Sweet Burden (48 page)

“Just leave me alone,” she replied and turned on the bathtub faucet to drown out his voice. She took a long shower and dried off. After getting dressed, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and faced the door. She didn’t want to go out and face everyone again, but she couldn’t stay in the bathroom all day. Her hand rested on the door knob and she took a deep breath.

Hitomi pulled the door back and walked out keeping her eyes on the ground. She felt everyone else watching her as she walked over to the coffee table and grabbed one of her books. She picked up a blanket from the back of the couch and walked out to the porch. After making herself comfortable on the swing, she opened the book and looked at the pages.

The weather outside was violent. The sky was dark grey and the rain was pouring down. It beat against the roof and cascaded down creating a waterfall around her. The sky thundered and lit up with lightning. She closed her book and curled up tighter with the blanket as she looked out to the woods. It wasn’t long before she heard the clatter of the screen door. She glanced sideways seeing Obi moving towards her. She pulled the blanket up higher as he sat down next to her. She refused to say anything first.

He let out a sigh and grabbed her legs resting them across his lap so he could move closer. “Hitomi, I can’t handle you being mad at me.”

She ignored him and reopened the book pretending to read the pages.

“Fine. Do you want me to tell you what I saw?”

Hitomi shook her head. “It doesn’t even matter now. Just give me some time to myself.”

Obi grabbed her chin and made her look at him. “I want to make this right.”

“You can’t. I don’t trust you anymore. You lied to me.” She pushed his hand away and turned from him.

“Hitomi, I messed up. I should have told you. I just knew…”

“No, you should have told me. Period,” she interrupted.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He sighed and lowered her legs back down to the swing as he got up. “I hope you’ll forgive me.” Obi headed back inside leaving her alone with nothing but her thoughts.

****

Obi walked inside and shut the door hard behind him. Everyone turned and looked at him, but he was only focused on Hitomi’s mother in the kitchen. He started over towards her.

“Obsidian…” Rediisu started.

Obi held his hand up for him to stop and he walked into the kitchen area. Regina was busy cleaning up some dishes.

“I need some answers,” Obi demanded as he crossed his arms.

“You’ll just have to wait.” She shrugged not even giving him a glance.

Obi’s eyes narrowed as he moved a few steps towards her. “I saw you last night. I saw you sneak out of the cabin. You know what else happened last night? Your daughter saw you sneak out and she put her life in danger trying to follow you.”

She stopped what she was doing and her head snapped up looking at him. “What did you see?”

They stared at each other for a few moments while Obi tried to decide what exactly to say. He could lie and tell her he saw nothing or he could let her know that he saw everything. He was angry at her for not telling Hitomi the truth about anything, but he was also angry because she was the one who put him in the position with Hitomi. He didn’t know what he would do if Hitomi never trusted him again. Knowing he should have just told her everything, he fought with himself all night. He had to continually stop himself from marching into the bedroom and telling Hitomi everything and demanding Regina explain. But he knew there were laws of the worlds and he refused to put Hitomi in jeopardy by breaking them. His own well-being he didn’t care for, but hers he would not risk.

“Nothing,” he mumbled. “I smelled Hitomi out in the woods and went searching for her. She didn’t see anything either.”

Regina let out a relieved breath. “Everything will be told tonight.”

“And then what?” Obi asked. “The Afterworld will not stop trying to kill her.”

“Obi, there are a lot of things you don’t know.” Regina replied. “There are things I don’t even know. But the most important thing right now is that Hitomi makes it to her 18
^th
birthday.”

Obi huffed irritated with all the secrets. At least he could be thankful that it was only hours until the truth was told.

“Guri? Do you want to come help me with the cake?” Regina called out.

“Sure,” Guri replied. Obi and Regina stood there studying each other until Guri scooted past Obi. “Wow, I feel a bit of tension. Why don’t you both calm down?” Guri glanced at both of them and Obi immediately felt a wave of calm flood his mind.

“Damn it Guri.” Obi sighed and left the kitchen. He walked into the main room and joined Rediisu on the couch.

“Trouble in paradise?” he smirked.

“Shut up. Don’t you have some strippers to go seduce?” Obi shot back. Rediisu’s mouth tightened, but he didn’t say anything.

“Well, if you two are done, maybe we can try to figure out who exactly we might be able to get for some added help,” Liam said.

“We’ve made a list,” Rediisu added.

“I don’t care.” Obi kicked his feet up onto the coffee table and sank into the couch. He stared at the front door wondering if she would come back inside anytime soon. The weather outside was horrid and he hated her being out there alone.

“You better start caring.” Rediisu knocked his feet from the coffee table and they hit the floor with a thud.

Obi sat up and grabbed the list that Liam was holding out to him. He tolerated Liam and Rediisu’s conversation for awhile until he had to find something else to do to occupy his mind. He sat at the dining room table tapping a pen against a blank piece of paper.

His eyes could have burned a hole in the front door. Hitomi had been outside for hours when the front door opened. Obi immediately perked up as Hitomi walked in. She kept her head down and went straight into the bedroom. The door slammed and Obi dropped his head onto the table.

“While you’re sitting there being useless, why don’t you set the table for dinner?” Guri commented. Obi turned finding Guri with a pile of plates and silverware. He set them down on the table and went back into the kitchen.

After the table was set and dinner prepared, everyone sat down around the table, except for Hitomi. There was a deep crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of light as suddenly the electricity went out. Obi was by the table and he rushed over to the bedroom. He yanked the door open finding Hitomi lighting a candle next to the bed.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“It’s just the power,” she replied. “You can shut the door.” He started to shut the door behind him. “No, I mean you can leave and shut the door.”

He turned back around to her. “Hitomi, it’s just a little bit longer. I am just as eager to find out everything as you are. But please stop punishing me…”

“Stop saying it’s just a little bit of time left!” she yelled. “Everyone is keeping something from me and I am so sick of it! Either I am told everything now or I am done. I will be done with everyone and everything.”

“Hitomi…” Regina moved past Obi into the room. “We’re going to have a nice dinner and then…”

“No! Not then! Now!” Hitomi interrupted. “Tell me now.”

Her mother’s voice became sterner. “Hitomi, we’re going to have dinner.”

Obi watched as Hitomi’s jaw clenched and suddenly her skin became radiated in a faint glow. His eyes widened and he took a step back. Her eyes began to glow a brilliant shade of turquoise and the temperature in the room noticeably got warmer.

“I’m done waiting.” She pushed past them and ran out of the room. Before Obi even had the opportunity to go after her, she was out the front door. He hurried out of the room to go after her.

“Obsidian, give her a few minutes,” Rediisu said.

“Why? You don’t understand Rediisu. You don’t understand because humans have always been play toys to you. I love that girl and I lied to her to protect some secret I don’t even know.” He turned and looked at Hitomi’s mother and then back at Rediisu. “I would do anything for her and all she asked me for was the truth. I couldn’t even do that. I have to go find her. Maybe someday you will understand.”

“You’d be surprised how much I understand,” Rediisu mumbled. Obi rolled his eyes and took off to go find Hitomi. The rain had become even worse appearing as though he was walking into a waterfall. The sky cracked and grumbled while every few seconds it lit up with violent lightning. The rain made it very difficult to pick up her scent, but he figured if her skin was still illuminated he might have a better chance of finding her while in the air than on foot. He spread his wings and took off up into the sky.

****

Hitomi ran straight ahead away from the cabin. She had no idea where she was going, but she needed out of that place. She was fed up with the situation and wanted no more of it. They could all keep their secrets. She ran as fast as she could, stopping every few minutes to catch her breath. Her clothes were completely drenched and her shoes mud covered. She had only managed to fall a few times and she could feel the scrapes across her knees as her feet squished into the ground.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she stopped again to try to get her bearings. It was too dark out and she had no idea where she was going. She was half hoping that Obi would find her, but she was still upset with him. Her head swirled with confusion as she dropped down at the base of a tree. She curled up and buried her head against her knees. A steady stream of water fell against her head as she started to cry. Her body shivered and she felt so alone.

“Why the tears?” a voice said.

Hitomi lifted her head searching in the darkness for the voice. “Obi?”

“No,” the voice answered.

Suddenly the rain stopped and the area around her became bathed in a golden light. She turned and looked at the edges where the light met the darkness. Outside the barrier of light it was still pouring down. Everything inside the barrier was bright gold and shimmered as if it was being hit by the sun.

Hitomi stood up and brushed the water off of her. She glanced up at the illuminated barrier as she walked towards the center. “What’s going on?” she mumbled as she wrapped her arms around her. Her body shook again not only because she was cold, but also in fear.

“Don’t be afraid,” the voice said.

“Easy enough for you to say. You’re just a voice.” Her eyes continued to search.

“But you’ve seen me before.” The voice sounded closer and she quickly turned around. From the wall of sheer gold, a man appeared. He was incredibly bright and she shielded her eyes. She was unable to make out details until the glow began to dim. His hair was shimmering gold and his eyes were bright blue, but looked almost translucent. He was dressed simply in white pants and a white shirt with no shoes on.