InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Living The Promise ❯ A Fragile Hope ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter 28: A Fragile Hope

 

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Kagura glanced at the old house through the rearview mirror as she drove away, hiding a sigh from her passenger. She could not seem to shake the feeling of wrongness that had settled upon her. When Kikyo had come up with this plan, nothing was said about taking the child. Kagura didn't approve of involving innocents, and the fact that Kagome was obviously pregnant didn't sit well with her either.

 

Kikyo looked over at the silent woman, noticing that she did not seem as pleased with the outcome of the first stage of the plan as Kikyo herself was. “What's the matter Kagura? Are you having second thoughts?” she sneered.

 

Kagura shook her head, knowing that if she were to show any signs of wavering, Kikyo would turn on her like a rabid beast. “Of course not. I was just surprised that you took the girl as well. I was given the impression that we were only after the woman, Kagome.”

 

Kikyo snorted. “Why pass up a chance to make Inuyasha suffer? The opportunity presented itself, and I took advantage of it.” Kikyo fell silent as her eyes slowly closed and a small smirk appeared. Kagura thought that the woman in the passenger seat had fallen asleep, only to be startled by one last comment. “It is not like any of them will live for long anyways.”

 

Kagura shuddered slightly and glanced over to find Kikyo asleep.

 

`I don't like this,' Kagura thought to herself as she watched carefully for the highway entrance. `There is not much more I can do for the child at this point.'

 

The original plan was to drug Kagome and stash her in an old house in the outskirts of town, leaving her there to starve, while laying false trails for Inuyasha. To prevent Kagome from regaining awareness and escaping, Kikyo would fasten a band on Kagome's wrist that would administer a powerful sedative through her skin. The effects would last for about 5 days, only wearing off once her body was too weak to care for itself.

 

Kagura bit her lip as she got onto the highway and drove back towards town.

 

Kidnapping the child had changed things a bit. Kagome still had been drugged and the band placed upon her wrist, but the child was thrown in with her mother. While Kikyo was taking care of the SUV and the drunkard they had “paid” to help with the kidnapping, Kagura managed to smuggle in some food and water to the terrified child before locking the door and picking Kikyo up down the road. It was not much, but hopefully it would last the child long enough for her to be rescued.

 

`With any luck, I may be able let someone know where they are before they starve,' Kagura thought. The more that she thought about this entire mess, the more she was regretting becoming involved in it. Kagura was not a murderer. `Yeah, just keep telling myself that and maybe I will one day believe it.'

 

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Tension was thick in the house as the two brothers waited for any information regarding Kagome's and Rin's whereabouts. Kaede had tried to get them to eat something, but with little success, finally giving up and retreating to her room to pray and meditate.

 

Sesshomaru turned from the window he'd been staring out of for the past several hours and looked over to where Inuyasha sat. With a deep sigh, Sesshomaru walked over and knelt in front of Inuyasha. Inuyasha's eyes stared blindly at the floor, just as he had been doing for the past five hours since they found the note. Sesshomaru lifted his brother's chin with his finger and looked into his blank eyes.

 

“Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru said softly, looking for any sign of response. When he found none, he tried again.

 

“Inuyasha, snap out of it!” Inuyasha focused upon Sesshomaru.

 

“They are gone,” he whispered brokenly. Sesshomaru sighed and rested a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

 

“Yes they are, but we will get them back. Until then, you must be strong.” Inuyasha only stared at him. Sesshomaru held back another sigh and gently pressed Inuyasha into lying upon the sofa, hopefully to get some sleep. He sat there and gently ran his hand through Inuyasha's hair, soothing him while Inuyasha silently cried himself to sleep, still desperately clutching Rin's sweater to his chest.

 

Once he was positive that Inuyasha had finally fallen asleep, Sesshomaru slowly got to his feet and covered him with the afghan off the back of the couch. He quietly made his way to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee before he returned to the window and stared back out over the city.

 

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“Mama, mama, wake up!” Rin shook Kagome's shoulder, trying to get her to wake. Rin was not sure how long they had been locked in the small room, but she could tell that it was too long for her mother to stay asleep.

 

Not getting any response from her attempts, Rin gave up and ate a little bit of food before sitting beside Kagome. She started to talk, figuring that anything was better than the creepy silence that filled the old house.

 

Rin found herself falling into a sort of rhythm: sleeping, waking, trying to wake Kagome, eat a little something, talk or sing, and falling asleep once again. During one of the times that Rin was eating, she started to cry. There was only a few bites of bread left and very little water. Her mother still hadn't moved and she had all she could take.

 

“Papa! Where are you? Please, we need you!” She stood and pounded on the door, screaming as loud as she could before collapsing in a heap beside Kagome.

 

“Rin….” It wasn't more than a whisper, but Rin turned her tear stained face towards the sound.

 

“Mama?”

 

“Rin, don't cry,” Kagome whispered, her eyes barely open.

 

Rin threw herself onto Kagome and held her tightly, happy that her mother was finally awake. “Mama, are you okay? Rin was so worried! You were sleeping for a long time and wouldn't wake up,” the young girl sobbed.

 

Kagome slowly lifted a heavy hand and started to rub her daughter's back.

 

“I am okay, just very, very tired.” Rin finally stopped crying and crawled off of Kagome.

 

“Are you hungry, mama? There is a little food and some water here…”

 

“I am not hungry, but I could use a little water.” Rin eagerly grabbed the nearly empty bottle and helped Kagome take a drink. After a few sips, Kagome felt what little energy she had begin to fade away. She lay back with a sigh and closed her eyes again, starting to drift off into the drug's embrace once again.

 

Rin sat quietly holding Kagome's hand. She bit her lip as she struggled with something.

 

“Mama?” Kagome stopped her slide back into the welcoming darkness and struggled back to awareness.

 

“Yes Rin?” she finally replied.

 

“I think I can get out of this room …” Kagome struggled to open her eyes.

 

`Maybe she can escape and go for help…' Kagome thought. “How?”

 

“I, umm, I found a hole…” During one of her searches of the small room, Rin had discovered a small hole, made by a mouse or other rodent. When she pressed against the wall around it, a portion of the wall crumbled away from years of water damage from a leaky roof. Rin had been able to enlarge the hole enough that she could wriggle through; however the fear of the darkness and of unseen creatures, as well as the reluctance to leave her mother kept Rin from exploring beyond the opening.

 

“A hole?” Kagome weakly squeezed Rin's hand. If her daughter could get somewhere safe…

 

“Rin, I want you to listen to me carefully. I want you to get out of here and call the police. I don't want you to talk to anyone unless it is to a police officer or to Papa Inu or Papa Sess.” Rin whimpered softly and Kagome gave her another squeeze.

 

“I know that you are very brave and that you can do this. I am counting on you Rin. When you find an officer, have them call Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Then you can show them where to find me.” Kagome's voice started to weaken as she lost her battle against the drug that coursed through her body.

 

Rin looked at her mother, tears falling quietly. She glanced nervously at the gaping hole that seemed to mock her from its corner. Turning back towards Kagome's sleeping figure, Rin placed a gentle kiss on her mother's cheek and stood up.

 

“Don't worry, mama. Rin will bring help!” With that vow, Rin squeezed herself into the hole and started to crawl through the darkness and into the unknown.

 

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Rin felt like she had been crawling for a long time before she saw a faint brightness ahead of her. She almost cried in relief and hurried towards the light. Rin soon found another hole, this one made by some larger animal who had nested within the walls as evidenced by the small bones scattered about. Rin squeezed out, scraping her shoulders and knees in the process. Finally, she made it out and was able to stand.

 

After wiping her tearing eyes with the back of a grubby hand, Rin looked around. She was standing in front of an old, dilapidated farmhouse. Walking towards the dirt road that ran in front of it, Rin came upon a large rose bush that had grown wild. The fragrant lavender flowers called to Rin, who stopped and nestled her face into their soft petals. Carefully avoiding the thorns, Rin picked one to take with her. She took one last look at the house before turning and starting her long walk to find help.

 

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TBC

 

A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I hope that you like it. Thank-you to all those who have reviewed this story; your reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank-you as well to my wonderful beta, Breezie - I hope that your “news” turns out the way you want it!

 

As always, Please Read, Enjoy, and Review!