by E. Mendell
~ Six ~
Soul woke up the next morning to the sun shining on her face through the window. She placed her hand over her eyes, but then heard a weird creaking sound. Turning her head, she looked to see Hiro sitting in the middle of the room with a toolbox lying open beside him. There were tools scattered around him and puddles of oil.
“Morning,” said Soul, rolling onto her side and smiling at Hiro.
Hiro paused, but then glanced back at her. “You’re up,” he said. “Good. I have bad news.”
“What is it?” Soul asked, sitting up and stretching.
“We’re moving.” Hiro tossed a wrench into the toolbox and then leaned towards his abdomen. Soul heard the creaking again, then a click. She couldn’t see what he was doing, but his back was covered in white scars beneath the plates of metal which had screws, vents, layered sides for motion, and strange inscriptions that looked like some foreign language. Soul was staring at them openly, having not expected the metal to be so silvery and glossy, despite the puncture in the back where the knife was. There was still a smudged trail of oil around it, but despite that the metal was lovely.
“Moving?” Soul finally accessed Hiro’s words. She gawked at Hiro’s back in a stunned way. “Hiro, did you seriously say we’re moving?”
“My enemies have caught up with me,” explained Hiro, followed by him taking in a sharp breath of pain and taking a wrench to the steel by his ribs. There was a sharp screeching sound and then Hiro relaxed, tossing a wrench and screwdriver into the toolbox and taking another tool from the floor. “Last night an old friend attacked me. Nearly killed me, but his aim was off a little.”
“I told you not to go,” said Soul as she watched Hiro carefully. “Your voice isn’t all… digitally glitch like anymore,” she murmured.
“I fixed my voice box this morning,” replied Hiro. He gathered up the tools and placed them into the toolbox, shutting it. He then grabbed a black jacket from the ground and pulled it on. He zipped it up halfway and got to his feet.
“Where are we moving to?” Soul asked, watching Hiro. “I’m here because I’m waiting for something.”
Hiro laughed emotionlessly and looked at Soul over his shoulder. “I know what you’re waiting for,” he told her. “As long as you’re with me it’ll show up, right?”
Soul was alarmed. “How did you know?” She demanded blankly.
“I heard you talk in your sleep,” replied Hiro, fixing his hair. “You mentioned what you’re waiting for.”
Soul felt caught. “You’re… still letting me stay with you?” She whispered nervously.
Hiro looked back at her. His golden eyes were hard and his face expressionless. “I don’t like it, but I have nothing to fear,” he told her darkly. “Be warned that I will keep a sharper eye on you now. And I put passwords on all my equipment so you can’t get in easily.” He nodded towards his laptop.
Soul frowned. “I didn’t break into your documents while you were gone,” she said. “I was good. I was just…” She paused, but then decided against her own words. “Where are we moving to?”
Hiro looked around the small shack. “Wherever we end up,” he told her quietly. “I can’t miss this place, my emotions won’t allow it. I do wish I could stay here longer.” He shrugged and then looked at Soul over his shoulder. “Sorry for buying you all that clothing. Pick an outfit to wear now, one to change into, and then pajamas. Everything else we must leave behind.”
“Everything?” Soul looked around at the bed supplies, the fridge, and the piles of clothing Hiro had scattered about.
“I am not weighed down by worldly objects,” said Hiro as he dug through the clothes, withdrawing a black duffle bag and opening it. He packed two pairs of jeans and two more jackets. While Soul went through her clothes Hiro was packing up his electronics. Checking a few things on his laptop before turning it off and stashing it in the bag. He looked at Soul as she grabbed her chosen outfits and handed the pajamas and change of clothing to him.
“Now look away, I’m going to change,” she told him.
Hiro turned his back on her, packing her clothes into the bag. “You aren’t asking much about the other night,” he told her.
“I figured you wouldn’t want to talk about it,” said Soul as she changed into jeans and a red t-shirt. “Since it looks like you got whooped.”
Hiro scowled to himself. “It was a rather one-sided fight,” he muttered. “I dare not fight the man equally. He isn’t like Enimito and I. He is a pure human, trained all his life as a Light Ninja; one who fights for good. But he was brought to the dark side when I destroyed his life.” Hiro stopped and gazed at the black duffle bag grimly. “I wish I could feel regret,” he murmured. “I only have the pain of what I did. He, Red Assassin, has never forgiven me. He drenched his white cloak in the blood of the people who were killed, and continue to cover it in the blood of his victims. It’s now died dark crimson and no bleach could get the stains out.”
“Ew,” said Soul, sitting on the mattress and looking at Hiro. “Do you have any weird quirks like that?”
Hiro shook his head and zipped the duffle bag shut. “I’m merely a machine made to destroy and escape,” he muttered, rising to his feet and slinging the bag over his shoulder. “And I have too many enemies to bother hoping I can escape.”
“How far will we be walking?” Soul asked, looking up at Hiro.
“As far as we can without killing you,” replied Hiro, turning to face her. “Oh, and Soul, one more thing.” He rolled up his sleeve, showing her the bandages that wrapped the wound on his arm. “For future reference, I keep the bandages in this duffle bag.” He rolled the sleeve back down.
“Sorry,” said Soul quietly, lowering her head. “I was panicking. You scared me last night, Hiro.”
“I apologize,” said Hiro, bowing his head. “I seem to keep scaring you. I should be more careful and remember your condition.”
“No, don’t remember that,” said Soul, looking up at him fearfully. “You might remember my name and kill me if you do that.”
Hiro flinched at her words. “I’m already fearing that your nickname might not be enough to save you,” he muttered.
“I know I’m in danger when I’m with you, Hiro,” said Soul. “If I leave you I’ll be in just as much danger. I plan to stay as close to you as I can because when we’re apart I feel like we’re both going to die.”
Hiro shut his eyes. “That’s likely,” he told Soul quietly. “According to a message I was once given a long time ago.”
Soul looked up expectantly. “What message?” she asked.
Hiro shook his head. “Another time,” he told her, slinging the duffle bag over his shoulder. “For now we have a long walk to focus on. Keep your breathing steady and tell me if we’re going too fast. I don’t want you to die, Soul. I really don’t.”
~ To Be Continued ~
Thank you for returning and reading the second part of Hiro and Soul’s adventure. If you enjoyed this story I hope you will leave a review at your favorite retailer! I’m glad you returned for seconds, and I hope you look forward to thirds!
Thank you for your support!
E. L. Mendell
About the Author
E. Mendell was raised in a large family of nine. Being one of seven siblings she found inspiration all around. As soon as she could put words together she began writing stories. Starting with tales of her imaginary adventures, Mendell’s future was beginning to unfold. She started writing more and more. At the age of fourteen she was given an old computer on which she began over thirty stories, and completed more than fifteen. She also took an interest in art, using her gifts to create her own cover art and designs in her stories. However, writing remains her first love.
“I write to escape reality,” says E. Mendell, “and I hope everyone who reads my stories will see them as an escape as well.”
E. Mendell published her first book in 2012, at the age of 21, through Fifth Estate in Alabama. The
Eysheus Saga, Book One, Blood River. Mendell reports that most of the series is complete and she is anxious to publish the next book before 2014.
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