Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Bedlam and Vertigo ❯ Exodus ( Chapter 3 )

I'd hate to tell you this...but Tasuki will not appear in this chapter... But! He's coming up REALLY soon. In like, one or two chapters. Be patient... So, well, just enjoy what I have right now...

Miaka turned the ignition off and sat in the dark. She didn't know how she ended up here, but she knew she had to find a place to park before the gas ran out.

She ended up parking in the parking lot of the National Library.

The miko craned her neck to look behind her. There was no other car in sight. There weren't any people out walking either. All the stores were closed. All was deathly quiet.

Miaka stepped out and shut the door behind her, not noticing that she had left the keys inside. She slowly walked to the entrance and peered through the glass door. Of course, she knew that no one would be there at this time. She was about to walk away when a sudden flash crossed her line of vision.

Car headlights.

The Suzaku no Miko gasped as she saw a truck enter the library parking lot. Looking at the face of the driver through the window, Miaka knew who it was. Chocolate brown hair. Shiny knife in one hand while the other gripped the steering wheel.

She couldn't believe he followed her here.

Remembering that the doors were always unlocked, she entered the library before Kurai could spot her. It was pitch black inside, but still moonlight dimly shone through the large windows. She ran up the nearest flight of stairs, slipping and tripping several times. Before Miaka could make it all the way up, she heard the door being pushed open. She gasped and hid in the darkness, trying to stay as still as possible.

Kurai entered the building, looking determined and attentive. He looked carefully around him, trying to adjust his eyes to the dark library. He stepped toward stairs and looked up right at where Miaka was.

The young woman gulped and drew in a breath. He was looking right at her. Can he see her? Miaka thought she was done for. But to her relief, he walked the other way, to the fiction section.

Ever so quietly, Miaka reached the top of the stairs and tiptoed toward the fire escape stairs at the other end.

But before she could, she heard the sound of boots stepping heavily on the staircase. Quickly, Miaka hid under the nearest library table she could find. She saw dirty, black boots caked with mud come up next to the table and stop. Miaka felt sweat building up on her forehead, but she stayed still. Any little move she made could result in death.

The boots stayed there for what seemed like forever. Miaka could hear her heartbeat in her head, pounding and pounding loudly, as if it were coming from all around her. Kurai was right there, equipped with both a handgun and a knife.

Unfortunately, the boots turned so that it was facing the library table. Miaka pressed herself against the table leg, trying to stay hidden as much as possible. When all was completely silent, Miaka quietly let out the air that she was holding in the whole time Kurai was there.

Before Miaka could take in another breath, she heard--and saw--a knife stab itself through the table. If it had wedged itself in any further, it would have stabbed into her head. The miko stifled a scream.

Fortunately, Kurai walked on deep into the reference section on the second floor. Miaka took this opportunity to sneak back downstairs without being seen.

But the miko wasn't quiet enough. As soon as her feet touched the tiles on the ground floor, she spotted Kurai waiting for her in front of the hallway that had vending machines in it.

"I have found you, Tani," he whispered, stepping toward Miaka.

"I-I'm not Tani," she stammered. "She's dead..."

"People don't always die," he replied, slowly aiming his gun to her head. "Sometimes they come back, sometimes they go to the other side...you came back to avenge your death, but it looks like you're gonna die twice, Imouto-chan..."

"You don't understand anything, do you?" Miaka cried, watching the gun carefully.

"Hey! Who's there?!" called a security guard's voice. A flashlight shone in Kurai's face, revealing the pure hatred in his eyes. Kurai turned to the guard and shot him before he could get out his gun. Kurai spotted another guard and his pistol fired another time. Both of the watchmen were dead, surrounded by pools of their own blood. Kurai altered his gaze to his main victim, but she was nowhere in sight.

Meanwhile, Miaka ran for cover behind the checkout counter. So far she hasn't been spotted yet. She heard Kurai step out the front door and close it behind him.

Thinking that the coast was clear, Miaka snuck over to the hallway.

Kurai didn't go out the door after all. He had been indoors all along, hiding in the dark shadows against the wall. He chuckled darkly under his breath and quietly followed the brunette.

Miaka shut the door of the Private Documents room behind her softly and leaned against it. She sighed shakily and let herself cry again. Why wasn't anything normal anymore? Why can't she have a wonderful birthday with her family and friends? Surrounded by love and laughter... and happiness?

But it was all gone now. She sank down to the floor like she did in the pantry and wrapped her goosebumped arms around her cold, trembly, bare legs. "Somebody help me," she whispered, her voice cracking. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing this nightmare never happened. Wishing it was just in her head. "Please..."

A knock interrupted her train of thought. She gasped. A knife stabbed itself through the wood, appearing right above her head. Miaka hastily crawled behind a shelf, watching fearfully as the door was kicked open by the enraged Kurai.

"Come out, Tani," he replied through clenched teeth. "Come on out and see your big brother...."

Miaka tried to stay hidden against the darkness, but she knew that eventually he would find her out.

"Just fuckin' come out here and get your damn death over with, wench!" he screamed, getting restless. He walked around, his dirty boots squeaking on the tile floor.

Miaka heard the boots slowly walk by. She prayed that Kurai wouldn't be able to see her through the bookshelf.

For a second, everything was silent. No footsteps, no taunting, not even Miaka letting out a breath. Finally realizing she had been holding in air the entire time, she exhaled slowly, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

CREAK.

Miaka's head snapped up. What was happening?

CREAK.

It didn't sound like Kurai moving or anything.

Miaka held in a gasp as she felt something drop beside her from the shelf above. Realizing what it was, her eyes widened.

The Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho!

The priestess gently picked up the text, careful not to be heard.

"Gotcha," Kurai suddenly said, in a deep, sinister voice.

Miaka looked up just in time to see the bookshelf start to tilt toward her. With all of the remaining energy she had left, the miko had managed to get out of the area with the book in her hand and run to the back of the room.

The killer tipped over every single bookshelf, closer and closer to catching his victim. The heavy shelves crashing on the floor made the room shake. Papers flew everywhere.

"Come back here!" Kurai growled. He took a swipe at her with his knife, but missed by an inch.

Being the clumsy woman she was, Miaka tripped over a fallen book and crashed to the ground. Luckily, the red book was still in her hand. But what she hadn't counted on was Kurai getting on the floor and grabbing her ankle. The miko desperately kicked at him, but couldn't be released. "Let go!" she screamed, trying to pull herself away from him.

"No escape, sis," uttered Kurai. He took his blade and in a swift movement, stabbed her right shin. Miaka screamed. She tried kicking him away again, successfully this time. Ignoring the searing pain in her leg, she dragged herself to a dark corner and opened the book to a random page. She took a quick glance and saw Kurai slowly pulling himself off the ground and walking toward her, knife in hand.

"Onegai!" she begged the book. "Help me! I need to escape!"

Kurai didn't take time to wonder why Miaka was talking to a book. All he was focused on was killing her. He was closer and closer to getting to her. There was no time for her to run away now...

"Suzaku-seikun! Somebody..." Miaka started sobbing. "I need you....please...." A tear fell on the page.

Kurai held the blade above his head and started going in for the kill. But something blinded him. A crimson red light. Kurai shielded his eyes with his arm.

What the hell was going on?

The last thing he remembered was a thick layer of red all around him...

Don't worry, I'm working on it...