InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Buried Alive ❯ Upside Down ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Just this plot.

Chapter 7 Upside Down

We had finally finished the grand tour two hours after beginning it. I had never had so much fun while being given a tour. "Okay, so I think I got it. So the lobby is the first floor, the library is the second floor, the third floor is storage, the hospital is the fourth floor, food on the fourth floor and rooms on the sixth." It was a mouthful but I managed to get it all out in one breath.

"Yep!" Sango seemed just as exuberant as I was, her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink and a smile lit her face. I was so glad to have her back in my life. "See I told you she'd catch on!" She nudged InuYasha in the arm playfully. He muttered something unintelligible and we both giggled. "He hates being proven wrong."

"Wait, did I forget a floor? I thought you said there were seven floors?" I had just realized that I must have forgotten one of the levels and what it contained but Sango and InuYasha shared an enigmatic look across the table and I knew that I was missing something. "What is it?"

There was a pause of hesitation as if they were both debating telling me some big secret. "The seventh floor is not accessible, there was a bad fire several years back and the entire floor burnt before the fire rescue arrived on the scene. They managed to salvage the rest of the building but everything on the top floor is torched." It was InuYasha who was telling me the story but there was a look in Sango's eyes that had my eyes trained on her.

A tear spilt on her cheek and I felt guilty for asking the question. "Sango are you okay?" She nodded and brushed away the stay tear. The table was silent for a long moment and for the first time I felt out of place. This wasn't where I belonged, I had to leave and there was no escaping that fact. I had to find Dr. Sential.

It seemed that I wasn't the only one who was affected by the silence. Sango spoke up all of a sudden taking me by surprise. "I want to tell you." I looked at InuYasha and he nodded toward Sango. "I want to tell you about the fire."

"What is it Sango?" I was deeply concerned for my friend now, I remembered she always used to be a carefree girl and sadness wasn't something that was characteristic of her.

"When I was brought out of my tank and InuYasha came to find me and take me with him--most humans were taken to his planet as a safety procedure--my brother came with me, you remember him right?" I couldn't remember his name but his face popped into my mind and I nodded. "Well ten years ago he came back with the recruits to help start setting up communities here in the US. He was stationed here." She paused for a moment to allow her demons to pass over her face and then she was composed again. "He was on the seventh floor when the fire started. He died saving everyone else. The man he was with told us that as they were leaving on the stairs they had heard a voice and so my brother went back into the building to find the person, the fired squad was ten minutes away. They found out later it was a radio. My brother died because someone left a stereo on in one of the back rooms and he went thinking he was rescuing someone."

I was shocked that she was completely composed. Her voice hadn't even waivered slightly. She had had ten years to grieve; I was still silently bleeding for the loss of my family. I didn't believe in that moment that I would ever recover from the loss I was feeling. I pulled my friend into a deep hug without hesitation. This was what I had wanted upon receiving the news about my family. A good friend to hug me. This information also meant something. Sango was just as alone as I was and now we had each other to lean on. Would I really be able to leave her alone again? If it meant saving the world there was little I wasn't willing to let go. I must have had the same feeling in me back when I realized what mistake I had made by creating Cancer X.

I had to leave and the sooner I could the better off Sango would be. I couldn't let her get used to having me in her life. Whatever this game night meant, I was using it as a way to escape. "So please explain this game night to me." I could see the relief on my friends face, she didn't want my sympathy and that was obvious.

InuYasha took over at this point and began explaining everything to me. "We split into groups, 3 out of every 10 available players are the seekers. The rest are the hiders. We have a machine that calibrates cells and so all who are seekers and made to look like my brother and all who are it are created to look like me. That was how my brother and I used to play when I was little. He was always it and I was always hiding. So that is the way the game is set up. After teams are set up and everyone is changed we split up. The seekers are placed in a solitary confinement until the computer counts to three hundred. In that time the hiders have to get into their positions and stay hidden. During this game the building is shut down. The doors are locked and the elevators are disabled." He paused momentarily because of the troubled look that passed over my face, that would put a damper on my escape plans but I'd still find a way out.

"You get the concept so far?" He waited for me to nod hesitantly and then went on. "No worry there is only one more rule. You aren't allowed to speak. There will be microphones set up throughout the building and they will detect the slightest whisper. People who are caught talking are sent to the 'home' base and there they have to stay till the game end. The rest of the rules are like your average hide and go seek."

Sango at this point cut in. "Except we play in the dark with only the emergency lights on and when you are found you are sent to 'home' base till the game ends."

"So how do the hiders win?" It was my only question that didn't give away my near future plans.

"We set the game to last exactly three hours and we don't start till after sunset." I nodded at Sango, I knew the rules now all I had to do was hope my plans followed through and hope I don't get caught. As we spoke of this I was planning on changing the subject to get some information out of the pair. I needed to know if they knew about my little dilemma. Now that I think about it, it seemed that Naraku only knew parts of what I was. He said I held powers that humans also had. Could that have meant he knew about the ticking time bomb? It was a power that the humans held, but then I was human, so why would it seem that I wouldn't have these powers. This led me to believe that he knew I had the bomb inside me. All this thinking made my head ache. So instead I was going to make them think.

“I have a question.” I watched them look at me, knowing they were expecting a question about the game and I thought momentarily trying to correctly word my question. “While Naraku had me in his, um, headquarters? …well he said something about me holding some sort of power. Do you have any idea what he was talking about?” I watched them both closely gauging their reactions but both of them remained composed.

InuYasha recovered first and was quick to reply. “It seems like Naraku was trying to trick you Kagome, maybe make you feel like you were special. Maybe saying things like you were “the one” It's something Naraku does in order to make people do as he asks, he promises them things.”

I felt a little miffed, but I wasn't telling him that. Was he trying to say I wasn't special? I wanted so bad to prove him wrong, but I couldn't afford to cause suspicion. “I see.” Was my haughty and blunt answer. Who cares if I was pissed, I couldn't let him see that. “Well then, I'm going to head back up to the library, I still have several papers to read through. I've actually found a few very interesting articles I'd like to read through.” I didn't wait for their reply, just did as I said.

I gathered my thoughts as I watched the sun set behind the vacant buildings out the west window of the Library. I was reading over a few articles post-CancerX. Nothing made sense; I still couldn't solve the puzzle of my past. There was at least a three year gap that my memory refused to remember. I remembered who I was before CancerX, and from that time till I woke up a captive of Naraku was all missing. Now I knew most of that I was cryogenically frozen but there were two years while I was creating CancerX and then the first year that it was on the loose.

My last hopes were that Dr. Sential would be able to tell me what I missed. I rubbed at my upper legs which were sore after InuYasha's most recent attempt at assuring that I was normal. I still wondered how much he knew about me, whether he knew about the bomb. I want to believe that he's running all his tests to help me to find a way to disable to bomb, but how can I believe that. I feel like I'm a prisoner in this building. My thoughts are broken as a hand lands on my shoulder. I spin quickly but it's only Sango.

"Time to go." She smiles at the lights overhead and as the last rays of the sun disappear the florescent lights flicker to life.

"That's a neat trick." I smile and think of what this game means for us. I will be leaving tonight, escaping and running away. I might never see Sango again. It isn't as depressing as the news of my family that is still ripping at my heart. At least I know that by leaving I could be saving Sango and the rest of humanity. I'd already decided if there was no way to disable the bomb inside me then I would go back to being a frozen block of ice. It was the better alternative. I looped my arm through hers desperate for a few more minutes of happiness before it was all gone. There was one more thing I needed to find out though.

“How do people travel now? Like obviously you don't use cars, or do you? Or maybe some Scotty beam me up sort of thing?” The look that crossed Sango's face caused me a moment of doubt.

“We travel just the same; only vehicles are electronically powered and set up to only travel to certain destinations. Kind of like individual trains or busses.” Sango remains composed but I can see now she's trying not to laugh at me.

“That sounds very complicated, and extremely safe.” I wanted to ask more but I couldn't risk her knowing that I going to need this information very soon.

“We can go for a joy ride tomorrow; the cars are only a few blocks north. And it's free to travel.” Sango was giving me all the details I needed and didn't even know it. It was almost too easy.

“That sounds like fun, speaking of free, what is the currency? Is it still the same?” There was so much I had missed out on and I didn't even have time to learn all of these things.

“Oh well, it's more of an everyone helps everyone else. Almost like labor trades. We work here and the payment we get is for every essential we need in life, and overtime is made for extra things, like entertainment. Of course we don't work five to nine five days a week anymore. Just three days a week for six hours. It's really nice.” I was shocked from this revelation, how did they afford to do this? Did it have something to do with the loss in population? I had so many new questions but we had arrived down in the lobby.

I'm still not sure what the logistics of the machine are, what I do know is that it will make me and about 100 other people look almost identical. With that kind of camouflage I should have no problems sneaking out. I've already made a list in my mind of things I'll need to take with me. I'm hoping the storage level has all the items I'm thinking of bringing. "So does the machine separate us into groups? Or does that happen separately?"

"You'll see it really is quite neat." Sango and I got in line near the front and I felt my hands begin to sweat as we drew closer. What if this machine set off my bomb? I had no clue what could trigger it and I wouldn't know till I found Dr. Sential. I hope Sango would learn about what I'd done, why I'd left her so soon. I didn't want anyone else dying on my behalf.

I felt my body going into freak-out mode, my palms broke into a fierce sweat, my heart started racing, my throat started to burn. I was scared by this machine. I felt like this was going to be the last thing I was ever going to do. It was over in a flash, and I was instantly feeling foolish. I wanted to check a mirror and see what I looked like, but there didn't seem to be one nearby. I pulled my hair to one side and looked at my new silvery locks. This was shocking in and of itself.

I wanted desperately to know what I looked like, probably abnormal. Platinum was never a good hair color with my skin tone. “Wow, you look awesome, really out of this world.” Sango giggled walking up behind me. I turned to look at her and was appalled by the way she looked. It was definitely going to take some getting used to. “Don't worry it won't last forever.” She laughed noticing the worry that crossed my face.

“Boo.” I jumped like a ridiculous school girl. InuYasha stood behind me also laughing at me. “You look weird.” He commented. I really didn't enjoy him and his comments, and his always changing mood around me. How could he be playful and happy one minute and then harsh and judging the next? There was a lot of boy stuff I'd missed out on in the past sixty years and I wanted to comment about this, but it was too late.

“Let's go find out who's on what team.” Sango grabbed my arm and pulled me along, InuYasha followed silently behind. I didn't even get a minute to come up with a comeback to throw in InuYasha's face. Though now that I think about it I knew that was Sango's point. The next step was extremely amazing. If you were picked by the computer as a seeker it would allow you to pass through the front gate and into a small waiting room, where the seekers would wait to the count of 400 for the game to begin. Once they were in there they were trapped. If you weren't allowed through then you were a hider.

Sango went first and was rejected. I was hoping the same would happen for me. But I didn't go second. As I was stepping up hesitantly InuYasha stepped in front of me and went. He passed through and now I was worried. I crossed my fingers and walked forward. I wasn't allowed to pass and I jumped up and down gleefully. Sango smiled and we both waved at InuYasha through the glass. Then we locked arms and left.

“Okay so I know a few really good hiding spots, but remember once the game begins we can't speak, no exceptions.” She looks at me seriously and I nod gravely. That shouldn't be too hard. “I'll show you where to hide and then leave you there till the end of the game, it's one of my most successful spots, I've never been found there, I have been found trying to escape my spot though.” She smiles at a fond memory and I feel a bit curious. I keep my mouth shut though. It's everything I can do not to tell Sango that I'm leaving. I know that as soon as I'm alone I'm going to have to be gone.

I'm thinking in my head of all the things I need and trying to listen to Sango as she talks about previous games. I know she thinks I'm listening because I'm nodding at the right spots and smiling when it seems like she's said something funny. I even giggle once but I know I'm not really paying attention. This also makes me feel like crap because this will most definitely be the last time we're together. Unless there's something Dr. Sential can do for me.

The game has started less than ten minutes after I've been changed into an InuYasha look-a-like, which I totally hate. Sango takes me silently along the mostly dark corridor to a staircase and we climb to the third floor, which is exactly where I need to be. She hides me in an unused cabinet that is turned against the wall. With a smile and nod Sango leaves and now I understand why she didn't stay. There is virtually no room in this cabinet for me, let alone both of us. I wait for what seems like a minute or two. I know that InuYasha will more than likely come for me first. He spoke about having a good sense of smell; I wondered momentarily if that was something that had to do with his planet. Probably.

I moved around the storage room silently. I carefully collected the items I needed, some of which included: ropes, dry foods (which was kept on this level for space issues), and a small knife I'd found stashed in a box under a microwave. Wondering who put the knife there I moved along collecting items and shoving them into a bad I'd picked up. Once I had everything I thought I might need I headed back out the exit.

I saw shadows along the wall opposite me but I knew they were only other hiders, Sango told me that an alarm would go off when the seekers were released. Kind of like a building-wide “ready or not here I come” warning. I passed the shadows and headed up the stairs.

I hoped this would work out the way I was planning. I hoped that the stairs would go all the way to the top. Though it may seem like a better idea to waltz out the front door, not to mention safer, I knew it wouldn't be easy. So I planned on lowering myself out of a window on the top floor. When I made it to the sixth floor and knew there was only one flight left I felt a wave of adrenaline rush through my veins.

I reach the top and it's the moment of truth as I rest my hand on the door knob. I turn the knob and then quickly release it. I almost screamed as an alarm goes off. I was thinking shit, I've been caught, but then I realize that's the alarm going off telling me that the seekers have been released. I relax my shoulders which had gone tense in that moment when I thought I'd gotten myself into deep trouble and then open the door and enter the seventh floor.

I instantly regret this idea. Nothing up here seems stable especially not near any of the boarded up windows. But I assume that someone had to stand there in order to board them up. I move toward the windows slowly, in my hands I'm tying knots into the rope in preparation of my descent. I get to the closest window and work the wooden cover off the window. The cool night air rushes in to greet me and I work on finding a place to tie off my rope. I find a sturdy looking column that seems to be put up in order to keep the ceiling from caving in.

This doesn't comfort me in any way. I am dropping myself out the window when something unexpected happens. Another alarm goes off. This is when I realize that the alarm earlier hadn't been to release the seekers, but instead been triggered by me entering this floor. I didn't know how much time I had to get out now, but I did know I was running out of time. I propelled myself down remembering all the times I went rock climbing with my mother when I was younger.

Just as I was out of sight of the door I heard it open. I knew instantly who it was and I was to the ground and looking up before my thoughts were confirmed. Sango looked down at me a look of disappointment on her face. I knew it was her because if it had been InuYasha the look on that face would have been angry. Instead Sango looked down at me with remorse and disappointment and I felt terrible. I gave a sad smile then turned and ran. I didn't know how long I had before InuYasha came after me. And who knows, maybe he won't even bother.

End Chapter

It is not as long as l wanted it to be, but I plan on updating again soon. Forgive me for any errors hope you liked it! Leave a review!