Part 3 - In Again

I'm home now. No more distractions. I need to finish this thing so I can get that school project done.

I imagine my professor. He's standing there at the head of the class, his arms crossed in front of his chest. There is an annoyed expression on his face.

"I need an extension," I say.

"Why?"

"I had a psychotic break."

He leans away from me, like he thinks I might be contagious.

"That's no excuse."

"I've got a doctor's note, if that'll change your mind."

"Doctors' notes are for things like the flu."

"Mental illness is a real thing," I insist.

"It doesn't matter. You still can't have an extension for a psychotic break," he says. "Just try to get it to me ASAP."

I hang my head.

"Yes, sir."

This shouldn't take long. All I need to do is find Kaname again. He can't have gone far. My fingers twitch over the keyboard, searching for their customary places. F key. J key. A key. L key. Ready.

The room is the same as I left it. I'm beside the emptied bookshelf again. My mask is beside me. The curved sword is still clutched in my hand. I can start from here.

I pull the silvered mask back over my face. Without it, I am invisible, insubstantial in this place.

Kaname? Come back. You can't hide from me forever.

I pace the perimeter of the room, looking for clues. The savage claw marks on the ceiling still puzzle me. I'm not sure how they even got there. There wasn't a beast in this scene, at least, there wasn't one large enough to do something like that. Kaname must have made them.

I grab Hanabusa with my free hand, and I pull him out from underneath the chair. I stand him up to face me, and his eyes flicker to life.

What did you see?

"Kaname went on a rampage. He destroyed the room when you disappeared. Then, he took Yuki and left."

Where did he go?

"Into one of the books."

Which one?

"Before he left, he told me not to tell you."

You know I'm the master of this place, not him. He doesn't have the right to tell you to do anything.

I wait, but Hanabusa doesn't say anything more.

Hanabusa?

Hanabusa, if you don't tell me, I'll have to kill you, too. Please don't make me do it.

Hanabusa crosses his arms.

"You think I won't die for him?" he says.

I think you will die for him. I'm trying to give you a better choice.

"Go ahead, then. I've lived long enough."

I thought you were supposed to be the intelligent one, Hanabusa.

"I am more than just logic. If you created me, you know I would rather die than betray my friend. Kill me."

I sigh. Hanabusa goes limp as I release what little control I still have of him. Kaname has infected this one, too. I can always make another one when this is finished.

My sword is poised over Hanabusa's chest, but I hesitate. I hate this. I hate myself. It is my fault for letting it come to this, but I can't escape my duty.

I drive the sword into his heart, and I force myself to watch as his body disintegrates to dust and dissipates into the air. I deserve to have this moment burned into my memories. The only thing left of him now is the small pool of blood that had started to gather behind his back. I feel like a murderer. I am a murderer.

At least this room isn't as bad as some of them. It's always messy when they fight me. I'm glad the game-rules from Hanabusa's world dictate that vampires must turn to dust when they die. At least Hanabusa can't lie there staring at me like some of them have in the past. He's gone, and he took his eyes with him.

I wipe the sword clean against the fabric of a nearby cushion.

I dip a finger into the remaining blood, and I use it to mark my body. I use it like war-paint to decorate my mask. I want Kaname to find me. If he's anything like the real Kaname, the scent of his friend's blood will draw him closer. He might already know what I've done.

Once I find Kaname, I will return to seal this room and connect it to the other place. I need the books for now, though.

Kaname, quit hiding. Come out and face me.

Silence.

Somewhere far away, the invisible fingers begin to flick through the infinite Rolodex that is my memonic visualization. I thought that might have been you before.

Got you.

"What is this place?" I hear him whisper as I spiral closer.

I open the door to the Filing Room. Kaname stands beside the alter, his hands on my Rolodex, a trickle of blood down the left side of his chin. Behind him, I can see the view-screen that represents my IRL visual input. The secretary I created to maintain my Rolodex is lying like a broken doll at his feet. Her neck is covered with blood. My Yuki-doll lies motionless in the corner of the room.

The clock at the corner of the monitor shown on the screen says it is now 3:26 am. Have I really been under for so long? The word processor on the monitor shows a blank page.

You killed my secretary.

"You," he says, and begins to back away from me.

I didn't give you permission to do that, Kaname.

"Yuki's blood was like sawdust," he says, glancing back at her inert form. "I couldn't drink it."

She isn't real unless I'm at the strings. She isn't alive without me. The magic in this place is mine, not yours.

"Whose blood is smeared on your mask?"

Hanabusa.

Kaname growls at me.

"You killed Aido?!"

He was mine to do with what I wish, as are you.

"I refuse," he says, regaining his composure. "Set me free."

Impossible. If you've been picking through my thoughts and memories, you know you would die in my world. If this place makes you suffer, I can offer you mercy.

"You say you can offer me mercy, but it would be at the end of your sword."

Yes. After what you've done, you can't stay here.

"I don't want your mercy!" he shouts.

I feel the floor beneath my feet begin to tremble. Large cracks zig-zag across the walls. The view-screen crashes to the floor behind him.

Nice effect. But whether or not you accept it, you are cornered. You are about to die.

I raise my sword and take a step toward him.

"No!" he shouts again.

The floor crumbles. We are flung into the infinite white-space. Chunks of wood and plaster fall through the empty space. Rolodex cards flutter past my face.

Somewhere distant, I can hear myself screaming.