The Dream Shifter

Chapter 131

"Buried? Are we trapped?" She choked the words a little when she begun to examine the surroundings with him. Being inside a small place did not worry her as much as the confusion that she was experiencing from strange walls that she saw everywhere. Her confusion felt like it was bleeding into her head making everything spin around her. Yumi tried to focus on her brother hoping that it would stop the lightheaded feeling that she was starting to develop. "…Brother…are you hurt?"

"No, nothing." Yori turned around towards Yumi suddenly feeling something in the back of his head whispering to him. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes…" She tried to sound convincing for him, but her unsteady words were only the start of her failed attempt. Yumi felt her knees buckle and then everything in her body for numb for a second like her brain had been completely cut off from her body. She collapsed to the ground barely caught by Yori in time before it was too painful.

Yori could feel her limbs shaking as he pulled her close to him. "No, you're not!" It felt like she had become heavier suddenly in his arms forcing him to sit down before he lost control. Fear was quickly creeping into his heart the longer he stared into Yumi's pale eyes. "What's wrong, Yumi! Where does it hurt?"

The flashlight's beam seemed to be growing dimmer for Yumi as darkness began to blanket her eyes. Lightheadedness turned into a dull pain at the front of her head. Lines of wrinkles drew in around her eyes from the stabbing sensation that forced its way inside her head. "Brother?" Yumi tried to lift up her hand no longer able to see him.

He grabbed on to her hand so that she could feel him still. "I'm right here! Stay with me, Yumi!"

"Yori? I can't see you…" She had at first felt him take hold, but even that feeling was starting to fade from her away. The numbness was returning leaving her whole body dull like lead. Panic gripped her fast as the last threads of reality seemed to be falling away from her. "I can't feel you, brother! What's happening to me?"

"Sister! Please!"

Yumi eyes closed slowly with the last bit of her strength faltering. "…brother…"

"No, Yumi! Stay with me!" Yori held on her tightly shaking her as he could no longer feel her moving. He could not stop for if he did he would have to admit his fear. "Stay with me! Don't leave me alone again! Yumi!"

"Yumi!" screamed Yori holding tightly on to his sister too afraid that even loosening his hold on her would mean that she would fall further away from him. He dropped his head down as he felt his despair increasing its infection throughout his body. It was numbing him and the world seemed to fade away from his peripheral. "…Yumi…don't…" The more she seemed to get away from him the further his head fell until his forehead was touching her's. '…I should have done more to stop her…'

'…I couldn't lose it… I'm sorry, brother…' whispered an echoing voice within Yori's head.

He did not immediately recognize the voice that was speaking him. It was a different voice and almost instinctual that he had to respond. 'No, I could have done something! Anything!'

'…it's not your fault… I made a choice, brother…'

'But you're gone because of me…' Yori became still as he was buried by his own guilt. It made it impossible for him to think clearly. He felt like he was having a conversation with him as it mirrored his own doubts. In his condition there was no questioning arguing with a voice that he was hearing.

'Yori…'

'…sister…' It had only been a reflex on his part, but that was all that was needed for him to open his eyes in confusion. The voice that was speaking to him suddenly became clearer to him and he knew that it was not his own voice. Yumi was definitely talking to him. He did not believe it completely at the moment. A test was needed. 'Yumi? Can you hear me?'

'Brother?! Why can I hear you in my head?'

Yori gasped and pulled away in shock to have heard his sister reply to him. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that he was talking to his sister. She was still alive. He did not know how or what was going on, but it was all he needed to know. He lifted her up hugging her tightly relieved. 'You're alive! I thought you died when you stopped…' A long pause followed him until he realized that there was no response anymore. 'Yumi?! Can you still hear me?' Panic quickly overcame him as doubt filled him up. Yori looked around and shook Yumi some trying to figure out what had happened. The fear that he had been imagining it in a delusional state was becoming stronger the longer the silence lasted. "What's going on with me? Have I lost it?"

Nothing seemed to be working for him and choices were quickly running out for him. Yori sighed loudly as he considered giving up. Hope failing him he rested his head back down against Yumi at a loss. "I really have gone crazy now…"

'Hey! Are you there?'

'Yumi?!' Yori drew back in surprise and panic having finally heard her again. However, once more as he waited there was nothing more. He slowly began to put it together and lower his head back down. 'Yumi?'

'Brother! I've been calling out to you, but you stopped saying anything… I was starting to worry…'

'I'm sorry… It seems we can hear each other when we touch our heads together…'

'Wah!!! Why are you so close to me?!'

Yori sweated a little hearing his sister reacting so embarrassed despite not actually being conscious. 'It's the only way… I'm just your brother…'

'…I know… So what happens now?'

'…I don't know…'

Outside of the rubble noon had turned into early afternoon as two hours had passed since the students had become trapped. After the dust cloud had been removed there were many attempts made by the students present to try to look for Yori and the others, but the significant fallen debris made it difficult for them. Matters were only made worse by the fact that some of the pieces were too much for anyone to lift, even with help. Fear and despair was hanging over everyone, though they all refused to leave until a rescue was successful.

Kaede, Katsumi and Saki had tried to call the emergency numbers for help, but no one had arrived yet. Saki was becoming increasingly frustrated by her helplessness in the situation. She had frequently tried to help with the removal of rubble, but with the limited searchable areas it became impossible. Kaede was on the phone again after waiting an hour since their last call. "What did they say?" Saki inquired when Kaede finished her call.

Kaede pulled her hair back with her hands in a wide sweeping motions looking like she had reached the end of her rope. Patience for everyone was dangerously low; knowing that Yumi was trapped or dead made it worse on her. "They said that they'd send someone when they could, but that everyone is already out responding to calls due to the strange things going on around the city." It had been the longest evenly tempered breath of words that Kaede managed. She tossed her cell phone forcefully back into her bag. The shaking in her limbs was too easily read in her condition. "Damn it! We can't do anything! And Yumi! …Yumi's… I don't know…" Kaede turned to bury her head in Katsumi shoulder hiding the tears that were already starting to fall.

Saki narrowed her eyes feeling the same pain that Kaede had to be. She tilted her head back over towards the school. 'Yuki, please be alive! I know you can save them…'

Still unconscious or unable to move, Yumi rested in Yori's arms. The initial unsettled feeling that was from hearing his sister within his own mind was beginning to pass for him. He tried to remain guarded of his thoughts fearing what she might be able to sense or hear them from him. It was not something that he was originally worried about, but as it became more familiar he realized the possible depths that could be reached. He had not been able to hear anything other than direct conversations from Yumi giving him the impression that it might not be possible to listen deeper. Despite that, he was not going to risk leaving stray thoughts if he could help it. Yori knew he had to find something to keep her mind off their dilemma until they were rescued.

'Yori?'

'Something wrong?' he said quickly.

'No…you were just…quiet…for a while…' Yumi's words were coming out slower and staggered as though there was something pulling away from her.

Yori's arms tensed a little as he heard the fatigued words. 'I'm here still! I won't leave your side!' He searched out the room considering trying to do something himself for an escape. "If I try to dig out I might collapse the entire thing on us… But Yumi…" Helplessness filled into his panic leaving him feeling crowded and conflicted. His eyes turned back to Yumi knowing that all he could do was keep her safe and stay with her. 'So what was it?'

'…huh?'

'The school, that you needed to get from the classroom.'