The Monster Underneath Your Bed

Chapter Three

All of the things you chase,

Falling away behind you

Is something you can't replace.

Chained to the love that binds you.

Don't let the past remind you, she's the last of her kind.

- Alec Benjamin (Last of her kind)-

.

{- Chapter Three -}

.

The blood-curdling and unnerving scream of a child in pain-filled a small home in the Soul Society. Two mothers worriedly watched over their daughter, four-year-old Akino Zephyrine, as her shouts turned into crying. She was curled up in her bed with wet towels on her forehead and limbs.

"Sai, what are we going to do?" asked a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair as she bit her nails. The woman next to her shook her head as she ran a hand through her messy, raven-coloured tresses. Her scarlet eyes burned with an emotion that was a mix of fear, confusion and worry.

"I don't know, Annette..." Those same eyes travelled over to her daughter as she covered her frown with a single hand. "Sōsuke said she looked fine all day." Annette's expression softened.

Her evergreen eyes glistened as she spoke, "Sai, everything will be okay."

"How can you say that when she's sitting there burning up? Her fever is over one hundred, Anne," her wife, Saira, rebutted sternly, narrowing her scarlet eyes. Annette stopped biting her nails and glared at her partner instead. She furrowed her eyebrows and clenched her fist as the raven-haired woman next to her crossed her arms over her chest. With a sigh, she shook her head.

Before their bickering could advance, Rina called to them and began to stir in her sleep.

"Mommy..." Her hazy, ruby eyes cracked open ever so slightly. They were bloodshot from all the crying and her skin was concerningly pale as well as drenched in sweat.

"We're here, Rina," Saira gently stroked her head. She let out a pitiful whimper under her touch.

"Why is it...so hot?" the young child cried, cradling one of the bags of ice closer. Annette felt her eyes water as she examined her daughter.

"You're sick, dear," she muttered, voice failing her. A few seconds later, she let go of her strong facade and broke down on the floor next to Rina's bed. "So very sick."

"She'll be okay, Anne. Kisuke's making that medicine for her so it shouldn't be long until we don't have to worry about this anymore," Saira cradled the blonde's head in her lap as she dropped down to the floor. While she gently stroked her hair, her ruby eyes warily looked towards Rina's shaking figure.

"Please hurry, Kisuke..."

.

" - "

.

"W-Wait a second! How the hell did you get up here like that?!"

Rina shot up from her desk and went on red alert. She had been sleeping because of the headache she began to feel a few class periods ago but now she was wide awake. Scanning the room for the source of everyone's confusion, she found Ichigo standing on the windowsill.