The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 36: Where Hollows Fear to Tread

I have made a terrible mistake.

Gongs sounded overhead, rapid footsteps not far behind. My lungs screamed as I gasped for air, darting around a corner and jumping through an opened window. I landed on my feet, searching for a hiding spot. There! I squeezed myself in behind the standing cupboard, one of the few furniture pieces, and held my breath.

Angry voices drifted through the opened window but nobody ventured into the room.

"Where did she go?!"

"Find the Ryoka!"

"Hurry! There are footprints leading in this direction."

"Are you positive that they went this way?"

I stayed hidden long after their voices disappear, heart thumping in my chest. My head ached just trying to hold back my spiritual pressure from leaking out. Ever so softly, a scuffle sounded and I dared a look around the corner.

A lone man stood there, staring around. His bald head reflected the sunlight. I bit my tongue to keep from calling out. With a sigh, Ikkaku walked off without a backwards glance.

I wheezed for air in the safety of the room, hands on knees. Adrenaline spiking, every creak and groan in the dark caught my attention. For two long hours I had been flitting between squad barracks, searching for a place to hide. But it seemed that the Soul Society was on high alert after the initial notice. Every soul reaper in every damn squad was out on patrol. It seemed that sections of Squad 11 got the afternoon hours.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll be back out after my shower," said a female voice, directly outside the door.

I jumped and threw myself near the hinges of the door, just as it was pushed open. The blonde hair girl didn't even notice my presence or that her door had swung shut on its own. She sure did feel the jab I sent into her stomach and elbow to face though.

She collapsed and I caught her before she made too much noise. With disgust, I noted the blood I left on her skin. I slipped in to her stylish bathroom and quickly washed up, keeping an eye on her to make sure she stayed asleep. Then I carried her to her bed and dropped her on it before I stripped her of her uniform. Tucking her into her blankets, I made it seem as if she had opted instead to sleep than go shower.

I dressed quickly and tied my old clothes into a bundle and hung it around my waist using a black sash she had in the cupboard. I'd have to wash them some other time. I studied myself in her mirror and it was if my past self was staring back at me.

Too noticeable. Any soul reaper with enough brains would immediately tell who I was in a heartbeat. Cursing silently, I looked around the room for something to help disguise myself. My eyes spied a bottle of hair colour.

The lid came off with a pop. Blue cream with a single finger strike through it. Perfect. I dipped my fingers in then ran them through my hair until I had a multitude of blue streaks.

I tilted my head before the mirror. I didn't look too bad with blue hair. On the girl's table were two plain black clips which I used to draw my hair away from my ears and face. The girl groaned behind me; I checked on her but she was only rolling her head back and forth on the pillow.

"Interesting you chose that approach." Chiya's humanoid form materialised in the mirror. Her long blue hair cascaded down her back.

"Guess we're twinning tonight."

"Anything at all? I can't believe we lost them!" a shouting voice drifted into the room.

"Well I can. I feel like we're chasing a bloody ghost."