Blood Drip

Episode 3:Breathing Room

The rain had finally stopped.

Morning light crept slowly over the city, reflecting off puddles and broken glass scattered through the streets. The abandoned apartment building stood quiet again, though parts of the hallway upstairs were cracked from the fight.

Outside, Julo leaned against a rusted street sign trying to catch his breath.

Julo: I swear… if someone else tries to kill us today I’m just gonna lay down and accept it

A few seconds later, the building door slammed open.

Kakaido stepped out, dust covering his clothes and a fresh cut across his cheek.

Julo straightened up.

Julo: Took you long enough

Kakaido looked around the street carefully before walking over.

Kakaido: He left

Julo blinked.

Julo: Wait… what?

Kakaido: He backed off

Julo stared at him.

Julo: That guy was laughing while trying to break your spine and he just… left?

Kakaido nodded slightly.

Kakaido: For now

Julo rubbed the back of his neck.

Julo: I really hate the words “for now”

Kakaido leaned against the wall beside him.

For the first time since the chase started, both of them were quiet.

Julo looked over at him.

Julo: You look terrible

Kakaido glanced down at the cut on his arm.

The wound was slowly closing.

Julo noticed immediately.

Julo: Okay hold on

He grabbed Kakaido’s arm and stared at it.

Julo: That… that was a deep cut two seconds ago

Kakaido pulled his arm back.

Kakaido: It heals

Julo blinked.

Julo: Yeah I can see that

The wound continued closing until only a faint line remained.

Julo stared like he’d just seen magic.

Julo: I’m living with Wolverine

Kakaido: I don’t know who that is

Julo sighed.

Julo: Of course you don’t

They started walking down the empty street together.

Julo kicked a loose rock as they walked.

Julo: So… what now?

Kakaido: We keep moving

Julo groaned.

Julo: Again with the moving

Kakaido: Staying in one place makes it easier to track us

Julo: Pretty sure the psycho blood hunter already knows where we are

Kakaido stayed quiet.

Julo looked over again.

Julo: Wait… he DOES know where we are, doesn’t he?

Kakaido: Probably

Julo stopped walking.

Julo: Fantastic

Kakaido kept walking.

Julo quickly caught up.

Julo: You know most people would panic in this situation

Kakaido: Panic wastes energy

Julo: Yeah well normal people aren’t hunted for their blood

They turned a corner and entered a quieter part of the district.

The buildings here looked older, with boarded windows and faded signs.

Julo looked around.

Julo: So this is where we’re hiding now?

Kakaido: Temporary stop

Julo sighed.

Julo: Everything with you is temporary

They reached a small convenience store that looked like it had been closed for years.

Kakaido pushed the door open.

The bell above it made a weak clink.

Inside, dust covered the shelves and the refrigerators were empty.

Julo looked around.

Julo: Wow… luxury

Kakaido walked to the back wall and sat down.

Julo grabbed a chair that was somehow still standing and flipped it around to sit backwards on it.

Julo: You know… you still haven’t told me something

Kakaido looked at him.

Julo: That guy

Kakaido: What about him

Julo: The laughing maniac chasing you

Kakaido crossed his arms.

Kakaido: What about him

Julo leaned forward.

Julo: Who is he?

Kakaido thought for a moment.

Kakaido: Someone who likes games

Julo stared at him.

Julo: That’s the worst explanation ever

Kakaido: He enjoys hunting

Julo: Yeah I noticed

Kakaido: And he enjoys winning

Julo leaned back in the chair.

Julo: So we’re basically his entertainment

Kakaido nodded once.

Julo sighed.

Julo: I liked life better when the biggest problem I had was rent

Suddenly—

A loud crash echoed somewhere outside.

Both of them froze.

Julo slowly turned his head toward the door.

Julo: Tell me that was a cat

Kakaido stood up.

Kakaido: Stay here

Julo: Oh no we’re not doing that again

Kakaido walked toward the door anyway.

Julo quickly followed.

Outside, the street looked empty.

But something felt off.

The wind moved through the alley beside the store, pushing loose papers across the ground.

Kakaido scanned the rooftops.

Julo whispered.

Julo: Do you see him?

Kakaido: No

Julo: That’s worse

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then somewhere in the distance—

A faint laugh echoed through the streets.

Both of them froze.

Julo slowly turned toward Kakaido.

Julo: That’s him, right?

Kakaido didn’t answer.

But his fists clenched.

The laugh echoed again, bouncing between buildings.

Julo: He’s not even hiding anymore

Kakaido stepped back toward the store entrance.

Kakaido: We need to move again

Julo groaned loudly.

Julo: Of course we do

Kakaido started walking down the street.

Julo followed behind him.

Julo: You know what the worst part is?

Kakaido: What

Julo: I’m starting to get used to this

Kakaido almost smiled.

But only for a second.

Far above them, on the roof of a tall building across the street—

A figure crouched at the edge, watching them leave.

Kikuda smiled.

Kikuda: Run as much as you want

He rested his chin on his hand like someone watching a movie.

Kikuda: It only makes the game longer

The wind carried his laughter across the city again.

And somewhere below, Kakaido could feel that they were still being watched.

End of Episode 3

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