Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Family ❯ When it rains it pours ( Chapter 15 )

Icy needles of rain shot down my back as I trudged home. There was absolutely no point in a jacket anymore as mine was completely soaked and stuck to me like a second skin. A very cold, wet second skin. I knew my attic wouldn't be any better, it always leaks when it rains and one of the windows was busted from my last round with Takura. However, it at least offered some shelter and I would be happy with whatever I could get.

The house came into view and I shuddered mentally. Whether it was from the cold or from fear, my entire body was trembling uncontrollably and I stood rooted to the spot for several seconds before willing myself to go forward. I could hear them yelling even through the rain and the sinking feeling I had been trying to suppress was slowly starting to worsen.

“Shut the fuck up, you goddamn fucking whore!!” Takura shouted angrily.

“Fuck you, asshole!!” Shimate retorted and there was a large crash inside.

I stood outside, shivering and weighing my options. Go inside and get me ass kicked or stay out here and possibly freeze to death. Neither seemed to be an inviting option and I unconsciously wondered how long it would take me to get back to the school. I knew they kept one door unlocked so maybe I could stay there tonight…

The front door swung open, which I'd gotten used to and managed to dodge the wooden attack by jumping to the side.

Takura glared hatefully at me and grabbed a handful of my shirt, jerking me close to his face. “And just where the fuck have you been you little shit?!”

“I-I w-was at a s-swim meet…” I chattered, my teeth clicking together loudly.

He glared and shook me roughly. “So you like the water, huh?! Well you can just stay out here then!” He threw me backwards and slammed the door closed behind him.

I landed in a rather large puddle, mud and water splashing up on me. Not like I wasn't wet enough already but the elements decided to help out a little more and make sure I was completely and utterly soaked.

Several seconds passed before I was stable enough to stand. I walked over to the door and tried to open it uselessly. I knew it was locked so there was no point but it was still worth a shot. If I could get some dry clothes I could walk back to the school but that would mean having to face the psychos inside. The fight raged on and I backed away from the door in case either of them decided to come out again.

I sank down on the steps and pulled my knees close to my body, trying to conserve what little body heat I still had left. It really wasn't accomplishing much, I was shivering like mad and my breath was coming out in small white puffs. The rain seemed to lessen a little but the temperature continued to drop.

The hours passed by in a haze and the rain finally began to let up. I had stopped shivering by now which worried me and I suddenly began to wonder what hypothermia felt like. The house was quiet and dark and I decided it was safe enough to make the trip inside.

I stood slowly, my joints protesting against the movement and the world beginning to tilt around me. My throat was raw and sore from the cold air and my head felt heavy. I rested my head against the door and tried again, finding it still locked. Well, damn.

There was busted window by the backside of the house and I slowly made my way over to it, pulling off my shirt and wrapping it around my hands as I pulled myself inside so I wouldn't get cut by the shattered glass. I tried to slide through the window quietly but found a rather large, sharp piece of glass lodged in my palm and lost my grip, tumbling to the floor. My entire body went rigid as I landed awkwardly in the kitchen, my back pressed up against the wall so I could jump out of the opening again if I needed to.

The room stayed quiet and still and I allowed myself to breathe again. Blood gathered around my hand in a small pool and I wrapped my shirt around it tightly. I slowly pulled myself to my feet again and crept down the hallway and up the stairs.

A cold wind whipped through my attic and I packed a spare shirt and pair of pants into a plastic bag, tying it as quietly as I could. It was still dark outside and I had no way of telling the time but all I knew was that I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

I walked out of the room quietly and gasped as I saw Shimate sitting in the hallway, cradling a picture frame to her chest. She was crying brokenly and rocking back and forth slowly.

“You shouldn't have gone…you shouldn't have gone…you left us here without you…you were so stupid…” she whispered hoarsely, her voice broken and frail with tears.

I stood frozen for a minute, trying desperately to move but not being able to make myself do so. All nerve impulse has stopped by this point and I could do nothing but watch as she continued to cry.

Shimate seemed to notice someone was watching her and looked up slowly, her eyes bloodshot and swollen. “He meant everything to me….” She choked, looking at me. I could see the picture was that of the same young man I'd seen in the cap and gown. “He was my little boy… I'll never forgive myself for letting him drive that night…”

My heart went out to her and I tried to think of something to say. Anything. “I'm so sorry for you loss…I know how much you must miss him…” It sounded cliché but it was all I could think of. Apparently, it didn't have the reaction I'd hoped for.

Shimate's eyes turned cold and deadly and she stood stiffly, staggering to me and knocking me to the floor hard. “What would an orphan bastard like you know about how I feel?! We never wanted a replacement son!” She kicked me in ribs and I heard something crack. “Get out of here! Get out!!”

I struggled to my feet and started to run. However, my body found the trip down the stairs would be quicker if I stumbled so I ended up tumbling down the steep flight and hitting the pointed edge of the coffee table with my back. The wood was digging into the space right below my left shoulder blade and I gasped sharply gritting my teeth as hot blood streamed down my back.

Shimate started to run down the stairs after me and I managed to stand right as she threw a half-full beer bottle at my head. It landed short however and spilled on my shirt, leaking into the bag I had my dry clothes in.

She yelled something and made a grab for me but I was already running toward the front door. I slammed the door closed behind me and stumbled down the front steps, falling onto my back in the mud and laying there for a long time.

The wound on my back throbbed painfully and I knew I was probably gaining access to all sorts of germs and bacteria from the muddy water but I couldn't move. Shimate didn't follow me so I was safe for the time being to stay there.

I don't remember how long I laid there but I eventually found the strength to stand up. Dark clouds still covered the night sky and I winced, walking away from the house and heading back to the school.

 

 

God, I really am a terrible person…and I make it sooo much worse ^^;