Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 30

~Chapter 12: The Silo~

Overhead, grey clouds filled the skies and crows swarmed the roof of the old silo. Zero clambered up the path of the cliff, tugging the girl with him as Tokumei held her other hand. Tokumei walked over to Zero, setting a purple hair clip into his hair, the entity frowned; confused. Tokumei hummed in response, happily slowing down to Marnie, linking his hand with her's. Zero glanced back, aware of Marnie's slow walk.
"You okay, Marnie?"
"Yes," Marnie smiled softly," I'm okay."
Zero nodded.
"I'll be fine as long as I'm with you...Kazuhiko."
Zero gasped, letting go of her hand. Kazuhiko? Her and Tokumei walked off, unfazed, smiling softly. It was like they were in a trance. He watched them turn the bend, as the clouds rumbled and groaned.
"ZEROOOOO!"
Zero glanced down the cliff. At the bottom was Sayaka, riding a mustard coloured bike. She waved at him, grinning.
"HEY! PERFECT TIMING! I FOUND IT! ZERO!"
Zero glanced back to where Marnie and Tokumei was, only to find they were gone. Sayaka fumbled in the basket on her bike, pulling out a couple folded pages.
"Look at this! Only the rest of the diary!"
Zero furrowed his brows," I'M SORRY! ANOTHER TIME!"
The entity rushed up the cliff path, desperate to find them. Sayaka frowned.
"Awww...but it's a major discovery... AND IT'S GOING TO RAIN!"

Zero waded through the overgrown grass, reaching to his breast, arriving at the entrance to the silo. It was even more towering and ominous in person, only bats attempted to swoop in. The wind whined through the rubble of the building, and the sky turned dark. Rain softly pattered down. Guess the only place for shelter was now the silo. Zero drew a deep breath, storming head first into the eroded site. It was just as bad inside. Each drop of water echoed and the bottom floor had been overflowed with water from leaks and storms. There was an old, weathered ladder, leading up to more and more unstable wooden platforms. Zero grimaced, two rats sniffing his feet curiously. The entity panicked, rushing over to the ladder, scaring the rats off.
"W-who is it-? Is someone there-?" Marnie whispered from two platforms above, her voice sounded fluctuated.
"Marnie!" Zero gasped.
The entity rushed forward, climbing up the rickety ladder, uncaring whether it would snap or not. Marnie sat in the far corner of the platform, a brown jacket draped over her as she trembled. Tokumei was not there. She glanced up with shaky breaths, watching as Zero walked over to her.
"Are you okay?" Zero hummed, crouching down to see if she was hurt," Why did yo-"
"Kazuhiko!" Marnie flung herself into his arms, sobbing softly," I'm frightened! I heard someone below. Oh...I thought I'd die of fright, Kazuhiko..."

Zero grabbed the girl firmly by her shoulders, making her face him as he wiped away her tears.
"What are you talking about? It's me, Zero! What's going on?"
Marnie stared at the entity, puzzled.
"Zero...? Zero!"
The girl flung herself into the entity's arms, hugging him tightly, the jacket slipped off.
"I don't want anyone making fun of me!" Marnie sobbed," But I haven't the courage...oh, Zero..."
Zero smiled softly, hugging her.
"You have courage. Look, you came up here."
Zero gently pulled Marnie off him, squeezing her shoulders tightly for reassurance," Let's go home. Where's Tokumei?"
"He vanished, I was so scared..." Marnie sniffled.
"It's okay, I'll find him, he probably just went home too. Let's just get you home first, okay?"
Marnie nodded. There was a whining noises, like phantoms had swooped down, Marnie screeched; hugging Zero and digging her head into his chest. The entity glanced up. It was just the wind through the old structure, as rain hammered down through the holes. There was a storm. Zero stood up, squeezing Marnie's hands, picking up the jacket and wrapping it back around the girl.
"It's only the wind, let's go. Let's go home, you and me, together."
Marnie wiped away her tears, nodding with a smile.

Zero stepped out first, glancing down the platform, followed meekly behind by Marnie. The drop was large, the wind howled in their ears and the stairs were steep. Both backed away at the sight.
"I-!" Marnie sobbed," I can't!"
The girl walked backwards, pressing herself against the wall," Zero, come back! Please! Zero!"
Zero forced a strained smile," Hey, everything is going to be fine. I'm sure we'll make it down. After all, we made it up. Follow me."
Zero grabbed onto the platform, carefully placing his feet on the first step, going down backwards.
"No! Please! Don't leave me! Please!"
There was a flash of lighting and a strong gust of wind, Marnie screamed, curling up on the floor. Zero held on tightly to the platform, trying to grit his feet into the wood so the wind couldn't pull him away. The building shook as rain and wind hammered down. It would be too dangerous to go down. Zero pulled himself up, running over to the wailing girl.
"Here, let's go over to the stairs, it's safer," The entity hummed, prying her up.
He gently led the girl to the stairs leading upwards, sitting her down; draping the jacket over himself.
"It's so cold..." Marnie trembled.
Zero pulled the jacket over her, so they both sat with it over their shoulders, covering them.

"Oh Zero," Marnie sniffled, snuggling into him," I'm scared. It's horrible."
"Don't worry, we'll be fine as long as we're together. You did well, Marnie. Really well."
Zero shut his eyes, hoping the storm would be short lived. As he did, the rain got quieter. Zero wasn't sure whether it was a dream or something else, yet he saw something. It was a child's bedroom, the walls with roses and cascaded by a warm glow of a nightlight. In the bed was a brown haired child, sobbing, on a stool beside him was an old lady. She gently patted his hand in lulling motions, humming a lullaby. Zero's eyes trembled, slowly opening, the woman's singing still revolved in his head. It was no longer raining, and the sun glared through the windows at Marnie sat on the floor, sobbing. There was the sound of footsteps, echoing through the wood. Kazuhiko walked over to her, holding a brown jacket in his hands.
He draped it over her," You're fine. I'm here."
Marnie glanced up in shock, noticing him. She jumped up quickly, the jacket falling to the floor as she flung her arms over his neck.
"Kazuhiko! I thought you'd never come! I thought... you'd never..."
Kazuhiko smiled, gently stroking her hair, pulling the girl closely into his embrace. He pulled the jacket around her shoulders, now at the door out, which was only a white light.
"There," Kazuhiko wrapped his arm behind her back, leading her to the light," C'mon, Marnie. Let's go home."

Zero woke, the humming was gone, and he lay across the stairs shaking; rain pounding over his body. The wind howled in his ears as he groaned. Marnie was gone. He pulled himself out of the silo, staring at the landscape at the top of the cliff.
"MARNIE! TOKUMEI!"
Thunder rumbled in the clouds, the entity ran off, trying his best to search for them as the rain clawed at his scales and the wind tugged at his hair.
You two... you left me behind! A boy with brown hair held onto the doll of a blonde haired girl in a blue dress, watching somberly with others as a car drove off.
Even you...! Zero grimaced, thunder crashing.
The brown haired boy sat in a room in a storm, sobbing as he pushed away toy building blocks. Gripping onto his ears tighter, digging his knees into his face as a flash of lightning spurred.
As Zero ran, he tried to ignore the pain of the strong rain against his face. It was mixed with his tears. The brown haired boy stared at documents, trying to force down tears.
Zero gritted his teeth, storming forward. His foot caught onto a loose root, the entity landed face first into a puddle.