Living Hell

Living Hell - Chapter 2 Living Hell Chapter 2 Heero burst the door open. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel distress when he saw that the fire escape had been torn down.  However, the building next to him was only a short leap away, and the window directly across him was open. He reached his leg out and caught hold of the ledge.  With a short burst of movement, Heero made his way across and into the new apartment building. He had tried tracking Rena when she ran out on him, but it was like she had vanished into thin air.  There was not a single trace of her anywhere. The doors near the bottom floor were all locked, and didn't budge with any of his kicks. If Duo had been with him, he could have picked those locks in under five minutes, he was sure of that.  But he didn't know how to.  He had relied on strength, and that failed him now. Heero found himself in a shabby looking bathroom.  He made his way out of there quickly, not wanting to increase his risk of infections.  He exited the room and glanced both ways.  He could see a stair case. He hurried over, the hairs on the back of his neck raising.  Something was down there... but what? Heero made his way slowly down the steps.  So far, it seemed that there was no problem.   Then something warm dripped onto one shoulder. His hand touched it as he looked in disgust. It was clear and gunky, almost like a giant glob of saliva. Heero's head shot straight up. Something came down. It was almost his size and it snarled loudly, gnashing sharp teeth into the air as Heero struggled to keep it from biting flesh. Large hands wrapped around his throat, squeezing it. Unlike the other creatures, this one seemed to show a bit of intelligence, and looked more alive. It's beady eyes rolled about, focu on on him.  It's size was making it difficult for Heero to grasp control. Both bodies squirmed on the floor, and Heero struggled to reach his gun. It's foul breath threatened to suffocate him as he pulled the gun from his waistband.   He managed to pull it up against the monster's face and fired several rounds. The monster screeched as it reared back, clawing at it's face as black blood oozed down. Heero gasped for breath as he inserted another clip and began firing into the thing's stomach. The creature doubled over, glaring at Heero.  And then it lunged again. Heero kicked out, catching it's jaw. There was a resonating crunch as the jaw jerked sharply to one side, and then remained hanging on the monster. Flipping onto his feet, Heero struck the beast one more time with his closed hand. The creature stumbled back, before crashing to the floor. It's chest still m, bu, but Heero was not going to waste the time to kill it. He ran. The exit door opened without any problem, but he did not remain to catch his breath. Heero took of running into the streets, trying to recall which way to go. The foggy air was a light grey, which Heero assumed was because the sun was rising. He knew he had to head north. Heero finally stopped running after a few minutes to catch his breath.  The stitches in his arms were coming undone, and he ached. With a sigh, he yanked out the map and looked at it.  According to it, he was only about two miles away from the beachside park. The park where that other figure always came to him. He never saw the face, but in his heartero ero knew who it had to be. And that thought alone was his driving force. Heero jogged at a steady pace, sweeping his eyes from side to side.  Hopefully, there wouldn't be an ambush.  Hopefully, that creature wasn't going to try and hunt him down. And briefly he wondered whether he was going to die. X Heero slowly walked through the labirynth that was the park. It was almost as if he had been here before, as he made his way with little trouble. But that was impossible. He'd never been here before. And could his dreams have predicted this so detailed? Heero looked up in time to see the statue of a weeping woman.   He paused and looked at her. In his dreams she actually shed tears. In real life, rust stains appeared under her eyes, giving the illusion of dried blood. Heero reached out and gently touched the statue.  There was something else about it that bothered him. Cobalt eyes with a hint of violet glittered with tears. Heero pulled back, shaking his head.  There w pre pressure inside his skull, as if something was threatening to escape. Heero stumbled away, trying to focus on his goal. He had to get to the section that overlooked the shore line.  He just had to. He slowly made his way through the thick fog, and his ears could pick up the faint sound of waves.  Somewhere through this was the beach.  Somewhere was his answer. Heero ran, trying to ignore the crunching sound beneath his feet, trying to hear if anything was following.  And he tried to head in the direction of the waves. Only a couple of times did his path lead to a dead end, another crumbling statue or fountain that seemed to mock him. One of them held a small child with a long braid, flowers in it's hand, a sweet smile on its lips.  Rust decorated the hands and mouth, as if it had fed upon something.  The other was of two people in a lovers' embrace, looking fragile enough to fall apart. Passing a bench, Heero swore he saw the skeletal remains of a human, but he did not investigate. The sounds of the ocean grew louder, and Heero's steps quickened. Then he halted. "Daddy, help!" he heard someone scream, in fear and pain. Heero was torn between heading towards the beach and heading towards the scream. Heart wrenching sobs followed, and Heero turned to his left.  He ran back to another section of the labirynth, listening for the person. He finally reached a section, and stopped, unable to help it but to gasp in fear. A zombie was pinning down a young man, just maybe a couple years younger than Heero himself.   The young man struggle, trying to push himself off of his stomach and flip the creature off of him, but his position left him vulnerable, as the creature violated the boy in front of Heero's eyes. Heero was filled with rage. He charged at the zombie and used his momentum to crash into him.  They both tumbled to the ground where Heero began to pummel the beast with is fists. Blood splattered everywhere, coating his chest and flicking up against his face.  But he didn't stop. Soon the creature lay still on the floor, it's brains leaking out of it's damaged head, blood soaking into the ground. Heero turned to the boy who was staring at him, wide eyed. He was zipping up his pants and holding his torn shirt cl aga against his chest. "Daddy?" the young man whispered, his voice sounding incredibly young. "Daddy, is that you?  Y-you, you finally came, didn't you?" Heero stood up and stepped back, suddenly unsure of himself. There was a strange look in the boy's eyes, one that told him that the boy was not all there. The kid looked hurt, dark blue eyes and short dark blond hair.  "Daddy?  Why are you running away?"  The young man reached out, then yanked his hand back, as if he touched fire.  "I-i-i'm sorry," he said, his voice suddenly sounding a bit older.  "I thought you were someone... else." The young man's shoulders sagged in defeat, and then began to tremble.  "I thought you were him... my dad.  He disappeared so long ago." Heero relaxed. "You must be looking for someone too."   Heero became tense. The young man's voice now became hard and cold, almost as if he were a different person all together.   Heero looked up at him. "Why are you searching?  Did you hurt him?  Did you lose him?" "He was taken from me."  Heero couldn't stop the words that escaped from his lips. "Taken from you!" The young man laughed.  Then he sombered up, looking like the uncertain young man again.  "My father was taken from me.  He was the only one that cared.  None of the others did.  I was always his sweet Momoru... but I didn't understand that.  I... I didn't... I always took him for granted.  He was there to protect me from the others.  But then he left me.  He was gone. Taken from me." Momoru looked up at Heero, eyes filled with tears.  His voice sounded even younger.  "I just want to apologize.  But I can never find him.  I'm always too late.  And he's gone again.  Every single time.  I want my daddy." Momoru shook his head, and the young man's voice resumed.  "I'm boring you.  I'm sorry.  I have to keep looking.  I have no choice.  I will never be able to rest.  Thank you for helping me... but maybe you should have just let that thing have his way with me.  It would've been punishment for me.  And maybe not even enough." Momoru turned around and walked away from Heero, fading into the fog. Heero stared after him, before turning back.  There was something wrong with this whole place ineraneral... not just the fact that there were Hollywood creatures roaming about, but that the people themselves were just... wrong. X Heero slowed his jogging pace to a walk. A stone wall served as a guardrail to a section that overlooked the sea. He could hear the sounds of the water lapping against the shore, and a very faint breeze cause the fog to swirl gently in front of him. But it did not go away. It hovered thickly in front of his face, constantly hampering his vision. But there was someone sitting there. Someone small. Too small to be Duo. But small enough to be someone else he knew. "Rena..." "He's not here, you know," she said softly, holding something in her arms.  "I already looked for him."  She looked him in the eye.  "So why did yo ito it?" "Do what?" "Bother saving Momoru." "I couldn't let an innocent person be victimized like that." Rena let out a sharp laugh that sounded too grown up.  "Innocent?! You mean like me?"  She gave Heero a cocky grin.  "So you are the protecter of centcents, are you?  You mean to tell me that you watch for all of the innocents?  Make sure that nothing happens to them, that no one hurts them?" Heero felt uncomfortable.  "Yes," he said. "Even from you?" Heero aineained from answering. Blood poured from everywhere... staining his hands. "Are you lost, Heero-san?" Heero looked up at her sharply.  In her hands was a little yellow dog. A building fell, and among the rubble lay a teddy bear, and a dead yellow puppy. Heero took a step back, his breath catching in his throat as his guilt hit him at full force. Rena giggled.  "I think someone has some very bad secrets.  Just what are you hiding, Mr. Yuy?" Rena let go of the puppy, and it bounded off into the fog. She hopped down and smoothed out the skirt of her jumper.  "He's loose again." "What?" "Haven't you noticed how much thicker the fog is today?  Kind of blinds a person to the truth.  Blinds them to the facts.  Duo doesn't love him, you know.  He just likes to think he does.  Won't let him go back to the one he loves.  Does everything to keep him from the one he loves.  Sometimes even pretends to be the one he loves.  Are you here to save him, Mr. Yuy?  Or are you going to destroy Mr. Maxwell?  Maybe you sd jud just leave him be." "Never," snarled Heero.  "I won't leave until he's safe by my side." "How revoltingly touching.  Fine.  Have it your way.  But I really can't see you protecting him.  If I were you, oh lost one, I'd go that way." Rena pointed to the west. "There's a hospital in that direction.  He usually has to head over there each time he escapes.  Even though he claims to love him, he always hurts him bad." Heero couldn't help but feel both frustration, anger, and tension at the news. Rena began to hum and skip away from Heero.  "If I were you, I'd hurry.  His minions would be after him by now, and you might miss your chance at seeing our Duo." Heero stared, watching Rena until she was gone from sight, and hearing range. He then turned and left, running towards the direction she pointed at. He only hoped that she was speaking the truth, while at the same time hoping that she was lying. X Heero stopped running, trying to catch his breath.  He didn't know how long he had been moving, but it was enough for him to feel tired. There had been several obstacles in the way, forcing him to go around long routes.  And now, if nothing else stood in his way, the hospital was just another three miles away.  Not much further to go. He placed his hands on his knees, staring at the ground. There was a stitch in his side, and his arm was throbbing again. He stood up and slowly walked, so as not to build any lactic acid in his muscles. He had been walking for ten minutes when he first heard it. The sounds of a struggle. Heero had no choice but to try and help whoever was in need this time. As he neared the sounds, he could make out four forms standing over a single one. The one on the floor was flailing his legs and arms, and not going down easily. "I'm not going back!" he heard a hoarse voice cry, filled with pain and aunguish. Heero's heart stopped for a moment. "Duo..." "Let go!" "Duo." "Not this time, I'll fucking get away from you this time, do you hear me!!!" "Duo!!" Heero ran, pain fading from his mind, as he jumped into the middle of the battle. He shot in every direction, ignoring the splatters of blood and flesh as it sprayed on his face and clothes.  He ignore the fact that they had stopped moving as he repeatedly shot each body for good measure. When his hand gun finally clicked empty, and there were no more bullet clips left in his pockets and belt,  he finally stopped. His breathing was ragged, and he slowly climbed back down from his blood rage. He then turned to the form below him. Wide cobalt eyes, with a touch of purple, stared up at him in disbelief.  A messy braid trailed onto the floor, as stray wisps of hair fanned out and framed his face.  A tight black tank hugged the curves and muscles of his body as a fishnet short sleeved shirt rested on his lean frame.  Black suede pants covered his legs, and a matching choker with a silver cross rested against his neck. "Heero?" Duo whispered, as if afraid. tbc...