The eye of the storm (Sanemi x Reader)

28| Not worthy

It had been three days since Kaigaku had injured my liver, and although it wasn't fully healed, I could now walk without feeling pain, and Shinobu had given me the all-clear.

As I made my way towards my grandfather's house, a sense of foreboding settled over me like a heavy cloak. The usually bustling neighborhood seemed eerily silent, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves conspicuously absent. The winding path leading to the house was dappled with shadows cast by the moonlight, creating a haunting atmosphere that sent shivers down my spine.

My footsteps echoed hollowly in the stillness as I approached the front door. With each creak of the floorboards beneath my feet, my apprehension grew, like an invisible force tightening around my chest. I knew I had to speak to my grandfather about my brother Kaigaku's betrayal, about his transformation into a demon. It was better for him to hear it from me than from someone else, especially considering the burden of guilt he would undoubtedly place upon himself. 

As I pushed open the door and stepped into the dimly lit hallway, a wave of dread washed over me. The air felt heavy and oppressive, suffused with a palpable sense of unease. I called out for my grandfather, my voice trembling slightly as it echoed through the empty house, but there was no reply.

Heart pounding in my chest, I made my way towards the familiar glow emanating from the living room. The scene that greeted me froze me in my tracks, sending a chill down my spine. There, slumped in an armchair, was my grandfather, his usually vibrant demeanor replaced by a ghostly pallor. A long, jagged wound stretched across his abdomen, seeping crimson blood onto the floor beneath him.

The sight of his injured form sent a surge of fear coursing through me, causing my limbs to tremble and my vision to swim. It was as if the very walls of the room were closing in around me, suffocating me with their silent menace.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as I grappled with the horrifying reality before me. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, but all I could focus on was the overwhelming sense of dread that threatened to consume me whole.

With a shaky breath, I forced myself to move forward, every step feeling like a monumental effort. As I knelt beside my grandfather, I could feel the cold sweat beading on my brow, my heart hammering in my chest like a drumbeat of impending doom.

Trembling hands reached out to touch his pale, clammy skin, searching for any sign of life. Relief flooded through me as I felt the faint thud of his heartbeat beneath my fingertips. He was barely clinging to life. 

"Grandpa!" My cry was desperate, pleading for him to hold on, but he didn't respond or open his eyes.

Beside him lay a blood-stained knife, its significance sinking in. He had cut his own stomach because he had learned of Kaigaku's betrayal before I arrived. If only I had acted sooner, if only I had heeded Zenitsu's advice and confided in Grandpa earlier, perhaps this tragedy could have been averted.

But dwelling on what could have been was a luxury I couldn't afford; I needed to act swiftly to save him. Urgent medical attention was imperative, yet I couldn't risk taking him to a regular hospital, vulnerable to Kaigaku's wrath. The butterfly estate, fortified by demon slayers, offered the best chance of protection. There, Grandpa would be safe from harm, shielded from any demon's grasp.

With trembling hands and a racing heart, I gently lifted my grandfather's frail form, carring him on my back as if he were a fragile bird on the brink of flight. His body felt unnaturally light against mine, a stark contrast to the weight of the dread that hung heavy in the air.

With every step, I could feel the weight of his life slipping away, his labored breaths echoing in the silence of the night like a haunting melody of impending loss. Each beat of his weakening heart fueled my desperation, driving me forward with a sense of urgency that bordered on madness.