Chapter 8

Kiyomi walks into the town and walks to Ms. Hahmers favorite bakery. As she slowly walks in, she walks up to an old man who's kneading dough.

"Hi Mr. Brinks..." Kiyomi softly says waving at him.

"Kiyomi!" He bubbles loudly. "The usual?" He asks. Kiyomi slowly nods. Kiyomi watches him as he pulls out a couple of pastries. She smiles as she watches him places the pastries in a paper bag. "You know... I'm glad you are keeping Ms. Hahmer company." Mr. Brinks softly says.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Kiyomi asks in a confused tone, tilting her head to the side a bit.

"I mean- Since you appeared Ms. Hahmer has seemed a lot happier. It's been so long since I've seen her happy." He answers.

"Oh... I appreciate everything Ms. Hahmer has done for me... She's been so kind to me- that I haven't had in a very long time. I had forgotten how good it feels to be treated with kindness- how rewarding it is." Kiyomi softly bubbles. Mr. Brinks stares at Kiyomi for a bit then smiles. 

"You're very smart for someone so young." He chuckles. Kiyomi smiles and scratches the back of her head. He hands her the paper bag and waves at her as she leaves. She slowly walks down the dirt path, heading back to Ms. Hahmer's house. 

"HEY KITTY! DO YOU LIKE THAT!" A boy shouts. The sound of a cat crying causes Kiyomi to flinch and look in the direction of the sound. She slowly makes her way towards the laughing and shouting. A couple of boys are aggressively messing with a kitten who looks scared. Kiyomi's eyes narrow as she watches the boys torture the poor kitten. 

"What are you both doing?" Kiyomi rasps. One of the boys looks up at Kiyomi who's walking towards them with a mean demeanor. 

"Pft... It's a girl-" A boy wearing a red shit stands up and makes a face at Kiyomi. He has short blond hair and green eyes. Kiyomi furrows her eyebrows as he towers over her. "The hell do you want... little girl!"

"Little girl? Was that supposed to be insulting?" Kiyomi asks, tilting her head to the side and glaring at the boy. The boy's eye twitches as he smiles at her. 

"You think you're tough shit... bitch?" The boy gibes. Kiyomi relaxes her face and pushes past the boy to get to the cat. "HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU BITCH!" The boy yells grabbing Kiyomi's left arm.

"Dagger of death" Kiyomi whispers in a low tone. An upside-down cross drops from her drop chain earring. Then a dagger appears in her hand as she points it at the boy. The boy jumps back a bit, staring at Kiyomi in shock. "Touch me again and I will stab you." She listlessly says to the boy. The boy hesitantly smiles and awkwardly laughs.

"You won't do shit!" The boy gibes. Kiyomi's eyes bore into the boys eyes. Her eyes start to turn purple causing the boy to shiver.

"Yeah?" Kiyomi scoffs. 

"Kiyomi!" A voice says from the distance. Kiyomi's eyes widen when she notices who said that. She lowers her hand down and sighs. The dagger in her hand disappears and the cross turns back into a regular drop chain earring. She slowly looks in the direction of the voice to see a male police officer.

"Dad!" The boy cries. "That girl tried to stab me and Mateo!" The boy cries. Kiyomi squints her eyes at the boy and clenches her fist.

"Let's go Kiyomi." The man says motioning her to follow.

"Your son was torturing the kitten." Kiyomi seethes pointing at the kitten.

"I don't care what my son was doing! You pointed a knife at him." He fumes.

"What knife?" She questions as she holds her hands up to show she has nothing in her hands. The police officer looks around Kiyomi and then sighs. The boy furrows his eyebrows and glares at her. She glares back at him.

"Let's go." The man says. Kiyomi drops her hands and sighs, following behind him.

She sits in a chair in the waiting room constantly folding and unfolding the top of the paper bag. 

"The hunter's exam is coming up in a couple of months!" A guy chuckles to another guy from across the room. Kiyomi's eyes slowly drifts towards the guys as they are chuckling.

"I heard... You plan on doing it this year?" The other guy questions. 

"Hell yeah- You know how much a hunters card is?! Sell that shit and you're rich!" The guy chuckles. Kiyomi furrows her eyebrows and goes back to folding and unfolding the paper bag.

"You're gonna sell yours? I was going to keep mine and use it to get anything I want! You know you can do anything with those cards."

"Is that what you heard?" The dude chuckles. 

"Yup! I can finally get a good paying job with a card like that!" He laughs. Kiyomi's eyes slowly drifts towards the guys again. Curious to what this hunters exam is. She slowly slides off the chair and approaches the guys. One of them flinches when they notice her near them.

"What's the hunters exam?" Kiyomi softly asks. One of the guy smiles and looks at the other guy. Kiyomi relaxes her eyes feeling like they were mocking her.

"How old are you little girl?" The guy asks.

"Why does that matter? I asked a question..." Kiyomi listlessly asks.

"Relax kid-" The other dude chuckles.

"Look kid- the hunters exam isn't a game. You won't be able to survive a second in it." The guy scoffs. Kiyomi squints her eyes at him and slowly nods.

"Okay? I asked a question." She repeats. One of the guys glares at her and leans forward towards her.

"Walk off kid-" The guy seethes. Kiyomi tilts her head to the side scrunches her nose. Her eyes turn purple and she smiles at the guy. 

"What is the hunters exam?" She demands. The guys eyes widen then relax. A small smile grows on his face.

"The hunters exam is a strength test to determine whether or not you can join the hunters program. A hunters card can give you many opportunities... supporting what you desire." He unintentionally answers.

"And why do you want to be in the hunters exam?" She demands.

"I want to financially be able to support... my family."

Kiyomi's eyes turn back to normal and she closes her eyes. Tears fall from both her eyes. She squeezes her eyes close from the burning feeling of using her power. 

It's been a long time since I've done that... She thinks to herself.

"Kiyomi!" The police officer huffs as he approaches her. Kiyomi slowly opens her eyes and looks up at him. "Let's go." He says motioning her to follow him. Kiyomi slowly nods and follows the man out the building. 

After a few minutes of quietly walking down the dirt path the police officer takes a deep breath. 

"I care about Ms. Hahmer's well being- you should really stay out of trouble." The police officer sighs.

"Yeah? I wouldn't be getting into trouble if your son and his snotty nose friends stopped doing stupid shit." Kiyomi seethes. The officer stops walking and looks towards Kiyomi. She stops walking and glares up at the man. 

"Look kid- I don't know where you came from or what shitty parent's raised you but talking to someone-"

"I don't care for my superiors if that's what you're about to say. I don't want to hear how I should or shouldn't talk to someone. I treat people how they treat me. You want respect- then treat me with respect." Kiyomi listlessly says. The officer squints his eyes and sighs, turning away and walking forward. Kiyomi continues to follow the man.

"Ms. Hahmer is getting old. I don't want you to put more stress on that old lady. I don't know how you treat her but behave and we won't have to do this every week." He huffs. Kiyomi takes a deep breath and looks around into the distance, watching the sun set. 

"HELP! SOMEONE!" A voice shouts out. Kiyomi's eyes widen when she notices the familiarity of that voice. The officer rushes to Ms. Hahmer's porch. Ms. Hahmer is sitting on the chair with her head drooped to the side. Kiyomi stands still at the bottom of the stairs staring at Ms. Hahmer with wide eyes. 

"What happened?" The officer asks Karla.

"She was just talking but she stopped... I thought she fell asleep but she went limp." Karla cries. The officer touches the side of Ms. Hahmers neck. His eyes widen. He pulls a walkie talkie from his waist band and presses a button. "Call the health department to Ms. Hahmer's home!" He quickly says into the walkie talkie. 

Kiyomi sits beside Ms. Hahmer's bed waiting for her to wake up... She slowly peels apart the pastry, taking small bites from each piece. She puts the bag down and places a pastry down on top of it. She covers her ears and squeezes her eyes closed. The sound of Ms. Hahmer's weak heartbeat sends a pinching pain down her back. She can sense the aura disappearing from her body. The thought of the old woman dying gives her a painful reminder that death exists. 

Someone gave her a home. Food. Love. Warmth. But that is all being taken away from her now. 

"You seem so sad..." A weak and quiet voice says from beside Kiyomi. Her eyes quickly open and she quickly looks towards Ms. Hahmer who's smiling at her.

"Ms. Hahmer..." Kiyomi whines.

"Kiyomi- dear... don't be so sad."

"I thought you died..." She softly responds. Ms. Hahmer slowly grabs Kiyomi's hand, pulling it towards her chest. 

"I am dying dear..." She quietly replies to Kiyomi.

"Huh?"

"I don't want you to worry about me. I am an old woman. I have been sick way before I have met you." She sooths. "This day was bound to come."

"..." Kiyomi sighs and droops her head down.

"You knew that for a very long time haven't you...? Is that why you stayed?" She asks Kiyomi.

"I knew for a while... yes... I can feel it..." Kiyomi slowly looks at Ms. Hahmer. "But I stayed because you-... gave me something I haven't felt in a long time." Ms. Hahmer's eyes widen and then relax.

"Which was what?" She slowly asks.

"Love..." Kiyomi softly replies. Ms. Hahmer stares at Kiyomi with a blank face.

"I wouldn't have expected you to say that... I have always felt like I was never loving enough... My children left with a hatred look in their eyes... and I felt regret- I felt like I deserved it..." She says in a sad tone. Kiyomi slightly furrows her eyebrows and stares at the ground. "When I first saw you... I only took you in because I wanted to... but you have made me forget that regret... You had made me feel happier..." Kiyomi slowly looks at Ms. Hahmer who has glossy and blank eyes.

"I want you to continue living your life without worrying about me. I don't deserve to be worried about... I'm sure you can find a better source of love... Just keep looking..."

"I won't forget you... I promise." Kiyomi softly says. She smiles at Ms. Hahmer. Her eyes smiling as she smiles. "I will always remember you... thank you" 

Ms. Hahmer smiles causing a tear to fall from her eye. "You have a beautiful heart... Kiyomi..." She quietly says. "Please don't let anything... or... anyone take that... away from you..." She slowly says. Her grip on Kiyomi's hand loosens. Kiyomi's eyes relax as she feels Ms. Hahmer's aura disappear completely from her body. Kiyomi's eyes fill up with tears. She slowly closes her eyes letting the tears fall down her cheeks. 

A couple of months pass. The bus door opens, allowing Kiyomi to walk on. The bus is crowded. She slowly makes it to the back of the bus, stopping beside a chubby boy with black hair, holding a computer. The only empty seat left is next to him. She tries to sit down beside him, but he places a case down on the seat.

"Nu uh... Seats taken." He says. Kiyomi tilts her head to the side and glares at him.

"Taken by who?" She listlessly asks.

"My stuff. I need room to properly do my work and I don't need a germy child sitting beside me." He says, shooing Kiyomi away. 

"The hell? You don't look much older than me..." Kiyomi seethes.

"Don't care- sit somewhere else." He replies, still shooing her away. Kiyomi grabs his case off the seat, clenching on to it hard.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He yells. Kiyomi throws the case out the window and turns back towards the boy and smiles. 

"Wow! Would you look at that! An open seat!" She bubbles. His eyes twitch and his hand grips around his computer. She plops down beside him and leans back.