A Murderer's Era

LAUGHING HAS NEVER FELT SO GOOD.

                                                                       SHIRO

"How about you and I go outside and get some fresh air? Hm?" I said grinning. "Sure. that sounds nice..." Rei said glumly. I know she understands, but I feel like she is still mad. I gripped her hand tightly and ran through the front door, leaving it with a loud slam. I sat down on her patio and let go of her hand. The air was warm, and the wind was breezy. The leaves in the trees rustled while I stared at the beautiful scene. "This is nice," I said, giggling a little. "You're right." Rei said with a smile. We watched as the bushes rustled and slumped a little. It was relaxing, the weather was perfect. "Hey Shiro." Rei said bluntly. "Yeah?" I replied, raising one eyebrow. There was a moment of silence. "I was wondering..." Rei began, she seemed to straighten. "...what does it feel like to kill?"

I froze. Something was off about her. She was acting strangely. No... unsettling.

"What...?" I asked, my voice was a mix of emotions. "I asked: what does it feel like to kill?" Rei asked. Her voice was emotionless. Which made the question seem even more unsettling. There was a moment of silence. I could only stare at her. The feeling of confusion left me, and I felt this weird feeling of insanity wash over me. "It felt awful. I could feel their life draining from them. My eyes feel different, as if they changed shape completely. When I killed them, I had only two feelings. Guilt and confidence. It was a hideous thing to do, killing them I mean. I feel their burden on my shoulders, and the memory of killing them only repeats. And yet I feel this powerful feeling of insanity. Insanity feels like a mix of wickedness and power. I have the emotions of a normal human being, but insanity only changes me. The person I once was gone forever." I said, with the same emotionless voice Rei had. Rei nodded, she felt satisfied. Still, that was quite unsettling even from Rei. "What does it feel like to kill?" What? That question made me feel uneasy. Still, I answered it. "Well, thank you for answering... I just wondered... You just felt... You know, off. And I just wondered how it felt." Rei fiddled around with her fingers, and I glared at her. I made her ask that question. I shook my head, I had to kill them. I had to protect them. Even if it means changing their perspective of me. "...Guys?" I felt a sudden kick on my back, and I looked behind me. Rika had a sudden face, like she feared something. "Yes...?" I felt sudden anxiety rising, what if something bad happened? Rei also seemed concerned, but Rika seemed to sense the tense feeling in the air. She bit her lip, "I..." Rei and I slowly stood up; I felt my blade in my pocket ready to pounce. "Had a huge... What do you call it? Turd in the toilet, and the toilet got clogged."

Rei gave an awkward look, and I burst out laughing. "What? Clogged-" I snorted, "Clogged!" Rika's mouth gaped at me, and she smiled. "Yes, I clogged the toilet." Rei looked at her, "Why are you proud of that!" Her body looked stiff with amazement at how Rika could say it so bluntly. "It's my first time." Rika seemed to blush, "What? Why are you acting like it's a big deal!"

"Because it is, Rei! It's my first time clogging the toilet!"

I dropped down to the ground, my stomach aching. I still couldn't believe how Rika could suddenly change the awkward feeling in the air, to a much more settled feeling we all like. "So does that mean you already had your first time?" Rika asked, and Rei squinted her eyes.

"I mean..."

I burst out laughing again, "She already clogged-" I clenched my stomach. "Wow! Rei, how did it feel?" Rika asked, with a mischievous look on her face. Rei's face reddened, "OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rei yelled; her face was embarrassed. Rika and I giggled, "Okay girls, let us go inside already. We should probably change since our clothes are so filthy." Rei said, putting both hands on her hips, and swiftly walked inside. "Wow, profound change of subject." I said, smirking. Rika laughed in reply.

We followed Rei inside.

"So... how are we going to change when we can't go to our houses?" I asked, cocking my eyebrows. "You guys can borrow my clothes." Rei replied, leading us to her closet. Rika and I gasped at her beautiful collection of clothes, wanting to wear them. Rika's eyes landed on a green hoodie and pointed at that one. "Can I have this... Of course, if you don't want-" Rei smiled, "Of course, as long as you don't talk about poop..." Rika scoffed and took the hoodie off its hanger. Rei reached for a cream-colored dress that had laced sleeves and a brown tie around the waist. "Wow, I had no idea you were into 'fitted' type clothing," I said with a smug look on my face. She continued to get dressed while I was still looking. "Having trouble picking? I'll do it for you." Rei said with a mischievous look on her face. I was about to utter the word 'no,' but she already picked. She held out a black turtleneck, with a pair of jeans. "Uh... isn't that a little bit too nice to wear right now...?" I asked sheepishly. "No, such thing. We got our original clothes covered in rain, blood, and dirt. There's no problem with dressing a little nice." Rei said musically. "Um..." I uttered, looking down at the clothes she held out. "Jeez, you act like my sister." I said with a heavy sigh and took the clothes. I finished putting them on, and sheepishly turned around for Rei to approve. She grinned and put both her hands up and clapped, "Okay, okay I get it, let's move on." I said bluntly. I noticed that Rika's appearance changed, she had one of those fancy-looking tank-tops, over her green hoodie. I could already imagine her being forced to the ground by Rei and being forced to put the black tank-top-looking-vest thingy over her. I laughed at the picture that played in my head, "What are you laughing at... You..." Rika grumbled and looked at her appearance in the mirror. Her face was turning bright red, and I looked down at her pants. "Nice jeans." I gave a thumbs up, and I could see her face getting even more red. She smacked my hand, and smiled to herself, "Thanks, but you don't look so bad yourself." I chuckled, "Ah, don't flatter me." I smiled back at her, seeing her reaction play out. Seems like I wasn't supposed to react like that but whatever. "You guys look so cute! Especially you, Shiro!" Rei clapped her hands together, like we were supposed to be some fashion models or something. "Hey... Rei, could I take this tank-top-' Rika asked.

"No, shut it." Rei smiled.

Rika squirmed, and I chuckled. Rei certainly was the big sister in our group. It was like she'd gotten more mature after what happened with Emily and Trenna... "Hey, let's go out somewhere!" Rika squirmed. "Yeah, let's go!" I volunteered. "NO, WE CAN'T JUST YET!" Rei exclaimed, Rika and I stopped in our tracks. We turned around only to see the evil look on Rei's face, "You forgot the makeup..." Rei said. Her face was smug, and she slowly walked over to us, as if she were a zombie. We screamed.

We were done up all right, oh we were DONE UP. Rika looked miserable, her mascara-blush- lipstick , yes, she was not happy. And me? Oh, I felt weird. I cringed at my fluffy brown hair. Rei looked like an evil woman, which she was. We ran to the door, to walk out of the house but Rei got us. She grabbed us by our 'scruff' and dragged us to the closet. This time I was her target, Rei took out a gray raincoat. "You, my dear, are wearing this." I stepped back but before I knew it, I was already wearing it. Rika and she put on jackets too. Rika's jacket was an obsidian-like color, while Rei's jacket was amber. Rei pulled out her shoes for options. Rika immediately reached for tennis shoes, Rei stopped her and gave her a pair of platform heels. "Nooo!" Rika whined, "Too bad." Rei said coldly, but with a smile. "And you shall wear heels too, Shiro." Rei said. We both whined.