I had to revise this since it was written late at night and in my opinion it was pretty crappy. I doubt you'll read this revised chapter, but I really suggest you do since it will influence a portion an upcoming chapter. Even more, I made Isamu a doctor since this will also be essential to the story. So read it over if you feel the urge. It's a good idea to since you might not get the rest of the story if you don't.

Now read my greatest work yet. -Randall Flagg2

She awoke slowly. Her body still hurt from last night. And why wouldn't it? After what Isamu had done to her anybody would hurt. Higurashi Kagome slowly got out of bed and let out a hiss of pain as an incredible pain shot up her body. Her ribs still hurt from last night. At least they hadn't been broken. Isamu had checked her body over carefully to make sure there was nothing broken. If she had a broken bone, that would mean a trip to the hospital and Isamu didn't want that. But what difference would that make? He had the money to afford it. Even more, he worked there.

Groaning, Kagome went to her dresser and dressed. Nylon socks, a pair of plain white panties, and her school uniform. In simpler terms, her usual attire. It was time for school, her main escape from the thing she was forced to call life. At least she could count on her friends for help. Not that she told anybody about what happened in her home anyway.

On the dresser was a framed picture. Nothing much to look at, but definitely something that older people would refer to as "darling". The picture depicted a small family posing for a picture. A young woman in her early thirties, a man that was perhaps only a few years older, and a smiling girl young girl with shoulder length raven black hair who looked to be about five years old. Kagome sighed. That had been long ago. Her mother was gone now. She had died some years ago.

Mama, Kagome thought to herself, why did you have to die? Why did you have to die and leave me alone with him?

flashback

The little girl sat in the corner sobbing. Surely what her father had told her wasn't true. But in her heart she knew it was. Her mother was dead and now there was nobody who could protect her.

"Mama! Please don't be dead mama please don't be dead!!" the girl howled. Behind her stood her grim faced father. His face was a mask of anger, but he did not seem entirely unhappy.

"I'm sorry Kagome, but she is. You must accept that fact." At that, the girl didn't just cry. She wailed. Her father's hand descended on her shoulder. "But don't worry. I'm still here for you my dear." The girl's howls of misery grew even louder. Without her mother there would be nobody to protect her. And even more, she loved her mother dearly.

"Mama I love you!!"

end flashback

Kagome held back tears. It was funny in a way. No matter how much time passed, she still had to hold back from crying when she looked at that photograph. She still missed her mother tremendously. But most of all, without her mother, she had no protection against the devil she was forced to refer to as a father. But she couldn't be bothered with that now. She had to get to school. Kagome gathered up her backpack and went downstairs.

The downstairs was elegantly decorated. Vases were placed in each of the window sills with plants growing out of them. The wallpaper was bright blue. On the dining room table was a silk cloth. Not what you would expect from somebody like Isamu. Kagome knew her father would be practicing his martial arts in the basement. Her father loved martial arts almost as much as he loved his job as a doctor. And he was quite good at martial arts too. Kagome knew that from all the beatings she had gotten over the years. Kagome went to the fridge and got out an apple and some orange juice, her breakfast for the day. She ate quickly, knowing Isamu wouldn't want her to be late. After she ate she would go about her usual routine. She would talk with her friends at school, do her class work, and go home as usual and then she would-

"Kagome?"

She froze. That voice was not yelling or growling, but calm and happy. That meant she was in trouble. And when she was in trouble... no she wouldn't think about it. Kagome turned around to face her father Isamu.

Isamu looked like anybody you would see on the street. He was tall, about five foot eight, and had shoulder length black hair. His face was narrow and handsome. He wore black pants, a green shirt and a tie. Typical of him. One might say this man didn't look like somebody who would be the violent type, but then you looked into his eyes and you changed your mind entirely. Isamu's eyes did not show anger or anxiety. They showed happiness as if his eyes were saying "Life is good brother." But Kagome had lived with this man for sixteen years and knew that look meant anything but peace. That look meant he was mad. Very mad. And when he was mad, he could get dangerous. Kagome knew that from personal experience.

Isamu leaned against the counter and studied her with his eyes. "Why aren't you at school yet my dear?"

Kagome backed away nervously. "Um... school hasn't begun yet. I was just having breakfast dad." Kagome said.

Isamu stared at her with his happy empty eyes. Kagome could not bring herself to look in those eyes. If she did she would go mad. She knew it. Then at last he stopped looking at her and turned to go back to the basement.

"Well, don't be late." he said absently. Kagome sighed with relief. Her father hadn't lost control this time. But that didn't mean he couldn't have. Even the slightest thing could set him off. She ate the rest of the apple and finished the orange juice. Kagome picked up her glass and went to the sink to rinse it out when it slipped from her hand. It landed on the ground with a sickening crash.

Kagome felt terror leap into her heart. Now she had done it. Slowly, she turned to face Isamu. "No..." she whispered under her breath. "Kami in heaven no..."

One might expect Isamu to react strongly to this. He did react, but not in the way one would expect one like him to. His mouth opened and words issued forth. But it was not what most abusers would say.

It wasn't "You stupid bitch! Look at this!"

It wasn't "God damn it, why can't you be more careful?!"

It wasn't even "You are going to regret doing that you numb cunt."

What came out of his mouth was "Oh dear. Oh my dear this is very disappointing."

"No dad I'm sorry! Please don't I didn't mean-" but it was too late. He was approaching her and he was smiling. Not grinning, only smiling. He looked as happy as a child with a mouthful of candy. Kagome locked her throat against any cry that wanted to escape her. You didn't scream in this house if you wanted to keep your bones intact. Kagome backed away into a corner. She knew what was coming.

Isamu took her by the arm and pulled her gently towards him until she was close enough to look into his face. His face didn't look angry in the least. It looked happy. As if she had done something good instead of something wrong. But his eyes... oh god his eyes...

"You should know better then to be so careless Kagome. You know I don't like that."

"Dad please I'm sorry I just-"

"Gosh and gee! You're sorry? Well I appreciate that Kagome. But nevertheless you have made a very careless mistake." Now he was grinning. "That makes me mad."

He moved so quickly she only caught a flicker of movement. And in the next moment a flare of agony shot up her stomach as his fist crashed into her. Kagome gagged and backed away from him, clutching where he had punched her. It hurt like crazy, even worse then last night. Before she knew what was happening he darted behind her and kicked her in the back with a smooth flick of his leg. She was sent to the ground.

"Now don't do it again, alright?" Isamu asked absently. Kagome tried to answer but she had lost most of her wind from the first blow. And then he brought both of his fists crashing into her back. Kagome cried out and sank to the ground. Her father's hand descended on her shoulder.

"On your feet Kagome. You don't want to be late." he whispered. She did not move. Isamu propped his foot up against the middle of her back and gave her a powerful shove. Kagome went sprawling onto the floor. But don't get her in the face, Isamu thought to himself. Don't mark her face or you'll get in trouble. With one swift motion Isamu's foot flew out and kicked her directly in the center of her buttocks. Kagome screamed and was whirled around to face her father.

"Oh no Kagome, you don't want to do that. You make any noise in this house and I think you know well what will happen." Kagome cringed away from that smiling face. Isamu shook her. "Say it my dear."

Kagome gathered her courage and spoke. "You'd kill me." Isamu laughed merrily.

"Oh no Kagome, I wouldn't kill you. If I did that I'd have to hide your body and that would be difficult. Even more, people would wonder where you had gone. I couldn't let that happen." And then he thrust her against the wall, gripping her throat just enough so that she could breathe. But other then that, he was choking her.

"I won't kill you Kagome," Isamu whispered, "but I'll hurt you. I'll hurt you badly. Maybe I'll throw you down the stairs and break your back and leave you paralyzed from the neck down. You know, the old fate worse then death?" Kagome gaped at him. Did he really mean that? She knew he did. He was capable of doing anything to her.

"Now are you going to obey me or do I have to introduce you to the staircase?" Instinctively Kagome nodded. Isamu let go of her throat and stepped away.

"Get up Kagome." he said blandly. Kagome got to her feet and went to get her backpack. She hurt tremendously, but it wasn't enough to prevent her from walking. Not this time at least. She had been lucky this time. If she had crossed him anymore, one of the real beatings might have come. One of the ones that left her gasping and crying on the floor in a haze of agony.

Kagome looked back at her father as he went back downstairs for his martial arts. I'm very lucky, she thought. Lucky that he hasn't killed me or disabled me yet. As long as he doesn't lose total control of himself I am safe. As he went downstairs, Kagome went about her business of cleaning up the glass on the floor and putting it in the trashbarrel. Then she turned away and went out the door towards the sanctuary she called school.

To be continued...