Chapter 8
Author's Note: Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though there's not much action going on in it – again. But just be patient, it'll come.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note".
Yasu got up. The strict look of her teacher made her bow her head. She nervously corrected her red uniform-butterfly.
"Nakagawa," the teacher said, "since you obviously think it more important to pass notes around than to listen to The Oath of Faith, then you must already know it. Could you please recite it for us?" His cold eyes pierced her through his square glasses.
"Erh, yes, sir." Her eyes were everywhere but upon his face, the skinny knees almost glued together when she took a deep breath to recite the Oath, her black hair hanging dully around her pale face. She turned her eyes to the picture of Kira hanging over the blackboard and closed her eyes.
Her fist clenched, crumbling the note which she had not been passing. She had to bite her lip not to shed a tear.
Who thinks Yasu Nakagawa is a total looser? Twenty "me"s of agreement had been set on the torn piece of paper.
"Well, go on, girl, we don't have all day!" The teacher patted his desk significantly with his ruler.
"I… I pledge my allegiance to my beloved God
- He, who has rid my world of evil,
He, who has given me peace,
He, who has… erhm… healed my heart,
And… erh… I don't remember the rest." She miserably lowered her head even more.
Even though she could not see his face, she knew that the corners of the teacher's mouth curled upwards in a scornful smile.
"Why, would you look at that. Class, can you please help Yasu here remember her Oath, since she's too stupid to do it herself? Sit, Nakagawa." His voice could turn a glass of water into ice.
Her classmates stood up.
"I pledge my allegiance to my beloved God
- He, who has rid the world of evil,
He, who has given me peace,
He, who has healed my heart,
And he, who has brought upon me the salvation."
They sat down. Yasu stared down into her table, so ashamed she was walking the boarder of tears.
"Nakagawa, stand up if it's not to much trouble for you." His voice was gentle, but she new it was the silence before the storm.
"Now, go to the blackboard and write one hundred times: 'I must not show my stupidity'. Class dismissed."
Everyone packed their bags as the bell rang, telling jokes and giggling as they left the classroom.
"Looser," one girl whispered derisively into her ear as she walked past.
Yasu got up, went up to the black board and took a piece of chalk. I must not show my stupidity… I must not show my stupidity… I must not show…
"And Nakagawa," the teacher said from the doorway as he left as the last person. "Really: Try not to." His smile was friendly, but his eyes were laughing at her as he left.
Yasu drew a salty drop away from her cheek.
They were in the pavilion, view over Tokyo, although dark clouds covered the sky this time. But they could not see the sky, because black venetian blanks had been set up to cover the not-so-pleasant view. The small room was lit with little, orange candles all over, red lanterns.
She wore the necklace he had given her last time. A black dress, not a gown, reaching no longer than down to her knees, showing the world her long, slim legs. High heels, black, her hair in an ingenious bun with a silver hairpin, shaped in blooming orchids.
She rested her head on his chest, against his white tie as they danced a slow dance to a quiet piano. She could feel his warm breath against her ear, his gentle hands around her waist, his chin on her soft hair. She closed her eyes.
"I see you're wearing the necklace. Do you like it?"
She raised her head, smiling happily, looking him in the eye. "Of course, Lord. It's so beautiful."
"Thank you, Adéle. And… I want you to do something."
"Anything, Lord, anything."
"I want you to stop calling me Lord. And say Light instead."
Adéle's eyes widened, amazed and yet happy at the same time. A smiled – that fool. She had him now.
"Light? Is that your name, Lor… I mean Light?"
"Yes, it is."
"I… I feel so honored… Light."
"Do you like it – my name?"
"Yes, it is so… unique. And fitting. For God to be named Light. It is beautiful, too."
"Thank you. Not as beautiful as Adéle, though."
"You flatter me, Light." She bowed her head again, blushing.
"Not at all." He lifted her chin back up, gently with his fingertips, looking into her eyes through his hair. "I love you, Adéle."
Her eyes reflected the light of the nearest lantern. He loved her? Lies, A thought, loathing him. He does not love me anymore than he love a cockroach under his shoe.
"I love you too… Light," she breathed. His lips were nearing hers. He bowed his head, their mouths met, she felt his fit body against her own as he embraced her lovingly, gently. A warm sensation spread though his very kiss into all of her body, a warmth that was sacred and amazing, and she never wanted to let him go. Or Adéle did not.
What he supposed to do? What could he possibly have done? Sure, drawn his gun and stormed the bastards, which would only have resulted in his own captivity. So he could not have done anything. That homeless guy would just have to take care of himself for now. It was not like Kira was going to kill him for begging people for money… or was it? Will soon could not count all the things which would be punished by execution.
He just watched along with the other citizens as the police dragged away the poor man. He begged for help and mercy, but no one reacted. Will was disgusted with himself. He pulled down his hat, tightened his coat and turned on the spot, walking back into the shadows of the little alley he had come from.
This district of Tokyo had yet to modernized, a smell of garbage hung heavily in the air in here. The houses somewhat sadly hung in their places, loud music and two people fighting echoing between the rotting walls.
Will sighed and lit an cigarette. A would have thought it stupid to help the homeless guy. Suicide. Irrational, she would have said. He could almost hear her voice in his head as he quietly spoke the word. She had such a beautiful voice. Beautiful all over. He smiled and closed his eyes as her face made it's way to his mind. He had never heard her laugh. But he knew it would be the most amazing sound ever known to mankind. He leaned up a wall of one of the houses. A smiled at him, which she had never done in real life either. But he knew she would some day. Being proud of him, when all this was over, the two of them would run away together. Maybe live somewhere in Britain, a quiet place up in Scotland, perhaps. She would like that.
Irrational. She used that word a lot. When she had described the plan to him it had shown up every five seconds.
"It is irrational to go to war…"...
... "How irrational, really."...
... "I find my plan idiot proof, but you must do your best, William, to try and not do anything irrational."
"But… If you were to do something irrational out of… let us say – emotion, and you got caught… I want you to have this." She reaches down into her pocket, bringing to the light of the lamp a little, white box. She tosses it to him.
He catches the box with his right hand with ease, examining it indifferently.
"Open it, William, " A says as she turns away.
He obeys, inside the little box two small, cylindrical pills are located, white, plain, shiny surface. He turns his eyes to A's back, silent asking her what the heck this was supposed to be?
"It is cyanide, William," she answers expressionlessly, as if she had heard his question.
"Cyanide? Which is…?" William thinks it sounds like something chemical, but since when had he bothered to listen in Science Class?
"Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical, which will stop the transport of oxygen to the cells of the human body. If taken, death shall occur within minutes, most likely one or two. Loss of conscience even quicker."
"And you're giving them to me, because…?" Will knows what she will answer, but the thought is too horrible for him to recognize it.
"Because we know that Kira will not hesitate to use torture in means of reaching his goals. During the World Wars One and Two, spies and resistance fighters used cyanide to take their own lives in case they were caught. They would not risk revealing any information regarding their comrades."
"So, what you're asking…"
"What I am asking," A said, cutting him off, "is that you carry these pills with you at all times. Leave them in the box, put them in a pocket. That should distract Kira's men." She tosses him a men's bracelet. "There is a third in here. The biggest bead is hollow. If you shake it, you can hear a pill rattling. The bead can be crushed by putting ones nails into the marked places, yes, there, and then pressing."
"What… You're asking me to kill myself?" He cannot hide his disbelief.
"Think of the tablets only as a last resort. I carry three as well. No one but you and some chosen few knows my true identity. We all have these three. If you are caught, William, and there are no means of escaping, use the pill. You shall crush it with your teeth and swallow."
Will sat up, awakening. His hand flew to the pocket of his coat – he felt the little box against his hand. And he felt the bracelet. The rattling bracelet. Everything was the same.