Nowhere

I'm back in school...school doesn't deserve to have the word 'cool' in it.

Chapter Thirty Seven

I walked into the bedroom feeling numb. Why was it that when I finally began to get the slightest notion that I was beginning to understand what was going on, something completely unexpected happened? Like a witch showing up out of thin air or Monta turning out be half animal. I shook my head in amazement, some week this was turning out to be.

Some part of me was completely panicking like it was supposed to, but through some untapped strength of will I managed to keep it from bubbling to the surface. Or maybe it was just a short circuit in my brain that couldn't work right and was the real reason to why Hiruma couldn't read my thoughts.

I shivered, shedding off Juumonji's jacket in what felt like the first time in days even though it was more like hours. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I tore off my shoes along with my socks. When had the room gotten so cold? It was only seven, not really an appropriate hour for sleeping.

However, I couldn't really think of anything better to do, any work I had to do was already done and I was feeling too cold to head down to the library. Not bothering to pick up my pants when they hit the ground, I sank back down onto the bed.

Crawling under the heavy covers that I had just decided to start using, I basked in the complete silence for a moment. I really wasn't tired and kept shifting around, desperate for something to do.

Irritated at my own impatience I sat up and reached for my journal, my brain on autopilot. Curiously I flipped to the back, anticipating seeing the neat feminine writing. I flipped through the book once, and when I didn't find anything I checked each page.

I groaned, finding nothing and shutting the book. Why was I going this far just to creep myself out? I should just forget the book altogether. If Nurse Oka was really an 'ex-queen' witch then it's possible that the book had something mysterious hidden behind it, right? Or am I just being paranoid?

I sighed as I traced the far corner of the book with my finger, keeping my eyes closed. 'Maybe I'm just over-reacting,' I thought. Feeling oddly calmer, I was about to open the book again when the door burst open.

Startled, I dropped the book and shot up in bed, a look of frustration washing over me for a moment. I blinked, shocked by its intensity. Monta didn't seemed to notice the anger as it flickered across my face.

Trying to shake the remaining chills that were running down my spine and landing with cold thuds into my stomach, I met Monta's eyes and raised an eyebrow. His face was blissful, his expression not even shifting when he tripped over the corner of the rug and almost face-planted on the floor.

Instead he did a cartwheel of sorts, landing with amazing grace on his bed. Noticing me he smiled, his eyes out of focus as they stared at something beyond the stone wall. "Hey Sena," he said casually, cradling his chin between his index finger and thumb with a thin smile.

"Yes?" I replied, my voice more snappish than I would've expected. Monta, however, didn't notice. I was getting the impression that I could sink through the solid wall behind my bed and Monta still wouldn't notice.

"Was it just me, or did Miss Mamori seem really, really amazing?" He asked.

I sighed, surprised at how suddenly weary I was. In the background Monta continued to prattle on while he prepared for bed. In my head I could feel a slight pressure right above my left temple.

'Why am I so tired?' I wondered as I slouched back down in bed. It didn't really make sense - one second I couldn't keep still, but now I was… so… In some far corner of my mind, I realized Monta had stopped talking.

Something sharp jabbed my leg as I attempted to turn over. Sluggishly, I realized it was just the book. I bent down to pick it up and…

'Now I know I shouldn't be doing this, Mother would clearly disapprove,' I thought, gently rubbing the rough material between my thumb and index finger, slipping my palm under the cool denim. I quickly pushed the thought away, Mother wasn't here and there wasn't any reason to fret over what she would and wouldn't approve of.

The other girls didn't even like me as it was. Compared to their strong independent natures I was a bothersome nuisance. Not that I blamed them for thinking so, it was completely understandable. After all, I was completely dense when it came to anything beyond how a girl should act.

Or at least what I was taught how a girl should act: proper, polite, never speaking out. But among these girls, anything that was considered stereotypical was instantly detested. Some of the girls don't even shave!

Now more than ever I wish Juri was here, I am so sure that she would be able to keep one foot in the tough feminist girls' world and another where I stood. The more I thought about it, Juri would do better here than me. Even though she grew up the same as me, I could see her being able to deal with all the hard labor we are put through.

To me it almost feels as if I left one nightmare just to fall into another one. The private school my father promised turned out to be only a disappointment. At first I was stunned to realize that he had lied to me, but now when I think back I can't think of a time where I'm certain that he had told the truth.

There are boys working here too. Some could even be considered men, with muscles that are almost frighteningly large. Despite how Juri always chided me on being modest, even I realize the other reason the tough girls are so harsh towards me. And surprisingly enough, this time it's not my fault. Well, it is, but not as much as me simply being raised differently.

The boys will sometimes help me with my portion of work, since I'm so much slower than the rest. One of them - whose name I could never ask, any unnecessary talking is forbidden - has helped me to the point where without him I probably wouldn't be alive at the moment.

But I can't blame them for my weakness, so in the end I guess I've earned all the hostility I am receiving. The pair of jeans slipped off the cot onto the floor and I quickly bend down to pick them up, my face a deep red.

I hadn't noticed that someone had entered the room while I had been busy thinking. I turned to face her, expecting cruel words. Instead she snorts and rolls her eyes, carefully throwing a look around. Suddenly I was nervous, she entered the room as one expected a lioness would enter its own domain with a powerful air.

The lioness was not alone in her walk. Her eyes were sharp and even though her shoulders were narrow, they were taut and obviously muscled. Her hair was loose from the tight bun all the girls were instructed to wear and fell around her face like coils of deep copper.

"You can have them if you want," she said with an almost challenging smirk.

I blinked, realizing I was still holding onto the pair of jeans. "Oh, no! I couldn't! They would be too big for me anyway…" I clasped my hands over my mouth, shocked at myself. Had I really just said that? How stupid could I get? How many idiot mistakes would I make before it led to an early death? I swallowed in surprise at my own grimness, but it wasn't like any of the girls had shown mercy before. I had the bruises to prove it.

Instead of lashing out at me the girl simply shrugged, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. I wasn't sure if she was amused or was simply waiting to strike out. "You are so jumpy," she said, stretching her arms up and hiding her face from me. "And timid, just like a mouse," she added as she dropped her arms, chuckling when I jumped back. I nodded, wishing desperately that she'd leave or that I could have the courage to walk out myself. "Do you have a name, mouse?" She jeered, smiling clearly for the first time.

Her teeth were yellow and uneven, her canine teeth pushed in front of her other teeth from the lack of space in her mouth. I reached up and traced over my lips imagining the straight clean teeth I had.

I stuttered something and almost choked, I haven't spoken loud out in months. "Fine then," the girl said, her eyes locked on the pair of jeans. "You'll just be Mouse then, names are overrated anyway." She paused.

Feeling a mixture of fear and confusion I slowly nodded, gripping tighter onto the jeans I was still holding, clutching them like a child would a stuffed animal when frightened in the night.

"Well, since you asked, I'm Liraz, and I pretty much lived here my whole life." She crossed her arms.

"O-oh," I said searching my brain for something, anything, to say. Coming up empty I held out the jeans like a peace offering. "I-I'm sorry I took these without asking, it's just that they were already out and…" my voice drifted off. Liraz – what an odd name – was already sauntering out of the room, not even turning as I spoke.

"Rule number one, Mouse," she said stuffing both of her hands in the pockets of her worn pair of denim jeans. "Never apologize for something you already did." She walked out of the room, leaving me with the pair of pants and her cryptic message.

I wasn't quite sure when I woke up. For a good couple of minutes I stayed in an awkward limbo, not quite awake nor sleeping. When I did finally sit up and look around, I was seriously confused. I wasn't my dorm room. I wasn't even in Deimon.

I wasn't even indoors.

Above me was a thick canopy of deep green trees and all around me was forest growth, complete with a small brook bouncing down into a deeper part of the woods away from where I sat. I wasn't scared yet, just sort of confused and a little too frozen for too much emotion. Seriously, I was freezing. I was still wearing what I had worn to bed - a button-down shirt and boxers - and it was icy cold. Had I mentioned that yet?

I coughed and rubbed the remaining sleep from my eyes, part of me didn't want to fully wake up yet and for good reason. I would surely freak out and probably do something idiotic, like trip and break my neck. No, staying frozen and confused would be a lot better.

That didn't last long though, and my mind quickly started to overload as more and more questions arose. 'How had I gotten here?' was the most pressing one, every other mindless thought didn't last as long. There was no way I could sleepwalk down that marble staircase. And wouldn't someone, like Hiruma, have stopped me?

I entertained the notion that I was really still asleep and had fallen off the bed or something like that. But the pins and needles crawling up my legs proved otherwise. Feeling slightly nauseous, I jumped up and instantly moaned. Everything was stiff, my legs, arms, feet, neck, stomach, everything hurt. A lot.

I had woken up hunched in a tight circle, unconsciously preserving as much heat as I could. Standing up felt like getting dunked in arctic cold water. I took an uncertain step forward and winced as leaves and sharp twigs crunched under my bare feet.

I lived my whole life in a city. I don't even think before now I even walked barefoot on grass before, which wasn't great news for my soft unprotected feet. But then how could I sleepwalk all the way out here? I closed my eyes and pushed the thought away, I had to focus on the current moment or I wouldn't last too long.

At that moment I tripped over something, there was so much nature around me it was almost expected. For a moment I almost managed to keep balance myself out, but then in a split second I felt something cold wash through me. I had managed to fall into the small brook.

Sputtering, I jumped up. Only my arm had seriously gotten wet, but it was enough to clearly wake me up. I gasped, feeling an almost burning sensation biting at the back of my arm. It was in a blind spot, but I could tell what had happened.

Deep, clean red trickled down my arm and dripped onto the dirt below. I choked on a scream and stumbled away from the water. My arm was still stinging, but it wasn't as bad as the amount of blood on my arm indicated. Curiously I wiped the blood away. Was it possible I wasn't bleeding anymore?

My heart started to calm down and I carefully took a step forward again. Something wet landed on my forehead. Slowly I raised my hand and wiped at it, my fingers came away dark red. Above me someone groaned.