I just want to say first, after re reading my last chapter I realized I made an ungodly amount of typos and plotholes. I truly apologize for that and will make sure to be more thorough with my grammar in the future.
Act 3: The Angels of Death. A Light in the Dark Part 2
Side of the Doujou
20:10
Rei had finally got her sobbing under control after what felt like forever, her body steadily beginning to calm down, as Takashi murmurs calm words to her. Saeko takes a long look at the horrible conditions Rei was in, and turned back towards the two men.
"We should kill them as well" Saeko says calmly. "Hold on Saeko." Takashi answers, stopping Saeko in her tracks. "Rei, are you okay to stand?" Takashi asked Rei gently. Rei nods her head meekly, and leans on Takashi as she gets up on her feet.
Her clothes were in pieces, the skirt being the only article of clothing left mostly intact. Her shirt was in shreds, and her once green bra was now stained brown with blood. The rest of her body seemed unscathed, which was a blessing in itself. Saeko looks around and sees a body of one of Them on the ground towards the front of the house. The fallen body was wearing a Gi, with two weird contraptions wrapped around his waist. The man's head was hanging off by the neck, as though something had severed the front half, completely ripping his throat out. Saeko pointed her blade at the younger boy.
"You. Go grab those clothes now." Pointing in the direction of the body. "If you think about running, we will kill you where you stand." Her voice left no room for argument. The boy nodded his head in acknowledgement and quickly ran over to the body. After struggling for a little bit to undress the body, he finally undid the Gi on the man. The two weird contraptions fell to the ground with a soft thud. "Bring those too boy." Saeko ordered.
Nodding his head vigorously, he scooped up the two items and ran back over to the others. Handing Saeko the outfit, he carefully stepped back to the older man. Saeko examined the weird contraptions. "Oh wow, these are a pair of Sai." Saeko walks over to Rei and hands her the Gi. "Here put this on, this way you at least have something to cover you." "Thank you." Rei said quietly, as she reached out, grabbing the Gi from Saeko's hands. Once Rei was finished getting dressed, Saeko handed her the Sais. "Do you know what these are?" She asked Rei.
"Yes, they are a close combat weapon called a Sai, why?" Rei asked in response. "I want you to have it, since Takashi and I both have blades now, it's only fair that you should have your own. Plus, since you excel in martial arts, it's very easy to incorporate the Sais in your attacks."
Rei looked at Takashi with widened eyes. "You have a blade too?" She asked in awe. "Yea, we found one inside the building. Saeko says it was crafted for a male, so it's perfect for me." Takashi says, as he unsheathes the blade for Rei to see. "It feels…. Almost natural. But I agree with Saeko, those Sai are perfect for you." He says to her with a smile.
"Anyways, what are we to do with these two." Saeko said to the others, pointing at the two men in front of her. Takashi supports Rei as she gets up, and they both walk to Saeko to take a look at the men. Takashi, now getting an actually good look at the two men, thought one of them looked familiar. Looking closer at the younger boy, Takashi struggles to remember where he knew the boy from. "Hey aren't you from Fujimi Academy?"
The boy freezes in fear, his eyes widening. "ye-yes" He finally stutters out. "You know this boy Takashi?" Saeko said, turning her head towards him, but keeping her eyes on the two men in front of her. "Yea, well, kind of. He went to our high school; I remember that much." He answered. "So that once again brings us to the question; What do we do with them?" Saeko retorted.
Rei stepped forward, "Leave the young one alone, he didn't want any part in what happened to me." She says with a sniffle, "But him!" She says angrily, jabbing her finger at the older man. "He encouraged it, he wanted it, you fucking animal!" "Rei, Rei calm down, not to loud, we already attracted enough attention as it is." Takashi said as he desperately tried to comfort the girl. "Very well then, his fate shall be sealed, but I won't make it quick." Saeko said coldly.
In the distance, faint moans started to reach the groups ears. "They heard us; they are coming." Saeko says to the group. Walking over to where the decapitated man's body lay, Saeko undid the belt around the man's pants. Once undone, she walks over to the older man grabbing his arms roughly and starts wrapping the belt around them.
"What, what are you doing?" He whimpers. "You seem to enjoy taking advantage of a helpless girl, so let's see how you like being the helpless one." Saeko answers back coldly to him. The man, now bound at his wrists, starts crying, pleading for mercy. Ignoring his pleas, Saeko turns to the younger boy. "And what should we do with this one Takashi?" She asked her leader. "It's up to you Rei, we can either bring him with us or leave him here." Takashi said, looking at Rei.
Both Saeko and Takashi looked at Rei as she struggled to make a decision, *thunk* The groups heads turn towards the sound, which had come from the front yard. *thunkthunk* *thunkthunkthunkthunk* The banging slowly getting louder. "Fuck, They are already here! What about Saya and the others?!" Takashi exclaims. "That's why I'm here in the first place, I came to tell you guys that they had to leave because of these men. We are supposed to meet the others at the mini-mart down the street"
Ronnie's eyes widened after hearing those words, a detail not gone unnoticed by Saeko. "ok well then, guess this one is coming with us." Saeko says, walking over and grabbing the boy by his collar. Putting her face into his, she says to him very calmly, "Now here is what's going to happen. You are going to listen to everything we have to say. You will go where we tell you, and you will shut up when we tell you. Is that understood?" A big smile on her face as she finished talking. The boy shakily nods his head.
"What about me?" The older man sobs, as he pleads to the group. Takashi steps forward towards the man, and draws his blade. Pushing the man over he thrusts the blade through the lower leg, slicing through the calf muscles like butter, as the tip of the blade penetrated the earth. "AHHHH!" The man screamed in pain. Rei took a step back, gasping as she covers her hand with her mouth. Her eyes trembling at the sight that was in front of her. Saeko looked at Takashi as an unseen smile crept on his face. Takashi looked up at Saeko and an unspoken conversation was being conveyed through their gaze. It was though Saeko understood why Takashi did what he did, and while Rei at this time was clearly in shock, she too, would eventually understand, hopefully.
What Saeko's line of thinking, was roughly the same as Takashi's. Takashi didn't just brutally attack the man for Rei's sake, he did it for the groups, and… maybe his own.
Without even seeing the front, Takashi knew there would be a swarm of Them there. Judging by the creaking now being heard between the moans, it wasn't long till the gate broke. The group needed a distraction, and this disgrace of a human, currently squealing and crying like a pig, was the perfect bait.
"Come on Ronnie, lets move it." Saeko says, as she pushes the boy towards the back of the house. *BANG* The ground tremored with the force of what the group presumed was the gate falling down. "We got to go, now!" Takashi orders, leading the group running towards the back. "Wait… Don't leave meee!" The man cries out, pulling himself along the earth towards the group.
Keeping her grip on the boy Saeko and the others arrive at the back wall. Unlike the front, this was a picket fence. A playground structure lay on the other side, behind it the neighboring street. "Ok, Takashi then Rei." Saeko says, her sword drawn as she watches their back. Takashi jumps over the fence with his blade strapped firmly on his back with the gun.
"Ok its all clear, Rei come on over." Takashi says quietly from the other side. Rei tightens the belt holding her Gi in place. She leaps over, the Gi lifting slightly, resulting in the exposing of her panties as she was in right in front of Ronnie. "Don't even think about it, little boy." Saeko said, her eyes still not leaving the side of the yard.
They needed to hurry now, the horde of Them were slowly approaching, their shuffling sounds filling up the void that was once silence. Saeko was now able to see Them almost at the crippled man, what looked like endless sea slowly filling up the side yard. "Okay go over, now." Saeko ordered Ronnie, "But what about my Dad?" He asked tears in his eyes, despite asking the question, it was clear the boy knew all too well what fate his father was about to meet. "I said move it." Saeko repeated, refusing to answer the boy's question. "But." "WHAT DID I SAY!" Saeko yelled in the kids face.
Ronnie took a step back as Saeko's blue eyes turned into liquid silver. You could feel the rage beginning to emanate from the samurai. All of a sudden, a person was standing between the two of them, blocking the girl from Ronnie's view. It was Takashi. "Ronnie go over, now." He says firmly to the boy, Ronnie took another step back. This time, he could've sworn the boy's eyes flashed the same silver as the girls. Deciding not to argue with whatever these two people were, Ronnie took one last look at his father, before jumping over the picket fence where Rei was waiting for him, her Sais at the ready in case he tried anything.
"Saeko, look at me." said gently. "We are going to be ok, but I need you to focus for me ok?" He rubbed her face with his palm, the girl leaned into his touch, "I need to let it out." She mumbles so low that only he can hear her. The boy nods at her words, "I understand that, I can feel it too now. They look into each other's silver eyes for a second, before her once burning silver eyes start to dull as she closes them. A second passes before she reopens her eyes, to their normal clear blue. "That's better, you ok?" The girl nods and wipes her face. She looks back up at Takashi's face. "Go I'll watch the rear." She said to him.
Takashi acknowledged her and jumped over the fence, right as the screaming started. Saeko watched in wonder as the man was swarmed onto, his bloody screams only encouraging the animals eating away at him. Staring at the man, Saeko soaked up the man's bloodied screams. The agony that the man was in, dulling that blade in her gut. After a few seconds she finally turned away and jumped over the fence, joining the rest of the group.
*Saya's Group in the Humvee*
21:00
Almost an hour had passed since the group had to leave the house, and tensions were starting to get high. According to Saya, the most logical place for them to travel on their way to the mini mart, would be Franklin Ave, the street they were currently parked on. The once lively avenue, filled with noise, bright lights and laughter, was now lined with shuttered stores and dark houses. Streaks of blood spattered the sides of the walls, and every couple of feet a mutilated body would be sprawled in the street.
Saya was in the backseat, trying to come up with strategies for when they met up with Takashi. They knew where they were going, but there were too many unknown variables in play. Was the mini mart those men's hideout? If so, how many are there? Are they armed? Are they peaceful or are they violent? These thoughts spun inside of Saya's head as she stared blankly down the street at the general direction of where Takashi and the others should be coming from.
"You think they are ok?" Shizuka said to Saya quietly, being careful not to disturb the little girl sleeping in the back seat. "Yea they should be fine, Takashi has Saeko and Rei with him, He'll be fine." Shizuka gave a small giggle. "What?" Saya asked. "Oh, nothing." Shizuka said with a smile. "You just seem very concerned for Takashi in particular." Saya's face went red. "Yea well, I've known him for a very long time, ok!" Saya said, almost too forcefully.
Kohta sticks his head down in the cab, having been sitting on the roof keeping a lookout. "What are you two arguing about?" He says quizzically. "Nothing!" Saya shouts, almost too loudly. "Umm, ok." Kohta said, confusion clearly written on his face. "Anyways make sure you keep a look out! They should be here soon." said Saya.
Please be ok guys, we need you. Saya thought to herself, as she took one more worrying look out the window, only to see something in the distance down the street. "Hey Kohta, what's that?" Saya asked, her face pressed against the glass, trying to get a better look. "Hold on, let me check." He said, raising his sniper rifle up, he peers down the scope towards the end of the street.
"It's Takashi and the others!" Kohta exclaimed happily. "and… there's another guy too. It looks like one of the men we ran into at the house." "Seriously?" Saya said shocked. "Yea but it looks like he's with them by force, Saeko is right next to him."
"Hmm interesting, ok Shizuka, lets go pick them up." Saya says cheerfully. Thank god you guys are ok. Saya thought to herself. "Aye Aye ma'am!" Shizuka said with a giggle. Turning the car on, she swings the wheel around, pivoting the car, and begins speeding towards the group. As the car gets closer, Saya and the others can see why they are running so hard. There is a small group of Them about 100 yards behind them. "Alice get in the trunk now!" Saya ordered, making room in the back seat for the group of four.
Saya hops over the center console and slips into the passenger seat. The car skids to the side, Shizuka having banked the car so it was adjacent to the street. "Get in NOW!" Saya yells at the group. Takashi runs up and opens the back door, "Rei you go" Rei hops in and slides to the far side. "Ronnie your up." The kid that was with them, doesn't argue and immediately joins Rei in the backseat, where Rei has a funny looking weapon resting on his neck. "Saeko your next, leave them be, let's go."
The voice that Takashi used to order Saeko was different, Saya realized. This voice almost had a source of energy that poured into his words. Saeko looked like she was going to argue, her mouth half open, when after Takashi spoke, she immediately closed her mouth, and hopped into the car. Shutting the back door, Takashi jumps up on the side of the car, and hoists himself up next to Kohta. "Good to see you buddy" Kohta says with a big smile on his face as he playfully punches Takashi's shoulder.
Takashi smiles back and taps the hood of the car twice, "Ok Shizuka find somewhere safe to pull over for a while we need to regroup and come with a plan." "Where should I go?" Shizuka asks. Looking around Takashi sees a parking garage, one street over. "Park in that garage for now, go to the top floor" He says to her. "Okay!"
Now that he was no longer running Takashi took this brief chance to lay down and relax. "Hey wake up sleepy head." Rei's voice pierced through Takashi's dreams as he woke up, not realizing he dozed off. "Where are we?" He asked Rei. "We are at the parking garage. We should stay here till the morning." Rei said to him. Takashi nodded in agreement. It as already late and the group needed their sleep. "I'll take first watch." Saeko said, as she hopped out of the car. "You are sleeping here." She said to Ronnie, pointing at an area next to where she was standing watch. "Umm, ok" The boy said, not daring to meet Saeko's eyes.
"Ok, everyone. Get some rest. We'll make our plans tomorrow." Takashi addressed the group. Mumbles of agreement murmured from the car, as the girls got themselves comfortable inside the car. Takashi laid down next to Kohta, the boys sleeping on the roof to give the girls room. Within minutes everyone was soundly asleep except for Saeko, who stood at the guard rail, staring into the night as she stood watch.
The next morning
7:30
"Wakey wakey guys, time to have some breakfast. It's good for you ya know!" Shizuka's cheerful voice woke the group up, as she started handing out granola bars left over from Takagi's house. "I'll take one Auntie Shizuka!" Little Alice asked her. The group laughed a little at the little child's innocence, not realizing that later that day that childish naivety, will be gone.
Takashi looked at Saeko, who was still standing watch. Stretching his arms and legs out, Takashi shakes his head to wake himself up and jumps off the car. Walking over to Saeko, he went to check up on her. "Hey, have you been keeping watch all night?" He said worryingly. "Maybe" She said staring out into space, before turning to give him a smile. "Listen eat some food then sleep. We will fill you on the plan when you wake up. Ok?" He said firmly to Saeko. She gives him that smile of hers, with one lip curled higher than the other. She leans forward so her head rests on his shoulder. "Is that an order, my leader?" she whispers in his ear. You can audibly hear Takashi take a gulp. "If that's what it takes, then yes." Takashi said firmly. "See, that wasn't so hard was it." As she strokes the bottom of his chin with her fingers, and walks off to grab some food. God she's crazy. Takashi thought to himself. A big smile creeps along his face. And I love it.
After eating their meager meal of a breakfast, the group sat down in a circle on the garage floor, and prepared to discuss their next move.
"So Saya tell us what your thoughts were regarding this mini-mart." Takashi says to her, to start things off. "Well if I'm right… which I usually am." She says slyly "The mini mart two blocks over, is his group's headquarters." She says, pointing at Ronnie. The group turns and looks at Ronnie, who is fidgeting in his spot. "Ronnie, is that where your group came from?" Takashi asks, firmly, but gently.
Ronnie nods his head yes, refusing to talk. "How many of you are there?" Kohta asks. The boy doesn't say anything or move. "Are their people there now?" Rei asks gently. He slowly shakes his head yes. "Are they friendly?" Shizuka asks. The boy shrugs his shoulders. Then Takashi grabs his shoulders, "If they see us, will they shoot us on sight." He says coldly to Ronnie. It wasn't a question, more a statement for confirmation. Ronnie looked at him a long time before his lips slightly parted. "Most-Most likely yes." He says shakily.
"How are we going to get the upper hand then?" Kohta whines. Saya takes a moment to look at Alice, thoughts turning in her head. "What about a child?" Saya says all of a sudden. The statement through everyone by surprise. "What do you mean Saya?" Shizuka asked. "Just answer the question Ronnie." Ronnie look stumped for a bit, then finally responded. "I guess, I guess not, esp... especially a female child. "The underlying message cut through the group as they slowly understood what that meant. Saya, now having no remorse about her plan tells the others, exactly how they are going to get the upper hand.
Two hours later, when everything was ready the group set out to the mini mart. "Ok Shizuka, when we get about a block away, they are going to hear the Humvee, so once we are close enough, cut off the engine. ""Ok!" Shizuka said in a somber voice. She did not like this plan, did not like it at all, but Alice agreed. The poor girl. She said she wanted to finally help out the group and this was one of the only ways she could. Oh, bless her sweet heart. I hope she's going be ok.
In the back Kohta was giving Alice last minute instructions, "Mhm that means this and this means that. Got it Brother Kohta!" Kohta smiles at here. "And remember no matter what, I won't let anything happen to you ok?" "Okai!" Alice says with a big smile. The car began to slow down, the group getting closer to their destination. "Ok it's game time." Takashi says. The Group jumps out of the car, each person going to their assigned tasks.
*Somewhere unknown*
Two men were sitting on the roof of a building, enjoying one of the few cigarettes left in the world. One of the men was casually leaning in a lawn chair, overlooking the deserted street in front of him, a sniper rifle resting up against the barrier. The man was in his early 20's, blonde hair and blue eyes. He was stocky and well built, most likely played some kind of contact sport during high school.
His friend behind him was the exact opposite. The man was in his late 40s but was as thin as a pole. He was currently fiddling with some sort of transmitter, muttering angrily to himself. "Hey, everything ok Walter?" The younger boy asked, taking a deep pull of his cigarette. "You know cursing at the thing won't make them answer." He says with a smile.
"Well what do you suggest mister smartass?" Walter grumbles. "Relax its barely been 12 hours I'm sure Andy and his Pops are fine." The younger boy said, clearly annoyed at the older man. "Yea but he last reported last night, that he thought he heard a vehicle." Walter whined back. "Well if that's the case then a couple of half scared survivors shouldn't be much of a challenge for them, they brought their guns with them after all."
"Besides, Benny and the others will be back from their raid soon. Maybe they will bring back some goodies with them." The younger man cackles, as he puts out the butt of the cigarette, stamping it with his foot. Suddenly a low droning sound could be heard from the distance. "What the fuck is that." The younger man said, looking around trying to pinpoint the noise. "I don't know, but it sounds like a vehicle." Walter said to him, also looking around. "You think it's the same one that Andy called about?" Walter asked. "Who knows." The younger boy muttered, trying to figure out what the sound was. Shortly after the two finished speaking the droning stopped, and a silence once again filled the area.
"Huh that was weird." The young man muttered. Walking over to the device Walter was messing with, the man grabbed a microphone device and pressed a button on the machine. "Hey Benny, you there come in." A few seconds of silence was interrupted by a brief crackle, before another mans voice emanated from the machine. "Benny here, everything ok?" "Yea everything's fine, listen you're not near the base, are you? We thought we heard a vehicle." The man answered. "Nah, we still about 10 miles out, should be there by tonight. Just keep your eyes peeled and wait for us you got it?" The voice made it clear that it was an order to the younger man.
"Got it boss. Over and out." The young man said, before hanging up the receiver. "Well whatever it is. It's gone now." He said to Walter. The man fished into his pocket for something, and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Putting a cigarette in his mouth, he takes out a lighter and lights it, taking a deep pull before speaking again. "Anyways, when do you think we are gonna go to that ma…" The man stops short as something on the street catches his eye.
"Hey what's that? That one of Them?" the younger man says, pointing at a figure down the street. "I don't know let me look." Walter says. Walking to the edge of the roof, he grabs the sniper rifle, and puts the butt to his shoulder, eyes aiming down the sight. "It's… It's a little girl! And it looks like she has a dog with her. Wait… That's Ronnie! He's with the girl!" Walter says, not believing his eyes. "A little girl? What the hell is a little girl doing with Ronnie?"
"What should we do? And where's Andy and their Dad? Why aren't they with him?" The younger man asked. The older, skinny man got a weird look in his eyes. "Well we should make sure they are ok, now shouldn't we? Especially the little girl. She must be so scared." Walter said to the younger man. The younger man didn't like the way the older man spoke, but was in no position to argue. "Ok let's go out there and greet them. "
Heading downstairs, the two men removed the various items that barricaded the main entrance. Since the rest of their group was out, it was just the two of them left, guarding the mini mart. The younger man picked up a big bat, studded with the nails, and hefted it over as shoulder as he walked out. Walter hung up the sniper rifle, and grabbed an assault rifle instead that was laying on a nearby table. Strapping the gun over his shoulder, Walter and the younger man walked down the street a little bit to meet up with the two figures walking down the street.
They got about 100 yards before they got close enough to be almost face to face with the two. The younger man felt something was off, but he didn't know what. "What the hell Ronnie?! Why you with this little girl? And where the hell is your Pops and Andy!" Walter shouted at the boy.
"He's not allowed to speak." The little girl said sweetly. The two men were taken aback at her words. "Where is everybody? Is it just you two?" She asked innocently? The younger man really felt something weird was going on now. How the hell did this girl survive in this world all by herself?
"Well why don't you come inside, and we can get to know each other better?" The old man said kindly to the little girl, but his eyes did not match his words. "No thank you. Anyways I'll just cut to the chase. But first things first" She says and then puts on a big happy face. In the most childish and sweet voice the young man had ever heard, the little girl said "You touch me, you die."
So, what you guys think of this style? Do you want me to change it back? Or keep it is as is? Your thoughts and reviews as always are greatly appreciated!
P.S. As I start coming closer to the mall point of my story, there will be certain… erotic scenes, just a heads up!