"Izayoi, you traitor!" Some lower voice whispered harshly in the thick humid air. "Traitor, traitor, traitor!" she continued to murmur, her tone growing louder with each word.
"Nachi," Another female spoke, her accent sounding frail. Violent, choking sobs erupted from her throat. The ground vibrated slightly as a thud sliced through the air.
When I opened my eyes to see the scene, the room was ablaze. Smoke surrounded the area and pieces of burning wood and falling fire rained from above. The building was about to collapse. In the lumber I could hear the splinters straining to keep its hold. My eyes enlarged and darted around frantically. The world around me is hazy and that's when I begin to cough. Tendrils of smoke curl around my version as I try and locate the voices speaking just moments ago.
"Inuyasha!" The weak women screamed, "My baby."
"That beast is no babe!" Nachi, the cruel one, shouted. A ringing sounded in my ears.
I shoot to my feet, running around in the burning building, dodging the flaming timber as it plummets to the hot ground under my feet. All of this in search of the two arguing people? Why? Why was I searching for them? I didn't know them. I should be trying to runaway. To save myself. Not risking it for two strangers.
I open my mouth to shout warnings of the fire but no sound comes out. Only hot steaming tears drip down my cheeks. I can't turn around– head toward the exit. My coughs rumble my chest when they break free from my throat. My breathing turns to wheezing and with each desperate gulp for clean air my lungs protest bitterly. But my legs continue to go forward–seeking them.
The long hallways have many flaring doors.
Which one, which one? My head twists and turns at every door. With the place burning as quick as it is I don't have time to kick them open to see if the two people are there.
Just then the house creeks and moans. The atmosphere crackles from being so dry. The noise is frightening and I began to shake. Doors. So many doors. Where are they? Which do I choose? I want to scream and cry out but my lungs burn with a fiery passion, saving the breath I have for breathing the dirty oxygen. I cover my mouth, trying to keep myself safe and close my eyes. I want to go. But I can't. My feet won't let me move. This is my tomb were I will burn to ash.
"Die, witch!" Nachi booms from the room at the very end of the hall.
My eyes snap open and I immediately race down the corridor. With all my might, I smash that entrance open.
But I wish I hadn't. I wish I could erase the scene that haunts me now and replays in my head when I'm alone.
A long dark haired woman stand on her knees. In her left hand she clutches something tight in her fist. It's so fiercely seized that the knuckles in her hands are white. Her elbow is bent, but I see the bloody sword she grips just as firmly in her right hand. And that sharp weapon is pointed directly at the fragile trembling human lady.
"Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Yasha. Yasha...
The syllables of that name echo around my head, wrapping itself up in my memory, as a cry from a baby break free. The wail came from an open window where a white haired demon dog lay flat. He squirmed around on the skinny seal and his body was roped around in cord.
"Nooo!" I jumped toward the baby and enfolded him in on my chest. My body rolled around on the ground until it stopped. For some reason I just couldn't let him fall.
A terrible scream came back from the house. And just as I looked up the sword Nachi held pierced through the other petrified female. The cherry blood was like a fountain as it spewed from the tiny women's chest.
"Yes," an evil cackle rang from Nachi. The scratchy guffaw caused me to cringe and squeal.
As soon as the noise escapes from my mouth Nachi's neck whips around in my direction. Her teeth are bared with her eyes slit like a cats. Crimson liquid ran down the corners of her mouth. The hungry/intimidating force of her glare had me shuddering.
I don't know if it was fortunate or not, but the home sheltering the two women crashed down– unfortunate because the bleeding lady was still conscious and maybe, just maybe, she could have got away. The explosion sent me flying. I securely held the small toddler close to my chest as if I were protecting my own heart.
A tree caught my flight and also knocked the air from me. The sweet sanitary oxygen was now fully filling my ravenous lungs. My eyes were now focused on the eagerly panting child.
"Mama," he tearfully spoke in an undertone.
My arms hugged him tightly as he cried. He was telling me he needed to go save her. He craved her affection. She was the only one who understood, he said. Then he looked up at me. On top of my head he reached his small pudgy hands to take hold of my own fiery brown dog ears. He wiggled them in his fingers.
"You're... " he uttered, seeming beyond dazed.
I lightly took his hands in mine. "I'm just like you." I finished, taking one glance at the still blazing structure ahead of us.
My eyes widen and I quickly threw the child away from me, out of danger. So instead of the flaming piece of wood hitting the back of the boys head, it struck me right in the center of my forehead.
The world was black.