Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Coven ❯ Getting in ( Chapter 2 )

The Coven - Chapter 2 - Getting in

 

 

In the library…

 

 

Omi disliked schools. It wasn't about the building. The government paid the architects to do it. It wasn't about the factory-like uniforms. It saved the trouble of choosing your clothes everyday. It wasn't about the books. He liked books. In fact, books are a lot easier to read from than the computer screen. It wasn't about the people. They had to attend school. That was the law. It was about the environment. Oh yes. That fuzzy warm atmosphere that lingered in the hallway without fail, even after the holidays. The reek of it in the lockers. That wholesome goodness that made everyone appeared to be so angelic that it fooled grownups to believe that they were the future. Omi exhaled deeply. Perhaps, he should approach a more positive attitude. Being the youngest in Weiss, a student was undeniably his best disguise. However, that didn't mean he had to like schools. With a practical flick of the papers, he briefly read through the documents, kindly provided by Rex.

 

 

Hiroto Kazeyousei. Besides an heir of a multimillionaire enterprise, he was the godson of an influential senator. Rubbing shoulders with people of power certainly had its benefits. Like his father, the senator deeply believed Hiroto was a `sensible and rational young man'. Unsatisfied with the police investigations, he specially asked Rex for her assistance. There was no way for Rex to refuse. The senator was her third uncle.

 

Omi closed the file and exhaled. There were some things that needed to be accepted. And some things that needed to be done quickly, such as getting out of this place.

 

 

He stood up. His brows knitted into a frown. Someone was watching him. The annoying presence that he couldn't shake it away. The quietness of the library did not seem to improve his situation. Any minute now, a ghost was going to show up unexpected, he thought. Most probably, a woman with a bad hair day. Dressed in white. Black sunken eyes. To top it up, kindly add in a long demonic tongue. He noticed the clock wall that far away from him. Rats! Half past ten. A little too early for the supernatural.

 

“All right,” he said. “Kindly come out before I beat the living hell out of you.”

 

 

“Well well well.” Gau applauded in a charlatan gesture, merging out of his hiding place like a layer of paint peeling off from a wall. “You are a lot better than I expected.”

 

“Can you say anything more cliché than that?” Omi calmly stuffed his books into his pack bag.

 

“Look, Kazuki. I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that I find you very different from the other students. You may dress or talk like a normal student but there's something that sets you apart from them.”

 

“Yeah right.” Omi headed for the exit.

 

“Face it, Kazuki. You are a lot mature than you look.” Omi stopped in his tracks. He could hear Gau's footsteps behind him. “There's nothing wrong about it because you know there's more to life than listening to boring gossips of boy-girl-relationships.” Gau walked past and stood in front of him. “Filling in your brain with textbook knowledge that only ten percent is going to be used in the working world. Trying to fit in the world's definition of sexy. Have you read the papers recently? Urban men wearing make-up.” He spat in disgust. “And to think ten years ago, society branded men wearing make-up as gays. You and I know that all these things are created just to waste time. Little distractions, you might say.” He patted Omi's shoulders. “Michalik, Raphael and I are hanging out at Juzte Street for a while. We would appreciate it if you could join us.”

 

“Sure.” Omi replied reluctantly.

 

Gau broke into a smile. “See you tomorrow.” He was about to leave when he turned back. “By the way, have a good night's sleep.”

 

 

 

Later at night…

 

Omi had a dream. He dreamt he was standing in front of Manx's grave. Her name was engraved in excellent calligraphy, including the date of her birth to the day she died and the last words of remembrance. Every word was in black upon the pearl white tombstone. He bent down and pulled out the weeds that gathered around the sides. Sadness took a toll upon his heart. He loved Manx, mainly because she was the only one who knew Persia most. He was unaware of the secret that Persia was his biological father till Manx told him a week before her untimely death. A bomb was planted in her car, undetected. The explosion was a sight that forever remained in Omi's mind. The suffocating smoke and stench of burning flesh were still in his nostrils. He hoped that her death was quick and almost painless.

 

Then, he heard someone behind him. Turning, he saw a man, dressed in angelic white clothes. His platinum gray hair was combed in a charming saintly fashion, covering the left side of his face. The colour of his skin was as white as an albino that heightened his high cheekbones His right walleyed eye showed absolutely nothing but complete composure of a deity. Omi knew that man. It was the witchdoctor who robbed Aya's sight.

 

Recklessly, Omi attempted to poison him with his flying dart. The witchdoctor caught it nimbly, as if he had foreseen it. Anger rose inside Omi. He tried to question the witchdoctor's intentions. What did he want Aya? Why did he kidnap him and then, out of the blue, release him after two years? The witchdoctor did not answer. Instead, he taunted Omi, twisting and turning words, corroding his mind to believe what Aya was responsible for his current state. There was a disturbing truth in his words, if Aya hadn't join Weiss Kreuz, Omi would have never known his dysfunctional family and his half-sister would be still alive.

 

Heedlessly, he attempted again to attack him. Once again, the witchdoctor evaded and caught him in his grasp. Omi struggled helplessly. He was incredibly strong. Licking Omi's neck, the witchdoctor caressed him, exposing him to unholy pleasures. Omi wanted to fight back but strangely, he couldn't. Then, a stinging pain punctured into his neck. Numbly, he limply fell to the grasses. He felt drowsy. That was weird since he sincerely thought he was awake.

 

The witchdoctor loomed over him, shaking the poison dart in his hands, commenting that it was regrettable that he hadn't got a chance to know him better. Omi would have made a fine apprentice. What the hell did he mean? Shaking all over, the last thing Omi remember was his smile. That vile smile. It was extending itself wider and wider till it surpassed a jester's smile. In that smile, Omi thought he saw it dividing itself into three separate smiles. In its hallucination, Omi saw Gau, Michalik and Raphael. They were laughing like demons, as if they have successfully brought his soul to Hell.

 

It was that moment that Omi snapped back to the waking world. Sweating all over, he panted till the pumping drumming in his head faded away. As the sweat gradually evaporated, releasing a wave of coolness on his skin, Omi dropped back onto the bed, dazed. Dreams were usually prophetic for assassins. Perhaps, it was telling him that these three had something to do with the witchdoctor. Omi did not want to think. He was too tired to think anyway.

 

So, he lay completely still and slide back to sleep.

 

 

 

 

The next day…

 

 

“Gentlemen, may I present to you…” Gau waved his hand as if he was the ringmaster of a famous circus. “Our humble door to a secret world…”

 

“It's a bookstore, Gau.” Michalik interrupted. He pushed the door. “Coming, Kazuki?”

 

“Sure.” Omi shrugged his shoulders. “I could buy a few stationeries.”

 

“This is no ordinary bookstore,” said Raphael. “You can't get this from the Internet either.”

 

“I see.” Omi remarked, surveying the room. It looked as common as a shop that at the brink of closing down. There were rows of shelves and in the shelves, rows of books. One look and one wouldn't need a housekeeper to tell you that the place was in badly need of a proper cleaning. Carefully, Omi chose one, the one that appeared to be less fragile than the others. Gently brushing away the dust, he opened. Omi twisted his lips a little. The pages were old, in fact, tea yellow in colour. The words were faded, making it difficult to read. Taking a closer study, he discovered the words were not printed but rather, handwritten with its sentences slanting to the right. Pressing his finger just below the letterings, Omi attempted to read a few words.

 

 

“In this heat

In this beat

Take away this in a feat”

 

 

Out of the blue, a cooling breeze blew into his face. Startled, Omi slammed the book shut. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. Cautiously, he looked around. Gau, Michalik and Raphael were occupying themselves with the books on the long rectangular table. Brushing his fringe aside, Omi was about to put back the book when he suddenly came face to face with a woman. She had a slightly long pointed face. Her cheekbones were high, giving a slight impression of an elf. Her black hair was braided and pushed backwards, making her neck long and elegant. Her eyes were deep green though Omi thought he caught a hue of amethyst in her pupils. Even though her skin shown no signs of mortal aging, Omi could not thinking that she was a lot older than she appeared to be.

 

“I see you express some interest in this book,” she remarked with a certain accent that Omi could not deciphered. “Many tried but failed. You are the first.”

 

“I didn't mean to do anything,” said Omi, fearing that he have offended the woman. “It came right after I read those words…”

 

“It's alright.” The woman smiled comfortingly. “No harm is done.” She pointed at the book. Omi saw a beautiful gold ring on her finger. “That book is about elements. Mild things. Some little things we wish we can do for a bit of pleasure.”

 

“I am not a witch. Warlock. Male-witch or whatever,” Omi objected but once more, the woman interrupted.

 

“Many people don't know what they are till the time comes.” She smiled knowingly. “Perhaps, you are one yourself. A natural. Are you going to buy the book?”

 

“Sure,” He replied slowly. Maybe he should, or else he couldn't leave this place. “How much?”

 

 

“For you, I charge you twelve dollars.” She led him to the counter. Her eyes rolled towards Gau and the others. “You are different from your friends, you know.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Omi muttered. Then, from the corner of his eyes, he saw Raphael putting one of the books from the table into his bag.

 

“Don't bother, my dear,” said the woman. Omi stared at her, wide-eyed. “Those books are terribly old. It's better that they are stolen than left rotting. There.” She handed him a paper bag. “Here you go. I will see you very soon.”

 

“Oh…” Omi replied awkwardly. He disliked the way the woman was looking at him. Any second now and her eyes could pop right out of their sockets.

 

 

 

“Are you boys going to buy or not?” The woman raised her voice at Gau and the others. “Or not, please leave. You are disrupting my business.”

 

 

 

“Yeah, we are leaving,” Gau snorted, sweeping his arm across the store. “Wouldn't want to disrupt whatever business you have. Man, this place is so empty and pathetic.” He pushed the door opened. “Come on, gentlemen. I believe we have imposed on our hostess this time.” Laughing like a hyena, he stepped out with Michalik and Raphael following behind. Omi was about to do the same when he decided to thank the woman properly. He turned. He gasped.

 

The woman was gone, making the store increasingly isolated. Keeping his eyes extra wide opened, Omi carefully walked backwards and left the store.

 

“Hey, Kazuki,” Gau called once Omi safely outside the store. He spotted the paper bag in Omi's arms. “My goodness, you actually bought something from that store.”

 

“At least, it's better than shoplifting,” Omi retorted. “I have to get going. Target practice is at three o'clock. See you later.”

 

“We saw you,” said Michalik. The way he looked at him was like Omi had done a bad thing. “Back then, we saw what you did.”

 

“Do what?” Omi pretended to be innocent.

 

“Don't pretend,” Raphael persisted. “We all saw it. How did you do it?”

 

“I don't know.” Omi shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe, I've got it right. Beginner's luck.”

 

“Nope.” Gau shook his index finger. “There's no luck in such things. You are a natural, Kazuki. Ever though of cultivating the power?”

 

“No,” said Omi flatly. “See you all later.”

 

“Yah, see you later. Oh, Kazuki,” Gau grinned. “How did you sleep well last night?” He burst out laughing and walked away. Michalik and Raphael joined him.

 

As soon as the trio was no more than speck of dusts, Omi turned around and leave. Perhaps, on his way, he could drop by a drug store and buy a bottle of sleeping pills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at the University…

 

 

“Yo! Kazuki!” Roberto called out, waving his hand. “Over there. Man, where were you? Target practice is almost starting. You better change. Coach doesn't like late students.”

 

“Sorry.” Omi quickly unlocked his locker. “I was out with Gau and the others.”

 

“You were with who?” Roberto almost lost control of his voice. Making sure no one was within hearing distance, he continued softly and rapidly. “Are you nuts? If everyone knows, they will blacklist you. Nobody will want to be with you. They will treat you like a plague and I can't be seen with you or else they will treat me like one too and…”

 

“Roberto!” said Omi sternly. “Would you please step out of your little circle and smell reality? For goodness sake, you are acting like a kindergarten. Those petty things don't matter when you leave school. Besides, what's wrong with them? They are as ordinary as you and I.”

 

“They murdered Hiroto and Kelly.” Omi was about to say something when he saw the look in Roberto's face. For one still moment, he looked completely serious with his firm hard jaw and steely black eyes. Wordlessly, Roberto beckoned Omi to sit down. Leaning closer, he continued. His voice sounded raw without his accent that Omi had yet to decide whether it was real or not.

 

“What I am about to tell you may sound crazy but it is the truth.” He swallowed. “Last night, after the juniors had left the meeting room, Sara, a few others and I did something. You are the only person to know about this but you must promise… no… swear on your life that you will not, WILL NOT, reveal this to anyone. Not to your parents, friends, pet or your priest for confession. Do you swear?”

 

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” Omi replied as sincerely as possible.

 

 

 

“This is really important because if the Dean finds out, we will be expelled!” Roberto exhaled, releasing all the tension. “Last night, Sara brought the board. You know, the one that acts as a communication channel. The one that everyone puts their finger onto the marker and ask the spirit questions. You know what I'm talking about, right?”

 

“Yeah…” Omi nodded numbly. “You are sweating.”

 

“Well.” Roberto wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “We sort of called out Kelly and Hiroto's spirits. At first, we asked a couple of questions for verification. When we were sure it was them, we then asked if the policemen concluded their cause of deaths correctly.” His voice began unsteady. “The marker pointed no. Then, when Sara asked if they were murdered. The marker pointed yes. When we asked if their murderers were Gau and his gang, the marker pointed yes!”

 

Then, an uneasy silence fell upon the two. In its length, Omi sensed a disturbing anguish bottling inside Roberto. It must have been difficult for him not to say things that would isolate and embitter him further and yet maintain a manageable human conversation with people in a pretended ease. The atmosphere was gradually lightening and while the iron was still hot, Omi decided to strike.

 

“They were good friends, weren't they?”

 

“Yeah, especially Kelly. She and I grew up in the same neighbourhood, like siblings.” His eyes grew cloudy. “Four months and I can't accept she's dead. I don't know how it happened but it happened. She was standing there.” He pointed his hand at the floor, as if Kelly was really there. “At that spot. She fell. She fell just like that! How can anyone fall at place like that?”

 

“Was anyone with her?”

 

“I don't know. Everybody was partying. We were all high but I know those three were there. They always show up even though they are uninvited.” He cleared his throat. “Look at the time, we better get going. Coach doesn't like late students.”

 

“Yeah, I'll be there.” Omi stood up and gathered his stuffs.

 

“Oh, Kazuki.”

 

“Yup?”

 

“Thanks for listening. It's been a long while since I have a real person to talk to.”

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED