Inverted: Bleach [Currently Being Edited]

Chapter Twelve: New Life

   I am Hikari Miyasaki. I am an eighteen year old who finished high school early. I have a nice family with two brothers. I live right outside of Tokyo and have been looking for a job. I'm a dependable person who likes to help out when I am needed. Or at least that's what my employers think.

   I am Hikari Miyasaki. I am an eighteen year old high school drop out, or at least I would be if I returned to my old life. I have no family, except the ones from my old life. I live on the streets and sleep in the alleyways. I rob people on the streets and do whatever I can to get money so I can visit the bar and get wasted. That's who I am now.

   It's been two months since I ran away and started a new life. This is who I am, and this is where I will stay. Everyday, I live with the regret of loving anybody, so I get wasted. I regret hurting my family, so I hurt myself. I regret running away, so I never turn back. I regret living, so I want to die.

   Maybe I should die, but Hichigo would be devastated. There it is again. Parts of my past life. Go away.

   "Bar tender, another round please! Make it strong," I said, my speech slurred. My vision was hazy, but I took another shot. One of my drinking buddies nudged me.

   "Heyo... Wanna pay for another shot, cause I'm still not satisfied," he said loudly, raising his glass. This guy's name was Scrap, or at least that's what we called him. He was at least six feet tall with a reasonably amount of muscle and a chest that he stuck out proudly. He had shoulder-length greasy black hair, and always wore sleeveless shirts. If you saw him, you would know that he was an alcoholic.

   "Sorry, Scrap. No money left..." I said as I finished up my glass. Scrap just glared and muttered something under his breath, which smelled of liquor.

   I gave my money to the bartender and left, Scrap tight on my heels. Once we had left the area and entered an alley, Scrap slammed me against the wall. His bloodshot brown eyes stared into mine, and a sneer crossed his face.

   "No money, huh?" Scrap snarled," That's a lame trick, Hikari. Hand it over, or else."

   "Or else what?" I replied in a mocking tone. Scrap pulled a switchblade and held it to my throat.

   I trembled as the blade moved from my throat to my collarbone, and continued to trail down, cutting the fabric of my t-shirt and the garments beneath. Once he had cut my shirt and undergarments in two, he ripped them from my body to expose me.

   "I'm gonna teach you a lesson," Scrap snapped as he lowered the knife point to my stomach. The blade pierced my skin, but I couldn't feel it through my drunkenness.

   He dug the blade into my flesh and carved an 'X' into my stomach. Blood poured from the wound, and I knew that he was eventually going to kill me. Scrap dug in his pocket and pulled out a lighter and flicked it on, running the flame over the 'X' on my stomach to stop the bleeding.

   "This is part one of your lesson," he said in a low voice.

   Scrap grabbed my hair and tossed me to the ground. As I lie there helpless, he kicked me mercilessly, chanting of my incompetence as he did so. Really, I wasn't listening because the sound of my heartbeat was too loud. I will just let him kill me. No point in living anyway.

   I hacked up a mouthful of blood when his foot connected with my tender stomach, and my wound reopened. Memories flooded into me as he continued to hurt me.

   My mother caressed my cheek as she rocked me to bed. I could feel the warmth of her love seeping into me as she cradled me, and I snuggled closer to her. I felt her lips against my forehead as she tucked me into my bed, and she sang me a lullaby.

   "I love you, Hikari," she whispered with a soft smile. I hugged her before she left, and I uttered the same words back to her.

   "I love you."

   I groaned as Scrap kicked me in the face, and I felt blood trickle from my lips. More memories from my past life flooded into once again.

   The feeling of Hichigo's lips against mine. The feeling of his skin. The feeling of loving. The feeling of his body against mine. The feeling of his soft arms. The feeling of his fingers twined with mine. The feeling of his eyes as they took me in. The feeling of being around him.

   I don't want to die. I realize that now as I am on the verge. But there is no room in me left for my old self to return, because this is who I am. I have established this person, and I will die as this person. Nothing can ever change my world.

   "And this is part two on my lesson," a menacing voice called from behind me.