Inori covered her mouth as her eyes widened with horror.
'Th... that's, a Sinner. It's a Sinner. That is a real sinner! Oh my God, th...their real!' She placed her second hand on her mouth, as if not to let her thoughts blurt out.
The last thing Inori needed was that thing out for her head.
'That is a Sinner!!!' She still repeated her self, this was her first time seeing one in real life.
- What is a Sinner? They are....rather, were a man or woman who didn't know when to stop. You see, when a person commits an excess amount of Sin, they trigger the 'curse' transforming their body into grotesque creatures. This transformation always reflects the Sin they committed in multitude, Pride, Greed, Theft, Blasphemy.... Any existing Sin excessively committed will have its penalties on the body, Inori is seeing a living proof.
She slowly backed away from the scene to prevent being spotted.
As she steadily walked she thought to herself.
'I know what that thing is, and judging from it's design resembling a snail, it's a Sinner of Sloth...
She swallowed then continued.
'Just calm down, you've read about them in books, Sinners don't just attack irrationally when their not hungry, and from the looks of it, it was already devouring a man.'
Inori held the hem of her white robe, shuddering from fear, with cold sweat enveloping her skin.
'Please forgive me whoever's corpse that may be, may your soul find peace, but.... I don't want to die.'
She began crying as she quietly pleaded for her father's rescue.
A tear made it's way to her mouth, it was salty. But her sense of taste was gone at the moment, she was engulfed in undeniable horror and her senses numb.
'I... I have to stop crying, if I want to go home, I just have to find a telephone, and call Father!'
The tears didn't stop tho, soon enough it started obstructing her vision. She desperately tried cleaning her eyes to retain sight of the road in front.
Finally, enough space was between the two, Inori and the Sinner. This was her chance, she attempted a full on sprint but was stopped in her tracks by a 7 worded sentence.
"For the wages of sin is death."
The phrase ran through Inori's skin, immediately stoping her from running.
It came from the Sinner, Romans 6:23 that is all these creatures could say.
Time was up.
Not uttering a sound, The Sinner of Sloth was now stationed behind Inori. Seeing it up close, the creatures face looked slightly human. Slightly.
Inori slowly brought her hands down and gulped.
Its lips curled into something too wide to be human. Revealing rotten gums and yellow teeths.
Blood dripping as it had just finished it's earlier meal, now....on to the next.
'This is all wrong...!'
Inori's scream was caught in her throat, the Sinner of Sloth leaned in for a closer look at its new victim. As their eyes locked her blood turned cold standing directly in front of the creature.
'....Today is my birthday...he promised me pancakes.'
She thought to herself as the Sinner slowly opened its jaw.
Inori didn't flinch, she had accepted her fate. The entire area was empty, time 6:00 AM.
Still standing, her head was now in its mouth, the stench inside was unbearable. About passing out from either fear or nauseousness, Her last train of thoughts read. 'Maybe if I die...I'll wake up in my room.'
She prayed for this all being a nightmare, her waist up was now in the Sinners mouth, slowly but certainly closing.
Chomp!
It finally shut it's jaw and started chewing.
The Sinner saw a slight poof of dust beneath it where Inori previously stood.
"Huh?"
Inori said seeing herself standing adjacent the creature.
Her posture squatting as if performing a last minute sprint.
She was alive?
"I'm...alive! But when did I get over here?!" Her hands checked if it were a hallucination of some sorts. Dust around her settled showing she infact moved, but that was too fast.
"For the wages of sin is death?"
The Sinner asked, tilting its head in confusion, seeing as Inori was not in its stomach.
They both stood there flabbergasted about the situation.
Crows landed on buildings above them watching the scene.
At this time of the year, the weather resembled late summer transitioning to autumn. So the atmosphere was slightly cold.
Inori clenched her hands. Staring directly at the creatures cartoonishly big eyes. She quickly turned and dashed at full speed!
"For the wages of sin is death!!!!"
With an outrageously loud volume it yelled and went after her, using it's slime covered abdomen to maneuver it's way like a snail, a terrifying man eating one.
Inori's heart pounded in her chest as she ran with all her strength, not daring to look back.
The monsters shell glistened with blood—it was catching up at an impressive speed!
"Oh God! oh God! oh God! Why is it so fast?! It's a Sinner of Sloth for crying out loud!" She cursed as she ran towards a closed hospital, bracing for impact as the distance between the two closed.
Bash!
The Sinner broke through the entire wall! Launching Inori 10 meters away.
Her back violently crashed with multiple empty crates as she fell to the floor. It was a small rest area the hospital owned, now scattered by the impact the creature produced.
Cough Cough!
"Owww~!"
Her two hands tried rubbing her back to reduce the pain.
The Sinner slowly approached Inori as this was a dead end. All the doors to other rooms were locked meaning no escape.
It wore a furious face looking down at Inori as its tall figure casted a shadow over her.
"For the wages of sin is death!!"
The Sinner dissed.
- Even with the creatures limited vocabulary, you could tell it was agitated. Inori had caused too much trouble sprinting away like that, Sinners of Sloth hate excersise after all.
Inori quickly picked up an empty bottle and tossed it at the Sinner.
It broke the poko-dot patterned shell revealing it's inner organs.
"For the wages of sin is death!!!"
The creature yelled in pain, Inori could actually survive this.
She continued throwing empty bottles at the Sinner.
She ran out so she threw the entire crate. All to buy time for help to arrive.
"A Priest should be here any minute now! Their entire purpose is to eliminate Sinners! Please!" Inori prayed as she shuffled away from the bleeding Sinner. With her glass ammunition reduced to zero, there was nothing else to throw.
One could only rely on these "Priests" gifted humans who served as executioners to Sins and Sinners. Humanities last hope against the unholy.
Just before the the Sinner could come any closer.
It suddenly halted as a wave of warmth grazed its skin.
'Huh?... the temperature just drastically changed!'
Inori thought, seeing as sweat fell from her face, the hair on her skin stood as her body trembled with anticipation.
The Sinner of Sloth began backing up, sluggishly dragging its damaged body away from Inori.
"Why is it retreating? Do they not like heat?" She asked breathing heavily, the temperature kept on increasing.
The Sinner finally dropped to the
ground and suddenly exploded. Human looking blood splattered on Inori and the walls, its organs misplaced around the entire area.
Luckily, Inori had shielded her face to prevent its blood from entering her mouth.
Its pieces then rapidly decayed with fire as it entered the ground, as if burning to the underworld.
Inori wiped her body in disgust as relief made it's way to her face.
"Finally!!" She yelled as she laid down on the floor, finally catching her breath after running for her life. She couldn't see the Priest who just saved her but that didn't matter, she was alive
Inori rubbed her shoulder that was slightly swollen, pity painted on her face.
'Ahhh, I'm tired...' Her mind cried out, was it really over? Will she ever meet her father again? What if there's another Sinner? Maybe the dangerous kind, Pride? All these thoughts ran through her head as she stared at the empty sky.
'I should thank who saved me.' Inori thought to herself as she rose her head.
After some time on the floor, the sound of a kitchen bell chimed quickly, causing a figure literally appeared from nowhere, not even as if manifesting from thin air but rather, teleporting.
The figure spoke chirpy tone.
"Hey there miss, you a Priest?"
The man said pointing at Inori, a youth with golden spiky hair that divided at the side, a foreigner of course, but his Japanese was as fluent as a local.
Inori stared up in awe, examining his image with serious precision.
He wore a white jacket, on it's back, a bold writing in kanji 罪人 translating to Sinner.
A sheathed katana rested behind his waist, its strap overlapping his simple sky blue T-shirt.
The man wore biker gloves on both hands, lastly a simple black and white bracelet on the right glowed an otherworldly light.
Inori stood up, quickly bent down to answer his question.
"No sir, I am not a Priest, but an ordinary girl! I was looking for a telephone to contact my father but I suddenly got attacked!"
She blurted out the truth, the fellow may have been a Priest who saved her but Inori was more happy to finally talk to someone.
The man looked surprised, Inori denied being a Priest but just survived at least 2 minutes against a Sinner, an impressive feat for a normal human.
It was now 6:10 and the two stood in an area with poor lighting, making it difficult to read each other's expressions.
"Are you alright? You're not injured are you?" Approaching Inori slowly, he asked with a now soft voice not to scare her off.
As he turned his features, Inori noticed a black arm-band slightly loose on his right arm, with a bold white writing 'AB' written with English alphabets instead of the usual Katakana characters.
She dismissed the unnecessary details in his design as her mind slowly came back to reality.
Inori's body trembled from this near death experience, she quickly ran to hug the man and began crying.
"Woah, I'm sorry I took so long... But you're okay right?"
He asked stroking her hair to seize her crying. It didn't work, Inori was only 14, experiencing a Sinner, rather nearly being eaten by one will have most people scarred for a while.
-----------------------------
After she had calmed down. She let go and quickly apologized for hugging him from nowhere.
He assured her it was quite alright and asked for her name.
Before she could reply, as if timed he received a phone call disrupting their conversation.
"I'm sorry, one second."
He gestured and excused himself.
Inori thought to herself.
'He's definitely a Priest.'
She saw as the man had a different aura around him, that and of course the golden cross hanging from his neck.
It is a form of license showing one owned such occupation.
'I can't believe I'm alive! I mean I almost wet myself but I didn't die!'
She praised her self in silence, Inori was alive and the Sinner was dead, making it her victory.
The man finished taking the call and faced Inori.
She spotted the phone and remembered she needed to call her Father, the Prime Minister.
"Ah excuse me!"
She was about asking for his cell but he abruptly said.
"Okay, please I have to go, I've checked the area and that's the only Sinner, you should be safe."
He placed his phone back.
"Ah, please can I burrow your phone?"
"Sweetie I'm really sorry but I'm in a hurry okay? Just got an urgent call." He said then continued after writing something on a clean sheet.
"Here, Arch Bishop Eric Adams."
He introduced himself and gave her a piece of paper holding his signature.
"But I need your cellphone sir."
Inori insisted.
"There's a police station nearby, just tell them okay?"
He suddenly vanished with the chime of a bell, just like he arrived, what a strange fellow.
Inori stood, she looked at the piece of paper holding his signature.
Arch Bishop: Eric Adams.
Inori had heard of him from reports she read on books, but that was it, honestly speaking the amount of people she actually knew could fit in her palm.
Eric was his first name and Adams his family name, if memory served, he was an acquaintance of her father, and one of, if not the most prominent Priest in all of Asia.
Meaning she could've just asked him to take her to the Kantei if he wasn't in such a hurry.
She folded the piece of paper and held it tightly to her chest.
"Thank you! Sir Adams!"
She yelled whilst bowing, the man already left a while ago tho.
With a new glimmer of hope Inori said cheerfully.
"Okay! Now I just need to head to the police station, I hope their open by now."
She pressed on, headed where Eric had pointed, a local police station to borrow a cell phone.
Inori walked hastily, the day was slowly breaking as home owners welcomed the sound of roosters.
The time was 6:20 AM, office workers had began preparing for work and house wives waking up as well.
Finally, she arrived at the station, about a 20 minutes walk. The road was straight so she couldn't have gotten lost.
The door to the station was open and wedged with a stone. Men in uniform were seen checking in for work as they walked in and out with organized motions.
Some in police cars, some on foot. Inori gulped, feeling anxious at the scenery, It was intimidating as they were all adults but this was no time to be shy.
She took a deep breath and approached steadily to the nearest man.
"Ehm, excuse me Sir."
Her voice barely audible, she tapped an officer leaning against his car, he was about sipping his coffee when Inori called out.
"Good morning sir."
She bowed deeply, maintaining it for 2 seconds to show her respects to law enforcers.
"How can I help you?"
The man asked politely as he placed his Cappuccino on the cars bonnet.
"Sir, please I am currently missing, I would like to borrow your phone and call my father."
She cut straight to the point. Finally, this nightmare would be over, she could even still celebrate her birthday seeing as the day was still fresh.
"Did you say you're missing?"
The man asked with a serious tone.
"Yes sir, please can I burrow a cell phone?"
She bowed again.
Inori's originally elegant robe was tattered because of the Sinner chase, making her indeed look missing, or at least homeless.
The man immediately agreed and directed Inori to the station to use their cell phone.
She greeted the officers present. A dark skinned female officer with a short hairstyle was seen laying her head down listening to the radio, not aware of the situation.
"You said you're missing?"
The police officer, reason unbeknownst to Inori started interrogation. She simply just needed a phone, why the questions?
Inori decided to answer, fastening the process.
"Yes sir, I woke up in what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse, I think I was kidnapped."
She spoke clearly, gripping the hem of her robe, wishing to speak with her father already.
"Can I know your parents name?"
He asked jotting on a note.
"The Prime Minister, Tabata Jiro. I am his daughter, Tabata Inori."
She spoke honestly.
The station went quiet.
The female officer, who originally sleeping rose her head.
"What the hell?"
She asked the officer interrogating Inori.
"Ah, Captain Mei, you're awake."
He addressed the female officer with a quick bow.
She walked towards them and stared down at Inori, her build most impressive for a woman.
"What did you just say?"
She asked confused, the Prime Minister's daughter? How? Why? What is she doing here, and why does she look homeless?
"Yes, my name is Tabata Inori, ma'am. A pleasure meeting you."
She bowed to the officer in command, her name tag reading Maru Mei, quite an odd surname.
Mei looked at the other officer, then back at Inori, her face squinting as she reasoned what to make of all this.
"... you're not on drugs are you? That would be a problem since you're a minor." She said bluntly, coming closer.
Inori backed away.
"Drugs? But, ma'am I am not sick." She protested. Inori was confused. The possibility of no-one believing her didn't cross her mind. This was an issue.
"I've seen her on TV like only 2 times but....doesn't the Prime Minister's daughter have black hair?" The police officer added.
Inori frowned.
'Black hair? But my hair is bla-
She paused as she brought some strands to her eyes... they were dark blue.
"What is this?!"
She asked out loud with an annoyed tone, perhaps all the stress from earlier didn't permit her to see her hair. Where had its sleek black color gone to.
Inori gasped looking at her finger and toe nails, they were painted black. Feeling almost offended, she had never been to a manicure in all her life.
"What is going on?!"
She began exasperating again. Her breathing turned heavy.
"Miss are you alright?" Mei asked worriedly, seeing as Inori was troubled.
"Please you have to believe me! At least just lend me a cell phone!" A single call to the Prime Minister's personal number should show she was indeed his daughter.
The officers shrugged and reasoned there was no harm in trying. "Here you go." The officer, originally interrogating Inori handed the stations telephone over.
----------
Beeeep~
The phone rang once....
----------
Beeeep~
Twice now....
----------
Beeeep~
No reply, and no reason for why. It was an old model telephone that could simply call and stop if not answered. Inori was about crying but stopped herself, her resolve not accepting defeat.
"Please could you give me your smart phone?!" She pleaded clinging on to the telephone, resembling a crazy person.
The 2 officers were getting worried about her. Some began gathering as she was causing a scene. Mei stared, confused but still granted her wish. She unlocked her smartphone and handed it over.
"Thank you so much!" She quickly dialed the same number, the one her father made her remember at age 7. Or was the stress now affecting her memory.
The phone wasted no time on crushing her hopes, speaking bluntly immediately after dialing. [The number you have dialed, is not available.]
The station returned to silence and the phone turned off.
Inori stood there as tears slowly began dropping.
".... what do you mean unavailable?!"
She cursed with a miserable face.
Inori felt a grave sense of injustice. Why was this happening to her? Did she perform a grave sin, this being her punishment?
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the already playing radio.
[Welcome to the 7 o'clock news, today's unfortunate headliner:
Prime Ministers daughter - Tabata Inori has been confirmed dead.]
Crash!
Inori dropped the officers phone as it smashed the ground.
"Ah, my phone! Wait the Prime Minister's daughter is dead?!"
Mei yelled rushing to her phone on the floor.
Inori was already standing next to the radio as she turned up the volume to hear what was going on.
It continued, this time louder.
[According to Honorable Tabata-san, her body was in perfect condition with no form of internal nor external injury whatsoever. The Prime Minister's words read "She must have gone in her sleep."]
All life in Inori's eyes vanished, this wasn't funny. Some jokes life made could only be taken so far.
The reporter did not stop.
[The body is still under autopsy to determine the cause of death, from tomorrow to her burial, all of Japan will experience a public break for mourning.]
Her eyes widened after he said those words. The reporter continued the morning news but now with an unrelated matter.
The officers looked at Inori, she had claimed to be Tabata Inori, which was funny before, but coincidentally now reported dead, lost all comedy.
So was this girl mentally stable?
They decided amongst themselves whilst Inori was still standing silently, They were going to take her to a psychiatrist and investigate if she was infact involved in drugs.
Mei looked at her with empathy, she approached-
"Don't touch me!"
Inori snapped, unknowingly shoving the female officer away, launching her to the wall. Such strength similar to such speed she showcased escaping that Sinners mouth.
The questions were too much.
Surrounding officers yelled, assaulting an officer was a punishable offense.
Mei slowly stood up from the floor. With an annoyed look for Inori chugging her away.
"Ah I'm so sorry ma'am!"
Inori apologized, attempting bowing when she noticed.
The police men rushed removing their hand cuffs, they were going to detain Inori and further question her. They still wanted to help her find her real parents and provide mental medical care.
Inori saw she was getting surrounded and immediately sprinted through the gap she saw, she had a small physique which aided her escape.
The door was conveniently wedged open so she ran away not looking back.
"Hey stop right there!"
They ran after her.
"Just leave her alone."
Mei said dusting her self.
"Captain? Are you sure?!"
He asked.
"Yeah, we've got morning patrol, we might find her wandering about so just drop it."
She walked to carry her radio and went further into the station.
The officers respected their captains orders and dismissed it. Now taking in the news that their Prime Minister's daughter just passed.
Most were unfazed by it. In all honesty, not all of Japan even knew the Prime Minister had a daughter. Inori's existence was quite private to the public. Still, they decided to show their respects with a 1 minute of silence before going on morning patrol.
-----------------------
Inori ran cleaning her tears. What was happening? Was she dead? Did she reincarnate? Why is her hair dark blue? Why are her nails black? Was she ever Tabata Inori? The questions went on and on with no answers.
The time was 7:20 AM
Citizens where walking, going about with their day when they sighted a haggard girl running for her life.
Inori bumped through, apologizing each time.
She recalled the phone call Eric Adams received.
'Maybe that's why Sir Adams was in a hurry?! If he was close to father he must have gotten the news earlier!'
'But I'm not dead! I'm right here!!'
The tears didn't stop.
Without realizing Inori ran back to the hospital where she was saved from that Sinner of Sloth.
She stopped to catch her breath, relieved the police men weren't chasing her.
'This can't be happening.'
A drop of rain grazed her face, followed by a sudden downpour.
Inori ran towards shelter, behind the damaged hospital.
"What in God's name is going on?! What is the meaning of all this?!" Her questions left unanswered, growing frustrated Inori kicked the wall with force, slightly cracking its concrete.
"See?! That hurt! I'm not dreaming! So someone explain this to me!" She was about to move until a sharp pain was felt from her sides.
Her ribs were broken, most likely from that attack from the Sinner of Sloth, running must have made it worse.
Inori's eyes widened as she discovered the solution to this all, "it's so simple!" She snapped her fingers with a hideous smile.
"Yes...That explains it! I haven't killed my self yet! I've only been feeling pain all this time! I need to actually die here."
Desperately looking for logic, she reverts back to calling this a dream.
She dropped to the wet floor and started searching the ground for God knows what.
"Yes! This should do!"
Inori crazily picked up a piece of dirty broken glass. She raised it to her throat, attempting suicide for the second time.
"Just do it! Quickly! I might wake up late today but we could still celebrate." Referring to her birthday, Inori mustered all her strength. "Hurry up and do it!!"
She scolded her own fear.
5 seconds later.
Clank!
Inori dropped the shard. The piece of glass fell to the floor shattering upon impact.
She couldn't do it. She didn't want to feel anymore pain.
With a dejected face, she curled up behind the wall and began weeping uncontrollably.
Calling out to her father to save her from this nightmare.
The noise from the rain obstructing her wails.
After 20 minutes, Inori passed out from exhaustion as the ground claimed her.