Chapter Five: Nightmare of the Reaper

Sora woke up gasping for air, dazed, and hurt. Her head felt like it had been set on fire from the inside and her raw bloody wrists looked like a rabid dog had chewed them up. She was shaking, not from the chills the room seemed to give off, but because she had finally woken up from a terrifying dream that seemed all-too-realistic. She curled up in a protective ball and rocked back and forth like a child, wishing she had someone to cling onto for comfort. There was no one who could comfort her though. The closest thing she had to any human contact was Beyond Birthday, the deranged maniac who had her bleeding, broken, and trapped in the first place. Her whole body shook when she remembered even a fragment of the dream.

The sun painted the afternoon sky with a brilliant display of orange and red and she was heading back to headquarters. Sora passed various shops and she came across one filled with sweets and cake, a small piece of heaven for any small child…and her lover. It reminded her of her sweet L working non-stop back at headquarters, demanding Watari around for more sweets. She giggled, thinking about how wide L's eyes would be if she showed up with cake. She walked into the store looking at the different sections and picked out the cake, filled with a custard mousse and topped with a big ripe strawberry. She could pretty much see L licking his lips lavishly at the sight of the strawberry

She soon left with her purchase and found she was now running late. She looked at her cell phone and frowned at the time. "Hmm…I'm so late. Maybe I could take a little shortcut." Sora smiles and decided to cut through the little park. The sun was begging to set and all she could hear were the birds, the sound of her own light steps, and another pair of feet stomping behind her, following her every move.

"Following? No I'm being ridiculous." She thought casually Man, all those scary movies were really catching up to her.

She decided to turn her head ever so slightly and she could see a dark figure somewhat significantly taller than herself behind her now matching her every step. Sora faced forward and quickened her step, the figure behind her matching her every step, then accelerated. Sora took a deep breath and made a sharp turn she was certain would lead her to headquarters. Something was not right. Sora began jogging and the figure jogged too, and then running. Sora's heart jumped into her throat and she exploded into a full sprint. She weaved in and out of trees trying to lose the figurer who was gaining on her. Sora started panic now certain that this man had a purpose and she did not want to find out what it was. L had warned her about all those crazy rapists and abductors, she just chose not to listen. Sora suddenly felt a yank at one of her ankles and she felt her body slam into the ground, the box that held Ryuuzaki's cake flew and crashed into the ground spilling its contents messily.

Sora jerked her head back to see what she had tripped on and she saw that it had been the figure's hand that grasped her ankle, something glistening in his other hand. Sora screamed in surprise and with her other leg she smashed into the other's covered face, making the man release his grip on her ankle. Sora sprang up and ran from the sight at breathtaking speed, fear setting in threatening the back of her mind. Her eyes widened at the sight of the hotel entrance where headquarters was being held this time, her heartbeat raced with hope. There was a crashing sound behind her, and she knew exactly what it was, begging her legs to go faster. The ground gave in under her and she fell down into a steep slope until her body crashed into the chain fence, the barbed wire bobbled above her. Her back stung with the sudden impact, her lungs burning with her constant forced breathing. She grabbed more of the fence, pulling herself up as a crashing sound came behind her and she tried to climb up the fence. She was then torn from the fence and thrown against a tree, her vision jarred with the impact to the back of her skull. The pain continued as a blow was sent right into her left temple, knocking her unconscious.

Sora winced at the memory of her nightmare, fresh tears streaming down her face. Her head hurt exactly where she had hit the tree and her temple hurt where she had been hit. It was all too realistic for a simple nightmare.

The blinding pain in her head woke Sora up. She found herself bound to a chair, she couldn't move her limbs. Panic was setting in again. She decided that she would calm down and she became aware of her surroundings. She noticed the room was cold, damp, windowless, and ahead of her was a bolted door. Where was she?

The door opened and an evil laughter rang through the room. "You poor pathetic weak little creature!" the voice sounded so familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Sora demanded, but the person took no notice of her questions, pretending not to notice.

Sora watched her captor with high suspicions. Suddenly the man walked over and slammed his fist into Sora's face; the force of the blow rocked the chair. Little spots danced in the edges of Sora's vision. She cursed and shot a look of pure hatred at the man who stood above him, laughing like a child with a new toy.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" Sora screamed, trying to hide the panic in her voice. Another blow through her chin, the chair scooting back and rocked on its legs before it fell backward. She crashed her head on the floor, letting out a low groan before passing out again.

"No you don't you pathetic woman." There was a sharp blow to her stomach as he faceless tormentor's foot collided with Sora's ribs, the searing pain hot through her chest and back. Sora let out a low groan as she doubled over as much as she could, hearing plenty of her own ribs crack painfully. The man grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her back up. Sora could feel tufts of hair giving in and blood trickling down her brow and her face contorted in agony, gritting her teeth. The shadowed man whipped out a knife and Sora froze as soon as she saw the glint. Cold fear and realization crept into her face, this only seemed to excite her attacker more when he slashed it downs Sora's chest, cutting the fabric and leaving a fairly deep gash down her torso. Sora let out a howl of terror and pain when sudden cold hands whipped across her face, muffling the screams. The man cut the binds on her legs and arms, releasing her from the chair. Sora took the opportunity to attack and forced her tormentor against the door. A beam of light shown on the man's face and Sora's eyes grew wide, cold sweat mixed with blood on her brow. She felt something cold poke her stomach and Sora saw the gun. She backed off and put her hands up without needing to be told.

"Good girl. That's a good pet. Now up against the wall!" he forcefully kicked her in the back, causing Sora to press against the wall. Sora's eyes held fear and confusion, her eyes fixed on the twisted smile of her tormentor.

"Turn around." he hissed and Sora reluctantly turned around. She heard the chair being kicked to the side and she put her hands on the wall, cringing at the sound. The man grabbed Sora's mangled shirt and pushed her against the wall.

"Let's play a game…you keep your hands on the wall and I won't kill you!" the man laughed maniacally. "But if you wish to die, then by all means take your hands off the walls."

Sora gripped the walls so hard her knuckles turned white. "How do I get out of here alive?" Sora thought. She heard a crack behind her and the man was breaking apart the chair. Sora stole a glance at the evil man and was rewarded with a blade thrown at her, centimeters from her nose. Sora yelped and turned her face back and gripped the cold stone.

"You should not have tried to look." He brought one of the broken splintered chair legs down on Sora's back, her legs buckled under her and she fell to the floor. Her hands were still on the wall as blow after blow came down on her bare skin. Deep violet bruises and splintered cuts played across her back, tears streaked through the blood, dirt, and sweat of her pale face. She tried to stand up, only to be kicked down again.

"Turn around..." said the tormentor cruelly, his voice laced with danger. Sora weakly turned around so she was face to face with the gleaming knife, stained with her ruby blood. The man grabbed her face and tore a deep long line down the right side of her face. Sora screamed in agony, making the man laugh with pleasure. Sora shot a glare at the man, a beam of light hitting his face. Sora froze in place.

It was Beyond Birthday.

He took the stained knife from her face and looked her dead in her onyx eyes with his bloodshot red ones, tracing his tongue along the knife, savoring her sweet blood.

Sora's body was shaking furiously, her hands firmly grasping the black wall in front of her. It was all too realistic. She traced her cold shaking hand down her face, tracing where Beyond had cut her. Nothing. She wrapped her hand around her back, pressing and feeling for any bruises and cuts. Nothing.

Her fragile frame looked dead, her face paler than usual. Her onyx-gray eyes were tear stained and lost. She shook frantically again. She was so scared. She wanted L. She wanted Beyond dead for doing this to her. She wanted to get out of here.