Epidemic (Of Darkness)
Chapter 10
A/N: I am trying to update this story as fast as I can! Thank you for all your lovely reviews keep reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.
"She really thinks she can catch up to our cattle trains?" Bastian sat in his throne like chair and blew out a puff of his cigar smoke. His smirk made his company anxious. By this time Yuki, Kyo, and Shia had all showered and eaten. Anxeity and panic flowed through each of them as all they could do was wait for a word from Rin whom was heading farther and farther south.
Shia's polished nails dug into the banister that blocked her from the camp below the balcony. She stared out at the prisoners as they trudged feebly to continue "working" She flinched when she felt Bastian's presence next to her. He looked out at his scenery and smiled. She glowered up at him. "Don't feel bad for them Shia-chan, I certainly don't."
"I can tell. But can't you see the pain they're going through; how is this humane?" Shia tried stepping as far away from him as she could.
"I'd have to disagree with you. Having these…things work for us instead of burning them in our furnace or gassing them to death in the chamber is much more humane wouldn't you say so?" he paused before continuing, "and having them all here and in other camps is much more humane for the world." Bastian blew out a puff of smoke before returning into his study where Kyo and Yuki sat uncomfortably.
"Shia you look tired let us go get some rest." Yuki stood and bowed to Bastian whom nodded in return. Shia just wanted to be anywhere but near this man. She followed Yuki out of the room hurriedly. Kyo stood and glared at the general, rage burning inside him before he trudged out of the door.
"I can't stay here any more Sohma-sama." Tears poured from Shia's emerald colored eyes; once the three of them were safely in their guest room. "Bastian scares me and I feel like throwing up every time I smell…" Yuki patted her head gently.
"I know but if we leave and Rin happens to come back while we are gone what will she do?" Shia sniffled. "We would have all the horses and she really has no authority of Bastian and his men, worse case scenario her and Honda-san could be taken prisoner here." Her eyes widened at the thought.
"What if…what if Tohru is already dead, she's probably starving and cold, there's no way she can make it a week to Aushwitz!" suddenly her face stung and began to turn a light pink; she looked up at the glowering Kyo.
"Don't say that." Kyo grumbled under his breath. "That's-that's not possible. She's alive and Rin WILL get to her in time." Yuki was awe struck. Did kyo really care about this girl that much. He worried for Tohru's well being too but he knew when to give up when something such as this was a no win situation.
"You're right Kyo-kun…I'm sorry I shouldn't think such things. I'm just tired." Shia lied down on the bed and fell immediately to sleep. Yuki sat down on a chair opposite the bed and began to scrawl a letter to Akito. Kyo stared out the only window in their room, he watched the horizon carefully until the sun slid down past it.
Rin's chest constricted as the cool air froze her lungs and whipped at her exposed face. She had turned into her horse form and she galloped as fast as she could. Her hooves cracked at some places and foam leaked from the sides of her snout.
Her veins spread out all over her muscled legs and chest as she picked up even more speed. "I'm coming Tohru-hold on."
Tohru was being pressed against the back wall of the cattle car. She had sores on her feet that were now bleeding from standing for 72 hours. Her legs shook, they could barely hold up her body mass which didn't consist of much. She hadn't eaten a single thing since her capture almost two weeks ago. She blankly stared out the little barred window. It smelt like urine and death inside the car but all Tohru never thought of the hunger pangs or the weak limbs, she never thought of the awful smell or dying thirst. All she could think of was Shia and …her mom.
Tohru tiredly closed her eyelids and suddenly, she felt the warmth of the sun beating down on her face. She could know smell the sweet scent of fresh wheat and flowers. Laughter rang in the air around her and she saw her mother and sister riding two amazingly white horses through the field she now stood in.
She smiled. Tohru glanced down and saw a hose in her hand, cool water poured out onto the rich soil. When she looked up again a bright fire covered her home and field she had just been standing in. Her mom and sister's bodies lie motionless next to her. Their eyes looked sadly towards her. "No.." Tohru whispered.
"MOM….SHIA!" Tohru was no thrashing about and screaming. The other women in the car began to scream and cry as well, yelling out. It woke Tohru up. She watched in horror as the women began to attack each other. They clawed at one another's faces and beat each other with their fists.
She pushed herself even closer to the wall and covered her head with her hands. She know felt the pain her stomach made and the stench reached her nostrils. Puke crawled up her raw throat and out onto the floor right beneath her which was already covered with urine and worse things.
Tears poured from her eyes as she huddled in the corner. Her body shook with sobs.
At that moment her and the other women's bodies were lurched forward and then back as the train's wheels screeched to a halt. They gasped.
Tohru stood on her tip toes immediately and peered out the little window; twenty other women were trying to look out the same window. They yelled out and begged. No one knew what was happening. Suddenly the door to their cattle car slammed opened, the bright sun shown in, making it hard to see anything. Hope rose in her heart…until a whistle sounded and she heard yelling in another language outside the car.
Women screamed as gun shots sounded in the air. Tohru closed her eyes and wiped away her tears from her dirt covered cheeks. She rose her shoulders and stepped out of the cattle car. She stepped over the bodies that were lying right outside of the car. A man in uniform grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to one side.
Tohru numbed herself as they yelled commands at them. She blinked as a gunshot went off next to her head, blood splattered over her face. She made sure not to make a single movement as the men demanded the women to go inside a long concrete building it had a tin roof just like the building at the port camp. The women all cramped into hallway that led to a room. A man in uniform opened the door and commanded the women undress. They did as told.
Whispers and whimpers circled the women as some had heard of horrible stories of people going in and being burnt alive or killed by gas. Tohru shook with fear as to what was coming. Suddenly the door slammed shut and the lights went out. Women and children screamed and cried, they held each other tightly; some prayed.
Tears streaked Tohru's cheeks as she said her goodbyes. A man yelled a command and they heard the sprinklers over their heads turn on…..
Shia sat in the general's kitchen with Yuki. She sipped her tea quietly as Kyo entered the room. "I havent heard anything from Rin its been two days."
"Just be patient Kyo, she probably can't just stop somewhere and write to us." Yuki bit into his syrup covered pancake. Shia glanced over to the other side of the table where a very young girl was standing. She had beautiful blonde curls.
She stared at Yuki's food, practically salivating from her mouth as she wiped silverware in her hands clean.
"Are you hungry?" Shia asked the little girl. She ducked her head down, her blonde tendrils covering her face. "It's alright, here." Shia broke off a piece of her own pancake and tried handing it to the girl.
She just continued polishing her dishes. "Please, take it." Shia urged. The little girl placed the silverware on the table and gently took the hot piece of flour from Shia's hand. The girl shoved the whole thing in her mouth at once and chewed.
Yuki then offered her a glass of milk and Kyo gave her some of his sausage. She gorged herself on each bit of scraps they gave her. "Th-thank you so much." she then began to polish the kitchen ware once more.
"You may not like this Kyo but I wrote to Akito." Yuki admitted. Shia and Kyo both looked at him astonished. "he demands we return at once."
"Of course he does!" Kyo slammed his fist on the kitchen table in front of yuki. "Why the hell did you tell him we were out here looking for Tohru!" Kyo was furious at his cousin. He grabbed him by the collar and lifted him out of his chair.
"He already knew Kyo, the men weren't going to hold their tongues about where we had went!" Yuki gripped Kyo's collar and they held onto each tightly. Shia stared on.
"So…Tohru is never coming back to me." her cup of tea clanged on the table.
"you said Tohru?" The little girl suddenly spoke. All three of them turned to her. Kyo and Yuki released each simultaneously.
"Yes, do you know her did you meet her out here?" Shia stood up from her chair and stepped over to the girl with blonde curls, she kneeled down and gently grabbed her by the shoulders. "Please, if you know anything about my sister's whereabouts-"
"She was very nice to me and mama." the girl confessed.
"You saw her!" Kyo exclaimed. The girl suddenly flinched at the sound of boots on the floor nearing them. She gasped and began to clean vigorously. "Hey, tell us where you saw her…why isn't she talking now. Tell us!"
"Kyo shut up." Yuki whispered as a soldier waltzed into the kitchen.
"You, girl; get me my coffee." The girl nodded and trotted off to the coffeemaker. Black sludge poured out and into the porcelain cup. She ran it over to the soldier and placed it on the table in front of him. He looked down at it and then her.
He rose his hand and struck her on her cheek so hard she fell to the floor.
"Hey!" Shia yelled and knelt beside the girl who was on the verge of tears.
"She knows I don't like my coffee black, are you out of your mind you stupid little piece of-"
"That's enough!" Shia glared at the soldier. "You wont lay another hand on her!" Shia stood up and so did the soldier, he towered over her but she didn't waiver once. Kyo and Yuki were shocked by her strength. Yuki stepped in between them and told the soldier to get back to whatever he had been doing.
They all walked back to the guest room and had brought tons of food and water along with them. The girl sat there and ate happily.
"My name is Shia Honda, this is Kyoa nd Yuki Sohma. We're very close friends to Tohru whom you mentioned earlier, we're looking for her."
"My name is Momo." she smiled brightly as she bit into a large slice of bacon.
You know I just love cliff hangers hope you enjoyed! R&R