The Dream Shifter

Chapter 244

Nodding in agreement, Yumi found herself laughing a little with him. "You're probably right." Sitting with him allowed her to forget all of her worries.

Cutting the light mood a little short, Yuki changed subjects a little. "I'm just glad I was able to get to you in time. I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you."

His words made her hesitate a little. It took her a little bit by surprise to see him worrying so much about her. She knew he cared about his friends, but the look in his eyes told her his words came from a different place. It started her heart beating again, but not for the same reasons as earlier. Yumi took in a deep breath to calm herself. "Th-thank you, Yuki. But you don't need to worry so much. I can defend myself."

"I know, but still…"

It was only getting worse for Yumi. She could not calm her body. Her eyes darted away remembering how easily her emotions ran out of control in front of him. An image of her brother appeared in mind, the one that protested her interest in him the most, even after her friends started accept Yuki. It immediately changed her thoughts. "Yori! I feel awful! We're talking and I forgot all about the reason for everything I was doing. I have to rescue him still!" Yumi began to stand up.

Yuki quickly covered the distance between them and grabbed Yumi's wrist before she got more than a step away. "You don't need to Yumi. It's fine."

She turned her head back to him. Her face narrowed a bit in response him stopping her. "What are you talking about? He's my brother! I can't stand around and do nothing!"

Shaking his head, Yuki paused to re-evaluate his choice of words. "No, I mean you don't need to do that anymore. We already freed him before we found you."

The words excited Yumi. She could see her real brother again. It was actually over. She turned her body back to face Yuki. "Where is he? Why isn't he with you?"

His hand released her. She had no need to run away anymore. "Well, he's still unconscious from everything that he endured. I didn't think that you should see him while he was still out. I thought it might be too hard on you."

Disagreeing, Yumi stepped in closer to Yuki. She fixed him with her eyes to show how much it meant to her. "It doesn't matter if he's asleep. I want to see him to know that everything's fine now."

"Alright. I'll take you to see him." Yuki offered out his hand to Yumi.

The thought of seeing Yori again made her excited. She could see he was no longer alone in a strange land. It gave her comfort, but she still had to see him.

Once more, the couple entered into silence. Yumi's anxiety in seeing her brother kept her still the entire time. On the other hand, Yuki sensed the atmosphere around Yumi and kept quiet. He knew the importance it had for her. There should be no need to spoil the mood.

Far from the camp, which was almost entirely dark due to the chaos, they found Yori propped up against a lonely tree. The still look on his face seemed like he was waiting for someone to wake him up. Torn cloths with an untainted body made him look more as if he was homeless rather than tortured. However, none of it mattered to Yumi. She ran up to him placing a hand on him.

"Yori…you're alive…" She could feel the warmth of his body and the pulsing of life. It reassured her. However, when she tilted her head up to look at his face, something came over her. A cold touch ran down her spine that she could not escape. Images of the things that the illusions of Yori she witnessed returned to her eyes. All of the horror came back stronger than ever. She turned away after only a second.

The pounding in her heart threatened to c***k her ribs. She wanted to flee, but knew them to be in her head. No escape was possible. It was only made worse when Yori lowly muttered her name in his sleep. His voice made her skin crawl. Yumi stood up and fled out of the area.

"Yumi! Wait up!" The suddenly reaction from Yumi confused him. It took him a few moments to fight through what happened. He ran after her still trying to sort out what made her flee. Yuki was afraid Yumi might breakdown, but not run away. Once she was in sight again, he called out to her. "Yumi, what's wrong?"

Yumi froze hearing Yuki's voice. She did not know how far she ran. The images kept flashing through her eyes making it impossible for her to concentrate on anything. She bent over panting heavily even though she had not ran hard. "…won't…go…away…"

Walking around in front of Yumi, Yuki rested his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "What won't go away? Did something bad happen?"

She pulled her head up to look at Yuki. No thoughts went through her mind when she acted, but she knew afterward why she did it. Yumi grabbed on to Yuki because he made her forget about it all before. He was the only thing she had to erase the horrible images from her mind. Once she realized it, she felt guilty using him. However, she could not let go. She just wanted to feel safe again.

It took a little bit for her to calm down, but Yuki felt he could ask her again. They sat down in the grass. She still insisted on holding on to him, though not as tightly. "Everything alright now?"

Yumi turned a little red with embarrassment for her actions toward Yuki. She managed a quick nod in her stifled silence.

"What happened?"

"…I-I…" Her hands tightened around the bits of Yuki's tunic for safety. All of the images faded already, but the impression remained. She could not go into details with him, but he deserved an answer. "I remembered something…terrible…"

"While you were with Yori?"

"…yes…" A second later her body started to shake and her pupils shrank. The realization hit her hard after her words. She understood what it meant. 'I'm afraid of my own brother!' Yumi's mind ran quickly through the implications. She could not believe it at first, but her reactions with him told her otherwise. The thought of being scared of him made her body go into a cold sweat. 'What do I do?!'

"Yumi? What's wrong?"

She looked up at him trying to hold herself together. 'I can't say it to him… I can't…' Yumi shut her eyes for a moment. Her mind worked to push as much as she could away. She needed to show Yuki a better face. 'He'll keep worrying about me… I can't let him…' It took her a lot of effort, but she managed a small smile and happier appearing face. "It's nothing! Just a little faint memory, but it's in the past now."

Yuki looked a little uncertain. She still shook a little in his arms. The determined eyes she gave him made him want to know more, but also felt like he should let her have space. He got the feeling he should not press her. "Okay…I'm here though. For you, you know, right? I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you again. I'll protect you forever!"

"…Yuki…" Hearing his words made her expression genuine. He kept her safe. Nothing bad would come to her with him around. She knew he would be true to his words. All she needed to do was stay with him. Yumi rested her head on his shoulder. Her body felt calm again. "…thank you…"

Suddenly, Yuki pressed against her and knocked her back into the grass. His hands propped himself up keeping him from lying on top of her. A weak grin of embarrassment painted across his lips. Yumi never imagined Yuki of being so bold. She felt torn between resisting and accepting his advances. However, the expression on Yuki's face changed again. "Yuki?" He looked in pain and his blood dripped from his lips. His hand moved weakly over to Yumi's face touching her.

Yumi quickly realized something wrong happened. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open wanting to scream, but her voice was empty. Horror painted across her face again. She did not understand what happened to him. It all happened too fast, but then she felt a terrible pain in her stomach. Blood entered her throat and an all too familiar feeling returned to her. '…no…no…NO! Not again!' She stretched out her hand for Yuki, the last person that made her feel safe. The light of his eyes faded away and she felt her life to follow him.

Tears dripped down the side of her face. Everything was over. It was all a lie. She could not be safe anyway. All of the images flood her mind in her last moments. Again she wanted to scream, but could not. Her mind overloaded itself at the sight stopping all movement in her body. The last pieces of her sanity slipped away. She could not take it anymore. Yumi just wanted nothing.

Yuki's body fell on top of her. The last thing she felt was Yuki's blood soaking into her. The last thing she saw was her brother's dark face standing over them. And, the last thing she heard was his words. "Now you can be together forever," Yori spoke with laced distain.

Yumi disappeared. She was nothing.