BAST

Rem, in the Bathroom, With the Notebook

Everything hurt. I could hear meowing, frantic and concerned tones of meowing. Furry heads pressed up against me, trying to get me to move.

I had only half expected it to be like this, but there was no way I could overdo it so bad it could kill me...

Right?

I didn't have time for this. The documents Yotsuba had recently shredded had finished being recreated just a few meters away, and I couldn't get them because I was paralyzed with pain. Why did this happen every time I borrowed the mind of a friend for too long? It didn't make any sense.

This feeling was worse than that time.

I couldn't breathe, his hands had a vice grip on my neck and would eventually crush my windpipe if he didn't suffocate me first.

He was crying, I could see the tears fall every time I gasped for just a little air.

"Nao...ya."My vision was blurring as my own eyes watered, but it was mostly because my brain was having a hard time keeping me conscious without air. We would have both made it if that man hadn't given us a time constriction.

"I have to do this. I'll survive for sure, but you're sick, Chisuzu. Just let me do this. I'm so sorry."

Pain and then...nothing.

My eyes snapped open and I reflexively grabbed the nearest weapon, a cement block. Not a whole one but a chunk large enough to qualify as a weapon. As Naoya was heading to the door, now with a key in his hand I rushed him.

The block slammed into the back of his head with a harsh cracking sound, his face permanently contorted into an ugly expression of shock: Eyes bulging and mouth agape in a silent cry or scream.

The minute the announcement had ended, Naoya had turned on me; even killed me.

So much for the 'power of love concurring evil'.

Checking his watch, I found I had been dead for approximately ten minutes. Why had I opened my eyes and felt like I had just woken up from a deep slumber instead of gasping for air?

Why had it been so easy for me to kill Naoya?

My eyes opened, only to shut almost violently when I saw the light entering through the window.

"Suzu, how are you feeling? You've been out for two days. We didn't move you and your friend, Miss Marple refuses to let us retrieve the recording you attached to her collar." That voice. My back felt so stiff.

When I opened my mouth to speak, my mouth felt too dry and I felt a glass push into my hand. Grasping it, I drank with fervor.

"When we saw her return, I sent Watari with us to see if you were alright as I remembered what occurred last time. Do you remember throwing up before falling unconscious?" I craned my neck to the nearest trash bin, earning much protest from my body.

"Why does everything hurt so much?" My voice was raspy, sounding like I was recovering from strep throat.

"You're probably still recovering. Can you stand?"

"Not by myself."

"Would you mind if we assisted you?"

"Sitting on a couch rather than lying here on the floor does have a nice sound to it."

My eyes were still heavy, feeling like I had just pulled an all-nighter.

"Can you sit up on your own?"

"I can try." I gasped as my back whined at the movement, yet I found myself wanting to stretch.

Not bothering to keep my eyes open, I felt an arm circle around my back and just under my knees.