Chapter 3

The Night…

The sun was setting. The day was almost over and the trio was walking down the road to their homes. Sakura was behind them. She wasn't doing any better. After eating her lunch, her pangs of hunger had just increased and intensified. In fact she was already hunched while walking. Tomoyo and Syaoran were talking about their quizzes and how their day was.

Damn…I'm getting really hungry…sheesh…Tsk. Tsk.

Unconsciously, she raised her right hand and started biting her middle finger. After a few seconds, she felt pain. She wounded her own finger. She winced. Damn! That hurts…wait…mm…this seems to be a bit…tasty…She bit on it more but she didn't anymore feel the pain. She was blinded by her own insatiable hunger. She also continued sucking her blood out and licking it feverously. But still it didn't really satisfy her.

After a few moments, Syaoran finally turned around to see how Sakura was doing.

"Hey Sakura! What are you doing!" said Syaoran who had gone pale.

"Hmm?" replied Sakura unaware of what was happening or what she was doing.

"Sakura! Your finger's bleeding…!" replied Tomoyo who also looked back.

Sakura, finally aware of what was going on, then felt again the pain…only this time she felt it at full force.

"Yeooowch!" She removed her finger from her mouth. It was deep in blood.

Syaoran immediately got a clean cloth from his bag.

"Sakura, just what were you doing!" replied Syaoran while shaking his head and cleaning it with the clean cloth.

"I…I guess…I bit it too hard…"

"Well don't do that again. You might end up in a hospital for blood loss or something."

"Oh…okay." replied Sakura.

He finally finished wrapping it.

"There. All better." said Syaoran satisfied with that.

"Thanks Syaoran." Sakura smiled and hugged Syaoran in a clumsy manner which caused them both to fall.

"Agh!" he shouted out.

"Oh my!" said Sakura. "Sorry about that!"

"No..it's fine…"

Syaoran opened his eyes and found out that they were face to face. And to make matters worse…they both saw a camera.

"Uh-oh…"

"Oh crap…"

Quick as light, they jolted up, stood up and faced Tomoyo. She was holding up her cam and videotaping them…yet again. Like the costume designing, ever since the adventures of capturing cards came out, she videotaped almost every moment she believed looked cute.

"Aww…that's so romantic…" Tomoyo commented still holding her cam and her eyes going "flashy-flashy star" again. "…you guys look so cuuuuute!"

"Tomoyo…argh!" said the blushing Sakura.

"Darn it, Daidouji! Stop videotaping or I'll tear it out!" spoke the reddening Syaoran.

"Eriol told me you wouldn't…" replied Tomoyo with a menacing smile, "… besides I'm your friend…you wouldn't do that, will you? Third, I'm Sakura's best friend…surely you won't do that Juliet's friend, now would you, Romeo?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Daidouji…" replied Syaoran with an annoyed look.

Soon they started walking and talking again and soon also Tomoyo parted from them with a few laughs to go. So the two were the only ones going to Sakura's house. Finally they came to the door. It was dark already and Sakura felt worse than ever.

"Thanks…Li…for accompanying me…and helping me…" she said breaking up.

"Sure, Sakura." He paused and looked at her. She looked very pale and sick. "You need to rest…you have a fever or something?" He placed his hand on her forehead. "Well…it's kind of hot…and you're perspiring a lot…you need to go now inside. Do you need some help going in?" he said with concern, "You look like you'll stumble…"

"Oh no…Syaoran…I can go on…thanks for the offer…" She weakly smiled.

"Well okay…good night. Hope you get better."

"Okay Syaoran…for you…I'll do it. Have a pleasant evening too…" she replied as jovially as she could. They waved their hands at each other until Sakura finally went in.

She ran to the stairs as fast as she could to her room and just jumped in. She was gasping already.

"Hey Sakura you're not looking very well…" replied Kero, who just came in from the window probably looking around again and, hearing the slamming of the door, went in to check.

"Yes, Kero…I'm feeling very faint…"

I need to fill up my hunger. I need to get something to eat…damn…so weak…

The door then opened.

"Hey Sakura…what's gotten into you?" said Touya as annoying as he could. He didn't know that she was sick.

"Hey, creep! Can't you see your sister's sick!" retorted Kero.

"She's sick?" replied Touya. "Let me go check, plushie…"

Kero grumbled and muttered hoarsely, "Plushie…plushie…I'm not a plushie…I'm the Sun guardian, buffoon!"

"Yeah, yeah. Cool down." responded Touya. He placed his hand at Sakura's forehead. "Woah! You're kinda hot…well I best get the wet towel and stuff." He looked at the flying guardian. "And you…prepare some food…we'll bring it here."

"Whaaat!" responded Kero. "You pitiful mortal will order me, a guardian of the great and powerful deck of ancient cards? Ack!" He was suddenly grabbed by Touya at his neck and thrown to the floor.

"Guardian stuff my foot. Just get ready with the food…"

"Okay…okay…" he replied while muttering quietly at how similar he was to Syaoran.

"Get well, Sakura…" Touya said leaving her to get the necessary things.

"Okay Onii-chan…" she whispered.

After quite a while, a wet towel was placed at her forehead and was spoon-fed by Touya. It was hot chicken soup. Sakura had a hard time eating them. She was indeed very, very feeble.

"There that's the last." he said finally putting the spoon into the bowl. "Hope that makes things better."

"I hope so Onii-chan."

This was one of those emotional brother-and-sister moments. After all, he has the responsibility to take care of her.

"Kero, you tell me if anything needs to be concerned, okay?"

"Okay…" answered Kero as he flew back to his tiny bed…in an open drawer. But just before he came to it, the tiny thing stood by Sakura. "Get well soon, 'kay?" He hugged her cheek.

"Sure…Kero…"she replied with a weak smile.

Touya planted a kiss on her cheek, a very rare moment indeed. "Get better…"

Sakura smiled at his affection. "For you, Touya…"

He smiled too and went to the door. He closed the lights.

"Good night, Sakura."

"Good night, Onii-chan…"

And finally he closed the door.

She tossed and turned around the bed. She couldn't sleep and she was shaking. She was also crying because of the pain she felt already. She moaned on her pillow. She felt…like she was going to die…

What's happening…I can't sleep…what am I feeling?

Her vision was red. Blood red. She was having strange hallucinations she couldn't describe…she couldn't take it…

Suddenly after hours of agony, she stopped. She just stopped. She felt nothing.

I need to get out of bed…I need to refresh myself…

She tossed out of bed and went to the window and opened it.

Kero, who had alerted Touya once already and who was comforting her as much as possible though she seemed deaf a few moments ago, came out of his "room" which is actually just an open drawer with some homey possessions.

"Hold it, Sakura! What are you doing out of bed! You're not well right?"

Sakura turned to face him. Kero gasped a bit.

Was it just his imagination or were Sakura's eyes glowing red?

"Sa-Sakura? What…what are you-?"

Sakura placed her hand upon his mouth. She smiled a sly smile. "It's okay Kero. I'm fine…very fine." she cooed. "Relax and go to bed…"

"Okay…Sakura…" he replied lifelessly. His eyes were like that in a trance and his mind was blank.

"Now that's a good plushie…" replied Sakura in an alluring manner. She kissed the plushie at his cheek. "I'll be back soon enough…and remember…this didn't happen…this is all but a dream…" she said enticingly.

Kero slowly flew down his bed. "Yes…Sakura…"

As soon as he was back lying down at the tiny bed, Sakura jumped off the window and instead of a large thump sound on the ground, Sakura, with grace and calmness, landed softly at the ground. She smiled a most mysterious smile and walked off vanishing in a distance.