Jin's War: Survive The Night

By VR Sibeko

Paige Stevens blinked while talking to friends and discovered it was night, seven days later!

The media said the event happened to hundreds of individuals across the planet. No one knew why. Many thought it was nonsense, a hoax.

They'd all vanished and returned at the same time.

All except Jin.

Her best friend was gone, and it’d been a month, with her alone.

At rock bottom Jin returned.

But he’d changed. He remembered what happened in the gap in their memories, he knew what was coming and that, to survive the night, they were all going to need to prepare for war.

Guns, power, magic, gods and Kaiju, it’s going to an insanely bumpy ride.

• Language: English
• Publisher: VR. Sibeko
• Release date: Dec 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798398239720

Book preview

Jin’s War

Chapter 1

The Arrival

1.

The real Paige Stevens woke to her alarm.

She cringed, each buzz hammering so hard she pictured her ears bleeding. Ducking failed and, giving up, her body stretched, bone cashing cheques her muscles couldn’t cash, leading to cramps. She groaned twisting and jerking in ways that would have made a gymnast blush.

Her socked big toe tapped snooze. The buzz was replaced by a thumping beat that smashed all thought. Instinct sat her up. She pulled blonde locks off her face. They rebelled under gravity’s banner, a curtain against the light piercing her eyelids to interrogate the back of her skull.

She scanned to adjust to the light, cursing the blinds.

Why were they open?

Not a thought past it, her eyes travelled from the window to the door, Yamamoto Jin, the window, back to the blinds.

The weight of the moon pulled on her.

Jin?

She yelped, ducking under the covers. White silk couldn’t keep the sun from making him out. Her eyes darted right to left, up and down. Every time locking on him.

Jin’s right next to my bed!

She pulled her hair over her face, heart drumming unceremoniously against a chest afloat with billions of butterflies. He wasn’t supposed to be there or anywhere. He was supposed to be dead.

Popping out the covers…

How’d you get in here!

Hers a meek voice, scraping against her pride.

What if he’d taken advantage of her? Her night gown hung loose, yellow panties and bra below, if anything she was over dressed. It was an awful, illogical, stupid, senseless thought but she couldn’t help it.

Paige, you let me in!

For a second, it looked as though he were going to fall, he recovered in a way that made it look planned and practiced. His head cocked to the side, eyebrow raised. Seeing his thin but rough features, unusual for any seventeen-year-old, should have been humorous.

His white shirt, beneath a black blazer and pants, had long browned where not covered in soot; it looked as though he’d crawled through every chimney. There was a lipstick stain from her having fallen asleep waiting for the bus. A month ago.

His confusion only added to hers.

I did? Her eyes darted to the bed, the door then at the window. When? How?

What’s he talking about?

Backtracking was in order. She’d clearly gone to bed and hadn’t gotten up for the night.

That wasn’t true. She’d gone to the toilet and… no… that didn't matter. What happened after that? Nothing, there should have been nothing. Infinite nothing. Only something did happen. She’d gone to bed that’s what must have happened. But… there… he… was.

Breaking in wasn’t a thing. The whole building was locked tight, with paid guards.

Someone could’ve let him in.

Nope.

They knew him by name. He’d be better off breaking into a prison.

He stared with the eyes of a man who was about to yell, break things but couldn’t, not in front of her.

Then… it… changed.

She’d never seen someone so resigned about something so important so quick.

Look, there’s no time. Just… get ready for school. I’ll meet you outside.

He stretched, every move an exercise in pain.

How long had he been sitting?

He ruffled uneven hair and walked out, in parts his hair had been long enough to reach his ribs, some parts had formed dreadlocks.

The door closed with a soft click. It would’ve been better if it slammed.

Paige waited ‘til her heart rate dropped enough for her to slink out of bed, hands shaking, trembling without justification.

Am I scared of him? No, you know exactly what it is. But… that’s irrelevant because... Because it is damn it! After all, he’s back.

She checked for evidence of him.

No!

That wasn’t just a friend, he was the friend, dead or not, even if... her mind drew blank.... even if she’d woken up with him looking down on her. Her face reddened, shame burning through her chest.

Her lips pursed; eyebrows furrowed while her mind created awful but well-illustrated ‘what ifs’.

She wiped tears from her eyes and checked anyway, hating it. At least she hated herself. If only it counted for something.

She, when sane enough to move, walked to her bathroom and opened the door. There was a hole in the ceiling, blood dried, flaked and crooked in parts, there were chunky bits glued to that same blood, they glistened.

It hadn’t been a dream, she’d followed through, but was fine?

Clean?

She opened a cupboard under the sink and pulled out bleach.

2.

Fifty minutes later clear glass doors opened, Paige stepped out in a black blazer and skirt with a white shirt. Her hair tied so tight it was still against the salty winds flowing through a street so thin it could barely fit two cars. Jin leant against the opposing wall like a Sweet Magazine model, for the homeless.

The walls didn’t match the glass. They had a layer of faded graffiti with hundreds of flyers as icing, flapping but hanging stubborn against the spiralling winds.

He held a yellowed flyer with his face on it.

She hesitated but clenched her jaw.

Why were you in my house, and more importantly, outside my bed?

Her face set.

Seeing him right in front of her bed as if he’d been there for ages. People didn’t just accept that!

She was glad to see him! Glad he was alive but too weirded out to say anything other than the line practiced. Unable to give a ‘welcome back’ or ‘where were you?’ She couldn't give a hug, or even a touch. An attempt had led to a recoil the second she’d settled to. As far as she knew, the answer was ‘in your room.’ But why hadn’t he said a word.

At first the sly sideways grin she’d never forget was etched on his face. It was the start of a joke about the flyer.

Well…

He was frowning now…

"I’ll explain what you ‘SUDDENLY’ don’t understand when we find Drake!"

She gawked so hard she ran the risk of swallowing her tongue. He wasn’t the type. Some ‘rule’ had just been broken, its shards cutting deep.

Maybe things had changed. Maybe forever.

The bright reddening of her face forced her to look away. Looking back, she saw him move. She followed but he sped up, forcing her to jog.

3.

Finding Drake was easier said than done with the bus stop so crowded. There were thirty to forty students split into cliques by civilians, she recognized four, the worst of the last years.

Paige Stevens, the American born, her pale skin a vast contrast. Her locks a light in a starless sky.

They noticed her, daggers digging into her core, whittling. But it didn’t last, they gawked at Jin.

First was Kataoki Naoki.

His eyes widened, chest expanding. The wind up for a big breath, the pulling on his collar like suspenders, defeated her.

Jin! I can’t believe it. You’re alive!

The giants around him added a bellow to his voice, fuelling it.

Every head lifted.

Jin looked disorientated. A feather could have knocked him over.

Finally, he smiled.

I haven’t met anyone capable of killing me. Only slow me. Jin laughed, arms crossed.

He’s humbler than that. Maybe it isn’t Jin at all.

The thought was laughable, she wasn’t laughing.

The other three zoomed in. Both Hirano Nabatame and Ohba Rie tearing themselves from their phones.

Nabatame flicked neatly cut bangs out her face and eyed Paige behind Jin before dismissing her, not worth the effort.

Unlike Paige’s skirt, hers rose high boasting flawless legs. She lacked curvature but made up for it with height and legs long enough to need GPS. She was the second tallest there.

Rie was different. Her skirt was rolled up thinner than a Band-Aid, leaving an oversized shirt to do the work of legal defence. Rie’s hair was a dark tea brown, almost a full head shorter than Paige but made up for it looking like she’d stuffed her bra with every sock ever while smuggling watermelons in her ass.

She looked happier to see Jin alive than Nabatane.

Where have you been? Asked the actual tallest person.

He was a little taller than Nabatane but it was enough to make him tower.

Jin took his blatant tone with a smile. Paige took silent offence.

Well Kazuki, I’ve no idea, but I’m glad to be back. I missed you though.

Everyone ‘not listening’ were listening now. Noaki coughed choking down a laugh.

You’re one of Them?

Them? Who’s Them?

You don’t know?

If his eyebrows could’ve risen any higher they’d break off his face.

Paige’s, cheeks flushed when heads turned to her.

She wasn’t Jin.

It wasn’t a month.

People all over the planet disappeared. Rie said, not one to be a spectator.

Disappeared? Jin asked, astounded.

Yes Jin. Disappeared… for… a week. You were gone for a month. Nabatame said.

Jin shrugged just as the bus came.

All I know is that I was gone. Can’t say where or why. I’m back now. Alive and I just want to be with my friends and family.

Someone had just shoved an oil drill into her stomach.

Looking for motives, reasons and explanations, not once showing how ecstatic she was her best friend was back. That he was alive.

He wanted to be with friends.

She accused him of breaking an entering.

Chapter 2

First Class

1.

Exactly how dirty Jin was hadn’t sunk in until he’d stepped out the bus, maybe it was because the air was different, the sun’s light reflecting in another way.

Or…

It was the gawking. Even strangers.

Was she ridiculous for not stopping him? How was she supposed to stop a meaner version of Jin? Was she even allowed to say that?

Was she being mean?

They walked together, though it didn’t feel like it, at least he wasn’t rushing.

The gate could be seen, despite how far it was, it loomed.

There was a reason for it.

They were at the head of a huge procession.

What the fuck is happening?

She slowed.

Jin slowed.

They slowed.

She sped up.

They all did!

She was the captain of a sinking ship, the gate a bottomless trench. Were they trying to kill her? Because her wobbly knees, paper ankles on a wooden frame, said they’d succeed!

Everything stopped.

He stood in front of a boulder of a man, dark in complexion with eyes that could peel granite.

Right then they peeled into Jin.

There it was! The big event. The vigilant eye on corporal punishment’s illegality going blind in a blink.

Their eyes met, Jin’s neither cold or bold, just dreary. A thought pulled on her mind, had he really been walking slow or… limping??

The bastard!

Paige had to look around, it was impossible to just… not.

Yup, it was worse than she could’ve imagined, one would have thought they were watching a big game, one that ended with a big win.

Some kids had their phones out, but one hard glare shut it down so quick she’d have thought an EMP had gone off.

It was enough to dampen the mood, the crowd parting like the waves.

The buzz was over… hopefully…

2.

There was something unique about school buzz. Rare but special. It had power. It had to, if it were to touch a thousand kids.

For a buzz to exist it needed to resonate enough to bypass conflicting interests. In a history where information wasn’t constant, buzz formed quick. At least before cynicism.

That made his return all the more impressive. Half the school stopped what they were doing, breaking routines so deep they were carved into the souls of their shoes.

Anyone missing longer than three days was ‘found’, and by the smell. They never showed in time for class, looking as though they’d been dragged across mount Oyama by horses, with diarrhoea.

The event was surreal. She could only watch the backs of all who’d approached. Some marching straight to him, others ‘happening’ upon him with a ‘whoops, I didn’t see you there, oh by the way’.

It gave her the leeway to watch and listen to exactly how varied the stories, rumours and opinions became.

All before silent reading, and homeroom.

3.

Paige stopped in front of her desk closest to the door. She looked back, Jin simply stood outside. He looked up and bowed, waving others in. Silent reading had to start, it might’ve even lasted longer. There had to be chaos in the staff room.

They made eye contact and she got the wave along too. Hers came with a smile, it felt sincere, the one she gave back wasn’t. Getting the brush off was bullshit.

She gave up, unwilling to play along, she put her socks on. The room was formerly a music class. No one complained, it was amazing to have carpet in the winter.

Her desk was the worst. Closest to the door meant closest to the passage and the cold. There was also-

Bang!

Noaki slammed Paige’s desk with his bag the second she sat.

Bang!

Another followed it up with their own bag. Paige simply waited.

It was what she got for sitting too soon.

Before she could so much as think her bag was yanked out her fingers and dropped to the ground.

Oops, sorry. Rie said, not even bothering to feign innocence.

The desk was almost dragged by Natabane. Both girls laughed along with two others. It must have been hilarious…

Skrrrr!

There was a huge scraping of metal, a novice trying to open the supply locker in the back room without the alioop needed…

It just kept going, everyone turned.

The culprit appeared. Jin had made it inside somehow, shoes tracking dirt. The class was aghast at the strength. It was dragged on a corner from tile to carpet, saving their ears.

The handle popped open. Natabane said something from Rie’s corner and laughter erupted.

Paige had to do something, anything!

He pulled out a broom, unscrewing before swinging it so fast she literally couldn’t see it. Her heart fluttered, skin tingling, the desk shifted.

He was dead eyed. It was… her mind went blank, he headed right for her! He stopped, grabbed her bag and moved to the back of the class, the desk furthest from the door.

Natabane jumped when the stick stopped, pointed at him. He picked up Natabane’s bag and threw. It all but imploded against the wall, right by Paige’s head. Paige picked it up and placed it calmly on her desk. As stunning as the power play was, she wasn’t stupid, she had a role to play.

What the hell are you-

Natabane shut up, the wooden rod in Jin’s hands twisted, the splintering unmistakable.

Natabane retreated.

The staff swung.

He flinched.

It hooked Rie’s bag and she cried out before it bulleted out the door. Paige saw it fly by her head, turning in time with it.

The entire corner reached for their bags as Jin sat, pulling a book and placing her bag in the furthest corner. The owner of the desk could not have left faster were he fired out a gun.

Jin hadn’t moved, but it made sense, his part was done, he’d laid the humiliation up, only one person could make it worse, or finish the job. The one so pathetic and small would be her, only Paige could finish them.

She got up, floating on the butterflies in her stomach to the best seat in the room. Rie took off after her stuff but kept going. The hairs on the back of Paige’s neck stood at attention. How long Rie was taking brought fourth a new buzz, Paige held a book but couldn’t see a word.

There was a rush of footsteps, an entire gang came rushing in, Kazuki in front. Desks were parted, bodies rushed to the walls, a circle formed… well, a semi-circle.

Again, Jin did little more than turn a page.

Dreams weren’t so surreal!

Kazuki came marching forwards, Jin turned to her, of all people. It was insane, but in that moment, in Jin’s dark eyes, smiling at her, she was all people. The only person.

Not running? He asked.

No

You sure? Getting scary. He mocked.

Her jaw set, No.

Oh well.

Look out! Paige screamed.

The bell rang.

Everything stopped, compulsory silent reading was done, time for roll call.

It shut the buzz down. Chairs scraped back into place.

The wind beneath Kazuki’s wings became a vacuum, hands pulling and yanking until he finally turned and disappeared. Jin spun on his chair and faced Paige, he was smiling but she couldn’t match it. Hers was pained and stretched, the energy needed couldn’t or wouldn’t be mustered.

Jin… Fukuma sensei could be here at any moment.

He won’t, class head will likely have to do rollcall.

What makes you say that?

Jin pointed out the window with the limpest of gestures.

There were two news vans with two ‘beautiful people’ at the gate. Fukuma sensei was there, flanked by the principal and grounds keepers.

So, Jin began snapping her out of her funk. I’m assuming people disappearing was a pretty big deal?

She smiled; it felt how he looked.

I was one of ‘them’ so I don’t know the nitty gritty but governments sent out search parties, even if they didn’t know where to. You should talk to the librarian to get a detailed story. Don’t know why, but she’s been asking me about it, others too.

Like who?

Not sure.

"Okay, moving on, the news?"

It’s weird, things kinda went up and down, most especially when I came back. She paused, "‘Came back’ It’s a weird thing to say. Because I didn’t, I was exactly where I was, dressed as I was, but it was a week later."

Jin simply nodded, thoughtful, his every move was exactly as she remembered, like recognising a smell.

Er… she wanted to keep talking, the muscles in her mouth getting exercise in parts she forgot, even her ‘er’ was freeing.

And then? Jin asked.

Then we were famous, for a day, I dunno. I think all the wrong people got famous. All except Naya, but-

Paige shut up, catching herself too late,

Naya? Are you for real? I didn’t see h- Now he shut up… "I didn’t see that coming… but your eyes are telling me ‘but’, so Mrs butt, What’s the but?"

She sniffed despite herself before laughing and wiping her eyes.

You leave my butt alone.

Hey, I’ve been away for a month, I’ll take what I can. You wouldn’t leave me hanging?

Shut up.

"Fine. You don’t know what you’re missing, but… you know…"

He fell silent just watching the teachers negotiate.

He reached out to her, palm out.

It took a second, but she sighed and passed him her phone. His fingerprint letting him in.

You’re not sulking because I said her name right? Paige asked.

He stopped, it was one of the most ‘I’m not mad, I just wanna know why’ deadpan faces ever.

Who Pay’ge?

There it was, Pay’ge or rather Paeghge

Naya Paige said, plotting her gravesite.

She bit back a smirk. It was worth it, if anyone had said that that same morning Jin had yelled at her, twice. It wouldn’t have registered.

Firstly, I don’t care about Naya, if she vanished for a minute, a second, forever.

Well, then I guess you don’t care about how she’s denying the whole thing.

Jin stood erect.

What?

Eyup.

She had to rub her chest, she was getting choked up, it was important to keep her cool. Him so captivated was rare.

She says her mother took her on an emergency trip.

"Oh yes, people are disappearing and her family were like ‘time to get on a plane’ after all, entire planes don’t disappear, ever."

Paige burst out laughing, snorting and covering her face. It was so loud! That made her laugh louder, her hands her only safety from the outside world.

Hey, that’s the news!

People ran for the windows, Jin and Paige grinning.

You don’t think I’m going to need to talk to the police? He asked.

"Of course! You should!"

Jin stared at either her chest… or a world beyond her vision. She should have been offended but where else would he stare?

Did you put out a missing person’s on me? He asked her chest.

She wished she could see wherever he was really looking. An old commercial advertising flat screens clicked on proving her mind was cruel.

Yeah. She said.

How’d you get that picture?

Old man by your house.

You can call him my dad. You talk to him?

Not really… he’s… not much of a talker. She mumbled, less than willing to look Jin in the eye, even her words ran away.

Yeah, that’s who he is. I’ve never heard him so much as yell at me with more than a few words.

Her chest fluttered; they were crossing into unknown territory.

I’m guessing, he didn’t put out a case, at all? He asked.

Paige’s lips formed a smile that doubled as a shrug.

He reached out and squeezed her hand.

I’m sorry, I… um… never got the chance to thank you for looking for me. Jin said.

Paige was grateful he turned back to his seat. It let her bury her face into her hands, using her blazer as a pillow to muffle the dry heaving as she wept.

4.

Their homeroom teacher left, marking their first lesson complete. Eyes glanced windowards. The numbers at the gate had gone up. The buzz still there.

Clean up came, they all silently set about their tasks, Jin and Paige swept.

Okay, I’ve been listening to people talking and.

And? Jin asked.

Naya’s top of the grade.

Jin stopped sweeping.

I guess that means I’ll never catch up. He said winking at her.

She was playing with fire mentioning she who must not be named. But it was working, he was talking, she was responding. Her the patient and the therapist. Him… the chair.

You have all my books? He asked.

Of course.

Because of this morning? Or because you used to bring them every day? He asked, eyes wide.

She pulled an ‘of course not’ face, so she wouldn’t have to lie with her words.

"Heavy?"

Don’t puppy-eyes me. She growled.

He grinned.

The class emptied as trucks pulled up at the gates with the principal fighting to get them in. Jin had just started to walk into the open when she pulled him back.

What’s wrong with you? Jin complained.

Paige hesitated but puffed up her chest, she’d failed him as a friend too many times in one day. No, you don’t get to go out there looking like this, let’s just do dishing duty.

He sighed.

She’d be damned if she were to let him out there.

One of the students hesitated to give him an apron but moved on quick.

Am I that scary now? He asked, not letting the moment pass, smiling as Paige pushed him like she was moving a fridge.

Bullshit Jin, you were always a little scary, but now you’re back after you vanished for longer than three days. It should mean you’re dead. You still remember that girl in Drake’s apartment?

No? I… don’t…

They found the body washed up in the beach, suffocated. Drake was talking about it all the time because hi-

"His mom makes him walk his brother… fuck me… I remember."

You really forgot…

What? You worried I’m not me? He grinned, but it faded, Wait, is that something you’re thinking about?

No, I just… I don’t remember what happened to me. I just popped back, as if there was no gap.

He stared dead eyed, And?

It should have been terrifying. And yet…

There wasn’t time to forget stuff because for all of us, time didn’t pass. But you? Jin…Do… you remember what happened to you, or us?

Jin disappeared in her chest, leaving her behind. A bell saved him and they rushed, throwing on aprons and filling trays with buns, deer meat and ramen. She put together the trays and others laid them out. No one filled a whole tray themselves, they were all parts to a conveyer belt, churning out food for primary schoolers.

It was groan inducing to have him go further and further away from her as duties rotated. At one point, there were six between them. She was being ridiculous, she did not need to be near him every second, for his sake, or hers. She was being silly-

Jin? What are you doing? Noaki demanded.

Paige turned, her heart sinking.

Of all the voices…

Kids were staring, Jin was wide eyed