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Chapter 21

Bogeyman

Dim moonlight streamed through the window of Shiori’s guest room, casting a ghostly glow upon the slumbering Apricot. She tossed and turned beneath the covers, her aching body seeking respite from the night’s horrors. Each labored breath brought with it the chill of the night air and the bitter taste of guilt. She had crossed a line, aided in the taking of lives, and the weight of her actions bore down upon her as she slipped into a troubled sleep.

Whispers of doubt echoed in the recesses of her mind, questioning whether their recent actions constituted a victory. One seal remained, and Empress Kyo still lived. Apricot’s dreams were painted with nightmarish images of death befalling those she held dear, of a life spent in hiding, of the consequences of her choices staining the lives of her loved ones. The specter of terrorism haunted her, the word “insurrection” ringing in her ears.

The soft creak of the door opening stirred Apricot from her restless slumber. Groggy and disoriented, she jolted awake as cold steel pressed against her eyelid, her mouth silenced by a firm, velvet-gloved hand. “I’ll pierce your Broca’s area if you scream,” said a playful, honeyed male voice. “It enables speech, so you won’t be able to scream if I damage it.” Apricot’s breath hitched as the stranger’s grip tightened, the blade’s presence a constant threat. “My darling, I’ve been instructed to bring you back alive, but that doesn’t mean you have to be in one piece. You just need to be breathing and full of blood. Now get dressed.”

The man’s grip relaxed, and he withdrew the knife from her eye, concealing it in the folds of his clothing. Apricot’s heart pounded as she cautiously sat up, revealing that she was already dressed in the spare clothes Shiori had provided. “My, you’re already dressed. How convenient.”

Before Apricot could respond, the man silenced her once more. “Shh, remember? No talking. If I have to sever your nerves, I’ll have no choice but to kill everyone here. That would be such a chore for these old bones. Now, my dear, follow me.” He moved confidently through the house, the distance between them a potential trigger for an attack, and Apricot knew she mustn’t let him stray too far.

Togashi, who had drawn the short straw to stand guard that night, would surely be waiting in the next room, gun in hand. The intruder would regret his carelessness if Apricot could only bide her time. But as the man strode into the living room, the lack of commotion filled her with dread. The room was eerily silent, her footsteps feeling as though they were weighted by concrete.

Apricot’s heart sank as she took in the gruesome scene before her. Togashi lay on the couch, his intestines spilling onto the blood-soaked floor, his ribcage exposed to reveal the still-beating heart within. His left eye streamed blood, and Apricot stifled a gasp as she covered her mouth. Her stomach heaved, nausea overtaking her as the man grinned at her reaction. “Oh yes, I am quite skilled with knives, don’t you agree?” he asked, chuckling. “He wasn’t quick enough with his gun. I caught his wrist before he could draw it. Pity, it might have been fun if he had.”

Togashi’s remaining eye swiveled towards Apricot, a gush of blood erupting from his exposed innards. He was still alive! The man took in Aprotic’s horrified expression, seeming to revel in her fear. “A fine piece of work, if I do say so myself,” he proclaimed, opening the front door.

As they stepped outside, Apricot’s gaze fell upon a white stretch car, adorned with ornate silver trim and metal sculptures. “Come now, darling, I don’t have much patience for dawdling.” She hesitated, then climbed into the vehicle, taking in the plush red seats with gold trim and pristine white interior. The stranger settled in across from her, his white suit revealing a sky-blue lining as he stretched out.

“Where are you taking me?” Apricot ventured, her voice barely above a whisper.

“To my dear young lady,” he smirked, and the sound of a concerto orchestra filled the car. The sophistication of the music was a stark contrast to the man’s savagery, and Apricot’s unease deepened. “You don’t like the music?” he asked softly, noting her fixed gaze. “A brilliant composer, Galeno Maogagoitia. But you’re young; perhaps you’d prefer something more modern? Something more to your liking?” She didn’t respond. “You’re silent, dear, and your eyes are filled with fear. Is there any reason to be uncomfortable?”

Apricot wrestled with her thoughts, wondering whether to engage him in conversation. Despite her terror, one nagging question demanded an answer. “Who are you?”

The man’s broad, toothy grin sent shivers down her spine. “That’s a tricky question. I’ve been called many things, but I suppose I owe you some honesty. I am Natsukawa Okabe.”

Recognition flickered in Apricot’s eyes, and she whispered, “I’ve heard that name before.”

“Oh, I’m quite sure you have,” he laughed, leaning back in his seat. “May I smoke?” He produced a stylized pipe from his pocket, and Apricot hesitated before shaking her head. “Smoking a good stack before I start work always calms my nerves. But if you’re worried about getting cancer in old age—though I doubt you’ll have to worry about that, all things considered—I can abstain.” His chuckle sent a chill down her spine, and she knew that her fate was sealed. She feared, however, the moments that would precede her death.

Lighting his pipe, the man took a few puffs before exhaling a plume of smoke. “Why are you doing this? From what I understand, the clan doesn’t value your presence. It seems odd that you’d work for them. Is capturing me for Empress Kyo really worth it? Is my skin that valuable?”

“You’ve made a lot of assumptions about me,” Natsukawa replied, his voice cold. “I’m only in this for my own interests. I seek a day when I can openly slaughter as many as I please. I need more material for my art. The human body can be crafted into so many things—transformation. That’s what I seek. And Kyo understands this. She wants to transform the world. So, of course, I would assist her. After all, she is my great-great-great-great-grandniece.”

“How old are you?” Apricot asked, her voice barely masking her growing anxiety. Natsukawa merely snickered in response. As she glanced out of the window, she noticed they were approaching a bustling area of the city, the bright lights and cacophony of voices doing little to ease her growing sense of dread. “So, you enjoy killing the phantoms as well?”

“Phantoms, hmm? If you mean the things that crossover, of course. No one complains when you kill a ghost,” Natsukawa said, his smirk revealing his toothy fangs. They reminded Apricot of a vampire, a fitting comparison for the sinister character before her. “Everyone seems to get upset when you carve up a useless dreg of society. I’ll have you know I only kill those who have already forfeited their lives. I am an honorable man.”

“Is that why you’re going to kill me?” Apricot asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Natsukawa grinned, his eyes narrowing with amusement. “You are a family matter.”

“A family matter? What is that supposed to mean?” Apricot asked, her curiosity piqued despite her terror.

“Well, you attacked my family. Humiliated Kyo. So she bartered with me to get you. Actually, the family has grown small. She doesn’t have many people of age she can ask to assist. You might not know this, but your little group isn’t the only one troubling us. We’ve been at work collecting witches like you and spending them feverishly to build Kyo’s little stone. She believes that stone is the key. The idea of it collecting and growing from the blood it drinks… Now that is a fascinating thing, don’t you think?”

“It’s macabre,” Apricot snapped back, her anger flaring.

“You’re getting comfortable,” Natsukawa said, his grin unwavering. He drew in a deep breath, releasing a long sigh. “So tell me, why are you risking yourself? What is it you think you can accomplish? You’re a lamb fighting a pack of vicious wolves. That fire that hides in your arms… It makes me curious to find out what else you hide under there.”

“I didn’t want this. They forced it upon me. These monsters are your doing. This whole situation is because of your family not being satisfied with being royalty. You’ll ruin the world for what? You’re all insane,” Apricot spat, her fear momentarily overtaken by outrage. Natsukawa’s eyes lit up, and he flashed her another toothy smile.

“You’re right, now I can’t contain myself,” he said, his voice dripping with excitement. He flicked a knife from his palm. “Let’s have a look inside that arm. I’m too curious to wait.” He lunged at Apricot, who instinctively kicked him in the face with both of her feet, sending him reeling. Seizing the opportunity, she grabbed the latch to the car door and swung it open, hurling herself out of the moving vehicle.

As she hit the pavement, she felt her ribs crack, and her momentum sent her rolling several feet along the rough asphalt. Onlookers gasped and stared as she scrambled to her feet and began sprinting away, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear Natsukawa’s laughter echoing behind her. “You can’t run from me!” he called out, standing beside the idling car.

In the bustling, neon-lit streets, Apricot sought refuge among the throngs of people, many of whom seemed oblivious to her plight. She knew that Natsukawa wanted her alive, but she couldn’t shake the fear that he was closing in on her with every passing second. As she watched the white car drive away, a momentary sense of relief washed over her, only to be replaced with a renewed sense of panic as she realized he was heading in the same direction they had come from.

Patting her sides, Apricot felt a lump in her pocket – a small reprieve from her current predicament. She retrieved the slab from her pocket and called Shiori. The phone rang several times before Shiori answered, his voice heavy with sleep. “Why don’t you knock? I’m down the damn hall.”

“Shiori, you need to listen to me. Get everyone out of bed and into the living room. Togashi is dead,” Apricot murmured, her voice trembling. “Natsukawa kidnapped me, and he’s going after you.” The line went silent. “Shiori?” Apricot whispered, her heart pounding.

“He’s after you and your family. Run,” Shiori said coldly.

The technicolor midnight streets were alive with intrusive clamor as Apricot ran through them at a sprint, disregarding any semblance of decorum. “That bastard won’t hurt my family,” she vowed to herself, her breathing ragged and her heartbeat accelerating. Darting through alleyways, Apricot pushed her legs to their limit. “I might be able to get home before him if I take the railway.” She hurdled over a pile of litter on the side road, praying that luck would be on her side and the train would be there when she arrived.

“Just one more block,” she reassured herself. But as she rounded the corner, a figure emerged from the shadows, halting her in her tracks. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a knife as the figure lunged at her. She shuddered and screamed, feeling the cold grip of a hand around her neck, forcing her down to her knees.

“You little bitch,” Natsukawa growled. “I knew you were going to Hunter’s tunnels.” He gestured with his knife. “You provided me with all the evidence I needed.” Apricot noticed an empty glass bottle lying on the ground beside her. “What made you think I’d forget to lock the door? You rats are so easy to catch.” His toothy grin contorted into a demonic sneer as he snickered.

Gathering her courage, Apricot wrapped her fingers around the neck of the bottle and swung as hard as she could, striking Natsukawa in the face and shattering the glass. He released her, giving her just enough time to scramble to her feet.

Blood and shards of glass clung to his mangled cheek as he lifted a large piece with his free hand. Slowly peeling back the shard from his skin, he inspected the blood-soaked glass before flicking it aside. “Ooh, you’re fun. I like this,” he chirped before lunging at her again. This time she sidestepped him, slashing his neck with the jagged edge of the broken bottle. He shrieked, falling face-first onto the ground. Apricot wasted no time, pouncing onto his back and driving the broken bottle into him repeatedly. Her relentless stabs pierced holes in his coat, revealing white fabric now stained with blood.

With a sudden, violent twist of his body, he flung Apricot off his back and onto the ground. In an instant, he was on top of her, his bloodied visage mere inches from her face. She could feel his warm, scarlet tears dripping onto her skin as she struggled to free herself from his grasp. Unable to break free, she arched her back and bit into his already lacerated throat. Apricot tore away a mouthful of flesh as he recoiled from the sudden burst of pain. Spitting the grotesque morsel onto the ground, she scrambled to her feet, her heart racing.

As blood poured from the wound in his neck, Natsukawa glared at her, his expression a mixture of rage and admiration. “You win tonight, but I enjoy the hunt,” he wheezed before taking off at full speed, his limp gradually fading. Gasping for air, Apricot fought the urge to chase him, knowing that if she pursued the bloodied Natsukawa, she’d likely end up arrested.

The pain from the glass shard she had gripped so tightly during their struggle finally registered, its intensity almost unbearable. As she crouched in the shadowy alleyway, she dropped the bloodied bottle from her hand, her body trembling from adrenaline and fear. Apricot knew that her ordeal was far from over.

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