Young Writers Society

Yagi faded in and out throughout the next two days. He knew he was restrained but he didn’t care. Even though the drug was long gone he was still really tired. Nurse and another woman came in during the afternoon when he was just partially awake. They’d make sure he drank and had something to eat to give him his strength back saying it was the reason for why he was so tired. His body could only handle the lack of sleep for so long.

But it was a lie. He knew he was tired because they were helping him be tired. They gave him a jump start to getting to sleep.

He didn’t care what they gave him. He didn’t care what they did. He just wanted to be left alone so he could sleep. If he slept, he was missing out on the long hours with Sako in the care unit. He was missing out on the depression that had sunk into him.

On the third day he was more awake but still really tired. They had released him completely so he was free to move but he kept waking up in his bed not remembering ever going to his bed or going to sleep.

But every time he woke up he was back in his bed with Doctor sitting in a chair next to him waiting for him to wake up. After the sixth time he told Yagi to stay in bed.

“Why?” Yagi asked.

“Because we keep finding you on the floor. You’re so tired that you keep fainting because your brain can’t function without proper rest. How’s your head?”

“What do you mean?”

“You hit your head really hard. I was worried you would have a mild concussion from your fall.”

He ran a hand through his blonde hair to feel the bandage, Sure enough there was one. He dropped his hand to his side and sat up, “Is Saruko awake?”

“He was but he wanted to take a nap. Victor has been helping him understand the demon part of him.” He smiled a little bit, “Also, congratulations. You’re officially a half angel.”

He forced a smile.

“What’s wrong?” Doctor asked. “I thought you’d be happy to be one.”

“Sako wanted me to be a demon. Now we can't see each other anymore can't we?”

Doctor put a comforting hand on Yagi’s back. “You still can. I know Sako wanted you to be a demon, but at least you didn’t have to go through what he had too.”

“Can I go see him? Just for ten minutes? Please?” Yagi asked. He reached for the blue and white paper bird, “I made this for him and I want to give it to him to cheer him up.”

Doctor nodded and brought Yagi to the care unit to see Sako, making sure to stay close in case yagi felt faint. Doctor knocked on the door and waited until Sako gave them permission to come in. He didn’t look as tired when he tried to sleep but he looked like he was in pain. His cot was in a reclined position and he weakly waved when he saw them. “They just gave me more drugs and I feel awful now. Nurse said she forgot something so she’ll be right back.”

Yagi walked over and took his friend's hand and put the bird in it. “I made this for you. To cheer you up.”

Sako smiled when he saw it, “Thank you.” He frowned, “I feel bad though.”

“Why?”

“Because I have nothing to give you. Every year we’d make each other a card for our birthdays and I barely have the energy.”

“A card? But today…Wait, is today my birthday?” He asked Doctor as it clicked. When Doctor nodded, Yagi laughed embarrassed, “I thought it was a week from now. I guess with all my worrying about you, Sako, I completely forgot.”

Sako laughed too. But his enjoyment was gone when Nurse came in with a syringe in her hand. Sako groaned into his pillow. He lifted his head and looked at her as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “Hurray, more drugs. What does that do to me now?”

“Nothing. It’ll help with your pain though.”

She walked to the other side of Sako and prepped his arm and Sako took Yagi’s hand without realizing it when the needle went in his arm. He closed his eyes and groaned softly.

Nurse pulled the needle out and smiled, “Good job, Saruko.”

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Can we be done with the shots now?”

She only smiled sadly and left.

Sako mocked disappointment, “She didn’t even give me a sticker!”

Yagi laughed at his joke even though he knew Sako was just doing it to move past the shots. Sako didn’t even realize he was still holding Yagi’s hand, but Yagi didn’t mind. He wanted to do anything that would help his friend feel better.

A few seconds after she left Branson came running in the room with Victor behind him, “Yo, Doc! You won’t believe…oh hey, Yashagami.”

Sako groaned and pulled his hand away from Yagi and moved it to his nose, “Branson, your cut.”

The second it took for Branson to understand what he meant was the second Sako got sick. Luckily Yagi just managed to back away fast enough to be free from range as Sako coughed up black blood.

Sako groaned and Doctor helped him sit up and change his shirt that was now spotted with the blood. Sako sighed, “Why do I do that? You’d think throwing up blood would be a bad thing.” He watched as Doctor cleaned the mess, "Sorry."

"It's okay, Sako. You don't have to apologize." Doctor said.

“It's a natural reflex for us demons.” Victor added. “Demons and angels are naturally enemies so when demons smell their blood they become bloodthirsty. Our blood is a stabilizer so that when we drink angel blood, it doesn’t make us sick. notice how the blood in your mouth doesn't really actually taste like blood entirely.”

Branson moved away from Victor at the same time that Sako gagged.

“Don’t tell me that.” Sako said. “I might not throw up blood next time.”

“Where did you even read that?” Branson asked. "I didn't even know that!"

“Leader tested it with me.”

Doctor narrowed his gaze, “Of course he did.” He came back from the bathroom after throwing the cleaning supplies away and washing his hands. he dried his hands with a towel, "When was this?"

Victor shrugged and put his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Dunno. Maybe a month ago? it wasn't too long ago."

“So how come you guys get to run around the place?” Yagi asked. “I thought we were supposed to be in our rooms.”

“Once you turn eighteen you’re allowed to go in and out of your room whenever you want. There’s limits and curfew of course though,” Branson said. He looked at Doctor, “Maybe I can even show him around?”

“No. There’s no point anyway since we’re leaving.” Victor told him quietly.

“Oh yeah. When are we leaving, Doc?”

“Soon.” Doctor answered. Yagi wondered if Doctor even had an exact time in mind.

“I have one question, Saruko,” Victor said. Sako looked at him and he went on to say, “Whenever you smell angel blood don’t you get thirsty? Like all you can think about is not being hungry?”

Sako looked around the room nervously, “I guess.” He groaned and put his head in his hands, “Now I’m a demon and a vampire.”

Victor asked, “Have you ever tasted it before?”

Sako raised his head and looked at him in shock, “No! Of course not!”

Victor cleared his throat, “Well when you do, let me tell you that everything changes and it does sound gross, but angel blood tastes amazing. It’s so good that we demons have to train ourselves to not drink it willingly.”

"Wow." Branson said. "You have no concern for other people's feelings do you? You realize that you are craving the blood of your best friend right?" He asked as he put his hand over his heart in hurt.

Sako gulped. “Wait, 'willingly'? You mean, once I taste it, I’ll…”

“You’ll change. You’ll do anything to get more. Branson wasn’t allowed near me when I tasted it because I wanted to bite him to get more. Your canines get a little longer too during this phase as we;;.”

Sako’s mouth hung open. Yagi put a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder but Sako shrugged him off. "No. Please don't touch me." He mumbled.

“So what about angels?” Yagi asked, “Don’t we have anything?”

Branson jumped in, “Oh yeah! Our instincts mature later though, After a few months, you should be able to see what I mean. We can heal faster, we can heal others- well some can. Not everyone can-, and we can also see better in day and night while demons can only see better at night.”

“Can we fly? Angels are supposed to have wings, aren’t they?” Yagi asked Doctor.

“Yes.” He answered, “But it takes a year for you to be able to use them.”

“And we aren’t allowed to use them anyway,” Branson said.

“Why?”

“Because it’s a rule.” Leader’s voice said from behind them.