~A step towards Death~
I could feel fear and panic creep slowly into my heart.
My feet felt heavy, like cement.
My voice was broken.
What should I do...
...What can I do...?
I could only stare frozen, at the picture painted infront of me.
Kura slowly turned her head at me.
"...who...someones...there..." her voice cracked.
~A step towards Death~
I managed to open an eye.
Why was he here?
"Kura...are you ok? Who...did this to you?"
My lips moved slowly, and I tasted blood with every word.
"...It's...not...your...business."
He became silent, and didn't move.
I don't need his help.
...I don't want his help.
He quickly bent down and stared at me.
Now, of all times he was trying to pick a fight?
I looked away.
He remained quiet, but I could still feel his gaze on me.
"...What...what is it you want-?" I turned back at him.
His face...an expression that I had never seen there before.
Angry, and twisted.
"...?" Suddenly he picked me up.
I flinched.
"Sorry if it hurts,
but right now we need to get you to a hospital," he said.
He carried me into the hall.
"I'll take you to the infirmary first, then I'll go call an ambulance."
This boy...
I don't understand.
~A step towards Death~
I headed towards the infirmary, Kura on my back.
She was light, and her breathing was faint.
My heart pounded, and I walked faster.
I felt her hand tightly grip my shirt.
"...No..." she mumbled.
"...? what is it?", I looked back at her.
"No...not the infirmary..." she gripped tighter.
I looked at her crazy.
"What are you saying? I think you've lost too much blood."
"No!" she shouted, and suprised me.
She started coughing.
"...I...I just need to go home is all...I'll be ok after some rest..." she breathed.
That's, right.
Her parents are probaly the best to handle this...
I stopped walking.
"Should I call your house then?"
She shook her head.
"No. I'll be fine...I just need some rest is all...", she mumbled.
"You already said tha-...?", I turned back at her.
Her eyes were closed.
"Kura!"
"My house...", she whispered.
"How am I supposed to find your house...?" I asked.
"...Amy...she knows...Amy...ask...", her voice faded.
Amy? Who is Amy?
...I looked back at Kura.
Her hand still held tightly onto my shirt.
...Honestly.
Does she have to be so difficult?
Against her wishes, I brought her to the infirmary.
Luckily, no one was there, so I layed her in a bed and wrapped her in the sheets.
I closed the curtian around her.
Hopefully, no one would find her until I got back.
I ran to the classroom.
I knocked on the door twice, and a not-so-friendly teacher greeted my presence.
"All these students...late to my class today...", he grumbled.
"...and where have YOU been?"
I froze.
I was extremely late to class...and I had no excuse either.
The teacher angrily awaited a reply.
My mind raced for a second, then I smiled and looked up with my best poker face on.
"I was running errands for another teacher."
"Oh really...?", he gave me a nod.
I sighed. He belived me.
"...Which?"
I looked at him.
"...What?"
"I said...which?"
Crap..., I smiled. I didn't know any of the teachers!
"...Uhm,...It was for the school nurse."
"Oh I see", he nodded again. "Ok, come in and take your seat."
I shook my head.
No, I have someone who needs my help...
"Actually, she just sent me here to get a student for shot records. Is there an Amy in here?"
He grunted. "Amy Nguyen, the nurse needs to see you!"
A girl about the same height as Kura,
with shoulder-length chesnut brown hair stood up and walked towards me.
"Aioro-san will show you to the nurse", the Teacher waved us away and closed the door.
"Come with me, hurry..!" I ran towards the infirmary.
"Eh...? Why am I going to the nurse? Is it something important?" she ran behind me.
"Here." I stopped infront of the doors and caught my breath.
"W...why did we run...?" She breathed.
"It doesn't matter, just go inside!" I opened the door, and she walked in.
"...It's...dark in here...what's going on...?", she turned and looked at me.
I closed the door.
"Listen to me very carefully...," I whispered.
"I need your help."
"..W...with what..?" she gave me an uneasy look.
"...Kura, she told me to come find you."
Her face changed.
"What? You dragged me out here because of that girl?"
"I'm leaving!", she turned around and grabbed the door.
"Wait! You can't!" I grabbed her arm.
She turned and gave me an empty look.
I had seen that same one before.
"I have nothing to do with her- and I don't want to...could you please just let me..."
What is wrong with all these people...?
I pushed her away from the door, and turned on the light switch.
The lights flickered and slowly came on.
"...?...", she looked up.
I walked towards the bed.
"Before you decide on your final answer...you should see."
"...?", she looked at me.
I flung open the curtians.
The blanket I had wrapped her in now had stains of red.
"W...what is that?", she stepped back.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer.
"No! Let me go!", she squirmed.
"You want to know what it is right?" ...I said.
She stopped struggling.
"Well take a good look."
I unraveled the top of the blanket and Kuras blood stained face showed.
"...! What...she's...dead...?", she started shaking.
I shook my head.
"No...she fainted. If you don't help me though- she really will be dead."
"What...what do you want...?, her voice became weak.
"For god-knows what reasons...Kura does not want to be left here, much less taken to a hospital.
She told me she wanted to return home to rest but..."
She nodded. "I see...you don't know where her house is...right?"
I nodded.
She sighed.
"Fine...since it's this serious I will take you."
I breathed in relief.
"But-!", she glared at me.
"If you so much as tell a living SOUL I skipped school to go help that...
thing, I will hunt you down- and silence you. Forever."
"Yeah I get it..."
"Well hurry and get her out of here before someone comes."
I carefully picked Kura up.
Amy peeked through the door into the hallway.
She looked back and nodded at me.
I followed her carefully and quickly through the building, and we made our way out the back entrance.
"Hey...slow down!", I ran to catch up with her.
She continued walking.
"Hey...!" I ran, out of breath.
She stopped walking.
"...Here", she pointed at a large two-story, brown wooden house.
I looked up.
So this is where Kura lives.
I walked up to the door.
"Can you open it?"
She sighed, and tried to push open the door.
It didn't budge.
"...Locked?", she looked at the door strangely.
She reached for her hair, and pulled out a small clip.
She bent it then put it in the lock.
The door clicked and opened.
"...Don't ask me where I learned to do that", she glared back at me.
"I won't" ,I smiled.
...Is she training to be a burgular?
We entered the house into a large white and brown kitchen.
It had everything that you'd basically find in a kitchen...
but for some reason, this house was giving off a weird air.
She led me up a flight of stairs, and into a bedroom.
"Lay her on the bed", she pointed.
I carefully set Kura down.
"...So this is her house...", I inhaled.
"Yes...", Amy looked out the window.
I turned to her.
"You sure seem to know alot about Kura, but I've never seen you two hang out before."
She turned and gave me a cold stare.
"That...is none of your business."
"It's been ages since I've stepped foot in this house...the air in here is choking me", she said.
"I'll leave her in your care", she started down the stairs.
"Wha- wait! Your gonna leave?" I followed after.
She started putting on her shoes. "Yes. I'm not a welcome guest here," she opened the door.
I watched as she walked out.
She stopped. "Also,...one more thing- don't tell her I came here."
"Just tell her I drew you a map or something", she walked out of sight.
I wonder what their relationship is...?
...but she was pretty rude.
At least I'm grateful for her bringing me here, I slammed the door shut.
But...
what was I supposed to do?
I walked upstairs to find Kura still wrapped in the blanket.
Carefully, I untied her.
Her face still had a blank, emotionless expression- even when she was unconcious.
I touched it, and she flinched.
It must still hurt, huh?
~A step towards Death~
When I opened my eyes, I was laying down.
"That bastard-! Even after I told him not to take me to the infirmary-", I got off the bed and fell.
The backstabber, as if right on cue, walked in holding a bowl.
"Kura! Your awake?" he quickly came and helped me up.
I snapped. "I told you not to take me to the-"
He put his hands up in defense.
"Whoa! Whoa! I didn't! Were at your house!"
I got up and pushed him aside.
What? Did he really manage to-
I opened the door and walked downstairs.
It was home...
Sort of.
A wreck of dishes and scattered foods greeted me.
"WHAAATT THEEE HELLLL DID YOU DO TO MY KITCHENN?" I screamed.
I picked up a bowl.
A purple liquid stared from inside it.
His footsteps came running downstairs.
"I'm sorry I'll clean it I-!"
"Purple...?" I stuck my finger in the bowl.
"How the hell did you manage that?" I looked back at him.
He gave me a depressed look.
"Yeah I'm kinda new to the cooking thing...", he scratched his head.
"Oh but-!" he ran upstairs, and came back down carrying a bowl.
"I managed to make some rice!" He smiled.
"..." I stared at him.
"W...what...?", he stared back.
"You must be really proud of that, huh?", I smirked.
His smile dissapeared.
"To be honest...I was...", he turned red.
I ignored his self-inflicted embaressment, and took a bite of the rice.
"How is it?", he looked.
"...Overcooked."
"Arggh!", he scratched his head in frustration.
I patted his shoulder. "It's okay."
He sighed, and gave me a smile.
"Even with your crappy rice, I'm sure I can make something." I turned and walked off.
He stood there, still smiling.
~A step closer~
I was ordered to sit at the table, and I watched quietly as she turned my "Crappy rice" into Onigiri.
She layed a plate infront of me, and started eating her share.
I picked up one.
"Aren't you still hurting?", I looked at her uneasily.
"...I'm fine", she said through small bites.
"I still think you should go to a doctor though", I played with my Onigiri.
She shook her head then swallowed.
"No need. I'll just stay home and rest, I'll be fine."
"You keep saying that...", I sighed and took a bite.
We finished eating, and she cleaned up the plates.
"You should go home now", she looked at me.
"Oh but I was going to wait for your parents, so I could tell them-"
"No one is coming", she said.
Huh?
"My parents don't live with me. I live here by myself."
"I see..., why is that?"
She gave me a burning glare. "God your so annoying!"
"Your never satisfied with the answers I give you...", she crossed her arms.
Ah, she was right.
Was I being too nosey?
"Sorry, nevermind", I looked down.
...
Silence.
"...just for today..."
? I looked up.
She sat in my lap and placed her head on my shoulder.
My body heated.
I could faintly smell shampoo.
"...just for today..." she whispered in my ear.
"Just for today...I will share with you..."