The Digital Gate: First attempt a horror fic. Be warned.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
"Onii-chan!" Hikari's voice rang throughout the hallways. Taichi groaned and turned back around groggily. He had been watching a marathon of horror films on TV and his head was pounding.
"What is it?"
Nine-year old Hikari Yagami stopped in front of him. "Like my Halloween costume? Is the wig okay? Okaa-san made it for me. The dress, not the wig."
"Eh?" Taichi blinked; he couldn't see very well. "Sure, whatever."
"You're sleepy, aren't you?" Hikari remarked. "You didn't even look at my costume. You should get to bed. It's late." She made a face. "Okaa-san hasn't finished the dress yet. She still needs to hem it."
Taichi grunted in response before turning and stumbling towards the room he shared with Hikari.
"Oh, and you shouldn't have watched that horror movie!" Hikari called after him. "You'll get nightmares!"
Taichi nodded sleepily before shutting the door and collapsing onto his bed. He had fallen asleep before his face hit his pillow. It had been a long day. He'd need his rest if he was going to take Hikari trick-or-treating tomorrow.
A chill of cool air woke him up. Taichi opened his eyes and blearily studied his surroundings. He was no longer in his comfy bed. Instead of feeling soft the ground underneath was icy cold and hard. It strangely reminded him of the last movied he had seen.
Taichi sat up with a start, pushing the thought away. Where was he? Panic swelled as he realized that he was in some form of an abandoned church. He leaped to his feet and began calling his sister's name.
"Hikari?" he shouted, his voice echoing oddly throughout the church. "Hikari, are you here?"
"I don't know about a Hikari," a flat voice answered, "but there is a Michiko."
Taichi spun around, nearly falling down. A small, slight girl stood there, gazing at him with pale blue eyes.
She took a step closer to him with bare feet, her dirty white sundress rustling gently. Jet black hair fell past her thin shoulders in long strands. Her skin was pale; as pale as the newly fallen snow. And she strangely looked like Hikari.
Taichi backed away. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice slightly croaky. "Where am I? What do you want?"
The girl pushed her hair out of her eyes and gave him a small, thin-lipped smile. "Quite a few questions you have there. First, I am Michiko. Nanami Michiko. Where you are is not important. And as for the last question, there is no answer."
"Any chance of me getting out?" Taichi asked.
"Afraid not," Michiko answered calmly. "You're stuck here. Forever. With me."
Taichi gulped. Maybe this is a dream, he thought to himself. Maybe I'll wake up and it'll be Halloween. Out loud, he asked, "Why do you look like Hikari?"
Michiko frowned. "Who's that?" she asked, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"My…sister…" Taichi stammered. "Now could you please step away and allow me to run screaming out of this place?"
"No. I can't." Michiko took a step closer. Taichi backed a step further. "I told you, you have to stay with me. Forever. I've been so lonely, waiting for some one to come. And now that you have, there's no leaving. At all."
"Please," Taichi begged. Michiko only smiled. It was a horrible, terrifying smile.
Taichi slowly retreated until his back hit a wall and he could move no more. The pale girl took light, tripping steps towards him, her pale blue eyes fixed on him.
"You will stay with me," she repeated. Michiko had reached him now. A pale hand reached up and was placed on Taichi's cheek. He shivered. "Forever."
Taichi shuddered at her voice before noticing a small amulet around her neck. It flashed at him suggestively. Maybe if he grabbed it... "Why forever?" he asked, hand slowly reaching out.
"Because," Michiko answered simply. "What are you—" she broke off with a scream. Taichi had grabbed the necklace and yanked hard. The brittle chain snapped in two.
Michiko clutched at her throat, a spot that was now empty. She turned to him, pale blue eyes burning with fury. "Give that back!" she screamed. "Give that—" But Taichi was already fading away. Even as he disappeared, he could still hear her shouts of fury.
"Happy Halloween!" a familiar voice chirped. Taichi screamed and opened his eyes with a jolt—and screamed again, this time in terror. Bending over him was Michiko, her thin body framed with warm sunlight.
"Argh!" he howled, scrambling out of the room, not noticing that this Michiko had ruby-colored eyes. "Help!"
Hikari watched her brother run out of the room in, confused. "What did I do?" she mused. "Was my costume that bad?"
Owari
The Digital Gate: Happy Halloween to those who celebrate it.