Kosuke Amai had his hands over his head-scared of the beast with the four hooves-and trembled in fear as he awaited the moment where the beast would stomp all over him. But that moment never came. What really happened was Kosuke opened his eyes and saw that the beast was gone. No hoof marks on the street, nothing was torched, and there were no signs of people screaming anywhere-no people were in the streets at all. It all seemed just an elusive dream.
" Hmmm. Maybe I'm just sleep deprived. I have been staying up late hoping to surpass everyone in studying. But why didn't I feel any of the symptoms: tiredness, bad concentration, dizziness, of feeling off balance. Then again I have been feeling a little depressed. Depression is one symptom of sleep deprived. Ack! What am I doing standing around here thinking about nothing? I got to get home!"
XXX
A homicide investigation was taking place in an alleyway. The victim, who was found by an Armenian couple just walking their dog, was having an autopsy done to her. The killer was either too stupid or too naïve when he attempted the murder and left behind an empty soda can. Or so the police thought. But when they did an autopsy on the can, no fingerprints were found. It was like the person was from a different world.
" So who's the victim?" A detective asked one of the policemen.
" According to our database her name is Kakuya Mika. She seems to be a college student who's father is a brain surgeon. It says here her mother divorced him for a younger man."
" I guess with all that brain surgery operating on other people's brains he couldn't read his own wife? Well now she'll need to know her only child is in limbo. What was the murder weapon?"
" Hard to say. She was cut in half from the waist. We tried matching her cut wounds with all our other weapons but none of them can make a straight line like hers did. The only weapon we can think of that can do that much damage is a chainsaw."
" That's not the murder weapon."
" Huh? How do you know?"
" Because they were running. The whole pneumonia about killers being able to run with chainsaws is just a hoax. When you run with one there's a high chance you can slip and cut through yourself. Also, I don't think this was a one person plan. I think there were two people here?"
" Huh? What makes you say that?"
" Check out the ground. There's dirt on it. "
" There's dirt everywhere. That doesn't mean anything."
" It does when it's brown. All the dirt-or should I say gravel here is black. I'm guessing these events started in a forest."
" Maybe he was trying to have his way with her. We could run an autopsy to see if we can find any spermicide."
" No, no, your head is too inside the box. You need to expand your horizon. This wasn't about lust, greed, or even love. This was an act of pride. Whoever was here wanted to prove they were powerful. He probably wants you to find him, found the most interesting person he could think of, then lead us to him like moth's to a candlelight. We wants to fight you."
" Your speaking a little crazy there. Why would anyone want to fight against a police officer?"
" I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me."
The detective walked away from the crime scene and walked to his car. Inside he expected to find his little bundle of joy. Richie however was nowhere to be seen looking through the glove compartment where he left him. It wasn't until he heard a flicker of a cigarette lighter that he knew Richie was behind him. The young boy was playing with the match, burning his hand, and looking at it with unwavering eyes.
Richie was ten years old. At least that's what the detective assumed by how short he was, but judging by how he acted he could've well been over twenty or thirty years old. Richie's hair was orange with yellow streaks just like fire, his clothes were a black muscle shirt that showed off his small muscular chest, he had a obi sash wrapped around his waist, an unwavering face, and grey eyes that twinkled every time he looked at fire.
" This is boooooorrring," Richie said while lighting his hand on fire. Richie squeezed his hands over the fire where it quickly diminished. " Why am I partnered with a dull guy like you?"
" Because you like chocolate. And I just happen to go out and buy you chocolate. Now get back in the car. I'm working."
" No way, old man. It's stuffy in there. If I have to spend another moment in that car of yours I'll burn it."
" Do that and the fuel will explode. Now if you don't get back in that car right now, and don't keep your mouth hushed, I'm going to stop giving you candy."
" What? No, don't take away my sweets. I'm a kid. Kids love candy."
" Haha. Age always wins."
XXX
" Dad I'm home. Dad? Oh right, he's working late. God, I feel like an orphan."
Kosuke had cram school starting very soon. Kosuke did what he always did when he got home. Placed his book bag down, walked up to the TV to turn on the news, listened to the news as he walked to the refrigerator, and made himself something to eat. Kosuke felt like a tuna sandwich.
" Today, the remains of a person were found in a wood chipper. In other news a Corsican woman in her late sixties had just swam from her country all the way over to the UN today. Surviving only on fruit and fish, she has lost all memory of who she once was."
" Must be sweet to forget who you are," Kosuke said as he was rummaging through the fridge and pulled out two tuna fish sandwiches in plastic wrap. " I would give anything to go somewhere I don't know and lose my memory's. And maybe...just maybe...they can get rid of my hunchback, make me taller, and maybe...make me feel like a human being."
" Today two boys were found fighting just below a bridge. Reports say one boy fired giant blocks of ice and another fired laser beams. In the end they say a giant shield came out of the ground and the other boy disappeared."
" What?" Kosuke's arms shaked at the thought of the two boys fighting. He dropped his tuna fish sandwich and the plate broke on contact with the ground.
" Though there is no proof of this sighting actually taking place, be on guard for anything that looks suspicious."
" All these feelings are escalating inside of me. If I don't get rid of them now then I'm going to burst. That thing that happened...it wasn't a dream? What's going on in his dumb town? "
