STIGMA, Jujutsu Kaisen

three

CHAPTER THREE, 三

HOSHIKO WAS scarred. Her delicate body was tainted with ugly lines and marks. But this body was no longer hers. Her body and her existence were long separated. She was no longer a part of this world. She never was, to begin with.

She gripped onto the edge of the basin; her body was shaking. Dull eyes dried from all the tears minutes before. Her lips were caked with dry blood. She closed her eyes. Her head was hurting so much, that she felt like it was going to explode. Tears started to leak out of her eyes again.

"Hoshiko, it's Akira. It's OK, you can come out. He took a walk and won't be back... for a while."

She sunk her teeth to stop her lips from trembling. The wound reponed and she tasted the metallic blood.

"Hoshiko?"

The girl bit her lip harder in her attempt to contain her sobs.

A scream echoed through the house. The pain and despair that raked over Hoshiko's body were soon replaced with panic. With no further thought, she opened the door, but she never stepped out as the edge of the wooden door slammed into her face. The force of impact prevailed over the strength in her scrawny legs. She fell back, her head hitting the tiled floor. She saw black spots swirling in her vision.

Someone was screaming so loud that her ears started to ring. Everything was blurry and everything was spinning in motion. Even though her head and face were pounding with excruciating pain, the girl slowly pushed herself upright, only to taste a mouthful of blood. Then, a gush of the crimson red ran down from her nose, dribbling down her chin. The girl lifted her hand and wiped at the blood from her nose. She winced. It felt broken. Another desperate scream. She lifted her eyes.

There in front of her, she saw the ugly jowl suspending down from his chin, his frenzied eyes which resembled a hungry animal ready to attack its prey, the flash of his yellow-stained teeth, the angry lines engraved on his forehead.

Then she smelt it, the stench of alcohol reeking all over his body. Bile rose to her throat. The smell caused a strong wave of nausea to overcome her.

Hoshiko could only watch as drew his fist back. And in the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of another cowering behind the wall, like the child she was, tears brimming in her round eyes. Hoshiko lifted her hand up, reaching for her supposed saviour to come to help her. Her protector. Just like how she promised she would.

But her protector was nothing more than a mere coward, hiding behind the wall. Crying as if tears could save Hoshiko.

I want to cry too. But why do you get to cry? Why can't I cry? You promised me, you promised that you wouldn't let him ever raise his hand. So why are you hiding behind the wall crying?

She let go of something deep within her and a rush of overwhelming heat gained control over her bodily sensations. Her throat was constricted into what felt like nothing. Is this what anger felt like?

A loud crunch bounced off the walls in the bathroom.

The skin on her nose broke, and crimson busted like a swollen cell.

Blood splattered, staining the ivory titles.

Everything was black.

Hoshiko woke up coated with a thick layer of cold sweat. She let out a breath and rolled over to her side, hoping she would find comfort in his arms. She slithered her arms around his body and rested her forehead against his back. He let out a tired groan and turned around, placing his arms around her body. As soon he touched her, his body reeled back instantly.