My View From the Window ~ Chapter Thirteen

“........Aggghhhh...” He could feel it......the demon within him - it tore at his innards, attacked his

spirit......but he couldn’t let it escape again..! He writhed for a moment on the ground, eyes squeezed shut, as if

bracing himself against some excruciating pain shredding through his very soul. He grabbed at his arms, tore at

his hair, let out a series of choked, muffled screams.

All at once his eyes flew open.

“......Ughhh...” He let out a strangled cough, sending numerous droplets of blood spattering to the snow.

“......Dammit....” He choked again, shifting onto his back and clawing at his shoulders, sweat dripping down his

flushed cheeks. “.....Nnnn....couldn’t stop it.....Agghhh....Goddammit!!!”

He sat panting for several seconds, recovering from the earlier battle, and suddenly his eyes slowly fell to

my quivering form positioned a meter or two from before him.

He stared at me vacantly for a moment or two in silence, then forced himself up onto his elbows and

reached a shaking hand out towards me. “.....Ugghh....Al...Allie.....”

“.......Nnnnn....” I gaped blankly at him for several seconds, then clasped my hands protectively across my

torso. “..................D........Don’t touch me!!!” I shrieked tumultuously, drawing backwards and shielding my face

with my arms. “......Don’t......don’t you step one goddam foot closer to me, do you hear me??! What...what the

hell....you’re.....you’re a freak!! A goddam freak!!! You....you come near me and I’ll...I’ll beat the shit outta you,

you understand me??!”

“......Wa...wait........I....aghhhh....” He braced himself against another infuriated burst of agony within his

skull, then fell to his back again, his breaths heaving. “................Shit.......” He choked again, his voice cracking

from the blood in his throat. “..................I’m........I’m sorry..........I.......I couldn’t stop it......the transformation....”

“...............Uhh....uhhhhh.....” I fell clumsily backwards, into the grave monument behind me.

“.....Y....you.....what the hell........I.....”

“...........I........I had no intention of frightening you..........” His eyes slowly fluttered closed again, and he

clenched his teeth in order to brace himself against the next stab of a migraine. “.........It....it happened so

suddenly......I.....I had to get to you in time.....and stop him.....that it simply.....took control......”

I gawked at him in silence for several seconds, kneading my hands against my jeans, then forced myself to

swallow. “..........What.......what was it....?”

“...............Myself........” He shifted up onto his elbows a second time, swaying unsteadily through his

anguish. “.....Just a simple reminder....of my past........and an example of what might happen...if that man gets to

you.....”

I gradually lifted a hand to my throat, then cast my vision aside. There was a pause, and all at once I

slowly leaned forward, hesitated, then gently brushed my fingers against Vincent’s cheek. “................You’re

freezing........” I whispered hoarsely, stroking away the sweaty strands of black hair that fell before his bloodshot

eyes. I drew back once again, then directed my vision to the silent graveyard surrounding me. “.............I.....We’ve

got to get you home. Now. You’ll.......I think you might.......you really should get someplace warm before -”

“.......Aggggghhh....!!” His hand clenched into a quivering fist against the snow, and through his heaving

breaths I could see his lips gradually form a spiteful grimace. “.........Heheh....” he chuckled spitefully, twisting his

head aside and angrily spitting blood onto the ground. “......Can’t seem....to feel my legs anymore....”

I sat in silence for several seconds, staring blankly over at him, then shifted forward and took hold of his

arm. “.............C’mon, Vincent.....we’re leaving.”

“.......” He watched me in silence as I slung his arm over my shoulders, then shakily climbed to my feet,

dragging his burdensome weight up with me.

“......Nnnnggg...??!” All at once I swayed unsteadily, catching my balance only by grabbing hold of the

gravestone beside me. I blinked several times, staring vacantly down at my feet.

“........A....Allie...?!” Vincent grabbed hold of me in desperation, attempting to establish eye contact with

my downcast face. “Allie, what’s wrong? What happened?? Are you alright? Allie??!”

Shit.... I thought hazily, lifting a shivering hand to my leg. My thigh.....I completely forgot about the

wound on my thigh...!

“.....Allie, you can’t hold me - ”

“...........No, I’m fine, Vincent....” I bit at my lip for a second, then shifted back up to my feet. All at once

I could feel his heavy weight thrown over my shoulders again, and the fiery burn that impaled my left leg. “......All

right, let’s go then!! We can do this, Vincent, one step at a time!! Ready??”

“.........Allie, please - ”

“.....You’ve lost too much blood, Vincent...” I interrupted him, hoisting his arm further over my shoulders

in order that I could subtly rest some of my weight against him to stay atop my feet. “...We need to get you a

transfusion....or something...”

He cast his gaze away. “.....I’m fine....”

“...Oh, c’mon, don’t be like that!!” I threw him a weary smile, adjusting his arm over my shoulders.

“You’re probably a little dazed right now, and a lot of people have a fear of doctors and needles and stuff like that -”

“......I said I’m fine.” Something about the sour tome in his voice and how he seemed to be avoiding eye

contact caused me to fall silent once again. He exhaled a fatigued breath, then tossed his head in order to throw the

black hair tumbling free of his headband over his shoulders. “.....There’s no need for you to worry about....me....”

“.....Ugghh...” My left thigh was aflame with a searing agony, and with one quick glance downward I

could tell hairline streams of blood were trickling down my shin. Goddammit......Now what....? Can’t stop

now....Gotta get Vincent home....!!

“..................Allie....?” He finally cast a glance over at my flushed face, his piercing scarlet eyes gazing

out at me from beneath his sweaty bangs. “........Your face is all red......and I can feel you shaking......”

“............That’s you shaking, Vincent!!” I assured him, forcing myself to smile. “We gotta get you home,

now.....I’m surprised your still conscious!”

“............” He stared my face in silence, then I watched in dismay as his vision gradually fell to my

quivering hand covering my thigh. “...........What..??!” He suddenly grabbed hold of my wrist and yanked it away,

revealing blood splattered against my palm and oozing down my leg. He gaped blankly at the injury on my flank,

then speedily lifted his head to meet my eyes. “.......Are you daft?! What the hell are you doing helping me along

when you can hardly walk yourself?? Are you trying to kill yourself??!”

“......Oh, Vincent, you’re completely overreacting!!” Oh Christ, don’t I wish.... “I’m perfectly fine!! See, it

doesn’t even hurt!!”

“Get your weight off of it. Now.”

“....Vincent - ”

“I said now.” He grabbed hold of my wrist and gave one vicious yank downwards, and with a pained

squeal at the fiery spark within my thigh I collapsed awkwardly down onto the snow.

“...Ugghhh...” I stared woodenly down at the scarlet slinking in thin traces across the snow, then at the

form of Vincent kneeling weakly on his knees before me. “....O....Oh cut it out, Vincent!!” I cried, placing a

quivering hand over the laceration on my leg. “I’m....I’m not the one to be worrying about now!!....You’re the one

who lost all the blood!! I can make it till I get you - ” I stopped short as I realized he was now reaching forward

and shakily unbuckling the clasp on my belt. “.........................Wh.........” I gawked disconcertedly down at him,

then all at once recovered my senses and snapped several defensive inches backwards. “......What the fuck are you

doing???!!!”

“...Hold still,” he told me monotonously, seemingly oblivious to my sudden hysteria. “We’ve got to stop

the bleeding before you lose too much blood or it gets infected.”

“...............Are......are you out of your mind??!” I snapped angrily, attempting to ignore the trembling that

had spread throughout my arms and the hot blush that threatened to wash up over my face. “....You...you think

that you....you can just.....you perverted son of a bitch, there’s no way in hell I’ll let you - ”

“You’re wasting time. Stop being childish.”

“......Ch......childish??!?!” I sputtered angrily, clasping my arms protectively before me. “....How...how

can you even think about calling it......you’re more insane than I thought you were, you know that??!”

“......You’re shivering. Are you cold?” Before I could answer his simple question I watched him gradually

unbuckle the leather clasps on his cape, slowly sliding it off his shoulders and holding it out towards me.

“.....Here. Take it.”

“........H.....huh??” I gazed silently up at him, then down at his cape, then sluggishly reached forward and

took it from his hands, draping it around my body. I could feel his crimson eyes watching me although I made

sure to keep my vision directed towards the ground, then eventually after an awkward pause breathed out a

defeated sigh. “.......Ok, fine. Bandage up the goddam scratch. But make sure that’s all you do.”

I yanked off the belt and threw it aside, hesitated, then unbuckled and unzipped my jeans and pulled them

off my hips. Immediately I defensively wrapped his cape about my waist, covering over my underwear, then slowly

tugged my jeans down in order for the disgustingly large abrasion raked across my left thigh to come into view. It

was much deeper and bigger than I had expected it to be, and I braced myself against the agony of the dried blood

ripping away from my skin as I pulled away my jeans from atop it. It had already begun to fester with signs of

untreated natural recovery, rimmed with a revolting perimeter of dead, peeling flesh and crusted blood.

“.....Uggghhh....gross.....”

Vincent gradually reached forward and gently ran his fingers over the wound, then stopped as he felt me

cringe. “.....I’m sorry, did that sting? Tell me if I’m hurting you.”

“...........No...........sweat......!!”

He studied the injury a second time, then pulled backwards and tore off the bottom fringe of his cape from

about me. “.....I don’t think you have much need to worry. It seems to me that the bullet managed to pierce

through your entire leg.”

“.........Well, gotta tell ya, I sure am relieved,” I snorted sarcastically, clutching his garment tighter against

myself. “Guess I can die happy then.”

“.......I meant there don’t seem to be any traces of the bullet left in your leg,” he told me, completely

enveloping the scrap of cloth in the snow beside him and gently wiping away the blood from my thigh. “Meaning

infection is less likely and there probably won’t be any long-term effects. And you don’t need surgery.” I felt him

slowly lift his gaze to my face, then direct it back onto cleaning my wound. “......I thought I was going to get a

more positive response than that.”

“...............Well......” I exhaled a shallow breath, lifting his cape to my face and gazing expressionlessly

down at the ground. “.............Guess I’m just.......nervous, that’s all.......”

He remained silent, then ripped away another scrap of his cape and began to wrap it several times around

my thigh. I felt my vision slowly climb from the ground until it reached his face, impartially directed towards

bandaging the injury on my leg, painted with several long strands of sweaty black hair that veiled his countenance.

I found myself involuntarily watching him, pulling his cape closer around my shoulders, and exhaling an inaudible

breath that misted in the icy air. Several moments later he sensed by stare and froze, then immediately glanced up

towards me, and instantly I felt my vision drop back towards the ground. After that, the silence infested the air

once more.

“........................That man....” I suddenly found myself saying, then abruptly covered my mouth for

speaking amongst my thoughts.

Vincent glanced up towards me a second time. “What?”

“.....I.....I was just thinking....” I continued sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. “....That man....that’s been

following me around.....do you know him....?”

Vincent stared woodenly at me for several seconds, then went back to wrapping my injury. “....I’m not

sure.”

I blinked. “...........What’s that supposed to mean??”

“...........He looks familiar, that’s all.....” he replied quietly, now refusing to glance up at me at all.

“Like....like someone....I despised in the past.....who did this to me.....”

“....Huh??” I bit my lip uncomfortably. “....Did....did what...?”

Vincent didn’t lift his head, but shot me an icy glare from beneath his bangs. Immediately I felt an

internal jolt, then aimed my eyesight back down at my feet. “.....It was him.....” he continued distantly, as if not

even addressing me anymore. “....That bastard Hojo......but there’s no way in hell he could be back....I killed him

with my own hands....”

“....H....‘Hojo’.....?” I repeated disjointedly, brushing several strands of blond hair behind my ears.

“....But...but Reno called that man ‘Rael’.....and seemed to know him from somewhere....”

“..........He wasn’t Hojo,” Vincent replied coldly, seemingly back from his hallucination. “...He was too

young....and too agile.....No, that son of a bitch wasn’t Hojo.....but their outward likeness....Who the hell was he,

then...??” There was a pause, and before I could pursue the matter any further Vincent cinched the scrap of cloth

around my leg into a tight knot an exhaled a fatigued sigh. “......There. It’s finished.”

“.....H....Hmmm....?” I gradually drifted back into reality, then gazed down at my bandaged thigh.

“...Oh...Thank you, Vincent.....You....you really didn’t need to - ”

“...It wasn’t any trouble.....” He gazed distantly down at the frost, then glanced up as I handed him back

his cape.

“....Here,” I told him. “....You....you should take it back.....”

“...No, really, I’m perfectly - ”

“Hey.” I smiled. “You took care of me. Now it’s my turn.”

He gaped vacantly over at my face, then slowly took his cape back from my hands and wrapped it around

his shoulders once again. “.....Thank you....” He watched me in surprise as I lifted his arm around the back of my

neck a second time and hoisted him up onto his feet.

“....Alright!! Now I’m ready!!” I exclaimed, casting him an assuring smile. “You ready to go??”

He didn’t reply for a second, then shot his gaze in the opposite direction. “......Yes.....”

“.................By the way.....” I asked him sheepishly as I dragged him forward. “....Where’re we going,

anyway....?”

“........Back to my apartment...” he replied after a pause. “...We should be safe there for the time being.

It’s located in a rather isolated section of Midgar, so it should take the ShinRa troops a while to find their way back

to it. By then, I’ll have found a safer spot to keep - ” He suddenly froze. “.......Do you hear that....?”

“....Hmmm...?” It took a moment for his sudden question to register, but as it slowly sank in I began

listening intently to my surroundings. “.........Hear what....?”

“......There.....can’t you hear it?? Some sort of faint buzzing noise.....like...like the sound of a - ” He

suddenly let out a startled gasp and brushed the hair away from the side of my face. “....Goddammit!!”

“What??” I cried in a panic. “What....what is it??”

I could feel his heaving breaths on the side of my face, and now I felt him fingering something at the back

of my ear. I let out a startled scream as suddenly he tore something away with a fiery spark of inflammation, then

drew in a astounded gasp as I spotted a small mechanical device between his thumb and pointer finger.

“....What....what the hell is - ”

“....It’s...it’s a tracer!!” he sputtered angrily, gaping down at the small machine in his hand with

unmasked shock. “......It’s a goddam homing tracer!! They....they’ve had you tagged!!”

“....Wh....what??!” I cried, feeling frenzied panic locking my throat. “...You...you mean that’s been on

me....the entire goddam - ”

“You would be correct, my dear!!” a deep, amused voice exclaimed from somewhere before me, and with

a startled gasp my head snapped upwards and caught a glimpse of a dark silhouette surrounded my myriads of

others positioned ominously atop the hill in front of me. A frightened pang stabbed me through the stomach as I

recognized the sneering face of the man I had confronted in the alleyway several days earlier, dressed in the same

navy blue suit I had grown so accustomed to fearing and addressed by Vincent as “Tseng.” “I must say, I had no

idea you both would catch on so fast.” He smirked again, then aimed the revolver in his hand directly down at my

head. “.....Too bad in the end it proved to be worthless.....”

~ End of Chapter Thirteen ~

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