It was a gloomy day. Rain continued to pour from the sky relentlessly, the clouds enveloped all rays of sunlight and casted a grey hue on everything. It was as if mother nature was expressing her grief alongside the kids at the orphanage. Such a kind and motherly figure had been taken from them. Despite her grand stature in the orphanage, her memorial was nothing but a wooden cross in the orphanage’s garden with her name and some kind words carved into the wood. The soul-crushing grief tore the kids to pieces as they looked upon Hannah’s grave, such a cross didn’t do Hannah’s character justice. The gut-wrenching reality that Hannah was dead had been set in the kids’ minds and so their grief in the form of crying and denial was now replaced with an empty expression, a shell, devoid of emotion.
‘A mother and guiding light to us all’ read the cross, the kids flicked through the countless memories they had of Hannah. Each recollection felt like a knife being plunged deeper and deeper in their hearts. But the kids had already shed so many tears, it felt like they had none left. The grief had drained everything from them.
Lola stood behind all the children, dressed in a black gown. She was never an emotional woman but something about Hannah, struck a chord in her. A chord she had never felt before. That chord would never be struck again. She clenched her fist, thinking of what the kids had lost, what she had lost. Her mind flashed back to the sight of Kaneki and Skae standing outside the front door, soaked by the rain.
Was it really right to kick them out of the orphanage?
What would Hannah think?
Can I even become a replacement... for someone like her?
She remembered the smiles of all the kids, she recalled Stevie’s confidence in Hannah’s return.
She looked at the children. Not a single glimmer of hope could be seen in their eyes.
She had to fill Hannah’s shoes, there was no other choice. If it meant she could restore the smiles of the kids. She had to. For the kids. For Hannah.
At that moment, a loud banging boomed from the front door, startling Lola and all the kids.
“I’ll answer it, you kids stay here.”, she said to them cautiously before making her way to the door.
A lingering unease hung over Lola as she got closer to the door. She took a breath before opening the door to see two teenage boys dressed in black trench coats, one smiling and the other with a tough expression.
“Hello there, miss,”, one of the boys chirped, “We are detectives sent by the local police station to investigate the whereabouts of Kaneki Tureng.”
A sharp jolt was sent through Lola upon hearing Kaneki’s name.
She looked at the boy who greeted her, his smile looked genuine but the boy behind him remained silent with a mean expression on his face. The clear contrast between the two felt unnatural to Lola.
She looked at the badges of the two of them.
‘Simon Sciy’ ‘Lance Sciy’
“Sorry, I don’t know who that is, you might be at the wrong place.”, Lola said dismissively, closing the door as she spoke.
Simon put his foot in the way of the door, stopping Lola from closing it and startling her.
“We were told he was staying at an orphanage close to the house explosion, and this appears to be the only orphanage in the area.”, Simon said firmly, still keeping a smile, “I don’t believe we are mistaken.”
Lola was left speechless.
“Now if you don’t mind.”, continued, raising his voice slightly, “We are going to ask the other children here.”
With that he pushed the door open causing Lola to fall over.
The two boys walked past her, ignoring her entirely.
The sounds of the struggle alerted the other kids in the garden. Within seconds, the oldest of the kids came running to the front door but was completely taken back by the sight of Simon and Lance, and Lola on the floor.
“Lola!”, he exclaimed, “Who are these guys?”
“I don’t know they just showed up and pushed right past me!”, Lola cried, “Call the police!”
He immediately turned to run to the main room to find the telephone but before he could take a single step, he felt a fierce grip on his arm.
He looked back to see Lance holding him back with a firm expression.
“Let’s not make a scene.”, he said in a calm but threatening manner.
“Michael!”, Lola cried, picking herself off the floor to save him.
All the kids ran to the hallway alerted by Lola’s scream.
Without hesitation Simon pulled a gun from his back pocket and pointed it at the children, keeping his calm smile.
All the children screamed in response and stopped immediately.
“Nobody has to die if we all remain still.”, Simon cooed, “Just tell us where Kaneki Tureng is hiding and we can all stay alive.”
Everyone was silent for a moment.
Lola and all the kids kept their eyes on the gun, their hearts beating out of their chest. It felt as if death was staring them right in the face.
‘Should I tell them?’, Lola thought to herself.
‘Would they find Kaneki if I told them which way he went?’
She looked at the other children, the fear on their faces. She couldn’t let the children die.
‘I have to. There’s no choice.’
But just as she was about to open her mouth, Michael gritted his teeth.
“We won’t tell you anything!”, he shouted, as he broke out of Lance’s grip.
He lunged at Simon, reaching for his gun. It felt as if time had slowed down. Simon didn’t have enough time to react. Michael’s hand reached the barrel of the gun but at that moment, Lance landed a devastating punch across his face, knocking him to the ground.
Michael felt dazed for a second but before he could get up, a fatal electric shock coursed through his body, frying his organs and killing him instantly. Lola and all the kids watched in horror as his body shook uncontrollably before suddenly.... he stopped.
Lance clenched his fist, electricity crackling on his knuckles as he looked at Michael with purely unemotional eyes.
Lola froze.
She couldn’t process what just happened.
One minute he was alive and the next minute he was gone.
Simon looked at Michael’s twitching body with an unimpressed look.
“I told him... nobody needs to die...”
He turned his head back to the kids
“....if we all remain still.”
He closed his eyes with frustration, still keeping a smile.
“I’ll ask one more time!”, he shouted, “Tell me where Kaneki Tureng is, or I kill everyone here.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Everyone remained silent for a moment, shaking with fear, their eyes fixed on Michael's body.
“I’m sure we all speak the same language.”, Simon taunted, as he cocked his gun, “Maybe I need to get everyone’s attention again.”
“Kaneki went into the main city with a girl called Skae Esper!”, a boy shouted.
Lola looked to see who it was.
It was Stevie.
All the kids froze, and their eyes widened. Stevie looked at Simon directly in the eyes, shaking.
Simon looked at him for a moment, with a friendly smile.
“Thank you for your help, you have saved all the kids here.”
Lola froze for a moment.
Just the... ‘kids’?
Simon turned back to her and aimed his gun at her head.
“You lied to us. You wasted our time and killed this poor boy. Michael, was it?”
Lola couldn’t speak. She couldn’t breathe. The barrel was facing right between her eyes.
The image of Hannah flashed in her mind.
‘Why... why has it come to this?’
“You brought this upon yourself.”, he said
Simon fired a shot into Lola’s forehead.
Everyone watched as she collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from her head.
All the kids shrieked, tears in their eyes.
Without a word, Simon and Lance left the orphanage and headed for the city, leaving the children in a room of their dead peers.
The two corpses lay motionless on the cold floor, their lifeblood pooling beneath them, soaking into the wooden planks. The coppery scent of death hung thick in the air, mixing with the lingering stench of fear. Kaneki and Skae sat in silence on the bed where she had been held captive, the mattress still creased from her struggle.
The raw power Kaneki unleashed sent a cold shiver down Skae’s spine, it wasn’t fear, it was something else. It was more than just strength—it was something unnatural, something she had seen before. A life she had been banished from. And now, as if fate itself had arranged it, that world was creeping back into her reality.
She stared at Kaneki as he kept his eyes firmly on the ground. The blood on his hands had now dried, a reminder that he left behind a version of himself that will never come back.
What would Hannah think… if she saw me like this?
And Dad… if he were still here, would he even recognise me?
His mind spiraled deeper into guilt, drowning in unanswered questions—until a soft touch pulled him back to reality. Skae’s palm rested on his shoulder, grounding him.
“When did you find out about your powers?”, she asked softly.
“After Hannah was killed in front of me.”, he replied, still keeping his eyes to the ground.
“I watched her die right in front of me and after that, it felt like I had lost control, my whole body was consumed by this vicious power, it urged me to fight... to kill Tray.”
“Then what happened?”, she asked, concerned.
Kaneki’s eyebrows twitched.
“He managed to defeat me. He transformed into this being of orange flames and by the end, he concentrated all that power into a single blue flame around his fist, and then everything went black.”
Skae stayed silent for a moment, recalling Tray’s eyes turning orange.
“It really is my fault, if I had just trusted my instincts-”
“No.”, Kaneki interrupted, turning his head to Skae with tears in his eyes.
“I could’ve saved Hannah with this power, but she died protecting me, because I'm weak.”
He clenched his fists, his hands shook with tension.
“Hannah’s dead because of me, because I was someone who needed protection.”
Kaneki turned his head to the corpses of the two men.
“I don’t want to kill people, but I won’t be weak anymore.”
He closed his eyes, remembering Hannah, remembering his father.
“I can’t let anyone else die on my account.”
He recalled the image of Jiro standing over his father, it’s resemblance to the sight of Tray killing Hannah.
“If I ever see Tray, I’ll make sure to kill him. I won’t let anyone threaten our survival.”
Skae looked at Kaneki, his passion, his resolve, it struck a chord in her, something she had never felt before.
A heavy silence hung between them, thick with unspoken pain. Then, Skae placed her hand on Kaneki’s, breaking through the tension.
“I’m not gonna die,” she whispered, her voice steady. “Let’s focus on survival, just that. Forget the state of this world, forget revenge. Right now, we just need to stay alive.”
Kaneki looked at her eyes for a moment, before turning away and deciding not to reply.
Skae exhaled and rose to her feet, her gaze lingering on the bodies for just a moment too long. A reminder that they weren’t safe. That they had crossed a line they couldn’t undo.
“We can’t stay here,” she said, her voice sharper now, regaining control. “Someone will find them eventually. We need to move.”
Kaneki stood up and glanced at the corpses for a moment as the thoughts formed in his head.
“I think our best bet is to take some time to look around, but we have the option of moving these guys out of here and staying here for a while.”
Lance and Simon navigated the desolate cityscape, their boots sinking into the softening mud as the storm's aftermath lingered. The sun's tentative rays pierced through the dissipating clouds, casting an eerie glow on the dilapidated structures around them. Buildings stood as hollow shells, overtaken by creeping vines and moss, their windows shattered or boarded up, whispering tales of abandonment.
"This place feels ancient," Lance murmured, his gaze sweeping over the crumbling facades. "You think it's like this everywhere?"
Simon scanned the surroundings, noting the encroaching wilderness. "Perhaps just a neglected area," he replied. “All the resources must go towards the advancing technology; this place isn’t involved in any constant warfare.”
Their attention returned to the faint footprints, now barely discernible as the mud hardened. Simon frowned. "We've lost the trail.”
He looked around for a moment, noticing the houses around.
“Let's inquire locally; someone might have seen them."
The brothers approached a weathered door, the silence around them amplifying the creak as Simon knocked. After a pause, shuffling footsteps approached, and the door opened to reveal a woman with weary eyes, shadows etched beneath them.
Simon offered a reassuring smile. "Apologies for the intrusion, ma'am. We're searching for a young boy and girl who might have passed through during the storm. Did you happen to see them?"
The woman blinked, recalling. "Yes, two children did come by earlier, drenched and muddied. The boy had blood on him; looked like a demon, he did."
Simon leaned in slightly. "Do you know where they went?"
"They knocked on every door, seeking help. Last I saw, they headed toward the old hotel with the flashing red lights. Can't miss it."
"Thank you," Simon nodded appreciatively. "You've been most helpful."
The woman gave a faint smile. "With all the recent chaos—the explosion, Jiro Tureng—and now bloodied children, it's hard to trust anyone. Glad someone's taking action."
As the door closed, Simon's composure faltered at the mention of Jiro's name, a chill running through him.
Lance noticed his brother's tension. "What is it? What did she say?"
Simon refocused. "They're near an abandoned hotel. But if Jiro's involved..."
Lance's eyes widened, understanding the unspoken danger. "We need to be cautious."
Simon nodded, resolve hardening. "Let's move, but stay alert. If Jiro's here, he’ll kill us if we are caught.”
Together, they ventured deeper into the city, the looming threat casting a shadow over their mission.
Kaneki took a short look at the corpses of the men before he stepped over them. He recalled the voices that echoed in his head when the dark power was coursing through his body. That feeling of overwhelming strength, being able to annihilate those evil men without breaking a sweat. Kaneki kept recalling it.
He looked forward to see Skae walking in front of him. Despite his inhuman strength, she didn’t show any signs of fear, if anything, she was more scared of the bodies being found than Kaneki’s new found powers. It was as if Skae could accept the reality that Kaneki had become something far different from who she met at the orphanage, her complete calmness felt... unnatural. But still, she was the only person left who hadn’t either died or turned on him, so he looked past it.
The two of them made their way downstairs and into the main room, every step letting out a weary creak that pierced the silence. As she walked into the room, Skae laid her eyes on the desperate claw marks that covered the walls. She stopped completely for a moment before turning her head to the blood-stained chain, bolted to the wall. Her breathing stuttered as she recalled the mocking smile of the man in the suit.
Kaneki followed her gaze and glanced back at her, watching as her body shook like a leaf, as if the man was still staring right at her. Kaneki stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the chain and gave a small smile.
“It’s over now, Skae,”, he said softly, “He’s dead now.”
Skae looked down for a moment as she attempted to push the vision of the man’s face out of her mind.
“You’re... right.”, she said softly, before turning and opening the door to leave the hotel.
Stepping outside after what felt like days, they inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp, clean air that replaced the hotel's stale, metallic scent. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds provided a soothing contrast to the oppressive silence they'd endured
Skae took a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes before exhaling loudly and looking at Kaneki. She looked him up and down for a moment.
“If we are going to continue to ask people for refuge, you cannot be seen.” Skae said firmly, gesturing to his clothes.
Kaneki glanced down, noting his once-black coat now soaked in dark crimson, the fabric stiffening as the blood dried. His light blue jeans were torn and muddied, the original color barely discernible beneath the grime.
Kaneki looked around to see the streets completely empty, like a ghost town, despite the fact that the storm had passed.
“I don’t think the people of this city are friendly enough to take us in.”, he replied in a disappointed tone, “Nobody even leaves their home, we need a different plan.”
Skae was about to respond before she caught something in the corner of her eye. A woman, still, glaring at them from a cracked window with greenery growing around the sides. Skae turned her head fully and took a slow step toward the window.
“What’s wrong?”, Kaneki asked.
Skae didn’t answer. The woman was still, her gaze unchanging. Skae looked closer, the woman’s eyes were off slightly. They weren’t entirely looking at Skae but instead, slightly to the right of her.
At that moment a twig snapped behind Kaneki and Skae.
A sudden snap of a twig behind them froze Kaneki and Skae in their tracks. Heart pounding, Kaneki slowly turned, his breath hitching as he spotted two men in trench coats approaching, their smiles predatory and eyes glinting with ill intent.
“Oh... looks like I wasn’t quiet enough.”, said Simon, in a happy tone.
“W-who are you?!”, Kaneki shouted, stepping back and clenching his fist.
Skae was frozen but noticed the names on their badges.
Simon Sciy
Lance Sciy
Simon took something slowly from his pocket and pointed it at Kaneki.
“Kaneki Tureng!”, he boomed, grinning, “We’re gonna need that power inside you, whether you like it or not!”
Kaneki's gaze darted between Lance and Simon, anxiety tightening his chest. He glanced at Skae, her wide eyes reflecting his own fear. The memory of Hannah's death flashed in his mind, a stark reminder of the cost of inaction.
He had to summon the dark power within, accepting the risk to protect the only ally he had left.
There was no other choice.
