Kusabana Aijin

Chapter 3

Going home that afternoon proved to be much more difficult than Elora expected. A break-in had occurred in one of the houses near the school, resulting in the road being blocked off as the police began to investigate. Elora watched from a decent distant as the police took notes and talked among themselves in low tones. The owner of the house stood by wringing her hands as she told the police exactly what had happened. While passing by on her way home, Elora caught a few snatches of information. “…and I swear Officer, I’d never seen anything like him! He had these frightfully cold black eyes and black hair, and he wore the most unusual clothing…” Too busy playing with her CD to really care about the crime, Elora moved steadily farther and farther away from the crime scene without any sign of interest at all.

Sacrifice the right by blood, you don’t mind my control, save your own sorry skin, feel my power swamp you in. Lead me back to the path in which you took, lead me back to my own crushed heart, do you dare to whisper His name?

“Excuse me.” A voice caused Elora to pause her walking and glance over. A man in a trench coat stood there, hands in pockets. Elora’s eyes narrowed. She recognized a cop when she saw one. “What do you want, Cop?”

The man frowned and came forward. Elora immediately backed up. “I asked you what you wanted. Answer me.” She snapped. She had no patience to deal with adults right now, and this guy was trying her. The Cop shook his head. “Don’t take that tone with me, girl. I just need to know where you were this afternoon. We’ve reports of a dark dressed burglar in the area, and you fit the -”

“It was a male, wasn’t it?” Elora’s voice showed no hint of the weariness she felt. The cop blinked. “Eh?”

“The burglar was male, wasn’t he?”

“W-well, yes…”

“Well then, you have no reason to question me.” And with that, Elora attempted to move away. The cop stepped into her path and Elora jerked back, hissing through her teeth. “Move away now, cop, before I smack you. I’m not in a good mood.”

But the man wasn’t budging. “Don't you dare threaten me. Answer the question.”

She could feel her eye twitching. The urge to take her anger out was nearly killing her, but she suppressed it. Deep breaths, Lor. VERY. DEEP. BREATHS.

“I was at school.”

“At what time?”

Elora wanted to scream. AT WHAT TIME?! HOW ABOUT 24/7, YOU DEMENTED COP?! But restrained herself. “All day.”

“Really? We have reports that three people ditched. One of them looks like you.” he held up a picture. It was three girls, not one of them Elora. Although, one of them did resemble her.

“It’s not me.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, taking a step forward. Elora felt her muscles in her arm bunch. If she punched the cop, she could blame it on stress. Or she could say he was harassing her. Yeah, that one would work. “I’m positive.”

“Are you now? And what would you say if I told you we have evidence -”

And just like that, Elora lost it. Her arm went back, and came forward, crashing into the cop’s nose with a sickening crunch. All the anger of the day was put behind that blow, and it felt awesome.

A howl of pain went up from the cop, and Elora shook her head as she replaced her headphones and walked off, leaving the cop to his fate before the others arrived. “Stupid asshole.”

----------------------------------------------------

“My my, quite the temper you have, don’t you, granddaughter?”

“Not my fault, grams. He was asking for it!”

“I bet he was.” her grandmother’s voice chuckled over the phone, and Elora repositioned it into a better spot on her shoulder as she wrapped up her hand. Her grandmother’s voice was like balm to her wounds - it made everything feel better, no matter how sore.

“Honestly grams! He kept saying that I snuck out of school, and he “had evidence” when he didn’t! And it wasn’t even me in the picture!”

“I thought you just said he didn’t have evidence?”

“Well, evidence with ME in it, I mean. The girls in that picture were nothing like me! All giggling and wearing pink,” she shuddered, “how I detest that color.”

“Well then, you’re in for a surprise.”

“What?”

“I just dyed my entire house pink.”

“WHAT?!” Elora screamed, feeling her mind go numb. Oh god, not her grandmother’s house. Why was it all her favorite things always got taken over by the pink and fluffy things?

“Grandmother, with all due respect, I don’t think I’ll be able to visit you. EVER. AGAIN.” Elora said, putting emphasis where it was needed. From the other side of the phone came the sound of laughter. “Calm down youngster! I’m just pulling that leg of yours. Honestly, you’re so serious sometimes. You need to learn to loosen up some.”

“Yeah, as soon as I’m dead and left alone, I’ll lighten up.”

“You promise?”

“I give my solemn oath!”

Her grandmother chuckled again. “Alright then. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Ok. Tell Ebony I said ‘hi’.”

“But of course.”

Click.

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“Elora.” Once more, her mother’s voice added in to Elora’s already-growing problems. “I received a call from the -”

Elora didn’t wait to hear the rest, but instead slung her bag over her shoulder and headed downstairs where Amber was waiting for her on the porch. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem her mother was willing to be brushed off this time, because she blocked the way out. Hands on hips, she glared down at Elora with hatred. “Elora, I received several notices today, all concerning your behavior. One from your principal, telling me that you have been skipping classes, most of them related to your Math. Another note comes from your Math teacher, telling me that you have absolutely no points, even though he school year is already half way over. A third notice comes from your Art teacher, who tells me your pictures have taken a rather violent turn.” she paused in her ramblings long enough to lock the door, making Elora swear silently.

“The last two notices come from my psychiatrist and a cop. My psychiatrist would like to see and meet you in person.”

“NO.” Elora barked, her voice forceful. No way in hell was she going to some shrink. The last time she had gone, she had come out worst than before - her mother had pronounced her cured. Even though there had been nothing wrong with her in the first place, apart from her wanting to become a florist, and work with flowers. Her mother, disgusted, had sent in her to be examined. Three long hours later, Elora had emerged newly reborn. Anger and rage controlled her, and her rules were set. Never again would she trust an adult.

Never.

But her mother was shaking her head. “You’re going. As I was saying -”

“I’m not going, and that’s final. You can’t make me!” Panic began to set into her chest. Never before had her mother been so tough. She had always given up, or let Elora do as she pleased. But this time, something was different. This time, her mother seemed…adamant.

“I won’t go back. Never again.” she whispered, rubbing her arms. Her mother’s eyes widened. “Is it back? Your MPD?”

Elora jerked back, her eyes wide in fear. “Don’t touch me! Leave me ALONE!!!” she bellowed the last part, and with the energy she possessed, pushed her mother out of the way, unlocked the door and threw it open. Amber stared at her. She grabbed the younger’s arm and ran as fast as she could, towards the woods. Away from her mother’s ever-tightening grip, and away from humanity’s chokehold.

“Elora!! Wait, this discussion isn’t over! ELORA!!!”

But Elora stopped listening.

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Elora didn’t stop running until she reached the very heart of the forest. Panting, she stopped and leaned over against a tree. Pain ran up and down her sides, and across her back and arms. Her legs felt like lead and her mouth was as dry as cotton. Her mind now a torrent of panic and hatred, Elora forced herself to try to calm down, and look at things from a good view. But there was nothing good about what had just happened. Her insane mother was sending her back in to that same shrink that had messed with her mind so long ago, and several large adults were after her for her grades. The grades I don’t care about. Hell with the grades. But the shrink…that’s a serious matter! She can’t send me back in when there’s nothing wrong with me! The only reason she thinks I have MPD is because that stupid doctor said so, and there was nothing wrong with me at all! All this because I wanted to be a florist…it’s not fair! She never listens to me. She wants me to be a lawyer or something successful like her and dad, but I don’t…

Groaning, Elora placed her head between her knees and gently rocked herself to sleep, never noticing how late it was or the silent being that hovered over her protectively.

I just want to be free.