Chapter 1
Life is pointless, or maybe just my life is. There was no reason for me to wake up in the morning; I would just lie there waiting. I waited for a reason, a purpose, a person, just anything, something that was worth me waking for. I'd wait until hunger consumed and trudge into the kitchen. Things had been thrown across the room, beer bottles lied on the floor, food scattered across the floor. I would find my father lying on the floor, holding an almost empty wine bottle in his arms. I'd mumble into the silence, "Hopeless" and continue my hunt for food, until I would discover a small bowl and some stale cereal. Pouring myself some breakfast, I would go back into my room, eat, then go back to sleep. Only to be woken up by the sound of my parents fighting, running to their location, I would try to stop it. When all was said and done, my dad would drink, my mom would leave to who knows where, and I would retreat to my room with some more cereal.
I was all alone in my own in my little, worthless world, no one to talk to, and no one to talk with. I grew up in a broken home all my life, but now I was leaving that terrible place. I, Suki Amano, will now be leaving with my godmother, to live in a small village in the hills called Hinamizawa. To get there you have to take a bullet train, then another train, then a bus, and then a car to drive deep into the woods. On the train, it takes about a half a day on a train, and on the road, around three hours. By half way through the second train ride I took on and off naps, but fell asleep the hardest on the car ride. I dreamed of what my new life was going to be like, series of questions entered my mind. Will I make new friends, or will I be lonely again?
The sun broke through the trees, into the car window, and down onto my face, the warmth of it made me smile to myself. The window of the vehicle had been open that blew my shot brown hair back and forth, covering my face. Until the car came to a full stop, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it shook it softly waiting for me to wake up. My green eyes fluttered open, and the sun gleamed in my eyes. "Suki, where here," said a soft voice, "We're at your new home!" Nodding my head I straighten myself, undid my seat belt, and stepped out, onto our new property. I found myself starring at a modern looking house, but with lots of greenery. This pleased me because I've always enjoyed gardening, but I was living in the city so there we never any gardens, maybe then I would have gotten out of bed.
"Why, hello, who might you be? Could it be the newest owners of this lovely house?" a came peppy voice inside the house, just a little too peppy for my liking, "Hello, Mrs. Amano and Ms. Amano, and welcome to your new home. I am the real estate agent who sold you this house. My name is Kazuko, but all my friends call me Kaz." A short woman with short black hair came walking out of the house in a fit of giggles to shake our hands, first my aunts, then mine. It was tight and forceful, as it brought it up and down, like an excited little child. She was young but the way she acted, it was like she was a little kid. "Come in, please do, and just leave you in front of the house. Make yourself at home, HA HA HA, well of course, this is your home. I go make some tea in the kitchen." She led us to a small table, motioned us to sit down, and made her way to the kitchen. "Oh I just crack myself up sometimes!"
When she was out of sight, I looked up at my aunt, and put on my best impression of an insane person laughing silently. Then I brought up two fingers, shaped like a gun up to my head, taking a shot, letting my head fall to the table with a loud thud. Looking up at my aunt I saw her trying to suppress her laughter. Then 'Kaz' walked back in with a small platter of tea and cups. She passed out the cups and poured the tea, explaining the final steps of buying the house. "Um, excuse me, um Ms. 'Kaz', where are the previous owners of the house? Shouldn't they be here also?" I asked.
"Oh no, they couldn't make it today" her voice growing stern and rigged as shadows filled her face. "Today is the day that Mr. Maebara goes to counseling, and the wife is in an unstable condition right now, ever since the incidence."
"What 'incidence'? What happened was there a death, murder? Can you tell me, please?" curiosity took over me in what had happened here.
"Oh, you didn't hear about it already. Never mind, it's a was a horrific story, to gruesome for a child like you." Replied Ms. Kazuko, how old did she think I was? But whatever it was, I'll find out what happened here. I mean, who just doesn't love a little mystery? How bad could it be?
Yukio
Japanese
snow boy