InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between the Wasteland and Sky ❯ Dust Storm ( Chapter 7 )

Between the Wasteland and Sky

Chapter 7: Dust Storm

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When they attempted to leave Sandra's house, they were flatly denied and told to stay right where they were if they didn't want to be blown to the oceans by the incoming storm. Inuyasha scoffed at this but somehow managed to obey. Kagome had already picked up that he didn't like to be controlled or delayed for any reason. But if it were just the same to him, she'd like to stay alive.

"So when is this storm supposed to arrive anyway?" The question was asked with not a small amount of scorn in Inuyasha's voice.

Sandra pursed her lips and replied, "Oh any minute now actually. I'm surprised it hasn't come yet actually."

As if in defiance, a shrill wind blasted at the window. Sandra rolled a heavy stone to the opening in the wall and covered it as best she could. "Go back towards the kitchen and you'll see a safe room in there. I'll meet you there once I've covered these windows."

Kagome had a sudden thought and dashed to the doorway. The streets were abandoned in every direction, and the sand was starting to kick up, making her cough. Without a word to anyone else, she ducked back inside to take a gulp of air, and then ran in the direction of the well she had seen earlier. She heard Inuyasha calling her name behind her but didn't turn back. Her entire focus was on reaching the stone bench, and not inhaling the loose sand.

Sure enough, a small figure was wrapped in the foot room beneath the bench. Forgetting herself for a moment, she opened her mouth to call out to him. Sand immediately filled her mouth and made her spit. She felt like the inside of her mouth was being coated in sand, and her lungs were slowly doing the same.

Gasping for air and trying to turn so her back was against the wind, Kagome was about to crawl under the bench with what must be Shippou, when suddenly strong arms grabbed her around the waist and held her fast. Inuyasha hoisted her onto his back and grabbed Shippou with his arms. Pressing her face to his back, she took small short breaths and waited to be able to breath again. The wind was almost unbearable and she didn't know how Inuyasha could run so easily. Gasping for the air that she needed so badly, her brain sank into unconsciousness.

~*~

After what felt like forever, the wind died and warmth prickled at her skin. She coughed and spat out sand for ages before she felt she could properly breathe again. Kagome rubbed at her eyes and blinked out sand for another moment. Someone had lit a lamp, which explained the warmth. She took in the rest of her surroundings and concluded she was in the "safe room" along with Inuyasha and Sandra. Shippou was also there, although he was evidently asleep. They were all enclosed in four stonewalls with a small doorway in one wall which was plugged by a stone. Outside she could hear the wind still beating upon the buildings and anything else that happened to be in its way.

Inuyasha paced back and forth in the confining space. Couldn't he ever just settle down and wait? But Kagome could sympathize. She wanted very much to know more about Inuyasha and what he knew about the silver haired man, but he seemed intent on keeping secrets from her. She turned her head to look at Sandra, and saw the woman was fast asleep, her back against one of the walls. The lamp lay in the center of the room, casting shadows in the old corners with each flicker.

"Ok `Yash', now is the time to tell me what exactly is going on." Kagome noticed him jump when he realized she was awake. She paused a moment before continuing on. "I know there are things you'd rather not tell me, but this is important. Just tell me who the silver haired man is, how you know him, and how we can save Rin."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to answer, but was beaten to it by the balled up figure near Sandra. "I can tell you who he is. He's a monster. He almost killed me!"

Both Inuyasha and Kagome turned their attention to Shippou. "Tell us what happened kid", Inuyasha gruffly ordered.

Turning to face Kagome, Shippou sniffed in distain. "Well if you're going to be so rude then maybe I won't tell you."

"Listen brat, this is no time to keep something from us that might help! Now tell us what happened or you're headed straight into sand land again!" Inuyasha was on his feet, nearly growling in frustration. His anger abated however, when he saw Shippou's hurt expression. Of course, a death glare from the girl beside him also softened him a bit.

Kagome sighed and refused to let herself become angry with the boy. "Yash please just sit down and let me ask, ok?"

Oddly enough, Inuyasha found himself shifting to sit down at her request. What was it about this girl that tamed his anger at the world?

Shippou needed no further questioning. Before any other argument could break out, he decided to tell his story. "I don't really know exactly who the silver man is, but I do know he is evil. I was just talking to Rin by the well the other day. The well is our special spot, and we like to keep all our treasures there." Shippou paused to smile at this memory.

"Well anyway, he came up to us that day with a weird look on his face. Like he wasn't quite seeing us. It seemed to me like he had something on his mind, but I decided I wouldn't talk to him. He had that look like he was just looking for the right fellow to come along and cross him the wrong way."

"He real quick snapped his head in my direction and almost seemed to growl at me. His eyes looked red and I could o' sworn he had fangs! After a little more thought, he knocked into me like he was trying to get past me to Rin. He knocked me so hard I fell straight into that well! I heard a scream when I was falling, but your guess is as good as mine as to what happened next." At this conclusion Shippou looked proud of himself for his quality storytelling.

Kagome was uncertain though. "But if you fell into the well, wouldn't you have died from the fall?"

Shippou merely shrugged. Kagome decided there really wasn't much else they could get out of him, and gave him a little hug to thank him. The boy looked a little red in the cheeks, but held his head up and didn't say anything.

`Well seems as though in searching for answers, we only got more questions', Kagome thought to herself. `But Inuyasha knows something, and I'm going to find out exactly what is going on here!'

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Wow finally finished this chapter. At this point probably no one reads this story anymore though. I just remembered I had a good portion of this chapter already written, and I suddenly felt like writing again. The story should pick up and get more exciting from here! Review if you're reading this, just to give me an idea of who is.

Isuki-chan