Kai woke up on his back, gasping for air. There were tears rolling down his cheeks and putting little wet splotches in the dirt below him. His hands were clenched into fists, and his shoulder was throbbing painfully. Moon was standing above him, her hands on her hips. One of them was cocked, and she was raising her eyebrows eagerly at him.

"Up, up," she demanded, leaning down and poking his face. 

He immediately shrank away from her. Moon was terrifying, and he hated her. What did she do to him? Were his friends gone? Did they leave him? What about his father? Was he alright? Did he leave Kai too, after finding out what he was? 

"Get up, boy," Moon snapped harshly, leaning back again. "Your friends are most definitely waiting for you to make your return. I have no doubt that they're worried sick. Come, come, we must get you back to where you belong." 

Kai tried and failed to find words. He wasn't sobbing, but he was crying too hard to speak back; so he struggled to his feet. He slumped forward and put his face in his hands, tears wetting his fingertips. His shoulders shook as he stumbled after Moon, who was hardly waiting for him.

"Keep up," she called dully over her shoulder, coming to stop. She threw a glance at him, then continued walking toward the closed door. Kai removed his hands and found three guards standing in ready positions by the door. One of them had a bump on his chin, so Kai's friends had obviously already tried to get out and rescue him. 

Or had they? Were they just trying to get out of Moon's place, since Kai had been taken away? Maybe they found that as a perfect opportunity to leave without Kai so he wouldn't hurt them. Those guards maybe just thought that they were still there, and Shintaro had teleported everyone else out. 

They'd left without him, hadn't they?

Kai felt the now familiar weight of sadness, anger, guilt, and panic that crashed onto his shoulders. He swallowed another sob and stood beside Moon as she chatted formally with one of the guards, telling him that she was returning Kai to his rightful place.

The guard nodded and carefully swung the door open.

Shintaro was right there in front of the guard in a matter of milliseconds. His fist wrapped around the guards throat tightly, while his other hand was holding the doorway. His face was set in a determined frown and his teeth gritted. 

The guard made a choked sound as Kai felt some of the weight fall off of him. Relief and confusion washed over him like a wave. 

"No, no, Shintaro," Moon said sharply, spitting out Shintaro's name like it was poison. "Put him down, or you won't get Kai back." She waved a hand in front of Kai, who flinched away from her. He shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself.

Shintaro froze, then averted his fierce eyes over to Moon. The two stared at each other until Shintaro finally let go of the man, who stumbled backward to catch his breath.

"Good," Moon praised, clapping her hands together. "Now get back in there, and Kai will follow you." 

What if he hurt them? Why didn't he think of that? They should have left without him. They would have been better off without a Dark who was turning slowly evil. Kai felt like he knew that he was going insane, like every other Dark there was. Insane wasn't the right word. Just... unstable. Kai felt unstable. Alone.

Shintaro turned his gaze over to Kai, but Kai looked away as another tear fell down his face. When he looked back, Shintaro was in the room, standing directly in the path of the doorway, and eyeing Kai expectantly.

"Go on," Moon said, and she pushed him forward before Kai could jump away. When she shoved him, he nearly let out a scream. He didn't want her to touch him again. Last time she did, he'd felt like he died, then he woke up on his back. 

He stumbled forward into Shintaro's strong arms, then the door closed behind him. 

Shintaro didn't stumble backward at all; he held Kai firmly in his grip, then wrapped his arms around him tightly. Kai felt the fear return to him as Shintaro squeezed him. What was he going to do? Hold him until he couldn't breathe so that he could kill him so that his family would be safe?

Kai's breath hitched in his lungs, and he soon was gasping and beginning to whimper again. He felt like a baby, but he just wanted Shintaro to let go. He didn't want to accidentally hurt Shintaro.

Luke's soft but urgent voice filled the room. "Shintaro, I don't think it's a good time to do that right now." 

Kai felt Shintaro shake his head, but he didn't say anything. He squirmed roughly, trying to wriggle out of Shintaro's tight grasp. Shintaro, just let go! 

Shintaro only held on tighter. Kai felt tears prick his eyes again, and he sobbed into Shintaro's chest. He squeezed his hands together again, trying to make himself as small as possible. 

"Shintaro, let go of him," Luke said gently, limping over to his friend. "Right now. Is not. A good. Time." His voice sounded somehow patient as he put pauses in between his words to make his point.

Kai wanted to scream, but he didn't. He only curled into himself, making Shintaro's grip on him loosen. 

"Kid?" Shintaro finally found his words. "What's..." 

"Look at him, Shintaro," Luke said firmly. "He doesn't want you to do that right now. Just... wait until he's alright with it."

Finally, Shintaro let Kai go. Kai stumbled backward into the door and sank down with his back against it, putting his hands on his face. He sobbed over and over again, not daring to look up at his friends. They should have just left. Kai didn't want to hurt them anymore than they already were. 

"Kai?" Abby's voice said quietly. "Are you okay?" She sounded concerned and scared. Why was she scared for him? Why did she like him so much? Why did Kai like her back? He shouldn't get too close to her otherwise she would get hurt...

"What's wrong?" Linda's voice chimed in, and she sounded tired, as though she'd just woken up.

"Guys," Luke said softly. When Kai peeked out, he was still standing where he was before, along with Shintaro. "Just leave him alone. I don't think right now is a good time." 

"I want to know why," Shintaro snapped, and Kai flinched so hard that he hit his head on the back of the door. He dipped his head back into his hands, which were resting on his knees.

"I don't know what he saw!" Luke shouted, and Kai flinched again. Luke must have noticed, because he immediately quieted his voice. "Moon can enter someone's head and mess up any kind of trauma that they've had before. It's dangerous, and sometimes it can mess people up permanently, sometimes it can muddle their brains for only a little. Like I said, I don't know what he saw, so I can't tell you the reason. But it doesn't look like he wants a hug right now." 

The whole room fell quiet, except for Kai's occasional choked sob. 

"That's terrible," Linda said in a hushed voice, as if she was afraid to be too loud.

"We've gotta get out of here," Gabriel mumbled.

"Luke, go sit back down," Shintaro said to his friend in a lowered voice, and when Kai looked back up slightly, Luke had done as he was told. 

"Will he be alright?" Abby asked eagerly. "Please tell me he'll be alright!" 

Luke was quiet.

Suddenly, Abby's hand folded over Kai's.

"Don't!" Kai shouted, jumping up onto his feet and stumbling sideways, away from everyone else, and into a corner. He collapsed back into it, staring up at Abby in fear and worry and sadness. He didn't want to hurt her. She had to stay away from him. She had to.

Abby tried to find her words and failed, her confused and sad blue eyes locked with his.

I'm sorry, Kai thought. But I don't want to hurt you. 

~

OMG GUYS I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. I FEEL SO CLOSE TO THE END OF THIS BOOK, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S LIKE EIGHT TO TEN CHAPTERS AWAY. 

LAKHTKJAHGDSJKAHGLKTJ!

ICAN'TWAIT.

How do you guys like this book so far? Leave it in the comments!! :D

Peace!!~~