a.k.a. Katana

Chapter Two

Well, I only had a few reads but maybe I'm just not being patient. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter Two:

Katana wrapped herself in the blanket that Kokin had provided and stared at the back of the seat in front of her. Maybe she would somehow die before the end of the day. The truck could crash or there could be a natural disaster of some type. The pain had already started, a dull nagging discomfort spreading from the base of her skull through her head and down her spine. Would they be able to find enough of the remedy to cure her or would she die in the back of this truck wracked with pain and desperate for an end.

Maybe that man would fix it. Maybe he had an idea. Maybe it would work. Maybe things would get better soon. She moved herself into the most comfortable position she could, focused on a fixed point and tried to think of what it would be like to float forever. To float forever and never need food, water or sleep; to have nothing touch her skin or put pressure on her body until every atom of her being floated away from her and she was evenly dispersed through the entirety of the Universe.

Her focus was shattered by the opening of the truck door. "Oh, Four. I didn't know you were in here." Pain shot through her system. She swallowed hard and her brain raced for a reply but found nothing. "Where's Kokin? You know that guy with the red shirt with the strings on it and the black pocket vest he-you can't understand me can you?" Pete chattered.

Katana wished he would shut up, but he didn't seem like that type of person. He continued talking, mostly to himself, while he rummaged through a bag on the floor and then pulled a cigar out of his pocket. He leaned against the side of the truck, still talking, and smoked. J'Adok showed up a short time later and asked his friend if he had seen Kokin.

"No, but we gotta go. Probably he found another ride. Left the girl, though. Not surprising really." Pete answered.

This was a disheartening statement. Kokin was Katana's only hope, and as far as she knew, the only one who was aware of her condition. "He went that way." She said gritting her teeth and pointing a shaky finger towards the woods. J'Adok nodded,"We'll wait for him, then." "Really?" Pete asked passing the cigar to J'Adok. "Yes, really. He called me earlier. He's looking for medicine. For her." He said avoiding looking at the woman in his backseat.

Hope found its way into Katana's heart and she went back to her thoughts of floating while the two men leaned against the truck and finished the cigar as J'Adok told Pete all the details.

To Katana it seemed like hours before Kokin showed up, but it couldn't have been because J'Adok and Pete hadn't finished the cigar. No matter, he was here now. He was carrying a handful of weedy looking plants by the stem. The plants were approximately two feet tall and rather plain looking, but had a strong smell like chewing gum and cat pee. Katana's stomach turned and she hoped she would not have to eat all of them.

"Do you think it'll work?" J'Adok asked moving to get in the truck. "Don't be stupid, J'Adok." Kokin hissed as he entered the vehicle. "You got a shirt in here I can tear up and some water?" Kokin requested rummaging around in the junk in the back seat. J'Adok handed him a canteen from the front seat, "I think somewhere, probably. Saydta cleaned it out before she left, though."

Kokin triumphantly pulled an old t-shirt from the floorboard and began ripping it to shreds. The sound of the fibers being pulled apart shrieked though Katana's skull and shot through her chest and limbs to her fingers and toes. She knew better than to grimace at the pain, though. That would only cause greater discomfort to her already frayed nerves. Instead she kept her eyes closed and tried to remain focused on floating.