Tracked Me Down (4)

Date: August 22

Place: Kyoto, Japan

[Cedrick]

As everyone was asleep, I followed Rei to the dining area where she puts her phone in the middle of the table, just staring at it.

I asked her out of curiosity why she has her phone even if she told us that she left it at her apartment.

It seems like the truth was she has her wallet and phone in her bag when she fell on the pool and didn't felt the urge to tell us, afraid that we'll get worried.

So that's why she was she was finding something on the rice grains earlier toー

Waitー

Isn't it a waterproof phone? It's the latest model!

"I received a warning, I thought it was just a prank or something but now that I think about it, how did he even know my number?" she mumbled to herself.

"GPS?" I just blurted out what came first to mind.

She didn't look my way and pulled out a broken chair then sat on it.

"It can't be, it's been ages since I last saw them. And he can't be alive, I've seen him die in front of my eyes to protect me," she replied like it didn't even bother to mourn for her dead relative or someone connected to her.

I can't even figure out where she's coming from. She just started telling me stories even back in the shower room that made no sense to me.

"Surprised?" a voice came from nowhere.

We tried to find where it was coming from but failed to do so. Until the voice spoke again.

"A girl who was manipulated by her ownー" the voice was interrupted by Rei's raging clenched fist that hit the table.

"How?" her surprised expression and stiff body was all I could focus my sight on.

Her voice was hard as a stone and her eyes were shifted on the table. It was then I knew that the sound was coming from her phone.

"That's not the important thing right now," the one on the other end started chuckling.

Rei was speechless and waited for it to speak again. I couldn't quite understand the situation so I just sat at the nearby chair and tried not to be a nuisance.

"A group of my choice will be there for a few minutes. Just wait there patiently andー"

"I don't need your help!" shouting, standing up from where she was sitting.

It laughed hysterically like Rei was telling him a joke.

"My beloved Rei, did you think I'm here to help? How cuteー"

Shivers come down from my spine the time she looked at me, gritting her teeth and running towards the garage where Haru and our car was at. From there I knew that she wants us to be out of here before they come.

I hurriedly sprinted my way to the bedroom and knocked on the door that's in front of me.

"Wake up! We have to get out of here!"

[Yui]

At first, we're all yawning as we heard Cedrick banging and shouting behind the door.

Then a loud little explosion arose that cause for all of us to jolt up and ran to the door, opening it. 

There, Cedrick was standing with a gloomy face and cold sweats. We all ran outside and saw Rei with Haru at a nearby tree.

"What was that?" someone asked.

"I'll explain later, but first we have to run," Rei explained and found a not so obvious path opposite from where we came from.

When I saw a proper image of the explosion, it came from the garage, our car.

I don't see any fire starting from it, just dust carried away by the wind in the midnight sky.

When I look back to the old house, I see light, tiny dots of light. One, two, threeーtoo many to count.

I didn't quite mind it and just kept running. Until I screamed my lungs out as I was certain that someone was pulling me back.

It's not those zombie-like creatures. I'm sure that it's just a normal person by his movements. I tried my best to break through, punched his side allowing me to have the chance to scream Rei's name for just a second leading for someone to knocked me out unconscious.

[Rei]

"Rei!"

I hear someone shouted near us.

It's dark and I can barely see the faces of who I'm with, just their silhouettes, stopping as we all heard the same thing. I realized that the one who screamed was one of us, as I count our numbers and guessed who it could be.

Yui

I told them to go find a vehicle that we can ride, there is a highway near us that I think is full of cars and trucks right now. I told them to not be scared of those things back at the waterpark because it's night, as long as they keep quiet and use the dark to their advantage they'll be safe. But some of them volunteered to come with me which I rejected.

Of course they argued back but Cedrick was there to convince them for me as I made my way back silently.

They finally decided to hunt me down. Right now, our enemies aren't those zombie-like things but my past.

People from my past.

I arrived, catching my breath silently as I hid on the bushes to avoid being spotted.

One, two, three, fourーeach soldier holds a gun and surrounds the possible entrance of the house. I'm lucky that I didn't get caught while wandering around the perimeter.

Darkness can blind people, except for me. And that's all thanks to them holding a flashlight, I could see where they are more easily.

What a bunch of amateurs.

While I was planning on how to get inside, I saw a soldier who went near the bushes to check something out and got pulled by someone.

I focused on that direction and waited out of curiosity, wanting to know what happened. But a few minutes and someone emerged through that bush.

I'm certain that it was a different person. A smaller and skinnier one. He held his flashlight and let out a big sigh before he shouts.

"Over there! I saw them!"

Two soldiers who were guarding the entrances went in the direction that the mysterious guy pointed to. Then to my surprise, that guy went near my hiding place and dropped something on purpose.

As soon as the soldier saw me picked up the knife he dropped, I saw him grin and went to the others to chat and distract them.

I don't know if he's one of my enemies or an ally but this is my chance. That 'someone' just opened a big hole and I can't let it go to waste.

To the dining area I went where I saw a glimpse of Yui tied up in a chair, unconscious.

More soldiers were guarding her. They instantly shoot in my direction when they saw me.

I took cover at the walls I just passed by earlier. The sounds attracted the other soldiers patrolling outside, cornering me from my front and back.

The guy who gave me a knife was also there pointing a gun at me like they all are.

That was fast. I admit that moving without a plan is naive of me.

I didn't resist, put my knife down, and held the back of my head with both my hands.

"Just give up," I hear a voice and saw a soldier was holding my phone.

"What do you want?" I replied with no hint of interest.

"Your memoriesーyou remember things that you shouldn't have, right?" he asked as another soldier stepped up and held a little black box.

"I want you to forget everything again," he was too excited to let me speak.

I glared at the phone and back to the black box as words were trapped inside me, I couldn't express anything as I took some small steps back.

No

I don't want to.

No

No

But before those words could come out, he used Yui's safety against me, pointing a gun at her head.

I paused for a few seconds and reached the syringe by myself when the person holding it stepped closer.

But right after I took the syringe out of the box fully, my eye caught a few hand signals from the guy who helped me earlier.

Somehow those felt familiar.

'Operation peek a boo' is what it meant.

My gut feeling were telling me that he looked familiar. And when the lights hit his eyes, those tender looks were enough proof and with those signals I was able to confirm it, because I made them. 

"Can I say my last words?" I asked the person on the phone while waving the syringe like a magic wand.

"Why not," he replied.

"Peek a boo"

After I chant those words, I grabbed the neck of a soldier whom I can reach and deeply stabbed the syringe at him, screaming endlessly until I stole the handgun in his pocket's holster and shot him at the back of his head.

Another soldier points his gun at me, but before I had the chance to defend myself, he drops to the ground, lifeless.

I looked around me and found all the soldiers lying on the ground, except the one who helped me.

"I'm glad you didn't forget our signals," grinning as he taps my shoulders.

"Like I will," my eyes were a single step from overflowing like a fountain.

"Times running out, my beloved subjects," my phone began a one-minute countdown after his last message that left both of us in a frantic atmosphere.

57ー

He moved quickly, went to Yui and tried to untie her.

49ー

I grabbed every weapon I can carry including the knife which I wrapped with a cloth I saw lying on the ground and helped slash the rope at Yui's hands and legs.

34ー

The soldier helped me carry her as we limp our way out of the house.

5ー

[Cedrick]

A huge explosion can be seen from where we stand.

The dark and chilly night now fades, replaced by a rising sun, the color of blazing fire, and its heat.

The house was burning after the detonation. We hurriedly went nearby the perimeter after we finished adjusting the car.

Some of us rushed out of the vehicle when we saw Rei and someone helping Yui walk, by lending their shoulders and dragging her unconscious body together.

"Great timing! Our pipes just exploded, right Rei?" the mysterious person says, trying to lighten the mood.

Rei lets out a cute little giggle which I think is the first time I've heard her do so. My face flushed a little as I stare into those sparkling eyes of hers that are looking at the boy.

The vehicle we've got is plumber's car that has their hotline and services painted all over it. We removed every the equipment that can be thrown out to widen the backspace. Just enough for all of us to fit in.

The soldier collapsed, resulting in all of them to stumble and fall.

Rei immediately stood up, trying to move forward hauling all of them while we ran to their side. 

"Take care of Yui," she said when we came closer as she focused her attention on the direction of the boy.

"Ciel, are you alright?" I hear Rei in a panic.

The boy didn't say anything back but coughed up blood instead.

[Rei]

"When did this happen?" my voice shakes as I noticed a gunshot at Ciel's side when I held his shivering body, my hands dripping the redness of his blood as I helped him lay down.

"Take this with you," he said weakly and reaches something in his pockets.

"How?" I asked in confusion when he handed me things that might be of help.

Not weapons, but a USB Drive that has my father's name written on it.

'Roland'

And other things secured in a black plastic container.

"Remember, everyone's on your side. And when you see them, greet them with a smile," he says holding his cheeks as he smiled, trying to show me how it's done.

He couldn't support his weight anymore and gave in to my arms, breathing unevenly.

"We made a promise. You'll never put your life in the line for me ever again. How could you break that," I gritted my teeth as I was trying to control the overflow of emotions that floods my thoughts.

"That was an old promise," chuckling like it was funny, then coughing up more blood. "I'm sorry," he noticed my eyes sparkling, which was holding tears back.

He beat me first when he started to tear up. He smiled at me and leaned close to my face with his last effort.

His dying mouth gently kissed my forehead and gave me the most beautiful smile before drifting off to sleep for eternity.

I hugged him tightly as I managed to stop my sniffs but not the overflow of my tears until I hear screams from a faraway wilderness.

"Thank you," I whispered, returning his soft kiss on his forehead before I stood up and marched my way to the others waiting for me.

"Your death won't be in vain, I promise," I mumble as the car starts to move and I look at is lifeless body that was lying on the concrete road as we didn't have leisure time to hold a burial.

[Cedrick]

Nobody barely got any sleep. All of us were tired and decided to stop the car in the woods to take a short nap and recharge.

We agreed to move tomorrow night and regain our energy until then. We helped Yui and Rei treat their wounds as we ate some chips and several bottles of sodas that we found on this car, sharing them with everyone.

When we woke up in the middle of the afternoon when Rei decided to hand out weapons that she got on the group that kidnapped Yui as she explained everything that had happened in detail.

Five handguns with a few bullets in it and an army hunting knife.

She handed each and everyone a handgun. I have four bullets, Yui and Misaki have three, Haru and Kazuma have five while Rei wanted to have the knife.

We did tell her we don't know how to use a gun and discussed the probability of missing a shot or even not being able to pull the trigger.

"Think of it as a game. You're the player who only has only one life left. Now, what would you do to live? Humans are selfish creatures who'll do everything in order to live. It's a natural instinct," she forced a tired smile, swinging the knife at an old tree, scratching it deeply without any flaw.

"Whether they need to lie, hurt others, or kill for their safety. So I'm sure the time will come when you'll desperately want to save your skin. And when that moment comes I'm sure you'll think of something and get out of your sticky situation," she grins looking at us, showing us the safety lock of each handguns and teaching us how to use it properly, from how to hold it and how to aim.

Everyone was too sleep deprived to even argue at someone who is clearly knowledgable about this things.

~skip~

I woke up at a bumpy ride and the sunlight, beaming in my eyes.

Rei was soundly sleeping on my shoulders with a jacket to keep us warm. Then I see the others holding their laugh in. I glared at them, and Rei groans.

I pretended to be asleep again as she woke up, hearing the others burst into laughter, I pretended that I was disturbed by their loud chattering and looked at them with a made up confusion where I met Rei's eyes staring at mine.

"What a good actor"

"So cute"

"I'm dying from laughter"

I heard them commented once I faced the other way to avert Rei's drowsy face.

"Thanks for the pillow and the jacket," Rei said sitting up straight, brushing her hair with her hands.

"You're welcome," I automatically replied and got the jacket back from her.

"Where are we now?" she asked.

"Were nearing there," Haru replied looking at us from the rear mirror.

She nodded and wiped the blood off of the thing the man handed to her. Everyone's happiness was soon crumpled with fear replacing it.

"What is that?" Yui asked rubbing her eyes as she yawns.

"Something useful once we arrived in Kyoto" she replied with full confidence.

It's morning, nothing is in sight, just the sun shining and some falling leaves. We encountered a few more bumpy roads until the gas has dried out. We carried all the remaining stuff that we have and decided to walk the few kilometers that lies ahead of us.

The first time we encountered one of those things in the wild, Rei forbids any of us to use our guns which might attract unnecessary distractions and a waste of bullets. Instead, she used her knives and knocked down the creature just by blinding it and damaging its legs. Then stabbing it multiple times which made all of us shrink in fear.

She was venting her anger out of it as green gooey liquids from the monster splattered everywhere.

Haru stood up and detained the hand that she used, to stop her.

"Sorry," Rei's bloodlust faded slowly when she saw Yui holding back her tears and disgust while hiding in Kazuma's chest.

Misaki also diverted her eyes away from the commotion while I just stood still, staring at her breathless and pissed expressions towards the creature.

~skip~

The next thing we knew, we were picking up sturdy sticks which Rei sharpened with her knife. She handed it to each of us while she strictly prohibited the use of guns to only when our lives are in grave danger.

As we moved forward to our destination, no one can help but fight those creatures that we encounter from time to time.

It's amusing to see Rei move flawlessly like she's used to this kind of thing and even teach us when we have a leisure time.

She did say that she regained some of her memories, perhaps this really is her true self, or is she just struggling to live in her past that led her to learn self-defense for this kind of situations?

The more I think about it the more I get terrified of her.