Drabble 2
A sudden chill ran down her spine, causing her muscles to tense one by one and a shiver to wrack her body. The dark-haired woman brought her hands up to rub at her upper arms, attempting to get some warmth back into them from the unexpected drop in temperature. She blinked a few times, the view outside the window obscured by the glaring light of the sun. She found it odd that the weather was so good yet she was so cold. She shook her head slightly, turning away from the scene of the street outside to her living room, emerald eyes skimming over the large coffee table where books were piled. She'd need to clear that up, she decided.
Taking a few steps forward, she placed her hands on the back of the long sofa, the soft material in contrast to her calloused palms. Everything about this house seemed designed for safety and comfort. Even the carpets were soft, the fibers beneath her toes pleasurable to walk upon. It was almost as if this home was a cocoon, wrapped protectively around her. She let out a small snort, inwardly deriding herself for such philosophical thoughts. It wasn't like her at all. She restlessly moved away from the sofa and found herself in front of a small desk where a telephone and a small photo sat. Both items drew her attention, the photo displaying a scene that made the dark-haired woman smile. There she was, years before, with another woman. They were happy, it was clear to see.
Her eyes reluctantly moved to the telephone and she frowned, seeing that there weren't any messages on the answering phone. She reached out, her hand hovering only inches above the phone yet she hesitated. She'd called that particular number many times already, would one more really make any difference? Her frown deepened and she pulled back her hand, her fingers curling around into a fist. She couldn't just stand here anymore, she needed to do something. Anything.
Inaction wasn't her thing and all this waiting around was starting to drive her crazy. She'd only end up thinking herself in circles anyway. Her decision made, she marched from the room, pausing in the hallway to grab her boots, jacket and keys. As she pulled open the front door, she felt the urge to turn back and take one last look at the house she was leaving. A small sigh pushed its way past her lips and she whispered, "Shizuru..."
-------------------
The sound of tapping against the wet pavement was her only distraction from the denizens of this area of town. She concentrated on the ground beneath her heeled boots, ignoring as best she could the leers and comments thrown her way. It wasn't as if she hadn't gotten used to it by now, in fact she was probably completely desensitised to it. But tonight something was different. Tonight she had a bad feeling and she'd learn to listen to her instincts a long time ago. So here she was, walking through the streets she knew all too well, bypassing all of her usual prey, as she liked to call them.
She pulled her short jacket tighter around her body, trying her best to keep the rain out but the skimpy garment didn't provide much protection from the elements. That wasn't what it was designed for. The rest of her outfit was much the same. She had dressed to lure someone in, not to investigate a hunch. This was quite the annoyance. She pawed at a few strands of red hair that dared to stick to her forehead, pushing them to one side as she side-stepped a friendly patron of a local bar. He stumbled and collapsed onto the pavement and she didn't even offer him a second glance. He would have been the perfect target on any other night. Quite the annoyance indeed.
She turned a corner and found herself on a main road, vehicles speeding past her in a blur of colour and motion. The rain seemed only to intensify as she made her way onwards and she decided that even the weather was now mocking her. She continued walking for some time, her thoughts wandering to places she had long tried to forget and she wondered if her decision to investigate was a wise one after all. She let a wry smirk tug at one corner of her lips. Wisdom had never come easily to her, it seemed, not ever after all the mistakes of the past. She had continued to make the same errors in judgement until she'd been stuck in a cycle, unable to escape from it. Perhaps tonight would be the night she broke free, perhaps this had been the chance she had been waiting for. Or perhaps she was clinging to the last string of hope that she had.
She shook her head, pushing those thoughts from her mind. It didn't matter anymore. Hope, dreams, aspirations, none of those mattered to her. She had her place in life and she had to make the most of it. Any chance she'd had of becoming something more and slipped through her fingers long ago. Even if her instincts were right tonight, it wouldn't change a thing. She'd still be lost and alone.
She stopped in surprise when she found herself standing before Fuuka Academy. The walk had taken a shorter amount of time than she'd expected, or perhaps she'd gotten lost in thought. The building almost appeared to be looming before her and she couldn't help but shudder. The darkness of the night only proved to add to the foreboding atmosphere she associated with this place. Her eyes darted to her right quickly as she noticed movement. She quietly gasped as she instantly recognised the figure who stood there, staring back at her with equal shock.
"Kuga?"
END OF DRABBLE
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