It took me a little while to recover from the move I'd just made...but after I cleaned up the mess in the kitchen my nerves had calmed down somewhat. I turned out all the lights and went to bed. Yet...I couldn't sleep hardly at all. I woke with a start at 3:30am...so I simply got up and went back into the living room. Flipping on the TV, a special news report was running on permanent repeat. A slight smile began to form on my face...it had worked...they had ALL died simultaneously....and more importantly...it was the assumed work of KIRA. KIRA's Return was official...
"Criminals of the world, cower in fear...for the one who shall judge and condemn you has returned." I found myself mumbling. I felt empowered...to do what must be done....in order to cleanse this impure world.
A couple of hours later I heard Remu thrashing and yelling in her sleep. I knocked on her door and joked with her about the day. I had really hoped she'd forgotten...but I suppose that was impossible. Today was...the anniversary of Father's death. She wanted me to stay with her...even though I was supposed to go in to work today...but for my sister, anything. I spent the entire morning with her, until she ensured me she was okay. I then went to work as usual, getting off just a bit early. Thank goodness it was a slow day...and being a weekend everyone was lazy.
I made my way to the cemetery where father and mother were. Finding their memorial stones, I gently cleaned them and placed offerings. This was my routine...every single year. Kneeling I clapped my hands together and began my prayer. When I finished, the sun was setting...casting an orange glow over the area. I stood up.
"I will avenge you father...mother..." I whispered as I walked away. "And I will cleanse this world as well..."
As I walked towards the train station there were several thoughts racing through my mind. Ren....had he seen the broadcast? He was so obsessed with KIRA....he must've seen it...and then there was Koko. The girl I met in the cafe...one of her personalities had been right on the money...so openly naming me KIRA...and I hadn't even made a move yet. She'd shocked me...and yet...she too supported KIRA's actions. I wondered what the followers of the previous KIRA would do now? Would they follow ME? I, who wished to save this rotting world...or would they scorn me? Mistaking me for the previous KIRA and chastising me for abandoning them these last ten years. These long ten years which had been re-infested with corruption...
I got on the train and decided for some reason to get off at the stop before mine. I found myself just walking around aimlessly. I didn't really know why...maybe it was the fact that this day always hurt a lot. It was the day everything began to go down in a spiral.
Father was a police officer. He was good at what he did...always trying to right the wrongs in the world...but sometimes...the police just weren't enough. That's what KIRA was for, he was able to cross all the boundaries the officers of the law weren't. To bring Justice in the truest and most ultimate form. Father was neutral when it came to KIRA. On one hand...he knew it was wrong to kill...but on the other...it was making the world safer...and being a father, this was important to him for the safety of his children.
But that day...everything changed. Justice wasn't brought...and it never came...why did KIRA fail...where did he go?? Father was killed...by that murderer....a serial killer they'd been trailing for weeks...why did it come to that...I could remember mother's face when the policeman came to our door...it was raining so hard....
I snapped out of those memories. It always, ALWAYS happened on this day...those grim thoughts. I had continued walking on...but for some reason...I didn't know WHERE I was right now. What had I done...walking in a daze like that....now I was totally lost! I tried not to panic as I walked down the streets...they all looked the same...and none of them were familiar to me. I could feel my pulse heightening as the street lamps lit up and it seemed to get later and later. Those of an unsavory nature began walking the streets...I had to get out of here!
I walked faster and faster back down the path that looked the least cluttered with "filth"...all the way until a familiar looking mini-mart. I sighed with relief...I was within walking distance from home now. I had come a very long way. My legs were starting to hurt to prove it. It was late now...I don't know where the time went...I had spent too long lost. That...and dwelling on things from the past. I was so close to home...my feet were longing for it....when I heard a loud crash from the street over. The street I LIVED On!
I picked up my pace, when I got within visible distance I saw a large white truck toppled over, and a man standing at the entranceway to my building...he had just put something on the door. As I got CLOSER...I saw the actual scene...the gruesomeness of it all. There were...puddles of blood...two bodies....one was missing something rather vital...HIS HEAD. The other lay face down in a pool of his own blood...and the other man there...was standing at the top of the steps...a strange look on his face. I stopped before him...he was bleeding...he'd been shot by the look of it. Yet I was silent...I didn't know what to say...I felt sick to my stomach...
"The Beasts have been silenced." Were his first words.
I gave him a questionable look. "Beasts? What are you talking about...what happened here? YOU were here...you SAW it..."
"No...I didn't just witness it...this was MY doing." He smiled. "I finally have it....the power! I can rid the world of beasts like that!"
"You....killed them?" I stumbled. Who was I to judge him...I didn't know ANYTHING about the situation....besides...I myself was now a killer....no better and no worse. "You're bleeding..."
Suddenly he stopped and looked at his arm. It was as though he'd forgotten all about it in his state of euphoria. He just stared blankly at it...unsure of what to do.
I took a deep breath...trying to calm myself. Hurrying up the steps I grabbed his arm and quickly tied a handkerchief around the wound...in an effort to stop the bleeding. "You have to go to the hospital..."
"No. I just have to get home...I'll be fine." He denied quickly. He seemed adamant about it.
"But..." Before I finished my sentence I saw the note plastered to the door. "What the...." I grabbed it because it had my name on the front.
He seized it from me. "You may not read that!" He denied quickly. "Not unless you are Miss Kaori!"
"I AM Kaori!"
"What?" At this...his eyes seemed to light up. "Will you please help me home...I don't know...I may have lost too much blood."
I sighed...I couldn't just leave him....but there was a huge mess out here. I grabbed my cell phone and called the police. Informing them of the mess...I was sure they would get tired of me. First a serial killer...now this. I sighed again and starting walking with this strange man...I didn't even know his name...I hadn't seen the message on the truck....or perhaps I'd have been a bit more wary.
"I'm sure you're wondering what happened back there." He spoke suddenly. "Those men were punished. They were the men you've been hearing about...the serial rapists."
"What?" I questioned. "Look...who ARE you? You know my name...but I don't know anything about you?" I asked in frustration. I was only getting more and more confused.
"SK." He replied calmly. "Just call me SK."
"SK..." I rolled over my tongue. Who was this guy...the longer I was with him...the more confused I got.
"This is it. This is where I live." SK stated stopping in front of his building. "I'm sorry to ask more of you...but since I've asked so much...would you like to come in?"
I didn't know if I should accept...but my feet were begging me to. Since I'd been walking for literally HOURS...I accepted. "Sure...why not?" I answered with little enthusiasm...honestly...I didn't know WHAT to expect...
~Kaori
