Embracing the Darkness

Chapter 4

Naive Treachery

"I'm not a coward," I find myself mumbling.  I feel my hand trembling, and I don't even know why.  Is it because I saw her?  Talked to her?  Because her scent makes me remember all those times before?

I feel my body stiffen, my fear spiking up.  I feel the familiar turmoil grumble inside of me, whispering.

   But you are.

   You are... weak.

I don't want to remember.  I fall on my knees and just then, for a moment, it becomes hard to breathe.  I clutch at a rock, easing myself with pain instead.  Its sharp edges cut my skin.  And then I throw it, releasing every bit of rage I feel.

Somehow, it leaves me.  But it also comes with a price.

"Ouch!  What the hell—?!" a boy cries out.  "You looked like you needed help.  I didn't expect you'd throw a rock at me!"

I remain on the ground almost dumdfounded by his entrance before I suddenly feel guilty and apologetic.  "I-I'm sorry—"

I sense a kunai flies towards me, cutting me off as I move a little for it to fly pass.  It lodges itself on the ground behind me, and I wonder if I stepped on a landmine.

"Whoa, whoa!  Fukaya!"  The same boy, who was hit by the rock, waves his arms in alarm, as if to protect me.  "You almost hit the girl!  A cute girl!  What is wrong with you?!  She just threw a rock at hit me, no need to harm her!"

"That's exactly why, Mako," Fukaya grinds.  And then he glances at me, somewhat scrutinizingly.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it.  Right?"  Mako waves his hand.  "You know what?  Maybe I'll overlook it if you hang out with us, why don't you?"

I come to believe that he's somewhere around my age or perhaps a year or three older.  His voice and the trembles of his vocal cords give him away—his heartbeat, even though beating wildly, give away the fact that he is only... a child.

"I'm happy you overlooked what I did, but... I'm sorry."  I bow to him and his friends.  Somehow, Mako already comes closer and he slings his arm around my shoulder and I move awkwardly.

"I didn't say you had the choice to say no," Mako muses.  I want to pull away, but I have no strength, afraid I might fracture his arm.  Or at least, it is just me who has no strength.

"Excuse me," I grind out, my voice harsher.  I shove his arm away.  "You're not the boss of me."

"Feisty and cute, I like that about a girl," Mako continues still.

"And I'm not gay..."

"Just come with us," he continues, waving me off, obviously dismissing what I said or he just didn't bother to listen.  "We don't want to hurt you, cutie.  We just want to have fun a little."

Fukaya has something else in mind though when he just suddenly grabs at my hand and pulls me along.  "This is getting nowhere, Mako.  Just c'mon."

"Let me go...!" I squeak, and only when I crash down again do I grab their attention to a stop.  I feel the cold sweat run down my spine.

"Wait, wait, Fukaya, I think she's asthmatic... Hey, are you okay?"

"Shut up..." I whisper under my breath just before Fukaya suddenly lets go.  Both of them stumble back when a gust of air cuts an almost shield between us.  And then do they finally take notice of the sudden change of atmosphere.

Sudddenly, the wind begins to rumble.  It's faint, but enough for the two of then to take notice that it's not normal anymore.

   You've already succumbed, Yang.