Author's Notes: I'm so glad you liked the last chapters! Real
break from the angst of the story? Or a bit at least! However, I regret to tell
you that things won't be running that smoothly in following chapters. The
ending is drawing very near, and there are several loose ends I need to tie
before it. You'll see.
Anyways, thanks a LOT for the wonderful reviews! Luv you all!
"I'll Say Goodbye for the Two of Us: When the Truth Breaks the Silence"
Part Twenty-Three: "Fear"
By cherry blossom
Sakura's POV
At first there was nothing at all. Or at least I felt nothing.
Floating through vast darkness, my mind was free from all worries. Oh, it was bliss not to think! I only limited myself to exist. How long did it last? I'm not sure. It could have been mere minutes or full days. I wished it would last forever.
But it didn't.
Suddenly, harshly, the pain came. I hit the cold, stone floor with a thud. For a moment I thought I was going to black out, but I didn't. Instead, I opened my eyes to find out it was useless. The darkness around me was complete. I shut my eyes and opened them again. Nope, I still couldn't see.
How had I gotten there? I remembered I was in hospital with Syaoran, when suddenly he appeared and conjured up a whirlwind. I knew, instantly, I was somewhere in Earlington. But had he gotten hold of Syaoran too? I felt a drop of cold sweat run through my face.
"Syaoran?" I whispered, fearing the worst.
"Sakura! Where are you?!"
I breathed loudly in relief. If he was here, then things were at least half-better than I expected.
"I'm over here!" I replied anxiously.
"Keep talking," he instructed. His voice sounded quite close, but he seemed to have trouble finding me anyway. Then something struck me. Didn't he feel my aura? Normally, he could track me down for miles just by sensing it. Was something wrong with him? But, on second thought, I wasn't getting his either. What the hell was going on?
"Sakura? Can't hear you! Is everything all right?" he questioned anxiously.
"Sorry! Wasn't speaking yet! Hmm…what can I say?" I asked, feeling kind of stupid. My mind was so blank…I couldn't find any words!
"Just recite numbers!" he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. I could hear the noise of his feet against the floor.
"One, two, three, four…" I began counting, hoping I wouldn't have to reach more than fifteen. Syaoran being so near, but unable to reach me, was getting on my nerves. A feeling of frightening uneasiness settled upon me.
"N-nine, ten, eleven…" Then I felt the warm contact of his hand on my arm. He pulled me towards him and I buried my face in his chest. Half of the burden in my heart lifted once I was in his arms. The other half, though, seemed to intensify, as if trying to make up for the one gone.
"Sakura, you're trembling from head to foot…" whispered Syaoran worriedly. "Are you ok?"
"Y-yes, I'm just…" I began, but had to stop to catch my breath. It seemed to get caught somewhere before it reached my lungs. "Syaoran, I'm terrified," I confessed weakly, and looked up to him, by reflex, to where I thought his eyes were. I was exceptionally glad he couldn't see my own, for tears were filling up in them.
"Of course, but we need to h-"
"No…you don't understand," I interrupted in a thin, shrilly voice. I also shook my head frantically, even though he couldn't see me. "It's blind raw fear running through me. I-I can't express it, I…" I stopped to breathe again. "I've never been so scared in my whole life," I whispered, and before I could stop myself, I added a strange afterthought that came into my mind. "Or at least I have no memory of it…"
"Interesting choice of words…"
I heard those words distinctly.
But it wasn't Syaoran speaking them…
***
Eriol raced through the hallways of the hospital. Tomoyo half-run, half-flew behind him, given he was holding her hand and going faster than she possibly could.
"What the hell is going on?!" Tomoyo asked loudly. Eriol ignored her and increased speed. If they could only make it before it was too late…
"Eriol, I swear my arm will come-off if you don't stop!" Tomoyo insisted. Fortunately for her, they were just reaching Syaoran's room. Eriol stopped abruptly and she was flung forwards, hitting the wall with her elbow.
"Ow!" she exclaimed, massaging the spot. "What was that for?"
For once, Eriol's thoughts had nothing to do with her. He was standing in front of the door, frozen. His mouth was half-open and his eyes were a mixture of fear and recognition. Tomoyo forgot all about her elbow.
"Eriol?" she asked softly. Eriol didn't reply, but slowly opened the door and took a look inside. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. Then, he turned to Tomoyo. She read his look instantly and they both hold their gazes for a long moment. When the amethyst-eyed girl spoke, her voice was but a whisper.
"I guess we shouldn't have left them alone, then?"
***
Sakura's POV
I gasped.
Immediately, my whole body started shaking violently. Blind, irrational fear rushed through my veins, preventing me from moving at will. My breath started coming in and out in horrible, short wheezes. I vaguely felt Syaoran tense beside me.
"Who the hell are you and what is going on?" he inquired sharply.
"Now, now, young one…Where are your manners?" asked the cold voice, in a slightly amused tone. As it spoke I felt chills on my spine. There was something about it, something really terrible…
"Don't play with me!" retorted Syaoran coldly. "And turn the lights on so that I can see who I'm facing!" Upon this statement I flinched unreasonably. Why wouldn't I want the lights on? The darkness around me terrified me, no question about that. But for some reason, I didn't want to be able to see…To see who was speaking…
The cold voice laughed. "Are you sure that's what you want?" it asked derisively. "I'm not sure the Card Mistress thinks much of that…don't you, sweet Sakura?"
I let out a strangled cry at the sound of my name. Terrifying memories were swirling inside my head, at such speed I still couldn't make out what they were.
"Don't you dare address her, you bastard!" Syaoran cried, venom pouring from his voice. I noticed he was trembling as much as I was, but, unlike me, it was due to fury instead of fear. "Now, do as I said!" he demanded.
For a split second everything was silent again. I could hear the sound of my heart thumping against my chest. I could feel the intense coldness the dark brought upon me. Then the voice spoke again.
"As you
wish."
Suddenly, blinding light filled the room. I hid my face in Syaoran's chest
while he tightened his grip on me. For a moment there was nothing but us,
holding each other, and the energy of the light blasting around us. Then, just
as fast as it had begun, it all stopped.
I heard Syaoran gasp and I knew he must have opened his eyes. Desperate, hysterical fear seized me again. I pressed myself harder against Syaoran.
"What?" taunted the cold voice. "Not what you expected?" I heard Syaoran gapping. I knew what he was feeling. Because I had felt the exact same thing the first time I was here, and saw him for the very first time. Him who was now staring at me so hard I could feel his eyes on my back. But I couldn't turn around yet. I just couldn't. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed it was just my imagination. A dream. But I knew it wasn't. Gathering all the courage that was left in me, I slowly turned around.
And saw him.
Standing there in front of me, it was my worst nightmare come true. Tall, unhealthily skinny, his big, full-black eyes met mine. His thin lips curved into an evil, mocking, twisted smile. His unnaturally pale skin seemed to blend in with the bright light surrounding us. I could feel the coldness he radiated.
"Sakura…Long time, no see…" he said calmly. I shuddered at the sound of his voice and felt my body go stiff. The memories that had been tugging at me were finally taking a clearer form. Fragments of horrible thoughts flashed before my eyes, as his cold, evil laugh resounded in my ears.
"Sakura? Sakura, talk to me!" I heard Syaoran's anxious voice but it seemed to come from a very far away place. The images before me were hazy and indistinct, but I didn't know if it was due to the tears of fright in my eyes, or because the world was simply fading away. Maybe it was both.
"Silly girl. Did you really think you could forget about me?" his icy voice reached me clearly, as if it were coming from inside my head. I felt my insides squirm with fear as horrible, electrifying images danced in my brain, taunting me relentlessly.
I could still hear Syaoran calling, but wasn't able to answer as the darkness that had remained inside me for so long finally was exposed to the light. I uttered a last, single cry before I began falling and falling…
***
Tomoyo sat quietly by herself as Eriol sorted things out with Carter. She still hadn't recovered from the shock of entering Syaoran's temporary bedroom and finding nothing but what appeared to be the remains of the room after a tornado. And just when things were starting to get in track…!
"Come on,
Tomoyo. Let's get out of here," Eriol said softly. Nodding, the girl stood up
and followed him.
Once they stepped outside, they were greeted by a beautiful, clear day. The sun
shone bright in the sky and a few cotton-like clouds swirled above their heads.
A pleasantly cool breeze ruffled Tomoyo's long hair. How ironic, she thought,
that the day would be so bright when she could not see past the darkness in her
heart. Eriol seemed to read his mind, for he tenderly placed a hand over the
small of her back and whispered in her ear. "Not everything is lost yet." He
didn't say more, but a tiny light of hope twinkled inside her. They had gone
through worse, hadn't they? At least Sakura and Syaoran were together now…
The couple had reached Penguin Park. They sat down on a bench, and for a few minutes, they simply enjoyed each other's company. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, for they had pressing matters to solve.
"Will you tell me now what you hinted before?" asked Tomoyo softly. Eriol nodded, but remained silent as if choosing the words to begin with. Tomoyo understood, and patiently waited.
"As I was telling you before," began Eriol, his voice preoccupied, "Whoever has been doing has not overseen the obvious: as long as Sakura and Syaoran stand together, they will not be defeated. It's evident that the strongest power of all lays in the bond that ties them together, but that very thing could be there downfall too…" Eriol paused, and bit his lip, thinking hard.
"What do you mean?" asked Tomoyo, knowing there was more to it than what was saying.
"Well, as you yourself have observed, what makes them strong together is the same thing that weakens them when apart. They virtually do not exist without each other. Whoever has done this, I repeat, has based his actions precisely on that."
"But in hope of what, may I ask?" exclaimed Tomoyo, holding a hand to her heart. Eriol shook his head slightly.
"His powers, her magic…Could be anything. But that's not the point. Whatever it is that he wants, he has been having very good chances at it. Unless, Sakura and Syaoran find a way to defeat him…" Eriol let his voice trail off, unsure of what to say next.
Tomoyo held his gaze as steadily as she could. She nodded, encouraging him to continue speaking.
"I don't know, Tomoyo. These are big things we're dealing with. I'm not sure what could happen, but I fear our defeat would have terrible consequences."
Tomoyo lowered her eyes and silence settled between them for a moment, in which each of them thought about the words just spoken. Then, Tomoyo suddenly spoke up.
"You keep saying 'him'… Do you have any idea of who might be behind this all?"
Eriol frowned, but nodded. "I do, but I hope I'm wrong about it because, if I'm not, Sakura and Syaoran will have to overcome greater things than they could have ever imagined…"
He didn't elaborate, but Tomoyo caught the message clearly.
"What can we do?" she asked, though she had a good guess on what his answer would be.
"Not much. Just hope they come to realize what we have," he answered softly.
"Do you think they will?" asked Tomoyo hopefully.
Eriol's
frown increased. It had taken him
quite a bit to figure it out, and with time and calmness too. Would Sakura and
Syaoran be able to see it between the dangers and desperation Earlington held
for held for them?
Wishing he could provide a better answer, he repeated the words that seemed to
be an answer for everything those days.
"I don't really know…"
