Stroke. Stroke. Stroke. Stroke.

The only sounds that could be heard was the soft gurgle of the creek and the gentle splashes my movements made as I lazily swam around in the calmer water of the pool I was in. The gentle swirl made by the current tickled my legs every time I stood to look about me. My friend Sayuri had been with me for a while, but then her boyfriend called and she ditched me. So I was left to spend the rest of my afternoon swimming by myself.

Not that that was a problem. Even when I could separate Sayuri from Michi, he was all she ever talked about. It had been getting kind of annoying, to tell the truth. I don't know why she was so obsessive over him, but I had a feeling that would come and bite her in the butt. I certainly didn't like him – it seemed to me he was only after her for her looks.

Thinking about this sent a fleeting pang of jealousy through my stomach. Sayuri was really pretty, with fair skin, brown hair, and the prettiest sky blue eyes. An hourglass figure and a slight accent brought her a lot of attention from the male population. I, on the other hand, tended to stand in her shadow with my rather more athletic figure and far smaller…attractions.

But looking at the kinds of guys she had trailing after her, I'd much rather prefer my body. I didn't get the kind of fake "sweet" boys or the stereotypical bad boys going for me. Instead, I didn't have any guys – but who's complaining? I have the rest of my life to find the right-

A quiet sob drew me out of my thoughts. I stood up, startled. Wasn't I alone? I'd certainly thought I was…but then the sob came again. I swiveled my head to the storm drain that emptied into the stream a few meters downriver. A flash of movement urged me to go investigate. I clambered out, dripping, and walked over. Peering inside, I was met with the shadowy form of a little girl. She had her knees tucked up to her chest, rumpling her stained, torn dress.

"Hey…" I started as she sniffled. "Don't cry…what's wrong?"

The little girl lifted her head, wiping her running nose. "Go away," she said. I was a bit taken aback by the firmness in her voice. "Go away," she repeated.

I crawled into the drain a bit. "I can help you find your mom," I offered, assuming she was lost. Reaching out a hand, I placed it on her muddy shoulder.

A shock like a bolt of lightning coursed through my body, making my hair stand on end. My eyes were assaulted with images of the little girl walking along the stream bank with a little boy. Rain fell in fat drops from the sky. She jumped in the water, quickly followed by him, and they splashed around. I saw as the little girl pointed to the drain, saying something. The boy nodded, and they swam over.

...Molly… a voice in my head told me her name. Molly poked her head inside it, looking back to the boy. He made encouraging motions with his hands. She smiled, clambering all the way in. She crawled a few meters in when the boy let out a sudden cry of alarm. Molly turned to see water gushing into the pipe. A flash flood!

Trapped, with no way out, Molly drowned. I saw her clawing at her throat, lungs begging for the air they would not get. Then I saw her go limp as a doll.

The electrifying feeling stopped, and I staggered back, ears ringing. I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw up. And that little girl, Molly, was sitting in front of me, anger written across her face.

"I told you to go away," she said. "You did not listen."

Then I saw something that chilled me to the bone. The dead girl's mouth twisted upwards in a tight-lipped grin and she giggled. "Now you'll never be rid of me."

I turned tail and got out of there as fast as I could. I splashed through the shallows, pausing by the pool to grab my clothes. My heart pounded in my chest like a drum, louder then I'd ever heard it before.

Something grabbed my leg, yanking me into the pool. I tried to scream, but it was cut short as water rushed into my mouth. I immediately stopped, trying to save my oxygen as I struggled against the thing wrapped around my ankle. It kept pulling me down, deeper, until I was up to my hips in mud. Pain lanced up and down my back as my left shoulder began to burn, as if someone had stuck a searing hot brand on the skin. Stars danced in my vision and I began to lose consciousness.

Suddenly, it let go. I burst to the surface, taking big gulps of air as I tried to calm my racing heart. I grabbed my stuff, sprinting for home, not caring that I was only dressed in my bathing suit. There was no way I was staying a moment longer.

Yet I could hear that giggle inside my mind, cold and merciless.

"You're mine now…"

A/N: So what do you think so far? Yeah, I know that all yer favorite characters haven't shown up yet, but you're gonna have to just sit tight, aiight? Comprende? Good.

But anywho, please please please please PLEASE review! Critiques, compliments, flames, I don't care!