FALLEN part 1: Desperation and Devastation [ An OHSHC fanfiction ]

Chapter 5: Meltdown

[ Things are getting tense, it's not looking good for Kaoru...! Will he be saved in time? Let's find out!
Thanks to everyone reading my story, it really means a lot! ] 

9/16/2015--

                Off he ran, dirt flicking up from his shoes beating down on the ground with unrealistic speed as he left behind rows of dumbfounded faces. Into the night he rushed, turning corners and calling out in desperate search for his brother. Now that he'd revealed himself for who he really was, he knew he had to hurry fast. Kaoru was to be targeted the moment he was alone. It was now a race against time to save him, soon to be pulled into the black by the wretched claws of pain beyond this life, ensnared in the same limbo which viciously entangled his own spirit. He couldn't bear to see it. He just couldn't. That face, that smile so innocent and dear flashed in his mind. The idea of it tainted in blood was unfathomable!

"I won't let them lay a finger on you, Kaoru."

And so he ran on, looking over every turn and corner he came across to find him as quickly as possible. Everyone back at the party were too stunned to speak for a moment.

"That voice..." Haruhi could only utter in amazement. "It couldn't have been...!"

Kyoya leapt forward and raced as well into the unknown, calling back, "Call the police, now!"

"On it." Mori said as he quickly dialed the number on his phone. Haruhi looked left and right as everyone was talking at once, unsure what to do before she also ran forward and called, "WAIT FOR ME!"

Meanwhile, Kaoru leaned against the wall and sighed as he debated on returning or not. After all, it was late at night, a dangerous time for one to stand by idly whilst isolated from others. But upon returning, he'd have to face his emotions again. It's often difficult to idealize the thought of going back to an undesirable position when one's already escaped to a calm, safe place. He knew he wasn't quite ready to fight yet and sighed once more.

He took a step forward away from the haven of the orange light just glowing above him and again into the courtyard for a walk. Goosebumps grew from the small breeze of the early spring as the cicadas sang in the background with other noises of the night. The moon was dim but did well to illuminate the garden he found himself wandering in, following only his mind like Alice followed the rabbit. He circled around a bigger fountain, drawn to the reflection of the stars in the sky in its sparkling waters and stared at the beauty of it. Moving on, he touched the petals of roses in bushes as he passed by just for the soft feel, then made it to a white bench. He plopped down and stared up into the sky, which stared back down at him.

"Maybe he's just beyond the sky," he thought to himself. "Looking down at all of us back here on earth, wishing we could be together."

He pondered more on the subject, but not for long before his ears perked up subconsciously. He sat up straight, staring intently out into the bushes hiding within the darkness before him. He knew he'd just heard something. An unnatural sound, almost like a footstep. After waiting a moment in silence, he called out.

"Who's there!?"

Another footstep? The adrenaline shook Kaoru into a cold shock in realization that he wasn't alone anymore. He jumped to his feet, his conscious mind a whole step behind his intuition. Not even allowing himself to blink, he carefully examined the bushes in search for a visible perpetrator but found none.