposed to be sad or angry in such a situation, sad that everyone would be missing her and angry that she was actually being held against her will.
He had a very smug look on his face. Somehow, the look of it made Chihiro's stomach turn over, an uneasy feeling looming over her.
" Guess what I did yesterday?" Renshi had asked, continuing when Chihiro made no motions to reply. " Got rid of your precious family, Chihiro, lest they meddle in my matters. Aren't you going to thank me? I got rid of your bothersome parents so that you can be mine!"
His eyes snapped wide open at the end of his last sentence. He stared at Chihiro, tied against the bed. ' She's helpless.' He thought smugly. ' She will one day give in to me.'
Chihiro was mourning for her parents, soon after the news was broken to her. She felt guilt; guilty that she was the cause of her parents' death. Her mind was swirled with different emotions. Like different colours on a piece of paper, each colour represents a different thing. Her guilt gave way to anger and frustration. She didn't even bother to yell at Renshi when he left her room, too blinded in anger was she.
So that was how she spent her entire week, alternating between mourning for her parents and cursing at Renshi in her mind. Even she thought of different ways Renshi could be killed, just so that it could vent her frustration for being so helpless, like a rat caught by the cat.
Yet at night, when she slept and dreamt of dreams, she dreamt that Haku, her shining dragon of armor in this case, had come to rescue her. She would then be hugged tightly in his warm arms, like a safe haven, while he protected he. Then, just when Haku was about to speak, one thing or another would wake her up. It was either who Renshi had come into her room to torture her or some owl who hooted loudly in the nearby distance.
Chihiro then came to a hard reality, that no matter what, Haku would not be able to know that she was in trouble. He being in the Spirit World prevented so.
::: Flashback ended :::
Chihiro had enough of mourning. She had actually come to a conclusion that maybe, just maybe, Renshi had lied to her just so that she could be co-operative. Her binds were loose now. When Renshi had came into her room earlier on, it took almost all her will to not jump out of bed and just run mindlessly, as long as she was far, far away from him.
It was a while since Renshi had left her room. She was lying very still in her bed, waiting for the moment when Renshi would leave the house. ' Aha!' She thought as the front door with a slam.' Finally.'
Chihiro slowly pulled her limbs from the ropes and got off the bed, cringing slightly as the bed gave a small creak. She opened her door and looked around, finally walking briskly to the front door. She got out of the house, heaving a sigh of relief. At the sight of the dark blue sky where the sun was beginning to rise at the horizon, Chihiro didn't even realize that she was in a forest. Adrenaline pumped through her entire body as she ran, pushing trees out of her way. When she barely realised that she was in some dense forest with animals that could pose a danger to her, she sent a prayer to the beings above…
' Wow. Someone up there likes me.' Chihiro thought as she walked down the street leading to her house. She can't believe that she had actually escaped, lest of all out of a forest. Her wandering thoughts were soon stopped however, when she noticed that charred remains replaced where her house had once been. Obviously, her house was burned down. All at once, everything made soul-sickening sense. Renshi had not lied to her. Her parents were dead.
" Mum… Dad… Why?" Chihiro mumbled as scalding tears filled her eyes. " You can't be dead. No, you can't!"
With that, she ran back down the street, yet, she stopped abruptly when she saw an old newspaper in a rubbish bin. What had caught her eyes was the headline title.
" The murder of Ogino Kenji and his wife. Murderer still at large. "
(^)(^)(^)(^)(^)(^)(^)
Heh, sooo sorry that I have taken soo long to update this chapter!! * Ducks from rotten eggs* Gomen, gomen! I have been lazy lately, what with the holidays starting! Sorry that I kept you guys waiting! And thanks for still continuing to read my little story! Haku will make an appearance in the next chapter!
Thanks to all the reviewers!
inuyasha0001 --- Here it is~! Enjoy~!
Kintora --- No problemo~! Haha, yeah. Haku's gonna be real important! No, he's not going to save her. After all, Chihiro had escaped! Oh sorry, I thought " bai bai " also means bye bye, 'cause it is used sometimes in Taiwanese shows! And my friends and I also use it! ^.^ Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter~!
DarkMistyDragon --- Thanks for the review! Here it is!
Himeko --- Oh, you aren't rude! No offense taken, anyway! Here's one chapter uploaded!
Ujiji --- Thanks for your support! This chapter had taken a long time, ne! Sorry! I'll try to be as frequent as possible! But I was waylaid by talks about IPW! My important project!
Karou_Gal --- Here's the update! Sorry to keep you waiting! Anyway, I think I may be starting a RK fan fic! Please read it if I do! Pretty please! ( But I'm not quite sure yet! ) Arigatou, anyway!
j_mercuryuk --- Lol! High-five! I like to write cliffs in my story, but somehow, I'm desperate when reading stories that are hanging on cliffs! =P Thanks for your review! Thanks very much!
moonlit angel --- Er…Hehe…( Sweatdrops) Haku's not going to save her. Gomen, if that's what you prefer. But don't worry! Haku will do something for her! Something very dangerous! =D
Anyway, that's all readers and reviewers~! Till next week! Hopefully my brother doesn't use this computer so much so I will time to type!
*Astgal*
