Ominous Flame

Chapter 61

Author Notes: Alright boys and girls. I've made you wait long enough for this next chapter. And with the holidays here, my already limited time is stretched pretty thin. So with that, let's go. I do not own Digimon.

3rd P.O.V

Traffic was jam packed with cars. "Come on...come on-I don't have time for this!" Shinya tapped the floor, glancing between the window and his mother. He didn't understand what was going on. Why were they in such a rush?

His dad and Takuya weren't home yet, so why was his mother taking him out? He knew something was bothering her, it was obvious. "Finally!" The birthday boy jerked when she slammed the breaks again, growling under her breath.

A quiet sigh escaped him. He wanted to go home. Shinya wasn't sure when Takuya snuck out, but knowing his older brother, he was probably getting his birthday present. He promised it would be good this year.

"Mrs. Kanbara!" Both mother and son jolted in surprise when a man knocked on the window. "Good grief!" Immediately the older woman rolled down her window, revealing the store owner, Mr. Yaso. "You almost gave me a heart attack. What on earth are you doing on the streets like this!"

There was something off about the older man. Usually he was full of smiles whenever him and Takuya went into his store. Now he was pale, tears were in his eyes. "What's wrong sir?" He rubbed his eyes, shifting his glasses a bit.

Still despite his obvious sadness, he offered him a smile before turning his attention to Shinya's mother. "I know where you're going. Don't bother taking this route. Turn around and go through Lilygrove's Avenue." Through the rearview mirror, he saw his mother's eyes widen.

The young boy heard her gasp. "Then...you know?" Mr. Yaso nodded, sadness in his eyes shone out as more tears fell. "I was waiting for him. I saw the whole thing." Mrs. Kanbara took a shaky breath before being startled by a rude honk.

She closed her eyes before unlocking the car doors. "Get in. I don't know the way there from Lilygrove's, so you'll have to guide me." Not needing to be told twice, the old shopkeep hopped into the front passenger's side, placing his bags onto the floor where his feet were.

Shinya's mother wasted no more time. Stomping on the gas, she veered quickly to the right, swerving harshly to make it onto the other side of the road. Other drivers honked and screeched profanities, but they were ignored. "Mom? Where are we going?"

He took note of how the adults shared a glance at one another, both of them hesitant. "We're...going to go see your brother, sweety." At that Shinya furrowed his brows in confusion. Why were were going to see Takuya?

"Did he get lost or something? He said he had a really cool present to give me. Think he grabbed it yet?" Mr. Yaso choked at those questions. He held his mouth with his hand while his shoulders shook. Leaving his mother to answer, though she wasn't faring much better. "No. Not exactly Shinya."

He didn't understand. Why was Mr. Yaso so upset? "Take a left here Yuriko, then when you get to the light, go straight." Where...were they going? It was supposed to be his birthday. "Now take a left. Keep following the road and we'll be there." Her phone began to ring while she was driving.

"Shinya, can you reach into mommy's purse and answer it for me?" Even with his seatbelt on, he was able to reach. He pulled the purse by the strap towards him, searching for the source of that shrilly ringing. "It's dad!" His name popped up on the screen, flashing bright and dark green.

Before she could say anything, he clicked the call button, putting the phone to his ear to answer. "Yuriko? Where are you? I just arrived." Shinya furrowed his brows. Never had he heard his dad so upset before.

Never had he heard him like he was in a panic. "Mom's still driving. We were caught in traffic. Mr. Yaso is taking us somewhere." That moment of silence was deafening. Shinya felt dread fill the pit of his stomach. "H-hey squirt! Do you mind handing the phone to your mother?"

Something was wrong, very wrong. "I can't, she's driving. Where are you? Where is she taking me and Mr. Yaso?" From the corner of his eye, he saw the elderly man reach for the phone. Shinya held it close to his ear with both hands, squirming to the corner of his seat.

"Shinya. You need to give the phone to her. Please." Why? Why did everyone seem so intent on hiding things from him? "But dad I-" Shinya's eyes grew wide in shock. So much shock he dropped the phone in his hand.

His father's pleads and concerned tone background noise to the buzz in his ears. There his dad was, in the front of the hospital with a bunch of police and ambulance vehicals flashing their lights around him. "I thought...we were going to pick Takuya up?" They shouldn't be here.

It was a bad place. The tears his mother was desperately trying to hold back flowed. "No honey. We...he got into an accident." No...that can't be true. "You're lying! He promised!" His mom had to be lying. He shook his head, undoing his seatbelt. "Shinya?!"

He leapt out the door, passing by his father, only to get snatched up by a police officer. "Hey! No running around the hospital. You can hurt yourself or someone doing that." He struggled out of the uniformed man's grip.

"Ow! Stop it you little brat!" No matter how much he squirmed or wriggled, he was stuck. "Shinya!" At least until he was handed over to his running father. "Watch your kid. He can't be running around here." Immediately he bowed, forcing Shinya to bow alongside him.

Something he really didn't want to do. "Understood, sorry." With a hmph the officer walked away from them, just in time for his mother and Mr. Yaso to catch up. "Shinya are you ok?" Gently the young boy was placed down, grabbing his father's pants. "Mom's lying right? Takuya can't be here."

For once none of the adults around him had anything to say. Instead of answering his father knelt down and hugged him tight to his chest. "Calm down ok? It'll be ok." It was another lie. Usually his dad would joke around or laugh off Shinya's concerns.

This...none of this was right. "Excuse me? Can I help you all?" A woman suddenly appeared. She was wearing an all mint green outfit, her hair covered in a hat. "Y-yes! Do you know what room Takuya Kanbara is in?"

Her smile was fake. Why were all the adults being liars? "I'm sorry...but he's still in surgery. You'll have to stay in the waiting room." Surgery? Like when Shinya broke his arm while climbing a tree? "What happened to my son?!" His father's voice cracked as he looked up, still clutching Shinya tight to his chest.

"I...don't know the details i'm afraid. Only that he was hit by a truck." Shinya's breath hitched. Those words repeated over and over again. His vision blurred as a memory from just a few weeks ago came to the forefront of his mind.

'Where do you think you're going!?'

'Chill out Takuya, i'm just getting my ball.'

'The one you just kicked into the road?'

'Yeah! It's right there.'

'Not a chance, I'll do it.'

'What? Why?'

'It's too dangerous. With all the nutjobs on the road, they won't notice a little kid like you.'

'I'm not little!'

'You are compared to me. Stay here. I'll be right back.'

Out of the two of them, Takuya was always careful. He kept a good watch on Shinya, even when he teased him. He patched him up whenever he got a nasty scrape from playing. He shouldn't be here. He can't be here!

"Thank you Ms. Come on squirt." Shinya could faintly feel himself being lifted off the ground. His dad always told him he was too big to be carried around. He was a big kid now. Why was he being carried? Why did a truck hurt Takuya?

He promised it would be Shinya's best birthday ever...

to be continued

Author Notes: Welp...aren't I a monster? I just ruined a little kid's birthday and man does it hurt. Not as bad as Takuya getting hit by a truck but oof. With that I am ending it there, leaving you all wondering what's going on with the main group.

Fun times await my friends. But again, later. Thank you all so much my friends with checking out my story. If you like it please feel free to fav/follow/review as it would mean so much to me. We're nearing the end folks. See you next time. Tchao for now.