"Kagome…….Kaaaaagoooomeeee."
Kagome opened her eyes and threw her arm over her face. The sun shining through her window was a shock to see. She sat for a moment and repeatedly blinked to get the white spots out of her vision. As her vision returned to normal, she glanced at the alarm clock. What had woke her up? It was still another half an hour before her alarm was set to go off.
Throwing the blanket off of her, she walked to Souta crib. "He's sleeping so soundly," Kagome thought. It was worth taking advantage of. If she was lucky she could get ready for the day and have breakfast before he woke up.
Kagome turned to her dresser and gathered her clothing. She snagged her hair brush, had one last glance at her brother, and trotted to the bathroom. As she left her room, she did not notice the being standing in the corner of her room.
After getting dressed. Kagome stared at herself in the bathroom mirror as she brushed her teeth. 'I wonder what I'll have for breakfast today? I think I'll fix Souta some rice cereal.' As her thoughts swirled through her head, she bent to spit out her toothpaste. The man was in the mirror.
He watched her. His cold golden eyes followed her as she bent over the sink. The half smile on his face was so distorted it could have been a sneer.
Kagome stood up and rinsed her mouth. She picked up her brush and ran it through her hair. After one last inspection of herself, she exited the bathroom.
Standing in the hall, she peeked into her room. She listened for Souta, but he was still sleeping soundly. Turning, she headed for the stairs. Kagome paused at the top remembering her scare the previous night. How silly it was of her to be scared by her own cat. As she thought, she headed downstairs.
In the living room, she began to wonder what in the world Buyo was up to that he could make that much racket. Looking around the room, she began to see if anything was broken or out of place. She spun in a slow circle taking in everything. The lamps sitting on the end tables. Nothing turned over or out of place. Pictures and the mirror on the staircase were still hanging. Everything was just as it was before she went upstairs for the night.
Shaking her head Kagome headed for the kitchen. 'Buyo must have been heavy in the cat nip last night.' As she entered the kitchen, she froze mid-step. The kitchen was a wreck.
"What the hell…," she said, "how did this happen?" Every cabinet door was wide open. All of the dishes where stacked up on the counters. The kitchen chairs were over turned and stacked on top of the table. All of the coffee was poured onto the floor.
She was in shock and trying to make sense of it all. Buyo was a smart cat. Given enough time and incentive he could have opened some of the cabinet doors…but not all of them! There was no way in hell he could have moved the dishes and stacked the chairs.
Kagome got a lot of traits passed to her from her family. Her blue eyes from her father. Her love of history from her grandfather. Her hips from her aunt. However, it was the habit of her mother that saved her this time. Kagome stopped trying to make sense of it and busied herself with cleaning up. She could worry about the "hows and the whys" later when she wasn't so gob-smacked.
The first thing she did was upright the chairs. Then, she started putting the dishes back into the cabinets. After closing all the cabinets, Kagome went to fetch the broom.
The man stood in the kitchen watching the girl toil away at cleaning up the mess. He inhaled the air, savoring the smell of her frustration. This wouldn't take long at all. Just a few well placed nudges and she would fall right where he wanted her. With a "hn," he disappeared from view just as Kagome came into the room.
Kagome paused. She thought she saw something silver. Sighing, she thought her mother was right. She should really lay off the scary movies. She laughed at herself. Her life was as normal as could be. Besides if this was a movie she wouldn't be one of those air-headed girls that tripped over there own two feet trying to get away. No way, she would run like hell and the monster would have to be damn fast to catch her. She swept up the coffee and set about the task of fixing breakfast for her brother and herself.
Just as she was putting her empty plate in the sink, Souta started crying right on cue. She climbed the stairs and went into her room. Kagome bent down to retrieve the teddy bear and place it back into the crib. "Good morning, Souta. Are you ready to start a new day?"
Later, Kagome sat her brother in his play area, and went to clear the breakfast dishes. Flipping the cap on the dish liquid, she poured the right amount of detergent into her hot water.
"Kagomeeee..," she heard whispered.
Kagome stopped and listened. All she heard was the running water from the faucet. Closing the tap she strained to hear…what? Did she really hear anything at all?
Curiously, she walked into the living room. Souta was playing with a plastic block. Drool was oozing down his hand and arm. "I know I heard my name," she said. Turning, she walked back through the kitchen and into the laundry room. No, nothing here.
"Kagomeee…," her name was called again.
She turned to the basement door and slowly opened it. She refused to walk into the basement. It was dark and dank and just…well…it was creepy down there. She had never liked the basement.
Kagome took a moment, she was trying to muster her courage. She frowned. "I'm 16 years old. This is a fine way to show your Mom how mature you are, Kagome. I'm too old to be afraid of a stupid basement," she pep talked herself. Still, it took her a few minutes to screw up her resolve.
Taking a huge breath, Kagome slowly descended the basement stairs. Her slow progress was on account of her knees shaking like a bowl full of Jell-O. "You can do this girl. Your legs wouldn't feel so week if you would just quit thinking like a baby," she thought.
Kagome reached the basement floor. She took in the boxes and old garden tools Grandpa kept stashed down here. There was her old bike. She had to be daft to be afraid of a basement.
There was a bang. She struggled not to panic. There it was again. Scanning the room, she found the source of the sound. The basement window was cracked. The wind was blowing the window into it's frame. Rolling her eyes and giving a quivering laugh, Kagome crossed to the window. Upon closer inspection, she realized the source of her phantom whisper, too. The same window had air whistling through the crack. Happily, she latched the window, and headed back for the stairs.
Reaching the steps, put her foot onto the first one.
Curt and quick came her name, "Kagome."
Her throat closed up! Wide eyed with fear, Kagome scrambled up the stairs. Gasping for breath she heaved the basement door shut. She put her back against the door. She clutched her stomach. Her legs finally giving out on her, she slid to her butt down to the floor. Sputtering, and crying she sat on the floor in front of the door. After a moment, her heart calmed and she began to laugh from her fear induced high.
After her basement adventure, Kagome decided that from now on she was laying off the scary movies. She'd always had a vivid imagination, but she didn't need that rubbish to fuel it. It ran away with her without help. She finished the dishes and the rest of her morning went on without a hitch.
Later that afternoon, Souta was placed in his carrier. Kagome took him outside into a bright summer day. Taking a lungful of fresh air, she smiled. "You will thank me for bringing you out of that stuffy old house later, Souta," she said. Finding a nice shade under the God Tree for him, she sat the carrier down. "Now you sit here and watch me sweep the Courtyard," she said, as she made funny faces at her brother.
Snatching the broom from the shed, Kagome started sweeping. She listened to the birds in the trees singing there odes to the sun. She hummed with them, while keeping an ear out for Souta.
The courtyard was big. It was her least favorite chore to do because she just couldn't get it done as fast as she wanted. She always had places to go, and friends to see. Responsibility sucked. If she hadn't agreed to keep Souta, she could have been hanging out with Songo this weekend. She may have finally gotten her first kiss from Inuyasha. Kagome was frustrated. She could just imagine that he was probably kissing Kikyo right now, and here she was like Cinderella with her broom. Still, thoughts of her friends made her light hearted.
An hour later, after having cleared away the debris, Kagome went to put the broom away. She quickly glanced to Souta, and spotted a strange man standing next to the carrier. She snapped her eyes back to the man, but there was no one there. For that instant, though, she saw him.
He had long, silver hair. She had never seen hair that long on a man before. His armor was reflecting the sun through the leaves of the God Tree. His smile, and she used the term loosely, was thin lipped and, dare she say, hostile.
She studied the area he was spotted, but there was nobody there. Had she really seen someone? Souta didn't appear to be any the wiser to a person standing next to him. She touched her hot forehead. She'd been out in the sun for too long today. It was a good thing she put her brother in the shade.
Placing the broom back in the shed she grabbed the carrier and headed into the house to start dinner.
The being sat on a branch in the tree. His silver hair swinging a foot and a half below the branch he was perched on. A half smile played over his sharp featured face as he watched his light go into the house. He had waited over a lifetime for her. His light. She was almost ready. Not now, but soon. His smile disappeared. It was like herding a chicken. He had to get her right where he needed her. Then he would snatch his light and return her to where she was needed most. He studied his immaculate claws on his right hand. She was very practical. He would think that someone who lived in a shrine would be more apt to believe in the supernatural. He had never failed yet, though. "Soon," he comforted himself, "it won't be long now."
After feeding Souta and herself, Kagome sat Souta on his blanket in the floor for his 'Tummy time'. She played with the tyke for awhile. She tried to encourage him to get up onto his knees. She laughed as he floundered on the floor, and snuggled him when he would whimper from frustration.
She got to her feet, checking the area surrounding him to make sure the area was clear and safe. "Well, Souta, the kitchen isn't going to clean it's self," she cooed to him.
Kagome cleared the table, swept the floor, and stacked the dishes. As she cleaned, she thought about the weird happenings the past two days. It had to be her imagination. But what about the mess in the kitchen this morning? She honestly had no idea. She would tell her Mom about it when she returned.
Now, she did believe in ghost. She'd just never saw one before. Could the shrine be haunted? Kagome giggled. Yeah, right. If it was, why didn't anything spooky happen before now? Surely she would have already known about it. She laughed again. She was being silly. Ghost exist, but not at shrines. Not at her house. A frown marred her lips. The basement was the only creepy place in the house, but she just balked at even considering that place. In her mind, the basement didn't even exist.
She picked up a plate out of the water, and began to wash it.
"Kagome."
She dropped the plate into the water where it broke with a 'crack'. She spun around. Nothing there. "What the hell is going on," she thought. She knew she heard that. It was like it was whispered right in her ear! She could still feel the warm breath on the cheek. The warmth was leaving though. It was being replaced by a chilling sensation that was working it's way under her skin.
With shaking hands, Kagome reached into the water to retrieve the broken plate. "Shit," she hissed. Pulling her hand up, she noticed the gash in her finger. It was mesmerizing, watching the blood, trickle down the digit to the floor. She shook herself out of her stupor and finished gathering the broken pieces where she dumped them into the trash bin.
She left to the bathroom. She had to bandage her cut.
The man stooped down and drew his finger though the drops of her blood. He studied her it with golden eyes before bringing them to his nose. He inhaled, pulling the rich scent of her into his lungs. He closed his eyes in bliss. A growl cut though the room as his eyes streaked with red. He licked the blood from his fingertip, his red eyes glowing with delight. The purity in her blood scorched his tongue. It was just the right spice. He growled out his chuckle. The being would have tried a stunt like that sooner if he had known he would be so well rewarded. Perhaps, it was time to show himself. "Perhaps," he thought.
It was time for bed. She was exhausted. Placing her sleeping brother into the crib. She again sat his bottle on her desk. She turned out the light. Kagome walked to her bed and dropped on top of the covers. If she thought to be afraid, her subconscious mind kept it from her. Pulling her pillow to her chest, Kagome fell asleep.
The light was bothering her. It was too bright. "It can't be morning already," she thought. She tried unsuccessfully to shade her eyes from the light.
"Kagome."
She shot up to a sitting position. Her hand in front of her face, and her vision swimming from the rush. In the middle of her room was an orb. She blinked and tried to refocus, nope it was there. A white orb floating three feet off the floor.
"Kagome."
"What do you want?," she asked it. The orb slowly floated out of her room and into the hall. "Wait!," she called after it.
She swung her legs over the side of her bed and planted her feet on the floor. Seeing the light getting fainter, she pursued it. As she left her room she saw the light go downstairs. Kagome followed. Halfway down, the light died out. She rushed into the living room. "Where did you go?," she called out.
"My light."
She spun around. At the foot of the stairs stood the man she had glimpsed earlier that day. "You really are a ghost," she stated.
He chuckled. "Hardly," he replied.
She stood dumbfounded for a moment. "Well, if you're not a ghost, then what are you?"
"What I am," he said, "is not near as important as what you are."
"I'm Kagome. I'm human," she explained.
"Indeed," the being sneered. "You are far more than human."
"Look, mister. I know ghost usually need help for some reason or another. So if you tell me what it is you need, I'll see if I can help. If not then you can leave now." Kagome was mad. How dare this ghost come to her for help, and then act as if he was doing her a favor?
The man closed his eyes. He paused for a moment to calm himself. Her anger was causing her blood to pound in her veins. It was almost more than he could bare. "I told you, human Kagome," he laughed, "I am not a ghost."
She huffed. "What do you want, then?"
"You," was his reply. He said it as nonchalantly as if he were discussing the weather.
Kagome took a step back. "Me," she asked in a timid voice.
He gave her a half smile. "You are my light in the dark, Kagome."
"I'm nobody's light," she fumed. "I'm just Kagome. Also, I don't even KNOW you. So you are nothing to me, either."
He glared at the stupid girl. His eyes lighting up the darkness with a red glow. "You bitch!," he roared. "You foolish mortal bitch! You will be the light in the dark. I will take you, and place you where I wish."
Kagome wrung her hands. She wasn't going anywhere with this ghost. She was trying quickly to puzzle out everything in her mind. She just couldn't process it. She had to die to be a ghost, too. She didn't want to die. She should have just ignored him and his dumb glowing orb. Suddenly, it came to her. She smiled at herself. "I'm dreaming," she told him. "Go away. I don't believe in you. This is just a dumb dream. I'm never watching another scary movie again. So you can take yourself out of my dream."
He gave a hearty laugh at her. His long, gleaming fangs flashing in his open mouth. "This is not a dream," he roared. Suddenly, faster than she could see, he lunged for her. He grabbed her hand in a vice-like grip. His fingers as cold as ice. Bringing her fingers to his face he ripped her bandage from her finger. He fisted his hand in her hair to hold her still. He ran one of his fangs along her cut, reopening the wound and making it deeper.
Her eyes widened as she tried to wriggle out of his hold. She couldn't look away. She wanted to close her eyes so she wouldn't have to see that eerie red light shining from his sockets, but she couldn't. She trembled as she watched him lick her injury. He was lapping up all of the blood from the gash in her skin.
He abruptly dropped her hand and pulled her closer to him. The fist in her hair pulling back and down forcing Kagome to arch her neck. He sniffed her from shoulder to hairline, nipping at her ear. Blood started to blossom in small drops where his fangs nicked flesh. He gave a dark, rumbling chuckle in her ear as he began to lick the blood from her sores.
He whispered to her. "You will be one the brightest," he remarked. His hot breath causing her knees to weaken. "It won't be long now, Kagome. Soon, very soon. You will shine." He laughed. As his eyes beamed that unearthly red light into her face, his head fell back, and she stood transfixed as his fangs lengthened. He flew at her neck again.
As his supernatural teeth tore into her throat, she cried out. The pain was just too much. He pulled back, and Kagome couldn't see her blood dribbling down his chin, much the same way Souta would drool on his blocks. He gave her a fang filled, bloody smile, and she knew no more.