Lost Past

The masked stranger crouched in the shadows of the alley, his eyes nervously darting backwards and forwards. There was something following him. He could hear footsteps- ones that stopped a few seconds after his did. He sensed movement close by, and a light breathing that was not his own.

This was no game. An enemy was tracking him, one that sought what he held.

He ducked out of the narrow mouth of the alley, creeping swiftly down the deserted street. It was a cloudy night, devoid of even a soft moonlight to cast a small light into the inky blackness. He clutched the precious bundle tight to his chest. They would never have it! Never! He would protect it with his life!

The stranger now hurried just a little. He heard his pursuer speed up too. How eerie it was! In the dark night, he was already on edge. He played a finely balanced game here: run, and the pursuer would surely catch him... but walk for too long, and he risked the same fate. Every nerve in his body was taut and tight. He wouldn't make it home tonight: back to the stronghold, where his parcel would be safe. He had no choice but to make a gamble.

He broke into a sprint, rushing through cobbled streets, hurtling up a drainpipe and fleeing over silent roofs. The iced tiles meant that his feet often slipped. His follower was too close behind him now. He had no choice.

The stranger landed softly on his feet. He saw an old shrine. The lights were still on. Surely there would be a miko or a monk who could protect the child there. He threw the last reserves of his strength into placing the baby on the front steps of the shrine. Be safe, little one, he thought, before fleeing. He almost danced in joy as the hunter took the bait and followed him. Sliding over the icy roofs, he prayed for the safety of his charge. He felt cold breath on his neck, the hunter at his heels.

He would not make it home tonight, or ever, but his job was done. The others would have to take it from there.

On the front steps of the Higurashi shrine, a small baby slept. She lay there, unaware of the sacrifices made for her, unaware of the future awaiting her, and unaware of her history, parents, or destiny. She was unaware that for her, people have killed and been killed, wars had been fought. She was also unaware that she came from another time, a time far removed from this one...

"Kagome! Wake up! It's time for school!"

The young girl woke with a start. She'd had the same dream before. It was odd... always the same in detail, but a little more happened each time.

However, all thoughts of her dream vanished when she looked at her alarm clock.

"I'm late, I'm late!" she yelled, frantically running around her room, trying to brush her hair, pack her bag and change into her school uniform at the same time.

"Good morning, Kagome!" her mother said briskly.

"Good morning, mom," Kagome replied. She then rushed out of the house. "Bye mom!"

"What about your breakfast?"

"I'm skipping it!"

On her way to school, Kagome suddenly remembered that this was her eighteenth birthday. She had been shard hunting with Inuyasha for three years now. The battle with Naraku was over. She sighed. Inuyasha was as obsessed with Kikyou as before. She had accepted that he would never love her, but it still hurt to see the two of them together.

Kikyou had joined the group. The two of them together had easily convinced Inuyasha that she needed to go home: Kikyou with her powers of persuasion and her with a multitude of sits.

"Kagome!" yelled someone. Kagome lifted her head to see Yuka, Eri and Ayumi. "Hi! Good morning!" she called waving at them.

"Hi Kagome, glad that you have recovered from your cold." said Yuka.

At least grandpa made up a normal one this time, thought Kagome.

"Yeah, we were so worried when we heard that you had broken your leg!" chimed in Ayumi.

"You should know better than to walk around the house when you are delirious. You could have broken your neck when you fell down the stairs!" added Eri.

Kagome forced a smile. Maybe she had celebrated too early.

Kagome sat in class, thinking about her dream. She had been having these dreams ever since she fell down the well. Somehow, she felt that she knew the person in the dream. In fact, she realized, he'd been having the dream, every six months, for the past three years.

Maybe I could ask mom about it when I get home. Just then, the last bell rang. Kagome got up from her seat. She walked out of the classroom. Someone called her name. Kagome turned. "Hi Hojo!" she said.

"Hey Kagome, I was wondering if you were free this weekend."

"Umm...not really, I have a lot of homework to catch up on."

"How about..."

Kagome didn't wait for him to finish. "Bye Hojo, gotta go!" she called out cheerfully, before moving away as fast as she could. Hojo was a nice guy, but it was just that she didn't have any interest in him.

When Kagome reached home, she approached her mother about the dream. "Mother... I-I" Kagome started.

"Yes?" she replied.

"I keep having this dream..." Kagome suddenly paused. Was it a dream?

Her mother listened intently while Kagome described to her what she saw in the dream. Kagome noticed that her mother stood rigid as her telling of the dream came to an end.

"Mom, are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes... yes... I-I'm f-fine." Kagome, however, knew that she wasn't okay.

Seeing the worry and confusion on Kagome's face her mother sighed deeply, and said, "Come with me. I'll explain."

Confused about her mother's reaction, Kagome followed her mother. I wish I didn't say anything after all.

Kagome stopped on beside her mother. She was bent over a chest. Hearing Kagome stop beside her, her mother looked up from the chest, with a square, dust-coated box in her hand.

"I've been meaning to show this to you..." Kagome's mother said, her voice trailing off. "Here." She handed the box to Kagome.

Kagome could hear the deep breath that her mother took as she lifted the cover from the box. Kagome gasped in surprise when she saw what lay within the box's depths...