Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dead Ground ❯ Candles ( Chapter 12 )

Wufei rushed to the mobile suit. As the Chinese boy reached the suit, the hatch opened and a young girl fell out of the hatchway. Wufei caught her and lowered her to the ground. The girl was covered with multiple injuries and the amount of blood made Wufei want to gag. Looking up at the men nearby he shouted, “Don't just stand there! Get a medic!”

 

No one moved. They just looked at each other in discomfort. One man, a short old gentleman, walked to Wufei and knelt beside him.

 

“Wufei…” The old man began.

 

The boy was examining the girl's wounds and seemed not to pay the man any attention.

 

The man put a hand on the Chinese boy's shoulder and Wufei looked at the man, tears glistening in his dark eyes. “Wufei. I'm sorry… There is nothing we can do for her.”

 

“But…”

 

The old man opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted.

 

“Wufei…” The girl's voice was low and broken.

 

The dark haired boy leaned over to hear her better. “What is it?”

 

“Please… the flowers… take me to them…”

 

Wufei nodded and gently picked her up.

 

The flowers.

 

The damn flowers.

 

She had led the enemy away so the flowers wouldn't be harmed.

 

It took all the effort he could muster to keep from crying. Why did this have to happen?

 

The field wasn't far and when they reached their destination, Wufei slowly lowered himself to the ground and held her. The Chinese boy held her until he felt her skin grow cool. When he realized she was gone, Wufei held her tightly, no longer needing to be careful not to hurt her.

 

He felt weak when the tears came. If she were alive, she would probably scorn him for being so weak.

 

“You should have listened to me.” He whispered in despair. “I'm your husband. Wives should listen to their husbands… but now… you're gone… Damn you.” Wufei's whispered words turned into broken sobs. “Damn you for never listening to me!”

 

Wufei moved to lay her body on the ground, and had to peel her dark hair off his skin because of the dried blood. He gently arranged her body to give her a sleeping appearance, although with his vision blurred with tears he didn't succeed very well. Wufei stood over her and said, “You are strong. I know…”

 

The dark haired boy turned around, not able to say this to her face even though she was now dead. “I know I never told you… but you are. You are strong, and… I am proud that I had you as my wife.” Being the proud person that he was, Wufei had a difficult time saying the words out loud, but he meant every last syllable. “I know I'm weak. I'm not worthy to be your husband, but I'll try. I'll fight for justice in your place. I promise.”

 

Wufei stood there, his back to the dead girl, for some time before he felt ready to move on.

 

“Goodbye… Meiran…”

 

The Chinese boy moved to leave and stopped when he heard, “I told you before to call me NATAKU!!”

 

Wufei spun around almost losing his balance. The girl was standing in front of him, teeth clenched, eyes flaring. Wufei's mouth dropped open at the sight that met his eyes. The dark haired girl was decaying right in front of him. Her skin seemed to melt off her bones and drip off the ends of her fingers and off her chin. Blood mixed with the now liquid skin making the colors smear. The smell of rotting flesh met his nose and Wufei felt like he would gag. She took a step forward and he stepped back, tripping over a stone. Before he could catch his balance, Wufei tumbled backward onto the ground. His eyes squeezed shut as his back and head connected painfully with the hard ground.

 

Gasping with the pain, Wufei forced his eyes open and sat up quickly…

 

… And found himself sitting on hard packed dirt in the middle of nowhere.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Rain sprinkled on the window as Trowa cracked open the door to Heero's room and looked inside. Heero was still lying on the bed and Duo was sitting on the chair beside the bed. Correction… Duo was about to fall off the chair near the bed. Opening the door fully, Trowa walked quietly into the room. It didn't take long to figure out what had happened within the last half hour. Picking up the bottle of tablets, Trowa opened the lid and looked inside.

 

There were two missing.

 

Trowa sighed and looked over at the unconscious Duo who had a small line of drool coming from his mouth. Putting down the bottle, Trowa leaned over to make sure Duo was alright. Two Hydrocodone of such a high dose could mean bad news for someone Duo's size. Didn't the idiot ever listen?

 

Finding no sign of overdose in the American, Trowa stood up straight and folded his arms. Duo was no idiot. Trowa knew this and yet he couldn't help putting the other pilot down. Trowa lifted a hand and covered his face.

 

What the hell is wrong with me?

 

Trowa slid the hand covering his face up to comb back his bangs. The brunette looked down at the other boy on the bed and his eyes locked with Heero's. Trowa dropped his hand and looked quickly to Duo and back to Heero.

 

“You're awake.” Trowa whispered.

 

Heero said nothing to this obvious statement and moved his eyes to look at Duo then back to Trowa.

 

Trowa realized Heero must have been awake when he had entered the room and had seen Trowa count the tablets then check Duo. Trowa moved his gaze to Duo and shook his head. “Duo will be fine. He just needs to sleep for a bit.” Trowa looked back at Heero and frowned. “We checked the attic, we didn't find anyone up there, but… well…” Trowa hesitated, not knowing if he should tell the Japanese boy about the strange happenings in the attic.

 

Heero looked toward Duo and Trowa thought the other pilot looked worried for a moment, but then the look on Heero's face changed to confusion… then guilt before the dark haired boy looked away.

 

Guilt?

 

Had Heero done something to Duo?

 

“Heero?” Trowa asked hesitantly. “Is something wrong?”

 

When the pilot of Wing didn't respond, Trowa knelt down near the bed and gently touched the other boy's shoulder. “Heero?”

 

The blue eyed boy inhaled deeply before whispering sadly, “I don't want anything bad to happen to Duo, but… there's nothing I can do… I said I would do what he asked… I can't help Duo… I can't…”

 

The tall boy opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find any words. The guilt Trowa had been feeling increased at Heero's words. He should have apologized to Duo… Why hadn't he? Maybe Heero did care for Duo. Maybe the two boys did have a chance…

 

Maybe…

 

Trowa's teeth clenched together as jealousy suddenly stabbed at his heart. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't he have a chance with the one he loved? Why wasn't Duo being pushed away the way Trowa had? The brunette's eyes narrowed and his gaze slid towards the sleeping American. Quatre cares for Duo more than me... Trowa thought angrily.

 

“He's not the one.” Trowa heard Heero say.

 

The green eyed boy turned his gaze to Heero, who was now looking at Trowa. “What?”

 

“He's not the one you are supposed to want to eliminate.” Heero said flatly. All of the caring emotion Heero had shown moments before was gone.

 

Trowa stood and whispered, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

 

“You just don't want to know what I'm talking about, but you know… deep in here you know.” Heero said, pointing to his head.

 

Trowa cocked his head and peered closer at the other boy. Something seemed… different about him… but Trowa couldn't put a finger on what it could be. The pilot of Heavyarms shifted his feet nervously. There was definitely something different about Heero and whatever it was felt strangely familiar.

 

Suddenly the image of a steel door being opened and darkness beyond flashed into Trowa's mind. The tall boy paled at the memory of the feeling he had felt when he neared the door. Trowa lifted both hands to his head. There was a man... a soldier...

 

“Didn't you know?” Heero asked quietly, bringing Trowa away from the unwanted memories.

 

Trowa turned his head slightly and looked at Heero, his brow crinkling in confusion. “Wha…?”

 

“They need you to keep him from finding the truth.”

 

Trowa just stared at Heero. They? Him? What? As Trowa continued to stare at Heero, the feeling he had felt when he was near… that thing… in his dream came back to him. Not as strongly, but the feeling was there. And with that feeling, Trowa found something in Heero's eyes that made him step backwards in shock.

 

Quickly, Trowa spun around and looked into the mirror above the dresser. It was there as well. The look. It was in Trowa's own eyes, but not like Heero's eyes. No. Heero was much worse. Is this why Quatre is so afraid of me? But when? When did it happen? How? Trowa slammed his palms against his head, trying to think, trying to understand. The tall pilot turned a wild look back to the other boy, as a thought came unbidden to his mind.

 

He went through the door.

 

Trowa began walking backwards toward the door while shaking his head. I will NOT be used. Trowa thought, though he didn't know where the thought came from. Heero stared at him but said nothing more.

 

I'm not like him. I'm not! It's not like that! Trowa thought in despair, knowing he was partially lying to himself. Even though it wasn't strongly obvious, he had the same look in his eyes that Heero did.

 

Madness.

 

“I'm not like you. I'm not. I'm not!” Trowa screamed; unaware that he had tears making tracks down his cheeks. When Heero said nothing, Trowa rushed out of the room slamming the door shut behind him.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Duo walked between the pews of the church. His footsteps echoed loudly in the large room. The boy stopped and glanced at one of the night darkened windows and his ten-year old reflection looked back at him. Beyond his reflection, Duo saw the shape of a man walking past the window. The long haired boy felt a chill go through his body and he wrapped his arms around himself.

 

Whatever was out there was evil. He could feel it. Duo knew he shouldn't be frightened. After all… Evil can only get you if you let it in, or if you follow it to where it resides(1), and Duo had no inclinations about letting in whatever was out there.

 

Duo turned his head back to face the direction he was going, back to the candles that were the only light in the room. The boy began walking again, this time with a quickened pace, not wanting to be outside of the small pool of light cast by the three lit candles.

 

When he reached the candles, Duo gazed sadly at them.

 

Father Maxwell… Sister Helen… Solo… The names flitted through Duo's mind and left just as quickly.

 

The ten-year old boy frowned, thinking he just missed something important. On impulse, Duo picked up one of the candles and used it to light another one.

 

For me…

 

He stared at it for a few minutes, drawn in by the flame. Then he lit another one.

 

For Quatre…

 

Duo's brow crinkled. He wasn't sure who Quatre was, but Duo suddenly felt worry for this person. If only he could help somehow… As if he were in a trance, Duo lit another candle.

 

For Wufei…

 

Again, another person the ten-year old didn't know, although the name did seem familiar. Duo turned his head, and looked over his shoulder into the darkness. Who ever this person was, he was out there… somewhere… lost…

 

Frowning, Duo turned back to the candles and reached out to light another.

 

For Trowa…

 

Suddenly Duo felt angry and hurt, but again, he didn't know why. Duo's eyes narrowed as he looked at the candle. It was sputtering and the flame was smaller than the flames on the other candles. It was as if the flame could go out any moment. Duo bit the inside of his cheek as he felt the need to light one more candle. Slowly, Duo stretched out his arm and touched the flame of the candle he was holding to the un-lit wick of one of the others.

 

For Heero…

 

The candle wouldn't light.

 

Duo frowned and touched the unlit wick with his candle again.

 

The candle still wouldn't light.

 

A sudden sharp fear came over the ten-year old. Franticly Duo tried another candle and another with no success. As he held the candle in his now shaking hand, the boy sniffed and realized he was crying. Duo reached up with his free hand to wipe away the tears when he heard the shout.

 

“I'm not like you. I'm not. I'm not!”

 

Duo whipped around and searched the darkness franticly. The shout seemed close in his mind, as if the one screaming were next to him. His ears, however, told him that the scream was far away, outside the walls of the sanctuary. The boy's heart beat wildly in his chest and he felt nauseous. As Duo searched, his eyes once again fell on one of the windows and he gasped. The man… the evil man… was out there… staring in the window. The only thing Duo could make out was the eyes. The eyes looked greedily at him.

 

Let us in… A voice sounded in Duo's mind.

 

The boy's grip on the candle tightened and he shook his head. He wanted to run, wanted to hide, but he couldn't make his legs move. The eyes held him.

 

I have chosen you… you will let me in…

 

Again Duo shook his head. Bile rose in his throat as the air filled with a horrible laughter. First it was only one. A man laughing. Then his voice was joined by others.

 

You cannot hide forever. We will strip you of your protection. Then you will be MINE.

 

Duo dropped the candle and fell to his knees. Covering his ears with his hands he shook his head violently and said, “No. No. No. No. No.” over and over again. Tears dripped off his face and onto the stone floor of the chapel.

 

A loud crack of thunder jolted Duo's eyes open…

 

…and he sat up straight in the chair.

 

Breathing hard Duo wildly looked around the room trying to understand where he was. The room was small and dimly lit. Duo stood quickly and fell back into his chair as the room seemed to spin. Duo closed his eyes and dropped his face into his hands. He felt numb and nauseated. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep.

 

Sleep? No. He didn't want to sleep. His body wanted to sleep. The dream was already beginning to fade but the feelings weren't. The fear from the dream compounded with the fear he had felt in the attic and Duo rose slowly and made his way toward the light switch. Leaning on the wall, Duo flicked the light switch on.

 

Nothing.

 

Duo looked at the ceiling. A desire to rip the bulb out of its socket and smash it filled his mind, and only the drugged up feeling kept him from acting out his desire. Slowly though, he realized the room wasn't completely dark. There was a small light source that he hadn't noticed before. Walking slowly to the dresser, Duo touched the laptop that sat near the mirror. The flat screen was inched open, letting a bit of light escape into the room.

 

Impossible. Duo thought as he stared at the machine he had declared broken.

 

Slowly Duo opened the laptop and stared at the screen where he found a short message.

 

He knew.

He always knew.

He just didn't know everything.

The other one is not doing what we had hoped.

The bitch must be stopped before he can find out the truth.

He has the ability to stop me.

Deal with him.

 

Duo blinked at the screen.

 

The bitch?

 

A memory from the attic came to Duo's mind.

 

“He's not a bitch!”

 

Duo put a hand to his head and opened his eyes wider as he turned and leaned his back against the dresser; trying to comprehend everything. That was when he realized…

 

Heero's bed was empty.

 

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