Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dead Ground ❯ Dybbuk ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer- I own all the movies and a bunch of other Gundam Wing stuff, but I don't own them. Don't sue or I won't buy any more stuff. Mwahahaha.

 

Chapter Warnings: Angst, Gore, Suspense, Violence.

 

A/N: I know I said I'd get this out during the Christmas break but I got extremely ill during that time and had to stay in bed for weeks! Really it was horrible… So, now it's the end of Spring Break and I'm finally getting this out. I hope you enjoy, but remember:

 

Please finish reading the chapter, and the epilogue before sending me hate mail.

 

Thanks. :)

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

She materialized in the blackness. A phantom memory that had only existed in his dreams now was becoming reality in the gruesome, nightmarish cabin. His breath caught in his throat. She looked the same as before. Her porcelain skin, her raven hair, her eyes…

 

Her eyes…

 

Her eyes were the same obsidian orbs that he remembered, but the look in them was…

 

Different.

 

“Wufei” He saw her lips move and felt a sharp pang in his heart as his name was spoken.

 

No! He thought. No! It isn't her! It CAN'T be her!

 

She was coming closer and he could see her features more clearly. Slowly she raised a hand toward him and again spoke his name. “Wufei”

 

Hot tears slid unnoticed down his cheeks. His mind was screaming incessantly that there was no way it could be her, but his heart wanted it to be… needed it to be her. The sickening sound of his knees hitting one of the rotting corpses seemed far away to his ears as he sunk to the floor. Eyes still on the advancing girl, Wufei felt his body begin to go numb.

 

“Wufei… I've missed you so much…”

 

The words sounded odd in his ears, like an instrument out of tune. Wrong! This is all wrong! His mind screamed. Get up! Get out! Wufei tried to stand, but for some reason his body felt so heavy. His eyes were fixed forward, watching as his deceased wife came to a stop in front of his kneeling body.

 

She looked down at him and slid her outstretched hand on his head. “It's been so long, hasn't it… Wufei…?” She whispered and began to stroke his loose hair. Wufei tried to answer her, but all that came out was a strangled sob. His arms ached to hold her, his heart yearned to tell her all that he had done in the name of justice… all for her…

 

It isn't her! Watch her other hand! Her other hand! His mind screamed.

 

No! No, she wouldn't ever hurt me. Not her… His heart begged his mind to understand.

 

Slowly, with all the effort he could muster, Wufei began to bring his arms up. He intended to wrap them around her when suddenly from above he heard a terrified scream from somewhere above him. The scream was soon joined by another. For a moment, he froze, then it seemed as if whatever had held him captive had lost its grip. Wufei looked up quickly, in time to see the girl's other hand raise up and something flash. With speed born of training and practice, Wufei rolled out of the way as she brought a knife viciously down where he had been only seconds before.

 

;-;-;-;-;

 

Heero slammed his head down on Duo's shoulder. He didn't want to see Duo's face anymore. He didn't want to hear Duo's screams… Part of him couldn't believe what he had just done, another part of him coldly pointed out that he had accomplished the mission he had set out to do. Part of Heero hated that man… that thing… for what he had gotten him to do. Another part hated Duo for not listening to him… for being so gullible… for caring for him…

 

And then there was a part of him that didn't understand any of this. This part of him was his weak link. The childish, lonely part of him that never wanted to be alone. All this part cared about was that the man keep his promise, that he wouldn't have to be alone again.

 

Heero's scream of horror changed to a yell of surprise as he was savagely pushed off of Duo and ultimately off the bed. He fell on his wounded side and cried out in pain and curled into the fetal position.

 

Heero felt his hair being grabbed and a brutal yank brought him face to face with a kneeling Duo.

 

Only…

 

Heero knew…

 

Heero knew that it was only Duo's body in front of him.

 

Duo's eyes looked at him, but as Heero stared into the large orbs before him, he knew that Duo was not behind them.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

Trowa reached out and touched Quatre's arm. The screaming had stopped and the silence around the two boys was deafening in its stillness. Quatre turned his gaze from the ceiling to the hand touching his arm, then to Trowa. The tall teen could see caring and affection in the blonde pilot's eyes…

 

But he also saw fear.

 

It wasn't fear of what was happening above them that caused the look, but something connected to him. Quatre leaned over him and Trowa could see tears starting to blur the other boy's sight. Because of me. Trowa thought. He's afraid for me. Trowa's hand slipped up to touch Quatre's bruised cheek. It was painful and it caused him to moan involuntarily. Quatre… The other teen grabbed Trowa's hand and pressed it hard against his skin. Quatre… I'm alright. Don't worry. The pain isn't… that… bad… Trowa silently lied, hoping the other boy would believe what he hadn't spoken.

 

Quatre gently placed Trowa's hand to rest on the floor. Trowa opened his mouth to speak but Quatre placed two fingers against Trowa's lips and made a small hushing sound.

 

“Don't speak Trowa.” Quatre half whispered, half sobbed. “You need to save your strength. We need to get out of here. You need your strength for that.”

 

Trowa again raised his hand, but this time he grabbed Quatre's hand and moved it away from his mouth.

 

“Quatre...”

 

The blonde's lips pressed together and he squeezed his eyes shut, causing the previously unshed tears to race down his face. He grabbed Trowa's hand with both of his and held it to his chest.

 

“Quatre… you… go….” His chest and head hurt, hell his whole body hurt, and the effort it took to speak was exhausting.

 

The Arabian teenager jerked his head back and forth. “I…I won't. I won't leave… you.” He sobbed brokenly.

 

Trowa sighed and closed his eyes.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

The corpses made a sickening crunching noise as Wufei rolled over them. He didn't have time to be disgusted at the noise or having rolled in blood and rotting flesh for as soon as the girl had realized her prey had escaped she made another swing at him with the knife.

 

The Chinese pilot scrambled away from her and heard a thud behind him as the knife struck the wooden floor. The cuts on his hands reopened painfully and his blood mixed with the rotting corruption that covered the cabin.

 

Wufei grabbed onto the couch in his hurry to get to his feet as he slipped once again in the decomposing ooze. He spun and grabbed the girl's wrist as she again thrust the knife at him. Though she was shorter and smaller, Wufei could swear her strength was as great as his. His eyes locked onto the knife. The long knife was meant for culinary duties, not for a weapon, but the insidious kitchen knife now radiated a much more dangerous presence as it was pointed hazardously at his throat.

 

He looked at the girl and saw a hideous smile break out on her face. He felt his strength give for a moment as he remembered her smile…. it had never been hideous… never like that…. it had been beautiful, and strong… He looked away with an effort.

 

NO!

 

It isn't her!

 

He pushed out and felt his grip slip from the wetness. He turned and let go as the knife stabbed at where he had just been. The dark haired teen turned backward as he whipped around the girl. He elbowed her hard in the back, using the momentum of his turn to knock her to the floor.

 

He spun back to face her as she snarled and quickly turned around on her back. Before Wufei could see what she had in mind, the girl threw the knife at him. He dodged, but not in time and yelled in pain as the knife pierced into his shoulder, missing his heart by a few inches.

 

As the girl got to her hands and feet, Wufei savagely kicked her in the face causing her to fall to the floor on her back. She growled and leapt to her feet, but Wufei was already crouched on the floor sweeping his leg beneath her, causing her to fall again.

 

He launched himself forward, quickly turning the girl onto her stomach, Wufei grabbed a fistful of her dark hair, jerked her head back, yanked the knife from his shoulder and roughly slashed the knife from one side of her throat to the other.

 

He could hear a sickening wheezing sound come from the girl beneath him, and yet she still struggled. Wufei angrily buried the knife into her back where it would pierce her heart then leaned forward and slammed her head against the floor again and again causing a loud banging sound each time.

 

“YOU!”

 

Bang!

 

”ARE!”

 

Bang!

 

“NOT!”

 

Bang!

 

“HER!”

 

The girl was dead. He knew she was dead, but he couldn't stop. He could hear a crunching sound and whether it was the wood breaking or the skull of the corpse, he didn't know. Nor was Wufei aware of how many times he had brutally slammed the dead girl's head into the wood, or that he was sobbing with each word. All he knew was that this… this… this thing had dared to look like her. He gradually stopped as his strength began to give out and got to his feet. He could see her shape in the darkness of the room. The Chinese teen slowly backed away from the mangled corpse.

 

It's not her… He tried to tell himself. It looked like her… that's all!

 

Raw pain tore at his chest as he tried to convince himself that he did not just brutally murder his wife. When his back hit against the wall by the stares, Wufei slowly slid into a sitting position, hung his head, and cried.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

Heero felt the grip on his hair tighten as Duo… no… not Duo… the thing in Duo's body leaned in close.

 

“You fool.” The words came out in a soft, dangerous voice. `Duo' pulled Heero's head forward as he lowered his own so that foreheads touched. “You are much stronger than I gave you credit for…” `Duo' said with a small mocking smile and a tone that almost would have made Heero think he was slightly amused. The next was said with a dead finality that chilled the Japanese teen to his bones. “…but it ends here.”

 

He felt a sharp pain in his head that started where their foreheads touched. The searing agony left a dull ache as it passed through his head, down his neck, touching every part of his body before it ended at his feet. Heero wanted to scream, to cry, to get away… but he couldn't. Whatever `Duo' had done to him, it had immobilized him.

 

`Duo' searched Heero's eyes for a moment before he seemed satisfied. The thing let go of Heero's hair and stood up. `Duo' cast his eyes around the room before bringing them back to settle on the crouching Heero.

 

“Stand” `Duo' commanded in a flat voice.

 

Heero wanted to snarl and tell the thing to go to hell before attacking him, but he immediately rose to his feet, his face impassive. The thing seemed to know what was in Heero's mind, however, because it smiled and said, “You may have won out on the other, but you won't on this. You belong to me now, whether you desire it or not.”

 

The smile disappeared and `Duo' walked toward the bed. Heero watched as the thing picked up Duo's pants, revealing Duo's gun lying on the floor. After slipping into the pants, the thing picked up the gun and looked at Heero. Slowly, the thing stuffed the gun into the small of Duo's back. The thing then reached between the mattresses and pulled out one of Heero's knives. `Duo' looked at it for a moment, studying it. The knife was sharp with two inches of steel jutting from the hilt.

 

The thing looked up at Heero for a moment and the dark haired teen saw an evil smile play out across Duo's features. The thing reached back, grabbed Duo's long braid, and viciously sliced through the rope of hair at the base of Duo's neck. Heero's face stayed impassive, but inside he was screaming… and for some reason he felt as though he wasn't screaming alone.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

He was going to die.

 

He knew it.

 

He could feel it.

 

He couldn't make it to the truck…

 

But Quatre could….

 

Even in his battered state, he could make it…

 

If Quatre would just leave him…

 

Trowa knew he would only slow the other teen down, but Quatre would never make it there if he didn't even try…

 

Trowa suddenly remembered what the other boy had been mumbling in his sleep and said, “Quatre. What… What is it that you must remember?”

 

Quatre opened his eyes and looked at Trowa in anguish. “Don't try to change the subject.” He murmured.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

More screams above him roused Wufei from the numbness. Something besides himself was alive in this hell and whatever it was, it was in pain. Standing up, Wufei became acutely aware of the filth that covered his body. He was wet, cold and felt as though he would sick up. He swayed slightly and steadied himself by putting a hand against the wall. Raising his head he looked up the stairs, though he couldn't see the top in the darkness.

 

Up.

 

He needed to go up.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

“Get dressed.” The thing commanded him

 

Heero didn't flinch as the knife whizzed past his head and stuck into the wall behind him. He kept his eyes fixed forward…

 

…waiting…

 

“And take that with you.”

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

Each step creaked and moaned as Wufei ascended the stairs. It was almost completely dark at the top of the staircase, but Wufei could make out the shapes of the two doors on the second floor.

 

A soft sniffle brought his attention to the far corner and he could see the outline of a small figure huddled in the corner. Wufei swallowed and stepped closer. As he did so, he could see the shape try to press itself more closely into the corner.

 

“Don't be afraid.” Wufei whispered gently.

 

Whatever was in the corner stopped moving and Wufei knelt down next to the shape. His heart beat rapidly and his body was tense, ready to spring into action if necessary. Reaching out his hand, Wufei's fingers connected with cool, damp skin. The figure flinched and moaned.

 

The Chinese pilot stared hard into the darkness and firmly moved his hand to hold onto the figure... onto an arm perhaps? The figure was a child. He could tell by the size of the dark shape and by the thinness of the arm. It seemed as though the child was protecting it's head with it's hands. “Don't worry.” Wufei quietly tried to reassure the other. “Everything will be fine.”

 

The child stirred and Wufei felt the arm drop and saw a head come up. Hair seemed to stick out messily from the child's head and Wufei had a sudden revelation as the face of the Japanese boy from earlier came to his mind. The boy turned his head and though Wufei couldn't see the boy's features, he was sure the child was staring at him. Wufei felt the boy's arm move out of his grasp and moments later he felt a small, cold hand touching his face.

 

“You…” The boy whispered. “It's you…. I told you…. I …. You….” The boy broke down into sobs and wrapped his arms around Wufei's neck. The black haired teen held the crying child and whispered soft reassurances.

 

After a few moments the boy seemed to calm down and Wufei said, “Let's get out of here.”

 

The boy jerked back and said with agony, “I can't. I can't leave him. I need to get to him. I want to save him.”

 

Wufei looked around. Was there someone else in the cabin? Gently, but firmly, Wufei took the boy by the shoulders and asked, “Where is he?” For some reason Wufei didn't need to ask who the boy spoke of.

 

He already knew.

 

How he knew… he didn't know, and he couldn't quite put a finger on who it actually was. But he knew that he knew.

 

In response to Wufei's question, the boy said nothing but moved his arm away and in the dimness, he could see that the boy was pointing up.

 

The attic.

 

Wufei felt his heart drop. It would be very difficult to get up there. The boy interrupted his thoughts. “It is not there, but beyond.” He turned his eyes back to the boy with a touch of irritation. He didn't want the boy to start speaking in riddles again. Wufei opened his mouth to tell the boy so when the child spoke again. “That is not the entrance.” The Chinese boy stared at him for a moment, understanding slowly coming to him. When the boy spoke again it was in a low whisper. “Will you help me get beyond the door?”

 

Tears came to Wufei's eyes as he understood what needed to be done, and he wrapped his arms around the boy. “I will.” He whispered. Slowly he closed his eyes and then said again, this time in his mind, “I will.”

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

“I'm not… trying… to change… the… subject.” Trowa replied brokenly. It was getting more difficult to talk. More difficult to stay awake. He didn't want Quatre to stay here mourning for him. He wanted Quatre to live.

 

“I'm not going to leave you.” Quatre said again, this time with more strength.

 

Trowa opened his eyes. “You will! You… must!” He forced out. Breathing hard, the tall boy winced in pain from the strain. His eyes wanted to close again, but he forced them to stay open. He focused on Quatre's face.

 

So beautiful…

 

The Arabian pilot's hair was matted with blood, his neck was swollen and dark… there were various cuts and bruises and a couple faint hand prints marring the usually milky cheeks…

 

Even with his injuries he was still beautiful...

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

Quatre leaned over Trowa. The other boy was staring at him. Staring hard. The blonde boy felt death around Trowa, and he knew that there was no way the other boy could last.

 

But he hoped.

 

He wanted…

 

He…

 

His eyes filled with fresh tears and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, forcing the liquid to stream down his cheeks. When he opened his eyes, Trowa was still looking at him and through the pain and the darkness, Quatre felt something else.

 

Love.

 

Trowa's lips moved and the words that escaped his mouth were soft and breathy. “You… have… always… been….”

 

Quatre tried to hold back a sob but it came anyway. With his last breath, Trowa finished his sentence.

 

“Beautiful.”

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

It was dark.

 

He couldn't breath.

 

He couldn't….

 

Suddenly, Wufei's eyes snapped open. His vision was blurry.

 

He had been asleep…

 

How long…?

 

Wufei's mind forced him away from thoughts of sleep as his sight cleared and saw Heero's face looking down at him with cold eyes. He tried to say something but found that he couldn't speak… couldn't breath. He raised a hand to his neck and felt a thick rope around his neck, strangling him. His vision was starting to cloud and Wufei's body reacted without thought. Swiping his hand to the side from his neck, Wufei hit Heero's wrist hard and turned his body at the same time. The two boys rolled off the bed and onto the floor, Wufei on top of Heero. Wasting no time, the Chinese teen pushed himself off the other boy and staggered backward. His hands quickly fished the rope from around his neck and when he saw what it was, he gasped.

 

Duo's….

 

Wufei's shock only lasted a moment, but that was all the time a skilled fighter like Heero needed, and Wufei's attention was brought back to the fight when the Japanese boy delivered a hard kick to Wufei's wounded shoulder. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Wufei wondered how his shoulder had been hurt, but had no time to dwell on it.

 

Wufei barely dodged a stab from the other boy. His movements were slow and stiff. His body ached and his mind still felt fuzzy. As the two pilots continued their fight, it became apparent to Wufei that Heero was holding back for some reason he couldn't understand. The other boy was one of the best fighters the Chinese boy had ever known and with Wufei as sluggish as he was, Heero should have already finished him off.

 

Wufei could feel his life draining away with each slice in his skin. When he fell next to his travel bag he desperately reached in and pulled out something laying at the top…

 

Something the other pilots had never seen him use…

 

Something he abhorred using…

 

Heero stopped his pursuit suddenly as a bullet from Wufei's handgun ripped though his chest. He staggered back and jerked when a second, then a third, bullet hit him. Three more bullets tore through the Japanese teen as Wufei mindlessly emptied the gun.

 

Wufei pulled the trigger a four more times before he realized the chamber was empty. Breathing hard, Wufei dropped the gun, and quickly grabbed the knife when it slipped from Heero's grasp. The Japanese boy fell heavily onto his knees and lifted a hand to touch his chest. Kneeling only inches from one another, the two boys stared at each other. Wufei felt shock and a touch of horror at seeing his comrade in such a state, knowing that he was the one who had brought him to it.

 

Another part of him felt… accomplished… as if he had just done something that he had said he would do. And for some reason, Wufei thought that Heero had a grateful look in his eyes.

 

Swallowing hard, Wufei crawled to the other boy and laid him down on the floor. Heero cast his eyes toward the bed where the cast off braid lay. Wufei followed the gaze and crawled over to retrieve the rope of hair for the other boy. Gently, the Chinese youth laid Duo's hair in Heero's palm. Wufei wordlessly watched as tears escaped the Japanese boy's eyes.

 

Heero's eyes met Wufei's and he opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, only a small trickle of blood.

 

The light from the other boy's eyes faded and only a glassy emptiness stared back at him. Slowly, Wufei closed Heero's eyes. With the fight over and the blood no longer rushing in his veins, Wufei could hear sobbing from the other room. Someone from that room was the one who's scream had woken him.

 

With an effort, Wufei stood. He looked down at his fallen comrade one more time. Without knowing why he said it, Wufei whispered, “I always do what I say I will” then left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

Quatre held tightly to Trowa's body, sobbing hard. He didn't want Trowa to be dead! He couldn't be! He…

 

When he felt a hand on his shoulder he jerked it off. He wanted to be alone! Alone with Trowa! Again he felt the hand on his shoulder and once more he shrugged it off.

 

The third time he felt two hands, one on each side of his shoulders, pull him forcefully away from Trowa.

 

“NOOOO!!!” Quatre shrieked and started flailing around, trying to free himself from whoever had pulled him back.

 

Suddenly, Quatre felt a hard smack across his face and he gasped at the sharp stinging in his cheek. Looking up, he saw a very abused looking Wufei staring at him. Shakily, Quatre put a hand to his cheek. “Ww..w..wu..f..f.f..ei?” He stammered.

 

Sadness was painted on the black haired boy's face as he looked from Quatre to Trowa then back to Quatre again. “I'm sorry Quatre.” He whispered softly. “But… We must go.”

 

“But Tro…” Quatre began

 

“Is dead.” Said the other boy, and Quatre saw Wufei swallow hard. Even now the Chinese teen worked to keep his emotions from Quatre, but the blonde could sense pain and anguish mixed in with urgency. “It's just us now, Quatre. We have to leave. You must be strong.”

 

Quatre began to move his head back to where he could see Trowa, the other pilot stopped him by gently grabbing his head with his hands. “You mustn't. Don't look back. Only forward. Do you understand?” Wufei searched Quatre's eyes with his own. “We are Gundam pilots. We must remember who we are and be strong.”

 

The blonde boy's eyes widened slightly. “We must remember…” he whispered.

 

Remember…

 

There's something I must remember… Quatre thought.

 

“I'll go first.” Wufei said, interrupting Quatre's thoughts. Quatre suddenly realized that the other boy had dragged him to the door.

 

Quatre nodded hesitantly.

 

Wufei dropped Quatre's hand and opened the door. He looked around, motioned for Quatre to follow him and left the room.

 

Quatre hesitated.

 

He wanted so much to look back. Just one more time.

 

But Wufei was right…

 

If he looked back now… He knew he wouldn't be able to leave.

 

With a deep breath Quatre walked out the bedroom door in time to hear a loud gunshot and to see Wufei stagger before dropping to the floor. Blood gushed from a hole in the Chinese pilot's forehead. The thick red liquid oozed down the sides of Wufei's face. Quatre felt cold shock wash over him.

 

The dark, black eyes were already lifeless and glossy.

 

Wufei was dead.

 

He wanted to scream…

 

He wanted to run… but he couldn't seem to move…

 

A sound…

 

Laughter…

 

Sounded in front of him and slowly, Quatre raised his head. He started when he saw a shirtless Duo standing before him with a gun. A shirtless, braid-less, Duo…

 

It was Duo…

 

But

 

It wasn't Duo.

 

It was the presence Quatre had been feeling.

 

The thing…

 

The dybbuk…

 

His mind stopped looking for names for the thing as it spoke. “This is a good body, I think.” Leering at Quatre the thing continued, “We could have some fun together but I know not to make the same mistake twice. I remember the last boy like you…” The thing's voice faded away and the leer was replaced by a flat dead look. Slowly `Duo' raised the gun and pointed it at Quatre.

 

Quatre's mind seemed to float.

 

`I remember the last boy like you…'

 

`I remember...'

 

To remember… There was something Quatre needed to remember…

 

`We must remember who we are…'

 

Wufei…

 

Remember…

 

`What is it that you must remember?'

 

Trowa…

 

...

 

If nothing else remember this...

 

And then it came to him. Exhaling the breath he didn't know he was holding, Quatre closed his eyes as the gunshot rang through his ears…

 

And remembered.

 

;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;

 

A HUGE thanks to Masamune Reforged for being my editor / betareader!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truthfully, I can't ever remember Wufei using a gun in the series, but I haven't seen it in quite a while so I could be wrong.

 

This refers to when Wufei said that he would get the boy (aka Heero) to the other side of the door. To Duo

 

dybbuk \dyb"buk\ (d[i^]b"b[u^]k; Hebrew d[=e]*b[=oo]k"), n.; pl.

dybbuks; Hebr. dybbukim (d[=e]`b[=oo]k*[=e]m"). (Jewish

folklore)

the wandering soul of a dead person, or a demon, that enters

the body of a living person and controls that body's

behavior. It may be exorcised by religious rites.

 

Although Quatre is Arabian, I am going to assume he knows something of Jewish folklore for the sake of the story.

 

 

For those who may have forgotten, refer to chapter 14.