Do vaporwave kitsune count technicolor sheep? - 19. Chapter 19

Neither my cousin or I is more than 5’5 in height, and I feel like a child being dragged by another child through the throng that is gathered. Even smacking into a hard chest at one point, I look up and meet the steely gaze of The Dragon’s manservant...the same who nearly ran me over. I am thankful I am in my human form, and give him a little bow of apology before I am forced to continue onwards.

“I’m coming, Kemuri. Please stop manhandling me.”

“We have to go, Moon. The sooner the better.”

A cursory glance over my shoulder and I see he has disappeared from my sight, gone into the crowd. Finally pushing free of the still gathering mass of people, I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face and see the petal pink sky above me, no longer drowning in a sea of bodies.

“We are nearly there...the sooner we are away from this scene, the better.”

Continuing along the main avenue, we finally halt in from a white plank board building with shining glass windows nestled cozily on a corner.

2365 Elm Street

All who seek succor are welcomed here.

“Are you certain this is the right place?”

“Positive.”

Kemuri opens the front door with a jaunty jingle before motioning for me to precede him inside. My sensible heels sink into the mauve hued dated carpet, and I look around to see a waiting room that feels like I’m trying to buy car insurance.

At the sound of the bell, a brightly smiling blonde man appears in the window, a green cardigan sweater tied smartly around his polo shirt clad shoulders.

“Why, good afternoon! How may you serve us today? Tithe? Community work?”

“Don’t you mean ‘how can I serve you’?”

His blue eyes snap onto me.

“No.”

Kemuri places himself in front of the reception window, smiling winningly.

“Good afternoon to you as well. I am here today at the behest of The Founder.”

His blue eyes widen with understanding.

“Maker preserve me, my apologies for keeping you. I will let you back immediately, just a second please.”

He disappears from view and a moment later I can hear the door leading to the back being unlocked before opening wide to allow us entrance. Kemuri takes my hand and nods to the still brightly smiling man as he shuts it once more behind us.

The rear of the building is surprisingly large, made up of a veritable warren of offices and hallways. A bubbling water cooler is surrounded by a group of similarly dressed yuppies who turn to collectively chirp ‘good afternoon’ at us as we pass them.

“Right this way.”

Left, right, right, left, right…

I try my best to keep track of the maze he leads us through, but he moves so quickly that I’m unsure of how accurate my mental map really is. My head is spinning when he finally stops before a nondescript wooden door.

“If you both would be so kind as to wait, I’ll just let your case worker know you are here, thanks so much.”

Within is a small room furnished with nothing but a large empty desk and two chairs.

“They’ll be along directly.”

Blondie shuts us in with a click and I can hear his footsteps shuffling away down the carpeted hallway.

“This place gives me the creeps, Kemuri.”

“Hopefully it won’t take long...whatever it is they need from me. Thanks for tagging along with me. I’m nervous myself.”

Everything about this situation puts me on edge, my senses going into a state of hyper alertness. Outside I hear footsteps passing but never stopping at our door. Kemuri sits beside me, fingers steepled and foot tapping and it begins to drive me mad. I count the minutes as they pass...ten...then fifteen. I feel like I am waiting at the doctor's office, time moves at a snail's pace.

“Fucking hell, I have to piss something fierce. I’ll be right back. If someone finally does show up just tell ‘em I’ve gone to the bathroom, okay?”

Shoving his chair back across the carpet, he exits the room leaving me alone in the sparse room. The silence is deafening as I sit, waiting for Kemuri to return.

Be right back, my ass. Where the hell are you?

Off in the distance I hear a crash followed by more quiet...I almost convince myself that it was just my imagination.

“You can’t be back here,” it’s blondie’s voice coming from down the hallway and growing closer, “How dare you create a disturbance like this! I don’t give a damn who you work for, you best believe you will be hearing from my supervisors. You are currently breaking contractual obligations, Sir.”

Backing myself into the far corner of the room, I shed my human form and revert to my natural kitsune state. Fangs bared menacingly, I lie in wait for what comes next.

“You have no right…”

Blondie’s words are cut off as the door to the room is thrown open with a bang. Two men rush in, and I can see Mr. Manservant lurking just out in the hallway. His eyes meet mine just before he nods at his men.

“That’s her. She is to be taken into custody alive and unharmed, and that’s an order.”

“Yes, sir.”

They chime in unison before the first to bombard into the room with an arm outstretched before him, he attempts to pin me by neck against the wall behind me. As he draws closer, my fangs clamp down onto his forearm and begin to shake viciously. Blood spills into my mouth with a copper tang, staining the carpet at my feet. Reflexively he retreats, giving his partner the opportunity to gain ground on me.

On all fours, I swing my fiery tails at the second goon in an effort to force him back. Thrown off guard, I succeed in taking him by surprise. I clamp my teeth down on his hand, crunching down on flesh and bone of a caught finger. Snaking my head back, I feel the appendage give way and separate. Yowling in pain, he staggers back holding from me, holding his now profusely bleeding hand close to his body.

“Son of a bitch…”

“If I have to do this myself, you will not like the consequences.”

The first underling whose arm I bit pulls a syringe from his pocket, lunging forward he throws himself on top of me.

“No need,” he grunts as he throws an arm around my neck and I feel the prick of a needle injecting me, “I have this in hand, Sir.”

It feels like ice traveling through my veins as the concoction flows deeper into my body. My feet cease supporting me and I fall to the ugly carpeted floor with the weight of the goon pushing me down. Though they continue speaking to one another, my comprehension of their words is fast becoming distorted and unintelligible. The fluorescent lighting above me is dazzlingly bright to my eyes, and the last thing I see is the shadows looming over my body.