Chapter 6

(Amineko's P.O.V.)


My monstrous buck-teeth aimed for Margaret's arm. I'd teach the damn woman to respect her child. No one hurts their children like that, especially not Carrie-chan. Margaret squirmed and screamed, but it only made my anger grow. I felt the flesh of Margaret's arm in my jaws, and I prepared to bite...

"Wait! Stop!"

I froze. I felt Carrie's hands grip my arm, pulling away at me.

"Please, let her go!" Carrie begged. "She's ill! She doesn't know what she's doing!"

I paused, now unsure of what to do. I hadn't known the woman was ill...but she struck her daughter for no reason, something I couldn't forgive easily. My eyes fell on the younger girl. My anger began to fade as I looked at her...into her soft, brown, eyes...I purred softly at her, growing happy. Carrie swallowed and spoke again.

"A-Amineko...please...let her go..."

A low grumble escaped my lips. Reluctantly, I lowered Margaret onto the ground, and let her go. My anger finally died down. I began shrinking in size, my human traits reappearing. I sighed, feeling quite weak. Anger took a lot out of me. Wearily, I watched Margaret. The woman stared up at me in terror, and got to her feet, running out of the room. I then cringed. How would Carrie react to what I did? Slowly I looked back at her. She looked up at me, breathing softly. Her eyes were filled with fear.

"Carrie-chan," I began. "I'm sorry...I just got angry...I...I wasn't going to kill her or anything like that...I promise you."

Carrie looked at the ground.

"I'm not sure I believe you," she whispered. "You looked so mad. You had to have wanted to kill her."

"Well, you're right about me being angry," I admitted. "But, I wouldn't kill her. I haven't the heart to do that."

I reached for her, my hand brushing her cheek. But she backed away, a slight whimper escaping her lips. I bit my lip.

"I must've scared you pretty bad...please, forgive me," I said meekly. "I don't know what happened...I just got angry, and, well, I turned into that."

"It's not that, although I was pretty scared," Carrie replied, her hand touching her cheek. "It's just...my cheek still hurts from before."

I let out a gentle sigh, and grasped her hand. I pulled her a bit closer, and kissed her bruised cheek tenderly.

"I'll get you some ice."

"No, I'll get it," Carrie said, blushing. "Mama's probably on her way to get a Bible for an exorcism. You should leave before she embarrasses herself. But, despite what just happened, today was quite nice...spending time with you..."

I beamed at her kindly.

"I feel the same way, Carrie-chan. I'll be going, then."

"Bye," Carrie said.

I made my leave quickly. As I headed for the cemetery, I let out a sigh of relief. I was terrified Carrie would reject me. I berated myself.

"Baka!" I thought angrily to myself. "How could you have been so stupid!? You need to control your anger better."

I let out another sigh, this time, a sad one. It would be easier said than done...


I didn't go to see Carrie on Monday. Not that I didn't like her or anything, which I did, but I didn't want to scare her again. I was afraid Chris or some other person would fight us, and I'd lose my temper. I didn't want to go too far and kill anyone. I wasn't a murderer; I had no need to kill. I didn't want that image to be stained due to my own recklessness. Carrie tried to call for me during the school day, and something made me almost go to her. Almost. But every time I heard her soft voice asking for me to reply, I longed more and more to be by her side. Still, I stayed away...for her sake.

The day dragged on, slowly. I hadn't much to do. I wandered the streets, not saying much to anyone. I pasted a day care, and found myself gazing into a window. Young children were inside, playing with toys and reading picture books. I smiled, and my hand slowly touched my belly. How I longed for one of my own...

One of the children, a little boy, waddled his way to a pair of girls. With a smug grin, the boy snatched one of the dolls that the girls were playing with, causing the girls to cry. I frowned. Without thinking, I went through the wall and made a beeline for the boy. I took the doll back and returned it to the girls.

"No," I told him firmly. "It is not nice to take things from others. Say that you are sorry."

"Make me!" the boy snapped. I was taken aback.

"Excuse me?" I said, dumbfounded.

"I said, make me!" the boy repeated.

I stared down at the boy angrily. Suddenly I took his arm roughly, and stared him in the eyes.

"Boy, you will respect me," I said in a low voice. "And if you don't, I'll whack you." I raised my other hand threateningly. "You don't want that, now do you?"

The boy stared at me fearfully.

"N-no..."

"Then say that you are sorry, or you will be punished."

"I'm sorry!" the boy squealed, before he burst into tears.

I hugged the boy, tenderly stroking his head. He gripped my kimono and hugged me back.

"It's ok, sweetie," I cooed. "You are still young. You have lots to learn. Now, I want you to be nice to the other children, ok?"

The boy looked up at me, his eyes shimmering. He nodded with a whimper. I gave him a kind smile.

"Good boy."

"Ma'am?" a woman's voice caught my attention. "How did you get in here?"

I turned to see a woman staring down at me, most likely the caretaker of the children. I swallowed hard.

"I'm calling the police!" she threatened.

I jumped up in surprise, and rushed out of the nursery, not caring if the woman saw me phasing through the wall.


"Forgive me for not replying to you today," I said to Carrie as I repeatedly bowed in front of her.

I ran into the girl as she was walking home from school, and I frantically apologized to her to atone for my sin. The girl looked at me, surprised. But then, she gave me a bashful smile.

"It's ok, Amineko," she told me. "Today was...actually ok. Chris didn't bother me at all, and people actually left me alone for once. They must've been afraid you were near."

"I still feel guilty," I said, looking at her sadly. "But...if you say you're fine...then, ok..."

"You worry about me too much, Amineko."

A smile replaced my frown.

"We're friends, Carrie-chan," I told her. "I have to worry about you."

"I appreciate you concern, Amineko," Carrie told me. "Just try not to go crazy, ok? That's all I ask."

"I'll try, Carrie-chan. You run along home, now. Your mother wouldn't want you being home late. Not after what happened. She'll probably go crazy."

Carrie nodded. She began walking away. I watched her go sadly. But then she paused, and looked at me with a puzzled glance.

"Amineko? You coming? We've been walking together for a while now. No reason to stop now, right?"

I stared at her, unsure of what to do, say, or think for a moment. But then, I smiled, and went to her. I grabbed her hand, beaming at her, and walked off with her. Yes, this felt right, being by her side...

I'll never leave her again.