The Thin Line Between Truth and Trust
- Chapter 1 -
It was a cold, dismal morning, and on the windowpanes water droplets still gleamed in the pale light.
The young woman was at first seated on her bed in the still darkness, hugging her knees to her chest, as many thoughts swam through her mind, before finally getting up and going to the window.
It wasn't much better, for already she could see that the morning was a bleak one. But nonetheless, she now stood at the window, with the shades pulled back, as the motel was a rather dreary place, it hardly looked better even in this light.
It didn't matter. She would move soon, anyway. Already she'd been there for about 3 days; perhaps that was too much time. Especially here of all places, where she was known…
'I don't know how much more of this I can take.' She thought as she sighed deeply, her hazel eyes traveling along the deserted streets - it was only 8:00, but she had been up since 5:30.
"A year." She shook her head as she felt herself sigh again; this sighing, she did it much too often, perhaps it was more of a pitiful sound, even though it was forlorn, and wrought with great sadness, as one would suppose.
That one-year spent either hiding or running, mostly. 'And there's nothing I can do about it either.' She added miserably. But she must accept the way her life turned.
She had taken her mind off the window for a moment, when she noticed a lone figure approaching the motel - which was all. But it was enough. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched in her throat.
'He's found me again.'
The last time he had found her was a few months ago, and that was in another part of the world - America. 'I've been here too long already. Somehow he must have gotten a clue that I would be here.'
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as she turned away from the window with both of her hands on her chest, holding it so, as it wouldn't escape.
Escape. There was an old, rickety fire escape outside one of the windows. But it was probably not even used any more. By the looks of it, it was pretty shabby, and probably would break.
'If I don't do it, he'll get me anyway. He's inside now. Surely he's at the desk, questioning them. Can't go out that way. And no use hiding.'
It was now or never. She pulled up the window and the last remnants of that night's rain had dripped down; and there was just enough room for her to step out.
Barely had her feet touched the landing that it already began to shake. She felt all the blood leave her face for a moment, and feared she would faint. But she made it to the next landing with no difficulty.
Her room had been on the fourth floor. She had reached the third now.
Rattle, Rattle.
The stairs shook again. Halfway between the third floor and second.
Rattle. She made it to the second story landing.
'Once he sees I'm gone, he'll hurry out here,' She thought. She reached the first floor landing. 'Almost there-'
CLANG!
She cringed - the last ladder dropped down suddenly - so suddenly. She could barely catch her breath again when she saw him, coming out of the motel entrance, with a small smirk on his face.
She took off running, down the block.
The street was deserted.
'Or was I seeing things… no there definitely was someone there…looking for me.'
Her disastrous choices that she made after she first left Japan came haunting her. She shook the thoughts away as she quickened her pace, hoping only that her heels wouldn't break at the wrong moment.
'Heels… idiot!' She chided herself mentally.
But someone was following her, haunting her footsteps from out of the shadows. But then they stopped, and retreated. But she didn't notice this.
'I do hate running so…but I can't stop now. I'll fight if I have to.' She thought. But she didn't have time to act on any of those thoughts when a hand grabbed hers, suddenly.
"Follow me." He said.
There was something about his voice that provoked trust, even hope, so she didn't question him. She only caught a quick glimpse at his face.
She had continued following him until he turned a corner. "In here." He said. "We'll be safe here. Don't mind the place, no one lives here."
The woman stepped in. "Wait-"
"Not yet." He gave a quick nod with his head pointing up. "Upstairs. Then we can talk." He pulled down a ladder and began climbing it.
'Oh dear god not another ladder.' She thought, then shrugged and followed him. As soon as she was up he raised the ladder and closed the trap door. Sighing she collapsed onto a chair.
"Thanks."
"No problem," the boy answered. Then she could tell that he wasn't a boy at all - but a young man. And yet he appeared very familiar. 'Oh my god, can it be-'
The young man seemed able to read her thoughts. "Don't worry, Mimi. You're safe with me."
"I'm not… worried…" she said, a questioning edge to her voice. 'He knows me!' The panicked thought shot through her mind.
"You haven't changed much. You're still beautiful, like I remember you."
"Thanks." She answered. She studied his face. 'He has a striking resemblance to Matt… but I know it isn't so…'
"Matt." She murmured aloud, accidentally.
He shook his head, sadly.
"I just meant you look so much like him." She apologized quickly. "Good heavens, Takeru, it's been a long time since I've laid eyes on you."
He nodded. "Yes."
"You are handsome, just like him." She replied, her voice trailing off.
Takeru blushed, slightly. "Some people choose to call me 'Angel' now. An affectionate term I suppose, though I'd daresay it fits you better. Listen." He said, and leaned in towards her, and with voice barely above a whisper, "I know, Mimi. About how you've been running, hoping to escape from their webs."
"You mean - you know?"
"I've been watching after you. Matt asked me to, before..." his voice trailed off. He longed to be able to finish that sentence someday, but even he did not know all the circumstances surrounding his brother's disappearance.
He stopped suddenly, and to Mimi it seemed as if a great weight were upon him. But her tongue was already brimming with more questions, and she couldn't stop them in time.
"What happened to him?"
"I can't say, not right now anyway. But we are going to have a meeting soon, and I think that you should come too. You might be in for a few surprises."
"Who's 'we'?"
"You'll find out in time. More people you know were involved than you think." He said knowingly.
Mimi looked down. Takeru took her hand gently into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You may be more involved than any of us."
Tears came to Mimi's eyes; her voice became strained: "It wasn't my fault TK… they tricked me…and I just had to come back…to escape but…I have to look over my shoulder all the time…because he is after me, you know."
Takeru nodded. "So you decided to come back here because you figured that you would be safe in the town of your birth."
"But it's as bad as every other place; his spies are…everywhere I think…"
Takeru nodded knowingly. "Just be careful in whom you invest your trust."
"Maybe I'm just paranoid."
"No. You aren't."
There was a brief pause. Her eyes slowly traveled around the room and once again landed on his face. "Tell me about Yamato. Please, I need to know what happened to him. He left me so suddenly, and told me where to go and such. And now I hear he sent you to watch over me. Please, Takeru."
Takeru hesitated, as if in thought. "I'm not sure, exactly...but I think it's safe to say that 'they' were on to him… and may have gotten to him."
"What do you mean?" She gasped. "You don't mean they-"
"I don't know where he is, Mimi. And believe me, I've looked everywhere." He started, but then stopped suddenly. "I've said too much." He glanced around the room once more. "You should be safe here, just don't leave. I'll be back for you when I can."
Mimi watched as Takeru lifted up the trap door, and climbed down the ladder, leaving her alone. That had lately become an all-too-familiar feeling for her. Her eyes swept through her surroundings; the room was mostly dark, in a state of twilight; the only source of light at the moment were small rays of sunshine peeking through spaces between the boards that blocked the windows. Mimi found a small chord suspended by a bare bulb that dangled from the ceiling; upon turning it on, she nearly shrieked.
Some small insects fled from the light, and a small rat scurried into a corner, dropping into a hole; she had been in worse before, but she was always prepared for it; this time, the destitute that surrounded her took her by surprise. She found a semi-clean place on the floor near a small, 9-inch television sitting in a corner; she turned on the television, trying to tune out from reality.
"...other news, astrologers have an astonishing sight for you coming up! All the planets in our solar system are going to align in exactly three days. Mark your calendar, folks..."
Her mind wandered away from the stellar calculations and to the past few months; it seemed like her business was just beginning to become known. Everybody said Mimi would be a fashion designer, and lo and behold, she was. But that still didn't stop them. 'I suppose this is where our destiny leads us.' She thought, and then sighed, her shoulders sagged, and she found herself feeling very exhausted, and soon her senses were overwhelmed. She thought naught of the floor, or how dirty it must have been, and closed her eyes, letting sleep take over.