"A Flower in the Attic"

Chapter Six: The Voice of an Owl

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor Flowers in the Attic.

"Well look what the cat dragged in. How nice of you Mr. Kurosaki for giving me the opportunity of being in your presence." A gruffy old voice sarcastically called out Ichigo's attention after entering the dining room. Kyoko Kuchiki was looking straight at him without even blinking. She was wearing a purple dress with long sleeves and turtle neck looking as old as she was which made Ichigo think she looked as old as the Mansion.

"I apologize for my absence this morning during breakfast. I lost track of the time and it was a bit late when I noticed it. Forgive me. It won't happen again." He was about to sit on a chair when the woman stopped him.

"No harm done. I didn't expect you to behave well. Especially with your reputation." Remark the old woman. She wasn't even avoiding Ichigo's gaze. It was like challenging and tempting him to loose his temper.

Narrowing his eyes Ichigo looked back at the woman speaking. He knew that the old hag was talking about the fights he got himself into because of his hair. He didn't start those fights but he sure was the one who ended them. Counting backwards, he then smirked with sarcasm at the woman and replied, "I'm impressed. You did your homework. It must be hard living in this Mansion without friends. You'll become more interested in other people's lives than your own."

Ichigo thought he won. but seeing the wicked woman still laughing loudly at his remark, he doubted in an instant.

"Yes! I'm letting people live in my properties. Might as well be cautious we don't want problems. And You're quite right. It is pretty boring around here. I practically have nothing to do so I brought my own pets. They occupy my time and give me happiness. Providing them shelter was a bothersome for my husband but seeing their current state is pleasant enough for me. They're well behave pets. Most of the time." after setting the table, she sat down on one of the chairs and motioned for Ichigo to do the same.

"But of course it took a while. At first they were hard to deal with. Crying, demanding for attention, wanting to be free, you know what I mean, don't they all want to have everything? But life is cruel, you can't wish for anything you want and think that God will give them to you. But I trained them to follow my rules. To live by my rules. It's the only way they could survive."

Weird, old, creepy and irritating woman. What kind of a person is she? Investigating a teenager. Very strange. "Indeed you wouldn't want an eighteen year old boy ruin your precious life. Whether you have a life or none at all. And may I be bold enough to ask what kind of pets you have?"

If a person would walk in on them, it would seem like they were having a normal conversation. Ichigo was loosing his temper. Unfortunately, his father was with the eldest Kuchiki giving his medication. He and the old woman were alone. It wasn't a pleasant sight seeing them together in a room.

"I don't trust anybody. I don't care about other people nor do I plan to be friends with anyone. My only concern is my sick husband. I am born to be by his side forever. That is my life."

The old woman picked up a bell and rang it. The sound resonated throughout the dining hall and then she put it back on the table. "Birds."

"Huh?"Breathed Ichigo.

"My precious pets are birds. Caged birds."

"Ichigo! Where have you been? You didn't show up for breakfast!" Isshin came in in the middle of the argument of the two, asking a question but really didn't care for an answer.

Two maids came rushing in also to prepare their food. They ate their lunch silently and fast. They didn't have another conversation with the old woman. She prefered eating quietly and when she was done she bid goodbye and told the two men she had chores to do.

"So, how was the old Kuchiki? Is he getting any better?"

Isshin sighed when he remembered what was the condition of the head of the Kuchiki family. "He's badly ill. I'm afraid he might not live long."
"oh, that's too bad. So when are you going to see him again?"

"Probably tomorrow early. I need to talk with his wife and tell her the proper medication needed."

"That's great! With any luck I won't see the old hag for breakfast. I'm bored! There's nothing to do! Remind me again why I came here?" Ichigo was lying on the bed watching a romantic movie which he didn't like. It was his father's choice. Isshin wanted to relax after treating Ginrei Kuchiki for four hours straight.

"Well, why don't you take a walk outside? You might find someone interesting. Didn't you meet the heir of the Kuchiki's fortune this morning?" Isshin was speaking in jest but Ichigo knew his father was digging information out of him just to annoy his son.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Arching his brows, he asked his father.

"I met her during breakfast. Too bad she didn't show up for lunch. She said that you're an exteremely lovable person! Hahaha! Imagine that! Ichigo and lovable in one sentence! Hahahah! Who would have thought!" Isshin kept on laughing out loud not bothering whether his son was still listening or not. Because Ichigo was speechless of how his father was such a lunatic person he got off the bed and out the room. Leaving his father inside still laughing.

Once outside the room he saw a figure walking towards the stairs wearing a long purple dress. Even in the darkness it was obvious who it was and curiosity got the best of him, again, he sneaked up behind the old woman and followed her through the kitchen.

She was carrying a tray. Walking around the kitchen to fill the big tray of food. Chicken, salad, rice, fruits and even doughnuts. 'What the fu-? What's with all the food? Are they for her pets? Impossible! Who would give doughnuts as pet's food?' Curious by the woman's strange behavior, Ichigo decided to keep following her. He was hidden behind the door moving as silent as he could.

After gathering the food the woman walked outside the kitchen and took the stairs again. The woman was glancing behind her now and then. He suspected that she was trying to be inconspicuous and looking for someone following her. His steps on the floor were light to avoid any sound it could make because the flooring looked old and creaked most of the time. Odd. As Ichigo followed the woman he realized that she was taking the same route he took when he was searching for the mysterious eyes. they arrived at the small flight of stairs which led to the west wing, the dark corridor and...

The room...

When they reached the corridor Ichigo was sure his heartbeat could be louder than the woman's footsteps. They were getting closer and closer to the door. any minute now and he would see what was inside the mysterious room and satisfy his curiousity. He would see who owned the violet orbs that caught his eyes. He had a momentarily heart attack when he saw the woman stopped in front of the door and took out a key from her pocket.

Too eager to look inside the room with his eyes focused on the woman, Ichigo didn't notice a vase beside him and accidentally knocked it. He saw how the antique slowly fell from the table and with a loud crashing sound split into smithereens.

Luckily when he knocked the vase his instinct told him not to bother catching it and just hide behind the drapes. They were huge and reached the floor. They covered his whole body where he was safe. After hiding he regretted his actions. He wished he didn't follow the woman and just minded his own business. He could almost feel the gaze of the old woman through the drapes as she moved towards the knocked vase.

The footsteps got closer...

and closer...

and closer...

"Is something wrong? A maid with orange hair and a big pair of chest emerged suddenly from a corner carrying a dust. "What are you doing here? I told everyone that this floor will be cleaned every morning only." The old woman snarled at the younger one with so much fierceness that the maid trembled with fear.

"I'm very sorry Madam! I didn't know! I'll just pick the broken shards and be on my way! Please forgive me." The maid kneeled on the floor and started picking up the broken pieces when she heard the Kuchiki spoke once more with anger but surprisingly with a calm voice. It was frightening how she sounded angry and yet her voice wasn't quivering.

"Leave them be. They will be picked up tonight. I will give you three seconds to go back to the kitchen and work. Or you could say goodbye from working here and work as a whore. I am certain you won't have any problems getting back your... Recent job." glaring at the young woman she barked her last words harshly and waited for the other one to move. The maid did move immediately and even stumbled on her own feet. She quickly moved her legs down the stairs and then out of sight.

Ichigo couldn't see anything from where he's hiding. He thought that the two women wouldn't stop from talking. He wondered how scary and mad the old hag probably was and thought how much he didn't want his hiding place be discovered.

It took full five minutes of nothing but waiting when Ichigo heard the old woman moving once more. He heard a set of keys jingling as they were being used and a door creaking quietly in the dark corridor. Although he couldn't see anything he was sure that the woman opened the last door and was now entering the room.

A moment later the door slammed shut.

Unable to move, Ichigo was still letting his senses do the work for him. He couldn't move and he couldn't take the risk of being caught. It would affect his father if they'll know what he was doing. In any minute the woman would come out of the mysterious room and might be shock to see him following her. He stood behind the drapes counting his heartbeat and waited for anything or anyone to occur.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

"What the-?" Clutching the drapes in front of him that he wanted to rip apart so much, he held his breath and waited for another sound.

"AAAAAHHHH! Nnnn..."

'What was that?'

His heartbeats felt like drums. They continued to pound his chest after a horrible sound boomed in the corridor. What ever it was it didn't belong to an object or furniture. Even an animal wouldn't be able to scream as if its life depended on it.

'It wasn't an ordinary sound it... It... it... It belonged... It belonged to... a girl.'

Holding the drapes tightly, Ichigo decided to move out from his hiding place and confront the old woman. What ever she was hiding he didn't know but he was certain that "it" wants to be free. He took a step and was about to show his self when another movement was made. The door opened and the woman carrying an empty tray came out. She was striding passed him and went straight down the stairs stomping her ugly feet on the floor. He couldn't move when he felt her. He couldn't do anything but hide once more.

When he felt that it was safe enough he finally moved away from the hanging drapes.

The door was closed.

He saw nothing once more.

What was the woman hiding? What was inside the room? It let out a very frightening scream that would haunt his mind tonight. He could still hear it. The voice of a person. The voice of a child.

Ichigo made up his mind. He needed to know what happened. How could he pretend that he didn't hear that voice? How could he forget that horrifying sound? He just couldn't say it was his imagination.

The woman took food and brought them to the room.

She gave them...

She gave them to the person LIVING INSIDE the room.

There was someone living or maybe... Or worse, Dying in that horrible place.

He needed to find out no, HE WOULD find out who it was.

A/N: Wew! Done at last! I'm really sorry for all the mistakes in this chapter.

Thank you for reading! Review if you want!