Chapter 81About Sudden Sensations

Dawn in my mind, sunset in the city. Slowly I woke from my daily slumber and got my mind in gear again. Some things were wrong. Khuna and Hitori. One missing, one hurt. I wanted to chase after both, but I knew I couldn't. In a way I even wanted to chase after Isabel. Now that I thought on it, Khuna disappeared in the same night as Isabel did.

Odd...

I could ask Valerie to look for both while I went to Hitori, hoping he wouldn't be freaked out by yesterday and not wanting to see me again. I got up, dressed and out of my room. I took a short breath before knocking on her door and closed my eyes for a moment. Yes, this was the best way. My fingers landed on the metal door, making less noise than I had expected but it was enough.

"You can come in, Amy." Valerie's voice muffled strongly by the door.

I stepped inside, feeling a bit guilty of having to ask her to look for Khuna for me.

"I want to look for her as well, Amy." Valerie giggled.

I had to ask. "Can you guys read my thoughts or something?"

Valerie giggled. "Eh... Let me try and explain this. You felt some thoughts of other people, but they're always very vague, right?"

I nodded. It was like a fog in their mind.

"Well, you tend to... focus a lot. You rarely have more than one thing on your mind. At the moment Khuna is like a big neon sign above your head to anyone sensitive and familiar with you." She smiled. "And of course I can guess why she's on your mind. You want me to look for her while you go to Hitori?"

I blushed a little. "Yeah, but remember, Isabel and Khuna disappeared in the same night. So I want you to keep an eye out for both of them."

She looked surprised but rallied. "Oh, that's right. You kind of told me."

I nodded. "Yeah. Words rarely tell the whole picture, no matter how hard they try."

She smiled and nodded decisively. "Alright, you go to Hitori and do what you can. I'll look for Khuna."

I wrapped my arms around her in a little hug. "Thanks Val."

Moving upstairs I felt relieved I could focus on one thing again. No one upstairs so I just went outside and took a deep breath. Autumn was coming. So was the future. Jumping down to the street silently, I mentally noted no one being present. I walked through the city swiftly past the people and the crowds. Like a ghost. I felt strangely light, as a remembrance to something that I couldn't recall. It wasn't important.

It didn't take me long to get to Hitori's place. I had walked a lot harder than I thought. The only problem... it was Saturday. There was a very high chance of him not even being home and gone out with his friends. Don't dwell on it. Try and you'll see.

I rang the doorbell and held my breath.

I heard someone coming down the stairs but it wasn't Hitori, the footsteps were too light. The girl I saw sleeping in his bed opened the door a bit sleepily. She looked surprised as she saw me. I took a closer look at her as well. She looked vaguely Asian like Hitori but it wasn't as if she looked like him. Her origin seemed very different for some reason, although it was hard to say why though. She had dark hair and dark eyes like him but her soft facial features were much more toward the Asian side.

"Hello?" She looked at me quizzically, her voice sounded very innocent.

What to do? A bit of the truth might help. "Eh... Hi. I'm Amy, I'm looking for Hitori."

She smiled. "Oh, you're Amy! He said you might come tonight. He just stepped out for a few minutes, just some groceries. You can wait inside if you want."

Relieved I stepped inside. "Thanks."

She led the way upstairs. "I'm Anka by the way. You are the girl from the photographs, right?"

A blush painted my cheeks. "Yes, Hitori made them a few days ago."

She opened the door. "They were very good. Did you do any modelling or something?"

I couldn't help but giggle. "No, not really."

She shrugged. "Well, nevertheless they're really nice looking. I mean you're really nice looking." The blush on her cheeks reflecting my own.

She still held the door open so I walked past her, trying not to look in her eyes. But I did. She looked deep into mine with an unusual fascination. She tried to look so deep I felt a bit of discomfort. Briefly I wondered if she even realized what she was doing. She just looked deeper and deeper, both of us frozen in our step almost against each other. Both in the doorway, both so close. The heat was like a haze between us.

Then she touched me.

Just a brush of her hand on my cheek, but it was like a terrible shock to my body. Yet... It was pleasant and welcome as well. It felt as if it was as new to her as it all was to me. I could not deny the pull I felt between us. It wasn't anything like loving her but just... A force... A tension... Attraction.

We stood there, surprised at the intensity of such a simple touch when I heard a voice from the stairs. Hitori.

"Now that's an interesting sight."