Quick warning: Language in the next few chapters may get rough...they've been
rough through the last but I just felt I should warn you. I'm going to
change the rating to R for violence and language.
{DUM DUM DUM}
"Riku wait!" She yelled, running out after him. Riku shoved the front door open and let it slam against the wall. He didn't care that it was still raining or that within his first 5 steps his shoes had sank a few inches and were thoroughly soaked. "Riku! Stop! Its too long of a walk!" Kairi ran out onto the porch after him but stayed where she was safe and dry.
"I don't care!" He yelled. He spun around furiously and glared into her wide eyes. "I swore to her I wouldn't let anything happen to her! I promised her that!" He clenched and unclenched his fists without realizing it. "I have to do something! Anything!"
"It wasn't your fault!" Kairi yelled back, clutching her robe tightly around her. "Please come inside. Stay with us at least until we all can go with you!" She pleaded. Riku stared at the girl for a moment, taking in her earnest expression. He sighed heavily and pushed his wet hair out of his face. "Please." Kairi added almost too quietly. He could tell she was beginning to give up on him.
The rain poured and the thunder crashed but the two stood firmly only feet apart, staring each other in the eyes. Finally he agreed and in what felt like slow motion made his way up the narrow porch stairs.
"Where's Riaz?" He demanded as he brushed past the red head. He could hear her breath a sigh of thanks as he passed.
"I don't know. In her room maybe?" She trailed him inside like a skittish puppy. He nodded and started up the stairs.
"Kairi?" Sora appeared behind her. "Did you find him?" Riku looked over his shoulder in a glare that could have stopped Satan in his tracks.
"Yes." Kairi answered unnecessarily. "Where did you take her?" She asked in a much quieter voice to keep Riku from overhearing. He heard it anyway.
"Where we put Cloud and Aerith. In the upstairs bathroom." Sora answered. Riku clenched his jaw tightly. He couldn't believe the killer had gotten to another one. How had the bastard managed to slip through his fingers...again? This time getting to something much more precious to him than he ever realized. Strangled. The burn marks on her neck would be enough to keep him up at night for the rest of his life.
"Riaz!" He yelled suddenly. "Where is she? I know she did it. Jailyn knew it was Riaz and Riaz found out. The bitch...when I find her..." He took the stairs three at a time, murmuring his plans to avenge his girlfriend's death. No sooner had he reached the second floor did he run into the object of his rage herself.
{Kairi}
Riku's words ran true in my head. I thought about the run in yesterday when we'd discovered Cloud dead. She'd so mysteriously showed up at the perfect time. "Sora." I started to tell him my worries.
"Wait." Sora muttered, taking my hand and leading me up to the second floor where the yelling had just reached deafening heights.
"I didn't kill her! I'm tired of all of you blaming-"
"You aren't talking your way out of this one!" We arrived in time to see Riku advance threateningly on the unsuspecting Riaz.
She glared at him through deep, blackened eyes and snarled in response, "Back up. I wont have you threatening me in my own house."
"But it's okay for you to KILL in your own house?!" Riku growled. Squall and Yuffie appeared from the other side of the hall, both bewildered. I saw Sora and Squall share a look as the argument intensified.
"I didn't kill those two people and I certainly didn't kill your whore of a girlfriend!" Riaz spat. I gasped. All was still.
"You bitch." I had never seen Riku so angry. His eyes sparked a furious green as he lunged.
"Whoa." Squall grunted as he grabbed Riku around the waist and literally sat him back a few feet.
"Get off me." Riku snarled as he fought against Squall's arms. He broke free but didn't attack Riaz. Her eyes grayed a little and despite her shaking hands she seemed much more calm.
"Ungrateful..." she grumbled as she turned to leave. Riku glared at her but didn't say anything. Riaz's footsteps could be heard disappearing downstairs until finally a door slammed. I let out my breath and shut my eyes, willing my heart to calm.
"I'm walking the highway. Is anyone coming with me?" Riku asked in a low voice. Sora and Squall exchanged another look.
"Squall, stay with the girls." Sora suggested. I looked at him sharply. "I'll go with Riku." He was barely able to say Riku's name when the lights went out. We were plunged into deep darkness. I grabbed Sora's hand but he let go. I felt his arm slip around my wait protectively instead.
"Don't go yet." Yuffie pleaded. I felt something brush past me and shrieked.
"Easy, just me." I recognized Riku's deep voice. "We'll wait until the power comes back on at least. Okay?" He asked. I could tell he was walking away because his voice got fainter. We stumbled around the dark house until the lights from the living room windows relieved us.
Squall and Yuffie had stayed close behind us, but Riku was nowhere to be found. I sat on the sofa nervously and played with my rings. It wasn't even raining hard...and there was no lighting at all. This was the work of an inside force.
"We could set up signs by the road for people that drive by. Someone's gotta pass eventually." Yuffie suggested.
"They'd think it was a joke." Squall shot down the idea however tactfully.
"Well this is ridiculous. One of us has to do something. We can't just sit here and wait like we have been." I said angrily. I was tired of being the scared one. It had gotten me nowhere.
"There's not a lot we can do." Yuffie pointed out. I saw her take Squall's hand very discreetly. Squall's eyes widened slightly but he didn't say anything...or let go.
"Maybe." I looked up suddenly. "Where's Riku anyway?" I asked with an abrupt and strange sick feeling in my gut.
Sora looked around the shadowy room. "Who knows..."
{Riku}
He glared out the window, struggling to see through the water streaks. Why had she left in the middle of the night without telling him? Why hadn't she asked him to come with her?! He would have gladly – He glared at her bed. Enough of those questions.
"Riku?" Someone knocked on the door. He stayed silent. The doorknob twisted and the door was slowly pushed open. Riaz stood in the doorway. "I just wanted to apologize. I meant no offense to your girlfriend." Riku noticed in blind hatred that her apology never reached her cold eyes.
"You'd better go. Before I say something or do something I'll regret." He warned in a well-controlled voice. Riaz nodded slowly.
"Yes sir." She murmured and backed up into the hallway. She mumbled something else and slammed the door.
"What was that?!" Riku demanded angrily. He stalked to the door and flung it wide open.
{Yuffie}
"I come bearing candles." Riaz chirped, bobbing into the room. Her strangely cheery disposition put us all on guard. I looked at Squall briefly then back to the white candles she was strategically placing around the room. "I really wanted to apologize about everything. I wish I wasn't so...secluded out here. Gets lonely sometimes. I was so glad when you all showed up, under unfortunate circumstances–"She shot Squall and me an apologetic glance. "But I never expected all of this." She shook her head and pulled a small matchbook out of her pocket.
It scratched against the box and lit the room for a quick second before lowering into a small orange/blue flame. She lit the candles but held the quickly burning stick of wood between her fingers. She stared at it for a second, letting the flame burn near her fingers before blowing it out. The four of us sat silently, all thinking the same thing. We didn't believe her. A silent agreement between us said that Riaz was the murderer and was under no circumstances to be trusted.
I could tell Sora was itching to tell her off but Kairi's hand found his first. Sora looked grateful for the interruption.
Riaz looked at us. "Please. It's so somber in here. Someone say something. I feel horrible about your-"
"How about we drop that discussion. I might say something I really...really don't want to." Sora said coldly as he stared at Riaz. She shifted uncomfortably but his eyes followed her moves tightly.
"Where's Riku?" I asked her, joining in on the gang-up. Riaz turned pale.
"You all think...its me don't you?" She put the matches backing her pocket, lowering her eyes. "Its not me, I swear it. There's this thing in this house...I can't leave. I don't do any of-"She paused. Her eyes closed and when they reopened they were pitch black. It felt like the cold in the room clamped down on me; once again I felt scared of Riaz. Without another word she left the room.
"I don't believe it for a second." Sora said.
"Said can't leave? Like...supernatural imprisonment?" I murmured to myself. It was pretty farfetched.
"I think she's full of it and we need to leave. Now." Sora stood up and dropped Kairi's hand. "I'll go find Riku." He said and left the room.
{Kairi}
"Why wont the doors open?!" I cried in near hysterics.
"The windows wont either." Squall growled. He kicked one in an attempt to break through but it didn't budge.
"There has to be a way out of this place. We do not ever split up. Not ever. No one out of my sight and don't let me out of yours." Yuffie said, pacing the floor. I leaned against the wall, my mind racing through the possibilities. Riku had been found stabbed through the stomach, his hands bound behind his back, and had an ether soaked rag used as a gag. ((A/N: hey...that rhymed. Ahem.)) He was found in the kitchen. That meant the killer was here...in this house right now.
"This Riaz woman did it. No doubt in my mind." Yuffie added. "Riku yells at her and bam he dies."
"Jailyn mentions her suspicion of Riaz and she's dead too." I said quietly as I pieced it all together. "And Cloud kicked a dent in her door!" Okay so it was a weak reason but it was true.
"Aerith didn't do anything though..." Sora said as he slumped against the locked door. Judging by his expression I didn't figure we had any hope of escaping just yet.
"Using this new way of looking at our chances...who do you think is next?" Yuffie asked. My breath caught in my throat. I was sure I looked like I'd just seen a ghost. I felt like I had anyway. I could see Yuffie desperately trying not to look at Sora. My eyes shifted to Squall and I was horrified to see he was having the same dilemma. Sora? No he couldn't be...
'I might say something I really...really don't want to...' I remembered Sora's indirect accusation and cold glare.
"You might want to apologize or something Sora." Yuffie suggested quietly. I didn't appreciate her rueful tone. He wasn't dead yet. Wait...not yet-not ever. Riaz chose to make her appearance again, with even more candles. We all froze and stared. She never made eye contact with anyone as she placed them around the room and lit them. Without a word she walked out.
"She knows these doors are locked doesn't she." Yuffie stared after her thoughtfully.
"So...if she's the killer why don't we stop her?" Sora asked his own question instead of answering hers.
"What? Like kill her first?" Squall looked suspiciously at Sora.
"Like lock her up somewhere." Sora shot him a mean look. Squall shrugged.
"Worth a shot." Yuffie spoke quickly. I was sure she was trying to avoid a confrontation between the two men. "Now how are we gonna do this..."
{Later}
"Do you smell something burning?" I asked, looking up from the pad of paper I was doodling on. Sora paid no attention to me as he was deeply engrossed in his own thoughts. Yuffie looked at me. She squinted around the dark, candle lit room.
"Actually..." She mumbled.
"Its just the candles." Squall said. He kept his eyes shut.
"No...its more like-" A shrill shrieking noise interrupted me. I immediately clapped my hands over my ears. "Fire alarm!" I yelled. Sora grabbed my arm and Squall grabbed Yuffie. Sora led us to the source of the noise. Smoke billowed from the kitchen doors and the alarm grew even louder.
"What do we do? We're locked in!" Yuffie cried as she shrank into Squall's arms. Sora broke away from me and ran inside.
"SORA!" I screamed. How could he do that?! "Sora!" I started in after him but Squall pulled me back.
"Don't!" He ordered roughly. He winced and glared at the smoke alarm as it gave out another piercing shriek. In one fluid motion he grabbed a knife from the dinner table (we hadn't cleaned since we found Cloud) and hurled it at the round source of racket. It cut through and stuck to the ceiling. The alarm crackled and flared but the sound dulled to a garbled, repeating buzz.
Sora reemerged coughing and spraying a fire extinguisher. I grabbed two tablemats and handed one to Yuffie. "Help me!" I said and ran in after Sora. For the most part it was covered in a white foam but fire still poked out around the sink and the stove. Sora handled the stove. I tried to beat the flaming area around the sink, smothering the flames.
It was still dark thanks to the power outage. Sora coughed again and dropped the extinguisher. "It started at the sink." He pointed behind me. Something sat inside the remains of it, smoking and charred but still noticeable. I looked closely at it.
"Sora..." I said and motioned for him to come closer. He peered in at it. "It looks like-"
"I know what it looks like." He snapped. I bit my lip. As impossible as it seemed...there sat what were the remains of a hand.
{Yuffie}
"With Riaz dead all of our problems are solved." I paced the floor wearily as I listened to Kairi try to cheer up the bleak mood hanging over us. "And there's bound to be a way out. The windows can't be totally unbreakable." She paused and looked at us. "Right?"
"Yeah Kai." I blinked and sat down. She really had no idea. I mean she'd had to have seen a horror movie at least once in her life. The killer didn't die in the middle of a killing spree. The killer faked their death to put the college students/teenagers off guard. This couldn't be any different.
I uncrossed my legs and stretched them out in front of me with a yawn. My bed was looking really good right about now. I could tell Sora and Squall weren't prepared to burst her bubble. "Kai it's late. We should get some sleep." I said, jabbing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the bed. Squall had pushed the two beds together to create one so we could all sleep in the same room. The girls slept in the middle and I chose of course to be next to squall. After that first night I had no trouble sleeping next to him. In fact I preferred it. He made me feel safe.
Kairi bounced onto the space between Sora and I. "Tomorrow we can leave?"
"Tomorrow we leave." Sora allowed tiredly. Squall was already passed out on his side, snoring softly. How he could sleep so easily was beyond me. I fell back and pulled my blanket over my legs, preparing for a long night. It seemed my eyes had just closed when I heard the soft sound of music. Just a few notes but I could tell it was a melody. I tired to pass it off as a dream or my imagination but it continued to play gently.
I glanced at Kairi to find her asleep. Sora was too. How'd they do that so fast? I tried to wake Squall up but he never moved. Every horror movie I'd seen pulled this sort of stunt. The next victim would always wander off to investigate and end up dead. Like hell was I about to find that music. But after 30 minutes of gut wrenching fear and fighting with myself I decided I had to find out where it was coming from. I opened the door quietly and crept out, staying particularly aware of what went on behind me.
I followed the music downstairs to the perfectly white parlor. At first it seemed empty but a glance at the mirrors held a different story. The music I recognized as a slower Enya song, one of Selphie's favorites. 7 people sat around the room. I looked in terror at the couch but saw no one...the mirrored couch showed someone I recognized as ... my sister.
"Selph!" A violent cry escaped me. She stared at me sadly. A voice pulled my eyes away from her face.
"You have to get out Yuf." In the mirror I saw Aerith, her green eyes imploring me. Cloud stood next to her. I recognized Riku and Jailyn talking quietly near the door and tried to call to them. I felt a lump in my throat as I looked at my old friends again.
"Please Yuffie. Get everyone out of there." Cloud said. Tears ran down my face in torrents.
"Please." I choked. "Why..." I was sobbing too hard to finish. One of the two people that I couldn't recognize turned around. Suddenly I couldn't breath. I couldn't scream or cry or move...I was paralyzed.
"Yuffie." He whispered. "Please."
"Please what?!" I screamed as the images faded. The music wavered and then stopped completely.
I woke up.
{Kairi}
"Yuffie! Wake up!" Squall nearly yelled in the girl's face. I watched in near tears as he shook the sobbing girl by the shoulders. "Please Yuffie!" He growled, shoving his hair out of his face nervously.
"Please what?!" She screamed suddenly and bolted upright. Her sobbing never ceased nor slowed. She took one look at Squall and clutched to him like a lost child. "Squall we have..." She choked on her words, crying into his chest. He stroked her hair and murmured soothing things, something I would have thought I'd never see from Squall. "No..." she shook her head and slowly sat up. "its...Sora." She looked at the 16 year old briefly and burst back into tears.
"What's Sora?" I demanded tearfully. She didn't reply. This terrified me more than anything else. Sora? What was she talking about? Then I broke down.
"Shit." Sora put his arm around my shoulders and sighed. "Just a bad dream Yuf." He whispered over my head. He kissed my hair and told me not to cry but I couldn't listen. It was too much. Even someone else's nightmare could set me off.
Eventually the guys got us under control. "What." Sniffle. "Time is it." Cough. I accepted the Kleenex Sora handed me.
"Nearly midnight." He replied sleepily. I guessed he had almost fallen asleep with me in his arms. I was strangely satisfied that he was that comfortable with me.
"Yuffie?" Squall whispered to the young woman still sitting in his lap. (It never occurred to me that he liked her...and vice versa. I didn't realize it was illegal at the time either.) She looked at him, then at us.
"I'm sorry. Its just-" There was a thump from the closet. The four of us froze solid.
"Did you hear that?" I whispered. Sora crawled off the bed and moved to open it.
"NO!" Yuffie shrieked. Sora hesitated and looked at her strangely. "You can't! It's...it's getting to you next!" She cried, grabbing Sora's hand. Sora's blue eyes flashed suddenly but he didn't say anything. "Please!"
"Sora humor her!" I pleaded.
"Kairi someone has to-"
"Lets just get out of here." I grabbed his other hand.
"Oh for- I'll do it." Squall got up and stomped over to the closet where the noise originated. Yuffie whimpered. He threw it open.
{TBC}
AHAHA! EVIL I AM! Another evil cliffhanger...and I actually did this on purpose because I have everything but the epilogue written out. I just don't feel like typing the rest at the moment...muwhaha. I know. Don't you love me?
I've decided I like semi-short chapters because I can get them out faster than I can with the 20 pages. I hate to say this but my chapters may get even slower now that I have finals coming up. I got my study guides (thank God I still get study guides) today and nearly fell out of my chair. I'm sooo going to die.
Anyway, nuff rambling. Ya'll should know who the killer is now...I mean it's pretty obvious. Or is it...
Reviewer thank you:
Deplora: AHAH! He didn't kill or kiss her...she just fell asleep. I know what a jip. Not my Riku! YOU MUST GIVE ME MY RIKU! breaks down I killed him! I killed my baby. You have no idea how hard that was for me to do. I nearly didn't do it...
Greyspark: I LEAVED YOU HANGING AGAIN! Sorry! I swear I laughed forever after reading that speaking gibberish thing. That was hilarious. And the next chapter will be up pretty quick so don't worry!
Pingpong867: sigh I just love doing this to ya'll. I can't help it. But it wasn't RIKU! AHAHA!
KingdomHearts309: haha just wait. The really freaky part comes next. I freaked the heck outta myself writing it. AND DON'T WAIT SO LONG TO UPDATED 'LETS BE GAY' its one of the very few riku/sora centered I like. And believe me there are FEW! Like...2 stories.
Regno Cuore: Sorry it's been a while but I promise the next one will be out quicker. Really soon...like tomorrow or the next if all goes well. Yeah...so um. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
Matrixie: You...are like so smart. Muwhaha. You catch on quickly...
THANKS FER REVIEWING ALL! LOVE YA! Pwease review again?
{DUM DUM DUM}
"Riku wait!" She yelled, running out after him. Riku shoved the front door open and let it slam against the wall. He didn't care that it was still raining or that within his first 5 steps his shoes had sank a few inches and were thoroughly soaked. "Riku! Stop! Its too long of a walk!" Kairi ran out onto the porch after him but stayed where she was safe and dry.
"I don't care!" He yelled. He spun around furiously and glared into her wide eyes. "I swore to her I wouldn't let anything happen to her! I promised her that!" He clenched and unclenched his fists without realizing it. "I have to do something! Anything!"
"It wasn't your fault!" Kairi yelled back, clutching her robe tightly around her. "Please come inside. Stay with us at least until we all can go with you!" She pleaded. Riku stared at the girl for a moment, taking in her earnest expression. He sighed heavily and pushed his wet hair out of his face. "Please." Kairi added almost too quietly. He could tell she was beginning to give up on him.
The rain poured and the thunder crashed but the two stood firmly only feet apart, staring each other in the eyes. Finally he agreed and in what felt like slow motion made his way up the narrow porch stairs.
"Where's Riaz?" He demanded as he brushed past the red head. He could hear her breath a sigh of thanks as he passed.
"I don't know. In her room maybe?" She trailed him inside like a skittish puppy. He nodded and started up the stairs.
"Kairi?" Sora appeared behind her. "Did you find him?" Riku looked over his shoulder in a glare that could have stopped Satan in his tracks.
"Yes." Kairi answered unnecessarily. "Where did you take her?" She asked in a much quieter voice to keep Riku from overhearing. He heard it anyway.
"Where we put Cloud and Aerith. In the upstairs bathroom." Sora answered. Riku clenched his jaw tightly. He couldn't believe the killer had gotten to another one. How had the bastard managed to slip through his fingers...again? This time getting to something much more precious to him than he ever realized. Strangled. The burn marks on her neck would be enough to keep him up at night for the rest of his life.
"Riaz!" He yelled suddenly. "Where is she? I know she did it. Jailyn knew it was Riaz and Riaz found out. The bitch...when I find her..." He took the stairs three at a time, murmuring his plans to avenge his girlfriend's death. No sooner had he reached the second floor did he run into the object of his rage herself.
{Kairi}
Riku's words ran true in my head. I thought about the run in yesterday when we'd discovered Cloud dead. She'd so mysteriously showed up at the perfect time. "Sora." I started to tell him my worries.
"Wait." Sora muttered, taking my hand and leading me up to the second floor where the yelling had just reached deafening heights.
"I didn't kill her! I'm tired of all of you blaming-"
"You aren't talking your way out of this one!" We arrived in time to see Riku advance threateningly on the unsuspecting Riaz.
She glared at him through deep, blackened eyes and snarled in response, "Back up. I wont have you threatening me in my own house."
"But it's okay for you to KILL in your own house?!" Riku growled. Squall and Yuffie appeared from the other side of the hall, both bewildered. I saw Sora and Squall share a look as the argument intensified.
"I didn't kill those two people and I certainly didn't kill your whore of a girlfriend!" Riaz spat. I gasped. All was still.
"You bitch." I had never seen Riku so angry. His eyes sparked a furious green as he lunged.
"Whoa." Squall grunted as he grabbed Riku around the waist and literally sat him back a few feet.
"Get off me." Riku snarled as he fought against Squall's arms. He broke free but didn't attack Riaz. Her eyes grayed a little and despite her shaking hands she seemed much more calm.
"Ungrateful..." she grumbled as she turned to leave. Riku glared at her but didn't say anything. Riaz's footsteps could be heard disappearing downstairs until finally a door slammed. I let out my breath and shut my eyes, willing my heart to calm.
"I'm walking the highway. Is anyone coming with me?" Riku asked in a low voice. Sora and Squall exchanged another look.
"Squall, stay with the girls." Sora suggested. I looked at him sharply. "I'll go with Riku." He was barely able to say Riku's name when the lights went out. We were plunged into deep darkness. I grabbed Sora's hand but he let go. I felt his arm slip around my wait protectively instead.
"Don't go yet." Yuffie pleaded. I felt something brush past me and shrieked.
"Easy, just me." I recognized Riku's deep voice. "We'll wait until the power comes back on at least. Okay?" He asked. I could tell he was walking away because his voice got fainter. We stumbled around the dark house until the lights from the living room windows relieved us.
Squall and Yuffie had stayed close behind us, but Riku was nowhere to be found. I sat on the sofa nervously and played with my rings. It wasn't even raining hard...and there was no lighting at all. This was the work of an inside force.
"We could set up signs by the road for people that drive by. Someone's gotta pass eventually." Yuffie suggested.
"They'd think it was a joke." Squall shot down the idea however tactfully.
"Well this is ridiculous. One of us has to do something. We can't just sit here and wait like we have been." I said angrily. I was tired of being the scared one. It had gotten me nowhere.
"There's not a lot we can do." Yuffie pointed out. I saw her take Squall's hand very discreetly. Squall's eyes widened slightly but he didn't say anything...or let go.
"Maybe." I looked up suddenly. "Where's Riku anyway?" I asked with an abrupt and strange sick feeling in my gut.
Sora looked around the shadowy room. "Who knows..."
{Riku}
He glared out the window, struggling to see through the water streaks. Why had she left in the middle of the night without telling him? Why hadn't she asked him to come with her?! He would have gladly – He glared at her bed. Enough of those questions.
"Riku?" Someone knocked on the door. He stayed silent. The doorknob twisted and the door was slowly pushed open. Riaz stood in the doorway. "I just wanted to apologize. I meant no offense to your girlfriend." Riku noticed in blind hatred that her apology never reached her cold eyes.
"You'd better go. Before I say something or do something I'll regret." He warned in a well-controlled voice. Riaz nodded slowly.
"Yes sir." She murmured and backed up into the hallway. She mumbled something else and slammed the door.
"What was that?!" Riku demanded angrily. He stalked to the door and flung it wide open.
{Yuffie}
"I come bearing candles." Riaz chirped, bobbing into the room. Her strangely cheery disposition put us all on guard. I looked at Squall briefly then back to the white candles she was strategically placing around the room. "I really wanted to apologize about everything. I wish I wasn't so...secluded out here. Gets lonely sometimes. I was so glad when you all showed up, under unfortunate circumstances–"She shot Squall and me an apologetic glance. "But I never expected all of this." She shook her head and pulled a small matchbook out of her pocket.
It scratched against the box and lit the room for a quick second before lowering into a small orange/blue flame. She lit the candles but held the quickly burning stick of wood between her fingers. She stared at it for a second, letting the flame burn near her fingers before blowing it out. The four of us sat silently, all thinking the same thing. We didn't believe her. A silent agreement between us said that Riaz was the murderer and was under no circumstances to be trusted.
I could tell Sora was itching to tell her off but Kairi's hand found his first. Sora looked grateful for the interruption.
Riaz looked at us. "Please. It's so somber in here. Someone say something. I feel horrible about your-"
"How about we drop that discussion. I might say something I really...really don't want to." Sora said coldly as he stared at Riaz. She shifted uncomfortably but his eyes followed her moves tightly.
"Where's Riku?" I asked her, joining in on the gang-up. Riaz turned pale.
"You all think...its me don't you?" She put the matches backing her pocket, lowering her eyes. "Its not me, I swear it. There's this thing in this house...I can't leave. I don't do any of-"She paused. Her eyes closed and when they reopened they were pitch black. It felt like the cold in the room clamped down on me; once again I felt scared of Riaz. Without another word she left the room.
"I don't believe it for a second." Sora said.
"Said can't leave? Like...supernatural imprisonment?" I murmured to myself. It was pretty farfetched.
"I think she's full of it and we need to leave. Now." Sora stood up and dropped Kairi's hand. "I'll go find Riku." He said and left the room.
{Kairi}
"Why wont the doors open?!" I cried in near hysterics.
"The windows wont either." Squall growled. He kicked one in an attempt to break through but it didn't budge.
"There has to be a way out of this place. We do not ever split up. Not ever. No one out of my sight and don't let me out of yours." Yuffie said, pacing the floor. I leaned against the wall, my mind racing through the possibilities. Riku had been found stabbed through the stomach, his hands bound behind his back, and had an ether soaked rag used as a gag. ((A/N: hey...that rhymed. Ahem.)) He was found in the kitchen. That meant the killer was here...in this house right now.
"This Riaz woman did it. No doubt in my mind." Yuffie added. "Riku yells at her and bam he dies."
"Jailyn mentions her suspicion of Riaz and she's dead too." I said quietly as I pieced it all together. "And Cloud kicked a dent in her door!" Okay so it was a weak reason but it was true.
"Aerith didn't do anything though..." Sora said as he slumped against the locked door. Judging by his expression I didn't figure we had any hope of escaping just yet.
"Using this new way of looking at our chances...who do you think is next?" Yuffie asked. My breath caught in my throat. I was sure I looked like I'd just seen a ghost. I felt like I had anyway. I could see Yuffie desperately trying not to look at Sora. My eyes shifted to Squall and I was horrified to see he was having the same dilemma. Sora? No he couldn't be...
'I might say something I really...really don't want to...' I remembered Sora's indirect accusation and cold glare.
"You might want to apologize or something Sora." Yuffie suggested quietly. I didn't appreciate her rueful tone. He wasn't dead yet. Wait...not yet-not ever. Riaz chose to make her appearance again, with even more candles. We all froze and stared. She never made eye contact with anyone as she placed them around the room and lit them. Without a word she walked out.
"She knows these doors are locked doesn't she." Yuffie stared after her thoughtfully.
"So...if she's the killer why don't we stop her?" Sora asked his own question instead of answering hers.
"What? Like kill her first?" Squall looked suspiciously at Sora.
"Like lock her up somewhere." Sora shot him a mean look. Squall shrugged.
"Worth a shot." Yuffie spoke quickly. I was sure she was trying to avoid a confrontation between the two men. "Now how are we gonna do this..."
{Later}
"Do you smell something burning?" I asked, looking up from the pad of paper I was doodling on. Sora paid no attention to me as he was deeply engrossed in his own thoughts. Yuffie looked at me. She squinted around the dark, candle lit room.
"Actually..." She mumbled.
"Its just the candles." Squall said. He kept his eyes shut.
"No...its more like-" A shrill shrieking noise interrupted me. I immediately clapped my hands over my ears. "Fire alarm!" I yelled. Sora grabbed my arm and Squall grabbed Yuffie. Sora led us to the source of the noise. Smoke billowed from the kitchen doors and the alarm grew even louder.
"What do we do? We're locked in!" Yuffie cried as she shrank into Squall's arms. Sora broke away from me and ran inside.
"SORA!" I screamed. How could he do that?! "Sora!" I started in after him but Squall pulled me back.
"Don't!" He ordered roughly. He winced and glared at the smoke alarm as it gave out another piercing shriek. In one fluid motion he grabbed a knife from the dinner table (we hadn't cleaned since we found Cloud) and hurled it at the round source of racket. It cut through and stuck to the ceiling. The alarm crackled and flared but the sound dulled to a garbled, repeating buzz.
Sora reemerged coughing and spraying a fire extinguisher. I grabbed two tablemats and handed one to Yuffie. "Help me!" I said and ran in after Sora. For the most part it was covered in a white foam but fire still poked out around the sink and the stove. Sora handled the stove. I tried to beat the flaming area around the sink, smothering the flames.
It was still dark thanks to the power outage. Sora coughed again and dropped the extinguisher. "It started at the sink." He pointed behind me. Something sat inside the remains of it, smoking and charred but still noticeable. I looked closely at it.
"Sora..." I said and motioned for him to come closer. He peered in at it. "It looks like-"
"I know what it looks like." He snapped. I bit my lip. As impossible as it seemed...there sat what were the remains of a hand.
{Yuffie}
"With Riaz dead all of our problems are solved." I paced the floor wearily as I listened to Kairi try to cheer up the bleak mood hanging over us. "And there's bound to be a way out. The windows can't be totally unbreakable." She paused and looked at us. "Right?"
"Yeah Kai." I blinked and sat down. She really had no idea. I mean she'd had to have seen a horror movie at least once in her life. The killer didn't die in the middle of a killing spree. The killer faked their death to put the college students/teenagers off guard. This couldn't be any different.
I uncrossed my legs and stretched them out in front of me with a yawn. My bed was looking really good right about now. I could tell Sora and Squall weren't prepared to burst her bubble. "Kai it's late. We should get some sleep." I said, jabbing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the bed. Squall had pushed the two beds together to create one so we could all sleep in the same room. The girls slept in the middle and I chose of course to be next to squall. After that first night I had no trouble sleeping next to him. In fact I preferred it. He made me feel safe.
Kairi bounced onto the space between Sora and I. "Tomorrow we can leave?"
"Tomorrow we leave." Sora allowed tiredly. Squall was already passed out on his side, snoring softly. How he could sleep so easily was beyond me. I fell back and pulled my blanket over my legs, preparing for a long night. It seemed my eyes had just closed when I heard the soft sound of music. Just a few notes but I could tell it was a melody. I tired to pass it off as a dream or my imagination but it continued to play gently.
I glanced at Kairi to find her asleep. Sora was too. How'd they do that so fast? I tried to wake Squall up but he never moved. Every horror movie I'd seen pulled this sort of stunt. The next victim would always wander off to investigate and end up dead. Like hell was I about to find that music. But after 30 minutes of gut wrenching fear and fighting with myself I decided I had to find out where it was coming from. I opened the door quietly and crept out, staying particularly aware of what went on behind me.
I followed the music downstairs to the perfectly white parlor. At first it seemed empty but a glance at the mirrors held a different story. The music I recognized as a slower Enya song, one of Selphie's favorites. 7 people sat around the room. I looked in terror at the couch but saw no one...the mirrored couch showed someone I recognized as ... my sister.
"Selph!" A violent cry escaped me. She stared at me sadly. A voice pulled my eyes away from her face.
"You have to get out Yuf." In the mirror I saw Aerith, her green eyes imploring me. Cloud stood next to her. I recognized Riku and Jailyn talking quietly near the door and tried to call to them. I felt a lump in my throat as I looked at my old friends again.
"Please Yuffie. Get everyone out of there." Cloud said. Tears ran down my face in torrents.
"Please." I choked. "Why..." I was sobbing too hard to finish. One of the two people that I couldn't recognize turned around. Suddenly I couldn't breath. I couldn't scream or cry or move...I was paralyzed.
"Yuffie." He whispered. "Please."
"Please what?!" I screamed as the images faded. The music wavered and then stopped completely.
I woke up.
{Kairi}
"Yuffie! Wake up!" Squall nearly yelled in the girl's face. I watched in near tears as he shook the sobbing girl by the shoulders. "Please Yuffie!" He growled, shoving his hair out of his face nervously.
"Please what?!" She screamed suddenly and bolted upright. Her sobbing never ceased nor slowed. She took one look at Squall and clutched to him like a lost child. "Squall we have..." She choked on her words, crying into his chest. He stroked her hair and murmured soothing things, something I would have thought I'd never see from Squall. "No..." she shook her head and slowly sat up. "its...Sora." She looked at the 16 year old briefly and burst back into tears.
"What's Sora?" I demanded tearfully. She didn't reply. This terrified me more than anything else. Sora? What was she talking about? Then I broke down.
"Shit." Sora put his arm around my shoulders and sighed. "Just a bad dream Yuf." He whispered over my head. He kissed my hair and told me not to cry but I couldn't listen. It was too much. Even someone else's nightmare could set me off.
Eventually the guys got us under control. "What." Sniffle. "Time is it." Cough. I accepted the Kleenex Sora handed me.
"Nearly midnight." He replied sleepily. I guessed he had almost fallen asleep with me in his arms. I was strangely satisfied that he was that comfortable with me.
"Yuffie?" Squall whispered to the young woman still sitting in his lap. (It never occurred to me that he liked her...and vice versa. I didn't realize it was illegal at the time either.) She looked at him, then at us.
"I'm sorry. Its just-" There was a thump from the closet. The four of us froze solid.
"Did you hear that?" I whispered. Sora crawled off the bed and moved to open it.
"NO!" Yuffie shrieked. Sora hesitated and looked at her strangely. "You can't! It's...it's getting to you next!" She cried, grabbing Sora's hand. Sora's blue eyes flashed suddenly but he didn't say anything. "Please!"
"Sora humor her!" I pleaded.
"Kairi someone has to-"
"Lets just get out of here." I grabbed his other hand.
"Oh for- I'll do it." Squall got up and stomped over to the closet where the noise originated. Yuffie whimpered. He threw it open.
{TBC}
AHAHA! EVIL I AM! Another evil cliffhanger...and I actually did this on purpose because I have everything but the epilogue written out. I just don't feel like typing the rest at the moment...muwhaha. I know. Don't you love me?
I've decided I like semi-short chapters because I can get them out faster than I can with the 20 pages. I hate to say this but my chapters may get even slower now that I have finals coming up. I got my study guides (thank God I still get study guides) today and nearly fell out of my chair. I'm sooo going to die.
Anyway, nuff rambling. Ya'll should know who the killer is now...I mean it's pretty obvious. Or is it...
Reviewer thank you:
Deplora: AHAH! He didn't kill or kiss her...she just fell asleep. I know what a jip. Not my Riku! YOU MUST GIVE ME MY RIKU! breaks down I killed him! I killed my baby. You have no idea how hard that was for me to do. I nearly didn't do it...
Greyspark: I LEAVED YOU HANGING AGAIN! Sorry! I swear I laughed forever after reading that speaking gibberish thing. That was hilarious. And the next chapter will be up pretty quick so don't worry!
Pingpong867: sigh I just love doing this to ya'll. I can't help it. But it wasn't RIKU! AHAHA!
KingdomHearts309: haha just wait. The really freaky part comes next. I freaked the heck outta myself writing it. AND DON'T WAIT SO LONG TO UPDATED 'LETS BE GAY' its one of the very few riku/sora centered I like. And believe me there are FEW! Like...2 stories.
Regno Cuore: Sorry it's been a while but I promise the next one will be out quicker. Really soon...like tomorrow or the next if all goes well. Yeah...so um. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
Matrixie: You...are like so smart. Muwhaha. You catch on quickly...
THANKS FER REVIEWING ALL! LOVE YA! Pwease review again?