Baby Spider, Volume 2

Chapter 1

"You okay, Baby Spider?"

I tilted my head back to see Shalnark standing over me.

"Uh-huh," I said. "I'm okay. Just a little lonely."

"Lonely, huh?" Shalnark repeated, sitting down beside me. "Why? Because we're not here with you?"

My eyes opened, vision hazy and glossy. I slowly sat up from the moth-eaten bed and looked around the room with a sigh.

"Yeah," I softly said. "I am lonely without you guys."

It's been a week since Nii-Chan told me to leave Yorknew, a week since I've last seen Kurapika. Nobody has contacted me or given me any updates on what's happened in Yorknew.

I glanced at the wall, the mirror in particular, and noticed my eyes have shifted colors again.

I really need to keep my emotions in check.

It's becoming more and more of a struggle to keep my eyes from shifting to crimson red instead of e/c like I'm always used to seeing growing up. It's like...it's like I'm losing control over my own body. And I hate that.

Nii-chan's always kept me in control, he always kept me grounded. Now? Now...

Now...

I shook my head and started to pack.

I can't let that get into my head or mess with me right now. I have to keep going.

I swung the bag over my shoulder and escaped through the window.

Cars drove by me, leaving behind a trail of dust. I stopped and glanced back to where Yorknew stood. From a distance, I can see smoke still rising from the city.

Buzz, buzz.

Softly gasping, I dug through my bag and pulled out my phone.

"Nii-Chan?"

The smile slowly faded away.

"Hello, Y/n."

"Kurapika."

"Correct. Are you alone?"

"I-"

"Answer the question."

I swallowed.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alone."

"Away from the Troupe?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No."

"100%?"

"Yes. I'm not lying to you."

I swallowed again.

"W-why do you have his phone?"

"I stole it from him of course."

A car honked and I moved out of the way.

"Traffic?" 

 "H-hang on."

I moved away from the traffic, finding another abandoned building to settle in.

"Why do you have his phone, Kurapika? Where's my brother? What have you done to him?"

The silence is deafening.

Sweat slipped from the bridge of my nose as I waited for his answer.

"Kura-"

"Your brother threatened two of my friends. Children, in fact. Do you honestly think I cared what happened to your brother?"