Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, all right to the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi
Chapter Three: Shutting Down
(Miroku's POV)
The last couple days had really torn me down, I had lost the will to fight. What was the point in fighting it, when I could be so easily disposed of? If not for Inuyasha, I would probably be sleeping the eternal sleep, in a shallow grave, in some remote area, never to be heard from again. I had hoped, that Naraku's temper was sated after the whole strangling incident, but for three days after, he tortured me. I could withstand the beatings, but he had never punished me like that before. To tie me up to the water heater in the basement, with no food or water was too much. He had showed me that I was truly a prisoner in my own home, and I didn't have the means to escape. He treated me like an animal and no one even tried to stop him, even Inuyasha failed me when I needed him most. I tugged on the hood of my coat, pulling it even lower, while wishing with all my heart, I would just disappear.
"Hey Miroku. Is that you? I haven't seen you around in days. You alright?" I could only find the strength to nod my head yes, not wanting to talk about the nightmare I had endured. "I dropped by to bring you your school work. Did it get to you?" I only nodded my head again, not really wanting to talk to anyone. "That guy you live with wouldn't let me come in. He kept telling me you were a little tied up with something." I kept my eyes glued to the floor, trying not to let my emotions get the better of me. Without thinking about it, I let myself scratch at the bruises and burns that marred my neck. "Say something to me, I've been worried about you for days." I wanted to hit him, I wanted to yell, I wanted to demand him to tell me why he did nothing to help. But I don't, instead I rush into my classroom without saying a single word to him.
(Inuyasha's POV)
Something had most definitely happened to him over the past few days and whatever it was, had changed him greatly. He was losing his voice and shutting himself down to preserve what little of himself he had left. I needed to get him talking before it's too late to save him, he could end up believing there was only one way to escape his step dad. "Inu-Bear! Hey over here!" I could hear some of the other guys I played ball with snicker at the nickname she had bestowed to me. I walk over to her, not at all trying to hide the annoyance I was feeling. "I told you to stop calling me that in public. It's embarrassing to be called by a pet name." She pushed out her bottom lip in an cute little puppy dog pout and let it quiver slightly. "Sorry Yashie, I call you by pet names because I love you. Please don't be angry with me." She brushed a light and sweet kiss over my lips and even though I tried, I couldn't stay mad at her. "I love you too."
She had been able to distract me for a while and like a typical guy, around a pretty girl, I had forgotten about my male friends for a while. I was actually enjoying my lunch with my friends, the drama free conversation, kept the mood light. "So guess who came to support you during the game you had on Saturday?" I looked up at my girlfriend, curious as to who she's talking about. "My parents always come, you're there cheering in your cute little uniform, but I have no idea who else would come." Her giggle bubbled out cheerfully and she pointed to someone across the table. I looked in the direction her finger was pointing and find Koga at the other end of it. "You made it to a school sporting event? I guess there's a first time for everything." He rolled his eyes and tried to play off everything he was accused of. "I just wanted to see if you're as amazing as you claim to be and to be honest, I've seen better. You only won by two points and your throws were intercepted twice, you really should work on that." I don't know why the guy couldn't just admit that he was there to support me, like most friends would do.
The sound of the first bell ringing had me picking up my tray and heading towards the trash cans with the others. I couldn't help but notice that Ayame was holding Koga's hand, I thought he couldn't stand cheerleaders. "Oh, you're back to thinking you're too good to talk to anyone. You're just an arrogant little coward. Aren't ya?" Those seven had better not be messing with him again, they needed to learn to leave the underclassmen alone. "Answer me, you little punk." The clang of someone making contact with the lockers rang out and I rushed out to see what was going on. Sure enough, those seven bullies had poor Miroku pinned to the lockers, but one of them was missing. "Say something, stupid. Do you not know how to stand up for yourself?" He didn't even look up at them and Bankotsu had the nerve to slam the kids head into the locker again, and laughs from the other students had me clinching my fists. Miroku finally looked up at them and what I didn't see had me steaming mad, the light he should have had in his eyes had faded, leaving them dark and void.
The gang of weak punks just laugh at him, I start towards them, but I don't get there soon enough. Jakotsu comes walking over with a bucket and Bankotsu shoves Miroku to the floor and yanks back his hood. Before I could reach them, pink paint splatters on the walls and floor. The crowd erupts into laughter as Miroku just sits there, covered in the paint that was dumped on him. He didn't say a word, he didn't get up and run, he just sat there and took the abuse he didn't deserve. Me, on the other hand, snapped for him as I rushed over and punched the two most guilty ones in the face. "Which one of you is next? I will beat the hell outta each and every one of you." The crowd scattered and I lowered myself down to him. "I can help you get cleaned up if you want. I know you can't use the locker room, but I can get you in there. The coach will let you in." He didn't respond, wouldn't even look up, but I could tell by his shaking shoulders that he was really upset, maybe even crying. "Let me help you." I placed my hand on his shoulder, not caring about the paint, but I immediately felt him jerk back, his hand slapping mine away. Before I could say anything else, the humiliated Miroku, got up and ran off.
(Miroku's POV)
I was pretty disappointed in myself for allowing those guys to push me around like I had and giving them the opportunity to humiliate me. I didn't know where I was running to or how I planned to get this paint out of my hair. "Miroku, wait up!" I didn't think Inuyasha would actually follow after me, I figured he'd give up like he had when my step father sent him away. I tried to out run him, to get away from him, I didn't want to be around anyone, but he didn't take the hint. He kept on chasing me down the empty hallways trying to catch up to me, but I just needed a few minutes alone, and I could have fixed all of it. That is when I saw it, the opened door to the janitors closet, I darted inside and slammed the door, locking it behind me. I could hear him outside the door as he called out to me, but I ignored him and dropped my backpack to the floor. I found a towel and started to clean the paint off of my face and hands, then I grabbed a second towel and attempted to get the pink mess out of my hair, best I could with no water.
Inuyasha had either left or grown quiet as he waited for me to come out, but little did he know that coming out hadn't been a part of my plan at all. I unzipped my jacket and tugged it off and tossed it aside and then reached into my pockets. I was done with all of this, I didn't want to go home again, I wanted to be free, and there was only one way I could be free. "Miroku, open the door. You have to talk to someone or you'll implode." I didn't take the time to say anything to him, my mind was too focused on my way out. "Please, I can help you if you let me. You just have to open the door and let me in." I had no interest in letting him in there, he would only try to stop me and convince me that this wasn't the way to handle things. I opened the bottle I had stolen from my mom's drawer, then pulled a second bottle from my backpack, I had taken this one from Naraku's closet. I poured what was left of the pills into my mouth and swallow them down with the bitter liquid from the glass bottle. "Miroku, what are you doing in there? I think I smell liquor. Are you drinking?" I can't answer him or he'll try and kick the door in. Why won't he just go away?
Inuyasha had begun to panic, he was standing outside the door, banging his fist on the thing that kept him out. I tune out the noise, like I tune out the yelling at home. I finish what was in the bottle and take out the final thing I need to complete my escape. The thin silver object caught the glint of the dim light and peace begun to settle around me. "Miroku! Open the damn door!" I couldn't do that, no, I had to finish, I couldn't let him stop me now, not when I was so close to freedom. I could feel the effects of the sleeping pills as the world seemed to slow down and I knew it was time. I took the razor blade and ran it down the length of my arm. The pain only temporary, as I took the blade into my other hand, and slid it down the length of my right arm. Then I just lie down in front of the door, waiting to drift off into a sleep so deep, I would never awake again.
(Inuyasha's POV)
I had helplessly waited outside the door, his silence screaming out what he was really thinking. This had been what I was worried about, but I had never thought he would attempt it here at school. I thought I had a little bit more time to help him get away from his evil step dad, but Miroku had given up all hope. I knew I should have just busted into that house and looked for him, if I had gotten him out of there, things wouldn't have gotten to this point. "Miroku, if you open the door, I'll find some place safe for you to stay. You can come to my house for a while, just please, don't do anything stupid." I looked down to find that he was no longer sitting, but lying in front of the door, a red liquid already beginning to creep into the hallway. "MIROKU!" I had to get in there before it was too late, it couldn't end like this, he was too young to just give up. I rammed the door until it came open a crack, then I carefully opened it enough to get in, without slamming the kid into the wall. I had to slow down the bleeding or he wouldn't last long enough for help to arrive.
I grabbed as many clean towels as I could, then tightly wrapped them around his blood soaked arms, before I pulled out my phone to call for help. I dialed the emergancy number and waited for someone to pick up. The woman I had talked to seemed nice enough, but I barely remember a word she said, I was too busy mentally asking the medics to hurry. I didn't even notice the small crowd that had started to gather in the hallway around and near the door. I didn't even look up until I heard the concerned and caring mutters of the on lookers standing nearby, but once they got my attention, I was furious. "Oh, now you all want to pretend like you care. This is why you stand up to bullies when you seen them messing with someone. If someone had helped him, maybe he wouldn't have done this, but no, all you did was stand by and laugh. If he dies, his blood is on all your hands." I don't know when Koga joined me, but he had taken off his jacket, rolled it up and placed it under Miroku's head.
Koga and I may be completely opposite on most things, but neither one of us liked bullies, and he was always there when I needed him most. "The ambulance is outside. They'll want to know what happened." Koga's eyes scanned the closet, he was able to find the orange pill bottle, the razor blade, and the dry glass bottle of bourben. "He really wanted to end things, because this was a pretty thorough plan. I didn't know the kid was this depressed about being picked on." The EMTs made their way through all the teens in the hall, two of them were in charge of getting Miroku on the stretcher, while Koga showed one of them the items he had used. "Can I ride with him? Someone needs to be there when he wakes up." The woman looked at me, a little unsure of what to tell me. "Are you immediate family?" I shook my head no, already aware of what she would tell me next. "Then you need to stay here, we will inform his parents once we get him to the hospital. We will take care of your friend, he'll be in good hands." If only they knew what I knew.
I took one more moment to look over Miroku's form and finally notice the bruises on his neck. "Did your friend have a belt or rope tied around his neck?" I glanced up at the man who had asked me the question. "No, he didn't. I don't know when he got those bruises, he's always wearing a hoodie." Koga took on a thoughtful look and I could tell that he was figuring it all out, he might act like a slacker, but he was rather perceptive. "Maybe someone at home gave them to him." The man frowned at the idea of him receiving the bruises and burns at home. Where could those burns have come from? "I hope he didn't get those at home, no one likes to investigate a child abuse case. I guess we should call child protective services, just in case." Then they left as quickly as they came, leaving with Miroku, his life still hanging in the balance.
(Miroku's POV)
I hadn't expected to wake up in the hospital, I hadn't expected to wake up at all. I let my gaze move towards the window, to find that the sun had nearly set. "What the heck were you thinking, Miroku?" I jumped at the sound of the his voice, I had thought that I was alone. I searched for the nerve to look him in the eye and finally found it. "Hey Inuyasha." I hoped he wouldn't ask his question again, because I really hadn't wanted to answer it. "What are you doing here?" His eyes just remained fixed on me and it was easy to read the concern that was on his face. "Doctors say those burns on your neck are from a shock collar. What kinda sick sadist are you living with?" I couldn't help but to lift my hand to my neck, the bandages on my arms rather shocking, even though I remembered my suicide attempt. "He tried to kill me that second day you brought me home, I tried getting your attention while you were at the door, but I couldn't speak. He kept me in the basement for three days after as a punishment, I was tied to the water heater. He refused to give me food or water and whenever I tried to ask for anything, he'd give me a jolt with the collar. I did all this to be free." Inuyasha then glanced over at the door as if making sure no one was there, but little did I know that it was the other way around.
He looked back at me, his smile caring and disarming, and I couldn't quite figure out what he did. "You're safe now, that bastard can't treat you like that anymore, kid." I was quite sure that I looked dumb struck, but I shook it off, so I could figure out was going on. "You can't promise me that, if he finds out what I did today, he'll be so mad. I don't want to be locked back up in the basement again, I don't want him to kill me." I could feel myself start to panic, the trembling over coming my hands and then spreading throughout the rest of my body. "Calm down man, I was sent in here so you would talk. Child services heard everything, Naraku is being arrested for abuse and attempted murder. He's going away for a long time, you're finally safe." I could feel the relief spread through me faster than the shaking did. Could it really be true? Did someone really put an end to my nightmare? With him gone I could get on with my life and start to enjoy being alive. No more wishing I was dead. "He's gone? Are you sure he's really gone?" The sigh escaped my lips as soon as he nodded his head and I knew that for the first time in six years, I would finally get a peaceful nights sleep.
(AN, This story will be hard for me to finish, as my style has changed. Hang with me, I will try to get it done. Leave me a review.)