[Four shot] No Apologies: Everything Burns -4
She sits in her corner...
singing herself to sleep.
Wrapped in all of the promises
that no one seems to keep...
It had been only a few months since the whole mafia meets cop incident...Kirito, Aiji and Jun were sentenced to jail time. I was left alone in that big house...Hidelow had turned himself in and would thus get a shorter sentence...Only thing was...
After Viola had gone I'd felt so empty and uncertain. But as the final decision needed to be made I'd made it for her...and what truth she'd spoken. One day I would have to be just like her. I truly wanted to believe in her and in that idea.
So I went through things normally, my life at home was empty. And school was long and monotonous...In the end, just knowing I could keep believing in my passed cousin was enough...
She no longer cries to herself
no tears left to wash away...
So as I sat there over dinner at the long empty table, staring down into my plate... I didn't so much eat as wonder...what now? ...what now...
"My lady?" smiles the butler coming up to my side, "a letter for you from the prison guards?"
I blinked and picked up the letter, undoing the envelope and having my fingers shake as I slowly opened it...
Just diaries of empty pages
feelings gonna stray...
Would it tell me of his release date? Wasn't a mere week from now? And of course, it would contain a letter from him too...Telling me how much he missed me! And how well off we'd been getting rid of Kirito, Jun, and Aiji-
But she will sing...
I froze my eyes barely making it down the second sentence of the paper, it shook a few times in my hands, as my mouth hung open...This couldn't be! This wasn't as it was...I'd rather marry Kirito then this be true-
We are sorry to inform you Ms. Cashel that your father/guardian, Hidelow has passed away from a stroke in his cell block-
"M-my lady?" asked the butler, I slunk down in my seat...hardly breathing as I just shook my head back and forth the note fell to the ground next to me...
Everything Burns...
------------------------------------------------
I don't remember when I started to get bored.
Maybe it was when Kyo got promoted? ...He was like my little buddy. I always counted on him amusing the fuck out of me. And now he was...just not here. I was of course on full monitoring duty of Cashel's household. There were plenty of mafia members still around ready to take over the now diminished capital...
Poor girl had to be so terrified...but I'd been watching her. Of course she didn't know. But that never really bothered me. I guess that was why I didn't hate this job. Anyway, she seemed okay. She seemed to just take it all in stride. Poor girl, but tough girl.
"Geez, man...Take a picture!" Toshiya sneered, "Take it home and then you can rub off too it, huh?" he's toothy grin and "joke" was anything but pleasent.
"Ha, ha...shut up." I glared at him, "I'm doing my job."
"Oh, please. You know you want some of that..." Toshiya jeered.
"And I take it you want some of my fist in your face?" I smiled that creepy, leaderlike smile I always had stashed away.
"...Not really. I'm not into that stuff, Kaoru." Toshiya shrugged.
"Whatever..." I sighed, wishing I could have a shift with someone like Die.
RING RING... Speak of the devil!
"Hello?" I answered and Die's voice rushed through on the other end...
"Did you hear, man?" I sighed and brushed a hand through my dirty blonde strands of hair, or mop on my head...whatever you wanna call it.
"Last time I checked, Die. It's your job to hear and tell me what's going on." I complained.
"Oh, well," Die checked himself with the gossip, "We just got a call! Hidelow, man! The guy kicked the bucket!"
I paused, "You mean...Hidelow? Like Cashel's Hidelow?"
"...I guess?" Die blinked, "Dude, who's Cashe-" I hung up.
"If Hidelow is dead...she'll find out and..." I swallowed, putting myself in her predicament as it was... well, was bad. The girl couldn't possibly handle her father's death sanely, could she?
"Uh, Kaoru?" Toshiya turned to me.
"GET KYO ON THE PHONE! WE NEED TO GET DOWN THERE NOW!" I snarled, moving up from my computers.
"But we're not allowed to leave the office-" Toshiya grumbled.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?" I snarled at Toshiya who quickly grabbed the phone and began to dial as I pulled on my FBI jacket-
"Hi! Kyo? Yeah Toshiya! Uh, Kaoru-" I grabbed the phone from him and spoke quickly into the reciever-
"Hidelow is dead."
"What?"
"Yes, Cashel is in danger."
"Are you sure? ...Aren't you just overreacting..."
"Look, this was your case for promotion Kyo! You got what you want! If your done!" I snapped.
"I'm just saying..." said Kyo, "It's probably not anything she can't handle."
"SHE'S LOST HER FATHER!" I snarled.
"...things happen Kaoru."
"AND HER COUSIN!"
"..."
"AND HER FAMILY!"
"...Kaoru, you've grown to attached I'll have to remove you if you keep this-"
"FUCK YOU, KYO! I'M GOING TO HELP HER!" I hung up and turned to Toshiya, "Keep a look out for me." I was out the door.
-------------------------------------------------------
I don't really remember what happened next...I remember being helped to my bedroom...I lay on the bed but didn't sleep. I couldn't...
Father had died alone, all alone in that prison cell.
Just like Viola at the hands of Jun, Aiji, and Kirito's men...
...Why was everyone I loved leaving...Why...
Was I going to die all alone too...
I felt myself shiver as in my hands rested the little jewelry box I'd been given by Viola on my birthday...
As I opened it up it sang a tune with the words I could remember her teaching me upon getting it...It was a very sad and angry song...but one her mother had taught her to get passed haunting of the life we women lived...
The tune crinkled beneath my fingers as I stared out my little window, I moved myself from the bed when the help left...There on the window ledge I stared out over the large expanse of lawn...The words of the song with the tune in my head...
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
Til everything burns...
Something inside of me must of awkwakened at the noise...I turned very quietly to see a ghostly pale girl watching me...Her voise was gently humming the tune too...
"V-viola?" I whispered at the sight of my cousin, she smiled lightly at me.
I choked up and turned my eyes away, "...P-please go away!"
"...I can't. I have to one more thing for you."
"Viola..." I pleaded.
"Follow me..." Viola's voice beckoned me from my perch, "Follow me and I will show what that lullaby truly means..."
Slowly I turned my head to her, rising from my seat as she smiled and held out a packet of matches to me...
I remember walking down the steps to the mansion, all around me memories flooded past...Mafia bosses visited her. Murders were planned here. My childhood was had here. My family wasn't gone...because I was still here.
"Follow me! Follow me!" Viola's voice was like an echo, clutched in my own hands were the matches...I stared straight ahead...as I walked out on the lawn... The grass was very high and laced up against the house and the night air neatly...
Walking through life unnoticed
Knowing that no one cares
Too consumed in their masquerade
No one sees her there
And still she sings...
"Viola...What now.." I ask but there is only the whips of the wind out here. And then the ever present cold...My body shivers as I stare over our house...It's mine now. Now that father is dead, it's mine. I inherit everything.
"Come back...please?" I say into the darkness and it passes. No Viola. No father. No anyone. Just me...
I take up the matches in my hand and light one...I stare down at that little flickering flame...It's like me, burning alone and it only has a little bit more time to go before it completely burns out...But if I were too-
Watching it all fade away...
Watching it all fade away...
With a swift flick of my wrist the match lands in the high grass and suddenly the wind takes it, blows it into bigger flickers, it begins to lap at the houses edge. The butlers and help are all gone. I ask them to leave during the night. I apologize to them in my head, they'll need new jobs.
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
The house is slowly going up and I watch blankly as the windows, I'd run around in as a child are eaten by the fire of my own hand...
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
The family, I pray they will disappear but as I watch it go up I wonder why Viola had to go. Why did Dad had to go...Did they hate me?
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I dropped the little music box to the ground and I let myself shake and cry with the drying tears I had left...Couldn't they take me too? I didn't want to be all alone! I didn't want too! I couldn't be all alone!
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns...
Please...someone...I don't want to disappear!
Like the house once the flame developed it...I would die out too! I would crumble and I'd done this to myself-
Til everything burns...
Someone please...help me...
"CASHEL!" I froze like always when someone came up behind me from behind except this time, this person grabbed me, pulled me into a full hug from behind...
"Wh-who..."
"My name is Kaoru, I'm with the FBI."
I didn't know what I expected, I turned to face him, with big wounded eyes... He swallowed and tried to give a really reassuring smile...
"W-where's K-kyo?" I choked out. His face fell, and then he shook his head, "...B-but he...he helped me b-before..."
"I know...But I'm here. I did the monitoring before! Remember the camera?" he smiled.
"...I just...I mean...I..." I couldn't find the right words, "T-there all gone...K-k-yo..." I clutched his shirt just like I had as a child...with Kirito that time after Viola's accident..."P-please don't hurt me..."
"I...I won't..." Kaoru muttered and pet down a few strands of hair as she seemed to fall unconcious or asleep in his arms...
Everything burns
Everything burns
Everything burns
Watching it all fade away
All fade away
Everyone screams
Everyone screams
Watching it all fade away...
"I won't hurt you... I promise." Kyo nodded from just a little bit beyond the houses border...The little music box in his hand-
Everything burns
Watching it all fade away
All fade away
Everyone screams
Everyone screams
Watching it all fade away...
He shut it closed tightly with a snap.
singing herself to sleep.
Wrapped in all of the promises
that no one seems to keep...
It had been only a few months since the whole mafia meets cop incident...Kirito, Aiji and Jun were sentenced to jail time. I was left alone in that big house...Hidelow had turned himself in and would thus get a shorter sentence...Only thing was...
After Viola had gone I'd felt so empty and uncertain. But as the final decision needed to be made I'd made it for her...and what truth she'd spoken. One day I would have to be just like her. I truly wanted to believe in her and in that idea.
So I went through things normally, my life at home was empty. And school was long and monotonous...In the end, just knowing I could keep believing in my passed cousin was enough...
She no longer cries to herself
no tears left to wash away...
So as I sat there over dinner at the long empty table, staring down into my plate... I didn't so much eat as wonder...what now? ...what now...
"My lady?" smiles the butler coming up to my side, "a letter for you from the prison guards?"
I blinked and picked up the letter, undoing the envelope and having my fingers shake as I slowly opened it...
Just diaries of empty pages
feelings gonna stray...
Would it tell me of his release date? Wasn't a mere week from now? And of course, it would contain a letter from him too...Telling me how much he missed me! And how well off we'd been getting rid of Kirito, Jun, and Aiji-
But she will sing...
I froze my eyes barely making it down the second sentence of the paper, it shook a few times in my hands, as my mouth hung open...This couldn't be! This wasn't as it was...I'd rather marry Kirito then this be true-
We are sorry to inform you Ms. Cashel that your father/guardian, Hidelow has passed away from a stroke in his cell block-
"M-my lady?" asked the butler, I slunk down in my seat...hardly breathing as I just shook my head back and forth the note fell to the ground next to me...
Everything Burns...
------------------------------------------------
I don't remember when I started to get bored.
Maybe it was when Kyo got promoted? ...He was like my little buddy. I always counted on him amusing the fuck out of me. And now he was...just not here. I was of course on full monitoring duty of Cashel's household. There were plenty of mafia members still around ready to take over the now diminished capital...
Poor girl had to be so terrified...but I'd been watching her. Of course she didn't know. But that never really bothered me. I guess that was why I didn't hate this job. Anyway, she seemed okay. She seemed to just take it all in stride. Poor girl, but tough girl.
"Geez, man...Take a picture!" Toshiya sneered, "Take it home and then you can rub off too it, huh?" he's toothy grin and "joke" was anything but pleasent.
"Ha, ha...shut up." I glared at him, "I'm doing my job."
"Oh, please. You know you want some of that..." Toshiya jeered.
"And I take it you want some of my fist in your face?" I smiled that creepy, leaderlike smile I always had stashed away.
"...Not really. I'm not into that stuff, Kaoru." Toshiya shrugged.
"Whatever..." I sighed, wishing I could have a shift with someone like Die.
RING RING... Speak of the devil!
"Hello?" I answered and Die's voice rushed through on the other end...
"Did you hear, man?" I sighed and brushed a hand through my dirty blonde strands of hair, or mop on my head...whatever you wanna call it.
"Last time I checked, Die. It's your job to hear and tell me what's going on." I complained.
"Oh, well," Die checked himself with the gossip, "We just got a call! Hidelow, man! The guy kicked the bucket!"
I paused, "You mean...Hidelow? Like Cashel's Hidelow?"
"...I guess?" Die blinked, "Dude, who's Cashe-" I hung up.
"If Hidelow is dead...she'll find out and..." I swallowed, putting myself in her predicament as it was... well, was bad. The girl couldn't possibly handle her father's death sanely, could she?
"Uh, Kaoru?" Toshiya turned to me.
"GET KYO ON THE PHONE! WE NEED TO GET DOWN THERE NOW!" I snarled, moving up from my computers.
"But we're not allowed to leave the office-" Toshiya grumbled.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?" I snarled at Toshiya who quickly grabbed the phone and began to dial as I pulled on my FBI jacket-
"Hi! Kyo? Yeah Toshiya! Uh, Kaoru-" I grabbed the phone from him and spoke quickly into the reciever-
"Hidelow is dead."
"What?"
"Yes, Cashel is in danger."
"Are you sure? ...Aren't you just overreacting..."
"Look, this was your case for promotion Kyo! You got what you want! If your done!" I snapped.
"I'm just saying..." said Kyo, "It's probably not anything she can't handle."
"SHE'S LOST HER FATHER!" I snarled.
"...things happen Kaoru."
"AND HER COUSIN!"
"..."
"AND HER FAMILY!"
"...Kaoru, you've grown to attached I'll have to remove you if you keep this-"
"FUCK YOU, KYO! I'M GOING TO HELP HER!" I hung up and turned to Toshiya, "Keep a look out for me." I was out the door.
-------------------------------------------------------
I don't really remember what happened next...I remember being helped to my bedroom...I lay on the bed but didn't sleep. I couldn't...
Father had died alone, all alone in that prison cell.
Just like Viola at the hands of Jun, Aiji, and Kirito's men...
...Why was everyone I loved leaving...Why...
Was I going to die all alone too...
I felt myself shiver as in my hands rested the little jewelry box I'd been given by Viola on my birthday...
As I opened it up it sang a tune with the words I could remember her teaching me upon getting it...It was a very sad and angry song...but one her mother had taught her to get passed haunting of the life we women lived...
The tune crinkled beneath my fingers as I stared out my little window, I moved myself from the bed when the help left...There on the window ledge I stared out over the large expanse of lawn...The words of the song with the tune in my head...
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
Til everything burns...
Something inside of me must of awkwakened at the noise...I turned very quietly to see a ghostly pale girl watching me...Her voise was gently humming the tune too...
"V-viola?" I whispered at the sight of my cousin, she smiled lightly at me.
I choked up and turned my eyes away, "...P-please go away!"
"...I can't. I have to one more thing for you."
"Viola..." I pleaded.
"Follow me..." Viola's voice beckoned me from my perch, "Follow me and I will show what that lullaby truly means..."
Slowly I turned my head to her, rising from my seat as she smiled and held out a packet of matches to me...
I remember walking down the steps to the mansion, all around me memories flooded past...Mafia bosses visited her. Murders were planned here. My childhood was had here. My family wasn't gone...because I was still here.
"Follow me! Follow me!" Viola's voice was like an echo, clutched in my own hands were the matches...I stared straight ahead...as I walked out on the lawn... The grass was very high and laced up against the house and the night air neatly...
Walking through life unnoticed
Knowing that no one cares
Too consumed in their masquerade
No one sees her there
And still she sings...
"Viola...What now.." I ask but there is only the whips of the wind out here. And then the ever present cold...My body shivers as I stare over our house...It's mine now. Now that father is dead, it's mine. I inherit everything.
"Come back...please?" I say into the darkness and it passes. No Viola. No father. No anyone. Just me...
I take up the matches in my hand and light one...I stare down at that little flickering flame...It's like me, burning alone and it only has a little bit more time to go before it completely burns out...But if I were too-
Watching it all fade away...
Watching it all fade away...
With a swift flick of my wrist the match lands in the high grass and suddenly the wind takes it, blows it into bigger flickers, it begins to lap at the houses edge. The butlers and help are all gone. I ask them to leave during the night. I apologize to them in my head, they'll need new jobs.
Til everything burns
While everyone screams
The house is slowly going up and I watch blankly as the windows, I'd run around in as a child are eaten by the fire of my own hand...
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
The family, I pray they will disappear but as I watch it go up I wonder why Viola had to go. Why did Dad had to go...Did they hate me?
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I dropped the little music box to the ground and I let myself shake and cry with the drying tears I had left...Couldn't they take me too? I didn't want to be all alone! I didn't want too! I couldn't be all alone!
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns...
Please...someone...I don't want to disappear!
Like the house once the flame developed it...I would die out too! I would crumble and I'd done this to myself-
Til everything burns...
Someone please...help me...
"CASHEL!" I froze like always when someone came up behind me from behind except this time, this person grabbed me, pulled me into a full hug from behind...
"Wh-who..."
"My name is Kaoru, I'm with the FBI."
I didn't know what I expected, I turned to face him, with big wounded eyes... He swallowed and tried to give a really reassuring smile...
"W-where's K-kyo?" I choked out. His face fell, and then he shook his head, "...B-but he...he helped me b-before..."
"I know...But I'm here. I did the monitoring before! Remember the camera?" he smiled.
"...I just...I mean...I..." I couldn't find the right words, "T-there all gone...K-k-yo..." I clutched his shirt just like I had as a child...with Kirito that time after Viola's accident..."P-please don't hurt me..."
"I...I won't..." Kaoru muttered and pet down a few strands of hair as she seemed to fall unconcious or asleep in his arms...
Everything burns
Everything burns
Everything burns
Watching it all fade away
All fade away
Everyone screams
Everyone screams
Watching it all fade away...
"I won't hurt you... I promise." Kyo nodded from just a little bit beyond the houses border...The little music box in his hand-
Everything burns
Watching it all fade away
All fade away
Everyone screams
Everyone screams
Watching it all fade away...
He shut it closed tightly with a snap.