Only Human

My Future ch.18

      Misaki shot up to her feet and began to run to the exit, Roku screamed for her but she ran ahead. What's going on!? What happened!? She ran into the cave outside and froze. Gorru was bleeding out on the ground near the exit, with Olive crying at his side and Mike was being held up by the collar of his shirt. Mike was thrown harshly to the ground and the man who was holding Mike up appeared. Misaki's body went cold as the glowing white eyes landed on her. His eyes narrowed fiercely into hers and immediately he was inches away. His black claws burst out of his fingers and his claws flashed by in the moonlight. Misaki heard Roku's scream for her as she felt blood gush up her throat and a sharp intense pain in her stomach. The man's voice was low, cold, and caused Misaki's sight go black. "Just like my wife. No more than one." His claw dug in further, and Misaki's body was lifted from the ground, being held up by the claw in her stomach. There were multiple faint screams that faded away quickly. Misaki's world went black and Misaki's body was surrounded in pain.

         Misaki woke to darkness. She felt nothing. Saw nothing. Heard nothing. Tasted nothing. But she could smell. What...What happened..Where am I? Misaki breathed in. The smell of roasted fish, alcohol, blood, grass, and a disturbing sour smell filled her nostrils. Then she smelled something else come closer. It was a familiar smell. It smelled of fresh dirt, fish, and something else that made Misaki's heart beat warmly. "Roku..." She couldn't hear a response. But the smell got stronger, probably coming closer. Then she felt a sharp pain in her lower stomach. Her sense of smell faded and she lost consciousness.

        Misaki opened her eyes again to darkness. But her sense of smell and feeling came back. She felt a big hand at hers and she focused on the warmth of it. Her heart pounded, and Misaki took that as a sign that it was Roku's hand she was touching. She pulled him closer and she searched for his face. He pulled her hand and she found his face. She jumped at the warm wetness she felt. Is... Is he crying? Why? "Are... Are you crying?" The warmth turned to burning heat and Misaki laughed. She felt him come closer, and his big arms wrapped around her waist. She happily let herself be hugged before the pain in her abdomen came back and took away her senses once again.

         The next time she woke, she woke to little light and she could hear, feel, taste, and smell. She immediately searched the little light that she could see. She rubbed at her eyes and squinted around the room. She spotted a blob of red and rushed to it. But when she tried to stand, she found that she couldn't feel her legs and she fell to the ground. "Misaki?" She turned and found the red blob closer. She reached for it and her fingers crashed against something wet. He flinched back and Misaki realized what she had touched. "Ow...well it's obvious you can't see well yet." "S-sorry..I didn't mean to poke your eye." He came closer. "You can hear me?" "Yeah, what happened?" He sighed. "The man came back and attacked the cave." Gorru. "Wait, what happened to Gorru and Mike, are they okay?" "They're fine Misaki." Misaki sighed in relief. "Good.." Roku came closer. "You're the one who everybody was worried about." "Well I'm fine." "No you're not Misaki." "Huh? Yeah I am. I feel completely normal, other than the fact that I can't see very well and I can't feel my legs." Roku frowned. "You call that normal?" "Well its better than before right?" Roku paused and glared down at Misaki's bandaged stomach "before..." Misaki remembered his hot wet face against her hand. "Before.....you were dying in front of me." "I...I was dying?" Roku nodded. "The man stabbed your abdomen straight through. When I saw the claw go straight through and appear on your back...I....I thought.." He thought I was dead. Misaki cupped his cheeks and brought her face closer to his. She bumped her forehead gently against his and closed her eyes. "I'm okay. I'm right here." "But... Olive has bad news..." "Bad news?" "She won't tell me. She said both of us should hear it together." Misaki felt Roku get closer and blushed. "Misaki..." He... He's coming closer... Is... Is he going to... Roku came even closer and Misaki felt his head tilt to one side. He is. He's going to kiss me. Her heart began to warmly panic again. But the warmth went away and her heart was filled of panic when she heard the curtain move. Her suspicion was confirmed when Roku separated and she faintly saw him turn to the entrance. "Olive, can you have any more worst timing?" "Don't worry, Misaki owes it to me. And this is important to both of you." Misaki scooted away from Roku and ignored her burning face. "B-both of us?" "Yes. I had my doubts, but I'm sure now. Both of you." Roku scooped Misaki up off the floor and gently laid her on the bed. As he sat down, Olive sighed and Misaki could faintly see her rub her eyes. "Misaki, the claw damaged your abdomen area very seriously. I've had to take multiple all nighters saving your life." And she also had Gorru to stress about... "Olive--" "Misaki, don't you dare worry about me when you're the one who needs worrying about." "Huh?" Olive sighed again. "Misaki you won't be much use in the struggle to repopulate the human species." "What? The human species? Why not?" "The man... He intentionally damaged your stomach. That night he kept screaming how if there was only one on his side, there would "only be one" on this side. I was wondering what he meant so I sent some of the full demons we had to go spy on them. And...." Roku stood. "What? What is it?" "They overheard them talking about a pregnancy. They said it was the only one. And turns out the woman who impersonated that girl, Hail, can only have one child." "Just like my wife.." "And for some reason he decided to blame humans..." Misaki's heart froze. Dead silence shrouded the room as it went cold and dark. "No more than one." Misaki's lips trembled as she spoke. Her voice was low and expressionless. "You mean.... I.." She could feel Roku's stare on her face. "Misaki-" "No more than one" She felt cold tears run down her even colder face. Her heart felt nothing. Roku's arms immediately wrapped around her but Misaki couldn't feel their warmth. I won't be able to have more than one child. She remembered her lonely days as an only child. My child won't have siblings. "Misaki." I will only have one. Her eyes widened. He killed the rest of my children. He killed them. "Misaki!" He murdered them before they even had a chance to live. Now I can only have one. One. "Misaki snap out of it!" Her vision was taken over by darkness.

       Misaki found herself running. She was sprinting through a green, thick, forest. A bow and arrow burned in her grip and she was taller. She was running faster than she thought possible, and her longer black hair was whipping behind her, trying to escape from the rope that acted as a hair tie. Her heart was drumming powerfully and Misaki heard a terrifying screech. It set her heart in a panicked rush and her feet flew across the muddy ground. She found herself screaming for Roku, in a more mature, woman-like voice. The screech came again and Misaki found that she was running towards it. The screech was the thing that made her heart afraid. But she  was not afraid of it. She was afraid for the creature that was  screeching. It sounded female. She could hear a human scream in it. Then she blinked.