Obsession (Ayano x Budo)

Chapter 25

Where was he?

Taro looked around himself, only to be greeted by the dark swirling vortex of his unconscious mind. He was floating in black space. There were no corners, no ground beneath or sky above, and no light or direction. The air flowing between his fingers felt thick but cold, as if he were trapped in the calm, silent underneath of a sea that was storming at the surface. Every now and then, he could feel cool waves of pressure pulling through parts of his body like a riptide.

He tried moving, but his legs and arms were heavy and slow, almost unmovable. The jelly-like thickness seemed to suck them to his sides. He didn't know where he was trying to go. The only thing Taro could do was look at the eternal stretch of black space before him.

There came a shift is the current, like a brief, warm flow and he suddenly got the feeling that he wasn't alone anymore, even within his own mind. Either far away or all around him, Taro heard people discussing him in cool, collected tones. The words were clumsy, almost unintelligible, but if he concentrated he could make out some of them.

"...Brain swelling," murmured a gruff voice. What?

"... Resulting in paralysis of most of the body," came another, this one feminine but still cold. For some reason, these words were making the hair at the back of his neck stand up. His body was recognizing the importance of them, but he was too slow to comprehend it. What was more frustrating was that he knew this understanding of them was so close. It was like a itch he could not scratch, niggling tauntingly just beyond reach.

"His parents and sister are overseas," said the last breath. "I'm not sure how to reach them." This one had a clear, strong assertive quality. It had a hint of youthfulness and boyishness and was the loudest of all three voices. Taro sensed that he recognized this particular one, and felt a strange calmness descend over him when he listened to it, but struggled to put the face or name to it. So close.

Just as suddenly as they'd arrived, the voices were swiftly carried away, leaving Taro in the sea of nothingness by himself. He couldn't think, could only feel confused, a bit scared and alone. For the first time, he realized that he must be dreaming, and yet this fact did not bring him any reassurance.

Something was happening. The environment was changing, getting even impossibly darker, and the waves in which he floated were becoming colder, as gelatinous as the thickest soup. Something was coming, or was it already here?

It was then he heard a new voice. His body reacted first - a shudder of fear passed up his spine until it hit his skull like a punch. A quiet and yet glass-sharp whisper started to pierce his ears, like a liquid needle pricking into them. He wanted to scream, but his voice was stuck, his throat clogged by panic and a deep fear. It hadn't spoken a word yet, but Taro knew who it was already. It was the girl.

"Taro," she whispered. It was as if knives were being dragged through his flesh.

"I'm going to come again tomorrow." Like a nightmare, two eyes rose like grey spheres before him, and their pupils were huge, fixed into him without blinking. His heart thudded in terror. "I'll be watching you. Sweet dreams."

Taro awoke with a gasp. The first thing he noticed was the bright yellow sunlight that was shining into the hospital room. Daylight. Thank God. He didn't even question why he was in a hospital room, or why he couldn't move. Somehow, he'd confronted it all already in his dreams. He already knew the truth. I'm paralyzed.

Taro lay still, staring at the brightly lit ceiling, just regaining his breath. He discovered he could turn his neck, which was still tender. He looked to his right, and immediately saw a person standing to the side of his bed, as silent as a statue. Taro's heart sprang in his chest. For a second, he'd seen black hair tied in a ponytail and cold grey eyes.

The imagines vision quickly cleared. It was only Budo, and yet... The resemblance between his greatest friend and his worst enemy was uncanny. His eyes were also grey, if only darker and more resolute, and was he not looking at Taro with the same sort of edge as a knife?

Budo said nothing as Taro stared at him. His arms were crossed, and he was leaning next to the beside table, close to were Taro was lying. The private curtain was open, showing the other patient beds beside him.

After an uncomfortably long silence, Budo spoke. "How are you feeling?"

The words ran from his mouth before he could top them. "Like sh*t," Taro answered tiredly. He couldn't muster the effort to be surprised at himself for swearing.

Budo gave a wry smile as he continued. "Do you remember anything?"

Taro shut his eyes briefly and then managed a weak nod. "Yes, but first... Has the hospital contacted my parents yet?"

"They tried. Your parents are unreachable, wherever they're traveling right now."

"Okay, and the police? When are they coming to question me about what happened?"

"The doctors said your condition is too critical at the moment. Trauma and stress, you were hit on the head too. There might be memory loss, disorientation..." Budo shrugged. "I don't know. They said you should wait a little while until you can think straight. Else what you tell the police can't be verified."

"I'm am thinking straight." Taro wanted to grind his teeth in frustration, but forced himself to stay reasonable. Trust the hospital, the police and the way they both work.

"Let me tell you something then, Budo," he started, looking at Budo directly in the eyes. "Ayano Aishi is trying to kill me."