They were after her. They were after the key she always wore around her neck because her father asked her to three years ago. Her legs could hardly hold her up any longer; she had been running for so long, down the dark, vacant hallways of her middle school. The men were persistent. They refused to give up the chase. Her breathing grew heavier as her wobbling legs grew more exhausted. If she didn’t stop soon, she would collapse. She was already dead on her feet, a walking corpse. She knew it was so simply because she could not outrun these men. They were too fast for her, and too strong.
Her legs collapsed beneath her, sending her tumbling to the hard floor. Her eyes wide with alarm, she reached for the key hanging around her neck, the warmth radiating from the metal calming her weary nerves. As long as she had the key with her, everything would be alright. She would never give it up, never. Her father gave it to her while he engraved these words into her heart, “Wear this always. It is the key to my heart.” He had passed away soon after that so suddenly that she doubted it had anything to do with an illness. Her father was never ill.
“Where did that little bitch get off to?” The snarled question echoed throughout the quiet halls of her school, earning a sharp intake of breath from her trembling, parted lips in return. “Damn. The little girl got a way. We got to fucking find her.” There was no response to that, but she supposed that the other man merely shook his head in agreement with his friend before they began searching once more for her, or rather for the key.
Kaoru scrambled up from the filthy floor as soon as she heard the faint sound of heavy footsteps marching down the hallway, towards her. Her indigo-blue, fearful eyes scanned the dark hallway she had staggered along. She needed to find a place to hide. No way would she allow them to take her key away from her. They would have to kill her first, and she was fairly certain that that was what they intended to do. Taking off down the hallway with a new burst of speed, Kaoru searched frantically for a classroom that would conceal her from the men’s view.
When she passed the third door along the right side of the hallway, she was snatched from behind and dragged into the classroom rather forcibly with no chance to cry for help. She was a goner. They wouldn’t let her live. Even though she wasn’t making a sound, she did, however, struggle violently against the person who held her tightly in their arms.
“Stop fighting me, Kaoru,” a soft, feminine voice whispered into Kaoru’s ear as the slender arms tightened around her slim waist. Almost, at once, Kaoru relaxed. It was only her sixth grade, history teacher, Mrs. Yukishiro, who held her. “Honey, we will be escaping the school alive. I don’t want you to worry about those men.” Yukishiro Tomoe’s lips curved into a smile of assurance as she held Kaoru’s slightly trembling body against her bosom. Her soft, dark eyes peered fearlessly at the door in which she had entered along with her young student only moments ago, praying silently that the men who had so callously murdered every child and teacher who had been standing in their way upon entering the school building would either pass the door or, perhaps, not even bother searching down this hallway for the eleven year old child. Tomoe knew who it was the men wanted, but she would not hand one of her own students over to that group of thugs.
“Don’t worry, dear; I’ll protect you,” Tomoe vowed as she hugged Kaoru to her, refusing to release the child even when she tried to back away from her.
The heavy footsteps of a man in pursuit rose above the soft humming of Tomoe’s voice, causing the young teacher to fall into a tense silence, one that enveloped the classroom she and Kaoru were hiding in.
“Exactly where do you think you are going? You do not belong here!” Mr. Konurou’s voice hollowed from further down the hallway. Silence was the principal’s only reply before the unmistakable sound of a revolver being fired rose above the vicious pounding of Kaoru’s heart. Her pallor paled uneasily as her deep blue eyes rose to meet the comforting brown of Tomoe’s hues before the woman covered her ears, as if she meant to protect her against the dangerous sounds.
Kaoru squirmed uncomfortably in Tomoe’s arms as the overwrought silence stretched on. It seemed to last forever until the familiar footfalls of the man who now held a gun in his possession moved on down the hallway, pass the door that would have led him right to her and Mrs. Yukishiro.
“Mrs. Yukishiro,” Kaoru’s voice wavered nervously as she clung to the front of her teacher’s blouse, needing the physical support the woman could give her. She had known from the beginning that the men were after her, and it terrified her.
“Shh, sweetheart,” Tomoe murmured softly as she pulled Kaoru tighter against her, offering the child a warm smile. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Don’t you worry.”
“But Mrs. Yukishiro, they killed the principal.” Swallowing with difficulty around the growing lump within her throat, large, salty teardrops began to gather in the corners of her blue eyes. “What can we do against men with guns? How will we escape, Mrs. Yukishiro? I’m scared.”
“I know. I know. We’ll find a way. Be strong, Kaoru, be strong.”
Be strong, Kaoru repeated in her mind, hoping to find the courage to become stronger for Mrs. Yukishiro’s sake. The woman was putting her life on the line for her. The least Kaoru could do was make the history teacher proud.
Silently, Tomoe guided Kaoru towards the classroom’s door when she was sure the man carrying the weapon had already passed. Kaoru followed without hesitance, her fingers clutching at the soft material of Tomoe’s pale blue blouse. Cautiously, Tomoe wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, straining to hear if the group of cruel men was still about. When she was satisfied that they were gone, Tomoe turned the knob slowly and allowed the door to open at its own pace. Standing in the doorway, her dark eyes squinting through the shadows surrounding the hallway, Tomoe held her arm out so that Kaoru would not try to walk around her. She had to be certain that those men were gone. If they weren’t, then, she and Kaoru would have to make a run for it, even if they were being shot at.
“Follow me, Kaoru, and remember not to make a sound,” Tomoe warned as she quietly and rather sneakily exited the classroom, Kaoru close at hand.
So far, so good.
Their footsteps light and barely heard above the roaring winds from outside the building, the heavy downpour cascading from the sky and onto the roof, Tomoe led Kaoru along the quiet hallway. If luck would remain with them, they would escape from the school unnoticed.
Luck wasn’t with them.
Kaoru halted abruptly when her deep blue eyes squinted through the shadows, able to make out the faint outline of a man’s tall silhouette. Absently gripping Tomoe’s hand with a strong furiousness the woman didn’t know Kaoru possessed, the eleven year old’s lips parted in surprise.
The man was carrying a gun, and the black barrel was pointed at Tomoe’s chest.
“Ah, there you are. Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you? Hey, Leo, I found the girl!” The dangerous man waved at his partner, the man who had been searching this particular hall with him, and grinned triumphantly when Leo returned the gesture. Returning his attention to the woman who stood protectively in front of the child, his shaggy black brow arched in curiosity. So, a woman dared to stand up to him. Brave, little one. “My, my, aren’t you a pretty one. I’ve had my share of pretty women, doll face, and I might just have a place for you.” His eyes glittered wickedly dangerous as he fingered the barrel of the revolver he held, as though to remind the woman and the child, Kaoru, just who was in control.
Tomoe narrowed her dark eyes on the scoundrel, her lips pursing in disgust. “If you truly think that I would even consider taking you up on that hideously disgusting offer, then, you must be ignorant.” Her chin lifting just a notch, her tone defiant, a smirk curved her lips despite the situation at hand. “Tell me, exactly what do you want with this child?”
“That’s none of your fucking business, bitch,” the man sneered, all amusement subsided for the time being. He didn’t appreciate this bitch of a teacher insulting him, especially when he had the upper hand in their situation. Steadily pointing the revolver in her direction, he tilted his head to the side in mock interest as he studied the woman through lowered, thick eyelashes. “You know, killing you will be a real pleasure.” A sinister smile touching his lips, he peered over her shoulder at the third man who was coming to join in on the fun.
Kaoru, eyes wide with fear, followed the thug’s mocking, pointed gaze to where a third, large man stood behind her and Mrs. Yukishiro. Though, he was different.
This man was truly out for blood.
“Mrs. Yukishiro!” Kaoru squeaked in shock when the intimidating man pulled from his back, jean pocket a silver switchblade.
Tomoe whirled on her heels just in time to watch this new stranger whip a switchblade out from inside his pocket before he brandished it at a shaky, motionless Kaoru. Without hesitation, Tomoe covered Kaoru’s small body with her own just as the blade rushed down to meet its target.
Kaoru watched with dismay as the blade pierced the tender flesh of Tomoe’s ribcage, knowing full well that that blade had been meant for her. “Mrs. Yukishiro!” She cried as she clung to Tomoe’s falling body, refusing to release her despite the weight that was taking the small, eleven year old girl to the floor with her. “Mrs. Yukishiro, don’t die. You weren’t supposed to die! You were so kind…” Her voice rather small and unsteady, Kaoru sobbed into her history teacher’s shoulder, her arms tightening around Tomoe’s paling neck.
“Shh, Kaoru,” was whispered softly as one, slender finger lifted Kaoru’s trembling chin gently, deep blue eyes meeting the glazing brown of Tomoe’s hues. “Sweetheart, don’t cry. Everything will be alright. Everything…will…be…alright…” And those were the last words Yukishiro Tomoe spoke before the woman drifted into a sleep that would last for an eternity and beyond.
Kaoru gently shook Tomoe’s shoulders, tears streaming down her pale, glowing cheeks. The woman wouldn’t budge. “Mrs. Yukishiro?” She whispered in uncertainty. Still, she remained silent.
Her wonderful teacher, the woman she had come to know and respect, was lost to the painful clutches of death. Mrs. Yukishiro had been murdered by these awful men. Now, it was her turn.
Her vision blurred from the emerging tears, Kaoru stared silently up at the man who stood above her, his dark eyes laughingly regarding her with amusement. It didn’t seem to matter to him that he had taken a precious life away from her. In fact, Mrs. Yukishiro’s death didn’t seem to faze him or his two friends one bit. They were cruel, cold-hearted men who deserved the death penalty themselves.
“So,” he murmured calmly as he locked gazes with the silent eleven year old child. “Girl, hand over the key. If you do, then, we might let you go free. If you don’t, however, you might meet the same fate as the woman you’re holding now. Do we have an understanding?”
Kaoru merely glared at the man, rejecting his offer with a simple thrust of her chin. She was not handing over her precious key. She would rather die by their hands than let them get a hold of this key, whatever their reason for wanting it happened to be.
Fujiro’s features hardened considerably when he noticed the defiant tilt of the little brat’s chin, infuriated by the girl’s daring nature. He knew she was terrified, but she was good at hiding it behind a blank expression. “Oh, so it’s like that, is it? Leo,” he nodded to the man standing closest to Kaoru and the deceased teacher. Wordlessly, the blonde stooped over Kaoru and the woman she still held in her tiny arms and without difficulty lifted the girl off the floor, forcing her to release the dead woman. Wrapping a strong, unyielding arm around the girl’s slender shoulders, Leo pulled her tightly against him, allowing her to feel every inch of his muscled body.
“The key, little one,” Fujiro breathed, hovering above Kaoru threateningly, as he held out a hand for her to place the metal key on his palm.
“No,” Kaoru snapped furiously as she turned her face away from Fujiro’s probing, wickedly gleaming eyes. She refused to give into him. He would have to kill her first in order to obtain the key. Her chin was yanked forcibly around so that her tearful, indigo-blue orbs met the dangerously narrowed slits of Fujiro’s brown hues. “No? Must I force you to hand over that damn key? Little one, it would be in your best interest to go ahead and hand it over to—“ Fujiro was interrupted all of a sudden by the strange gurgling noise coming from within his own throat as his dark eyes widened in shock. His gaze straying down towards that of the sharpened tip of a ruler that was unexpectedly protruding from his chest, thick rain the color of crimson dripping from its tip, Fujiro’s lips parted but no sound came forth. Then, his eyes glazed over and his shoulders slumped as death claimed his body.
Kaoru gasped, the thick, sticky rain rolling down her cheeks in droplets from Fujiro’s unexpected death. When his large, unmoving body crumpled to the floor in a heap, her deep blue eyes pivoted onto the one responsible for sending this cruel man to his grave.
She was met by a pair of frightening, intense hues the color of gold.
Those unique eyes; she would never forget them.