A Pure Heart

Chapter 7

Hikari blinked up. Something hot and dark and sticky was all over the floor, and it smelled a little metallic. Hikari didn't touch it- what if it was dangerous? There was no one there- but only a moment ago, she'd heard her mommy screaming?

"Mommy," she called, wandering forward a bit. "Daddy?"

A pair of eyes glowed through the darkness at her, a pale green, almost like celery. Hikari jumped a bit, before edging forward. "Hello?" she called out.

The figure stepped forward a bit more, the only other thing visible the shining knife in his hand, dripping with the dark substance.

In the deepest edges of her memory, she knew that the stuff on the floor, the stuff on the knife...

She knew it was blood.

Hikari looked up at the figure, whose eyes looked down at her as well.

"Sorry. They wouldn't let me get to you, and... well..."

He raised the knife. "I was hired to do this."

Hikari blinked. In the past, she didn't understand- after all, she'd only been five or six. "Mister? What are you doing?"

She stepped back a bit to get a better view, the knife plunging down only inches from her face, right where she'd been standing only moments before. She cried out and fell onto her bottom.

Hikari's breath caught in her breath. "What- why- d-did I do something wrong, Mister?!" she cried out, looking into the almost regretful pale green eyes. "Why are you trying to hurt me...?"

The man stopped, the blade dropping to his side quietly. Hikari backed away, her arms and legs scrabbling to get her away, when two things hit her hand.

The basement door.

And a spray can.

Hikari's hand slowly reached for it, picking up the spray can as she prepared to run into the basement as the man spoke again, quietly, as he knelt down so he was closer to her. "Sorry sweetheart... but I have a job to do."

Hikari brought the spray can around and squirted it, sending a fine mist of... something, right into his right eye. He yelled and stumbled back a moment, and Hikari made her move. Swinging around, she yanked open the basement door, and slammed it shut, locking it from the inside. Banging was on the door, before another one; but the door was thick and well made and it held the man's weight.

She fled down the steps, but her foot caught- she tumbled forward-

Hikari hit her head, and she didn't remember anything after that.

x

Hikari cried out and sat up straight, eyes widening.

That memory...

She suddenly recalled it. She could remember it. She remembered how she'd ended up in that basement...

But why now?

She looked around and realized the room was empty and the sun was slanting in- she must've been asleep for quite a while, then. Getting up, she didn't change- she hadn't bothered changing- and wandered out of the room.

Hikari wandered onto the deck and ran face first into someone, falling backwards. Looking up, she saw Zane. "Oh- I'm sorry, Hikari; are you all right?" he apologized, holding his hand out to her. Hikari took it and let him pull her upright. "Hi Zane. Yeah, I'm okay," she said softly.