Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Family ❯ Silent Night Cye's POV ( Chapter 23 )

I woke to being punched in the back by Takura. “Wake the fuck up, you lazy little prick!” he slurred, pouring some of his beer over the back of my shirt. The alcohol ran down and soaked the bleeding wound on my side, causing it to sting and throb painfully.

I winced and pulled myself to my feet slowly, receiving a punch in the stomach on the way up. Gasping heavily, I turned slowly to retreat up the stairs, covering my side with my other arm as I went. My head was throbbing dully and I felt a warm trickle of blood seeping down the back of my neck. It didn't matter though; it felt like nothing mattered anymore.

The cot groaned against my weight as I fell into it once I'd made it up the stairs. I had managed to fix it a while back but it always creaked and groaned when I tried to lay on it so I was never sure if it would hold me through the next night. It was kinda like mattress Russian roulette.

*Drip Drip* Fuck! Now the roof's leaking again! What's with all the Goddamn rain?! I swear to God, it has never rained so much in one year as it has this year!

A small, bell-like sound brought me out of my brooding. The hell? Silent Night? Oh yeah, my cell phone. I'd changed the ring tone to Silent Night a few days ago since it was almost Christmas and thought it might help me get into the Christmas spirit. Right.

The ring continued frantically and I pulled the little blue phone out of my pocket and hit “talk”. Ah, shit! That was the menu button! Give me a break, alright? I'm still learning how to use this damn thing. I finally managed to find the “talk” button and pressed it.

“Cye? Cye! Is that you man?” a voice questioned a little too loudly on the other line.

I rolled my eyes closed and sighed. “Kento, how did you get this number?”

There was a deep pause before he answered. “I found it on the ground this afternoon after you heard…well, after you left…” He paused again and I could almost hear him trying to think of a way to start his next sentence. “Look man, I'm really sorry about what I said back there. You have every right to be mad at me.”

“Well I am mad at you.” I answered back, my voice clipping a little more sharply than I wanted it to.

It was almost like Kento winced before he answered again. “I know man, I'm really sorry. I didn't know you could hear us…”

“Well, it doesn't mean you didn't say it. It would have been the same even if I hadn't been there to hear anything.”

There was long pause on the line. “You're right, it was a dick-move on my part and I'm really sorry I hurt you're feelings. I can understand if you're still angry.”

I wasn't listening anymore. Heavy footsteps were making their way up the stairs and I could hear inebriated mumbling following them. Shit, Takura!

“Cye? You there man?”

Oh hell! The phone! I fumbled with it in my hands, almost dropping it, trying desperately to turn it off. “Uhh…Kento…I-I'll call you back later, okay…?” I stuttered nervously, freezing as the footsteps stopped in front of my door.

“Why? What's wrong? Are you okay?” Kento rambled on the other line.

“I-I'm fine…I just-…”

The door burst open and Takura loomed above me like a mountain. I struggled to turn off the phone without him seeing but didn't succeed too well. Fucking menu button!

“Who ya talkin' to, Cye?” he asked mockingly, smirking as I fought with my phone.

“Uh…n-no one…”

“Cye?! Cye, are you there?! What's going on?!” Kento shouted worriedly.

Grr…shut up Kento! You're going to get me killed! I tried to shove the phone in my pocket just as Takura grabbed me by the throat and slammed me into the wall.

“Don't lie to me, boy!” he growled maliciously, banging my head into the wall as he spoke. I gasped and struggled against him unsuccessfully. Takura made a grab for the phone in my pocket and I started to panic. Shit! If he takes that phone, I'm dead!

“Cye! Answer me, man! Are you okay?!”

I looked around desperately and grabbed his hand, jerking his fingers back hard. There was a sickening *CRACK* and Takura howled in agony, dropping me to the floor in a heap. I jumped to my feet and took off towards the stairs, avoiding his outstretched hand as he tried to trip me.

I tore down the stairs like a bat out of hell, nearly tripping about 6 times as I ran. I could hear Takura racing down behind me.

Silent Night echoed from my pocket like a procession and I vaguely wondered how my phone had turned itself back on. I jumped for the front door only to have Shimate block my escape. I turned to run the other way just as Takura reached the bottom of the stairs and crashed into me, pressing both of us into a door hard enough to cause it to splinter. One of us must have lost our balance because suddenly we were tumbling through the broken wood, falling into oblivion.

I landed hard on the cold, stone ground and laid still, struggling to breathe and unconsciously checking to see if I could still feel all of my limbs. Satisfied with my results, I looked over to see Takura laying about 5 feet away from me, apparently stunned by the fall. We must have landed in a basement or something because a bunch of boxes and crates littered the floor and a water heater sat partially hidden in one corner of the room.

I tried to push myself to a standing position but fell backwards, my head spinning wildly as I struggled to stay conscious.

“Silent Night…Holy Night…”

My phone was ringing again…I heard Takura moan and sit up but that's all I could remember. My struggle with consciousness failed and I welcomed the comforting embrace of darkness.

“All is calm…All is bright…”