Hiroshima Crystal Crier, Page 4

  Chapter Three

  Soul got back on the train and hurried to the compartment where she had left Hiro. She peeked inside, looking at Hiro. He was lying with one arm over his eyes and his teeth gritted. Soul hurried inside, shutting the door quietly behind her and going to Hiro’s side. “Hiro?” She whispered, stepping forward and touching his shoulder.

  In a flash he seized her and Soul found a knife pointed to her throat. She stared at it in terror, but then looked at Hiro who gazed at her in a puzzled way.

  He dropped the knife and sat up quickly. “Soul,” he gasped, looking positively terrified. “Are you okay?” He took her by her shoulder and examined her neck, making sure he hadn’t harmed her.

  “I - I’m okay,” Soul stammered in bewilderment. “What was that?”

  “I was having a dream,” said Hiro, looking up at her. In his eyes Soul saw his deep apology that made her pity him. “I haven’t had a dream in a long time and it was a nightmare. I guess when you tried to wake me it transferred into my dream and I thought you were an enemy.” Hiro fell back into the seat and massaged his face tiredly.

  Soul watched him, but then cleared her throat. “Did you want to walk around a little before the train departs again?” She asked, though she hoped Hiro would say no. The last thing she wanted was for Geicko to get free and go after them. The train couldn’t leave soon enough and Soul’s hopes skyrocketed when she heard the train whistle its five minute warning.

  Hiro lifted his head and looked towards the window grimly. “No, I’m fine,” he told her quietly.

  “You don’t look very fine,” said Soul. She wasn’t just fishing for a conversation. It was a true accusation. Hiro looked awful with bags under his eyes and the bruise before his ear deep green and purple.

  Hiro shook his head and placed his face in his hands. “I was dreaming,” he murmured slowly. “That means...”

  Soul waited, but Hiro never finished speaking. She frowned sadly. The sound of the last minute warning whistle filled the air and outside Soul heard the conductor calling for everyone to get aboard. Soul frowned and listened to people walking down the hallway. Some were talking brightly and others were silent. Soul crossed her arms and looked down at Hiro.

  “Are you sure you can’t eat or drink?” Soul asked.

  Hiro glanced up at Soul, arching an eyebrow. “Yes, why?” He asked.

  Soul looked down at him with a small smile. “Let us get tea together,” she said.

  Hiro grinned at her and stood up. “I can’t drink tea,” he told her.

  “Well, have you ever tried to?” Soul asked. As she spoke the train gave one last sound and began to move. Soul and Hiro both caught their balance and Soul went to look out the window. The steam rolled over the station and cloaked those who waved the train on. Soul caught sight of one familiar face grinning at her and holding a bike chain in his hand. He waved to her and appeared to be laughing, his bronze eyes glinting in a way that told Soul she hadn’t bought them any time at all.

  “What is it?” Hiro came up beside Soul and moved the curtain, looking out at the station.

  “Nothing,” said Soul, still watching Geicko as he turned and walked away. She glanced up at Hiro who was looking for what it was she had seen. “Are we going to get tea?”

  Hiro gazed out at the station. “For you,” he said, looking down at Soul. “I may as well try it.”

  Soul smiled happily and hurried to the door. Hiro followed, but not before taking one last look out the window. He thought he had seen Geicko, but he hoped his eyes had been deceiving him.

  Hiro followed Soul out of the room and down the hall to the dining car. As he went he cast suspicious looks back and forth to every window of every door. There were a lot more people on the train. To Hiro that meant there were more lives at risk because of his presence.

  The dining car was well lit and warm. Hiro stepped inside with Soul who instantly went to a window seat at the far corner. It was a round table for two and Hiro sat across from her. The man at the counter came and asked for their orders. Soul told him they both wanted a glass of tea with a little cream and sugar. As soon as he was gone Soul looked at Hiro brightly.

  “So what was it that you were saying?” She asked.

  Hiro glanced at her then looked back outside. “Nothing of great importance,” he replied.

  Soul shook her head. “It’s the second time you’ve mentioned something serious and then bailed,” she said, crossing her arms on the table and watching Hiro. “What are you not telling me?”

  Hiro shut his eyes. The dining car was packed full of people getting dinner. It was a pretty safe time to discuss it, but still Hiro hesitated. “I don’t want to talk about the occurrences of my past and things said against me,” he muttered, resting his forehead on his hand. “Once, long ago, someone predicted my future. Many people did. They enjoy scaring me I suppose.”

  “Predictions are useless,” said Soul, moving back when the waiter returned with their drinks. He placed them on the table in front of her and Hiro with a small glass of cream and a bowl of sugar cubes. “Thank you,” Soul said, giving the man a smile. He nodded once in reply and left. Soul looked back at Hiro who was watching the waiter.

  “You haven’t stopped looking wary of everyone since I woke you up,” Soul told Hiro, making him glance at her. She gave him a concerned look. “Have I caused you to not trust anyone since you think you can’t trust me?”

  Hiro looked Soul in the eye. “I can’t trust anyone and I never could,” he told her, lowering his voice. “You least of all, granted, but you’re not the cause.”

  “I can’t pretend I’m not upset that you don’t trust me,” she whispered, sitting back and dropping two sugar cubes in her tea.

  Hiro shrugged and looked down at his own glass of tea. The small teaspoon lay beside it and Hiro picked it up. “There’s a lot you never told me,” he said quietly. “Of course I won’t trust you.”

  “You’ve told me even less and I trust you,” Soul said, looking at Hiro.

  “You’re too trusting, that’s why,” said Hiro under his breath. He took the cream bowl and poured a little into the tea glass. He then dropped in one cube and looked at Soul. She was looking at him bitterly.

  “Hiro, you are the first person I’ve trusted besides my parents,” she told him. “And I might not know how long it’s been, but I know I didn’t trust anyone in that neighborhood we lived in, even though they cared for me when I needed it. You’re the only one-” she cut off, swiftly lowering her voice and placing her hand to her mouth. Hiro raised an eyebrow and Soul looked up at him.

  “Sorry,” she said with a weak smile. She looked down at her tea and stirred in some cream. “I almost said something different than I planned.”

  “And what was that?” Hiro asked. He lifted the tea to his mouth and first sniffed it. It had a refreshing scent, but he lowered the glass. Soul now looked sad with her head down and one hand resting on the teacup as she stirred it. “Soul?”

  “Nothing,” said Soul without looking up. “You’re the only one I’ve trusted. That’s what I wanted to say.”

  Hiro sighed. “I’ll try this tea if you tell me,” he said, tapping the table with the teaspoon to make Soul look at him.

  “I’ll only tell you if you say what you won’t,” Soul said.

  Hiro smirked. “Bargaining is supposed to end in an equal turn out,” he said. “You aren’t good at it, are you?”

  Soul pouted. “Just tell me what’s going on,” she said, sitting back with the tea in her hands. “You said there was a message given you long ago, and today you said your dreaming meant something. You said it in a grim way.” Soul watched Hiro who had his eyes once again on the window.

  “The ability to dream was lost to me,” he said slowly. “Same with the ability to feel emotions and eat.”

  Soul nodded once. “You told me that,” she said. “But what does it mean?”

  Hiro rubbed his forehead. “Soul, we’re friends, are w
e not?”

  “I’d say we are,” replied Soul. “Why?”

  Hiro lifted the tea to his lips. “The end is drawing near,” he muttered. He sipped the tea, his face twisting as he tasted flavor for the first time in centuries. With a shiver he placed it on the table and looked at Soul. “I fear for you now,” he said, his golden eyes narrowed. “Soul, in my whole life I never had a friend. You are the first I’ve ever had and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “Is that why you’re allowing me to stay with you?” Soul asked.

  “It’s why I worry when I wake up and find you gone,” replied Hiro with gravity. “Soul, if we’re separated then death will come upon us both. I don’t know how to save you, but I am determined to keep you with me until I do.”

  “But I don’t understand,” said Soul, leaning forward and lowering her voice. “Who predicted this?”

  “The scientists,” replied Hiro quietly. He fell silent when someone rose from a chair nearby and left the dinning car. Hiro watched them go before looking back at Soul. “They told me that the day I got a friend I would only live as long as we stayed together. As soon as my friend and I went separate ways we would both die the deaths of my curse. A painful, merciless death.” Hiro passed his hand through his hair and took another sip of tea. “I avoid friendship for that reason,” he muttered. “I thought Anna would become my friend, but she died after I learned her name.”

  “That also confuses me,” said Soul.

  “Hm?” Hiro glanced at her as she drank her tea. “What does?”

  Soul set aside her teacup. “You know both Geicko and Enimito’s names,” she said. “But they aren’t dying.”

  Hiro smirked. “I learned their names before I rebelled against the scientists,” he explained. “They’re safe as long as they don’t face me in a real fight.”

  “Will they eventually?” Soul asked.

  “It’s possible,” replied Hiro, shrugging. “I just have to hope they don’t come against me at the same time. If they ganged up on me I would have no chance. Either I’d lose or I’d destroy them and everything else within fifteen miles of myself.”

  Soul gawked at Hiro. “You can do that?” She asked.

  Hiro nodded. “I’ve done it many times before,” he replied.

  Soul finished her tea. “Well,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll stay with you, Hiro.”

  Hiro glanced at her with a grin. “Well, that’s good to know,” he told her. “I’ve grown used to not feeling lonely.”

  Soul smiled at him and bowed her head. Hiro looked out the window swallowing hard. “There’s two more stops before we reach ours,” he said. “After that we’ll take a ship to my home island.” He looked at Soul. She seemed tired. Hiro stood up and moved to stand beside her. Soul looked up at him and he placed his hand on the back of her chair.

  “Your turn to sleep,” he said gently, pulling back her chair. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”

  Soul stared at him, but then looked away. “Okay,” she said, standing up. She felt Hiro place his hand around her shoulders. She glanced up at him in confusion and saw him cast a wary glance at the window before leading her out of the dining car.

  “What’s wrong?” Soul whispered as Hiro led her to their room.

  “I’m not sure,” replied Hiro quietly. “Don’t worry about it. I’m protecting you.”

  Soul wasn’t sure what she felt at his words, but the feeling in her chest made her feel lighter than usual.