The Disappearance

Seiko sat there seeming lifeless as he struggled and finally regained his composure. Very slowly he lifted his head which was throbbing and felt waves of nausea flow through him. He still felt disconnected and swimmy as he looked slowly from left to right. Confusion began to run rampant as he saw no signs of life around him. Dread and loneliness crept through his body as his senses told him that he was the only one around. His shallow breathing accelerated as a mixture of panic and despair gripped his tiny little frame and felt as though it had torn his inside away leaving nothing more than a hollow shell. This little boy felt as though he were mysteriously and unknowingly dumped onto some alien world that was void of any life forms. No birds chirped, no murmur of voices from the homes or shops, even the wind was still. Had the city mysteriously been encased in a sealed box like some exhibit in a museum? Franticly trying to find some comfort or form of companionship, Seiko looked and grabbed for his faithful companion: his teddy bear affectionately named Little Boo. Once again his body protested in agony and his tummy threatened to spill whatever may have been left in it down the front of the child as he leaned forward into his hands and knees. Unsteadily, he moved to the other side of the alley were he saw his beloved polar bear laying on his head against a trash pile. The fur of the bear was streaked and splattered with brown and red, and what wasn't coated with the dirt and was soon determined to be blood had lost its bright white color and was now more of a dull yellowish tint. Seiko lovingly scooped the dear friend into his arms and hugged his Little Boo tightly as a tear slipped from the corner of his eyes and down his dirty and splatter covered cheek.

"What is going on here.........where is everyone?" Thought the little boy as he slumped against the trash and cuddled Little Boo. As he let his body fall back against the trash a folded news paper was shook loose and toppled from the top of the heap and into Seiko's lap. At first this sudden movement in the otherwise deserted place startled him and a choked cry escaped his throat. He shot to his feet in terror and cried out in pain from the sudden movements. He staggered drunkenly for a moment as the world spun and weaved before his eyes. with his head hung forward he finally focused on his attacker. The child's cheeks burned a deep red in embarassment. He was in the shape of a small pale skinned child; the way he appeared when he was frightened or afraid. He thought hard trying to remember what caused the change. When Seiko leaned over to pick the newspaper up he caught a glimpse of his reflection in one of the windows. The sun was descending in the west, causing a mirror effect on the glass. The boy nearly shrieked at the site of his body. Large crusted patches that were near black in color covered part of his face and over half of his upper body. When he looked down it was obvious that it was dried blood. He felt the waves of nausea return and the world once again began to spin around him as a deep powerful feeling of dread washed over him. It took every ounce of control this little boy possessed to keep from fainting. He staggered back and dropped like a rag doll into the pile of trash that seemed to have been waiting pickup.

Seiko's attempts at holding onto consciousness were short lived and moments after collapsing with a crash from the refuse beneath him, his eyes rolled back and blackness once again claimed him. It was dark when he once again opened his eyes to this empty place, it was the near total blackness that is found in places long abandoned or yet to be discovered. He reached the hand that wasn't holding Little Boo tight to his side and rubbed his little eyes to be sure he had indeed awoke. Only darker spots in the dark could be made out as he looked around. The boy had thought that either what had happened had occurred during the day, or everyone remembered to put out the lamps before they left. This may have been a series complication to a normal human, but as those that knew this boy knew.....Seiko wasn't just a boy. He took a deep breath and groaned long and low. In that moment he began to change. Within mere seconds he was how most knew him, a little orange fox. In this furry form his eyes now were able to make out what was around him and he could leave this alley to see in his feeling were correct. He slowly got to his feet and held tight to his stuffed bear, and without realizing it, the newspaper and slowly made his way into the streets. Silently he walked through the narrow streets of the city, looking for any sign of life. Every window he peered through offered the same thing: nothing. It literally was as if the entire city had disappeared. This scene was unnerving in itself, but even more so was the feeling the boy was feeling grow with each home or shop he looked into.


Sometime later, what seemed an eternity to the little boy, but was merely a few hours of looking in reality; Seiko came to the door of his friend Majnoon's home. The little one hoped more than anything that this event had overlooked his friend. It was one of those hopes that a person made even though they knew it to be in vain. He cautiously pushed the door open and walked inside. For the first time since awakening earlier in the day the little one spoke. His voice was hoarse and scratchy from his throat being dry. "Master Maj? This boy has come looking for you.....something bad happened...." Even though his tone was soft and shy, in the complete silence it seemed to boom and echo through the house. As his instincts told him, no one was there to answer. Remembering the offer for him to come anytime he needed to, Seiko crossed the room and found the small oil lamp that sat on the simple wooden table. The matches laid next to it in a small ashtray looking container and the boy took one and scratched it against his claw. A pffft sound was made and the smell of sulfur instantly filled his nostrils. As the flame spread and licked its way up the fuel soaked wick, his eyes scanned the room slowly. Everything seemed in order, until he caught a faint, yet foul odor assault his nose. Looking down under the table, Seiko saw the overturned chair and the smashed plate. a discolored blob seemed to ooze from the shattered ceramic and the thing seemed to be squirming and pulsating. As his eye adjusted to the light, it was revealed that the stuff was not moving, merely teeming with maggots. He struggled not to gag, not that vomiting would do much since he hasn't eaten for days by the feel of his belly and the condition of the food on the floor. Seiko stood and began to search every room for his dear friend. This was the one he was closest with and hoped more than anyone else was safe. His parents were in Malka, so the boy wasn't afraid for them, but did wish they were here to make him feel better. Everything was exactly as it should through the entire house, everything except its owner that was.

It was while investigating the kitchen that Seiko got his first clue to the whereabouts of the entire town. His dry and scratchy throat was begging for relief, so he pulled a chair and climbed up to get a glass from the cupboard. He noticed a milky film on the glass that was quickly dismissed as Maj doing a poor job of washing. He held the glass under the faucet and got a faint odor that was different from anything he had known before. Once again it was dismissed as he tilted the glass to his muzzle and let the cool liquid run into his grateful mouth and throat. Greedily he downed the glass and polished off a second before hopping from the chair, but not without stealing a handful of chocolate chip cookies from the bear shaped cookie jar that was on the cool marble counter top. He noisily devoured the soft and delicious cookies as he walked slowly toward the door that led into the main room of the house. The little boy took a seat on the couch and held his still hurting head. While the pain had lessened to a dull thud, it still pained him and made him queasy. The little boy nestled into the overstuffed sofa and did his best to make sense of what was happening around him and soon, unknowing to him he fell fast asleep. Soon after he began to dream, and whimper softly.

Isn't it funny how the mind can bury events it finds troubling; only to let them resurface when we are at our most vulnerable? Such was the case with the little boy known as Seiko Tomsen. Certain details of his life in slavery were seemingly forgotten except in the troubled dreams he would have on occasion, that is until this night when he collapsed into a very deep sleep on his vanished friends couch.

The young fox cub huddled in the corner of the slave pens in the marketplace. He reverted to his fox form to give his tiny, slender frame some protection from the cold and filthy concrete. He was not asleep, but appeared to be as not to draw attention from the slavers that were seated on benches a few feet from the cage. Any slave that has been in these pens knew that the less attention the slavers paid the better the slave would be. The four men sat and talked in voices that were louder than normal and slurred a tad from the whiskey that they had been passing around. The largest one, who had the look of not showering or shaving for days. was shaking his head and carrying on the worst. Seiko had recognized him from being pointed out by a fellow slave. He was called Colt Sleaver, and rumor and reputation tells of him being one of the most ruthless and bloodthirsty slavers around, and he was in heavy conversation with one that Seiko recognized as Joe Stinello, a slaver and master that seemed to enjoy hurting and has been unknown to slaughter slaves for the slightest things They were heckling the other two, but it was obvious they were also very interested n what the others had to say. Erro Shadowpaw was one who had a reputation as being harsh, but it paled in comparison to the other two. He was talking excitedly with the help of one that Seiko had only heard called Ihnaria. "I swear, it is so simple its nearly sinful. I swear by this stuff, since all I do is pour a gallon of this into the water supply for a village and wait a few days. It will take out an entire town and they do all the work, every time a person cooks, gets a drink, showers.......they are giving themselves a dose, within three days the whole town is out cold for a week. Then it is just go in, collect the merchandise and and get paid. The beauty is that the weak or sickly often times never wakes up, so I just sink em in the river or dump them wherever and sell the stronger healthy ones here at the market. " He then gave a proud look as if he had discovered the latest and greatest idea. Little Seiko whimpered softly and trembled as he lay there in the cold pen, but yet somehow he felt safer in here with those men out there.

Seiko nearly jumped from the couch as he awoke from his dream with a start. He had heard a boom that was so loud it shook the little house and it was followed by a flash that momentarily blinded his sensitive yellow eyes. He sat shaking for a few moments as he got himself under control. He squeezed his bear tight to his body and let out a soft whine. He knew that sleep was out of the question, so he got to his feet and padded over to the table where he picked up the broken plate and moved it to the trash can in the kitchen. He took the straw ended broom from its place next to the sink and the dustpan from the hook next to the broom. He slowly made his way relying dually on the soft glow of the oil lamp, and his own fox vision. His fears, while being forced down, still kept him from lighting any of the other candles or lamps. He cleaned up the rotten meal that was splattered on the floor and carried the rank mess to the back door where it was dumped into the grass. The rain already beginning to wash it into the ground. He paused a moment letting the cool water flow over his short orange fur and within moments it was beginning to make its way down to his skin. It was refreshing and he could feel the grime slowly being rinsed away in the shower. He raised his head and let the rain enter his mouth. This water was cool and clean, and it seemed to be lacking the aftertaste that the tap water left in is maw.

He returned to the house and thoroughly drenched little furre. He dripped across the floor as he found his way up the stairs and into Majnoon's bedroom. He looked inside the walk in closet and pulls a t-shirt and a pair of gray drawstring pants. They were a bit big and hung on his little frame, but they were clean and dry. He still had the slight "drowned rat" appearance as he descended the stairs and back into the living room of the small house. As he placed the oil lamp in the center of the table once more, he looks down at the newspaper the he for some reason carried with him from the alley. It was folded into fourths and the lamp cast light onto the words and the picture that was on the top of the front page. He looked at it and began to tremble violently. He read in horror the caption at the top. "City Approves New Water Treatment Measures" In the picture were two men shaking hands with the mayor. Seiko jumped to his feet and stepped back. The chair rocked up with him and sent him sprawling backwards over its stiff wooden seat and legs. He landed with a thud and his head bounced off the floor. His eyes rolled back and he was taken by the darkness once more.


His mind took him to some days back, when he was spending his day here practicing his blade and exploring. He found the cloud in the cemetery that released the mindless undead from the netherworld to be his favorite training tool. His body was soaked with sweat and his throat parched as he wandered from the graveyard that was just passed the docks, and into the little cobblestone streets of the town. He had intended to go to the tavern to get himself a tall cold glass of lemonade and a BLT, His father had given him enough money for the boy to get a decent lunch, and if he were late enough, a good dinner and fare home. But, as he was about to realize when he heard a shriek from the window above, things were about to change terribly. He could right away tell the voice belonged to Aangel, he had met her more than once in Malka and knew her as a friend. The boy forgot his lunch plans and immediately turned on his heel and shot like an orange blur up the stairs to her apartment. His bare, padded feet made no noise in the rock stairs as he reached the door and thrust the door open. His little hand was at the hilt of his katana and he was poised to attack as he entered and saw the one is mind recognized as Colt struggling to finish securing Aangel. It was apparent that she was drugged and barely awake. In the blink of an eye and a blur of silver, the child had the sword drawn and was charging the giant slaver. Colt looked up and nearly howled in laughter as Seiko attacked. His laughs cut short by a flash as the sun glinted off the blade, this followed by a splash of red as Colt's forearm and stomach were sliced. Sadly, Seiko's attack was too soon so the blade did not give a fatal strike. It just threw a lot of blood, but after a few stitches and some time Colt would be the same as ever. The child was stopped short in his defense when Erro came into the room to see the cause of the commotion. He saw the child before the child knew he was behind him. Erro, who had years of training and experience in his corner, stealthily approached the boy from behind, all the while his right hand in his pocket and slipping into the finger holes of his brass knuckles. By the time the child saw the slaver's shadow, the knockout blow was delivered to the back of the boy's skull. A surprised cry escaped his throat, and he lunged forward into the bloody and cursing Colt Sleaver. Colt grasped the stunned child and pulled him in close with a suffocating bear hug.
The boy groaned and struggled to remain conscious as he was squeezed and in response to the large knot that was growing on the back of his head. "I thought you said that stuff puts everyone out cold......" bellowed Colt as he lifted Seiko by his forearms and held him in front of his large form.
"It should......but look at his cuffs, he may have been given it before and gotten a resistance to it" Erro spoke in a voice that was full of confusion at the child not being affected by the poison he and Colt had put in the water supply. He watched in disbelief as Colt, who was bleeding steadily by now carried the boy to the window. In one quick motion he lifted the small child higher and thrust him backwards. The loud crash of the shattering window echoed through the silent alleyway as Seiko was hurled though it and fell onto the street below.

Seiko regained his consciousness and lay in a crumpled heap over the fallen chair. He whined and whimpered softly as the tears were already running from his eyes and down the side of his face. His nose and right side of his head were on the floor and as he looked across he saw the early morning sunlight flooding the room and he had to squint his left eye to protect it from the glare.
The child's chest heaves as he sobs loudly. His mind though slightly dazed from the pain and the hard strikes it received the past few day, is completely sure and clear about what happened. He speaks in a voice thick with emotion and his entire being is filled with despair for his friends as he speaks, "Slavers did this......"

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