The Dream Shifter

Chapter 46.2

There were only a few people left, but as she got closer to the cell that Hitomi had been in was still holding someone.

"Hitomi!"

The person did not move, but it was clear that it was a school uniform from their school.

"Hitomi?"

When they were outside of the cell door Saki let Ayumi rest against the bars while she went inside for Hitomi. Saki knelt beside the girl pulling her shoulder back to get a view of her face to confirm her belief.

"Hitomi…" she said as the hair on her face fell back clearing away a dirty and bruised face.

Hitomi was still out from the ordeal that she had to endure. Saki knew how painful it was and what she must have gone through during it.

"Hitomi?"

Shaking her was not helping, but Saki did not know what else to try to wake her.

'I can't carry everyone out of here.'

There was some slow movement out of Hitomi after all Saki's efforts. Eventually, Hitomi opened her eyes looking up at Saki a little confused. She jerked back suddenly as though she had seen something that frightened her.

"Hitomi! It's alright. It's safe now."

Saki lost control of Hitomi as she fled out of her arms to the corner of the cell. She rushed after Hitomi grabbing her and bringing her close to her so that she knew that she was not alone.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore."

"S-S-Saki…"

"Yeah, it's me, Saki!"

Saki let Hitomi have some room after she had calmed down. Hitomi looked around the warehouse taking in everything still wrinkled in uncertainty.

"The bad man is gone."

"The vines? Vines…"

Hitomi started to panic again from the images that were being summoned up on her mind making Saki grab her once more.

"So many… Get out! Stop!"

"Hitomi! It's over! Hitomi!"

Saki was regretting saying anything now with the state that she was in. She did not know why she had managed to get through without the side effects everyone else had. Saki wanted to cry seeing Hitomi acting like that beyond her control. There was nothing that she could do to bring her to ease.

"Hitomi…"

While Saki fell against the bars being trapped by her failure Hitomi sank deeper into the madness that enveloped her. The screaming had persisted for minutes and pounding until Hitomi exhausted herself and collapsed to the ground panting no longer able to keep focus. Her mind began to drift away and other thoughts came to the surface.

"Saki…Takako… S-Saki…we have to… find Takako."

The words pulled Saki back to reality coming to Hitomi's side to listen. She had all but forgotten the whole reason that they had first set out the other day.

"Takako, that's right. We were looking for her. Hitomi…"

"Find…her…"

Saki looked around the warehouse quickly seeing other cells with people still in them. She was not certain if any of them were Takako, but it might get Hitomi to move away from her troubles.

"She might be here still. Let's look. Okay?"

It did not take much to lift Hitomi back up to her feet now that she had a goal in mind. The thought seemed to be a driving force for her and gave her the energy that she needed to move forward.

"Will you be fine here, Ayumi?"

She had forgotten that she had left Ayumi by the cell with a rather annoyed look on her face.

"Yeah…find your friend."

Hitomi did not seem to need as much help walking as Saki thought as she slipped out of her hands. She staggered a little down the aisle, but carried her feet onward to a cell that was close by with the girl that Saki had tried to speak to before. The girl was rolled up against the cell muttering something under her breath.

"Takako…"

"Is that Takako?"

Saki said trying to remember what she looked like. She had only seen her a few times and the girl was so badly changed by the whole experience it was impossible for Saki to know. However, Hitomi seemed to be certain walking into the cell over to Takako.

"Takako… It's me, Hitomi from track."

"Leave me… No more… …plants…"

The girl was not responding to anything from Hitomi. She did not even look up leaving her hair to cover over her entire face and hang over her knees.

Hitomi fell to the ground next to the girl starting to cry as she put her arms around her.

"Takako…" She had set her head against Takako's trying to comfort her.

As Saki watched she felt like she was seeing herself over again. She could not look any more and stepped out searching through the room for others that needed help. There were only four others that were left in the cells for Saki to help. When she woke them from their trance like state they were able to regain themselves.

They were disoriented, but able to walk on their own. She offered to help them and guide them out into town, but they declined. The cells were empty for all but Hitomi and Takako with Ayumi resting against the bars.

Saki walked over to give Ayumi support before returning to Hitomi.

"Hitomi… Can you two move? We should get out of here before the police do show up."

She got a momentary glance from her leaving her questioning what action Hitomi was going to take. However, Hitomi moved from her seat next to Takako and began to work with her to lift Takako up off the floor.

"Time to go," Hitomi said softly to Takako as they moved together with Takako doing the motions of walking without actively acknowledging it.

Saki was satisfied now and took Ayumi out of the aisle nearly stumbling over the still body of Yuki.

The two girls looked at each other for a moment and then both kicked him in the side. It was enough to make him cough and stir back awake. Yuki raised himself up looking thoroughly confused by his current position. The pain from when Saki hit him came screaming back to him as he grabbed for the bruise on his head.

"You hit me!"

"It was the only way!"

Yuki twisted his mouth a little like he was pouting and frustrated knowing that he had done the same thing to himself as a way to stop his imagination. He caught Hitomi out of the corner of his eye around Saki and Ayumi becoming curious to whom she was.

"Who are they?"

"That's Hitomi and Takako I was telling you about earlier."

"So you were able to find them. I'm glad."

Yuki went around on the other side of Ayumi helping her walk with Saki.

"Let's go home."

Hitomi followed them up with Takako slowly leaving the warehouse behind. The five students made their way back to the train station letting Hitomi taking Takako home while Yuki and Saki tended to Ayumi. The two girls did not ask about what happened, but it left an uneasy air between them on the way back.

Hiroshi was staring at the three of them from the moment that they walked into the house. Jun had been pleased to see that Yuki was safe and Ken joined him as well. They were clinging to their brother while they all sat on the couch.

"What are you going to do about cloths?" Yuki said from the couch looking over at Saki's new fashion.

"What do you mean…"

Saki said as she looked down at her uniform that was barely hanging together. The damage that was done to it left her exposed with only her b*a to still keep her covered completely. Most of her skirt had managed to stay together. However, she quickly became embarrassed turned red in the face thinking about how long she had been like it. She grabbed up the blanket from the back of the couch and held it around her tightly.

"Stop staring!"

"Hey, you're the one that left after decking me," Hiroshi said showing a surprising amount of bravery in front of Saki.

"It's your own fault."

"Don't make me come over there…"

"Think you can hit while keeping yourself covered."

Yuki could not help but laugh starting to feel better about the whole thing. He smiled seeing that it all worked out in the end and Saki returned safely. The concerns of more assassins did not enter his mind, but there was one thing that he should have been fearing. Momoko was entering the house coming back from her full-time job at the bookstore to see all of his friends in the living room.