Chapter 287Faint to Park

When I woke, my head hurt like nothing before. It took me a few moments to realize I was in a bed with both Hitori and Nuru next to me. When I opened my eyes, my eyelids stuck together. It really felt as if I'd been crying all day long, crying for what again?

The thoughts sneaked into my mind like a gentleman thief in the night.

Khuna and Valerie...

Valerie and Khuna...

Even though I'd cried, it didn't feel as if I'd cried enough. I sat up and looked around. My shirt was draped over the back of the chair, washed. Images rolled back into my mind of my tears, tainted with blood, coloured my shirt. Hitori probably had washed it while I was asleep.

Did he stay with me all through the day? I wondered if it mattered, as long as he was there when I went asleep and when I woke up.

"Hitori?" I spoke softly in his ear, he woke up with a small yawn and smiled.

After rubbing his eyes he replied. "Hey, finally stopped crying?"

I nodded softly, though tears were not that far from my eyes. "My shirt?"

Hitori nodded. "Over there, it was all pink with your tears."

"Did I cry long?"

He nodded again. "Through most of the day, actually. It was difficult to escape your grasp long enough to do the laundry and eat something." He flashed a little smile.

I leaned down to hug him. "Thank you."

He looked up after the hug. "Are you going?"

I nodded. "Yes, I will meet Muriel again this evening. To talk and maybe to hunt."

Hitori flinched a little, I wasn't entirely surprised. "I understand you would think of revenge, but please be careful."

Revenge?

No, that wasn't it...

"It's not revenge. It's just that... Muriel has a point with Isabel's existence. It's like she exists merely to hurt. And I don't want to hurt her, but I do want to know why..." My voice trailed for a moment. "...why Khuna and Valerie had to die."

He smiled and kissed my lips gently. "Thank you. I'm glad you're not seething with revenge."

He didn't know me that long yet. Revenge was usually not part of who I was. Only the lighthearted side of revenge, teasing someone back for a joke played on me. But I normally let go of anger easily unless I had no choice. Kryss and Jason were good examples where I had to go with my anger for a while. Although the first one hadn't played out as well as I'd hoped.

I climbed over Hitori to get out of bed. Nuru was still sleeping, she looked so tired. Hitori noticed my glance and smiled.

"She's been singing to you for most of the day. Calming you. I couldn't really hear the words all the time, but she has a beautiful voice."

That was so sweet. I leaned over the bed to give Nuru a little kiss on her cheek. Her body didn't stir but her lips appeared to smile a little more.

Pulling the clean shirt over my head, I still felt I smelled funny, or rather my clothes did. The smell of rain was still very much part of them. But, considering the dark clouds of yesterday, today wouldn't be any different. I gave Hitori a last kiss as goodbye and left the room, the apartment and the building.

Only outside did I pause to think things over.

What would I do with Muriel?