Our Mental Love

Chapter 20

A woman so much like Kowa was pointing a gun at me. I lift my hands up quickly. "Not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you actually."

My hands are still raised. Her jaw is clenched and her beauty is raving. That's Kowa's mother. I look at her and her gun clicks. Her hair is flowing swiftly behind her and her eyes are fierce.

Kowa looks so much like her. I step back carefully. She exits the room and slowly lowers the gun. "Boy, if you think your useful, lead me out of here."

"I think I do kno-"

She pushes me to the wall and corners me. Her hands are pinning my arms to the cold, hard wall. "You don't think." She pronounces every word slowly and powerfully. Her breath is warm against my neck.

And then suddenly I blurt out, "I know your daughter!" I get ready for a sudden impact but she releases my arms gently. Her face softens and she smiles at the ground. I look at her. She's considered mental. Mental. All she is a loving mother for her daughter.

"You know Kowa?" Her voice is gentle and full of bliss, similar to Kowa's.

I nod and smile. "Come on." She grabs my wrist and runs down the hallway quickly. She turns a few times and we arrive at a door at a dead end.

She points her gun at the handle and shoots. Her aim was completely accurate. She pulls out the handle and a metallic bang comes from the opposite side. She peaks through the hole. She smiles at me and a rush of wind moves her hair slightly.

She kicks open the door and the bright sun meets our bodies. Kowa's mother, Kae runs out excitedly and spreads out her arms like a windmill slightly and slowly turns around. Her hair moves with her every step. She smiles and jumps around a little. I look at her. How long has it been since she went outside to absorb warm sunlight?

She dances around a little and stops abruptly. A low hum of a car was approaching. She fixes her hand on the gun and we move close to the wall, trying to prevent being seen.

I point out my gun as well and crouch down. The car was approaching and the hum was louder and louder. We settled in position, even though we didn't talk much about it. The car zooms by and I look in the windows. Kae inhales sharply. Kowa was sitting in the back tied up. But she didn't look healthy. Kae's legs start to wobble and weaken. Kowa's mother slowly falls to the ground and breathes unevenly.

I grab my gun ready to go and run to the car. Kae grabs for my arm but misses. Her nails scratch my skin lightly. I feel a sharp pain but ignore it.

I run to the car quickly and it's driving farther away. Kowa's brown hair was visible from here. Her hair looked too solid and stuck. Like every strand was fixed to knot with one another.

I shoot my gun and try to shoot the bumper. I forgot about the force, after every shot. It misses and shoots the glass instead. The glass shatters Ito a spiderweb and a scream emerges. The car stops abruptly.

I walk to the car slowly and aim my gun downward. Kowa's hands look shaky and fragile than ever. I open the door quickly for her and she jumps. She pushes herself to the end of the car quickly and hugs her body. "Kowa?" I look at her and Kowa looks absolutely terrified. Almost ment-

I stop myself from continuing. "Kowa?" She stares at me. Deep in the eyes. Their beauty. They're gone. Now her eyes are filled with horror and sadness.

I look at her hair and notice something black is keeping her hair stuck together. I stare at her hair more carefully. Her long, beautiful hair was chopped shortly unevenly. Kowa's hair was shorter than her neck's length. Her beautiful brown features were ruined. They were gone.

I slowly pull put a hand out for her but Kowa pushes herself away from me. Farther and farther away. I pull back my hand and someone slightly pushes me away form the door. Kowa's mother.

"Kowa? Dear? Are you alright?" Kowa stares at her mother. Just stares. Her eyes are filled with more horror. Her lips are trembling violently. I reach a hand out to Kowa and slowly put it out but she pushes as far as she could away from me. I pull back my hand quickly and stare at the ground.

"Ko-"

A robotic voice interrupts us.

"Step away from the vehicle. Step away from the vehicle. Step away from the vehicle..."

And it goes on again and again.