The Call of the Ghosts
+Prologue
The Forest.
It's a rumor at my school. It's right behind Kyou Academy; a dark forest with leaves and bark tinted blue by the peaceful dead souls that played there all hours of the day. I was never one to believe in superstitious stories such as those, but I often looked out of the window during school, wondering just how you can see those ghosts. Maybe you can see them during sunset? I would twirl a strand of my cream colored hair around my finger, my jade eyes examining that forest closely, trying to look for those ghosts, wondering how they could be so happy dead.
My name is Ko Azukami. I'm interested in the supernatural and all things spirit. I originally came from America as Layette Harrell. My came to Japan twelve years ago after my mother and father died in a drive-by shooting on the streets of Brooklyn. I was the strangest looking girl in Japan, long blonde hair falling to my bum, strange colored eyes; I didn't fit in with my adoptive family in physical terms, which is why I always dishonored them, no matter what. I had learned all Japanese traditions and customs with which my Father Kazuki and Kiku Azukami had taught me. My mother and father had renamed me Ko since when the light hit my hair, it seemed to reflect and make the area around me a bit brighter. I had thrown away my American title; I had renounced myself from being Layette Harrell. I wouldn't go back; not ever. I was only four when I left America.
My life here…yes, I was quite happy. I had friends that respected me for who I was, I had a boyfriend; yes, I was very happy. Still, there was something missing in my perfect life. Something.
It was directly after school, and my boyfriend Koji offered to take me into the forest.
"No way, Koji." I had replied promptly, without thought. I shut my briefcase. "I'm heading home."
"Aw, come on!" He wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled, his black hair mingling with mine. "It'll be fun, Ko. What d'ya say?"
"Okay…fine. You're lucky I don't have a lot of homework."
Koji laughed and scooped me up into his arms. I giggled and stared at him. I frowned; I thought I had seen just the faintest glimmer of a ghost. Koji looked down at my expression and smiled.
"Not scared, right?"
"No…"
The two of us went into the Forest at the back of the school, giggling and flirting like a young couple would. Koji and I stopped at a tree and the two of us kissed tenderly. Somehow, it felt like I was kissing a completely different person. I saw a tail of blue mist fly by and I pushed Koji off of me immediately. He stumbled back and I stared at him. There was something in him.
"What the hell's wrong, Ko? You alright?"
I nodded slowly but gasped, shivering and covering my mouth with my hands. A ghost had phased out of Koji's body.
"K-Koji." I chocked on my words when the ghost raised a more-than-real halberd.
"What is the matter, honey?" Koji stepped towards me and the ghost swung the sword.
Koji's blood spattered all over my body and into my hair. I started crying softly, the ghost gliding away into the back of the forest. I picked up my briefcase and followed the ghost, running towards it. Oh, how I wish it was as solid as its sword so I could kill it! I froze at a bright blue tablet that had ghosts swirling all around it. My chest started hurting, and I released a blue light from within myself. The real world vanished, and all that was left was the forest.
The ghost was still walking through the trees, and I followed it through thick shrubs and thorny bushes. The blue light rippled in the trees, and I flinched and ran faster. The ghost started running backwards, and soon it was gone down a dark pathway that swerved to the right. I ran after him, and light flooded my senses.
Just where was I?