Chapter 8
Mistreated
(A/N Geez… Did I make you people mad? I'm sorry I just had to add in cliffhanger in sooner or later. Well, here is the conclusion. Enjoy it.)
SOUNDS/sounds
Thoughts
Telepathy
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(Last time)
"L-leave her alone," Hotaka said, looking at the masked man.
"I've had about enough of you," the mugger said, bring the gun to Hotaka's head. "You want to be the hero? Well, then you can die like one!"
The man wrapped his finger around the gun's trigger. Kagome watched in horror. Hotaka was going to be killed before her eyes! What was she going to do? Would he kill her next? She closed her eyes then it came…
(Present time)
Nothing. It was dead silent. Was not the guy going to shoot? Kagome opened one eye to look. Hotaka was standing perfectly still, looking on in shock at the man before him. Kagome turned to look at the man. They're was someone standing behind him. She could not may out his face. But there was something wrong with the mugger. Blood was coming out of his mouth and nose.
Then with a groan the man fell hard to the ground, dead. He had a large hole in the back of his chest. Kagome and Hotaka then looked back up at the new man that had saved their lives. It was a tall man, thin, very noble looking in face, and perhaps the most striking thing about his was his hair. It was extremely long, finely brushed, and a shocking white.
"Uhhhhhh…" Kagome and Hotaka hummed in shock.
"Watch your back," the man said coolly as he gave Hotaka a stern look.
Then as quickly as he appeared his disappeared. What was that about, Kagome wondered as she looked up at Hotaka's stern face. She was totally clueless. Did Hotaka and the mystery man know each other? Hotaka quickly grabbed Kagome's hand and started back off towards the shrine something did not seem right here.
They remained silent for the rest of the walk back to the shrine. By the time they made it to the base of the steps they could hear Inuyasha barking at them from the landing. He had been waiting for them all this time. Kagome took of her sneakers and started up the steps with Hotaka behind her. Half way up Kagome got a good shot at Inuyasha. She twirled one shoe by its laces and let it go.
The shoe went flying through the air. Hitting Inuyasha right in the hit. He let out a yelped as Hotaka flinched at the sound of the dog's cry. Kagome and Hotaka quickly ran up the steps, across the courtyard, and into the house. Her mom opened the door this time as the two of them ran in with Inuyasha on their heels.
"Did you all have a good time," Mrs. Higurashi asked as the two teens looked at each other.
"At the dance we did but on the way home," Kagome paused, biting her lip. "We… Well, we got mugged."
"'Mugged,'" her mother said, turning as white as a ghost. "Where did you get mugged at?"
"A-about to block fr-from here," Hotaka said, looking down at his feet. "The m-man had a g-gun. He w-was going to kill u-us."
"Hotaka tried to stop him but almost got killed," Kagome said in slight panic. "Then we were save by another man but we never did get his name. He disappeared before we could."
"Kagome, I-I have to get b-back home," Hotaka said quietly. "I'll see y-you Monday."
"Okay," Kagome said as Hotaka opened the door. "Good bye."
"B-bye," he said as he quickly closed the door and started to run.
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Later that night as Kagome climbed into bed, she has the familiar feeling of being watched. She pulled the covers up over her head. That however did not work. They were yanked for her grasp and thrown to the floor. She sat up with a start as the bed started to be knocked from underneath.
I told you not to go out with him, the voice said through out her head. You almost got yourself killed. He couldn't protect a fly.
Leave him alone. Being mugged could have happen to anyone, Kagome spat.
Baka! If it weren't for THAT MAN you would be dead right now, he shouted.
"Just leave me alone!" Kagome snapped. "I'm sick and tired of you! You never leave me alone!"
"Do you honestly think I would EVER leave you alone," he growled, picking Kagome up off the bed. "One day I will get what I want from you"
"Then why don't you just take it already and get the hell out my life and this house," Kagome yelled.
"I keep telling you, baby doll, you're not ready to give it up yet. And another thing," Kagome watched the necklace get ripped off her neck, it even cut her a bit. "You belong to me! No one else can ever love you!"
"I'm not yours," Kagome barked. "I will never be yours! Now put me down!"
"Fine," Kagome was thrown to the floor. "But I'm not done with you yet!"
"Meaning," she hissed with some venom in her voice.
She then heard something break or crack. It almost sounded like glass. Kagome then saw what was left of her necklace hit the floor in tiny sharp shards and mangled gold. She then felt something sharp, run down her back, tearing the fabric of her nightshirt. She reached behind feeling a familiar, warm, sticky, liquid. It was her own fresh spelt blood. The cuts on her back burned like fire as she touched them.
"You go back to him, baby doll, and you'll regret it," then with that the cold presents in the room left once more.
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The two days later on Monday her back still stung and it took her forever to bandage it and to make the bleeding stop. Even now they still caused her pain. Damn that demon, she thought bitterly. Why did he have to pick on her so much? He finally backed off Souta lately, turning all his attention to her now. Kagome looked out the kitchen window. She saw Inuyasha staring at the front door, waiting for them to come out.
She was fit to really run from him this morning but she did not want to stay in the house. Kagome glanced over at her mom's butcher knife set. Kagome could not run today just walking killed her. When no one was in the kitchen Kagome grabbed one the smaller knives and rapped it in a dishtowel, leaving the black handle up so she could pull it out just under her shirt. She slipped it into the waistband of her green skirt. If the dog should try something she would be able to hurt and maybe it would leave her and her brother alone.
Kagome let Souta run out first like she always did to make sure that he would not get jumped by Inuyasha. Kagome took off as fast as she could after Souta. She heard Inuyasha's large clawed paws gain on her as they clicked on the stone covered ground. Kagome turned her head over her shoulder to see Inuyasha right behind her. The dog took a jump at Kagome. She quickly reached for the knife, leaving the cloth in her skirt as she pulled it out.
As the dog brought down a paw at her Kagome sliced the pads of his paw. Inuyasha let out a loud eerie howl of pain. She watched as Inuyasha liked at his wound before turning up his golden brown eyes back up at her. He bared his fangs at the young woman that held the bloody knife tight in her hands. He launched at her again this time Kagome took the blade across the bridge of his nose.
Once again Inuyasha let out a yelp of pain holding his bad paw up to his bleeding nose. Kagome stood there gripping the knife so tight her knuckles turned white. She waited for Inuyasha to her again. This time however Inuyasha tucked his tail between his leg slowly limped off. Kagome walked down the steps, sticking the knife in one the many pine trees in front of the shrine.
Kagome slowly walked to her school she glanced down the alley that she and Hotaka had been mugged in. It was empty now just bits and pieces of the police line tape was left. As she continued down the sidewalk Kagome saw the white haired man that had saved her standing off the sidewalk in a small alley. He watched her closely as she quickly hurried off.
Kagome walked into school and as she walked down the hall even the slightest touch to her back from a passing kid nearly made her fall over. She never did tell her mother about the other night. She was afraid to. She did not want to stay home with that thing in the house. The last two days were torture. As she walked down to her first class she saw Hotaka walk out of the nurse's office. What had he done know?
"Hotaka," Kagome said, calling after the boy. "Why were you at the nurse's office?"
"It's n-nothing," the boy said, tucking his hands in his pockets and turned his head from Kagome. "I have to g-get to class n-now."
"What's the matter," Kagome asked with worry, putting a hand his shoulder. "You can tell me."
"Don't t-touch me," he snapped, rolling his shoulder to get her hand off. "J-just leave me a-alone!"
Hotaka quickly walked off, leaving Kagome feeling hurt. What was wrong? Did she do something to him? Kagome stood there for a moment as she watched him disappear into the crowd. Nanashi walked up behind her looking baffled.
"What's up with him," he asked, looking at Kagome stand there, looking like she was going to cry. "I've never seem him snap at anyone like that. What did you do?"
"I don't know," Kagome said, biting her lip. "I just saw him walk out the nurse's office and when I asked him what happened he just bit my head off."
"You want me to talk to him," Nanashi asked, looking at Kagome's tearing brown eyes.
Kagome only nodded as the bell rang for class to begin. Kagome walked down to her class wiping the tears out of her eyes. What was wrong she kept asking herself. She could not figure it out.
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Later that day even after Nanashi asked him what was wrong, Hotaka still would not answer. What was going on? Kagome waited for Hotaka in the chess clubroom but he never showed. The rest of the chess club was just as worried. Hotaka never missed a chance to play chess. Kagome quickly walked around the school looking for him. She could not find him in the building.
She walked outside calling his name and still no sign of him. Kagome stopped to catch her breath as looked out over the school ground and that man again. He long white hair was blowing in the wind as he stood under the golden trees of fall. This guy was freaking her out. Was he following her so something? Kagome quickly started to look for Hotaka once more when her breath returned.
Kagome started down the sidewalk that she and Hotaka would walk everyday. She kept looking for him. Finally off in the distance Kagome spotted him. She quickly followed after him. When she finally caught up him he still had his head turned towards the other way from her.
"Hotaka, just tell me, please," Kagome pleaded, grabbing his arm. "What is it? What did I do? What's wrong with you? Why won't you look at me, dammit!"
"L-let me go," Hotaka said, jerking his arm free. "Just g-go away already."
"Hotaka," Kagome yelled, getting his way. "Stop ignoring me and just tell me what happened!"
"Hmph," Hotaka quickly turned around the other way and started to walk off.
"Hotaka," Kagome cried, running up behind him holding him around the waist. "Please just tell me! If it was my fault I'm sorry!"
"Let go of m-me," he spat, knocking her in the head with his elbow. "Leave m-me the hell alone a-already!"
Kagome let go of him, holding the side of her head. Kagome started to cry harder as she knelt down on the ground as Hotaka continued to walk off. What had she done to him? Kagome slowly got back up and stared at him hurt and anger in her eyes. She balled her hands into fists. She was going to try it one more time. She marched right back up in front him. She knew she should be going home. Her back was about ready to give out but she wanted to know. No, she had to know what was wrong.
"Hotaka, look at me," Kagome grabbed him by the front of his uniform. "Look at me right now!"
Hotaka finally turned his face towards her. The look in his eyes was that of anger. On his face right across the bridge of his nose was a long cut that had bled some through bandage. How did he get that cut? Hotaka knocked shoulders with her as he walked by her. Kagome did not more for moment or two. She then turned back around to see where he went but could not find him.
Kagome hung her head low. She started back towards the shrine when she felt someone watching her. She looked around and did not see anyone. She picked up her pace. All she could think about was Hotaka's cut and why he suddenly turned on her. A little while later Kagome got they feeling again of being watched.
This time, however she spotted him. It was that white haired man again. Was he stalking her? Kagome quickly started to run but her back prevented her from reaching her top speed. She could hear him run behind her. Kagome could see the steps of the shrine strait ahead. If she could get up there and get the knife she might have a chance.
She just started up the steps when she felt him grab her shirt. She was pulled off the steps and nearly fell to ground. Her back stung like it was on fire. Kagome looked over her shoulder to see the man staring at her.
"Let me go," Kagome shouted, stomping her foot down on his but he did not even flinch. "LET GO!"
"Hmph," the man snorted, grabbing her by the arm. "You're coming with me."
"No, I'm not," Kagome shouted, trying to pull free. "Let me go right now!"
She looked down at her briefcase in her other hand. She quickly took a swing at his head. The briefcase made contact hard against his head. He realist his grip. Kagome quickly started up the steps again followed by the man. Kagome quick reached the tree that held the knife it but when she went to grab it the knife was gone. She quickly started the steps again.
But on the landing was Inuyasha. Kagome stopped when she saw Inuyasha come at her. The man was still behind her and gaining. Kagome quickly jumped off the steps and into the thin trunk pines that lined the front of the shrine. She tried to weave through them back down the tall hill but was having a hard time moving through the closely grown trees. The bark of the trees ran along her exposed skin cutting her. Her back was not getting in any better. She could feel the blood from the reopened wounds run down her back.
Kagome was almost out when she tripped on a root and slid some down the embankment. At this point Kagome could not even get back up. She was tired and hurt to carry on. She heard something rattle the trees around her. She could not even roll over to see what it was but before her was Inuyasha. He was baring his fangs at her with devilish growl. Kagome mouth opened trying to get out a scream when something hit in head and everything went black.
(A/N Well, that's the end of that chapter. I hope you like it.)
Millie M. Banshee