She kept her promise. Later in the evening, before I went to sleep, she appeared in front of my window with a sweet smile on her face. We chatted quietly for a while before she lulled me to sleep by humming softly, and gently stroking my hair.
She was gone in the morning, but she appeared later in the day, and we played together, and talked more. Every day, I learned a little more about her, though it was obvious she was planning out when she told me certain things. Little by little, though, we got to know each other very well.
Just as she said, there was no specific routine for when she'd be there, and when she wouldn't. Sometimes she'd appear while I was at school. Kids would stare at me as if I were crazy, but I didn't care. Sometimes she'd just be there, but would tell me to stay quiet about it. My family never seemed to ever see her. She never really did explain why, but... I never asked.
Then one day, while we were playing in my room, I asked her, "Bittersweet... How come my family can't meet you?"
Her face told me she didn't have an answer. She just stared at me for a while while she pondered what to say, "It's complicated, really... How do you think they'd feel if their four year old daughter was.. hanging out with a demon?" she chuckled at the thought, "No matter how innocent, it just sounds terrible when you say it."
"I'm sure they'll understand.. It's almost been a month! And besides, my birthday is next week, and I want you there with my family, since you're the only friend I have."
She smiled gently at me, and patted my head, "I'll be there. But... Don't say anything. We'll have our own little celebration later, okay?" I was upset, but I nodded. I didn't like hiding her from them, but that was the way she wanted it.
"If you say so." I sighed. Just then, my room door opened. My mother was standing there, looking confused. Bittersweet looked worried.
"Um, Keiko, sweetie, who are you talking to?" she was smiling, but the tone of her voice was concerned.
I looked at Bittersweet, but she said nothing, "My friend." I answered. Bittersweet then looked at me wide-eyed. I decided I wasn't going to hide it anymore, "You can't see her?" I pointed at Bittersweet.
My mom looked at me with sad eyes, but she kept smiling and said, "So you got an imaginary friend."
"What? No! She's real. She's right here!" I put my hand on her arm.
"Keiko, please, don't." Bittersweet said with pleading eyes.
"Oh, no, honey... An imaginary friend doesn't mean they're not real." my mom said while chuckling, "They're just a friend that only you can see." I glanced at Bittersweet, who looked relieved.
"Oh." I said, "Okay." When my mom left, I turned to Bittersweet, "Why didn't you tell me?"
She just shrugged. Then she smiled, "Let's continue with our game, yeah?"
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Some weeks after my birthday, Bittersweet and I were chatting in my room before bedtime. Our chat was cut short, though, by her needing to work, so I just decided to go to sleep while she was gone. Not long after she left, I heard the sound of someone coming in through my window.
I turned over, rubbing my now sleepy eyes, "Bittersweet?" I asked in a groggy voice, "You're back already?" I asked. Hearing no reply, I looked up. There was a black figure standing next to the window... but... it wasn't human. I couldn't tell what it was, since it was too dark. I turned on the lamp beside my bed, and saw this horrifying creature. My eyes widened.
It was tan colored, and had some wispy strands of hair coming off the top of it's head. It had eyes that sunk low into it's head, and glowed white. It's mouth was wide open with some black liquid dripping out, and many rows of sharp teeth. It made some low gurgling sound, and it slowly started creeping toward me.
I couldn't move... or scream... I was frozen there in horror. All I could do was silently cry as it came closer. It's long arm reached out and grabbed my arm tightly with it's large, dirty looking hand. I winced in pain, but I still couldn't cry out. It then pulled me down on the floor, and it's black liquid start dripping onto my face. It burned. It was just a small heat at first, but the pain slowly grew stronger. I could feel my skin melting off. But my voice wouldn't come out. I couldn't make a sound. The tears poured out of my eyes as more of the liquid dripped onto different parts of my face and body. My arms, my chest, my legs. The pain was so overbearing, I couldn't move. My eyes felt like they were stuck open wide while tears just continued to flow uncontrolably. My mouth was wide open, trying to scream and cry and call for help, but no sound came out.
And then it left. It just... left me there. And even when it was long gone, I still couldn't move or make a sound.
And then the window opened. Bittersweet came in this time. When she didn't see me in bed, she looked down. When she saw me lying on the ground with bloody sploches of melting flesh all over me, her eyes went wide.
"K-Keiko?!" she looked around the room, and quickly put me back on the bed, "Oh God, okay.. Listen to me," she looked seriously at me, "My blood has a healing magic in it.. If I put a drop in each wound, you'll be all healed... Just stay calm, okay?" I nodded slowly. I didn't care what she had to do, I just wanted this pain to be over. She placed her hands together, and quickly drew them back, making a small dagger appear between them. She cut deep into her wrist, and held the cut open with her fingers while she dropped her blood onto my wounds, and within seconds, the pain started fading.
She let go of the cut on her wrist, and it healed right away. She put the knife between her hands, and closed them together, and it was gone. Once my pain was gone, there was no sign of the wounds ever being there, and I was finally able to cry. She held me, and stroked my hair, cooing me with soft hushes. When I finally calmed down, she looked at me, "Those were ghoul wounds..." she said in a lower voice, "Why... Why would a ghoul randomly attack a small girl, and leave her to die?!" her normally soft and sweet voice became low with a small hint of the softness. It was almost like an inverse of her normal voice. She sighed, "Keiko... you recieved a mashou just now... Therefore, you'll.. you're gonna start seeing things.. demons." she explained to me, "They'll be everywhere. However, most of them are weak, so you shouldn't be afraid."
"Will they hurt me?"
"Nah. Most of them don't have the power to harm a human. However, you should just... be on guard. If one starts to come toward you, just walk or run away, and don't make eye contact!" she told me sternly. I only nodded my head, and shortly after, I fell alseep with her by my side.