I don't own Dean Koontz's wonderful book One Door Away From Heaven. Enjoy.
Chapter 8
(Kaoru)
Kenshin was writing a letter, one to his uncle who lived in Nagasaki. His pen strokes were still a little unsure, but his writing was much better than it had been. He suddenly frowned. "Kaoru, how do you spell 'Sincerely?'"
I giggled slightly. "S-i-n-c-e-r-e-l-y."
His frowned deepened slightly. "Oh. Thanks." He wrote it down silently, and then signed his name at the bottom of the page.
I put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Kenshin, a lot of people have trouble spelling that word, even I do sometimes. The only reason I have it now is because you have to know in my business class. Writing letters to companies, that requires that word."
His frown disappeared at my words. "Okay Kaoru. Arigatou." He slipped the letter into an envelope and addressed it silently, putting a stamp on the corner. "Can we mail this today?"
I thought a moment. "Well, I need to go to work, so I could drop it off on my way." I looked back at him. "However, you should really practice driving alone; you can't drive with me forever. And you need to get a job again; it's getting hard to uphold this apartment on my own."
He frowned slightly. "By myself? But Kaoru…"
I sighed. "I know, I know, you've only driven three times, but still Kenshin, you need to regain your confidence!"
He looked away, pulling in a shuddering breath and nodding slightly. "Hai, you're right. When do you need to go?"
I looked up at the clock. "I should probably get ready right now; I've only got about a half an hour."
He nodded. "Okay. I think I'll read for a little while." He stood from the table, going to sit on the couch and picking up his reading glasses and his book from the side table. His current Dean Koontz book, 'One Door Away From Heaven,' was a bit bent around the corners, but a very good book. It was quite large for someone that had just lost and barely relearned to read again, but he was doing very well.
I changed into my uniform quickly, coming back out and tying on my sneakers while sitting at the couch. I still had some time, so I picked up my own book and read a little. After a while Kenshin stood, coming to me to show me a word. "Kaoru, what's this word?"
I studied it. "Malicious."
He looked at it, sounding it out in his mind. "Okay. Arigatou." He glanced up at the clock, and then marked his place. "We should probably go Kaoru."
I nodded, putting down my book. "Hai." I grabbed my purse, pulling out my keys and giving them to Kenshin. His hands were already shaking slightly, and I squeezed his hand gently. "It'll be okay, I promise."
He nodded. "I know. Let's go."
Kenshin was afraid, I could tell, but the hand that was clenched around mine seemed to relax the longer we were in the car. He was still and calm around the steering, and the car showed no sign of his fear, but I still knew.
"You're doing wonderfully Kenshin; I knew you could do it." I murmured comfortingly, squeezing his hand gently.
He smiled slightly, but kept his eyes focused on the road. This was the third time he'd driven in the year and 5 months since his accident, and he was doing everything just fine. He was shaky and cautious, but he still drove much the same as he had before the accident. His violet eyes were constantly flicking around, observing and taking in everything that he could at once.
He was going to drive on his own today, after dropping me off at work. He was terrified, but still trying hard to do it. He knew as well as I did that he had to do it eventually, or he would never be able to do it without me, and that would be a problem once he started going back to work.
He tightened his grip on my hand silently, and I could see a tightening in his jaw, but still he drove smoothly, showing no outward sign of his fear. We were on the freeway again, and the high speeds were frightening him, so he stayed below the limit, keeping to 65 instead of 75. I said nothing, letting him take it at his own pace.
As we went around a corner near the ocean side, I looked out the window, looking out the frozen water that was nearly below us. It was nearing winter, and the roads might be a little slick, but they seemed pretty clear to me. And Kenshin still had a steady hand, even if he was slightly afraid of it.
But, unfortunately, the Gods were not with me this day. The car began to move sideways, and Kenshin panicked. He frantically tried to right the car, doing it correctly, but the vehicle refused to move with his directions. I could feel the brakes lock, and Kenshin started screaming. I could tell by the look in his eyes that the day was changing to his vision. He saw rain, the red hood of his 350Z, and glass flying at him from all directions, his death written on the shards.
I unbuckled my belt, throwing myself into Kenshin's lap and trying to steer the car to safety. I pulled on the wheel, steering into the skid as I had been taught to do. I could see cars behind us stopping, swerving out of our way, and I saw one man on the side of the road, a cell phone to his ear. 'Thank Kami for small miracles…' I thought, still fighting with my Miata as we skidded closer and closer to the only thing separated from us from the ocean; the guardrail.
The car slammed into the metal with great force, jerking me to the side and slamming my head against the glass. Stars danced in my vision, and I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my sight. I could feel hands around me, arms pulling at me, and I focused on Kenshin's determined face.
He smiled slightly, sadly. "Don't worry Kaoru, just get out of the car and get away from it, okay?"
I was still disoriented, and I didn't quite understand what was going on. Just then the car tilted, starting to fall downwards, and then the driver's door was open, and Kenshin locked his lips with mine for an instant.
Again he smiled sadly. "I love you Kaoru, don't ever forget that." Then he shoved me from the door, and it slammed shut an instant later as the car tilted forward, and fell into the frozen water below.
I suddenly realized what was going on, and I screamed. "KENSHIN! NO! KENSHIN!"
I heard a great cracking and splintering, like glass shattering as the car hit the ice and instantly went right through it, beginning to sink into the depths of the water. I screamed, running to where the ripped metal stood open to the air, skidding down the steep embankment that led to the frozen water.
Once there I found that the ice was thick enough for me to stand on, and I ran out onto it, going to the hole in the ice where the bare top of my Miata was visible. I knelt down, seeking Kenshin. He was frantically tearing at his seatbelt, his head beneath the water that was rapidly rising in the car from a hole in the window on my side. The very thing that was supposed to save his life was keeping him in the car, carrying him to his doom with the car.
He put his face up, gasping for air in the small space left in the top of the car. I screamed his name, calling for him. He didn't look at me, still trying to undo his seatbelt. The car sank lower, and Kenshin's air supply was cut off as he took the biggest breath he could hold and dove back under with the car. Water covered the top, and I looked towards the embankment, where there were people standing, screaming for them to get help.
The car was sinking lower, I couldn't see it anymore. Without another thought I tore off my coat and dove into the water.
Oh Kami-sama, that water was cold. It took the breath right out of my body, but I breathed for a moment, and then took a deep breath and dove, following the car's trail down. It wasn't too deep, about 13 feet, but my car wasn't very tall. With its wheels resting on the bottom, I could stand on the top of it and with a little difficultly breathe, but it was still low enough that it was hard to see from the surface.
I swam to the window, looking in to where Kenshin was still struggling with the seatbelt. I could tell he was running out of air, his eyes scrunched shut and a hand over his mouth to keep himself from letting out what air he had left and inhaling water. I started pounding on the window, pulling at the latch, trying to get the door to open. I scared him, and his mouth opened in shock, water flooding into his lungs. His eyes widened, and he choked.
'NO!' I screamed in my mind, beating harder against the window when the door proved to be jammed.
Kenshin struggles slowed, and then stopped as his face relaxed. I was running out of air, but I stayed down there, watching as he started to become limp and still. His eyes were drifting closed, arms starting to float in the gentle current of the water. His hair floated up about his face, a red cloud around him.
I pounded against the window, trying to keep him awake, but he just smiled gently at me, mouthing words. 'I love you…' he said, and then he closed his eyes, a bubble floating out of his mouth. And then he was still.
I kicked my feet, going to the surface and taking in a gulp of air, and then diving under again. I started kicking at the window, trying to get it to shatter, even if it would cut Kenshin. A cut would be better, just let him live!
The window finally gave under my blows, and I grasped a piece of glass, using it to saw through the seatbelt holding Kenshin hostage within the car. It cut my hand, and the shock nearly made me drop the glass, but I kept cutting. The belt finally gave, and I hooked my arms around Kenshin, pulling on him. He barely fit through the window, and I was sure that I'd cut him, but I wasn't worried about that right now.
Pulling his dead weight with me with near impossible, but I kicked harder for the surface, dragging him with me. I got his head above water, breathing rapidly as I tugged myself up onto the thick ice, and then him.
I dragged him to the embankment, where a few people stumbled down the dirt and snow to help me get Kenshin's still body up to flat areas where CPR could be performed. Someone took Kenshin away from me, and I tried to follow, but a woman took me farther away, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. I cried out, reaching towards Kenshin's still body.
"Kenshin! Kenshin! KENSHIN!"
Evil I am. I know, I know... Well, please review!
