Understanding What's Underneath

Chapter 2 (Part 2): Malice Within Shadows

[[That same afternoon]]

Nico meticulously arranged and rearranged her desk, unsatisfied with everything, it frustrated her; she dusted and moved, wiped and threw away but it didn't seem right at all. She dropped the duster from her hand and fell back onto her bed looking up at the bed, mentally exhausted. She needed to get her mind off everything but nothing worked. She slid the pack of cigarettes and the lighter off the desk and lit one of them, taking a long drag she muttered,

"I need to find a way to take my mind off this mess..."

Taking another drag she grabbed her house keys, as she approached the entrance she saw the picture she framed beside the entrance, it was of the three of them, Nico, Hyojin and Jackie, posing and smiling in front of the school gate. It was the first time they were in the same school; it seemed like a trivial thing to others but to finally be in the same proximity as your best friends for more than half the day felt like a dream come true. She looked at the photo and smirked, "We looked like dorks back then." Nico left the apartment in a lighter mood then before, she felt much better, better enough to look for answers too.

Walking down the street she tried to call Hyojin, only to be met with her voicemail instead. She began to text her instead, asking for the description of the electrician. "Hey Miss, you shouldn't be texting and walking like that in the middle of the street!" A voice emerged from behind Nico. Startled, she turned around to be met by a towering, middle aged man strapping a blue jumpsuit. Nico apologized and giggled awkwardly feeling silly about being scolded by a random stranger. "So Miss, you from around here?" the stranger continued. Nico was confused now, why did this random guy just walk up to her and start a conversation by himself. "Jeez can't this guy take a hint? Nico sighed as she began to walk away.

Suddenly as she was walking away a hand grasped her arm tight to the point where it was hurting her. The man just grabbed her and brought his face inches away from hers, sniffing her as if to try and get her scent. "You smell sweet, just like your cute friend Hyojin." Nico froze and felt like her body was about to fall apart. She felt stifled as the man inched closer, kissing her neck intentionally leaving his saliva to drool down her neck. Nico began to tear up as she shoved the guy away before charging in to throw a right hook across his face. The man fell on his back, and began to crawl away laughing; as he felt the imprint from Nico's ring on his face he began to...touch himself. If Nico wasn't already disgusted, this would've been the icing on the cake.

"You sick fuck!" she screamed as tears rolled down her cheeks. Suddenly Nico could hear a familiar voice getting closer and closer, "YOU BASTARD!" Jackie rushed past Nico and punched the man square on the nose as he was getting up. As soon as the punch connected, a loud crunch echoed throughout the misty, empty street as blood squirted out of the man's face and onto Jackie and anything that was beside him. The man clenched his nose, too dazed to understand what just happened he ran away screaming profanities. Before Jackie could chase after the guy, Nico held his hand tugging on it and preventing it from chasing after the man. Jackie turned around in a rage, but his anger diminished as soon as he saw Nico. She was crying, on her knees, she tried to hide it and stay strong but she couldn't hold it together. "He's the fucker that raped Hyojin! H-He fucking slobbered all over me," she cried pointing at her neck where the man kissed her. Jackie wiped off the slober and hugged her tight, eventually tearing up himself.

"Why are YOU crying, idiot?" Nico asked as she held Jackie tighter. "I let this happen... I should've protected you more-..." before Jackie could finish his sentence Nico pulled away and slapped his across the face. "You fucking idiot! Stop blaming yourself for practically fucking everything Jackie, believe it or not you can't control everything in the world, you're not God, not everything is in your fucking hands so if you want to help me feel better now stop fucking blaming yourself and walk me home! Please...I just need my best friend around and it doesn't help if he keeps blaming himself for everything." Jackie looked down and nodded; he stood up and held Nico's hand. Nico wiped her tears away and tried to smile. "Don't worry, now that we know what the guy looks like I can tell Mr. Ishi to speed up the track." Jackie assured Nico. Nico nodded and said, "It's only a matter of time before we get him. I'll report him to the police when I can and hey, Jackie...?" Jackie turned around to look at Nico, "Yeah?" Nico stuttered "Please don't tell Hyojin about this. I don't want her to worry about even more things." There was a slight hesitation in her voice; it was obvious it hurt her to even think about what just happened.

"It's only a matter of time now before we get him Nico it will all be over soon."

[[Later that night, somewhere unknown]]

"That infidel really did a number on my nose Father. I hope you understand my difficulties in obtaining the maiden, her two companions are making things difficult to get close to her." The electrician in the blue jumpsuit from before, now in a black robe spoke shamefully to the man sitting gloriously on the throne in velvet robes. Immediately with a signal from the robed man's hand, a pair of men in black robes brought forward a table with a handkerchief on top. The man on the throne spoke up, "You have failed to meet your quota and now you've brought me even more to be disappointed about, it has also come to my attention that you tainted the maiden once before with your prostate, I hope you understand what such failure and sin entails." The black robed men unfolded the handkerchief to reveal an embroidered dagger. The electrician shivered as he picked up the knife and shakily put his left pinky, ring and middle finger on the table. He only slightly hesitated before...

A bloodcurdling scream raged out followed by the sound of blood squirting and the sharp blade of the knife crunching and cutting through the bone echoed throughout the hall where thousands of men in black robes chanted something similar to a prayer.

The man in the red robe began to laugh hysterically, "Foul scum, even if you have failed it is only a matter of time before the maiden is within our grasp. Consider this your final chance, if the maiden is not within my possession within the next 3 days, your skin and flesh shall be sliced from your bones and fed to all your brothers. I hope your meat tastes better than your usefulness." The man said as he began to laugh even more and grin in the most malicious way possible.

"Soon, I'll have her within my arms and bear the fruits she has to offer..."

To be continued.