The Gladiator's Soul chapter 4

Previous chapter: The Gladiator's Soul chapter 3
 

Hime lying on the ground crushed by a bully, her face terrified and her eyes crying in despair. It was more than what I could ever stand. Even being a rich boy; even being a coward; even being a ‘good for nothing’, spoiled brat.

My voice tore in a death cry. I was going to die there. Nothing could be done, they had damaged her too much. Someone had to die there to make up for it. It did not not matter if it was one of them, or it was me. <<This is the end>>. I leaped on him in a tackle, and I managed to move him away from Hime. He looked at me with a greedy expression, as if I were his prey.

That was the grin I feared so much. Only the dead do not fear. And I had already given up on life. He punched me but I took his hand and sank my teeth into it to the point my mouth started bleeding. He kept on beating me up until I was thrown far from him. I fell to the ground but I got up again and spit a chunk of flesh. Apparently he took his hand in pain and disbelief, bleeding a lot. The remaining four jumped on me and beat me up, but I would do the same. When I managed to catch an arm I bit it as much as I could. My mouth dripped blood, as the look in their faces turned into horror, one of them grabbing his partially skinless arm with dread.

“You are crazy! Damn it, let’s go see a doctor!”

“Should we go to the school infirmary?”

“No, idiot! What are we going to say to the manager?” They headed in the opposite direction, all of them, walking the injured to the hospital.

I had done it. I had broken the nightmare so many times had seized me.  Inevitably, like the rain starts, my eyes started pouring tears of joy; at the same time my legs faltered and I fell down on my knees. With my clothes torn and my mouth stained red I looked insane. My Hime lying on the ground had cried as well. She dried her tears and sat up,  approached me and wordlessly hugged me. Her mouth beside my ear whispered: “I never asked you to do it, but thanks for protecting me. Let’s always protect each other.” Feeling those words vibrating into my eardrums made all the pain in my body go away, as I was invaded by a wave of peace.

We got up and went to my house, as we used to. My Hime offered herself to heal my wounds, claiming as well she would not allow anyone  else to do it. Her swollen cheeks hinted there was nothing I could do, so I told a maid to lend her some first aid things. Hime went with her to take them (I guessed the maid would give her some advice too).

After a while the girl appeared at the door, with a huge box full of things. She came next to me and with quite an effort placed it on the floor. When she got up I could notice something…

“Ehhh?” What is that attire?” As I said this, the maid closed the door, letting me glimpse a smile of resignation and an averted gaze.

In my house Hime had the right to do whatever she wanted, a condition that often leaded to absurd situations like this one.

“Well… if I am going to heal you… I thought I would look better dressed as a nurse”. She said this with a beautiful face of excitement, while wearing a large wait coat which dragged along the floor and a maid cap! I could not contain a smile, which ended up as loud laughter. Although all my body were in pain, although bad things happened… because of these things life was worth living!

Far from feeling offended by my laugh, she seemed amused by the fact that I found her costume so funny. Happily and humming an out-of-tune song (which seasoned  the situation) she dug into that huge Pandora’s box . Smiling from ear to ear like an insurance seller she took a battery drill with a large bit and exclaimed: “Mr. Patient, tell me please where is your pain! We are going to reach the bottom of the problem.”

I pretended I was afraid: “Well… no, I don’t really have any pain, the truth is, it is suddenly over”. She winked in disbelief and again sank her hand in the mysterious box. This time, she grabbed a postmark! She looked at me smiling: “Then, let’s kill time”. And started to tap my watch with it. It was too much for me to stand. I was laughing so much that my belly ached, and gave many thanks for being able to protect this. Tars of laughter (or happiness, I do not know for sure) ran down my face as my Hime made her typical face of ‘butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth’.

I do not know if she did it on purpose or it was just her behaviour, but I must recognise that relaxed me. Following Hime took from the box some dressings, hydrogen peroxide and some other products for first aid. The antiseptic burned in my wounds and I complained, at what she said, with her mischievous grin: “if you prefer it, I can use the drill”.

“No, no, I think it’s ok like this!” I said with an expression that must have seemed a mixture between fun and fear.

She bent down to take something from the box, and then I noticed. Her face looked sad. <<Of course, it’s normal she is worried. I have made her sad>>. It was to be expected, we were very close to each other and one’s suffering was like the other’s.

The hectic evening went by like this, until Hime emptied the ‘fancy box’. The sun set in the horizon and she had to go back home. “Come on, I will walk you”. I said casually as always.

“No, Mr. Patient. I think after the treatment with the battery drill you will need some rest”. Again she was using her seller smile.

“I am fine, don’t worry. I only want to spend some more minutes with you.” (actually I wanted to make sure nothing happened to her in the way home, but I knew if I said that she would not let me go with her). Hime blushed comically and hushed.

We started walking. “Alright, but then give me your hand.” Before she finished saying this my hand was already in hers.

The stroll was nice and enjoyable; we walked telling funny things. Even so, I was sure although we had not said a word I would have felt it the same. Being with her was simply fun, seeing how she walked, how she moved her eyes, the gestures ‘made in Hime’ that only she could do…

The story continues here: The Gladiator's Soul chapter 5