Chapter One
It was daybreak. The sun rose slowly over the top of Mt. Fuji that could be seen in the distance. The sunlight crept onto a suburb of Tokyo. It fell over the city and onto a quiet suburb. The light illuminated the various apartment buildings and their curtained windows. Various power and communications lines criss-crossed the sky between the buildings like giant snakes. A sleepy silence filled the empty streets as most of the residents were still asleep. A cat scurried from behind a trash can. It darted across the street and into a dumpster. A woman exited an apartment building. There was a small name tag on her uniform. It read the name "Mami". She was carrying a large, stiff broom and a shovel. She sets it down on the ground and begins to sweep the ground of rubbish and debris.
An autumn breeze rippled through the empty streets. It whistled through the trees and shivered the deserted corridors. The rickety windows and doors rattled as the wind rushed through them, breaking the sleepy silence. The debris Mami had swept into a pile just moments before had been thrown around with the force of the wind. She shivered as she buttoned her coat further up her neck. Once more, she leaned forwards and began sweeping up the debris.
An alarm clock sounded. It cut through the sleepy silence of the apartment like a knife. A hand reached from underneath the duvet. It hit the alarm clock hard and the sound was silent. It was Monday morning. Slowly, the duvet moved to reveal a sleepy looking female with a large bed head. The woman turned a caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Her name was Rina Suzuki. She scratched her head and tried to remember the dream she was having. It was about her being in a rock band. She can remember she was playing the drums. She held her hands up to her face and tried to recall, but the details were slipping through her fingers. However, she can vaguely remember having the same dream before.
She sat up. Another human next to her stirred. It made a noise of protest as she moved.
"Honey," she said lovingly. "It's Monday morning. Time to get up."
She kissed his shaggy bed head. Slowly, a man emerged from the duvet.
"I hate Monday's," he said sleepily.
"Monday's hate you too," said Rina sweetly.
She pulled the duvet away and got out of bed slowly.
"No!" he said sleepily. "Good dream!"
"Don't lay in bed too long," she said chuckling. "You'll be late for work."
She shuffled her way out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. She passed a large portrait sized picture of herself in a white wedding dress. She was being embraced by a man with jet black hair and wearing a suit. Both of them were wearing wedding rings and beaming with happiness. The sound of a shower could be heard starting.
Half an hour Rina entered the kitchen dressed in a navy blue pinafore dress. Her husband, Ota sat at the dining table with a little girl, no older than about 5 years old.
"Good morning ," said Rina sweetly.
"Good morning mummy," replied Yuki. Rina kissed her daughter on the cheek and she reached out for a hug.
Rina sat between her husband and her daughter. In front of her was a small plate of fruit and yogurt. She picked up her spoon and began to eat. Next to her, Ota was tucking into a western breakfast of eggs and bacon. Rina watched him with a look of mild interest.
"You do know that's bad for you don't you?" asked Rina.
"Yes," he replied almost at once. "That's why I'm eating it."
Rina smiled in amusement and Yuki chuckled.
"Daddy," she said. "You should eat more healthy food."
Rina and Ota burst out laughing at this. Yuki, despite being only 5 was an incredibly smart girl and had a habit of bursting out with random comments like this.
"Okay honey," he said. "I will. You are right."
Yuki beamed at her father, her mouth full of cereal. Some of it began to slide down her chin. Rina grabbed a tissue and began cleaning her daughters face.
"Sorry mummy," she said. "I should learn not to eat with my mouth full."
Rina and Ota chuckled with amusement.
"Good luck with that," said Rina.
A small, red Nissan Cube rolled to a stop on a gravel car park between two other cars of similar size. The engine was turned off and the drivers door opened. A young woman emerged from the car. She picked up a leather handbag and threw it over her shoulder. She closed the door and began to walk towards the large single storey building in front of her. The car beeped as the doors locked themselves the further away from it she walked.
Her shoes crunched on the dew soaked gravel. A blue ID card swung around her neck. The name on the card read, "Tomomi Ogawa." Her clothes were a black, formal suit jacket and pinstriped skirt. She approached the building. She flashed her card at the door. It clicked and allowed her to enter. She pulled open the door and entered the building.
"Good morning Tomomi," said the young woman at the front desk.
"Good morning," replied Tomomi politely.
She walked through the main entrance to a small door on the left.
"Tomomi," said a woman. There was an urgent tone in her voice.
"Yes?" asked Tomomi. "Mrs. Kanagawa was sick during the night. Can you see to her?"
"Of course," said Tomomi. "Give me five minutes."
The woman nodded and disappeared. Tomomi punched in and put her bag into her locker.
She left the room and returned to the entrance hall. She turned left and walked down a long carpeted corridor.
Along the corridor, several elderly people passed her.
"Hello Tomomi," said one old lady.
"Good morning," replied Tomomi.
She reached a door labeled, "25". She knocked on the door and opened it.
"Mai!" called Tomomi. "Mai! Where are you?"
She entered the room. It was a small bedsit size place, no bigger than a studio apartment. She looked around, the bedroom, kitchen and lounge were empty. She opened the bathroom door to see an elderly lady sat on the toilet.
"Oh my," said Tomomi. "I'm so sorry."
Tomomi backed out of the room, her face burning in embarrassment.