Done PHEW, oh my god, I'M never writing a short story ever again. It was so hard to write…so…hard. Guess it wasn't my character to write something like this.
So here you go, enjoy : D.
Please pardon my grammatical, tenses and spelling (?) mistakes. I shall improve.
File 2#
Sakura no Sakura
"I see you're here again,"
John told the girl who was waiting for him. The nameless girl that he had met before was laying on the grass staring at the black sky.
"Looks like a morning spring rain would be coming soon," the girl pointed out. John looked at the sky. The beautiful weather that had lasted for 2 days seemed to have gone somewhere else.
The sky was gray, almost black, clouds looked heavy and dreary. The Sakura blossom moist from the humid air seemed to have lost its usual vibrancy. John took in a breath of the air. It was sharp filled with energy,
"Looks like a thunder storm," he told the girl, "Want to search tomorrow instead?"
"No," the girl answered, she stood up and took John's hand again. She led him down another path different from the day before. Her hands still cold, freezing cold. John did not let go.
It got darker as more clouds gathered. "Where are we going?" John asked the girl. The girl did not answer, her black hair flowing out behind her, wild from the strong winds. She pulled him further down a path. A path he wasn't farmiliar with. Soon the path reached a dead end, the girl leapt into the grass, pulling John through the Sakura trees.
The Sakura petals that have fallen on the ground flew around their feet.
"Stop," John protested, realizing that the girl was strong. She was pulling him and he could not free himself from her grip. John felt himself stumble, he cried out as he landed face first into grass that was covered in Sakura petals.
Pain gripped him and he groaned. He looked up and found that he was on the path again. He stood up fast, stunned. He could have sworn that he had been in the Sakura forest a few moments ago.
"Looking for me?" the girl's voice cried out. John turned and found the girl standing under a Sakura tree. Her eyes, a clear deep green, her mouth twisted into a sickening smile.
"Who exactly are you?" John muttered. The girl smiled, "You don't remember?" she muttered, her voice creepily soft. "Let me give you a clue." She said. She lunges forward and touches John's fore head. John winced before gasping.
The girl then started to run away, disappearing into the Sakura forest.
"Hey!" he called out, "Who are you!" he shouted.
Lightning struck and thunder roared, rain like hail came down from the skies. The fat water droplets felt like tiny bullets, they stung. John ran through the path, desperate to find the girl. Lightning flashed, thunder struck, John winced.
"What are you doing?' a farmiliar voice greeted him. He turned and found that the rain didn't sting anymore. An umbrella hung over him, a red umbrella. He turned and found Masako, wearing a dark blue kimono, her feet soaked.
"H…Hara-san," he said. He sneezed and Masako took him by his sleeves.
"Come," she told him, pulling him. They reached a public toilet, one that lay on the outskirts of the Sakura Park. Taking shelter outside the male's toilet they stood there. John begun to wring himself dry, he then glance sideways at Masako who was staring at the down pouring rain.
She turned suddenly, meeting John's gaze. John blushed and was about to turn away when Masako grabs him and pulls him close. He yelped.
"H…Hara-san?' he asked nervously.
"You smell like fox, Brown-san," Masako whispered, "A sickening rotten smell…did you encounter anything?"
John gulped, remembering the girl from before.
"N…nothing," he said. Masako gave him a suspicious glare before sitting down on a bench provided. "About the old man," she said, "I want to help him."
"Eh?" John asked, not sure if he heard wrongly. Masako blushed, "I said I want to help him…and yes, I would be helping you." She said.
John felt a warm feeling in his chest, he couldn't help but smile. The warm feeling grew when Masako turn to stare at him. For a second, John wanted to hug her.
"What are you looking at?" Masako snapped. John shook his head, blushing furiously.
"N…nothing," he said again.
The heavy downpour became a slight drizzle, the dark ominous clouds seemed to be clearing up. Masako raised the red umbrella before standing up.
"Let's search for it, Brown-san," she said. John nodded, moving under her umbrella and walking once again towards the path.
The search was fruitless of course. John went home after walking Masako to the train station.
"John, why are you so wet," his mother's warm voice greeted him from the kitchen. John sighed and took off his blouse, dropping it into the washing machine. "Quick; dry yourself; I don't want you dripping water all over the carpet." His mother nagged.
John bath and changed before sitting himself at the dining table. A nice warm meal was laid out in front of him. It was his favorite, Japanese curry with rice.
The house was quieter. His grandma wasn't here to make fun of him or his mother. It was lonely. John took a bite out of the warm curry. It soothe him, comforted him. His mother who has finished washing the dishes joined him, setting two cups of warm tea on the table.
"Everything would be alright," his mother told him. John nodded, taking another bite of his curry. There was a lump in his throat, a lump that refuses to go away. He wanted to cry, but he knew that would make his mother worry.
When he finished his curry, he suddenly remembered the girl from this afternoon. He stood up. Something about the girl was bugging her.
"I'm going to sleep, Mom," John told his mother who nodded.
John walked up the stairs but instead of going into his room, he went straight into his grandma's room. Something about the girl was farmiliar…too farmiliar.
The room his grandma had once lived in had grown lonely. The air stale. John sat on the wooden ground and opened his grandma's cupboard. There were old dresses inside her cupboard, some shirts and sweat pants. John opened a drawer and blushed.
A few women's underwear was inside. He slammed the drawer closed before moving onto another drawer. He opened it and was surprised to see a small lone diary sitting in there. The diary was old and wrinkly. Its pages fragile when John opened it.
He handled it carefully, afraid that it might break.
He read it contents and frowned. "What is this," he muttered, "Is this German?"
John closed the small diary sighing. He couldn't read the language at all. He looked into the drawer again and realized that the bottom of the drawer was loose. Intrigued he tapped the bottom of the drawer; it gave off a hollow sound.
"Eh," John whispered. He pulled the bottom out and realized that there was a secret compartment beneath the bottom of the drawer. There in that secret compartment was a small faded red box and a photo. John picked them up, then gasped, looking at the photo. The girl in the black and white photo was smiling with a young boy. "Grandma?" John whispered.
There was a sudden strong gust of wind. The windows flew opened with so much force that it slammed against the wall, shattering the glass. John yelped as he saw a large white fox floating outside the window. It was surrounded by blue fire balls. Sharp teeth gleamed in the moon light, it red eyes sharp and fierce glaring at John.
"Keekekekekeke!" it screeched, flying into the room. John cried out as the fox brushed past him, pain gripped John. His arm felt like they were burning.
Then the fox turned around the room, coming straight for him. John gasped, falling to the ground as the fox went through him. The blue fire balls engulfed him burning him up. John screamed, his insides felt like they were burning, burning in flames.
He crashed onto the ground writhing in pain, the photo and red box falling away from his hands.
The fox neared him, its teeth sharp; ready to bite when the doors flew open. He heard his mother scream, John's vision blurred and then darkness.
"I did nothing wrong," John protested. His grandma laughed, holding his hand tightly in hers. He was 6 years old, a stubborn naïve boy who knew nothing. "Well, John taking the cookie without asking permission from the shop keeper is a bad thing." She said a mischievous glint in her eyes.
John pouted, "Why is that wrong, the cookie was placed outside the shop." John muttered. His grandma brought him further down the Sakura path. He looked at his grandma's aging features, her gray hair and her green eyes.
"You were wrong John, because you took something away without asking," she said finally, bring him to a bench. They both sat down, a calm breeze blew past and his grandma stared at the Sakura blossoms. "Why is that wrong?" John asked, not understanding.
"Think about it John," his grandma spoke, "If I took your Mama and Papa away from you, would you be happy?"
John stiffened, he shook his head.
"It's the same," she said, her voice softens, "If you take something or leave somebody alone without any reason…I'm sure it would hurt somebody a lot."
John did not understand much then, but when he looked at his grandma's sad eyes, he understood that she was hurt. Something was bugging her and he wanted to do something for her. John took a hold of his grandma's hand and squeezed it.
"I would never leave you grandma!" he exclaimed.
His grandma's eyes widened and she burst out laughing, ruffling his hair with her fingers.
"You're young John, you'll learn," his grandma told him, "Promise me John, promise me never to take something away from someone…promise this and I'll tell you a secret."
"A secret?" John asked.
His grandma smiled. John nodded; his grandma whispered the words into his ear.
"My name was A-"
"Ah," Masako and Mai said together.
"Why are you here?" Masako asked the usual annoyed look on her face. Mai had a sudden urge to punch the girl but held herself.
"Here you go," Mai said, passing a file to the girl who was wearing the kimono. Masako looked pissed; she snatched the file from Mai.
"Hey, where's your thanks," Mai told the girl who waved her off.
"Why are you here instead of Naru," Masako asked Mai.
"Huh, why should he be here?" Mai retorted. Masako flinched before walking away.
"I demand a thanks!" Mai yelled at the girl, chasing after her.
"Your annoying, buzz off, I remembered asking help from Naru, not you." Masako told Mai who frowned.
"Oh so that's why he told me to do some research," Mai told Masako.
"You did this," Masako said looking at the file.
Mai smiled, seeing the girl's shocked face. "If Naru hadn't asked me to do this, I would have never brought you this piece of research." Mai said and Masako smirked.
"Ha ha, you…a person who loves to sticks her nose in other people's business, will not bring this file? I highly doubt so," Masako said.
Mai paused, her temper rising. She sighed.
"Aye, aye, I'm a busy body alright…so why do you need this information?" Mai asked.
"There you go again, sticking your nose in my business," Masako said. Mai felt the sudden urge to punch the girl. Masako flipped through the contents in the file before sighing.
"As I suspected, this is turning into a bigger pain in the ass then I thought it would be," she muttered.
'What is?" Mai asked.
"Nothing," Masako said, "Now get lost."
Mai felt anger surging through her veins. She took a hold of Masako's shoulder and gripped it hard. "I won't leave until I hear you say thank you." She said.
"Why should I," Masako muttered.
"Because I feel the need to teach you some manners," Mai muttered.
Masako's eye brows twitched and she turned around, pushing the file into Mai's hand. A sweet fake smile on her face, she bowed; like a servant bowing to an emperor, lowering her head to the ground. "Thank you oh sweet master for everything that you have done for me," she said loudly. 'I am greatly indebted to you, would you like me to wash your back tonight master!"
"N…NO!" Mai shouted.
"Ara, why not? I know master cannot wash her own back by herself, so why not allow me to do so!"
The people on the crowded streets had stopped to stare at the commotion. A few school girls whom walked passed started to chortle. Mai turned a bright shade of red, embarrassed.
"W…what are you doing!" she exclaimed. Masako stood up, dusting her kimono, the fake smile filled with menace still on her face.
"Showing you manners," Masako said before walking away. Mai gripped the file tightly in her hands. "MASAKOOO!" she shouted, chasing after the girl.
Both girls went into a café where they sat down. The café was a small one, usually crowded during the weekend; it was empty today because it was a Tuesday. The waiter took their orders and left the girls alone.
Masako would have wanted Naru to be here instead of Mai, but since the girl was here, Masako couldn't complain.
"Open the file again, Mai," Masako commanded. The red head snorted and opened the file to the first page. There on the front page was John's family tree.
"Why are we looking up John's family tree anyway?" Mai said. Masako ignored the girl. She looked at the names.
John family tree was short. It had only three generations; the oldest generation was that of his grandma and grandpa.
"John Brown," Masako whispered, tracing upwards she found John's mother. "Kelly Brown…she's the oldest of her siblings," Mai muttered beside Masako.
"Hmm," Masako said. She looked up and found herself staring at Kelly Brown's mother.
"Mary Brown?" she said. Mai nodded, sipping her coffee. "And that's the funny bit…when I first saw the name, something felt off." Mai told Masako.
Masako glanced at Mai. "You felt it too?" she asked Mai and Mai nodded.
"Somehow the name felt fake, so I dug deeper and I found that Mary Brown actually changed her name."
"Huh?" Masako asked. Mai flipped the page and Masako found herself looking at an official document. "Naru helped me with that," Mai said, she pointed at the name circled in red.
"Mary's name used to be Anna," Mai spoke, Masako's blood running cold, "Anna Redwood."
Masako stood up suddenly, causing Mai to spill her coffee on herself. "Hey what's your problem?" Mai shouted at Masako.
Masako took the file and stuffed it in her hand bag.
"Masako?" Mai asked. Masako turned.
There was only one place to go now.
John's grandma bore Timothy Brown's child…she was pregnant with his child…the child was John's mother. She ran away because of the war. She didn't want her child to be born in a war so filled with chaos so she ran. Ran and then married another man…however she couldn't forget Timothy so she came back to Japan…where she and her new husband settled and started a family.
"What is this, a romance movie," Masako shouted, frustration sinking in.
John's grandpa is alive…his name is Timothy Brown and he is dying of lung cancer.
If there was anything Masako could do for the old man…it was this.
Her hand phone rang; Masako picked it up in annoyance.
"What that old fart ran away from the hospital!" Masako shouted into the phone. The nurse at the other end stammered a response. "The police are looking for him…he doesn't have any family members…so we were wondering if you knew where he is?"
"Call off the search," Masako said, "I know where that old fart is."
"Oh…ok, it would be best if you brought him back to the hospital, his very weak," the nurse told Masako.
Masako sighed, putting down the phone when it rang again.
"Hello," she said. "Naru?"
Naru's voice came in clear and sharp from the other end. "John's house has been broken into, his mother is distraught…she mentioned a flying white fox."
"Eh?" Masako whispered.
"John is missing."
"Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
On Meadow-hills and mountains
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom."
John woke, the sweet sad farmiliar melody drifting in the winds. He winced as pain gripped him.
"Your awake," a sweet voice greeted him. He gasped, sitting up, finding himself amidst a thousand Sakura trees in full blossom. They surrounded him and the girl who stood in front. The girl with the black long hair, pale skin and bright green eyes.
"You," John whispered before crying out in pain. The girl smiled. "Oh sweet boy," she said, "Can't you remember your own grandma's face?"
His eyes widened, remembering the black and white photo he had found in his grandma's drawer. "Grandma?" he whispered.
The girl smiled, walking closer towards him. "Yes, John," she said, her voice becoming gentle. "I'm your grandma."
"Don't you remember the song I've just sung…the sweet sad song?" she said. John nodded. The girl touches his face, a warm and gentle hand.
"Why do you sing it grandma?" John asked the girl.
"Do you want to know, John?" the girl asked. John nodded.
"Come, John," she whispered. John reached out about to fall into the girl's grasps.
"STOP!" a voice shouted. Something bumped into John hard. He fell onto the ground and groaned. He looked up and to his horror found a giant white fox floating above him. The fox had 9 tails and its jagged sharp teeth were jutting out from its mouth.
Blue fire balls surrounded it, its red eyes was filled with menace and anger.
John turned and found the old man on top of him.
"Mr Brown!" John shouted.
The old man was panting, breathing faintly. "Go boy, get out of here!' the old man shouted, "Don't sell your soul to this devil!"
The fox begun to morph again, its features turning to that of his grandma when she was a young girl. The old man's eyes widened.
"Anna!" the old man screamed. John gasped. "Anna!" the old man screamed again reaching out to the girl.
John picked the old man up and ran. "That's a fox demon, Mr Brown!" he shouted. "A kitsune!"
"No that was Anna!" the old man shouted. "That was Anna!"
John's heart was racing.
What did he mean…why was his grandma Anna. John gasped, looking at the old man who he was pulling.
"Promise me John, promise me never to take something away from someone…promise this and I'll tell you a secret."
"A secret?" John asked.
His grandma smiled. John nodded; his grandma whispered the words into his ear.
"My name was A-"
"Anna," John whispered.
He tripped and fell to the ground gasping. The Sakura blossoms around him rustled. The old man fell on top of him. The fox demon above him.
"I shall devour you now!" the fox demon screamed. It came down fast, the blue fires rushing towards him and the old man.
John pushed the old man aside, turned around and held up a cross.
"In the name of Jesus, disappear!" he shouted.
The fox demon screamed as the blue flame turned against it. It collapsed on the ground, trying to push its blue flame away. John ran towards it, about to destroy it when it lashed out. Its sharp claws slashing John's hand. John cried out crashing onto the ground, his blood staining the Sakura petals on the ground red.
The fox appeared above him, its red eyes cursing him to die. Its mouth wide open exposing the million rows of sharp teeth. It lunges forward, John closed his eyes.
"ANNA!" the old man shouted.
"John…" a voice whispered. John opened his eyes and found the fox struggling. It couldn't proceed forward and it seemed to be fighting with something. The fox turned small, transforming into a girl again. Turning into his grandma.
"Kill me now John," the girl whispered.
John stunned couldn't move.
"Kill me!" the girl shouted.
"Grandma…" John whispered.
The girl disappeared and the fox reappeared. "DIE!" it screamed its teeth about to bite into John when a bright blue light exploded around them.
"Despicable!" a voice that sounded like Masako shouted. The girl wearing a deep blue kimono came towards them. She had paper like charms stuck in her hands. The fox turned its attention to Masako. "Possessing a human's love one to lure them into their deaths…you devouring fox demon!" Masako shouted, throwing a charm. "How dare you possess John's grandma!"
Another blue light exploded and John winced.
The fox demon screamed, lunging towards Masako. John took this chance; he stood up and raised his hand.
"In the name of Jesus, return to where you came from demon, Amen!" he shouted.
The fox demon screamed, it disintegrated and turned into a gray dust. Masako stomped on the gray dust and it scattered. John panted, sinking to his knees. Masako ran towards him. "Are you alright!" she shouted.
"Never mind me…Mr Brown…" John said.
The both of them walked towards the old man who was lying on the ground, breathing in deep ragged breaths.
"What are you doing out here, old man!" Masako scolded the old man who smiled. He grabs a hold of Masako's hand. "Anna," he whispered.
"His delusional," Masako muttered.
The Sakura blossoms rustled, lighted up by the bright lamp lights, bring pink blossoms. It contrasted with the dark starry night sky. A beautiful scene.
John shook his head, a small smile fitting into his lips. Masako fell limp suddenly and she begun to glow. "Grandma," he whispered, looking at Masako who is possessed.
"Anna, your back," the old man whispered. "To the place with first met."
Masako, who was now Anna, smiled. She opened her hands and produced a red box. The box that John had found in his grandma's drawer.
"I wanted to give this to you," she muttered to the old man. "I bought it years ago."
She opened it and in it was a ring. Tears rolled down the old man's face. Anna gripped on hard to the old man's hand.
"Timothy," she whispered.
"What is the title of the song you were singing just now?" Timothy asked the girl named Anna. Anna laughs, placing the hat on her red brown chestnut hair. Her green eyes staring back at Timothy.
"A song I learnt from a woman who lived just opposite me," she said.
"Eh," Timothy whispered.
"Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
On Meadow-hills and mountains
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom."
The girl sang and Timothy felt goose bumps rising at the back of his neck. The Sakura blossoms rustled and pink petals started to fall.
"You cannot see it," Anna continued, "You cannot touch it, hidden from view, hidden away; is it in the mist or clouds? Fragrant and sweet, it can only be felt."
"What does that mean?" Timothy asked the girl.
Anna smiled, placing a finger on her lips. "It's a secret."
"Anna, I understand," the old man whispered. Masako possessed by Anna, smiled.
John reached out and lifted the old man. "Mr Brown, it's time to head back."
"No," the old man whispered, "My time is up, please leave me here."
Sadness took a hold of John's heart and he laid the old man back on the ground. He took a hold of Anna's hands and smiled. "I'll be joining you soon, Anna," he whispered.
He then turned to John.
"Thanks a lot, young man," the old man told him.
"No problem," John whispered, "Grandpa."
"So you didn't tell your mother," Masako asked John. John shook his head and Masako raised the kimono sleeves to her nose.
"Your pretty sensitive guys aren't you," she said. John smiled nervously. They were standing outside the crematorium, watching the black smoke rising from the tall chimney.
"My mom does not need to know…after all, she was raised by Richard, my grandpa…she doesn't need to know about this." He told Masako who sighed when she saw John tear. He was crying.
Masako raised her hand and awkwardly patted his back. "If it hurts too much, just let it out," she said. John let his tears flow freely.
"They're in a better place now," he said.
"Yup," Masako said, before taking a hold of John's long white sleeves. "Come," she said.
"Where are we going?" he asked her.
"To see the Sakura blossoms, what else?"
John smiled and wiped his tears away. "Ok," he whispered.
The pink Noh mask which you took the candle from, was leaking tears. You took a hold of it and wiped its tears away, before holding up the candle.
"This story ends here," you whispered, and blew out the candle. The pink Noh mask fell to the ground.
Darkness covered the room.
"It's my turn now," a voice whispered from within the darkness. The darkness disappeared as a black Noh mask appeared carrying another white candle. You smiled, as it set its candle in front of you.
"Tell us," it whispered, "The next story."
And file 2 is done…let's move on to file 3 shall we XD can't wait to post the first chapter of file 3.
The supernatural being for file 2 is called a Kitsune, also known as a fox demon. Although in this story it's shown to be a devourer, it's actually more of a seductresses. You can look up about the kitsune on Wikipedia.
The song that John's grandma sing, is a old folk song created in the Edo era by god knows who. Check out the full lyrics in Wikipedia. Also if you want know what it sounds like go to YouTube and type in, Sakura Japanese Folk Song 1.
It is a nice, melodic sad piece. This story was inspired by it.
And yep, to all Masako X John fans, there would be more coming up, but next story would focus back on Naru and Mai. More horror, more mystery, I can't wait to write it : D