Diary of Rapture Chapter 2

Found

Long after Jeremy went to busk that night, I was still wide awake. My eyes were focused on the clock ticking happily away in front of me, but I didn't really see it with the veil of fear depriving me of my sight.

But before long, the sleepiness overwhelmed me... and my eyelids began to droop.

And the next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to the gentle morning light streaming through the bedroom window.

When I first regained consciousness, I couldn't remember why I'd stayed up so late. What had I been so afraid of that it deprived me of sleep?

As my feet touched the woven rug below them, the memories came rushing back.

Architect job.

No Lola.

Getting shot at.

Being attacked.

Bloodthirsty vampire.

Knights of Desolation.

Oh, Goddess - I couldn't think about that now. If I did, there was a good chance Jeremy would find out just how scared I was. I wanted him to think that I was strong, that I wasn't weak and afraid.

So, trying not to hyperventilate, I grabbed a bowl of cereal from our tiny kitchen.

I ate my cereal in silence, trying my hardest not to think of yesterday’s events.

But apparently my mind sucks at creating positive thoughts, because the Knights were the only thoughts in my head. By the time I was halfway through my cereal, I was already trembling. I was so frightened that I didn't notice the footsteps heading in my direction.

“Yumi.”

Aw, fudgsicles. Jeremy was up.

“Wh-what is it, Jeremy?”

“We need to talk.”

My gut clenched. “Um… can I finish my cereal first?”

“Take your time,” Jeremy said patiently. “But meet me in the living room when you’re ready."

I washed the dishes as slowly as I possibly could.

But in a blink of my eyes, my cereal bowl was washed and I was dressed for the day.

I squirmed on the tacky, lumpy couch as I waited for Jeremy.

Ten minutes passed. A hope that he had forgotten about our meeting blossomed…

...until I heard the front door creak open and saw Jeremy strolling through it, returning from taking out the trash.

Crap.

 “Yo, Jeremy,” I said, trying to keep my tone lighthearted.

He didn't fall for it. I could see it in his lush, forest green eyes.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything, just regarded me with concern.

A minute passed. And another.

And another.

Finally, he spoke.

“Yumi, are you afraid the Knights will come after you?”

I attempted to assume an insulted expression. “Me, afraid of the Knights? Please, Jeremy.”

“Seriously, I’m not scared of those creeps. They’re… they’re…” I trailed off, partly because I was completely at a loss for what to say, and partly because I could tell that Jeremy saw right through my lie.

“You are too scared,” Jeremy said. “Your lips are white, you can’t stop shaking, and I had to carry you to bed last night because you fell asleep on the floor.”

“Jeremy –“

He held up his hands. “Yumi, you need a break. Let’s go to the beach today.”

The beach?! “But your busking job –“

Jeremy snorted. “The people in the park can survive without my music for one day. And you have the day off, remember? Let’s go.”

“But, Jeremy –“

I realized I was talking to thin air. He was already out the door.

Reluctantly, I followed Jeremy out to the Scrapmobile, so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn’t notice the paperboy greeting me.

But as soon as I saw the clear blue waves lapping against the pale shore, a strange sense of ease washed over me, and I forgot about the deranged vampire Mafia that was potentially stalking me.

The seashore was warmth and peace and happiness for me. Jeremy and I had spent many summer days here. We’d listened to the seagulls calling, felt the rough white sand between our toes, and frolicked on the edge of the vast ocean.

I heard Jeremy curse from the Scrapmobile. Apparently he was having trouble finding the towels.

And so I took that as my cue to change into my bathing suit and make for the sea.

The cool water rushed up to greet me, vanquishing the sun on my skin and bringing me a sense of relief from the heat.

Once I’d cooled off, Jeremy was still struggling to find the towels. So I found a dry spot and pawed at the sand, gathering and sculpting it into the shape of a starfish.

“Yumi! Get your sandy butt over here!”

How had he changed so quickly?!

I sighed, looking sadly down at my unfinished starfish pattern. Then I slowly pulled myself up, softly treading the sand below my feet as I made my way over to Jeremy.

"Hey, Jeremy, check it out – I’m taller than you!” I said gleefully.

Jeremy laughed. “No, you’re not. You’re standing on a hill, dummy!”

“Dammit! I still can't fool you!"

"And you never will!" he said, launching into his impersonation of Hazama from Blazblue's insane chortling.

As I followed Jeremy to the shoreline, I couldn’t help feeling like I was a lamb being led out to slaughter. “Jeremy, what are we doing?”

“Oh, you’ll see, Yumi. You’ll see soon enough.”

When I saw Jeremy’s leg rear back, I knew I was in trouble.

But before I could even protest, his kick had already sent a bunch of salt water splashing into my face. I shrieked and threw up my arms to protect myself, laughing.

“Jeremy, stop it!” I howled with laughter as he sent more drops of water flying towards me.

“Never!” Jeremy said, grinning. “I shall never stop splashing you!”

I made a few pitiful attempts to splash him back, but since Jeremy’s water assault skills ousted mine, in the end I could do nothing but shriek with laughter and throw up my hands to protect my face.

“Okay, okay!” I said a few minutes later, gasping for breath. “I surrender! Break time!”

Jeremy laughed, sending one more splash in my direction for good measure. “You’re no fun.”

As Jeremy and I waded into the water, we pondered what to do next. Eventually….

“Why don’t we go snorkeling?” Jeremy suggested. “We may even find a mermaid!”

I snickered. “Jeremy, mermaids aren’t real!”

Jeremy grinned at me. “Guess I’ll have to prove you wrong, then.”

“You’re on!”

I stared in awe at the tiny world below me. Colorful fish swarmed in schools and by themselves like a living rainbow. The pink coral reefs and seaweed swayed gently in the flow of the water.

There was not a mermaid in sight, which somewhat proved their nonexistence. But Jeremy believed in nearly every mythical creature known to Simkind. The only ones I knew for sure existed were vamp –

Later, I told myself. Freak out about the Knights later. Right now, you’re having fun with Jeremy.

Underneath my body, my shadow followed me loyally. That’s the thing about shadows: they’re always there, even if you can’t see them. They never desert you, though it sometimes seems that way. They’re your constant companion, whether you like it or not.

Suddenly, Jeremy lifted his head from the water and pulled off his snorkel mask. “Yumi, get in the car.”

“Huh?’ His comment had come out of nowhere.

“Don’t ask questions. Just get dressed and get in the car.”

Okaaay….

“Jeremy, where are we going?” I asked as we headed for the Scrapmobile.

Jeremy smiled. “Silly Yumi. Don’t you like surprises?”

“Not really –“

Jeremy snickered. “Quit being all doom and gloom, Miss Pessimist.”

When the Scrapmobile clanked to our destination, my eyes widened.

“Jeremy, is that… the bistro?! You know we can’t afford to eat there – !“

“Oh, put a sock in it, Yumi,” Jeremy snorted. “I just earned a hundred simoleons playing for tips today. Might as well spend it on something fun.”

That made me feel so much better. (NOT.) “You’re paying for this with your money?! At least let me pay half -”

“No.” Jeremy opened the car door and steered me into the bistro. “I’m paying for this, and that’s final.”

And with that, the argument was over.

Jeremy and I were in the middle of a heated discussion on the value of rainbow gems when the chef sashayed over. “Good evening. My name is Greta, and I’ll be your server for tonight. What would you lovebirds like to eat?”

I blushed when she said the word lovebirds. At the same time, I felt a small pang of sorrow. Because even after eleven years, I was still hopelessly in love with him.

Greta’s comment didn’t seem to faze Jeremy at all, though. “Ladies first,” he said, gesturing towards me.

“Um…” I glanced at the menu, and was delighted to see that my favorite food was sold here. “I’ll have some Dim Sum, please.”

“Ze crepes for me, s’il vous plait,” Jeremy said.

A small giggle escaped my lips when I heard Jeremy’s horrible French accent. Neither Jeremy nor Greta noticed. “I’ll be right back with your food,” Greta said, and scurried away.

In the blink of an eye, Greta returned with our dinner.

I took the first bite, and was overwhelmed by the taste of my favorite dish ever. After swallowing, I caught Jeremy’s eye. “How are your crepes?”

Jeremy beamed. “Really good. Much better than your nasty old Dim Sum, I bet.”

He chuckled, and I rolled my eyes. Jeremy was always extremely vocal about his hatred of foreign cuisine.

We finished our food in silence. When the check came, Jeremy slipped in his credit card without even a wince.

Then we once again piled into the Scrapmobile, driving past the road that led to our tiny shack of a house.

“Where are we going now, Jeremy?” I asked.

“The beach,” he answered, staring straight at the moonlit road in front of him.

I frowned in confusion. “Weren’t we just there?”

“Yeah, but… You’ll see when we get there.”

I sighed, and wrote a mental note to myself:  Trying to glean information from Jeremy is like trying to wash a cat; it’s nearly always useless.

When I saw Jeremy place the box of firecrackers on the ground, my heart almost sank. Letting him near dangerous explosives was not a good idea. “Uh, Jeremy…”

Jeremy snickered, waving his colored sparklers in the air. “Yumi, is there a Guinness record for biggest worrywart? ‘Cause you should totally for that in the 2014 edition of –“

I groaned, and picked up the safest looking firework – sparklers. “Shut up, Jeremy.”

The tiny flames danced on the edges of the sticks I held, changing from red to blue and back.

It was absolutely mesmerizing. (Though I’d NEVER tell Jeremy that.)

But he inevitably turned his attention from the sparklers to the more dangerous explosives...

And so we both clamped our hands over our ears, waiting for the impending explosion.

We didn’t have to wait long…

Jeremy threw his arms up in the air with delight, dancing around like a child.

I was just relieved that neither of us had been set on fire yet.

As the second volley of fireworks went off, Jeremy cried. “YE-HEAH!!! BURN, BABY, BURN!!!”

“Jeremy, you are such a kid,” I said affectionately.

He ruffled my hair.

And then we staggered home and slipped into our respective beds.

The smile still lingered on my face as I drifted off into a happy, dreamless sleep.

***

The next day, I stumbled out of my bunk and stretched. Glancing at the clock, I learned that it was Sunday at 11 in the afternoon.

I’d slept in that late?! Thank goodness I didn’t have work today.

Jeremy had, without a doubt, already headed off to busk at the park. So I decided that instead of waiting around at the house, I would go visit a place I had visited often as a child and adolescent. A place that I now didn’t visit as often as I should.

At the Pleasant Rest Cemetery, all was peaceful and calm. Birds twittered from the branches of the trees swaying gently in a mild zephyr. And the flowers released their sweet scents into the air.

The final resting markers of the dead were all around me, but I had come here to visit one particular tombstone.

I approached the grave with the words HARUHI SORA written across the bottom. Under this marker was all that remained of the woman who had cared for me for half my life.

“Hi, Mom,” I said tentatively. “Is the Netherworld treating you alright?”

She didn’t answer. Not that I expected her to.

Time flew by in a breeze as I talked to my mom, giving her updates about what was going on in my life. Lucky no one else was in the graveyard, ‘cause for all I know they’d have thrown a straightjacket over me and hauled me off to the asylum.

Finally, I placed the bouquet of daisies I’d purchased at the grocery store in front of her grave. “Bye, Mom. Take care.”

The Scrapmobile sputtered and clanked loudly as I wound down the lonesome road to the beach.

But, as I lay down on my towel and drifted off, I somehow failed to notice one highly important aspect of my surroundings.

The sun was setting.

As my consciousness returned, I realized that it was pitch black outside.

If the Knights found me here – alone -

My heart pounded in my chest as I sprung onto my feet, throwing on my clothes so rapidly that I probably ended up wearing everything inside out.

I raced towards the Scrapmobile and safety.

But I never got there.

A hand clamped down roughly over my mouth.

Terror gripped my heart like a vise. I tried to fight my assailant, kicking and yanking at the hand covering my lips. But I knew it was futile. Because whoever my attacker was, his hands were inhumanely cold.

The Knights.

They’d finally sent a member to kill me.

“Lovely evening, isn’t it, Miss Sora?” a raspy, guttural voice said from behind me. “Perfect time for feeding.”

He sniffed my hair. “Mm… you really do smell divine. Baron van Gould really wasn’t pulling my leg.”

The tiny hope that he might be just some random vampire as brutally squelched. Aiden van Gould was the leader of the Knights.

The Knight tightened his grip on me, to the point where it hurt and I gave out a muffled cry. “I’m lucky they sent me to suck you dry. They were going to send one of the fledglings to do it, but I was really thirsty. So I told myself, “Hell, Vladimir Shlick, you deserve more than just some random, bland townie to drink from,” and asked if I could go instead.”

His lips rested on my throat, and I gave a final, desperate kick.

This one hit its mark. The vampire howled and flung me away from him like a ragdoll.

Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I sailed through the air. If I could just get to my feet in time once I landed –

But I never got the chance. Because before my body even hit the ground, Vladimir collided with me in midair, bringing me down.

I continued to fight, but Vladimir was prepared this time. “That was a good trick, Miss Sora,” he hissed into my throat as he held me in a death grip. “But your game ends here.”

I felt a sharp slash as his fangs pierced my neck.

And then the pain intensified into pure agony. Having my blood drunk by a vampire was comparable to being dragged across a bed of razors and being burned at the stake simultaneously. More painful than anything else I had ever experienced.

I continued to fight, pushing and struggling and writhing in the torment. But my struggles were growing weaker, and Vladimir had already taken a good amount of blood from me.    
                                                                                     

It was over.


My eyes would close, and no one would look into their blue depths anymore. I would never feel happiness or love again.

I would never see Jeremy again

“Jeremy,” I sobbed, far too weak to scream. I wanted to see him one more time but I was going to die and it hurt it hurt it hurt - 

But suddenly, the pain stopped. The weight over my body evaporated.

For a moment, I was too stunned by the blood loss and the relief of being free from the pain. Then I turned my head to see what had made Vladimir stop, and a khaki clad leg entered my vision.

I was too feeble to feel anything more than a mild shock when I saw him.

Vladimir had rolled off to the side, as if someone had kicked him. And bending over him was…

Happiness and peace washed over me.

Jeremy.

He’d come.

I have never seen Jeremy so furious in my life. His hands were tightly clenched, and his lips were curved up into a snarl. He glared at the vampire with undiluted loathing.

Jeremy never got angry. Never.

Until that moment.

“GET AWAY FROM YUMI!!!” he roared.

Vladimir scrambled to his feet… just in time for Jeremy to shove a knife through his still heart.

I’d thought vampires could only be killed by sunlight or a stake to the heart. Certainly not a knife being brandished so clumsily. But apparently I was wrong. Because the knife was sticking out of Vladimir’s heart, and he was gasping in pain.

Jeremy withdrew the knife, and Vladimir crumpled to the ground, his eyes unseeing and empty, the eyes of a dead man.

Jeremy bent over Vladimir, viciously kicking his corpse. “Let this be a lesson of what will happen to your little Knight friends if they EVER try to hurt Yumi again!!” he snarled.

I'd never thought of Jeremy as a warrior. He was much too sweet and gentle to kill anything. But now I was seeing a new, ironic side of him.

All through school, I'd been saving him from the bullies.

Now he was the one saving me.

I was so proud of how far he'd come.

“Jeremy,” I whimpered. “I’m so glad I get to see you again… one more time...”

Jeremy ran to my side, the anger evaporating from his face. “Yumi,” he whispered brokenly, clutching me to him. “I’m so sorry, Yumi. I couldn’t protect you –“

“No…” I moaned. “Jeremy, this isn’t your fault...”

He didn’t listen to me, trapped somewhere in his own personal hell.

“It’s going to be okay, sweetie,” he said, lifting me as gently as is humanly possible. “I’m going to get you help. You’re going to be fine.”

As my consciousness faded into darkness, I felt Jeremy’s body rocking underneath me.

Something warm and wet dripped onto my face.

At the time, my half-conscious mind was confused. It wasn't raining, so where was the water coming from?

It wasn’t until after I’d already been swallowed by the black that I realized what the droplets were.

Jeremy’s tears.

*Author's Note* Ah, the hell I put my characters through. :`( But I can assure you that Yumi's not dead... yet. Oh, and by the way, here's the Hazama laugh for those of you who don't play Blazblue:

     *End Author's Note*