Peppermint Tea Party

by Sylveona

Kahoko has been selected to participate in a game that puts not only her life on the line, but also the lives of those closest to her. The only way to win this game is to commit a crime that Kahoko is not sure she can carry out. Not only does her own conscience prevent her from committing said crime, but a certain demon stands in her way as well.

.PEPPERMINT TEA PARTY.

Nothingness. A void. Lack of existence. Utter darkness. These are the only words that could accurately describe the area aside from the presence of one red-headed girl. The girl appeared to be void of life, just as the darkness surrounding her. Her skin was a pale and ghostly looking color and not a single breath escaped from her blue lips. Any onlooker would have surely assumed she was dead, and they would not have been far from the mark. It seemed as if the void would continue on as a lifeless plain, when suddenly, the girl's chest rose faintly. She was breathing. At first it came in faint and shallow intervals and then gasping and deep. Color began to return to her face. She was alive.

As the heaviness of her breathing subsided she let out a sigh and slowly began to open her golden eyes. "Wh-where am I?" she said as she sluggishly lifted herself up, expecting to see someone she knew. "Mom? Sister…?" She called, only to be met with silence. She began to panic a bit until a voice sounded out from the darkness.

"Unforgivable…" A low-toned voiced said in a hushed tone, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.

The girl turned to face the direction that the footsteps were coming from, only to realize that she had been surrounded by a group purple-shadow figures with no visible routes of escape to be found. "Who are you people?" She asked them, her fear obvious in her voice.

"Unforgivable… Unforgivable…!" The figures continued to chant, completely ignoring her question and their voices growing steadily harsher sounding. They began to close in around her when they unexpectedly froze in place. They appeared to be frightened by something… and whatever it was, it was close. The atmosphere became thicker and it even felt ominous.

"Back off you useless pawns, I already told you not to harm her. One step closer and I will cut all your ugly little heads off and feed your remains to Guhvorn, got it?" A deep voice said with a strict sounding tone. The voice came from directly behind the girl, but when she turned around to face whatever the voice was there was nothing to be seen. Whoever it was though had successfully frightened off the shadow figures.

"Who's there?" The red-head called out, a bit more at ease now that the shadows were gone.

"My name is of none of your concern, Kahoko Hino. You need only know this: You have been selected to take part in a very special game. A game of life and death."