Already Chapter 8 of "A Lost Soul" and I am PUMPED! I don't know about the rest of you, but I am more then ready to get on with this plot line and really get the story moving! I bet YOU'RE all waiting for the kissy lovey-dovey scene, right? Well…you'll have to wait just a WIDDLE bit more, cause this chapter is full of action and suspense!

A Lost Soul Chapter 8 – Escape - A Fist of Steel

"Lost, we've got to get out of here!" Ren called to Lost, guiding her through the burning restaurant. Already, people were screaming, knocking over tables, and evacuating as fast as they could. Waiters and waitresses helped customers out the door, frantically screaming if anyone was left inside.

"B-but Marcel!" Lost called after Ren.

"I'm sure he got out fine!" Ren assured her. "He told me to look after you! I'm not going to break my promise!"

"You two!" A waiter called and the two looked up. "Evacuate as quickly as possible!" He too ran off in the direction of the doors.

"We're hurrying!" Ren snapped to the already running waiter, pulling Lost through as the hall collapsed. She screamed and he pulled her into his arms. "It's going to be okay! C'mon, we've got to get out of here!"

Fire alarms sounded outside and Ren looked up hopefully. "See Lost? People are coming to put out the fire and find Marcel, it's going to be okay."

"They won't find Marcel."

Ren's eyes narrowed as his head snapped up to see none other then the young man in the trench coat and fedora standing in the hot blazes of fire. "Who are you?" Ren snarled and Lost looked up to see the young man. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to have a bite to eat, what else?" the man said, but the next thing he knew, Ren had him by the collar and was holding his face close to his own.

"Tell me now. I don't have patience."

"Neither do I," the man shrugged, snapping Ren's wrist away. "I'm afraid that I have to depart as well." He smiled, tipped his hat to Lost, and brought his face up to reveal an alarming grin. "But don't worry…I'll see you again very soon, little flower." He smiled once more and whispered, "Au revoir." With that, he leapt over a large burning table and disappeared from sight.

"Come back here, you!" Ren screamed, but the young man was gone. "He knows something…"

"Ren!" Lost screamed as another beam from the ceiling fell. Ren picked up Lost and jumped through the blazing fire until he could see the exit.

"C'mon!" he jumped through, ignoring the fire department carrying their heavy hoses, and ran straight down the sidewalk, leaving the scene of the burning restaurant.

"Ren!" Lost cried, "where are we going?"

"As far away from that guy as we can!" Ren snapped. "We have to get home to Bason! Once I have him and my Kwan Dao, we'll be safe from that lunatic! Don't worry, if he comes after us, I'll just kill him with my bare hands."

"R-Ren…" Lost cried into his chest. "I'm scared."

"I'll keep you safe, I promise."

"R-Ren, I need to rest," Lost said to him. "My chest hurts."

"You probably inhaled too much smoke," Ren cursed. "C'mon, I'll take you someplace where we can rest for a few minutes."

Ren kept running, Lost in his arms, until he finally saw the small junkyard that he had met Lost at only three days before. "Here, this place is as good as any," Ren snapped, sitting Lost down. "I'll stand guard."

"Ren…" Lost panted, her breath ragged. "You…you're bleeding."

Ren stared at his shirt sleeve to see a small gash in his lower arm. "Ow…you're right." He tore off a small portion of his sleeve and wrapped it around the wound. "It must have happened when all that plaster was falling."

"Here, I'll do it…"

Ren blushed as he felt Lost's soft hand gently touch his lower arm where the wound was. Her soft fingers lingered over the wound, gently unraveling the bandage Ren had made. "You need to tie it tighter…" she told him, tying it again.

Ren felt his skin prickle as Lost touched it. His stomach did back-flips and his mind rattled in his brain. Lost was making him completely lose his focus. What was going on with his body? He didn't understand.

"There," Lost nodded as she finished tying the bandage. "That should do until we get home." She gave a hard cough and sat down. "I-I still don't feel well."

"Keep sitting here," Ren told her. "Man…I wish I had brought my collapsible Kwan Dao. It may be weak, but it's better then nothing."

"Who was that guy?" Lost asked Ren. "The one in the restaurant. He seemed like he knew me…"

"You probably know him," Ren told her. "But you can't remember him, most likely."

"If he did know me, I wish he would've called me by my name," Lost murmured. "Then you could call me another name…"

"There's nothing wrong with your name now!" Ren snapped and Lost looked up. "Dammit! I don't know why you're so obsessed with finding stuff out!"

"I-if I did…I could leave…"

Ren's eyes widened as he felt a sting in his chest. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"I wouldn't be a bother to you anymore…" Lost told him, chewing the inside of her mouth. "You hate me, right?"

"I never said that!"

Ren had said it so loudly and so quickly that he only realized what he had said after he said it. Lost's eyes were wide and his face was red. "I…I don't hate you."

"R-really?" Lost asked and she smiled widely. "Does that mean you love me?"

"I never said that either!" Ren snapped.

"Oh, okay…" Lost chewed the inside of her mouth. "R-Ren, I think I can go on now."

"Good, let's get home." Ren bent down to help her up, but Lost did not take his hand. "Hey, I'm offering you a hand! You could at least take it you stupid girl!"

"Look…" Lost brushed away some fine dirt to reveal a shining silver chain with a small jewel attached to it. "It's something shiny…"

"Let me see it," Ren bent down and picked the chain up. It was a necklace with a clear jewel on the end of the silver chain. "It's a necklace, someone probably dropped it."

"Can I see it?" Lost asked, outstretching her hand.

"Promise you won't eat it or something?" Ren asked and Lost pouted, nodding. He put it gently into her hand and Lost raised it close to her face, looking at her reflection.

"Lost!" Ren shouted as Lost's body fell to the ground, her pupils completely gone. She had fainted. "LOST! LOST ANSWER ME! LOST!" He started to shake her. "LOST!"

'That's a handsome necklace you have on, Giselle."

"Did he get it for you?"

"Perhaps as an engagement present?"

"En-engagement?" a woman's voice asked. Her voice was soft, clear, and beautiful. "No… I don't think so."

"Give him more credit then that! I'm sure he's truly in love with you."

"I'm only sixteen… We're just good friends, that's all. And…the necklace isn't from him, anyway."

"Then who bought it for you?"

"I bought it myself."

"For who?"

"Well…"

"R-Ren?" Lost blinked, revealing her pupils. "Ren…is that you?"

"You're alive?" Ren breathed a sigh of relief. "You stupid girl! I thought you were dead or something!"

"Ren…this necklace…when I touched it, I remembered something," Lost told him. "A woman…named Giselle. She's the owner of this necklace."

"So what, leave it here, maybe she'll come back and get it," Ren snapped. "Let's go."

"I want to take it," Lost told him, clutching it in her palm. "I…something tells me that this Giselle woman and I have some sort of connection."

"Right you are! You are a smart little flower!"

Ren's head snapped up to see none other then the man with the fedora and trenchcoat standing on the edge of the fence. "You!" shouted Ren. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm flower picking! Can't a guy even do that without getting badgered by a short guy with pointy hair?"

"Lost, stay back," Ren commanded, putting up his hands. "I warn you, if you attack, I can't guarantee your safety. Then again…" he barred his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "If you just stay in my line of vision I can't guarantee your safety either. You're pissing me off, leave!"

"Ooo, I'm shaking in my boots!" The young man teased, jumping off the fence. "You're unarmed. Where's your spear?"

Ren's face didn't flinch, but inside he was growing slightly worried. 'I've never seen this guy before. Who the hell is he?'

"But you are proficient in Kung Fu, so maybe I should watch myself," the man shrugged and Ren's eyebrow twitched. The man struck a fighting pose, his fists in front of him, and motioned Ren forward. "What? You scared?"

"HYAH!" Ren rushed forward, his leg ready to make contact with the man's face.

"Too slow!" The man called, disappearing before Ren's eyes and appearing behind him. But Ren was ready, dropping on one knee and giving a sliding kick that the man just barely jumped over.

"Die!" Ren jumped up from his spot on the ground, his fist making straight contact with the man's chin, sending him into the air and eventually onto the hard ground. "Don't mess with me," Ren snarled. "Or I assure you I WILL kill you."

The man did not stir. "I probably broke your jaw," Ren smirked, walking up to the man. "You should drink more milk. You must have weak bones."

"Weak bones? Me? Don't make me laugh."

The next thing Ren knew, he was in a pile of boxes due to a lightning fast punch from the man's right hand. The man had obviously recovered from the punch from Ren and was back on his feet, a bit of dirt smudged on his chin.

"Was that punch supposed to hurt?" the man asked. "You really are pathetic."

Ren winced as he tried to get up. "Damn…did he break one of my ribs?"

"REN!" Lost rushed to his side. "Ren, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine!" Ren pushed her away, getting up, striking another fighting pose. "He just caught me off guard, that's all. A lucky shot."

"Please, I don't work with luck," the man smirked. "It hasn't been too good to me, so I make my own."

"Enough meaningless talk!" Ren commanded. "You die here!"

"Tough words for a guy who's about to be bleeding on the ground!" the man retorted, raising his fist. "You can't beat me!"

"HYAH!" Ren launched a fury of lightning fast punches on the young man dodging every punch. "KYAH!" Ren kicked upwards, then gasped as the man caught his leg and through him down.

"Ren, oh no!" Lost ran over to him.

"Lost, stay back!" Ren choked. "This guy is after you! Run away! I'll keep him busy!"

"N-no, I can't leave!" Lost cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll protect you!"

"Give up now if you value your life," the young man said.

"NEVER!" Ren shot up from the ground with a direct upwards kick, but the man dodged. The only thing that had been hit was his hat, which fell to the ground.

Ren looked up to get a look at the man's face before he grabbed his hat and shoved it on his head again. The man, or now to be revealed, adolescent had navy blue shaggy hair that spiked out at odd places. His eyes were a hazel color and he had high cheekbones and long nose. He shoved his hat back on quickly, as if trying to hide his face. "You…how old are you?" Ren asked.

"None of your business," he told Ren.

"You look around my age," Ren snapped. "Why are you after Lost? Where did you get your skills? Are you a shaman?"

"A what?" he asked. "Look, I'm not here to answer questions. I'm here to take that girl," he motioned to Lost. "Now get out of my way or die."

"Never!" Ren shielded Lost.

"You can't beat me," the man told him, regaining his composure. "You see, my fist," he raised his right fist, which as covered in a fingerless black glove. "Is made of steel. You can't beat steel with flesh and bones."

"You have a metallic hand?" Ren asked. "I'm sure I felt flesh when you punched me. Stop boasting."

"You're not the poetic type are you?" the man shrugged. "Can't really understand metaphors. Anyway, let's go."

"Well, Steel Fist," Ren snarled. "Prepare to meet Hell!" Ren leapt forward, but the man blocked his punch and returned him with one of his own in his stomach. Ren felt his entire stomach flatten and pain flow through him as he was thrown back.

"REN!" Lost ran over to him once more, helping him to his feet. "A-are you okay?"

"L-Lost…run…" Ren commanded. "I'll finish off this guy and come to meet you, okay?"

But Lost wasn't listening. She walked in front of Ren and held her arms straight out, shielding him from the man. Her eyes were defiant, even if they had tears pooling in them. "Lost! You stupid girl, get out of the way!"

"Please! This is enough! Please go!" she pleaded to the man.

"Did you see my face?" the man asked and Lost shook her head.

"You put your hat on too quickly for me to get a good look…why do you ask?"

"You are dumb," the man snarled viciously. He then smirked widely. "I've got an idea. You want me to spare this guy, right?"

"Yes! Please, have mercy!" she asked.

"Then come with me."

"No, Lost don't do it!" Ren called, only to have the man shoot him a look.

"You're in no position to be in this bargain," the man snarled. His face turned pleasant as he faced Lost. "This is between me and the flower here."

"C-come with you?" Lost asked.

"Yep. It's simple. You come willingly and I'll spare this guy here."

Lost looked at Ren whose eyes were pleading her not to accept the man's proposal. "My last punch probably broke two or three of his ribs. He won't be getting up any time soon."

Lost's gaze turned from Ren to the man and she took a deep, shaky sigh. She lowered her arms. "A-all…all right…I'll go with--"

"Who's there?" Lights and sirens went off, filling the abandoned yard with light from police cars. "I see people! Come out with your hands up!"

"Damn, the police," the man cursed. "He said as few witnesses as possible. An entire fleet of police brakes that restriction." He turned to Lost, smiled wickedly, tipped his hat and bowed. "Don't worry, we're far from done. I'll be back for you," he grinned manically and jumped onto the edge of the fence, "my little flower…"

"Whoever is there, come out with your hands up!"

"I'll help you Ren," Lost ran over to him and helped him up. The two walked out, Ren supported on Lost's shoulder. The police gasped as Lost came out. "Who…who are you people?"

"They're the police," Ren rasped. "Probably looking for the arsonist."

"It's just a couple of kids," a policeman said. "Are you okay kid? You looked pretty beat up."

"I'm fine," Ren snapped. "Just fell into some junk. C'mon, let's go." He shrugged off of Lost and started to walk with a little pain back to the house.

"H-hey wait! Did you see a suspicious character going through here any time tonight?" a policeman asked and Ren stopped.

"Nope…didn't see anyone."

"Thank you."

"Ren, are you okay?" Lost asked as Ren collapsed on the couch the minute they were home.

"I-I'm fine!" Ren snapped. "But you! What were you thinking? Going with that guy! That was probably the stupidest thing you could have done!"

"B-but he would have killed you!" Lost cried. "I couldn't let you die!"

"He might have killed you!" Ren told her. "Don't you care if you die?"

"I would care more if you died!" Lost said, throwing her arms around his neck. "Because I love you, Ren! I love you so much!"

Ren stopped and looked at the girl who was sitting next to him, crying into his neck, her hair and ashen face nuzzled into him. Her tears were wetting his jacket, and her dress was tearing even more. "You…you don't have to worry anymore Lost…" Ren told her, rising her face. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you ever again."

"Wh-why?" Lost asked. "I'm just a bother to you. I can't remember anything, not even my own name. Why do you want to protect me?"

"Because…" Ren stopped, looked into her green eyes, and gulped. In an instant, she was in his arms in a warm embrace, Ren clinging to her for dear life. His fingers dug into her arm, not wanting to let go. His ribs hurt, but the pain was nothing compared to the feeling that was beating inside his chest.

What was this?

He had never felt it before. It was a foreign feeling; and yet he welcomed it. It made him feel warm, happy, and blissfully confused. He wanted to be near Lost, to touch her, to hold her. He never wanted to leave her. He couldn't help himself, he needed to be near her. "Because…" he gasped for breath. He couldn't fight it anymore. He knew the words that were coming to his lips:

"Because I love you."

O.O ANOTHER cliffy! A confession from Ren! Omigosh! What will happen? Will they get all kissy-mushy (don't count on it, kay?)?

You'll have to tune in next update to find out!

Next Chapter: Words