This is the second chapter to this story of mine. Yes, I really do think I
exaggerated too much on how old Yamato was... but then who knows how long
people were on earth. The age gap is kind of weird isn't it? But age does
not matter in love... right? This 'might' turn dark.. Depending on how you
view 'dark' as.. Like in blood, death or something? I'm still improving on
my writing skills; so don't be surprised if it sucks. Thanks for all the
reviews!
Digimon does not belong to me it belongs to Toei? Is that right? I don't know..
~*~*~*~
13th birthday
A bird perched up high on a branch, chirped happily whistling to a tune that peacefully hung in the air. The morning mist died down as the sun rose high in its position in the sky, for another day had come to greet the sleeping town. With a swift motion, the bird glided down towards a windowsill and tapped against the glass, trying to wake the occupant of the room on the other side of the window.
The sun's light peeked through the curtains onto a pair of unwelcoming closed eyes. The person moaned, tossing and turning on the bed in frustration until finally reaching the edge of the mattress and evidently falling off. The figure on the ground groaned as sleep found him once again with his blankets tangled and intertwined between his legs in a clumsy manner. He would of drifted right away to sleep, if a pair or red ruby eyes weren't staring right back at him...
The brown haired boy jumped up in surprise letting out a somewhat girly startled scream. With his foot tangled up with the blankets, he tripped and found himself back on the floor sitting on his bottom, and staring at the girl who had an impatient expression drawn all over her face. Taking a few seconds to recover from the shock he studied the girl in her skimpy nightgown, and inwardly slapped himself before he went down any further or his thoughts going far beyond his control.
"Sora? W-what are you doing here?"
"Where's my present Tai." She said in a stern voice, her red eyes burning his chocolate brown ones. You can just tell she was sitting and staring at him for a long time by the tired look she had.
"You're not supposed to be in here." He said nervously, untangling himself from his blanket and grabbing her wrist and running towards the door before her father, the high priest finds her here. He couldn't imagine what sort of punishment he'll get from the strict, serious and kind priest that can probably banish a man to hell if he sees his innocent little angelic daughter touched by filthy hands of a man. Or woman.
The stubborn red head angrily broke from his grasp and confronted her best friend with a frown plastered on her face. The brunette boy took a step backwards and gulped; his tanned complexion seemed to turn a few shades paler. Sora noticed but she brushed it off the back of her mind and got her severe face on, staring the panicky boy down until he seemed to want to jump under his covers and hide; not from her though. Didn't he know today was her 13th birthday?
"Well? Where is it?" She demanded in a tone of voice he really did not like. It was loud; too loud.
A soft knocking sound came from the oak doors and the two turned to look at the door.
"Tai? What's going on? Who's in there?" A faint voice outside the door asked curiously.
Taichi cursed under his breath, he should of known that someone would hear her, after all, who wouldn't when the girl before him is practically screaming at him. What was she doing in his room anyway? Forgetting about that for the moment, he went to his panicked state and looked around his room to see if he could find this irritated best friend of his a hiding spot. Noticing his large closet with a large amount of space in it out in the open, he started to push her towards it, but she was unwilling to go in.
"Taichi what are you doing?" She asked in an angry tone of voice.
The doorknob started to turn and Taichi panicked even more. Without thinking, he shoved the puzzled girl in his closet and shut it tightly; leaning against it he only hoped she would be quiet and keep her mouth shut. He sighed when the door opened only to reveal a little chaste brunette standing at the doorway. His little sister questionably blinked at her older brother, with a suspicious look on her face.
"Yes Hikari? Is there something you want?" Taichi asked trying to sound annoyed so she can leave as quickly as possible.
"I thought I heard noises..." Her words drifted off as she examined her elder brother's room, but found nothing out of the ordinary, for him that is.
"Noises? What noises? I was just uh... practicing my vocal cords. You know how sore they are in the morning. Can't sing without them, haha?" Taichi said, clearing his throat in an example then approached his sister and gently pushed the confused girl outside and slammed his door shut.
Hikari stood outside of the door standing in bewilderment. "Taichi you sing?"
Locking his door for no more interruptions, he walked towards the closet, ready to scold his friend. He gripped onto the knob and thought of something to say when he opened the large white closet doors, yes, his friend would get quite a speech from him. He flung open his closet door in a quick motion putting his angry face on. His expression changed when he saw what she did to his closet and his clothes in it. Sora stood tall and mad with her arms crossed in an angry pout, while behind her was piles of clothes and messes caused by her.
"What did you do to my closet?!" Taichi yelled, which made Sora wince at his loud voice.
"I was looking for my present that's what." She answered him.
Taichi stared at her for and second, his face turning red and before Sora knew it, she was outside of his room.
"Oh I get it now, it's a surprise isn't it?" She asked, but when nobody answered she grumbled and walked off in annoyance.
"Stupid Tai."
Walking down the corridors of the large manor with stunning paintings of sceneries and people hung upon the walls with colors that beautifully lit up the lifeless drawings. The red haired girl smiled, but she never felt very comfortable walking down these hallways with the paintings. It always reminded her of the artist, her mother. Walking up to the last painting her mother had ever finished, her expression turned solemn. Tracing her soft hands over the smooth canvas, her fingers landed on the signed signature of the painting of the bottom right hand corner. Her mother had finished this ominous work of art two days before she had died.
It was dead scenery, a dark landscape with lifeless, black coal trees painted along the side and front. A blood red sky with a hint of orange covered the gloomy background behind the giant mountains. A contaminated lake was drawn in the center of the piece that was probably there to draw people's attention only towards the body of water. The land was dead, the sky was dead, and the painting was dead. It looked so sinister, what could her mother have been thinking when she painted this?
Turning around, as for she couldn't bear to see the painting no more, she bumped into a figure in front of her. She looked up and saw a tall slender pale woman smile at her. As much as she liked smiles, Sora did not like the sympathetic and hateful face she had given the young girl. Sora curtsied slightly and walked away, but then the woman spoke and Sora dreaded hearing the sharp voice coming from the woman's red lips.
"Your mother was so beautiful Sora."
Sora froze dead in her tracks without uttering a word as an uncomfortable silence hung tensely among the two. She did not like people talking about her deceased mother, especially to her. What was the past was the past and she really wanted to move on, but her aunt would just drag her back to the unforgettable past. Blaming Sora on everything that could be directed to her mother's sudden sickness, then death.
"I'd like you to please refrain talking about my mother to me. Please auntie. I do not wish to hear about it." Sora said in a dead tone that echoed down the hollow hallway, finally breaking the hushed silence.
She turned around on her heel and faced her aunt dressed all in black and white; the expression on her face was an uneasy one. Her long red hair fell over her left side of her young yet pastel face, her eyes held caution buried within her burgundy gaze. She brought her arms up and wrapped them around each other, exposing her long, sharp, blood red nails. 'Witch'; was the first thought that came into Sora's conscious mind.
Forcing on one of her fake smiles on, which Sora did more than often, she spoke again. "Cheer up. It's a joyous occasion today! It's my birthday!" Sora shouted out in fake enthusiasm, trying to sound cheerful but the woman's face still did not change from the detestable look.
"Your mother died on your birthday."
Sora expression changed immediately as those words came out from that wretched woman's mouth. She stayed quiet; there was nothing else she can say without her aunt making it even more depressing. Her aunt did not like her at all. She once had told the whole church about two weeks after the death of Sora's mother that, satin, should have took Sora instead. Luckily, her father got her off the platform before she continued. True, her mother was so beautiful and perfect. She was always so cheerful and respected others, and told Sora to live life to her fullest; everyone admired the young woman. Her relatives; especially her grandparents had always wanted Sora to fill her dead mother's shoes. Her mother was from a rich family and was also disobedient and ran away from home to be with her father, but now that her mother had passed away, her grandparents taunted the young girl in place of her mother whom they did not get to punish.
Her aunt did not like her father either. Her mother could of married a rich ambassador instead of a priest. Her mother had run off and married her father instead and lived a happy and fulfilled life.
At least, that's what Sora believed.
"She was never happy. Did you know that Sora? Your mother was living only in her dreams and through her mind." Her aunt informed the shocked girl in front of her. Sora gasped and looked straight at her aunt as a confused look etched upon her soft features. Taking the advantage of Sora's low self- esteem in her mother, her aunt placed one hand on her waist and continued telling her niece the truth behind the mask of her dead mother.
"My sister, she had schizophrenia, she believed she lived a happy life; had delusions and such. She was sick, physically and mentally, but she still continued on and lived in her happy land. If she weren't like that, you would have not been born my dear niece. My family blood would of grown to a much noble generation." Her aunt spat and approached the trembling girl before her. The heels on her shoes clicked louder and louder as Sora's heartbeat jumped faster and faster. Stopping to a halt, the tall woman stood tall before the girl who can only look up at her cold face.
"Go on, cry. I'm starting to think you'll go insane pretty soon too, like mother like daughter I suppose." She said, and turned her head to look at the large painting in front of the two. She narrowed her eyes in a defiant stare and raised her arm and pointed a finger towards the mysterious work of art.
"You see that painting Sora? Your mother is there. She's burning in her own hell." She said callously, "She would have been with MY ancestors right now if she would just be obedient and not follow her heart and such crap. But she's rotting in her own filth." She spat and fixed her menacing eyes back at Sora, who had tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know what to do, either hold everything in, or talk back.
Tears streamed down Sora's soft cheek as she clutched tightly to the blood red necklace around her neck. She found it a habit, when she was nervous, or sad, mad, anything. Her aunt lowered her eyes and noticed the necklace her niece had gotten from an unknown person on the day of her 7th birthday. It was indeed beautiful with its exquisite design and the scarcest and sacred gem she had ever laid her eyes on. Jealousy and greed tingled in her eyes that gave the girl a very nasty look.
"That necklace." She reached out to touch it and yank it off of Sora's possession but the crying girl stepped away and she ended up scratching her. A new cut formed on Sora's cheek as a trail of blood trickled down her cheek and down her neck, finally stopping at the collar of her nightgown and staining it with its crimson color.
With another quick motion, Sora's aunt took hold of the necklace. "I don't know who had given it to you but take it off at once! Ever since your mother's death I have always seen you and that necklace! That cursed necklace!" She screamed at the crying and traumatized girl. Tightening her grip on the necklace, Sora's aunt tried to yank it with such force that led to Sora falling onto the ground with a red line mark on the back of her neck.
The evil woman just stood up straight and told her niece to get up. Sora stayed on her hands and knees for a few seconds longer, before her aunt screamed for her to get up. Without giving Sora a chance, the woman grabbed the helpless girl up by her arm and slapped her; the sound of the impact rang down the empty hallways. Typical, she knew something like this was going to happen. Sora just stood there with a shocked look on her face as her fresh tears fell freely down her cheek and into her cut, which stung. Getting away from the strong hold of the wicked woman, Sora casted an intolerable glare at her aunt before leaving.
"I hate you."
Sora turned and walked away with her hands clenched together holding back her anger. This was just her aunt; she had gone through much worse with other family members.
"That necklace caused your mother's death!" Her aunt fell to her knees and laughed hysterically as she called out; her voice repeated down the dark hallways and kept on repeating in Sora's mind.
A sudden burning feeling came from underneath the palm of Sora's aunt. She cringed at how it hurt and turned her hand to look and saw that her hand was very bloody. But from underneath all that coating of her thick blood, her palm was skillfully sliced, manifesting the symbol of the devil. She took in a sharp intake of breath as the truth and her fate donned upon her. She heard myths of those whom had the sign cut into their palm, it was when a person had angered the dark spirits they would have this punishment; it brought bad luck, hurt, and sickness.
She was going to die.
~*~
Sora ran to the end of the hallway and sat in the corner. Holding tightly to the blood red pendent, she silently cried. She could never take it off. Her first love had given her this necklace. She knew it was very silly to have fallen for someone who hadn't seen for many years, let alone someone she doesn't know. She tried pulling the necklace, and cutting it, and also lifting it above her head, but it felt so heavy, yet it was so light.
Her mother had died the day after she received this necklace, her aunt had blamed it on the necklace, but it was all just a coincidence really, she just kept herself to believe that it all was just a coincidence. Her weak mother had been lying in the bed with regret in her sorrowful eyes. Her frail hands griping tightly to her father's as he read quietly from the bible. Her mother's beautiful eyes had looked at the red necklace that Sora wore and smiled.
"It seems as though fate chose you my dear daughter, I always knew you were special from the day you were born and when I first held you. I didn't even think that I would even tell someone this but, you must, promise me to avoid your fate." She coughed and took a deep breath as Sora's father gripped tighter to her mother's hand, "Promise me Sora, and then you can rise to heaven and join me okay? I'll be expecting you there." Her lips formed her last smile and she turned her teary gaze from the little Sora. Even though Sora did not know what was going on back then, she knew her mother was very sick.
Watching her fragile mother close her eyes, the pale woman turned to look at her husband and heaved out a sigh, "I'm so sorry. I've deceived you." Her father froze and his hands slowly let go of his wife's and it dropped lifelessly down to her side. Standing straight and tall, the man blinked back tears and walked out and slammed the door in his frustration.
"I knew it! She never loved him after all!" Her grandfather said right after her father left their presence. Sora looked at her mother who seemed to be sleeping, then back at her grandparents and what they had said. Her mother could have never loved another man. Never. Her mother always loved her father. They were so happy together.
Sora shook her head in denial.
"No! I can't take it anymore!" She cried running down the hallway holding her hands over her ears and screaming until she reached her room where she dropped herself to her bed and softly cried.
The sky had darkened from the clear blue sky, to the shadowy clouds that covered the heavens like a black blanket. The wind howled as it flung the large windows open in Sora's room, as it repeatedly banged against the wall. The pieces of paper flew off the table and across the room, as other objects were sent flying to the ground.
Sora quickly got up and ran towards the windows, and with a bit of difficulty, closed them shut. Looking out from within her room, she watched as it started to rain. "Some birthday this came out to be." She muttered softly and wiped back some of her tears with her arm. She sniffed and then noticed a piece of paper that had been folded neatly, and a white rose that had been perfectly laid down on top of the paper. She picked up the colorless rose, careful not to prick her hand and set it to the side after sniffing the perfume like fragrance. She smiled and unfolded the paper but it turned out to be blank. She stared at it in confusion and anger and was about put it down when she noticed something appearing on it.
In alarm and surprise, she dropped it, letting it fall elegantly to the ground. Standing a few steps away from it, she stared at it with her eyes wide open. Her breathing picked up and her heart pounded faster and faster, she had never been this frightened or surprised in her life. Watching the paper write something across the piece of paper by itself, she covered her mouth to muffle her scream. Words were beautifully handwritten onto the piece of paper, and then followed by three red stains that came from nowhere. She didn't know what they were, but she was almost certain that it was blood. Inching back away from the paper, she could even hear her heat beating; it seemed to be the only thing she could hear besides the pitter- patter of rain and the howling wind. A red glow shined below and she saw her necklace emitting a red radiance from the cloudy red jewel. It had never done this before.
Running to her door, she quickly shook it and it opened, taking her off guard and she fell to the ground. But getting back up again as quickly as she could, she ran to the church; the only place she can be in peace.
Once reaching the holy place, she slowed to a halt and calmed her breathing. Walking to the stand (A/N: I don't know what it's called.), where her father preached to the ones who believed. She looked out and pictured many sea of faces looking right at her and she finally knew what it felt to be like her father, giving hope to the ones in need, like her mother. She looked down and saw a large hardcover book in front of her. Her hands traveling across the soft leather surface, she opened it and flipped to a page where it had been book marked. When she came to that page, she recognized something.
It was the same piece of paper, the same writing, the same drops of blood.
Sweat fell down her back and made her shiver. It suddenly became cold, very cold.
Her eyes fell upon the first word and she started to read, as her curiosity got the best of her.
Dearest Sora,
Happy 13th birthday, I hope you enjoyed the white rose; it is very rare in our world. Such a rare blossom suits a rare beauty. Alas, I still have to bear 3 more years until our reunion, but I can't stand waiting any longer. I will miss the childlike you, but the next time I see you, you would grow to be a beautiful woman.
~ Yamato
Yamato. It was his name, her first love's name. She felt her heart race at the sound of it, this letter was from him; the mysterious stranger she met in the woods. It was flattering for him to say those words to her, but the letter... it was unusual. No, she couldn't accuse him of witchcraft. Witches were killed if anyone suspects them. Her eyes caught the paper writing the last few words down. It read:
P.S. look behind you.
That sentence made her blood run cold. Sora suddenly felt her heart stop. She didn't want to turn, for fear she might see something she would really regret to. She had this sickening feeling in her stomach, and somehow she felt very afraid.
"This is all a joke. Tai did this, haha, I'm just hallucinating things." Sora reassured herself and took deep breath and closed her eyes while she turned around to face whatever was there to meet her. She did tell Tai about Yamato and he just laughed. Yes, it was just Taichi who was making fun of her, but, what about the letter?
Taking another deep breath she gathered up all the courage in her to open them. Her nerves stopped. Her brain stopped functioning for the moment. Her legs became paralyzed and glued to the ground, she couldn't move. She felt her heart explode in terror and her lips parted from one another; but she couldn't hear the ear-piercing scream that rang throughout the church.
~*~*~*~
Getting pretty strange isn't it? It'll probably get even stranger later on. It all depends on my messed up mind and my hands.
Please read and review!
Love,
Bittersweet ^_~
Digimon does not belong to me it belongs to Toei? Is that right? I don't know..
~*~*~*~
13th birthday
A bird perched up high on a branch, chirped happily whistling to a tune that peacefully hung in the air. The morning mist died down as the sun rose high in its position in the sky, for another day had come to greet the sleeping town. With a swift motion, the bird glided down towards a windowsill and tapped against the glass, trying to wake the occupant of the room on the other side of the window.
The sun's light peeked through the curtains onto a pair of unwelcoming closed eyes. The person moaned, tossing and turning on the bed in frustration until finally reaching the edge of the mattress and evidently falling off. The figure on the ground groaned as sleep found him once again with his blankets tangled and intertwined between his legs in a clumsy manner. He would of drifted right away to sleep, if a pair or red ruby eyes weren't staring right back at him...
The brown haired boy jumped up in surprise letting out a somewhat girly startled scream. With his foot tangled up with the blankets, he tripped and found himself back on the floor sitting on his bottom, and staring at the girl who had an impatient expression drawn all over her face. Taking a few seconds to recover from the shock he studied the girl in her skimpy nightgown, and inwardly slapped himself before he went down any further or his thoughts going far beyond his control.
"Sora? W-what are you doing here?"
"Where's my present Tai." She said in a stern voice, her red eyes burning his chocolate brown ones. You can just tell she was sitting and staring at him for a long time by the tired look she had.
"You're not supposed to be in here." He said nervously, untangling himself from his blanket and grabbing her wrist and running towards the door before her father, the high priest finds her here. He couldn't imagine what sort of punishment he'll get from the strict, serious and kind priest that can probably banish a man to hell if he sees his innocent little angelic daughter touched by filthy hands of a man. Or woman.
The stubborn red head angrily broke from his grasp and confronted her best friend with a frown plastered on her face. The brunette boy took a step backwards and gulped; his tanned complexion seemed to turn a few shades paler. Sora noticed but she brushed it off the back of her mind and got her severe face on, staring the panicky boy down until he seemed to want to jump under his covers and hide; not from her though. Didn't he know today was her 13th birthday?
"Well? Where is it?" She demanded in a tone of voice he really did not like. It was loud; too loud.
A soft knocking sound came from the oak doors and the two turned to look at the door.
"Tai? What's going on? Who's in there?" A faint voice outside the door asked curiously.
Taichi cursed under his breath, he should of known that someone would hear her, after all, who wouldn't when the girl before him is practically screaming at him. What was she doing in his room anyway? Forgetting about that for the moment, he went to his panicked state and looked around his room to see if he could find this irritated best friend of his a hiding spot. Noticing his large closet with a large amount of space in it out in the open, he started to push her towards it, but she was unwilling to go in.
"Taichi what are you doing?" She asked in an angry tone of voice.
The doorknob started to turn and Taichi panicked even more. Without thinking, he shoved the puzzled girl in his closet and shut it tightly; leaning against it he only hoped she would be quiet and keep her mouth shut. He sighed when the door opened only to reveal a little chaste brunette standing at the doorway. His little sister questionably blinked at her older brother, with a suspicious look on her face.
"Yes Hikari? Is there something you want?" Taichi asked trying to sound annoyed so she can leave as quickly as possible.
"I thought I heard noises..." Her words drifted off as she examined her elder brother's room, but found nothing out of the ordinary, for him that is.
"Noises? What noises? I was just uh... practicing my vocal cords. You know how sore they are in the morning. Can't sing without them, haha?" Taichi said, clearing his throat in an example then approached his sister and gently pushed the confused girl outside and slammed his door shut.
Hikari stood outside of the door standing in bewilderment. "Taichi you sing?"
Locking his door for no more interruptions, he walked towards the closet, ready to scold his friend. He gripped onto the knob and thought of something to say when he opened the large white closet doors, yes, his friend would get quite a speech from him. He flung open his closet door in a quick motion putting his angry face on. His expression changed when he saw what she did to his closet and his clothes in it. Sora stood tall and mad with her arms crossed in an angry pout, while behind her was piles of clothes and messes caused by her.
"What did you do to my closet?!" Taichi yelled, which made Sora wince at his loud voice.
"I was looking for my present that's what." She answered him.
Taichi stared at her for and second, his face turning red and before Sora knew it, she was outside of his room.
"Oh I get it now, it's a surprise isn't it?" She asked, but when nobody answered she grumbled and walked off in annoyance.
"Stupid Tai."
Walking down the corridors of the large manor with stunning paintings of sceneries and people hung upon the walls with colors that beautifully lit up the lifeless drawings. The red haired girl smiled, but she never felt very comfortable walking down these hallways with the paintings. It always reminded her of the artist, her mother. Walking up to the last painting her mother had ever finished, her expression turned solemn. Tracing her soft hands over the smooth canvas, her fingers landed on the signed signature of the painting of the bottom right hand corner. Her mother had finished this ominous work of art two days before she had died.
It was dead scenery, a dark landscape with lifeless, black coal trees painted along the side and front. A blood red sky with a hint of orange covered the gloomy background behind the giant mountains. A contaminated lake was drawn in the center of the piece that was probably there to draw people's attention only towards the body of water. The land was dead, the sky was dead, and the painting was dead. It looked so sinister, what could her mother have been thinking when she painted this?
Turning around, as for she couldn't bear to see the painting no more, she bumped into a figure in front of her. She looked up and saw a tall slender pale woman smile at her. As much as she liked smiles, Sora did not like the sympathetic and hateful face she had given the young girl. Sora curtsied slightly and walked away, but then the woman spoke and Sora dreaded hearing the sharp voice coming from the woman's red lips.
"Your mother was so beautiful Sora."
Sora froze dead in her tracks without uttering a word as an uncomfortable silence hung tensely among the two. She did not like people talking about her deceased mother, especially to her. What was the past was the past and she really wanted to move on, but her aunt would just drag her back to the unforgettable past. Blaming Sora on everything that could be directed to her mother's sudden sickness, then death.
"I'd like you to please refrain talking about my mother to me. Please auntie. I do not wish to hear about it." Sora said in a dead tone that echoed down the hollow hallway, finally breaking the hushed silence.
She turned around on her heel and faced her aunt dressed all in black and white; the expression on her face was an uneasy one. Her long red hair fell over her left side of her young yet pastel face, her eyes held caution buried within her burgundy gaze. She brought her arms up and wrapped them around each other, exposing her long, sharp, blood red nails. 'Witch'; was the first thought that came into Sora's conscious mind.
Forcing on one of her fake smiles on, which Sora did more than often, she spoke again. "Cheer up. It's a joyous occasion today! It's my birthday!" Sora shouted out in fake enthusiasm, trying to sound cheerful but the woman's face still did not change from the detestable look.
"Your mother died on your birthday."
Sora expression changed immediately as those words came out from that wretched woman's mouth. She stayed quiet; there was nothing else she can say without her aunt making it even more depressing. Her aunt did not like her at all. She once had told the whole church about two weeks after the death of Sora's mother that, satin, should have took Sora instead. Luckily, her father got her off the platform before she continued. True, her mother was so beautiful and perfect. She was always so cheerful and respected others, and told Sora to live life to her fullest; everyone admired the young woman. Her relatives; especially her grandparents had always wanted Sora to fill her dead mother's shoes. Her mother was from a rich family and was also disobedient and ran away from home to be with her father, but now that her mother had passed away, her grandparents taunted the young girl in place of her mother whom they did not get to punish.
Her aunt did not like her father either. Her mother could of married a rich ambassador instead of a priest. Her mother had run off and married her father instead and lived a happy and fulfilled life.
At least, that's what Sora believed.
"She was never happy. Did you know that Sora? Your mother was living only in her dreams and through her mind." Her aunt informed the shocked girl in front of her. Sora gasped and looked straight at her aunt as a confused look etched upon her soft features. Taking the advantage of Sora's low self- esteem in her mother, her aunt placed one hand on her waist and continued telling her niece the truth behind the mask of her dead mother.
"My sister, she had schizophrenia, she believed she lived a happy life; had delusions and such. She was sick, physically and mentally, but she still continued on and lived in her happy land. If she weren't like that, you would have not been born my dear niece. My family blood would of grown to a much noble generation." Her aunt spat and approached the trembling girl before her. The heels on her shoes clicked louder and louder as Sora's heartbeat jumped faster and faster. Stopping to a halt, the tall woman stood tall before the girl who can only look up at her cold face.
"Go on, cry. I'm starting to think you'll go insane pretty soon too, like mother like daughter I suppose." She said, and turned her head to look at the large painting in front of the two. She narrowed her eyes in a defiant stare and raised her arm and pointed a finger towards the mysterious work of art.
"You see that painting Sora? Your mother is there. She's burning in her own hell." She said callously, "She would have been with MY ancestors right now if she would just be obedient and not follow her heart and such crap. But she's rotting in her own filth." She spat and fixed her menacing eyes back at Sora, who had tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know what to do, either hold everything in, or talk back.
Tears streamed down Sora's soft cheek as she clutched tightly to the blood red necklace around her neck. She found it a habit, when she was nervous, or sad, mad, anything. Her aunt lowered her eyes and noticed the necklace her niece had gotten from an unknown person on the day of her 7th birthday. It was indeed beautiful with its exquisite design and the scarcest and sacred gem she had ever laid her eyes on. Jealousy and greed tingled in her eyes that gave the girl a very nasty look.
"That necklace." She reached out to touch it and yank it off of Sora's possession but the crying girl stepped away and she ended up scratching her. A new cut formed on Sora's cheek as a trail of blood trickled down her cheek and down her neck, finally stopping at the collar of her nightgown and staining it with its crimson color.
With another quick motion, Sora's aunt took hold of the necklace. "I don't know who had given it to you but take it off at once! Ever since your mother's death I have always seen you and that necklace! That cursed necklace!" She screamed at the crying and traumatized girl. Tightening her grip on the necklace, Sora's aunt tried to yank it with such force that led to Sora falling onto the ground with a red line mark on the back of her neck.
The evil woman just stood up straight and told her niece to get up. Sora stayed on her hands and knees for a few seconds longer, before her aunt screamed for her to get up. Without giving Sora a chance, the woman grabbed the helpless girl up by her arm and slapped her; the sound of the impact rang down the empty hallways. Typical, she knew something like this was going to happen. Sora just stood there with a shocked look on her face as her fresh tears fell freely down her cheek and into her cut, which stung. Getting away from the strong hold of the wicked woman, Sora casted an intolerable glare at her aunt before leaving.
"I hate you."
Sora turned and walked away with her hands clenched together holding back her anger. This was just her aunt; she had gone through much worse with other family members.
"That necklace caused your mother's death!" Her aunt fell to her knees and laughed hysterically as she called out; her voice repeated down the dark hallways and kept on repeating in Sora's mind.
A sudden burning feeling came from underneath the palm of Sora's aunt. She cringed at how it hurt and turned her hand to look and saw that her hand was very bloody. But from underneath all that coating of her thick blood, her palm was skillfully sliced, manifesting the symbol of the devil. She took in a sharp intake of breath as the truth and her fate donned upon her. She heard myths of those whom had the sign cut into their palm, it was when a person had angered the dark spirits they would have this punishment; it brought bad luck, hurt, and sickness.
She was going to die.
~*~
Sora ran to the end of the hallway and sat in the corner. Holding tightly to the blood red pendent, she silently cried. She could never take it off. Her first love had given her this necklace. She knew it was very silly to have fallen for someone who hadn't seen for many years, let alone someone she doesn't know. She tried pulling the necklace, and cutting it, and also lifting it above her head, but it felt so heavy, yet it was so light.
Her mother had died the day after she received this necklace, her aunt had blamed it on the necklace, but it was all just a coincidence really, she just kept herself to believe that it all was just a coincidence. Her weak mother had been lying in the bed with regret in her sorrowful eyes. Her frail hands griping tightly to her father's as he read quietly from the bible. Her mother's beautiful eyes had looked at the red necklace that Sora wore and smiled.
"It seems as though fate chose you my dear daughter, I always knew you were special from the day you were born and when I first held you. I didn't even think that I would even tell someone this but, you must, promise me to avoid your fate." She coughed and took a deep breath as Sora's father gripped tighter to her mother's hand, "Promise me Sora, and then you can rise to heaven and join me okay? I'll be expecting you there." Her lips formed her last smile and she turned her teary gaze from the little Sora. Even though Sora did not know what was going on back then, she knew her mother was very sick.
Watching her fragile mother close her eyes, the pale woman turned to look at her husband and heaved out a sigh, "I'm so sorry. I've deceived you." Her father froze and his hands slowly let go of his wife's and it dropped lifelessly down to her side. Standing straight and tall, the man blinked back tears and walked out and slammed the door in his frustration.
"I knew it! She never loved him after all!" Her grandfather said right after her father left their presence. Sora looked at her mother who seemed to be sleeping, then back at her grandparents and what they had said. Her mother could have never loved another man. Never. Her mother always loved her father. They were so happy together.
Sora shook her head in denial.
"No! I can't take it anymore!" She cried running down the hallway holding her hands over her ears and screaming until she reached her room where she dropped herself to her bed and softly cried.
The sky had darkened from the clear blue sky, to the shadowy clouds that covered the heavens like a black blanket. The wind howled as it flung the large windows open in Sora's room, as it repeatedly banged against the wall. The pieces of paper flew off the table and across the room, as other objects were sent flying to the ground.
Sora quickly got up and ran towards the windows, and with a bit of difficulty, closed them shut. Looking out from within her room, she watched as it started to rain. "Some birthday this came out to be." She muttered softly and wiped back some of her tears with her arm. She sniffed and then noticed a piece of paper that had been folded neatly, and a white rose that had been perfectly laid down on top of the paper. She picked up the colorless rose, careful not to prick her hand and set it to the side after sniffing the perfume like fragrance. She smiled and unfolded the paper but it turned out to be blank. She stared at it in confusion and anger and was about put it down when she noticed something appearing on it.
In alarm and surprise, she dropped it, letting it fall elegantly to the ground. Standing a few steps away from it, she stared at it with her eyes wide open. Her breathing picked up and her heart pounded faster and faster, she had never been this frightened or surprised in her life. Watching the paper write something across the piece of paper by itself, she covered her mouth to muffle her scream. Words were beautifully handwritten onto the piece of paper, and then followed by three red stains that came from nowhere. She didn't know what they were, but she was almost certain that it was blood. Inching back away from the paper, she could even hear her heat beating; it seemed to be the only thing she could hear besides the pitter- patter of rain and the howling wind. A red glow shined below and she saw her necklace emitting a red radiance from the cloudy red jewel. It had never done this before.
Running to her door, she quickly shook it and it opened, taking her off guard and she fell to the ground. But getting back up again as quickly as she could, she ran to the church; the only place she can be in peace.
Once reaching the holy place, she slowed to a halt and calmed her breathing. Walking to the stand (A/N: I don't know what it's called.), where her father preached to the ones who believed. She looked out and pictured many sea of faces looking right at her and she finally knew what it felt to be like her father, giving hope to the ones in need, like her mother. She looked down and saw a large hardcover book in front of her. Her hands traveling across the soft leather surface, she opened it and flipped to a page where it had been book marked. When she came to that page, she recognized something.
It was the same piece of paper, the same writing, the same drops of blood.
Sweat fell down her back and made her shiver. It suddenly became cold, very cold.
Her eyes fell upon the first word and she started to read, as her curiosity got the best of her.
Dearest Sora,
Happy 13th birthday, I hope you enjoyed the white rose; it is very rare in our world. Such a rare blossom suits a rare beauty. Alas, I still have to bear 3 more years until our reunion, but I can't stand waiting any longer. I will miss the childlike you, but the next time I see you, you would grow to be a beautiful woman.
~ Yamato
Yamato. It was his name, her first love's name. She felt her heart race at the sound of it, this letter was from him; the mysterious stranger she met in the woods. It was flattering for him to say those words to her, but the letter... it was unusual. No, she couldn't accuse him of witchcraft. Witches were killed if anyone suspects them. Her eyes caught the paper writing the last few words down. It read:
P.S. look behind you.
That sentence made her blood run cold. Sora suddenly felt her heart stop. She didn't want to turn, for fear she might see something she would really regret to. She had this sickening feeling in her stomach, and somehow she felt very afraid.
"This is all a joke. Tai did this, haha, I'm just hallucinating things." Sora reassured herself and took deep breath and closed her eyes while she turned around to face whatever was there to meet her. She did tell Tai about Yamato and he just laughed. Yes, it was just Taichi who was making fun of her, but, what about the letter?
Taking another deep breath she gathered up all the courage in her to open them. Her nerves stopped. Her brain stopped functioning for the moment. Her legs became paralyzed and glued to the ground, she couldn't move. She felt her heart explode in terror and her lips parted from one another; but she couldn't hear the ear-piercing scream that rang throughout the church.
~*~*~*~
Getting pretty strange isn't it? It'll probably get even stranger later on. It all depends on my messed up mind and my hands.
Please read and review!
Love,
Bittersweet ^_~
