The Fox and The Rabbit

WARNING! There are some intense scenes in this chapter. Not for the faint of heart!

Yuki’s brow furrowed, the slight breeze sweeping a few stray locks in his eyes. He knew something was wrong with Aimi today. She hadn’t been acting like her usual, cheerful self. And then she took off after school without a word, obviously forgetting that today was a study day. He certainly wasn’t going to let her get away that easy. He had a feeling that leaving her alone when she was like this wasn’t a good idea.

“I’m off to tutor Aimi. See you later, Honda-san.”

“Okay,” Tohru’s face expressed concern as well but she didn’t voice it, just waved at him as he headed down Aimi’s street. Kyo’s face darkened, as if he too wanted to say something, but he merely continued on home by Tohru’s side.

So, he wasn’t the only one worried.

Avoiding shining mud puddles, Yuki approached Aimi’s home and entered quietly. He didn’t want to disturb her father if he was at work on a new painting. But upon removing his shoves and entering the kitchen, he had the distinct feeling that he was alone. No one was down here. Was she already upstairs, studying? Strange.

Feeling like an intruder in an empty house, he observed the sheet of white paper on the kitchen table and read her father’s note. As his eyes skimmed the page, he thought he heard a crash upstairs. It was muffled but it was the noise glass makes when it shatters.

Immediately heading to the bottom of the stairs, Yuki called up. “Aimi-chan? Are you okay?”

No answer.

He was getting a bad feeling. He could feel the hairs on the nape of his neck standing out in alarm. “Do you need help?” he called again, louder this time.

Still no answer.

He heard a thump overhead like something hitting the floor and that had him rushing up the stairs two at a time. Yuki knew in his gut that something was terribly wrong here. Zipping into her bedroom, he saw the overturned box of letters on her bed scattering over the floor. Her bathroom door was closed. Sliding it open, he could never have been prepared for the sight that awaited him.

Aimi was slumped on the floor against the tub, her legs bent at right angles, her hands resting palm up on her knees. The mirror over the sink was in pieces. Bright blood was splattered everywhere. The liquid poured from deep gashes on both her wrists, raining down her legs to form an ever growing puddle around her. Her eyes were closed, her expression serene.

Yuki gasped, unable to even scream in his surprise. Then he was moving, slip-sliding through the blood down to her side, yelling her name, slapping her cheeks.

Her eyes fluttering, Aimi mumbled, “Please stop yelling at me like that.”

Yuki put a vice-grip on both her wrists, panicked, unsure how to help. “My god, Aimi!”

Somehow, over the deafening beats of his own heart, Yuki heard a noise downstairs. He faced the door, praying it was her father, screaming for help. Footsteps pounded up the stairs and Fujimoto-san appeared in the doorway.

“No!” he gasped, his eyes unbelievably wide.

“I just found her. Please, call for help!” Yuki cried.

Aimi’s father nodded and raced back downstairs. Facing Aimi again, Yuki tried to slow his breathing and calm his mind. He had to do something else to stop the bleeding or at least slow it down or she wasn’t going to make it. A hand towel hung from a rack beside him and he snatched it up quickly, ripping it in half longways. Wrapping one strip above her elbow, Yuki tied the tightest knot he could before moving on to the next arm. He hoped that would help slow the blood flow. Grabbing another towel, he gripped her wrists again, holding her arms up above her head.

“Please let this work,” he whispered.

Aimi was more conscious than he realized because at his words, she slid her eyes open wearily and grimaced. “It probably… will, too.”

“Why?” Yuki couldn’t help the words tumbling from his shocked mind and out his mouth. “Why would you do this, Aimi?”

“Why indeed,” she muttered. “Why do I even bother? A creature like me isn’t meant for this world.”

“Creature? What are you talking about?” Yuki suddenly became angry. “You are not giving up on me! I will not let you die like this!” He realized that her father had returned and was observing silently from the door but he didn’t care. He couldn’t believe a girl full of such life and love could think to do such a thing. “This is a selfish and lazy way out, Aimi! I won’t let you!”

Yuki grew quiet as he realized that she had finally passed out. His words were hollow to begin with. He had no control over this situation. He felt like a drowning man under two tons of water. He could only struggle and hope for the best, knowing death was near.

Fujimoto-san was sobbing quietly, his face in his hands. The man seemed afraid to enter the bathroom, afraid to approach her. Like if he touched her, he might discover her already dead.

Confused, terrified and covered in blood, Yuki’s heart leapt in his throat when he heard the sirens approaching. Would they be in time?