Slim: Book 6

Out to Get You

Naru was waiting for me back at our room with a stack of book and a pot of tea. The chilly autumn air had clung to me via my wet hair and damp skin, making the warmth of his arms all the more welcoming. He held out a dry yukata for me to dress in, then picked out a book from the small stack.

"I hope you won't mind, but now that we've tried your activity, let's try mine."

With that, he sat on the low-standing couch with a futon comforter at his feet and beckoned me closer. I more than happily cuddled up to him before turning around between his legs and pulling up the comforter. Once I had done so, he brought his arms around me, setting the book he had chosen before us.

"I tried to get something we'd both like. This author in particular I've verified as having some very astute findings."

I wrinkled my nose, but since I was trying to play extra nice, I didn't complain about him picking out a nerd book and thinking I'd like it.

So we read it together. Naru would check with me before turning until it devolved into him turning the page and me pressing my thumb down on the hand holding the book if I wasn't ready.

Surprisingly enough, I was drawn in after the forward. Yes, I was right about it being a nerd book, but Naru had failed to mention that the author was also clairvoyant. The book was about near-death experiences and was more a collection of stories, though his small conclusion notes at the end of each chapter were fascinating as well.

"Maybe if they got someone right on the edge of death in an MIR..." I muttered.

A puff of air rustled my hair as Naru gave a quiet snort of acknowledgement. "They'd have to have positive evidence that the patient could be resuscitated, though. I bet he mentions that same idea soon-ah, there we are." he had turned the next page, and being a quicker reader than I, was able to get the gist of it.

As he waited for me to catch up, he reached over onto the kotatsu that he had pulled close and brought over a cup of tea for me. I kissed the hand holding it in thanks without halting my reading.

I was warm. I was with the person I loved the most in the world, and I was gloriously happy. At that moment, supernatural phenomenon and misfortune couldn't seem farther away.

Of course, I had always had a talent for dozing at a moment's notice. I had just finished my tea and leaned back to enjoy the feel of Naru's ultra comfy chest holding me up, and simply didn't get around to sitting back up on my own. How could I? I could have never felt more at ease or safe in my life.

Alright, Naru's idea totally beat mine. This was relaxation.

I opened my eyes to find the glass patio doors blurred over from the steam of the spring. I wondered if a cold front had moved in as I carefully sat up and took assessment of my position. Naru had fallen asleep behind me, his upper back against a pillow which he'd put as a barrier between him and the wall that the couch armrest didn't cover. The book we had been reading had been set on the ground with a bookmark alongside our empty tea cups.

I had the impression that something had woken me up. Wondering if it had been one of the staff coming by to ask for dinner, I got up to check the door, but no one was there. Figuring I'd wait for Naru to wake up before chasing anything down, I stretched and made my way to the doors. A dip in the hot springs sounded really nice right about now.

The setting sun turned the steam to gold. I admired it as I reached around to untie my yukata. Movement caught my eye and I froze. A bird?

No. Something was rising from the landscaping. A figure, hunched, with arms reaching the ground like an orangutan.

Any sense of warmth fled, and a chill, not unlike the touch of winter on the edge of these autumn days, crawled up my spine. He, it, whatever it was, was closer than last time, and it was moving. It staggered, swinging its shadowy arms, wagging its head. The steam and evening shadows blurred the features, but as it neared its fingers pulled its hands ahead like the legs of spiders. They paused, something more than shadow and less than flesh, before scuttling up the steps till only the glass separated its touch from my toes.

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.

The thing pulled in after its arms, as though the fingers were the reel and its body the string. It started to lift its head, higher and higher, its height once more unfurling beneath it like a banner.

A hand shot up to slap against the glass, which erupted with cracks.

"Mai! Wake up!"

I woke with a gasp, which turned to a cough. Naru was pulling out from behind me, and black smoke had filled the room. The ominous crackling of flames echoed about me, and I couldn't make out anything through the glass patio doors. All I could see was steam.

Naru coughed, then gave me the shove I needed to start moving. I started running towards the door into the hallway, but he yanked me back towards the patio door. A thrill of terror locked up my knees, even as I saw the tongues of orange flame licking out from the blackness in the corner of my vision.

"No-" in my gasp I sucked in a full lungful of smoke, which took over my body in wracking coughs. I had barely any control enough to fight back as Naru dragged me the rest of the way to the doors and threw them open. Steam and smoke collided, swirling about one another through my streaming eyes.

He threw us into the spring. Instantly I fought for the surface, suffocating, desperate for air.

Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong, because the instinct to run was screaming in me as it never had before. The thought that I had to get out of the water consumed me.

"Stay in here! We'll be safe until the help come-" he stopped to cough, his hands clamped about my waist. "Damn it, Mai, be still!"

"We-" I couldn't get enough air to speak. My throat burned so bad! The smoke-get out of the water!

With a sudden spurt of petrified adrenaline (as it could have only been to move me to such an impossible feet), I took hold of Naru and all but hauled him out of the spring, even as it started to boil and the steam clogged up my face.

He scrambled away not a moment too soon. Burning-pain-I couldn't see anymore.

"Mai!"

His hands fisted in the front of my yukata and pulled me out. Even after the now cold air rushed in, I still burned. It could have only been the adrenaline keeping me conscious now, as I hadn't even the breath to scream, though my throat attempted to and ended up choking on intercepted coughs.

"Mai, Mai, just calm down, just breathe-oh God, oh God Almighty, this can't be happening."

Get out of the water.

I shoved weakly at his leg. My vision darkened. Air. Air. I had to be drowning.

Get out of the water.

I could hear the spring boiling and hissing for all it was worth.

"Mai, please!"

And I knew no more.