Hi everyone! I'll be moving out of state in less than 2 weeks, so I won't be able to update again until maybe in May. But I hope that I can continue to see everyone's support for this fanfic (who haven't done so already) during this time, and I'm also very grateful to those who already showed their support repeatedly throughout this month. So thank you again to everyone for loving this story!

Also, this arc will most likely end on chapter 11, so as you can tell, we're close.

Italics = Thoughts/Dream/Memories

"words" = Speech

Disclaimer: I do not own Jujutsu Kaisen.

Chapter 8: Her Past - The Chase (6 Years Old)

"G-go away!" Momoe's teeth chattered as the monster stood in front of her, its gaze boring into her own eyes. Sweat trickled down her forehead.

Why-

Why is it not killing me...?

Swallowing hard, her trembling foot stepped back hesitantly. And yet, there was still no movement from the monster before her. Her heart thudded violently against her ribcage with an unsettling sense of hope crawling into her.

In that case-

Her hands curled into tight fists, her fingernails digging into her skin. She then gritted her teeth and forced her feet to push off from the floor as she quickly turned her heel to run through the hallways to go upstairs.

The wooden floor beneath her remained chilly and smooth, swiping away the last of her warmth - the last reminder that she was still alive. Each creaking sound beneath her sent fear down her spine.

Is it coming?!

Barely turning her head to check behind her, she could only see the darkness - and nothing else. And that - somehow terrified her more than anything else.

Where is it?! It's not in front of me or behind me...

Don't tell me that it's still downstairs in the kitchen? But-

She soon came to a stop in front of the door to her room. Her grip on the doorknob started to shake.

I wonder why… The door never looked this big before.

And yet, why is it that I…

That I feel like I'll be consumed by this entire house…?

Shaking her head, she took in a deep breath to snap out of it.

No, stop it. Now's not the time.

After opening the door and closing it behind her, a small sigh of relief escaped from her.

Maybe it really is still in the kitchen…

But now that I think about it... I don't even know how it got into the house.

That last thread of her thoughts twisted her heart uncomfortably. Ignoring it, she finally looked around her room.

First, I need to hide - and then think about how to escape from here.

Making up her mind, she bit her bottom lip as she then took hurried steps towards the closet. After jumping in and shutting it silently, she huddled in the corner and covered herself with the clothes.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The endless chain of noise from all the clocks inside the house echoed louder than before. It only served to strangle her gasp for breath, amplifying the terror she felt.

Please don't find me…

PLEASE!

Clasping her hands together, Momoe shut her eyes tight and prayed persistently in her mind.

I just need a little bit more time… To think about what to do next.

Suddenly, the entire closet swayed a little. And then...

Creeeeaaaaaaaaaak...

The sound of the wooden floor in her room sent a cold chill down her spine. Goosebumps lingered on her exposed skin, her teeth chattered once more, and her trembling turned for the worse.

Please, please, please - stop shaking. My body!

It's going to find me… I can't. I don't want to die. I don't want to die yet!

Hot tears ran down her cheeks like a constant stream. She pulled her legs even closer to her, even wrapping her arms around them.

CRACK!

"Nm-" Momoe flinched and grabbed at her mouth desperately, her whimpers unconsciously reacting to her fear.

No, no, no, no, nononononononono-

Be quiet, Momoe! STAY SILENT FOR ONCE!

And then it happened, like sirens blaring loudly in the inner depths of her mind.

The hairs on her right arm stood up as a squeamish feeling slammed into her. Out of breath, she couldn't process what had just occurred until a heavy gaze bored into the side of her head.

Ah-

She swallowed hard, sweat trickling down her face. She began lifting her trembling arm slowly.

I-it's here.

Uncontrollable whimpers finally ripped from her throat.

I NEED TO ESCAPE!

She pushed the closet door with all of her strength and jumped out, sprinting once more. No more time for useless thoughts - all she could think about was...

The front door!

It was the only way to escape from this house. The thumping sounds echoed throughout the hallways; her vision started to warp and the darkness, her fear, reached out to grab her - to make her fall. But that pushed her even harder - to run faster.

The moment she saw the kitchen from a short distance away, a sense of relief tickled inside of her.

Almost there!

I CAN LIVE-

Her feet came to a sudden stop; her heart thudded violently against her ribcage the moment she noticed the wrinkly, green skin floating in front of her only chance of escape.

This… This can't be happening-

It must be toying with me… It must be having fun with me…

"Haa…" Momoe let out an agonized, short laugh. The strength in her legs also started to give out as she desperately grabbed onto the wall to keep standing.

Is this… the end?

NO, it can't be! There's gotta be another way to leave this place!

And then it flashed in her mind.

...My last chance.

Mustering up the last of her energy, she ran back upstairs, slammed the door open, and swung her windows open. Climbing up the windowsill, her legs shook as she looked down from the window.

If I don't jump, I'll die by the hands of that monster. But if I do jump and fail, I could end up dying from that fall.

But… but if I do jump and succeed, I… I'll have a chance to live.

Swallowing hard with her head pounding, she frantically pushed her feet off from the edge of the window - the hardest jump she ever attempted in this lifetime. Her hands already reached out for the nearby tree branch in hopes that she could make it with her measly strength.

Please!

The moment her hands finally touched the rough-textured wood, her lips widened into a huge smile, but her grip immediately loosened, due to her lack of physical power.

NO-

The shock and horror she felt tightened her throat, not allowing her to scream. And in the next second, she crash-landed right on top of the large bushes surrounding the tree.

I-It hurts!

Sharp ends of the branches scratched her arms and legs, while small droplets of blood trickled down her skin, staining her partially ripped clothes.

But still… she at least managed to survive the fall.

"Nnn…" Momoe groaned, carefully grabbing the arm she landed on. The moment she touched it, however, a searing pain shot through it, making her grit her teeth just to hold in the pain. "Did… Did I break it?"

Ugh. Now, I… I feel sick.

Dizziness swirled around her as her vision blurred.

NO! I need to focus. I need to get out of here already!

She shakily stood back up, using the bush and tree next to her. Her legs wobbled from the impact of the fall but she tried to ready herself to run once more - this time, into the black, long night.

Why does it have to be so dark today…?

With no moon in the sky to guide her, she could only rely on the dim-lit lamps from here on out.

Just the thought made her sigh in frustration as she finally stood in front of the entrance gate of her home.

I should hurry up and decide where to go next before it comes out of the house…

But the deafening silence, the overwhelming darkness, and the lacking signs of life in the houses ahead of her...

I feel like I'm going to be swallowed whole by all of that.

And yet, here she was - a tiny, helpless figure in a big, scary world.

All alone…

All alone with the monster standing behind her.

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