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Eighth Plain Ch 12 by ~Xhinkaiyu:iconXhinkaiyu:

Categories Literature > Prose > Fiction > Fantasy



The Eighth Plain

Chapter 12, The Second Boundary

The walls of Rokunai High school rang with an eerie silence. It felt as if all life had died off the face of the planet, and the only ones left were my dad and I; not to mention those two cops behind him. I took a step back away from the board as he stepped toward me, a sinister look on his face.

I was afraid this would happen. My father was always the dense one in the family.

"You think I kidnapped my own little brother?" I asked. Though the situation wasn't as crazy as I made it sound, it was a reasonable assumption. I couldn't let him think that though, so instead I gave him a scared look of bewilderment. I gave the impression that I was terrified.

Yet, I couldn't have been more confident. I knew where I was to go next, and I knew what was to happen. Unfortunately, I'd need to be handcuffed yet again.

"Fine."

My father gave me a stare that slowly turned from anger, to shock, and back into anger. I rested my arms behind me. I wouldn't put up a fight.

"Well did you?" My father roared. "Did you set all of this up for your twisted little games?! Because I'm done playing!"

He took another step forward. I gave him a sincere look of regret. This situation would only get worse before it got better, and who knew where it'd escalate to if it got worse than this. I had to do something, to say something. I had to combat him with his own reasoning.

"You yourself said that I was insane; you're the one who said that Ayato didn't exist, that I was making it all up. So perhaps I'm just insane. Maybe I'm so insane, I did lock Kaori in the school basement, just to set up this convoluted routine. I can't deny it, I'm the crazy one, father."

Another silence fell over the classroom. The walls, the desks, the chairs, they all sat watching, listening, and basking in the leering silence that now plagued us. My father gave me a look, but I couldn't stand to see it, so I looked away. He was mad at me, and honestly I regretted that. I couldn't deny that I loved my father, but I loved Kaori just as much, and he was the one in trouble. So I held my tongue.

"Take him away." Shocking words lifted the quiet.

I was almost surprised to know that they came from my father, that my father sounded as if he had lost hope in me, and now turned to walk away. He walked past the men that came to take me away. I stared after him as he unnecessarily slammed the classroom door. I knew his reaction would be like this, but that didn't mean I was ready for it. It felt as if an ape was wrestling with my heart; it felt as if the corrupt were closing in on me.

"Come with us." Unnecessary words.

I took a disheartening breath and held my hands on in front of me, letting them be cuffed. I followed behind them. The police would search room 065, and they would hopefully find my little brother. Even if it meant they would restrain me for the rest of my life--as long as Kaori was safe.
---

It was another lingering silence; another awkward conversation that consisted of squealing tires and my father's cold stare to the passing sidewalks outside. We were riding to the police station in the typical state officer vehicle. My dad sat in the passenger seat, and I was strapped up in the back, my eyes staring to the floor.

The night was becoming worn, and I could tell my father had had enough for one day. But none of us, not even the police could rest until my brother was found. That was a good thing. But why weren't they looking for Ayato...? What about Ayato?!

What was I saying? There was no Ayato. And if there was he'd be dead! I shut my eyes tightly to fight down what tears I knew would come. I kept them shut. There was nothing to be seen anyway, and especially nothing to be heard.

"If they find your brother Ryoka, I don't know what'll happen to you."

It shocked me that my father still willed himself to speak to me. However, I responded by tightening the eyes I had already shut. My worries were only rising, not by my father's idol threats, but by every waking moment where the police hadn't found him. Where no one reported my recovered brother.

"Are you hearing me? I won't be able to do anything for you. You'll be a threat to the family, your sister would be put in danger too if we let you come home." His voice was harsh and demanding. I mean, he wasn't wrong, if it was me, what would stop me from doing it again? No, what was I thinking? Of course it wasn't me, it was the corrupt, right?!

I moved around a little in the discomfort of the back seat. It was hard to see my father separated from me by cold hard steel bars. It was hard to imagine that this was my fate. Suddenly, a desperate question formed in my head. A question any kid of my age would be inclined to ask. I resisted the question, but it had a mind of its own.

"How long will I be locked up?!" My voice quivered and cracked under the tears I had held back. I had unwittingly lurched forward, my arms secured behind my back as if to throw the question to the front of the car. I couldn't help it now, I wanted to cry. What gave other kids my age the right to cry, when I couldn't? What restricted me from crying whenever everyone else did it whenever they pleased?! I gave a small sob, and hung my head over my lap. Tears fell like the aftermath of a storm.

"Father, answer me..."

Why wouldn't he talk to me? Whenever I stopped talking, there was only silence. Why? What I had done, was it really that bad? Or did I even do it? They were sincerely making me believe I had actually done it! I barely trusted myself anymore!

Perhaps I wasn't strong enough for this. Perhaps I wasn't tough enough to carry out my own deductions. I gave another sob and looked out the window. The night seemed a dark bronze color. Perhaps that's what was grabbing my father's attention. Maybe he just didn't hear me...

Maybe he just...
---

"We're gonna have to hold you in here for the rest of the night."

I wandered into the cell quietly. It wasn't a major prison, it wasn't some large jail, that I had imagined in my dreams. Instead, it was a small detention facility--a juvenile delinquent center maybe?

They took off my hand cuffs. I walked in the room, admiring its decency apart from the room I had shared in my dreams before. I felt much more secure here, but that didn't break my aching feeling. Was Kaori found yet? Had they opened the room I had specified before? What would they even find when they opened the door?

I gave a small sigh. So this was reality. It seemed much more real now, anyway. Maybe there were no corrupt, and maybe there was no Ayato. Maybe  this was reality, this empty jail cell, and these humans--no, people--who had acted upon reason and locked me up. Maybe only these things were real.

"Will you be alright in this room?"

Room? Did he expect me to believe that? From the circumstances, I was surprised that they didn't send me to an insane asylum, feeding me 'happy pills' to stay with reality. I nodded to the officer in insincere assurance, and rested my head on the provided pillow. The yellow spot on it didn't give it much comfort.

The man gave his lie of a smile and locked the gate. I watched him walk and way and turned to peer out the window. Maybe now I was finally back in reality. Things seemed real this way. They seemed more believable, than when that bow had come into my life.

A door slammed open somewhere in the room. I didn't bother to look, I wouldn't be able to see anything anyway; only the blank wall that lay across from my cell gate. Besides, I'd figured then that they were just scrambling to bring in another delinquent.

"Hey, kid, stop!"

A loud crash. This time, my head flicked to attention. I stared at the cell gate as if to expect a lion to spring out at it. I stared, and then silence.

A gun shot! I nearly fell out of my bed. Quickly, I threw my covers off of me and dove for the far side of the wall. I wanted to see what was going on, but for the life of me, I didn't want to get shot!

I could only see the ending corner of the wall on the other side of my cell gate. I could see the front door, still slightly ajar. Then another clank, and the gun flew through the air and pelted off the wall I had now grown acquainted with. It slid across the floor, and soon the officer came tumbling along with it!

"Oooh... Stop..." He murmured, picking himself up heavily. He was in front of me, and quickly I ran to the gate.

"Are you alright?" I said in my lowest voice possible. Then another crash. The officer fell and coughed--not getting up. I couldn't see the crash, but it certainly sounded close.

Quickly, I jumped to the back of my cell.

"Who's there!?" I called.

"Ryoka?"

My body shook. I almost didn't believe my ears. My heart began to thrash and a great weight fell over me. Was it happening again? Was I losing my mind? I didn't want to respond, but all of me, my entire body responded for me.

"A-ayato!?" I shouted. I stared at space, waiting for a response, as still as a statue. Perhaps I was hallucinating again. Perhaps this was another dream!

"Ryoka!" It called again.

And then I saw him. Ayato ran and came to a stop in front of my cell. He turned quickly and smiled brightly when he recognized my shivering figure. I stared at him as if he were a ghost. I stared at him as if he were a walking zombie.

"Come on! We don't have time!"

"T-the keys." I stuttered. I figured he wouldn't know that I was actually imprisoned behind those bars, and he confirmed my suspicion when he answered with a "huh"?

His voice sounded as if I were losing my mind. It was as if I'd never hear it again, and now here it was! I pointed to the silver ring of keys hanging off the officer's belt, and stared at the kid as he snatched them up and tried them one by one.

"It's not working!"

"T-that one, try that one!"

Click! The gate slid open slightly, indicating a match.

"Yes! Now come on! We don't have much time!"

Ayato was in front of me. Ayato existed...

"Wait! Where are we going?!" I asked breathlessly, barely listening to my own question. Ayato sighed and reached to grab my hand.

"We're going to save Kaori of course!"
---

We were running now. Ayato trailed ahead in what seemed like exaggerated haste, while I trailed behind wondering if he were even real. Was I just imagining him again? Was I actually running alone right then? What a lunatic I must have been.

But I followed him regardless. Even if he weren't real, I was happy I could see him, I was happy that he was real to me, if even for a moment! I wanted to ask him so many questions, I wanted to see what kind of response he'd give. I wanted to see what kind of answers I'd give myself.

"Ayato!" I called. I wanted to hug him close to me, as if to keep him from disappearing again. After all, I knew it was a matter of time. I knew he'd be gone soon.

"Ayato", I called again, "Ayato stop!"

He huffed and pouted and turned around in a frenzy.

"Ryoka! We don't have time...!"

He was speaking again. Was I really just telling myself this?

"Wait! Ayato... I'm not sure if..." I trailed off. Could I really say this to him? Could I really tell him what I was thinking? How would he react?

"Ryoka, please! Don't you even care?! He's your brother!"

He was urging with all of his might. I was keeping him from helping my brother, I was stopping our desperate pursuit. Was I really arguing with myself here, in the middle of the sidewalk, in the dead of the night?

"Ayato! I'm not sure if you're real!" I finally blurted.

Ayato stared at me with a silent bewilderment. I watched cautiously, I wanted to know his reaction. But time was pouring out, and I could tell there would be only silence if I didn't elaborate.

"I mean, I'm not sure if you exist. I think--I think you're just in my head...!"

Ayato took an awkward blink, and finally took a step toward me.

"What?" He said, a small smile melting over his face.

"Of course I'm real. Why wouldn't I be?" He laughed.

My stare grew more cautious. Was this a real person? Was I imagining this? I looked at him closer. I examined his features. He certainly didn't seem like a real person; but that was my opinion from the beginning. I was beginning to grow certain that he was only in my head.

"Ayato, who gets shot and lives through it, without a scratch!?"

Ayato began shaking his head. I could tell he didn't know what I was talking about. He began looking back toward the school--the place where he was originally directing me to. He was growing anxious.

"Ryoka! The corrupt are really dangerous! They're probably trying to confuse you, possibly even through humans! Ignore what they've told you till now Ryoka; ignore what you think you've seen!" His voice pleaded with me.

"Right now, they're trying to take him! Your brother's in danger and he won't escape unless we do something!"

"The Corrupt? The Corrupt is trying to take my brother? Why?!"

"No, not the Corrupt...!"

My heart skipped a beat. I stared at this mental embodiement of mine in shock. If it wasn't the Corrupt, then who?!

"What?! Who else is there?!"

Ayato huffed in his hurried tone. He was jumping around as if he had to 'go', but soon his answer filled my void.

"If the corrupt wanted your brother, they would have taken  him a while ago! It's not the corrupt; it's your Second Boundary...!"
---Next time!
©2009 ~Xhinkaiyu
:iconxhinkaiyu:

Author's Comments

Muahaha...

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:iconkaoskaix:
~Kaoskaix May 30, 2009, 6:55:06 PM
Great, I like How you toy between the boundary of sanity and insanity here even manipulating the flow and somehow breaking the flow fluidly. Great stuff
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