Author's note: Heya! Hope you all enjoyed the prologue!! Thanks Rozzer 616 for reviewing I'm glad you liked it :) Here's chapter 1 of the story.
CHAPTER 1
"Are we nearly there yet?" Whined Maya, bouncing in her seat. "I want to see Toshio!"
"Patience dear," Her mother sighed, "We'll be there soon."
Maya so badly wished, for the journey to go faster, but she knew it wouldn't, so she took the time to think of what awaited her. Maybe when she got to Toshio's, Kayako, his mother, would bake them some cookies. She had always liked Kayako's cookies. She and Toshio had used to have competitions to see who could eat the most in thirty seconds. It had made Kayako laugh. Maya loved Kayako's laugh. Kayako's laugh had been beautiful. Kayako had been beautiful. Maya wondered if Kayako was still beautiful.
One thing Maya was not looking forward to, was seeing Toshio's dad again. Takeo had always been an unfriendly man and had always acted off towards her. Mind you, he acted off towards everybody. He had never got along with any of his family, and Maya had noticed that when he entered the room, Kayako stopped laughing.
Takeo had scared her.
And with that final thought, Maya drifted off into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of cookies, cats and beautiful, frightened, Japanese women.
The next day, Maya was sulking. Though she had resolved that seeing Toshio would be the first thing she would do, it had ended up being the third. And it was all her mother's fault! Why did she have to unpack her stuff first? Why did she then have to visit the local shop with her mother? Maya sighed as she walked up the long, winding road to Toshio's house. At least she was seeing him now. Oh wouldn't he be surprised?
As she walked up, it occurred to her that he might not live there anymore, but she pushed these thoughts out of her mind and pressed her weight against the old, rusty gate, making it creak. An immediate shiver ran down her spine and the wind picked up. Maya frowned. Toshio's house was not how she remembered it. Before, it had been like Kayako. Beautiful, smiley, sunny. Now it was more like Takeo. Cold, unwelcoming, angry. The thought of Toshio's father made her shiver more but she walked those few steps up to Toshio's front door.
She pressed the doorbell, and waited. Nothing. Frowning some more, she tried again. Still nothing. Maya's face fell. That long walk for nothi-
An idea came to her head. Where oh where did Kayako keep that spare key? Under the mat? Yes! Under the mat!
Maya lifted the mat up. Bingo! As she took the key, she felt a small tug on the hem of her dress, turning, she found a small black cat looking up at her, and tugging with a great urgency. Maya squealed. "Rudy!! You're here! Toshio does live here!"
She reached down to scratch the cat between the ears, but it shook her off and continued to attempt to tug her towards the gate. Maya frowned. Rudy never shook her off. Perhaps he had forgotten who she was. It had been five years. "It's me Maya you silly cat! Come on!" She picked the creature up, who struggled and clawed at her, its desperation increasing, yowling at the top of its voice. A small fear began to form in the pit of Maya's stomach. Why was Rudy so upset?
She shook the feeling off and unlocked the door. The creature screeched at the top of its voice, causing Maya to drop him in surprise.
"What the-?" She began, but the cat was nowhere in sight. Rudy had disappeared.
"Rudy?" She called out uncertainly. No reply. She turned back to the doorway of the house. An unhappy feel emanated from it. The fear began to rise inside her again. Should she go on? The house seemed to be telling her not to enter. Even Rudy hadn't wanted her to go in. But why? There was only one way to find out. She took the final two steps and planted her feet firmly inside the house. She was in, no going back.