On a String

Chapter 3

Scared to death to face reality.
No one seems to hear your hidden cries;
You're left to face yourself alone.
But where will you go,
(Where will you go?)
With no one left to save you from yourself?
You can't escape.
-'Where Will You Go' by Evanescence.

Awkward steps, fearful glances. (He cries quietly as she marches).

(...Please stop...)

He couldn't save her. (Or himself).

No.

Rain begins to fall; teardrops tumbling slowly downward, glinting across her path like scattered jewels. She regally steps around a small puddle of diamonds, feet leaving slight impressions in the soft ground.

Up, up, up.

Her hands are bound.

(Don't do this!)

He watches her die (lifeless eyes).

It's another warning, another scream.

(Another puppet, another string).

Kai woke with a small gasp, sitting up on his bunk and looking warily around the room.

It was okay. He was safe. (Safe? Was he so sure about that?) Shadows stretched silently across the room like streaks of paint on a canvas. (Teardrops falling down a face...). It was eerie.

Because there's no light in a shadow; just darkness. Monsters hide in darkness, like puppets in a tangled web of strings. It's where they belong. Concealed. Like secrets.

And they watch you.

He gave a small shudder and the shadows continued to silently glare at him.

The glowing clock told him that it was way too early to even think about getting up- 3:20am. He sighed. There was no way he was going to go back to sleep. Not after that. But lying here and doing nothing just seemed like such a waste of time as well. With a yawn, the Ninja stood up and walked out of the bunk room, heading out towards the Bounty's deck. He had gotten into a habit of sleeping in his clothes, so didn't bother to get changed.

The air outside was cold (a blissful respite after the fire) and the view was beautiful. Tonight, the desert sky was clear, with thousands of stars sprinkled across it. He gave a small smile and began to stretch, preparing to practice his karate kata. A gentle breathe of wind ghosted across the deck as he practiced kicks, feeling, for the first time in a month, finally at peace.

He never saw Lloyd exit the bunkroom after him and watch sadly from the silent shadows of the doorway.

(Concealed eyes)

-The Next Morning-

"Okay, I guess we'll start with Jay," Kai said, running a hand through his spiky hair, looking at the four Ninja assembled in front of him and silently cursing Sensei for making him instruct the lesson.

Grinning, Jay stepped forward. "Of course it's a well-known fact that you use the best Ninja first so that the others can watch and learn,"