Note: This is my first fan fiction and I have done it on Hell Girl. This is Chapter 1, written in present tense. Present tenses are usually not common in books and writings. Therefore, if you got used to past form, please excuse the fact this is in present form. And enjoy reading & comment your opinions on it, be constructive ;] Thank you!

*If you are a little confused, calm down. The confusions will be all sorted out in further chapters!*

FenikkusuMind

Fan-fiction to: Jikogu Shoujo (aka. Hell Girl)

傘下 Under the Umbrella

Flame 1

Crushing on the autumn leaves, struggling to escape! Oh, I must escape from these haunted rings that always seem to viciously glue to me; it won't shake off no matter how I bring the warmth of my palms to my ears. Ugh, frustrations, vexations, depressions, confusions, and temptations of ending my life! These awful rings are fiercer, more worse than the strong slices of the racing, swirling autumn winds. Running is what I may seem to be doing, but in truths, I'm escaping from these rings, these sinful, vexing rings! God, Help…

"Child, Child, calm down!" whispers a gentle voice, breaking the rings instantly. I slowly release my palms from my ears, happy to be free. When I looked around me, all I see are the piercing eyes of people, surrounding me. And I have collapsed on the floor this whole time.

Despite all the piercing eyes of the crowd, the owner of the sweet, comfort whisper belongs to a woman, who is currently extending her right hand as an offer to lift me up from the cursed ground. But no matter how I want to raise, my body won't allow it. My sight is very blurry; instead of clear contours of images through my lenses, it is replaced by salty pain, known as flowing tears of burdens. Stuck to the damn, cold ground…Helpless, like a weak bird without wings that are bound to fly, free…

...

"You are very embarrassing just then," smiles the woman, dipping one of her fingers into the water, rubbing it on the rim of the glass cup; it surprisingly creates high-pitched squeaks, sending missiles up my fragile spine.

Instantly due to the reaction of my body to the squeaks, I shout: "Quit it, please!" My eyes are closed with anxiety.

"It's Miss Sayunai," corrects the woman—or I should say Miss Sayunai. Miss Sayunai's voice is so comforting and soft that it flows through my ears as delicate melodies, sounding so delicate as if it's illusion waves, flickering smoothly while trapping one's soul. Without fears or hesitations, I slowly open my eyes.

Miss Sayunai is smiling in a mysterious way, somewhat sinful, a smile of a…devil. How could that be possible? A woman as kind as her? I shake off these nefarious thoughts.

Miss Sayunai is a woman around 25 with wavy, long brown hair. She dresses professionally in a black blouse and skirt. In fact her vivid blue eyes are the most convincing part of all. Therefore, there's no way that there's a heart of a devil in her… No. After all, she has invited me here, her house to calm, offering me a cool drink along with some sweet, bread puffs. She has saved me from the rings and frustrations…humiliations…but why do I get this uneasy feeling all of the sudden, flushing into me?

"Hello? Is anyone home?" says Miss Sayunai, once again breaking my thoughts. She then laughs bitterly when my body finally responded.

I lower my head while Miss Sayunai goes on with her wry laugh. And I know exactly what she wants.

Taking a deep gulp, I mumble, "It's the rings..."

Just as I expected, she stops the foolish, not needed laugh. Uneasy, awkward silences are then filled. I feel it; I feel the silences urging me to continue, penetrating my mind with unbreakable pressures.

"The rings haunted me for years…in my ears. It…It wouldn't go away…They only increase tremendously…" I continue. A cold knot is then set in my throat; the knot will burst into a flood of watery tears through my eyes anytime it wishes.

Filled with concerns in her eyes, Miss Sayunai replies, "Is that why you collapsed to the floor?"
I have demurred at first, but then managed. "I wasn't collapsing...I was…" then with hesitations, I feel these sudden rages inside of me that have erupted, without warnings. "I was running, escaping!" I holler, recalling the pitiful feelings.

I spot Miss Sayunai's eyes widen with terrors, probably because of my sudden behavior and holler.

"It starts whenever…" I look to the side, starring at a black, expensive jar, the color of my current emotional feeling. "The rings will always start whenever I saw the umbrella…the checkered umbrella…"

Thanks for reading.

If you wonder what's the rings are...

Hint hint: They are irritating, ringing sounds in a person's ears. I, too, have experienced it in the past.