"And I wanna believe you, /When you tell me that it'll be ok, /Ya I try to believe you, /But I don't," Avril Lavigne Tomorrow.
Chapter 3
"Calm down please," I hear Mika yell.
"No," I scream out.
My hands grab any object they touch. I then proceed to throw the object in whatever direction. Any sort of pain is not felt at the moment. The sound of something shattering echoes and I can't help but imagine how it represents me at this moment. Everything is falling apart.
"Help me hold her still," Mika shouts out.
"Stay away," I yell.
I try to move away from out under the covers. Instead, the covers feel like they're just twisting around me. Still, I continue struggling to get out and get away. Only, I end up falling onto the floor. For a moment I stop shouting as the pain returns, but I quickly push it away when I feel hands on me.
"Let me go," I cry out.
"Calm down please," Mika says trying to sound soothing.
"We're not going to hurt you," Shiru says.
"No," I choke out, continuing the small feeble attempt of trying to escape.
Hot tears slide down my cheek realizing that I won't be able to get out of their grasp. Sobs start causing me to shake as I let out small moans of pain. Though, I know that throwing a tantrum and crying won't fix anything, it helps me feel a little better.
After a few minutes, I feel myself being lifted and place back on the bed. I don't bother struggling. The moment my body touches the bed, my hand searches for a pillow or stuff animal. Coming up with nothing, I curl into the fetus position and continue crying. I hear Mika whispering something, and then I hear footsteps leave the room.
Someone starts running their hand through my hair. They say nothing, which is fine by me. Time passes and eventually my sobbing turns into sniffles and hiccups. I stay in my position, refusing to take part of whatever will be waiting for me. However, my tantrum and crying has drained my energy. My eyes close, too heavy to stay open, and I fall into the landscape of dreams.
-Third POV-
Mika stays by the girl's side until she falls asleep. She grabs one of the pillows off the floor and places it under the girl's head. Standing up, Mika picks up the tray of food and the drink. She walks out towards the kitchen. She places the cup in the fridge to heat up and try giving it to the girl again later. As for the food, she goes out to the backyard and throws it out to let the animals eat it. She then goes to the front yard to check on Shiru. She watches her stepson with a small smile as he trains. After a few minutes she goes back inside to take care of the dishes.
"Shiru," Mika calls out, after finishing the dishes.
"Yeah Mika," Shiru replies as he runs into the cottage.
"I need you to go into town," she says making a list.
"Okay," Shiru replies with a grin, he always loves going into town.
"Here," she says with a smile handing him the list and a small pouch. "I need you to get those supplies and see if you can find a medical ninja. The pouch should contain enough to pay for everything on the list and for the medical ninja. If it isn't enough, then visit the jeweler and give him this bracelet."
Mika proceeds to take off a silver bracelet with a sapphire heart shaped charm. Shiru looks at Mika with disbelief. The bracelet was something he always seen her wearing ever since his father gave it to her. Mika gives him a small smile placing her hand on his shoulders.
"I'm not very skilled with medical jutsu," Mika says. "I can check to see what's wrong, and heal minor injuries, but anything besides that and I'm no good. We're going to need the money to pay for the extra food and for that girl to see a real medical ninja. Plus, we might have to travel to find that girl's parents."
"But you love this bracelet," Shiru says.
"That I do, but that girl needs our help more than I need this bracelet. Now go, I want you back before the sunsets. Get yourself something to eat while you're out."
"Okay," Shiru replies.
"Take care of yourself," Mika calls out as Shiru runs out of the house.
"I will," he yells back in reply.
Mika lets out a sigh and starts cleaning up around the house. Every ten minutes she would check on the girl. Around lunch time, Mika returns to the kitchen and starts cooking a small lunch and reheating the drink.
-Normal POV-
I wake up to the aroma of food. A sigh escapes between my slightly parted lips as I open my eyes. My sight hasn't change, but it looks like things are a little brighter, but not by much. I realize that there's something soft, like a pillow –probably is a pillow- under my head. I wonder how it got there but then figured it was either Mika or Shiru. So slowly, I get out of the fetus position. I bite down on my lower lip to keep myself from crying out in pain. After a few minutes, I slowly turn until I'm on my back.
I look up, though I can't really see anything, I know I'm staring at the ceiling. Sighing, I close my eyes. What is the point of having them open if I can barely see a thing? Why has this all happen to me? Did I do something wrong that I'm being punished for it? If I did, then I regret doing it and I'm sorry for whatever it is I did.
Maybe I should just put that to the side for now. They…more specifically, Mika had asked me my name. What is my name? Is it…Akamai? No absolutely not. Then is it, Rin? No, that doesn't seem right either. Is it Kinaki? Nope, that's wrong too. What could my name possibly be?
I clench my hands into the covers, squeezing my eyes tightly shut as if that will help. My name is somewhere in my mind, I just have to find it. I imagine rows upon rows of filing cabinets. In my mind I'm able to see and read what each cabinet is labeled. On the right side, the cabinets are labeled 'Unattainable at This Time.' So, I look over to the left side, which there is only one file cabinet, unlike the right side which has hundreds.
I open the cabinet on the left side and start scanning through the folders. Actually, there isn't a whole bunch of folder to scan through. There are about twenty folders. I pick up the one reading 'Important Info.' Opening the tan folder, my eyes scan over the writing. They stop at the part that says 'name.'
"Cici," I say out loud opening my eyes. Now that I'm no longer in my mind imagining, I'm back to practically no eye sight.
"Excuse me," I hear Mika. I turn in the direction of her voice.
"My name is Cici," I say with a smile happy to remember something about myself.
"I never heard that type of name before," Mika replies. "But it is a nice name. I brought you some food and the drink from before."
I don't say anything. Instead, I turn my head back in its original position. My eyes close once again as I hear Mika walk farther into the room. Is this how the rest of my life will be?
"Well Cici, I really think you should eat. Like I said before you're so skinny it's almost unhealthy. You don't have to eat everything, but please it something."
"What is it," I ask after a few minutes of silence.
"It is kurimu shitu* with some onigiri and the herbal hot tea."
I debate with myself for a few minutes. Finally, opening my eyes I say, "Okay, I'll eat a little."
"That's fine."
Biting on my lower lip, I slowly sit up. I hear Mika doing something, and then I feel arms around me helping me up. For a moment I freeze feeling the arms around me. Mika makes a soothing sound, but it takes me a moment to relax and let her help me sit up. I have no idea why I froze.
"Here," Mika says placing something in my lap.
"Thank you," I say as I look down and let my hands slowly trace what's in my lap.
I come to the conclusion that it is a tray. I see different blob shapes of colors. Slowly, I reach for what I think is the onigiri. My hand slips into a hot liquid instead. Hissing, immediately I draw my hand back and start blowing on it.
"That was the kurimu shitu," Mika says. "Are you okay?"
"That hurt," I reply. "Is there a napkin I can wipe my hands on?"
"I'll be right back."
Mika leaves the room. I continue blowing on my hands. With my other hand, I place it on the tray. I let it move across the tray letting my fingertips brush against the objects. Thinking I found the bowl, I let my fingers trace it to make sure. With a small nod I push it to the side away from the other objects.
"I'm back," Mika says walking back into the room. "Here you go."
I stop blowing on my injured hand and look in her direction. My hand reaches out slowly to where it looks like she is holding out the napkin. Instead my hand just keeps going until I can no longer stretch out my arm.
"Cici, I'm going to ask you a question."
"Okay," I reply still trying to find the napkin.
"Where am I standing?"
"Right where you're standing," I reply pointing at her rectangular blob shape.
"Can you describe to me what I look like?"
"A blue rectangle," I answer honestly.
"Is that all?"
"You're very blurry."
"Here," she replies placing something in my hands.
Realizing it's the napkin, I start wiping my hand that went into the stew. I hear Mika rummaging around in something, but I ignore her turning my attention back to the tray. Placing the napkin down next to me, I once again try reaching for the onigiri.
When my hand comes in contact with the food, I know it's exactly what I wanted on the first try. Picking it up, I hold it over my free hand and bring it to my lips. I take a bite. The moment the food touches my tongue, my stomach rumbles and I start chewing fast. Just as I'm swallowing, I go for another bite. Within a few minutes I finish the onigiri.
"Found it," Mika says out loud.
"Found what," I ask.
"A pair of my husband's glasses," she replies with a sad tone.
"Where is he?"
"In the afterlife," she replies as I hear her footsteps. "Tell me if the glasses make a difference."
With a nod, I feel the glasses place on my face. The only thing it does is make everything worse and my eyes to start hurting. Quickly, I take the glasses off and hold them out.
"They hurt," I say as I feel her taking them away. "And they make things worse."
"Have you ever worn glasses before?"
"No," I reply, the answer coming to me easily. I smile once again knowing something about myself.
"Do you remember if you ever use to see?"
"I remember I used to be able to see perfectly fine," I reply, knowing I had asked myself the same question earlier.
"Can you describe what the room looks like?"
"Not really," I reply shaking my head. "All I can see is blurry images of shapes that look like blobs and color.
"When Shiru returns with the medical ninja, they can tell you what is wrong with you."
"What is a medical ninja? I've…never heard…that term before."
"They're a doctor," she replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Okay," I reply, not liking her tone. "I'm done eating."
"Drink the tea," she says then places what feels like a cup in my hand.
I feel her remove the tray off my lap. My eyes look down at my hand as I hear her walk out. My stomach turns at the smell of the tea. Slowly, I bring it to my mouth and take a sip. Immediately, I start gagging at the bitter taste.
"It needs sugar," I say when I hear the footsteps walk back into the room.
Author's Note: I just might end every chapter at a cliffhanger. That sounds like a good idea. Like I promised, you finally learn the character's name. Cici's name means blind. Now, I named her that because I like the name. I decided she was going to end up blind before she even received the name Cici. When I got the idea that her name should be Cici, I searched the meaning and found out it meant blind. That just tells me that she was meant to be named Cici. Also, she will cross paths eventually with one of the Naruto character, just be patient.
Kurimu shitu* is a cream stew made with chicken or pork with mixed vegetables cooked in thick white roux.
Masashi Kishimoto owns any Naruto characters mention in this story. I only own Cici, Mika, Shiru and the plot. Thank you to anyone who reads this, adds this to their favorites and/or alerts, and/or reviews. Stay tuned for the next chapter. ^.^