Shattered
Yuki turned as a dark black bird flew by. She quickly identified it as a raven, more commonly known as a crow. But that was what was odd – ravens were uncommon here, as they disliked the drastic temperature changes. Her thoughts were cut off as she heard a soft voice call out her name. “YU-ki! Wait up!”
Yuki blinked. Kira was always seemed cheerful, no matter what had occurred that day. She fingered her light locks as her friend drew closer. Panting as she reached her friend, Kira mock pouted. All she got for her effort was an innocent half-smile from Yuki.
Kira twitched, and moaned. “Why is your house so far from the school, Yuki? Even your sister never-” She slapped her hand over her mouth. Yuki’s eyes always seemed perpetually closed, but right then, they were wide open and glaring at her. “Be quiet!” She snapped. Then she stalked off, leaving Kira by her lonesome. Kira sighed. “Geez…she still has that little sister complex going on. Yuki’s way too sensitive about the subject.” She heard a snicker from behind her. Kira turned, quickly meeting the honey brown eyes of her ‘favorite’ little brother.
“You did it again…” he chirped, poring here nose and skipping cheerfully. Kira grabbed ear and scream, “What are you doing here Ryu!?!?” Thinking quickly, she added, “Aren’t you supposed to be doing your chores?” Ryu turned, sputtering out excuses such as, “Well, you see… they let me off…” or “they told me to pick you up!” Kira raised an eyebrow, and promptly dragged him home.
Meanwhile, Yuki was sulking; her pale white hair across her back, and her dark green eyes glowed darkly under the mid-afternoon sun. “Aah…I did it again, huh?” She asked softly, talking to a plush bear. “It’s not like I meant to, it was an
accident! So what if my little sister is in the hospital living off machines?! Why do they constantly remind me about it? I know…” The image of her sister’s predicament attacked her mind. “Who did it?...Why did that person attack my sister!” Yuki clenched her fist, ripping off the plush’s arm.
Kira sighed. Ryu used to be so depressed, leaving Yuki’s younger sister always concerned. But now – the poor boy was being too energetic, too excited, and too…fake. It didn’t help that here brother’s friend, Akira, was completely cut off, from him now. Ryu was getting paranoid, Kira realized. He thought everything he cared for was going to disappear – was going to fall out from his feet as he plummeted as if falling from a skyscraper. And she was never going to let that happen – never.
Yuki touched Ukime’s cool hand and shuddered. It was like touching a doll, and not real person. She searched her sister’s face – and nearly cried out it shock. Ukime had always been fair-skinned, as it was a gene in their family, likewise snow white hair – but her skin was turning gray! Yuki pressed the emergency call button – once, twice, and she kept pressing it, even after the nurses had come. Yuki clung to the controller as if it was her sister’s life, hanging like a thread in a room of moths, each waiting to devour it. The nurses injected a medication into her body, and she closed her eyes, darkness consuming her vision.
Akira panted from the exertion and grabbed Ryu, who was attempting to go pick up his friend – Ukime Yume for class 1C. “Hey.” He declared, determined to make Ryu talk. “Wanna go to the arcade?” Akira saw Ryu debating, saw him agreeing, saw him never guess what could have happened next – and he awakened in a cold sweat. “Why?” He cried, “Why doesn’t Ryu wanna talk to me anymore? Why not?” A nurse looked sadly at the shaken boy and closed the door to the psychological ward. She should have stayed. She might have been able to stop what happened next.
Ring. Ring. Ryu groaned at the sound of the phone and called, “Kira, get the phone! Kira? Uggh…” He grabbed the phone and mumbled, “Hi. You’ve reached the Aya household. What do you want?” A familiar voice fluttered across his ear – a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. “Hello, Ryu! Long time no talk! It’s me – Akira. You remember me, right?” Ryu’s eyes shot open. “AKIRA?! Where have you been? You have any idea how worried I was about you?!” Ryu groaned at the sound of the phone and called, “Kira, get the phone! Kira? Uggh…” He grabbed the phone and mumbled, “Hi. You’ve reached the Aya household. What do you want?” A familiar voice fluttered across his ear – a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. “Hello, Ryu! Long time no talk! It’s me – . You remember me, right?” Ryu’s eyes shot open. “AKIRA?! Where have you been? You have any idea how worried I was about you?!”
Akira giggled, “So-rry. I’m just calling to tell you something. About a hour prior to this call, both the Yume sisters have been hospitalized. Your sister is in the hospital as well. She might die from all the frights that have happened. Bye-bye.”
Click.
Ryu glared at the phone in his hand, Akira’s last words ringing through his ears. “Bye-bye!” He reached to put the phone back in its cradle, and paused. What if Akira had been telling the truth? Ryu shook his head… he twitched uncertainly, pulled a jacket on, and ran out his front door. There was somewhere he had to check first. Ryu ran down the street into his old neighborhood where taking a stroll was about as peaceful as getting kicked around. He turned, searching for the green house, similar to a hawk looking for its prey. There! Ryu exhaled, gripped the dusty handle and opened it. He tiptoed around glass shards of broken – in windows, and climbed up a creaky stairway.
At the top of the stairway, there was a hallway the extended for about ten yards, and then stopped abruptly. Ryu turned left, and opened the sixth door to his left. A small, pink, presumably female’s room appeared before. Kira’s room. He smiled faintly, and pushed back a light pink dresser, weightless as it had no doubt be scrounged months before. Hidden, beneath, was the entrance to the attic, which contained closets, possessions and – a balcony.
Ryu stepped onto the seeming less endless stairway, brow crinkling when he heard them groan beneath him. As a large room appeared before him, he looked through it and made his way to the balcony. There, on the left, was a family treasure – a dark ivory mirror, intricately carved with flowers, 8 feet long, and gold pieces attached. He looked into it and saw not the bay who left this area but the one who had become greedy – despicable. He didn’t want to see it – You! His reflection mocked him. You make everyonesuffer. You should suffer, too! Ryu screamed – and pushed the mirror over the edge. It fell with a resounding clang, and shattered across the sidewalk. There was only one problem – Ryu could still his reflection. In the shards of the shattered.
Akira smiled darkly as the door to his room opened. “Look- I have a new friend, Teddy.” He said to a soft, plush toy that was half ripped apart. Teddy’s eyes only stared blankly outward as Ryu stepped into the ward. The door to the room slammed shut, echoing in heavy hearts.
TT: Written by L. Review, please!
FictionPress.com - let the words flow