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Solstice
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By: oathk33p3r
Disclaimer: No, it's already obvious that I do not own any of these characters. If I did, I wouldn't be writing my so-called stories here, would I?
YAY! Chapter two if finally here! I'm sorry I couldn't update…writer's block. Nothing much to say… Happy summer?
Characters
-Kairi
-Mr. Narumi
-Sora
-- - - Chapter One - --
+In winter, here you stay+
But summer melts you away.
-Kairi-
Be-beep, be-beep, be-beep.
"Ngh?" Kairi squeezed her eyes tighter and felt around for her covers. Not being able to find the thin, yellow, blanket, she forced her left eye to open and found it on the carpeted floor.
Letting out a groan, she reached for the corner of it and pulled it over her body.
Be-beep, be-beep, be-beep.
"Gosh, that darn alarm clock." Kairi muttered to herself as she tapped the button on the screeching time teller. The glowing green numbers read, '6:02'.
She kicked off the blankets again, slid off her bed and stripped her sticky night clothes off.
Sunlight poured into the open window and lit the four corners of her small bedroom. It wasn't like any other typical teenager's room. Most would describe their room as "messy and disorganized" or "different". That's how Kairi Narumi would've answered if somebody asked for a brief description of her room, but that was only her opinion. On her left-hand side was a bright painting of the beach; tiny, pink seashells peppered the sand, and there was a small sail boat in the distance. Adjacent to the left wall was an emerald field with yellow butterflies nestling in the unique, blue flowers. And on the right of her was a painting of the sky. The massive, cumulus clouds were so life-like that one would expect it to drift out of the painting and sprinkle June rain on them. But it wasn't the clouds that would've taken one's breath away; it was the sun. So bright, yet so lonely it looked in the corner of the wall. The giant ball of gas seemed as if it wanted to want to shed all its light to the world until it had no more to spare. It was as if it wanted to collapse and die, crushing the corrupted world. The rays looked tired and pale; as if it was getting too old. That's how Kairi wanted it.
Finally, behind Kairi's bed post was an empty, white wall. She hadn't decided what to paint yet; but there was a barely-visible sketching of what seemed to be a midnight scenery. How to make it look not so drab was what caused Kairi to stop sketching it a month ago.
Letting out a loud groan that the whole neighborhood can hear, Kairi slumped her way towards her school uniform. She was pulling it out of the drawer when she realized it was summer vacation. Her eyes clear and bright, she smiled and stuffed her uniform back into her chestnut-brown dresser.
Yawning between giggles, she pulled a cottony, white shirt over her head and pulled a pair of short shorts up to her petit waist. Still smiling, she grabbed she practically flew to the kitchen and hugged her father around his middle.
"GOOD MORNING, DADDY!" Kairi squealed.
Startled, her father turned around and returned his daughter's grin. He was holding a spatula in one hand and the strings of his frilly apron on the other.
"Good morning, dear. Would you tie this for me? My back is being a bit stubborn today," He asked as he handed the limp strings to his daughter's outstretched fingers.
"Thanks," He murmured as he went on frying the eggs.
Kairi nimbly tied her father's apron. Just a year ago, she had been doing the same for her mother. She couldn't believe time went by so fast. Wiping a tear out of her eye, she peered over her father's shoulder to see what he was doing.
"Eggs and steak?" Kairi asked as she poked one of the yellow yolks with her finger.
She quickly drew her hand back as she felt the horrible burning sensation.
"Ow," Kairi whimpered as she sucked on her index finger.
"Why did you do that?" Her father asked, amused.
Kairi smiled up at her father with tears of pain in her eyes. His were an electric blue and laughing. Wrinkles around them indicated age and laughter.
"I wanted to see how hot it was," Kairi admitted as she went towards the dishes to set the table.
Only she and her father lived in the small house. It used to be a family of three until her mother had passed away of a heart disease. Life was difficult, but her father was a determined man and did his best to raise his small family. But it was Kairi who was more like the "man of the house". Her father had suffered from spine trouble since a month ago and had to quit his job. His neck was swollen that one day he came home from work. Blood was dripping down the side of his neck as well. He said it was from a "falling hammer", him being a constructor. But she didn't believe him; it looked more like a rat bite to her. Now, it was up to Kairi to bring money home from her part-time job at the local flower shop down the street.
After eating a quick breakfast, Kairi washed up and changed into her florist uniform. Pecking her father's forehead, she grabbed her bike and quickly pedaled down the street to the small flower shop.
The summer breeze felt great upon her face as she whizzed by the early morning strollers. She closed her eyes and smiled; the salty air smelled ever so sweet. By the time Kairi realized she couldn't see where she was going, it was too late.
She snapped her eyes open as she saw her bicycle a good three feet away from her. Underneath her bike was a boy...
+Sora+
Doo dee doo dee, whiirp, whiirp, beep beep beep beep.
Sora snapped his eyes open as the alarm of a near by car went off. Groaning, he plugged his ears with his finger and edged his way further back beneath the dumpster. The annoying shrill of the alarm echoed through the empty streets for what seemed like an eternity. An old, withered man with a shaking head finally came out of one of the houses in an organized row and turned it off. Sora closed his eyes and let out sigh, which only blew dust up his nose.
Coughing a fit, he tried to make himself comfortable in his new home. He had lost his old one just yesterday when some high school kids decided to have fun and burned it down. Sure, it was only an abandoned school with all its contents either destroyed or stolen by some low-life brigand, but it was still his home. All his precious belongings were burnt to ash as well. All he had now was the clothes he had on his back and 19 munny he had in his boot. Of course, he had his silver necklace that never left his neck with him as well, but it was considered a part of him so it never qualified as a "personal belonging".
Sora waited for sleep to possess him again, but another irritating sound reached his ears. But this time, it was bearable to him. Sora intently waited as he heard the street rat scurrying around and stuffing crumbs into its cheek pouches. Soon, it was so close that Sora was able to hear its tiny heart pumping blood into its veins. Instinctively, his fangs slid out as the rat got closer and closer. Before the rat was able to notice that it had company, Sora swiftly grabbed it with his hand and sunk his fangs into its middle. It didn't even let out a squeal.
It seemed cruel and unfair, but that was the only way Sora was able to feed the hunger that pained him every night. He sucked on the rat deeply until it was stiff and dry. Being a rather polite person, he wrapped the dead rat with a used napkin near by and closed his eyes as he whispered a quick prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for murdering one of your creatures in such a cruel and painful way. But you must understand this curse I am bearing; this curse that has no cure, this curse that had killed and torn me apart. Please, forgive my sin and may this critter rest in peace. Amen.
Sora opened his eyes and buried the rat in a hastily dug hole. He laughed at the thought that he was what humans called a "vampire" and a devote Catholic as well. But a curse wouldn't tear him away from the Lord. After all, he was studying to become a priest before this dilemma.
The hunger lighter and his eyelids heavier, Sora rested his head on the base of his arm and drifted off to sleep.
Only a few hours passed when the horrible rays of the sun grabbed at Sora and nudged him awake. His skin burning like the fires of Hell, he hissed and quickly scrambled out of his home. He had to find a darker place, and quick.
By the position of the sun, Sora was able to tell that it was early morning. Luckily, not many humans were roaming around. Who would? He pulled the hood of his jacket over his spiky locks to shade his face. He glanced around and found a store just across the street. Surprisingly, it was open. Running at full speed, he crossed the street-well, almost did.
In mid-run, he felt an enormous pain on his side as he was sent to the floor and slid across the gravel. Wincing, he looked up to see a bike lying on top of him. A few feet away was a human girl...