The demon dwelling within him

By the time Akira had said goodbye to his deceased beloved one and finally left the cemetery, it was evening. The streetlights illuminated the empty streets of the city as the cold wind began to blow. Akira felt a cold touch on his cheeks, as he was currently walking home, deep in thought.

When Akira finally arrived home, fragments of his time with Naomi flashed before him, his mood souring even more than it already was. Akira sighed sadly, and went to the front door. As he grabbed the keys from his back pocket, he heard someone call out to him from behind him.

“You there, are you Akira Nakamura by any chance?” Akira turned his head, and found a woman and a man standing on the sidewalk. Unknown to Akira, those people were Ai and Kenta. Of course, Akira hadn’t met them yet.

“What do you want?” filled with suspicion, Akira glared at them, his tone was quite hostile.

Kenta felt a sharp shivering in his legs as Akira’s lifeless gaze fell upon him, he nervously looked at his partner to his side. To his surprise, Ai stood there completely unfazed. As if already having anticipated Akira’s animosity, she had cracked a smile.

"Not much," Ai reached into her left pocket and pulled out her police badge. She began patting her chest proudly as she showed it to Akira. "I just want you to answer some questions, that's all."

The look Ai had made Akira think of Naomi, as the same determined look was present with her. Akira dropped his gaze, and clicked his tongue.

“Fine.” Akira said after he turned around to face Ai, his menacing look softening a bit.

Kenta’s nerves went away as he breathed from relieve. His gaze turned back to his partner, who had just put away her police badge, his admiration for her increasing massively.

Ai and Kenta escorted Akira to their car, which was parked not too far away. Kenta opened the passenger seat door and let Akira get in. After doing so, did Kenta close the door. Kenta began looking at his partner, who cracked a smile.

They both got into the car and began driving toward the police station.

As they drove, a tense atmosphere hung in the air while not a word was muttered. Kenta kept looking at Akira through the mirror from time to time, while Akira glared back wary. Ai, however, was still smiling radiantly despite the mood.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Ai glanced at Akira by turning her head, and said, ”We’re here.”.

Ai and Kenta had exited the car, and though still a little afraid of Akira, Kenta opened the passenger door, letting Akira also leave the car.

After Ai made sure the doors were all closed, she locked the car and began guiding Akira towards the police station, Kenta silently following behind Akira.

Akira looked to the right and was amazed by the police station. It gave off a majestic atmosphere as the moon aligned perfectly with the building, and the stars further emphasized the building's magnificent feel.

The three walked on in silence and not long after, they finally reached the entrance to the building. As the three of them entered, Akira began to walk after Ai and Kenta, who had just rounded a corner and continued down the corridor. The two stopped at a steel door, Ai's gaze focused on Akira as she began to speak with a smile.

"Make yourself comfortable," Ai's expression turned serious, making the air tense and the temperature drop as well. Ai's smile faded and a cold expression took its place. "We'll stay here for a while."

Both Akira and Kenta shuddered at Ai's sudden change of expression. Cold sweat leaked down Kenta's cheek as he swallowed slightly startled. Akira became wary of Ai and began to see her as a dangerous threat.

To avoid unleashing Ai's potential wrath, Akira obediently entered the room and saw a table in the middle of the room, with two chairs at each end. Ai and Kenta had just closed the door behind them; Ai took a seat and Kenta stood quietly beside her.

Ai gestured for Akira to sit down, and without wasting precious seconds, he sat down on the other side of the table.

"All right, let the interrogation begin." Ai said while both ends of her mouth curled up into a grin. She’s just like u, Naomi. Akira dropped his gaze, laughing softly. And with that the interrogation really began.

                                                                      …

The interrogation went very smoothly as every question Ai asked, was quickly answered by Akira without fail. It didn’t matter if it was a generic one you would see in movies, or even some highly personal ones, Akira answered them all.

Ai couldn’t help but feel a little taken aback by his cooperation. With all the other people she ever interrogated, they either pushed the blame on to others or played ignorant, convincing themselves they had done nothing wrong. But with Akira, Ai didn’t find either.

Ai felt the emptiness behind the tone Akira spoke, the tone was like a soldier who came back from the battlefield, as if he had lost everything. The manner in which he spoke was not normal for the average young adult, and yet, in Akira’s case, it seemed he had completely given up on life.

The lifeless gaze from his eyes, whose light was all but gone, Akira continued on answering, as he recalled the events leading up to this point.

“What a rough life you’ve been living, huh,” Ai said after Akira had finished explaining the events leading to Naomi’s death, Ai leaned back on her chair.

“My condolences for your loss. If we had tried harder on our end, maybe we could’ve saved you all.” Ai said quietly, her head leaning towards the table. Akira didn’t respond, his gaze still cold.

“Well, the interrogation is over,” Ai stood up from her chair, and her back perfectly straightened.

“Thanks for the useful information, Akira-kun. Me and my partner here will find those who did this to you. We’ll make them pay, I promise.” Ai placed her hand on her bosom, as she finished her sentence, she rolled it into a fist. Akira focused his gaze to Ai, her eyes sparkling with dedication.

As Akira saw Naomi again in Ai, his heart began to ache and so he quickly got up from his chair, and bowed, he exited the room in a hurry. As he walked to the entrance, he felt several taps on his right shoulder, Akira turned his head, and glanced at the person behind him. It was Kenta.

"Now what?" Akira asked, as he squinted his brows narrow.

“Let me give you a ride home.” Kenta replied, putting his hand in his pocket;

“Huh?” Akira was baffled by Kenta’s sudden request, but after looking at his face, Akira knew Kenta was serious. Akira couldn’t help but quietly accept his gesture, and so he followed after Kenta, who was already heading towards his car.

After a quiet trip, they finally arrived at Akira’s home. Akira just got out of the car, and now standing at the sidewalk. Kenta, who had rolled down the window, spoke to Akira.

"We won't see each other for a while, so stay safe in the meantime." Kenta said, driving away not long after.

After Kenta disappeared in the distance, Akira went inside his house. The damage Akemi and his accomplice did to the first floor was still present, Akira’s expression darkened as he moved past the clutter.

Akira stopped in the middle of the living, where he looked around. The fun memories with Naomi he’d made here were one by one flashing before him, he gritted his teeth, and clutched his hands. It stopped several moments later, the gloomy atmosphere returning as well.

As Akira’s exhausted body had reached its limit, Akira headed to his bedroom, and dropped on his bed. He slowly closed his eyes, as he yearned the warmth of his deceased wife. A tear dripped down, as his consciousness began drifting away.

                                                                      ...

Akira found himself awakening in a familiar room, the same room Akemi left him to burn. An obnoxious stench began filling the enclosed room, smoke spreading as well. As Akira’s hands were chained to the wall he’s resting on, Akira started panicking as adrenaline started pumping through his veins.

Slowly, it became difficult to breath, as the fire came closer ever so slightly. As his survival instincts took over, Akira tried to free himself of the chains. As one would expect, it didn't budge one bit, but it didn't stop Akira, as he continued to loosen the grip on his wrists.

The flames burned brighter with the second that passed, it had covered the entire room. Now, as the fire reached the corner near Akira, it started spreading in his direction. It became hotter, and after Akira had glanced at the fire coming to him, he began pushing his body beyond its limits.

Suddenly, he heard a crack, his left arm falling to his side.

The chain on his left wrist had broken off, pieces of skin torn off. Normally, it would’ve stinged a little, but Akira felt nothing. Without wasting a moment, he used his left hand to free his right.

As the fire neared Akira, he gave a final push, and then another crack could be heard.

Akira had successfully freed himself, and just as the fire had touched his hips, Akira quickly ran to the exit. Some smoke began leaving the room, into the hall. Akira immediately started searching for his captured wife, Naomi.

After checking every room in the first floor and beneath, he hadn’t found a single trace of Naomi. Just as he was heading to the second floor, fire had prevented him from going there. Akira looked behind him, a wall of flames slowly coming closer to him.

Having no other choice, he reluctantly sprinted to the entrance of the building, there he found Naomi laying at the hall, she was unconscious.

As Akira desperately attempted to wake her up, the wall of fire increased its speed, as the flames began reaching closer. Akira turned to look at the wall coming for him, and right as he glanced back at Naomi, her body completely missing.

The wall had just reached Akira and began to envelop him in it. As the flames touched his body, his skin began to burn. When he felt his insides melt, he was startled awake in shock and his head was covered in sweat. He breathed heavily.

As Akira’s heart kept beating harder, he clutched his hands. Akira got up from his bed, and went to the bathroom. There, he stopped by the sink, and turned it on. As water fell down, he scooped some and washed his face with it, he repeated it several times.

With Akira now fully awake and his heart beat not slowing down, he placed his hand on his chest, he could feel the vibrations from his heart. He began grabbing his shirt, his hand folding into a fist.

The loss of Naomi was slowly getting to him, as Akira’s expression blanked, he came to a conclusion.

Revenge? The five bastards, who made his life a living hell? Ai or Kenta? Non of them mattered to Akira anymore. What was the point of living now that the love of his life was gone? The light in Akira’s eyes dimmed, exposing his exhaustion.

I’ve had enough. Akira thought, as tears began falling down. He looked at the ceiling.

“I will join u soon, Naomi.” Akira said, for no one but himself to hear.

                                                                      ...

It was evening.

Akira stood in his living, a chair was placed in front of him. A robe that was attached to the ceiling lamp hung down with a hole in the end. Akira got on the chair, and put his head through the hole.

Just as he was about to jump, the doorbell rang continuously. As Akira was slightly annoyed, he pulled his head out of the hole, and went to the front door.

After he had opened it, he saw a familiar face standing there.

“I beg of you, come work for me again.” it was Akira’s former boss.

                                                                      ...

After Akira's spectacular declaration of resignation, the business Akira worked at fractured, as many began resigning one by one. It had gotten so worse that only a third of the workers remained. As the inspection was right on the corner, Akira’s former boss declared that he would bring Akira back, as without him, work couldn’t be finished.

He was that desperate, and so he went to his home. After he had rang the door multiple times, the door finally opened, his former employee’s eyes were lifeless.

“It’s been a long time, Akira.” Akira’s boss called him by the name, which he wasn’t used to, he forced an awkward smile.

Instead of responding, Akira slammed the door, but Akira’s boss placed his foot in the way, preventing it from fully closing.

“Hey, hear me out, please. I want to you to work for me again.” the boss pleaded desperately. However Akira remained silent. As he saw that his former boss wouldn’t leave him alone, he went away from the door, inside his house.

Akira’s former boss followed him inside, and was baffled by the mess he saw. When he went to the living he saw Akira stand at a chair, a rob hanging from the ceiling directly above.

“What’s wrong with you?” Akira’s former boss asked, but Akira didn’t respond yet again. As he slightly lost his cool, Akira’s boss went to Akira and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Answer me, you fucking pig!” Akira, who had remained silent this entire time, suddenly turned around and grabbed his former boss by the throat, he tightened his grip ever so slightly. His eyes being bloodshot, as his face turned red from rage.

As his source of oxygen was cut off, Akira’s former boss tried to release Akira’s grip on him, to no avail. His face turned purple, and his body numbed slowly. It seemed to be his end, when he, out of desperation, kneed Akira in the crotch.

Akira’s boss fell to the ground, breathing in heavily. He began running away, when Akira suddenly stopped him by hitting him in the head. Akira’s boss fell on his stomach, and when he turned to lay on his back, he saw Akira stare at him menacingly, sending fear down his body.

Akira placed his hands on his former boss throat again, and this time, he kept tightening his grip with all his might.

As his former boss kept begging for forgiveness, he felt droplets of tears fall on his cheeks. It came from Akira, who began laughing loudly. Akira’s former boss was slowly getting light-headed, as his vision turned white slowly.

What are you?  The last thing Akira’s former boss thought before he lost consciousness, was what monster might’ve possessed him.

As his hearing silenced, his vision turned black, and when he breathed a final time, he felt his soul leave his body.

Akira continued to laugh, whilst remaining his grip on his boss’s corpse. A feeling of guilt began forming in his gut, as he’d taken the life of someone for the first time.