Chapter 2

The Slow Shortcut

There had been one thing that kept me bothered throughout our little journey.

I took quick glances to my surroundings but tried not to slow down my pace. There were rustling trees, muffling bushes, whistling wind – typical gloomy forest's traits (which explains a lot where we were by that time).But something was bizarre, but what was?

I gave myself another chance to do a prompt observation to uncover the oddness, but learned nothing in return. Was it just my feeling? No, I doubt that.

"Hey Soul! Slow down a bit for awhile!" I demanded, but he didn't seem to listen as the silver haired boy kept on leaping around the stones underneath him. My brows were furrowed, confused whether should I keep on following his undefined destination or to stop and lurk for the culprit behind all these grotesqueness.

"Whoa what is this?"

I halted, watching Soul's figure squatting down on the edge of the crumbly cliff. He seemed to be startled with what he was witnessing, eyes glued to whatever it is.

I took myself a step closer to Soul, pulled my neck frontward in hope to learn the what- seemed-to-be-an-astonishing matter, but Soul's head was in the way.

"That's weird," Soul stood up, brushing all the dusts he had somehow collected using both of his hands.

"What's weird?" I bent my back, letting my vision to identify the escarpment but hastily withdrew soon, petrified by its boundless depth.

"I swore I saw someone in a hoodie strolling around this way," Soul rubbed his chin, eyebrow arched, "But I guess it's gone."

"You sure you saw someone here?" I gave him a quizzical look recalling the fact that I actually didn't see anyone or anything around the eerie zone.

"I won't be chasing it down if I wasn't," he shot out a defensive tone, peeved by my rhetorical question.

I landed one of my finger tips on my lips and rested my arm on top of the other, thinking for the first time that he was right. No one, not even an idiot, would be running around like a mad hatter if something caught them off-guard… unless he's a complete idiot.

"You think it's Reoux?" I glanced at him, finally decided to play along with his declaration.

He sent me a mocking look instead, as if he was saying "Shouldn't you be the smart one here to tell whether it was him or not?"

"Well it wouldn't be reasonable enough for him to stray around the woods since there are no Human Souls for him to consume," I tapped my forehead, cogitating hard, "So that couldn't possibly be him…"

"Maybe he's trying to hide himself from us?"

"He can just disguise himself to a statue or something," I sighed, giving up indentifying whoever that person in the hoodie was, "Best for us to go back for now."

"You think he jumped from the cliff?" he asked again, not satisfied with my conclusion.

I glared at Soul, not feeling like bothering his time bargaining. "If he's going to do that from the very first place, he won't be troubling himself to hide from us and let us kill him instead. Now let's go."

The crimson eyed boy pouted, again not contented with the answer that he received, but I could care less. The only priority for us to focus on was to go back to where we were supposed to be. Period.

I swiftly turned my back and faced the dreadful track, ready to return to our guarding spot. But Soul wasn't.

"I'm not going back until I find out who is and where is the guy's whereabouts," he stated, sulking like a spoilt brat. "You can go back if you want to," he added before settling his crimson eyes again to the grim pit, hypnotized by the seductive darkness below.

I could feel steams coming out from my ears after listening to his thoughtless demand, losing my patience. Briskly, I waltzed down back at him, feet stomping to the pitiable ground, and grabbed his sturdy arm forcefully.

"Don't be like a kid and let's go. We'll be in trouble if we're not back to our post pronto!" I yelled, letting my high-pitched voice echoed through the groves. Yet, although my arms were stretched to its limit, trying to tug him away with all my might, it didn't manage to drag him out from where he stood even an inch. I felt like screaming in frustration already.

"No!" He slapped his hands from mine which took me by surprise. "I know what I'm doing Maka! You can go on ahead I'll be fine!" he insisted, grounding his feet deeper to the rocky land.

My boiling point was reached – hell, it had been exceeded.

"You-!"

Just as I was about to bawl right on his ears, the grounds where I stood crumbled; detaching itself from its core. The sky turned upside down and the gravity vigorously weighting its mighty appearance on my frail body. I hysterically shrieked as the sight of the vile darkness started to consume me helplessly.

"MAKA!" Soul shouted desperately. "QUICK HOLD ON TO THE ROCKS!"

I forced myself to fight against the devilish mass stressed on my body and quickly planted my hands on the nearest jutting solid stone before having to dangle to it. My heart was thumping and my adrenalin was rushing. My breathing became a panting and my eyes were a size of a saucer's, still shocked by the traumatic incident. Cold sweats washed my body clean, but not my fear.

"H-Hang in there Maka! I-I'll help you!" Soul's red eyes were bleak with vex. His voice was trembling.

He hastily leaned his body to the edge of the cliff, straining his slender hand near to mine.

I tried to extend my hand to cling to his, but it was a tough challenge with all the unseen force pressured on me. With all my remaining strength, I pushed my sore arm to keep on moving upward to reach Soul's hand.

But fate has always been unpredictably cruel.

There was just a millimeter more of proximity before our hands would come into contact – until a humongous vile boulder from nowhere fell down in a wind speed towards me – trying to fracture me apart.

I was transfixed by the horror, numb by my upcoming destiny. Is this the end of me? Am I going to die before having the chance to meet mum for the last time? As I was lost in thoughts, the delusional jeering and merry peals of the devils were piercing my ears harsh, ecstatic to see my suffering.

Then, a pang of hopelessness aroused within me.

If I'm going to die right now, will anyone care? I doubt that. I guess it's good if I'm gone anyway. Dad will be able to find himself a ton of other girlfriends without having to worry about me being around him anymore. Soul will definitely find himself a better partner than me, judging from the way he gets annoyed with me occasionally and how he likes to call me bossy and all. Kid, Black Star, Tsubaki, the Thompson sisters, and the others… well I think I'm going to miss them.

With the remaining seconds left for me to savour, I shut my eyelids tight, released my aching palms from the stones, and let myself buoyed for awhile into the mid-air, waiting to plunge down into the limitless pit.

"MAKA WHAT ARE YOU–"

And before Soul could even finish his sentence, I fell.

Firstly, I want to say sorry since it took me super long to update this fic.

School's been evil with us by giving us all those extra classes and all. And when I reached home, I have to study for my science, accounting, etc. etc.

I guess you can't hope for any freedom no more when you're a soon-to-graduate student._.

But I'll promise you guys that I'll try my best to update this fic at least every once a week. (I usually write a chapter within 3 days, but I guess it's not possible now D: )

Anyway, I also want to thank you guys who faved and reviewed this fic ^_^

I'll give my best to write the best fic evarr XD!!!