Friday, February 25, 2005

The Crow: Owarimasu
Chapter 6
Promise me, you’ll never go away





Emi sat in the corner of Kimmie’s hospital room with her knees clutched tightly to her chest; she’d spent her last three days there. Haruhiko’s men wouldn’t go near the apartment. They knew of Haruko coming back from the dead, and as ridiculus as that sound, they believed it. The window opened, and Haruko swung in with the black bird on his shoulder. Emi got up, draped in her red silk kimono and her hair wrapped in a perfect bun, held together by chopsticks. She walked over to Haruko, and the moonlight shined on the gold necklace around her neck. Haruko shuddered away from it as if it were the sun. In a way it did burn his eyes, or more accurately, his brain. Memories were his power, yet his weakness. At that very moment he could’ve broken down in front of her. But she was there to catch him; just as he was always there to catch her when she fell. Haruko bowed his head, his bowl-cut hair overshadowing his eyes and the bridge of his nose. Emi ran her warm hand over his cheek, making him look at her.
“I’m here, Haruko,” Emi said, her eyes glittering like a lake at midnight.
“I know,” Haruko said, as he took his torn shirt off.
“I will get you some new clothes,” Emi said, taking the withered shirt from him. She rubbed at the wound on his chest. As soon as she touched it he flinched, remembering being shot by his brother.
“Come on, Kimmie will be fine,” She kissed his lips, and grabbed his hand. Haruko nodded, and followed her.

The doorknob turned at Haru’s apartment door. He walked in, and hung his blazer over the recliner. He untied his tie while entering his white walled bedroom where the girl he’d slept with still slumbered. He unbuttoned his white shirt, and took it off. He left the room and entered his kitchen for a drink.
“What a fucking night,” Haru said, as he poured himself a cup of Wafumi. He drank the alcohol, pondering on how to stop his brother who he’d already slain cold-bloodedly. The young Japanese girl came out of the room, wearing her underwear and one of his dress shirts.
“What’s wrong, baby?” she asked.
“Nothing, Ami,” Haru said.
“There is something. You’ve done wrong, I can see it in your eyes,” Ami said, her eyes watering up.
“No, I didn’t. Cut the psychic shit,” Haru said.
“Everyone knows that your father is embezzling money and investing in drugs. Your organization might as well be a crime family,” Ami said.
“It’s not my fault, Ami. I didn’t want this, my father did. I followed so he wouldn’t kill the both of us. He is sadistic,” Haru said, running his fingers through her short hair.
“I would rather die with you, than live in sin,” Ami said, tears running down her round cheeks. Haru kissed her with the smell of alcohol on his lips. The aroma of the fine wine aroused her, and she fell into the kiss as if she were plummeting in a bottomless pit.
“I love you, Haru,” Ami moaned, softly,

The crow soared overhead, watching over the couple as they neared Emi’s apartment. The night was warm in the spring season with a full moon shining over the city. Emi held Haruko’s cold hands in her own, enjoying her final moments with him. Emi lived in a small wooden apartment in downtown Tokyo where the couple strolled. Haruko could see the Izumi company cars pulling up in front of his brother’s Apartment complex that was down the street from Emi’s. Ten Mitsubishi EVOs parked in front of the apartment. Men dressed in Armani suits got out of the cars with a pair of guns in each hand.
“Emi, go now,” Haruko pushed her into the front door. Emi couldn’t get a word out before she fell into the door. She scrambled to her feet and ran upstairs after hearing gunfire. The crow landed on the roof on the apartment, and cawed painfully. Haruko was shot immediately by the armed men. He was hit with plenty of slugs to his head and chest. He fell back to the ground, bleeding.

Haru rushed to the window to see what was going on. He saw the men parked in front of his home, but he couldn’t see who they’d shot. He felt a sense of relief after the shooting ceased. The men walked over to the carcass lying in the street.
“Call Mr. Izumi and tell him we’re done,” one of the men ordered. Haruko’s eyes opened, and he saw the men standing over him.
“Don’t call him just yet,” Haruko hopped up, and punched the first person in sight. He jerked a gun from another, and began firing the machine gun. Several men were hit, and they fell to the ground bleeding to death. He jumped up and did a split kick to knock the two men at his sides out of the way. He dropped the machine gun and picked up two pistols lying on the ground. A barrage of bullets fired at Haruko, who was hit by nearly all of them. But that didn’t stop him, and he fired the pistols back, hitting those in his path. One of the men got into the car, and sped off towards Haruko. Haruko ran towards the car, and stepped over it as if it were a step on a stair case. He used the hood as a trampoline to do a diving front flip over the car. As he turned upside down, he fired into the sun roof of the car, hitting the man in the head. The car crashed into two others cars and flipped over. Haruko landed on one knee, and fired at the men at his sides, killing them all. Snipers were posted on the roves of the apartment complexes. Haruko fell back as he was shot in the head.
“Bastards,” Haruko dropped the empty pistols and started running at the men who were shooting at him from their cars. Haruko found himself in the middle of the cars and men while he was still running, nearing a victim. He hit a handspring and then a series of back flips on his hands until he reached his victim. He clamped his legs around the man’s neck and snapped it. He then hopped up, taking two more pistols in his hands. There were only about a handful of men left and the snipers were still on the roof. Haruko fired a round over his shoulder, and a man fell off the roof. He then hit a back flip, landing on the top of another one of the cars where he begun his massacre. The men reloaded, and fired rounds at Haruko who was now a bloody mess. The crow flew up and down the roves, pecking at the snipers as Haruko laughed sadistically while firing back at his enemies. By the time Haruko was empty, the men were all gone, except for two men and they were holding katanas. One of the snipers shot the crow, and she fell to sidewalk beak first. Haruko looked back in aw, and turned around to find himself like a piece of meat on a shish kabob with the katana as the stick. The man ejected his katana, and pointed it at Haruko’s neck.
“Only human,” he said. The wound on Haruko’s gut heal, instantly as the crow got back up. The snipers all turned their sights on the bird, just as the man drew his arm back. Haruko moved his head to the side, and pulled the blade so the man would fall down. He hopped up just in time to duck the other man’s katana. He did a sideways cartwheel to move further away from the assailant. The two swordsmen pursued Haruko until he stopped. He tumbled under the swords, and grabbed the men’s extra katanas from both their waists. He warded their swords off with the two swords before getting up. The men then tried their hardest to at least gash their opponent, but he was too fast with the swords. He backed back slowly, jerking the swords as fast as he could to block the two men. One man sliced below and the other sliced above, and Haruko jumped, knocking both swords away. In a herd of frustration, the men attacked ruthlessly, but it served futile as Haruko calmly battled them. All four of the swords tangled up in a power struggle with the men progressing forward. Their swords moved forth, getting closer to Haruko’s chest. Using their momentum, Haruko leaned back, making them trip over their feet. He fell to the ground back first, getting pierced by both swords. By the time he opened his eyes, a pair of newly dead men were lying on top of him, skewered by the swords in Haruko’s hands.

The glass cup in Haru’s hand departed from his hand and onto the floor, shattering on impact. Shaken by what he’d just witnessed, he left the window. He could hear laughter from outside, and the sudden flapping of wings. The next thing he knew, the window shattered, hence the crow had arrived. She rested her ebony wings, after landing on the counter from her daunting entrance. Haru grabbed his pistol, and Ami ran into their room.
“Haru, what’s going on?” She screamed. Haru started to explain, but found himself speechless, when footsteps could be heard thumping up the stairs.

The apartment was fumed with the smell of lemon fresh febreze, on a mildly sunny day. The breeze lifted the curtains, rhythmically blowing them. Emi had come to visit Haruko, who had just come home from school. Haruko sat on the plush couch after leading Emi into the apartment. Haruko grabbed his literature book from the glass table in front of them. He began studying, as Emi watched him, running her fingers through his hair.
“I can see it, you are going to be something great,” Emi said, kissing him on the cheek.
“I hope so, especially if I want to support you and our children,” He looked up from his studies. Emi smirked, and stared at him.
“How do you know that our relationship will last that long? What if I decided to get with that handsome fellow over there?” Emi asked, sarcastically, pointing at Haru who was just getting out of the shower draped in a towel.
“You don’t want that senior citizen over there,” Haruko said, wrapping his arm around her. Haru smiled, and started to flex his muscles.
“She might want to ditch the pip squeak, and get with a real man,” Haru said, going into his bedroom. Haruko closed his book, and got up to lead Emi into his bedroom.
“I maybe a pip squeak, but I am lucky pip squeak,” He grabbed a blushing Emi’s hand and went into the bedroom…

Haruko kicked the door in, and angrily stomped into the apartment, seeing the apartment as it was on that very day. Then he saw it as it was now. The ivory curtains that once blew gracefully were now reduced to leopard skin. A bear skin rug now lay under the glass table in front of a plush white couch. Haru stared at his brother from the kitchen area, and fired shots at him. He was hit by every bullet, but it failed to faze him. His eyes were fixed on his brother’s, and anger was pushing him forward. The flesh healed on his bare chest with every footstep he took.
“Brother, your day of reckon shall come, but not on this night,” Haruko said, as his footsteps tapped the floor after they left the carpet and met the solid floor below them.
“This is impossible,” Haru said, ignoring his brother. Ami peeped out from her room to see what was going on.
“Haru, your sins are catching up to you, my love,” Ami said, heartbrokenly.
“But it was all father’s idea, I just went along with it,” Haru said, backing up to the counter. He grabbed a knife, and pushed towards Haruko who grabbed his arm. Haru strained staring into the calm face of Haruko. Haruko twisted his arm, and made him drop the knife. He kneed Haru hard enough to make him cough up spit, and then he grabbed his face. Haru’s memories rushed to into Haruko’ dome immediately and the first thing he saw was Kimmie’s face in distress.

”Haru! Haru!, please!” Kimmie screamed, her eyes filled with hurt. Haru tossed her onto the bed, and snatched her uniform shirt off. The room was filled with men, waiting to do what Haru told them to do next.
“Haru, what are you doing? Please stop,” Kimmie begged, her eyes now overflowing with tears of timid fear. Haru was silent as he grabbed her neck tightly. He ripped her underwear from under her skirt, before unzipping his pants.
“Brother, why are you doing this?” Kimmie said, before feeling a sharp pain between her legs. Her eyes grew blank, and she had not the strength to scream

Haruko let go of his brother, and fell back to the floor in shock. His eyes were widened with aw and anger. He got up just as Haru went for an attack on him. Haru punched Haruko in his face, and blood spilled from his mouth. Haruko fell to the floor, not even noticing that he’d been hit. He turned his head, and looked up.
“You raped her,” Haruko said. Haru jumped back, bumping into the counter.
“Lies,” Haru said.
“Your day will come,” Haruko said before the crow cawed, grabbing Haru’s attention. When he looked back, Haruko was gone yet again.


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