Alright, this is my first fanfic, so don't be mean if it sucks. You can flame me, but I'll only accept constructive ones. Tell me what you think, ideas, corrections, random things, I'll accept pretty much anything. R&R please!
Twisting Paths of FateChasing Freedom
'As long as I hide my face, they won't find me. As long as I hide my face, they won't find me,' the teenage girl chanted over and over in her mind, clutching the hood of her cloak closer to her face with one white knuckled hand while the other held on tightly to the bag that contained her few possessions.
She made her way through the bustling streets of Kyuusei, making a point to stay on whichever one was the most crowded. The numerous amounts of people would offer good cover. Hopefully she could just blend in.
The city was over crowded with small kiosks and street vendors trying to sell their laughably over priced goods to whoever was naïve enough to listen and get sucked into buying junk from some fast talking merchant.
Many called to her, trying to swindle what of their cheap wares they could, but she paid them no heed. Her mind was dead set on one thing: getting out of this hellhole before her father found out that she was gone.
If he found out and somehow managed to get her back…
She shuddered at the thought.
Her focus was once again brought back to the real world, she picked up her pace, hunching over more and more so as to not be noticeable. 'As long as I hide my face, they won't find me…'
But still…she felt as though she was being followed.
She allowed herself to glance back for a second, but then immediately turned in front to avoid colliding with some unsuspecting person. She didn't recognize anyone in the vast crowd behind her…she was probably just being paranoid.
'Just hide your face, baka, and no one will find you!' she scolded herself mentally.
This continued for the next hour or so, same mantra, same pattern, same fear.
A wave of relief flooded through the weary girl as she spotted the exit gates of the city of Kyuusei, which led to the countryside; full of forests, tiny hidden villages, and youkai.
An involuntary shudder of fear shook her body as she considered being eaten by a ruthless, stupid, bloodthirsty monster.
'Stop that,' she scolded herself mentally, 'that won't happen. And even if it did, it's better than what I would have to do if I stayed here.'
She picked up her slow, tired trudge, willing herself to shake off her fear, determination and disgust powering her impatient strides to the towering gates looming several yards before her.
'How could he, my own father, do that to me? Imagine, just selling me off to the highest bidder, like I was a cow! And to think, I used to believe that he still loved me just a little bit! Well at least I know better now!' she huffed.
Realizing that she was drifting off into her own little world, she forced herself to stop dwelling on what was soon to be the past, and to start paying attention to what her present surroundings.
She noticed that the crowds started to thin as she gradually made her way to the freedom that awaited just a little ways before her. Once again, she pulled her hood tighter to her face, hung her head low, and started the chant over in her head, 'As long as I hide my face, they won't find me.'
The mighty stone gates waited just a few feet ahead, almost daring her with their sheer size for her to turn back, 'As long as I hide my face they won't find me.'
She rushed through them, not letting the thought of retreat go any further in her mind, trying her best to not make any eye contact with the city guards, her hood shadowing her pale face.
Her cobalt eyes squeezed shut as she held her breath and prayed to the gods that she would go unnoticed.
And when she finally permitted herself to open her eyes, she was greeted with a beautiful scene of what was outside the walls of the city. Green grass rolled over hills while there was a wood, maybe a forest, over to her right where the road led directly into.
She was out! She was free! She lessened her grip on her hood, but kept up her pace until she was under the cover of the nearby wood that the dirt road ran through.
Finally able to relax, she pulled back her hood and shook out her long raven hair, falling past her waist in slight waves. She lifted her arms up into a cat-like stretch as she reveled in her new-found freedom, 'I'm finally free! No more anxiety! No more fear!' she couldn't help but smile wide at her next thought, 'And now I don't have to marry-'
"Higurashi-sama?" inquired a cold, nearly mocking voice behind her.
'Oh crap,' she froze, the smile was replaced by a look of pure dread as her face drained of all color. She recognized the voice of one of her father's servants instantly.
"Hiten," she barely managed to whisper out as her voice nearly broke.
"I have been sent by your father, and a certain someone, to bring you back," he stated smugly, "I hope I will not need to use force."
'No,' she thought desperately, 'No! This can't happen! I won't let it happen!'
No.
No!
"No!" she cried and started a full sprint without even turning around.
'Stupid girl, thinks she can escape,' he started to run right after her.
After only a few minutes, she could tell he was quickly gaining, 'I've got to do something!'
But nothing could be done. All she could do was keep running. Keep praying.
He was mere inches from her now, he lunged to try and tackle her. She saw it coming and leapt out of the way with renewed determination, pumping her legs harder.
That's when she heard a thump behind her, with a low groan of "Dammit." She grinned, but continued to run.
Hiten saw her rapidly diminishing form as he struggled to get up, "Dammit!" he cried out again. Oh well, maybe this was for the better. He would let her feel safe for the time being, letting her think that she had lost him. Maybe she would get cocky. She would have to stop eventually to rest; and when she did he would find her and bring her back.
He let out a quiet, sinister sound that resembled a chuckle, 'Higurashi Kagome, you have no idea what you have just gotten yourself into.'
With this thought, he strode down the road at a leisurely pace, whistling a lively tune.
~~~~~o~~~~~O~~~~~o~~~~~
AN:
Hey! Guess what! I re-did it! Moonlight Shadow, you were right! It really did need more description! I can't believe I even posted it! But then again I was dead tired so…*shrug* Thanks! Oh, and it's 7/27/03 at 1:38 AM! Yeah, I know, I have no life…
Not that great, I know. Kinda cliché…. I'll probably redo it. But I got back from missions trip just a couple of hours ago, and I'm beat, so yeah…I hope you like it, tell me what you honestly think! Oh, random thing here, I found out that one of our pastors talks in his sleep and his wife overheard him a few nights ago. At the habitat for humanity site, he worked us really hard, and his nickname was 'Slave Driver'. Well, what he said in his sleep was something along the lines of, "I said pick up that power tool and build that table! Yes, it's hot, we're all hot; it's not just you! No! You can't take a break! I know you're sorry, it's okay, we forgive you. Remember, we're all one in Christ." I'm sorry, but it was SO funny when she told us that! Heeheehee, okay, I'm done now! R&R por favor! Kudasai! Ummm…ease-pla? Ahhhhhhh….ummmmm…as Tenacious P.T. says, "Wuhtevuh!"