Sweet Burden (38 page)

“What are you doing for her on her birthday? Have you thought of anything for a gift?”

“A gift?” The gun slipped out of Obi’s grip and fell to the ground with the barrel pointed at Guri.

“Will you be careful with that?” he shook his head. “And yes, a gift. How have you forgotten everything about humans in the past 18 years? Don’t even think of giving her a gun or knife.”

“Why not?”

Guri rolled his eyes and placed the small gun back on the ground. He pulled his legs up Indian style and rested his elbows on his knees. His finger tapped against his forehead. “What does an ex-death god turned protector get his healing powered girlfriend for her 18
^th
birthday? Do they have a registry for that?” He laughed at his own joke.

At one time Obi would have laughed at the situation had it been someone else’s. But this was
his
situation and his mind went into full blown panic. “I don’t know. I have no idea. She’s going to be expecting something and…what should I do? What do girls like?”

“Well, it’s more about what Hitomi likes.”

“I could have asked Rediisu. He knows a lot about girls.”

“Probably not the kind of knowledge you’re looking for,” Guri replied. “A present idea from Rediisu would most likely get you smacked across the face. But I think I’ve got an idea for you. But you’ll need these.” He pulled out what looked like small red crystals from his pocket. He grabbed Obi’s hand and dropped them into his palm.

“What are these?”

“It’s how Hitomi saved you. Somehow her powers turned the blood that should have killed you, into this crystal form. In all honesty, I’ve never heard of anyone having an ability like that. I figured she’d be able to save you by drawing out the blood, but to have it put in crystal form was not what I thought. It made it so simple for her to save you.”

Obi closed his fingers around the bright red crystals knowing that he owed his life to her. “So, what’s the idea?”

****

Hitomi finished doing the dishes and cleaning up the cabin. She reorganized all her clothes separating them into dirty and clean. She found Obi’s pile of clothes stuffed in the corner and threw them on the bed. As she started folding them up, his scent wafted from each fiber. The mixture of musk and rain practically made her lightheaded. Faintly she heard his voice outside and went to the bedroom window. Peeking out, she watched him talking very animated with Guri. Just seeing him sitting there with his hair glistening with a light mist and his eyes sparkling green was enough to make her heart beat faster.

Figuring she had kept herself inside long enough, she grabbed a blanket, one of her books and headed outside. The screen door shut hard behind her and Obi and Guri glanced up and stopped talking. She smiled at them and moved over to the swing making herself comfortable. She curled into the blanket and opened the book. Glancing up, she noticed that they went back to talking but kept their voices low.

Hitomi tried to focus on the words on the pages of the book but she couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting up to what she considered her own personal marvel. She wasn’t sure how it seemed Obi became more gorgeous every day. Every so often his emerald eyes would lock with hers and she felt as overwhelmed as the first day they met.

She watched them with curiosity from behind the cover of her book as they started fooling around with each weapon. Guri seemed well versed in handing each weapon, even twirling a dagger around in his fingers. He turned around and flung the blade at a tree. It hit the trunk with a thud and stuck there. Obi seemed to be impressed as he went over and pulled it from the bark.

“Hitomi, you wanna come over and try?” Guri motioned.

“I don’t think so Guri.” She smiled and shook her head pretending to be engrossed in her book. She wasn’t sure she was going to actually be able to touch any of those weapons. She had smelled living blood in them and on them. Obi’s blood didn’t have quite the same scent. His blood hadn’t burned the back of her throat.

Her mind began wandering to what Obi and Guri kept referring to as the ‘the extermination’. According to them it had been very one sided, the Afterworld completely overpowering the Heavens. She wondered what would have had the God of Light so distracted that he didn’t see a war coming. With a brother called the God of Darkness, why wouldn’t he have an army ready at all times? Isbian had let thousands of those under him be slaughtered. The thought churned her stomach and she swore she heard the screams of agony.

Suddenly she jumped as a deafening shot rang out. She snapped out of her trance and looked up seeing Obi handling a very large gun. He had it pointed into the woods and fired another shot. Again her body nervously jerked and she instantly became frightened. The third blast had her covering her ears as she buried her head into her knees letting her book fall to the ground. Her body trembled and within seconds she felt Obi’s warm hands on her arms. 

“Hitomi?” His voice was soft and he squeezed his grip slightly. “I’m sorry. I should have told you it was going to be loud.”

“Loud?” she lifted her head. “That’s an understatement.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But it’s something you’re going to have to get used to. Do you want me to show you how to fire a gun now?”

“I
cannot
use that one,” she replied pointing out towards the weapons on the ground.

“No. I have a much smaller one for you.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “You’re shaking.”

“I don’t think I can do it Obi.”

He moved one hand up to her shoulder and brushed her hair back from her face. “You have to.”

Hitomi shook her head. “I can’t. I refuse to take another life. I’m sorry.” She threw back the blanket and got up rushing back into the cabin.

She went straight for the bedroom and buried herself in the bed. She covered her ears with her hands and tried to block out the sounds of the shots. She wanted to scream at them to stop, but she knew they were preparing for another war and there was nothing she could do about it.

After what seemed like an eternity of ringing shots, there was suddenly silence. Hitomi finally felt she could breathe again. She started to sit up when the bedroom door cracked open. Obi peered in and he opened the door all the way.

“We’re all done for the day,” he said quietly.

Hitomi let out a deep breath and intertwined her fingers together. She felt like a coward. He was the epitome of strength and bravery and she was weak.

“I’m sorry I ran away,” she said, her voice practically cracking.

“It’s alright.” Obi moved across the room in a few graceful strides and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. “You can try tomorrow. I know this is very scary for you, but I want you to be able to defend yourself.”

She nodded. “I have to be stronger. I know that. I just freaked out.”

“You are strong.”

“No I’m not. Not yet.” Hitomi slid off the bed and stood up in front of him. “But you can teach me, right?” She reached down and took one of his hands. The warmth wrapped around her entire body as he squeezed her fingers. If she had her choice, she would permanently attach her hand to his.

“I won’t need to teach you anything.” He stared up at her. “You have more strength inside you than you know.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Look at everything you’ve been through.”

“It’s the future I’m scared of.” A frown spread across her face and she looked away from him. “I don’t think I would be able to live if anything ever happened to you again. I’ve gone through all the emotions of thinking you were going to die. I wouldn’t be able to do it again.”

“Hitomi, don’t say that.”

“Obi, you don’t know what it was like…”

“Hitomi, stop. Please.”

She turned back to him not sure what to make of his expression. He looked almost pained by her words. He let go of her hand and put both hands on her waist. Obi pulled her to him and rested his head against her stomach. Her insides fluttered and trembled.

“Promise me you’ll never make me go through that again?” she mumbled as she hesitantly combed her fingers through his hair.

“I promise you’ll never have to go through what you went through that night,” he replied. His jaw moved against her stomach and she could feel the tension. He tried to counter the anxiety with moving his thumbs in a circular motion against her skin.

A smile spread across her face. “Is that supposed to calm me?”

“Is it working?”

“Not even close.” She was surprised she was able to keep her breathing from becoming erratic, but her pulse was racing. His fingers stopped and he snaked his arms around her waist squeezing her tightly. “I didn’t mean you needed to stop.”

“Yes, I did. You are always trying to undermine my self-control.”

“Why do you always have so much self-control?” she smirked as he lifted his head and looked up at her.

“It’s not so much self-control as much as it’s a complete lack of knowledge.”

Hitomi let out a laugh. “Did you just make a joke?”

“Possibly,” he shrugged. “I must be hanging around Guri too much.”

“So, due to your lack of knowledge I should probably let you know that you’re supposed to kiss me now.”

He didn’t take his eyes from her as he stood up. Obi’s hands moved up to her face and he held her head. Slowly he leaned down as she closed her eyes. His breath tickled her lips as she stood there anticipating. His mouth closed over hers sending a new jolt of electricity pulsing through her.

Hitomi raced through the woods. Her feet sinking into the ground slowing her run as she tried to catch her breath. She didn’t know what she was racing to or from. But her stomach clenched with worry. Was she worried about Obi? Was she worried about herself? Her mother? She didn’t know. It was as if everything was crashing down on her. Every worry in the world was on her mind and she couldn’t distinguish any of them.

Branches and leaves scratched against her skin. She could smell the blood trickling from gashes. It mixed with perspiration on her body. Her legs began to ache and her feet felt heavier. With her toes catching on a tree root, she crashed to the ground. Her hands became buried in mud as she desperately tried to pull herself back up. It was so dark out she couldn’t remember what direction she was running. Hitomi’s head swiveled in all directions.

“Hitomi!” Obi’s voice called in the distance.