Chapter 25 : Two Down

Hikari

I haven't felt so scared since seeing Yamato pin Mimi up to the wall in the alley. And that seemed way to recent ago. I could feel my heart thumping like a hammer, pounding loudly, then it would skip a dozen or so beats everytime those footsteps sounded and echoed. Somewhere in the back of my head, my recall a time when I had been holding a parrot, I could feel the bird's heart beating like it was crazy. Someone told me birds had higher motabolisums that humans, and that's why their hearts beat so fast. I feel like a bird.

My brother, Sora, and Koushirou had been talking. Mimi was in her own world. Like me. We had both jumped at the sound of the door. And at the heavy footsteps. Of course, there could be a million explainations. And all of them rushed in and out of my head in less than a minute. Izzy's parents could have returned early. Joe have come. But it could also be the murderer...Yamato...who was coming down the hallway towards us. As the doorknob started to turn, I could feel everyone holding their breath, eyes glued to the door. Mimi was ready to scream. Taichi had a large book in his hand. Sora just looked petrafyed. Koushirou was pale.

The door swung open. And there stood a person I've never seen before. Messy light brown hair, a large jacket, a nightmareishly frightning smirk. Mimi screamed. "Who the hell are you?! What are you doing in here!? You killed Takeru didn't you!? You're here to kill us alll!!!!" I cringed slightly, as did everyone else. I thought I saw a look of surprise cross the stranger's face, like he wasn't expecting something. But it quickly passed. I was frozen again. I wanted to scream, join Mimi in making unpleasureablely high pitched sounds, but I couldn't. Frozen. I hated this feelings.

Taichi's voice was gruff, tight, but steady. "Who are you and what do you want?" The stranger laughed. Evilly. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Resuko Aymichi." I saw Izzy stiffen. Sora did as well. Mimi whimpered. "Perhaps you saw me on the news this afternoon." he grinned. "You murdered our friend." Taichi stated through clenched teeth. "Yes, yes I did." Aymichi agreed simply. "You're here to kill us all!" Mimi shrieked and threw the speaker she had in her hand at the murderer. I still sat frozen.

Aymichi hadn't seemed to be expecting this and was hit in the head. "You bitch!" one hand reached into his coat and the other reached for Mimi. His movements were fluid, practiced, even in his anger. This scared me. Cheezus...how I wished the digimon were here...simple human threats seemed so stupid when the digimon were here to protect us. But where were they now? We were so vunerable. Weak. Mimi screamed again, because the next thing she knew, she was pinned to the ground, knife at her throat. She was frozen now. Fear sparked in her eyes and she trembled.

Aymichi laughed. Everything was frozen again. It was like time was flowing, then it was just stop, and start again, then stop, then start again. This is insane. The murderer's laugh was the only sound, save the rush of the wind blowing outside. His laugh was in my nigtmares, echoing off the walls of Izzy's room. He turned his head and looked back at us, he eyed Taichi, who was still clutching a book. I glanced sideways at my brother, he was fuming, he had let his breath out and was inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself. "I wouldn't do anything if I were you." Aymichi smirked, "I might accidentally slit Tachikawa's throat." Tai boiled.

Mimi whimpered again. I didn't know what to think, surely this person planned to kill us all....so what was stopping him? I felt dizziness creep up somewhere in the back of my brain. This couldn't be real, it had be another nightmare...it had to me...let me wake up...please. The stillness of everything was unnerving, I didn't want to die. I didn't want Mimi to die. But I needed for something to happen before I drive myself out of mind. I hate myself for wishing that.

It was a fluid movement, quick, unexpected, morbid, tortureous. Blood squirted out like toothpaste, the scream came seconds too late, as if she couldn't believe it had happened, and hadn't had time to register the thought. But the scream did come, and it was the most horrible scream I had ever heard. If this was a nightmare, I would remember the scream forever. If this wasn't a nightmare, it will reappear in my nightmares. If I live. A horrendous laugh soon joined in with the scream. The combination racked my mind, I wanted to wake up...just wake up...

A deep red gash ran from space between the collarbones to the left shoulder. It was perfectly straight, which meant the cut went across the left collarbone. The skin there is thin. And so the bone was easily exposed. The blood that was released with the cut was soon joined by the blood that was rushing through the veins that were no longer connected. The red liquid seeped into the fabric of her shirt and dyed it a grotesque color. I heard another scream join the first. Sora's.

I wanted to scream with them. But the nerves wouldn't communicate with my brain, they wouldn't respond to me. I couldn't scream. Everything afterwards played in slow motion. Tai leapt like a dog, the anger could no longer contain itself. The inner demon of my brother was unleashed and the rage had a target. Tai moved fast enough to surprise the murderer, he landed inches from him and Mimi and slammed the book hard onto his head. Mimi gasped for a breath before restarting her scream all over again, shrill and paniced.

Aymichi's reflex was strong, he thrusted his knife-hand backwards, slamming the blade into my brother's shoulder. Blood spilled immediately from the wound and splashed onto his shirt sleeve, he cried out in pain and fury and tried to bring his other hand into a fist. I finally released my contained fear and screamed, screamed as loud as Mimi and Sora did and louder, I screamed, releasing everything I had kept to myself these past weeks. My grief, my horror, my anger, my hate. I screamed for Taichi, I screamed for Mimi, I screamed for Yamato, I screamed for Takeru, I screamed for us all...all these thoughts shot from my heart and filled my head with pain.

I kicked Aymichi's knife-arm with all my strength, he had been stunned by my sudden release of rage and had not the time to counter attack before I kicked again. And again. He released his grip on the knife and rolled over to the side, bringing his arms up to shield himself. Mimi stopped her own screams long enough to dart away, hands at her wound, trying to stop the blood. Sora rushed to help Mimi, Koushirou rushed to help Tai, I countinued to kick wildly, screaming words I had held back so long...

Later, I wished I had taken the knife from Taichi's shoulder and thrusted it through Aymichi's heart, that would have been simple, reasonable, and fast. But there is no reasonableness in anger. Only hate and fury. It seemed like hours I sat there, kicking at the horrible monster that started it all, but soon enough my legs grew weak and tired, and he was able to resist my attacks more easily. In another swift and practiced move, he was at my throat with both hands.

His hands were warm and sticky with sweat, and were held dangerously tight around my neck. I could feel his slight panic, it was a strange sensation. I felt numb suddenly, I could hear my heart beating so loudly in my chest. "Nobody move." the murderer growled loudly, silencing all screams that hadn't stopped already. Mimi was sobbing quietly, but there was no other sound, save the quickening tha-thump of my racing heart. I glanced sideways at Taichi, he was pale, he had the knife in his hand now, but the wound in his shoulder was deep, and the blood had not been slowed. It looked like a big bubbling red-black mess on his shoulder now, it would no doubt get infected if he doesn't close it soon...funny, I worry about these things when my own life was in the hands of a merciless murderer.

Time stopped again. Part of me was becoming annoyed with it. Aymichi eyed the others as they eyed him, each pondering what to do. What happened next a bit blurry, I don't know, the oxygen was being cut from my brain, even the smallest bit, the preassure at my throat kept getting stronger as my captor became more nervous. So I couldn't think. I was getting dizzy and my head throbbed insanely. All I saw was the blur of my brother, knife in hand leaping at the murderer again. Aymichi moved suddenly, tightening the grip at my neck, I released a spluttering sound from my mouth, i weakly slapped my hands at him, but I was too tired.

My vision became to show double, I heard Aymichi let out a sharp groan of pain, there was a bit of shuffling, then the distinct sound of Taichi's scream, I can't remember the last time I heard him scream like that, hearing him scream made me as scared as ever. I felt some hands grab me, I couldn't tell if they were the hands of friends or foe. I was dragged off, my eyes focused briefly and saw Izzy, I turned my head and saw Tai pinned to the ground, Aymichi standing with one foot on his forehead, the wound at Tai's shoulder still had not closed. I forced my eyes to stay open, and watch the horrific fight before me.

Taichi took his good arm and grabbed the murderer's pantleg, pulling it and forcing the foot off his head. But Aymichi laughed, he removed his foot from my brother's head then reached down with his knife, which he somehow recovered, and stabbed it at Tai's stomach. Tai twisted away desprately, the blade grazed his side, kicking upward he struggled to his feet. The two circled each other. My eyes were beginning to clear and I spotted a long, but shallow gash that ran down Aymichi's arm. I also noticed that Taichi's shoulder wound was bigger than it had been, the cut ran the length of his bicep. Fresh blood leaked over cotted blood and a blackish blob had already begun to form.

Sora's voice rang out suddenly, croaking; "Why the fuck are we sitting here? We need to help Tai!" She stood up and sent a barage of books flying towards Aymichi. While his opponent was distracted, my brother took his chance and sent a wild punch right into the back of his head. The murderer lurched sideways, a bit of blood spilled from his mouth. "Fuckit, that's it! I'm out of here!" he growled as he staggered backwards, books were still flying at him. He started for the door, his eyes darting around wildly like a trapped animal. He looked insane.

He grabbed Mimi my the shirt collar, "BUT I'M NOT MAKING THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' NIGHT BE IN VAIN!" Mimi screamed. Aymichi took his knife and promptly shoved it into Mimi's stomach before anyone would say or do anything. Her scream was interupted abruptedly by the blood that erupted from her mouth. The blood splashed all over Aymichi's coat, but he was busy laughing insanely. Sora was in shock. I felt numb again, some of her blood landed on my cheek. My eyes were frozen wide in disbelief. I did not see anyone else's reaction.

The murderer shoved the blade in a bit deeper, pushing out more blood from the mouth. He then pulled out the gut-stained knife and brought it wildly across Mimi's forehead tearing away flesh. His laugh was so inhuman. Tai rushed at him again, his face unreadable with an emotion that must've surpassed fury. Aymichi's laugh turned into a growl, he threw the limp body of Sincerity at my brother and dashed off. I finally passed out in complete and total shock.

Next Chapter

© Kiriska