Disclaimer: Don't own YYH…yet.
Chapter 5: ChaosI run off, so fast that I surprise myself. I wouldn't have thought I'd be capable of that in my current condition. But I want to get away from the speedy thing back there.
What I know is that I have to get away. All I have to do is watch for the lights in the street lamps in ahead Alken to know the way.
I don't like the feeling of that cloth that touched my cheek. For some reason, it is hanging around my cheek. I can't get that rough material feel off it. It's very weird. And I want it off now.
I start to rub it, but have to stop as soon as I get there. I told you it doesn't take long to get to the town, and I'm a usually a pretty good, fast runner.
Even in the dark, you can tell how quiet and quaint it is. Maybe it's just because it's a Monday and all, but it is still inactive and still more quiet.
I shake my head to clear it. There's still the question of where I sleep tonight.
I sigh, and look at all the quiet homes. They don't know how lucky they are to have a bed.
I suddenly hear something whirring up ahead, and recognize it as a big-engined car. I can tell that it's coming straight for me. I get onto the sidewalk really fast, and I can make out something white as it careens past at about 100 mph. I guess it was a car, although my vision isn't the best.
"Jerk." I mutter, as it skids away just as noisily. Was that an old SUV or what? It would have killed me!
I start to walk around. I ask the time of a lady who is holding a pan of boiling hot water.
She says it can't be more than 8 o'clock. I still have at least two hours to search for a temporary haven. And I know where to come back to. The old lady and the Bank.
(Several hours later)
Oh my god! Where can I go??????? I'm at the same spot where I started!
I have been searching for 1 hour, 56 minutes, and 27 seconds, approximately, and there's nothing at all that could help me. Not hotels, not streets, not people, not even a hole in the ground – I'm screwed. What I really need is a hospital or a physiologist to help with my condition.
Now an hour and 57 minutes.
Where can I go? Where?
Not hotels, not houses, not my house, not streets, definitely not alleys – hell, there's not even a cardboard box I could sleep under. This is the first time I've truly hated the cleanliness of the town. The only things I have found are a few quarters. And to add insult to injury, it has begun to rain.
I walk around a little more, and finally, I remember what I should have done hours ago.
I run to the nearest pay phone booth, tripping once in my haste. As soon as I am inside, I slam the doors shut. I press all the numbers in a row, so I can hear the individual sounds. There isn't enough light out to see the actual digits, so I'll have to rely on sound. After a few tries, I slip in two quarters and dial the magic digits – 911 based on the beeps.
"Yes?" Asks the perky operator, picking up instantly. "You have reached the emergency center. Please state your emergency!" You can tell that she just got a fresh manicure and was looking forward to a TV show she wanted to see later. People like that really annoy me. How can anyone be that happy at ten o'clock?
I hurriedly deepen my voice so I won't sound simply like a prank caller. "There's a man who's been attacked in a trailer right outside Alken, New Jersey. I have reason to believe he is intoxicated and dying, if not already dead. Come get him soon."
Her perky mood vanishes completely. "Wha…how do you know this?"
I hang up quickly, and quietly congratulate myself. Looks like I do have a nice streak after all. And I don't think I gave out any personal information, so I should be all right. And my dad may even be all right. They might even cure him of his dependence on alcohol. If that happened, my feelings would be very mixed. I wouldn't be able to steal anymore, but I'd still have someone to talk to, and maybe I'd even get into school. I mean, don't they say that all the homeless people are usually uneducated? I don't want to be a bum. I want school. (A/N she so doesn't know what it's like :p)
Ah, wishes…
I start to whistle, something that is totally uncharacteristic of me, and walk out of the phone booth. My whistle dies as I notice something right outside of the phone booth.
Is that that same car that almost turned me into road kill?
Same white sheen. Same SUV model.
No, I doubt it. Why would the car want to see me?
AH! Could it be a police car, having traced the phone call?
No. If it is in fact the same car, it couldn't have traced me that fast. And I saw it before I made the call anyway. And police car drivers wouldn't be that reckless.
Could they have found out that I am the thief who has a 40,000-dollar reward on her head?
No. I left no clues.
But could I have missed something? Like, another search camera?
No. The cameras are all connected as part of the same system. That is their biggest flaw. Once you know the position of one camera, you can figure out the rest.
But what if they changed it? What if they decided to make it totally random?
My god, is tonight Halloween or something? Did I miss some holiday where you try to freak people out? Cause if it is, people are doing a darn good job.
I start to walk in the opposite direction of the car.
Then, the answer hits me.
Why not hide out in a bank?
That way, I could get more money doing what only I love, and then I could get free shelter!
If someone discovered me, it wouldn't be a big deal, just because I could always escape again! And there are plenty of hiding places in a bank! I know from experience! It's perfect!
And by getting food, I could just sneak out of the bank and get some or take from the cafeteria!
I stop, trying to look for a flaw. If I go in there when I've overlooked something…
Behind me, I hear the quiet movement of a door open and the click of a well-disguised slam of the same one.
I know I shouldn't, but instead of running, I flip around. In the blackness, I can only make a vague shape. Judging by the torso, I'd say it's probably a guy, although one with elbow length hair or a head scarf or something. He also appears to be holding something long and thin.
I squint. Whip.
He's holding a whip.
Tell me he doesn't have a whip.
I watch, transfixed on the figure. Fortunately, it isn't moving, but I know first hand of how dangerous whips can be. I've seen some whip shows in TV, and a whip in the hands of a skilled professional can be lethal.
And why do I get the feeling that this guy is a skilled professional?
Before I have time to react, I see the right hand, the one with the whip, move. Ever so slightly and quickly.
Just a tiny little wrist flick.
The whip tipvanishes in a second, and I feel something lash my leg like fire. Something digs into my flesh like claws. The pain is intense. But as the whip recoils back to its owner, it seems to shrink slightly, from the point where it hit me.
I inhale through my mouth, and cursing myself, I drop to the ground. My leg has begun to tremble, and I can feel juice sliding down it. It can't be raindrops. It's my blood.
I take a breath shakily and look up into my attacker. He's coming closer. It is a guy. He has long fluffy hair. I can't tell the color of the hair. It could be anywhere from black to blonde.
Gotta get away…
What can I do if I can't walk?
But I can hop, right?
No. I am so bruised from my dad that I am virtually powerless. I can't fight and I can't run. I'm done.
But I can't be done! Not yet! There must be something…anything that can help me!
I grit my teeth. Gotta think…he's getting even closer…
I don't know much martial arts. The thing I used to overpower my dad was just learned from TV street fighting. And I hate to hurt things anyway. It's my main weakness.
As I look at the one who lashed me, I feel an intense hatred. Maybe I'll make an exception, just his once, for this jerk.
I try to stand. I eventually do get up, using my left arm to push myself up. All of my other limbs have been pretty wounded. My right leg and arm were my dad's doing, and the whip took care of the other leg.
Can I pull it off with one arm and possibly one leg?
I can. I have to. I will die if I don't. And who knows what else this guy has planned.
Now he is about two feet away from me. He stops, watching me.
I watch him back, breathing hard. I would just love to drop to the ground and sleep. Heal up all of my wounds.
Is that his whip? Why is it so much smaller? Maybe I didn't imagine its shrinking when it touched me? I brace myself.
Nothing happens, but I hear a little cry of surprise.
It's obvious what's got my attacker in a flap. As soon as I look, I see the brilliant orange glow of the whip. Well, not the whip. The flame on the tip of the whip.
When did that happen?
How did that happen?
If it's raining…
How is his whip staying on fire?
I stare at it. What else could it be?
But it can't be a fire if it's resistant to rain. Right?
Would someone please tell me what is going on here?
But judging from the look on the man's face, lit by the glow of the fire, he doesn't know either. He looks confused, and he is grinding his teeth.
I suddenly come back to my problem. This is my distraction! This is my one chance to get away!
I drop the ground, and start to crawl away. It's a very slow crawl, but my attacker is too distracted with his magical fire. He doesn't notice as I slip away, slowly and painfully.
555555555555555555555555
I feel something hot in my pocket, almost as hot as the fire on my Rose Whip.
I pick it up. "WHAT????"
"Kurama?" It's Yusuke, of course. The whole nutty ringleader of this operation.
"Listen, do you know how to put out a Spirit Fire?"
"Spirit Fire?"
"YES!!!"
He looks puzzled. "Just submerge it in something hot. You knew that!"
Oh, right. Not thinking straight. I walk over to the old lady with the boiling hot water, and dip my whip into it. She doesn't seem to really notice.
When I take it out, I see the remains of my charred tip of my whip. Oh well. I can always make a new one.
I walk away from her. "What is it?" I ask into my Commir.
"Do you have the girl?"
I look around, and sigh. She's nowhere to be found. Intelligent little thing. She took advantage of my confusion. "No."
"DAMN! Why couldn't the great thief Kurama get the girl?"
I bite my lip. "Well, I acted on your orders. I didn't touch her. I tried to knock her down with my car, but missed. After, I used my whip to lame her, so she'd be easier to capture."
"Yeah, good thinking. And…?"
"The whip turned into a stick of dynamite. It caught flame the second it touched her, even though it did wound her."
Yusuke gets a throb on his forehead. "DAMN YOU KURAMA!"
"Yeah, I know, I know…"
The throb disappears. Yusuke begins ticking off on his fingers. "Hiei – he proved demons don't work with his cloak. You – you just proved that demon weapons don't work. And I can't exactly go out there and catch her myself. And Genkai is too occupied."
"Yes. That only leaves Kuwabara."
Yusuke nods. "I hate trusting that oaf in these situations, but what choice do we have?"
"Right. Send him in fast."
"Yeah. Call Hiei and see if he's found her whereabouts yet. If not, both of you track her. Stay together. We don't know what she's capable of."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Good." Says Yusuke, ignoring my comment. "I'll send Kuwabara. Watch out for her."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
I switch it off, as Yusuke is about to yell at me for my attitude.
He doesn't think I can take care of myself.
I can.
I may not be able to touch Kara, but I will get her.
555555555555555555
A/N Anyway, that's Hiei and now Kurama negated. Now we'll just see how Kuwabara does! Kara's capture is all in the hands of an oaf…don't we all feel safe.