Sweet Burden (5 page)

She looked down at herself. She had been terrified, but had not been physically hurt. Her gaze shifted to their hands still clasped together and she nodded. Hitomi lifted her head to see him as he squeezed her hand, but then he quickly let go and turned away from her.

“You should fix your shirt,” he motioned glancing at her, but then turning away again.

“Oh,” Hitomi brought her hand back, feeling embarrassed, and buttoned up her shirt. “Um, thank you for saving me.”

“Don’t thank me,” he grumbled and shook his head. “What were you thinking walking around alone?” He sounded angry at her.

“I just…I was just running to the store. Or back from the store, I guess. I’ve done it a million times before…”

“Don’t do it again,” he huffed and completely turned his back on her. He started to walk towards the street. “Go home.”

“Wait,” she hurried after him, stumbling over unseen things at her feet.

He stopped at the beginning of the alleyway, but did not turn. “What?”

“What happened to those two men?” she stepped up behind him. She had the most incredible urge to put his hand on his shoulder and spin him around. From the lights of the street, she could now at least make out his shaggy hair which was as black as the sky on a moonless night. 

“Are you really concerned with them?” he turned his face to the side and glanced at her. She was barely able to get a good look at him before he turned forward again. “They won’t bother you again.”

“Um, okay.” Hitomi fidgeted with her shirt making sure it was buttoned. “Thank you again. I’m Hitomi.”

He glanced over his shoulder again, revealing the glow of red eyes. “You’re welcome…Hitomi,” he whispered and rounded the corner disappearing.

Hitomi stood there stunned.
His eyes…they were glowing red. Actually, glowing.
Her mouth opened and closed, trying to formulate words. She hurried to catch him. “Wait!” she rounded the corner expecting to see him. “What’s your…” The boy was gone- vanished. “…name?” she finished in a whisper. She looked up and down the sidewalk, but no one was there.

After the incident of the evening, she didn’t want to stand around any longer than necessary. Hitomi rushed across the street and gathered up her bags, then hurried all the way home. She arrived home and plopped the bags down onto the counter. Her mother wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Mom? Mom?” she called out. When there was no answer she went up to her room, stripped off her clothes and put on her robe. She went into the bathroom and started the shower. She sat down on the edge waiting for the hot water and thought about what had almost happened to her. She thought about what
could
have happened to her. But she had been saved.
He
had saved her. She didn’t even know who
he
was. His hand had been warm and his touch calming. His hair was as black as midnight and his red eyes glowed with fierceness. But not even that scared her from him.

Hitomi shook her head and stepped into the shower. She hadn’t been able to clearly see his face. She wished she had seen his face. Now she
needed
to see his face.

****

Obsidian peered down at her from the roof as she searched for him below. His chest was rising and falling rapidly from his interaction with her. His fists clenched tightly digging fingernails into his palms. He could still smell Hitomi’s fear in the air and the salt of her tears burned his tongue. He gritted his teeth in pure rage as he gave a sideways glance at the dead bodies of the men next to him.

He was never going to be able to explain his actions to the council and he would pay dearly for the slaying of two humans not on the list. There weren’t many rules to abide by, but sticking to the lists was one of them. Among the few other rules was no fraternizing with humans. Obsidian turned his gaze back to the girl as she hurried down the sidewalk. He looked back at the dead bodies and couldn’t help but smirk. Figuring he’d dispose of them later, he brushed his hair out of his eyes and started following Hitomi. For her, he was willing to break some rules.

Settling himself on the roof above Hitomi’s room, he dropped his head into his hands. He knew he needed to return and report to the council, but he could not bring himself to leave her quite yet. Besides, her name was on his list and he couldn’t return with an incomplete list. If he returned now, there would be even worse consequences. For now, he still had time to figure out what to do.

He watched through the windows as she spent the evening with her mother in the living room and then she went to bed. She hadn’t moved for a few hours, when her mother came into her room and turned off the bedside light. As soon as all the house lights were off, he found himself outside the girl’s bedroom. Obsidian could no longer smell fear, but the scent of vanilla and sugary honey wafted from her room. Opening the door silently, he slid into the room and over to her bed. She was curled up in her bed tangled in the covers with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. The serenity was gone from her face. He knelt down next to her and reached out to touch her, but quickly pulled his hand back.

Obsidian had held her hand, but did not feel the same sensation he had felt before. Instead he had felt calmed. He had felt connected to her. He grabbed one of her blankets and pulled it up to cover her shoulders, brushing his fingers against her cheek. He felt the heat of her skin, but still did not feel the scorching that had passed through him previously.

He relaxed back on the floor and then leaned forward bringing his face within inches of hers. He took in a deep breath tasting her scent in his mouth, replacing the taste of salt and tears. Obsidian rested his chin on the edge of the bed and watched her. Every time she would exhale, her breath would tickle his nose. He felt as if it had been a lifetime since he had last slept and he found the rhythm of her breathing slowly made him tired. He fought to keep his eyes open, but gradually fell asleep.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Footsteps thundered behind her. She tried to turn, but only saw shadowy figures trailing closely. As she turned forward, there was a bright white light ahead. Her eyes squinted and she stumbled ahead. Sweat fell down the sides of her face. Just as she thought she was about to reach the light, the ground gave out underneath her and she fell into blackness.

She hit a hard surface with a thud. The footsteps were gone and she could see nothing in the darkness. She began to tremble as she raised herself up to her knees. The ground beneath her felt like cold sand. She squished her fingers into the sand and stood up.

“Hello?” she called out. Her voice echoed and she spun around looking for any bit of light or direction on where to go.

“Hitomi?” a voice said.

She turned around again and was met with glowing red eyes.

“You?” she whispered. “Who are you?”

She could see a hand outstretched to her, but his face was shrouded in shadow. Slowly his body came into view. She bit at her bottom lip and put her hand in his. He pulled her from the ground and wrapped his arms around her. She looked up to see his face, but all that was visible were outlines and his eyes.

His hands smoothed down her hair and just as his face was coming into view, he disappeared. She was left feeling cold and empty.

“Wait!” she screamed as she grasped for his hands unaware of which direction he had gone. She was alone again in the dark. “Please come back!”

“Wait!” Hitomi screamed as she sat straight up in bed. Her eyes fluttered open and adjusted to the dim light as she pushed her hair back from her face. Drenched in sweat, she panted while scanning the room. “It was just a dream,” she whispered as she fell back against her pillows. She rolled over on her side and took in a deep breath trying to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t stop thinking about the black haired boy and his hand outstretched to her. She closed her eyes as the scent of rain and fresh pine filled her and she fell back asleep.

A few hours later, Hitomi woke up to her alarm. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and looked around her room. Something felt different in her room, it smelled different. She inhaled deeply; the fresh rain and pine smell still filled the room. She noticed that her door was ajar. Figuring her mother had looked in; Hitomi shook her head and got out of bed.

Pulling her back pack over her shoulder, she stepped out onto the front steps. It was another sunny day. She tilted her head up drinking in the rays and a smile spread across her face as Kerry’s car turned into the driveway. Kerry honked the horn and Hitomi rolled her eyes. She hurried to the car and hopped in.

“You look happy this morning,” Kerry commented shifting into reverse.

“It’s the sun. It always makes me feel better.” Hitomi rolled down the window. The air smelled of burning leaves and fresh pumpkin. The leaves were turning brilliant shades of red and gold and they were starting to fall to the ground. The wind whipped through the park as they passed by and Hitomi watched as a cluster of leaves danced to the ground. But she didn’t get to see them hit the grass. Her eyes had suddenly focused on a figure relaxed on the bus stop bench.

His legs were stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. His hair was as black as midnight and blew into his eyes. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and his gaze appeared to be staring right at her.

Hitomi quickly looked away and sunk down in the seat. Her stomach twisted as she let a gasp escape her lips.

“You okay?” Kerry asked.

“Um, yah. I just forgot about some homework.” Hitomi shifted in the seat and peeked back up out the window. They had passed the boy and she looked into the side mirror to get another glimpse of him. His posture had changed. He was sitting forward, knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. His elbows rested on his knees and his eyes were following the car. Something about him seemed familiar. He became smaller in the mirror and all Hitomi wanted to do was turn around and go past him again.

“Did you see that guy?” Hitomi asked.

“A guy?” Kerry raised an eyebrow. “Did you really notice a guy?”

“Yah. He was sitting waiting for the bus. Did you see him?”

“Sorry. I was, ya know, driving.”

“Kerry, you always have a second to notice a hot guy,” Hitomi huffed.

“You just said a guy, not a hot guy?” Kerry adjusted her rearview mirror trying to get a look. “I don’t see anyone.”

“Well, we’re too far away now.”

“Want me to turn around?”

Desperately Hitomi wanted to say ‘yes’, but she shook her head. “We’ll be late.”

All day, Hitomi could only think of the boy on the bench and the boy that saved her. The boys were beginning to mold into one. The black hair, the lean body…
Could they be the same?
If they were the same guy, why was he outside her house? It could simply just be a coincidence. But the way that his gaze followed her in the car, it made her stomach twist and knot. Perhaps it was just her wishful thinking that she had seen her savior in the daylight. She was upset at herself for not getting a better look at him. His face had been tilted down hiding any features and she didn’t see his glowing red eyes, but she felt his stare.