The Day I Fell Into Bleach

Chapter Thirty-One: The Pendulum Swings Back Pt. 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I only own Catalina Vazquez, Eita Harada and Catalina's spirits.

Chapter 31: The Pendulum Swings Part 1

The pendulum of time starts to swing back as the intense battle outside of Catalina's subconscious pauses for the moment. Catalina's memories of long ago take us back 111 years.

-Kat's POV-

[111 years ago]

'If I didn't want to die or get hurt, I had to keep running.'

I continued running down the dimly lighted streets, freezing cold rain drops splashing against my bear skin like bullets. I covered my ears as I heard the thunder rumble loudly, but I just kept running. I was running alongside the riverbank when suddenly my foot slipped and I fell sideways into the river. As I rolled down the riverbank I desperately tried to grab onto something, anything to stop me from falling into the rushing water below. My hand grabbed tightly onto the root of a tree.

I sighed, glancing down at the raging river, cold rain drops and warm tears running down my face. Looking back up I gripped the tree root, but as I tried to pull myself up I felt the root snapping, causing me to freeze in my spot. My grip tightened.

'I don't want to die. I don't! I just wanted a nice life with loving parents, friends, and someone who loves me!' I thought desperately.

*snap*

The root suddenly gave out, my scream drowned out by the loud thunder as I fell. Everything seemed to go quiet as my sore body slammed into the rushing water, causing me to scream in pain. I quickly regretted that as water rushed into my lungs. Kicking my aching legs, I desperately tried to swim to the surface but the current was too strong. I was slowly drowning.

'So, this is how my life ends, by drowning. Well, at least it wasn't painful and wasn't by my parents' hands.' I thought sadly, slowly giving way to the dark abyss.

I waited to hit the bottom of the river and wait for the end, an end that never seemed to come. I didn't think the river was so deep.

Suddenly the current picked up and my half-conscious body drifted. Through half open eyes I watched the water drag me away to who knows where.

I started to choke as air suddenly filled my desperately pleading lungs. My head broke the surface only to be blinded by the bright sunlight hitting my face.

'What the hell happened?' I thought groggily.

I didn't even bother to try to stay afloat, my body was to sore and numb. I didn't want to fight it anymore.

"HEY!"

I could hear a concerned voice yelling as I slowly started to sink into the water again.

'That voice sounds familiar...why do I feel like I know that voice...? I don't know anyone. I don't talk to anyone, so, who?' I thought in confusion as I slipped into the darkness, the sweet and safe darkness.

I groaned, feeling the warm sunlight hit my closed eyes as someone annoyingly and repeatedly poked my sore side. It was not helping the matter. I groaned softly in pain, the poking suddenly ceasing when they heard my protests of pain.

"Hey, wake up." A voice ordered in a calm demeanor, laced with concern.

Moaning softly I rubbed my tired eyes with one hand, the other braced against the ground to push myself up. My arm suddenly gave out but before I could hit the ground something soft and warm wrapped around my waist, pulling me towards a body. I groaned a little in discomfort. Even at that gentle touch, my muscles still screamed out in protest.