Hi guys! I'm back! Before I say anything else I want to celebrate the fact that I recently passed 100 favs and 100 follows respectively as an author! And can I just say wow? I'm so pumped so many of you enjoy what I write! Thank you everyone who's read my stuff until now! I do it all for you! Ehem. So. Anyway. This is kind of just a sample chapter, because I want to see how it's received before I really take up the mantle of writing it. This OC is one I've had for years now, but I never got around to writing (for those of you who follow me, if you want context, I considered writing this story before Scarlet Child). I'd pretty much discarded this girl because I wasn't sure what to do with her, until a pal of mine got me talking about her recently and I got excited. I started formulating a more thorough layout of a plot, and wrote out chapter one. Also, I think giving this old character of mine a chance to have her own story is a suitable way to celebrate this incredible milestone for me as an author here. So thank you BishaTenks for resparking my intrigue, and without farther ado, let us get onto the story!

My brush smears across the canvas, blood red streaking into the vivid orange and demanding yellow. I pause a moment, absorbing how the wet trail glistens, then set down the paintbrush and stare at the canvas as a whole.

"You've done it again, Ms. Sajima."

My palette clatters to the ground as I jump halfway out of my skin, a gasp escaping me before I clench my eyes shut and inwardly groan. From over my shoulder, Mr. Hotomaki laughs.

"Must you drop your palette every time you're here, Ms. Sajima?"

I kneel down to clean it up, slipping the paint-spattered handkerchief out of my chest pocket when I see the paint's gotten on the tile. Wiping it up, I retaliate with a sigh. "Must you scare me half to death every time I can make it?"

"It isn't my fault you don't notice me. I'm just doing my job." Sidestepping me while I'm crouched on the floor, Sensei grips his chin between his fingers and eyeballs my work. "Have I ever told you you have a magnificent style?"

"Yes, Sir, all the time."

"It's completely unrealistic the way you draw on the colors, but that's what makes it so unyieldingly raw. And yet when you paint in dark tones, rather than in-your-face, you paint distinctly vague in contrast to when you use bright ones. I hope you know my offer to take one off your hands still stands."

"My art isn't for sale." Done getting the paint off the floor, I place the palette on the small table next to the easel and go to wash my hands.

"So you've said, but I think people would pay money for what you make."

I dry my hands and grab my bag and parasol. "I'll see you next time, Sensei."

"Yikes, so cold. Hopefully it'll stay cloudy so you can come again tomorrow. Maybe if you came a couple days in a row, you'd get used to painting around people."

He may be right, I consider as I leave the clubroom. If I was at school a bit more, maybe I would get used to people. Unfortunately, it's not like I have a say in when I can attend classes.

As I walk down the halls, the remaining students grace me with intent looks, many of them focused on the dangling parasol hooked around my wrist. The ones that already know of me gawk at my face, ever-curious about their school's resident vampire. The gazes grow particularly intense when I reach the exit. As per my usual ritual, before a step outside, I wrap my bulky sleeves around my hands and pop open the blackout parasol. Opening the door with my covered hand, I'm careful not to let the edges of my umbrella catch on the doorway. A few steps outside, I pause and assess. When no tingling sensation arises, I pull my sunglasses out of my bag and put them on. Then I tilt my parasol to look up.

The sky is grey. It's always grey.

I quickly lower the umbrella again and begin on my way, digging in my bag for the notecard the teacher gave me earlier today.

"Ms. Sajima, can I speak to you for a minute?"

I momentarily block the flow of traffic as I move to get out of the crowd around the door, approaching the teacher's desk. None of the students give me more mind than usual despite my summons, but the call has me curious. I already returned last week's homework and received the next two weeks at the beginning of the day.

Sensei rummages about her desk for a minute, then extends to me a stack of papers. "Do you know Ms. Higurashi?"

Kagome Higurashi? I suppose I've seen her a few times, but I've heard of her more than anything. Like me, she's absent from school more than she actually attends. Unlike me, her health conditions appeared recently, so as much of a phenomenon as she is, she isn't considered an anomaly. "I know of her," I concede, accepting the packet from the teacher. Flipping through it, I find it to be a smaller version of what I'm usually handed on school mornings.

"Would you mind delivering her homework and notes to her?"

I blink. "With all do respect, Sensei, I'm not supposed to be outside more than necessary."

"Oh I know, but I simply thought you might like to get to know her. The two of you come to school so rarely, I'm afraid you're missing out on the social side of high school. It's your final year! You especially need a friend to hang out with. I was thinking the two of you could hang out on the days you're both out of school! And bringing her homework is the perfect excuse to meet and start your friendship!"

I had been so close to pointing out how half of the diseases and conditions Kagome supposedly suffers from are highly contagious, but...as intrusive as Mrs. Netsu was being, part of me couldn't help but feel she was right. Maybe I am a bit lonely. And somehow, I doubt Kagome is actually so afflicted as to have gout, meningitis, and crippling tuberculosis all at the same time. Especially when last week she was down and out with a mixture of kidney stones and the bubonic plague.

I hurry towards my destination, anxiety growing with each extra moment I'm outside. I sincerely hope that even if Kagome really is that dreadfully sick, I'll be allowed to come inside for a bit when I arrive so I can at the very least calm my nerves.

When I do eventually arrive at the address, however, I'm dismayed to be met with an enormous staircase. I tilt up my umbrella to see the top, my heart sinking. But it's not like I've got a choice. I told Mrs. Netsu I'd deliver the packet.

Feeling a bit sick, I set my foot on the first step and begin up the stairs.

Halfway up, I'm already panting like a dog. My doctor was right; I need to start some sort of exercise routine.

My calves burn like none other when I finally reach the top. Supporting myself with my free hand on my knee, I attempt to catch my breath. While I do so, I scan about my surroundings. I can't remember the last time I visited a temple. The area atop the hill is wide open, almost every tree cleared from the property. One of the trees left, a tree that towers above every other tree in sight, is fenced off. Other than that, there are a few buildings. The largest one in the center must be her house.

Something moves, a blur out of the corner of my eye, and I twist. A girl has shoved open the door to one of the smaller building, rushing inside. Although I only see her briefly, the long black hair, backpack, and familiar uniform tell me it can only be Kagome. Unless, that is, by some chance she has a younger sister at our school I haven't heard about.

Too out of breath to call to her, I suck in another gulp of air and head over to the small wooden building. I've just reached the doorway when—

—Kagome vanishes.

I freeze, for a second not understanding what I've seen. Then I begin to process the interior of the building. It's basically empty, except down a small staircase, on uncovered, dirt ground, a dilapidated, somewhat rotted old well stands, musty old bones poking out of the ground around it that I sincerely hope were just buried there by a passing dog.

And I just saw my classmate jump into the well.

"...Kagome?"

….

When she says nothing in return, I hesitantly step inside. Clutching onto the handle of my parasol, I inch down the creaking stairs and approach the well. I slowly lean to look inside.

I blink, then slide my sunglasses onto my forehead. Still no girl becomes evident at the shadowy bottom. That's...impossible, right? I saw her jump in! It may have only been for half a second, but I'm sure I saw her! Besides, I definitely saw her, at the very least, enter the building, and she's nowhere to be seen! I glance around, searching for another exit, but the only door is the one I just followed her through. Taking one last look in the very empty well, I pull back and quickly make my way to what seems to be the main house. When I knock on the door (perhaps a little too rapidly for a first time guest) I'm greeted by a pleasant, short haired woman in an apron. Her eyes instantly soak me in. At this point, my knuckles are white around my umbrella.

"Hello, is there something I can help you with?" the woman asks politely.

"Ah-um…" My mouth all of the sudden feels airily dry. "A-Are you Mrs. Higurashi?"

"I am."

I nod, and attempt to reign in my stuttering. This is just...such a strange thing to say to someone you've never even met before. "I'm, um, a classmate of Kagome's. Ah, I know my uniform isn't exactly the same, but I've got a condition that, uh, makes it that I can't be in contact with sunlight, so mine's special-made…"

Despite the utter ludicrousy of the situation, of having some strange, stuttering girl show up out of the blue, Mrs. Higurashi beams, "Oh, a classmate! Have you come to see Kagome? I'm afraid she's not doing too well right now, but if you want, I can give her a message!"

"T-That's the thing," I begin stammering again. How am I supposed to say this!? "J-Just a second ago...I saw Kagome...j...jump into a well…" The woman's eyes widen, her smile faltering. I cringe, but force myself to continue. "I wanted to be sure she was safe...but when I looked down the well...she…"

My heart leaps out of my chest when Mrs. Higurashi abruptly brightens and begins to laugh. "Oh, those pesky fox spirits! They're always playing tricks on people! Usually we purify them, but we haven't seen them around for awhile, so we thought they were gone! I'd better tell my father about this. But anyway, don't worry about it at all. Kagome's upstairs asleep right now, safe and sound. Now, to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit, Ms…?"

"...Sajima," I offer, confused. "My name's Ren Sajima. I...came to deliver her homework." I dig the packet out of my backpack, holding it out to her. She takes it without a second glance.

"Thank you so much for bringing this! I'll be sure to tell Kagome about your visit."

So basically, I'm supposed to leave now. I bow and turn, the door closing behind me. So much for being invited inside. Then again, why would she invite me inside? A girl wearing sunglasses and carrying an umbrella when it's neither sunny nor raining, who also claims to be allergic to the sun, just told her she saw her allegedly bedridden daughter jump into a well and disappear. If I were in her shoes, there'd be no way I'd let a person like that into so much as my entryway!

...Fox spirits?

I know this is a shrine, but spirits don't actually exist. Her explanation doesn't make any sense. I definitely saw Kagome just jump into a well.

Then again, that also doesn't make any sense.

In my thoughts, I've wandered back to the well house. It's still empty. Where did she go? There's no exits other than the one, and there's no way she could have gone through it without me seeing her. Unless, maybe, somehow, there's a secret passage in the well?

Peering down into the well yet again, there's no sign of any exit (or anyone) to be seen. But it's possible, isn't it? Like how feudal castles had secret passages in case they had to flee from an enemy attack? Maybe there really is one, but you just have to be actually in the well to see it.

…

After a moment of thought, I close my parasol and tentatively hook its handle around the well's rim, the point hanging inside. It's long, but...is it long enough? It would look really pathetic if I went down there and got myself trapped. But if I'm right, there has to be some sort of secret passage down there. Even if it doesn't let out somewhere, that would mean Kagome would still be down there, and she would surely know how to get out. But what if I'm wrong? Mrs. Higurashi surely already thinks I'm strange. Finding me trapped at the bottom of her well would turn me into an absolute freak.

I'm about to take back the umbrella, but for some reason, I stop. No, actually, it's not as ambiguous as "some reason". Drifting up from the bottom of the well is an oddly nostalgic scent. I lean a bit farther over the well, breathing in deeper and trying to place it. It smells like...dew? Rain? No, it's just...fresh...with a hint of an intoxicating sweetness. Like the middle of a forest swathed in blooming flowers.

Something inside me clicks, and I shoulder off my backpack and toss it into the well. As dark as it is at the bottom, I can't quite see where it lands. Then I swing a leg over the side, and position my hands firmly on the edge before lifting my other knee to rest beside my hands. I glance down, where shadows swallow the floor. I look at my parasol, still hooked securely on the side. I really hope it's long enough for me to grab when I'm down there. Well, in the worst case scenario, I still have my phone.

I don't give myself time to question it any farther. Swinging my lifted leg so it hangs with the other, I dangle only by my hands. Then, with my teeth gritted, I let go.

I invite you all to please share your thoughts down in the comments, as your reception of this will likely dictate how much more I write. With that said, I'm looking forward to getting to know my old friend Ren better, and hopefully, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!