Story: Bleach {Unleashed} (chapter 8)

I’m standing in some back ally of Karakura town as I see a large blackness down the street, this place is familar I've walked it countless times. Two figures hover in mid-air as I instantly reckoned one of them. I’d know that orange curtain anywhere.

“Orihime…?”

The other I don’t. I could see their mouths moving, but no sound. She was sad; I could see the orange haired girl’s tears falling from her beautiful golden eyes as a short, green eyed man spoke softly to her by the way his face looked.

“She’s crying, why is she crying, that man is making her cry!”

I could sense people now, just by looking at them and this guy was no-good and unbelieveably strong. Everyday that sense honed and honed itself more and more, what was it for? What was happening to me? Was I to look on forever, watching my friends protect and defend the ones they loved and cared for? Was I just a hopeless weakling? A crutch?

“The darkness will hold you… “

Something or someone whispers with sinister intent. Foolishly, I shake it off. The green-eyed man offers the darkness to Orihime. I scream, but cannot move.

“Orihime!”

She nods at the recommendation, not even hearing me; she walks into the pitch black and disappears. I’m yelling at the top of my lungs as the man’s bored green eyes turn on me. He raises his finger as a glowing green ball appears in his palm. Suddenly I can move, I dart straight for the man and black shadow beside him that has taken my friend. My speed is incredible; I’m almost on top of him! His lips move, I hear his somber voice.

“Cero…”

A massive, screeching green beam is heading straight for me, I can’t avoid it,

“I-I’m going to die!”

I close my eyes and wait for my body to be blown into ashes. My eyes open again to a wicked shriek of laugher coming from my mouth.

“Was that me?”

I see my arms in front of me; my fists are glowing, slicing though the blast.

“You can’t die now… ”

“ … I jus’ got here HeheHAHAHA!!!”

A blinding light surrounds everything as my body starts to creak under some kind of forceful, unseen pressure. The light turns to dark as I now lay in the same alley again.

“J-Jus’ a dream.” I blink wildly, trembling from head to toe as I start to stand; halfway up something catches my eye.

“A mask…?” I lean over to pick it up as black hands explode from the ground and grab me; threatening yellow pupils fill its eye sockets, I’m beyond horrified. The mask shoots towards my face as it’s jaw unhinges and screams.

“TATSUKI!!!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Breathing…

All I hear is myself breathing…

Beating…

All I hear is my heart beating…

Sweat is pouring from my body; I’m in my room, that terrible, foreboding feeling is still there. I pray and hope I’m wrong. I focus my mind; I see ribbons, millions of white ribbons. I search franticly, looking for that bright orange ribbon among them. I stress my mind to look harder, faster. The dreadful feeling grows with my desperation.

“No, no, no, nooooo, she’s not here!” I leap out of bed and open the window, thinking it will give me a better chance of finding her. I glare into the sky and stars above as tears fall freely from my eyes.

“Orihime…”

“Where are you…?”

Chapter 8