The Beginning
Shiori sat up in bed, her mouth open in soundless screams from the nightmare.
What was I dreaming about? It was dark and I could hear somebody talking to me. I don't know what the voice was saying, but it made me want to hide. Whose voice was it? Why did it make me feel like running away?
Shiori took a long, deep breath and let it out slowly.
It was just a dream. It wasn't anything to be upset about, just a frightening dream that you can't remember now that you're awake.
Shiori layed back down in bed and pulled the covers around herself. She snuggled back into her pillow and restlessly slipped back into sleep.
"Shiori, wake up!" Mikai shouted, pounding on her door. "Wake up, Shiori, you have to go to school."
Shiori blearily sat up in bed. It seemed as if she had only just closed her eyes. She looked at the clock. 9:00 blinked back at her. "Dammit Mikai," Shiori said, "I don't have class for another 3 hours, why did you wake me up now."
"Oh, sorry," Mikai said snidely, "but its not fair I have to wake up this early and you get to stay in bed."
"But I have class hours after you," Shiori defended, "plus this is my hardest day, now I'll never be able to get back to sleep."
"Well I guess you'll just have to live with it then," Mikai said, turning and leaving the room.
Shiori sighed and looked at her clock again. Might as well get up, she'll just be more pissed if I go back to bed. She'll probably just wake me up again.
Shiori stood up and stretched, yawning. She grabbed a robe and a towel and headed to the bathroom. Shiori stepped under the humid spray and started scrubbing her hair, luxuriating beneath the steamy water. Finishing her morning ritual, she stepped out of the shower and dried off, throwing on a robe and slipping into her nearby bedroom to get ready for class.
A knock sounded at her door. Shiori turned, opening her mouth to speak, just as the door popped open. "Shiori, did you use all of the hot water?" Kana asked.
"I was only in the shower for ten minutes, so I don't think so," said Shiori surprised.
"Geez Shiori you should be more thoughtful of your roommates," Kana said. "I mean you always just do whatever you want without talking to anyone first."
"Well I didn't exactly choose to wake up early," Shiori exclaimed.
"Quit whining, everyone has to get up sometime, Mikai was doing you a favor," Kana said.
"What!" exclaimed Shiori, looking shocked.
Kana looked at her once more and turned and left the room.
