Bitter Sweet

The world gently shifted around me as I staired blankly at the mirrors behind the bar. My hand grasped dependently onto the empty shot glass in front of me. With a heavy sigh, I gently bit down onto my lip. The bartender sighed refilling my glass, and took a seat in front of me.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Uzawa, but it's closing time. I'll see you tomorrow night." he smiled sympathetically.

"Alright, Jiro. Thank you." I sighed roboticly, chocking down my last shot, and standing dizzy.

I found my way out the door stumbling, tiredly. Breathing in the warm night air, I growled trying to remember what they believed was happening to all the criminals. It seemed irrelevant to me.

I allowed my thoughts to wonder, and I asked myself questions about what I would bring Ichiro when I visit him tomorrow, and whether or not the court would decide in his favor. Though, suddenly something struck my thoughts. As the head journalist for one of the biggest newspapers in Japan, I hadn't heard a thing about the occurrences.

Pulling my cellphone from my jacket I prepared to text my editor, but the small envelope icon caught my attention, signaling that I had a message. I placed the phone to my ear, tilting my head to the side, as a strange voice entered my ears.

"Mrs. Uzawa, I ask that you meet with me tomorrow in your office. It is an urgent matter pertaining to the Kira investigation. I suggest that you clear your schedule."

I raised an eyebrow glancing at my cell phone as I held it in front of my face. Blinking, I began to wonder how drunk I had truly become. I clicked the end button and began typing a text to my editor, to ask why I hadn't received any information about the criminals. Once it had been sent I continued my short walk home, and drunkly climbed the stairs to my apartment. I pushed the key into the door knob and turned it sliding the key back into my jacket pocket.

I slid my jacket from my shoulders and placed it on a chair in the kitchen, pushing my shoes from my feet, and sliding out of my work clothes, as I sat down on the side of my bed. I flicked the light switch off and laid down in the middle of my bed, hugging the unoccupied pillow tightly as I staired at the empty space beside me. Blinking my eyes shut, I thought of my husbands face, wishing his name would be cleared soon.

I opened my eyes, looking toward the ceiling of a glass building. Silently, I moved my gaze to the window beside me as the rain outside poured. Taking a deep breathe I turned down the hall and walked toward an elevator. Standing alone in the elevator I staired towards my feet as it lurched downward, toward where, I was uncertain.

When the elevator doors opened, I turned once more, and walked to a door. As it silently slide open, I walked forward into a room that was only dimly lit by the light of a few computer screens. I walked forward and sat in a chair directly in front of one of the computer screens. I staired blankly in front of me, at a fancy L, that was on each screen. From behind me I heard the sound of someone dragging their feet across the floor.

"Your in my chair," an unfamiliar voice spoke from beside me.

I turned my head to the side to look, and found a sickly pale man, who was hunched slightly, and had heavy dark circles around his eyes, standing there looking at me, a piece of cake in one of his hands. I silently stood, and sat in another chair that was beside his.

"What's the matter?" he asked, his mouth full, as he sat in the chair, crouched and more or less standing.

I only glanced down, after a few unsuccessful attempts to speak. I began to shake, and tears erupted from my eyes. I pulled my legs to my chest and rested my head on my knees, sobbing quietly. I lifted my head, and looked over at him.

"I-..." I paused for a moment, sobbing. "I'm s-s... sorry."

He only staired at me with his head tilted to the side, his eyes slightly wide, granting him an image of childish innocence.

"You shouldn't cry, you know. You'll make yourself sick." he murmured, stairing forward.

"I wish it w-were that simple," I whimpered, with a shudder.

I kept my eyes on my knees and ran my tongue over my cracked lips trying to protect them from my salty tears. My body jolted as I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder. I turned toward him, absolutely confused.

He continued to stair forward, but the corner of his lips seemed to tug upward in what would be a comforting smile.My head fell, and I rested it on my knees, continuing to sob.

Slowly the dark room, flooded with a steady stream of bright white light, and a loud ringing erupted through my subconscious.

Pain filled my head as I opened my eyes to my room, filled with sun light. Wildly, I reached for my cell phone to quickly silence it's ringing.

"Hello?" I questioned, slightly strained, my eyes shut tight.

"Michiko, darling, I have bad news." My husbands voice rang through my ears. "They've pushed my sentence back. I'm worried about all those criminals who are getting killed."

"Do you know anything about that?" I asked. "I haven't really heard anything."

"I don't know. I just know that people here are being killed. I'm worried."

"Ichiro, you shouldn't be worried. Your innocent. Your going to make it out of there alive." I comforted him.

"If you think so. My times up. I'll so you later today. I love you, Michiko." he finished, hanging up.

I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. With a yawn, I reviewed the message I had gotten the night before, hoping it would make more sense now that I was sober.

After the message had replayed I sighed. Nope, it still sounded crazy. None the less, I dialed my secretary's number and told her to clear my schedule.

I stood and began to prepare for my day, not completely sure that I was ready for the day I was about to embark into to.