Author's note: I just finished this chapter. Took
me quite a while since almost all my ideas ran off somewhere -.-
What's out there for me? Nothing... nothing but pain. A darkened path. I'm not like them. I'm different from everyone. I'm just a shadow of the world. A lost soul. They don't even know I exist. But I can't blame them. I'm only an illusion. An illusion of a lost girl. I know no one... and no one knows me...
Who am I? I don't even know myself. I've been given a name... it's Kei... but what does a name? What does it mean? Nobody uses it anyway...
I'm an orphan. I hate it. I was left in an orphanage when I was five. I don't even know who my parents are. They just decided one day that they didn't want me. But I don't need them. I can take care of myself. After all, that's what I've been doing through my sixteen years of life.
I used to be a pocket thief. I'm not proud of it, but I had to make a living right? And stealing just happened to be my way of getting money for food. Don't get me wrong, I had tried to get a job, but there weren't many places that were willing to aid me in that part.
So I got the money the easy way... namely stealing. I had been caught a few times, but always got away. I had only ended up in jail once, just for a day though. My foster family bailed me out, and how did I thank them? I ran away... again. But when I ended up in trouble once again, I went back... I had no choice.
My foster family is great, but I don't really belong there. I mean, they're this perfect family with their perfect clothes and their money. They even got a dog. I'm just the wolf in sheep clothing.
The first time I found I was different from everyone was when I was helping my foster mom with dinner. I had picked up the bowl with salad and a sudden vision appeared before my eyes, where I could see Kaori - the youngest daughter in the family - fall into the pool.
Instinctively I dropped the bowl and sprinted as fast I could out to the back. The minute I got out of the house, I heard Kaori's cries. Without hesitation, whatsoever, I dove into the pool. If it hadn't been for me, Kaori would've drowned.
The shock of nearly losing a daughter was too much for my foster mom. She tucked Kaori into bed, lied down next to her and hugged her so tight... as if she was afraid that Kaori would disappear if she let go. I envy her... Kaori, I mean. She's too young to understand how lucky she is to have such a loving family.
I mean, sure, I'm lucky to be living with this family... but like I said, I don't really belong with them.
That night, I went to my usual hiding place. The big oak tree in the back yard. I climbed it, like I had many times before, and took a seat on my favorite branch. I pulled one of my knees up to my chin and let the other leg dangle. Then I relaxed against the tree-trunk and looked out over the neighborhood. The sky was unusually dark this particular night, but it didn't matter to me. All that mattered was the fact that I had a power, which puts me in the category "different". But I don't want to be "different"... I just want to be normal, like everyone else.
I closed my eyes for just a brief moment and let out a deep sigh. "How'd you get yourself in this mess, Kei?" I whispered to myself. Then I opened my eyes and rubbed them gingerly.
I let my eyes wander around for bit, before they stopped at a window. It was Kaori's room. When I peeked inside from where I was sitting, I saw my foster mom and Kaori sleeping peacefully in the bed. They were all cuddled up, just like a mom and daughter.
I can't really explain what I felt at that moment. All I can say is that I feel so much emptier inside now than I ever have in my entire life. Not empty on love, no... I felt alone. I needed someone there to comfort me. Someone to hold me in their arms. Someone I could love and would love me in return. Needless to say, I needed a boyfriend...
"Geez, I'm so pathetic..." I smacked my head and scolded myself for feeling the way I was. It wasn't right. I mean, who'd love me? I'm just a mystery to everyone. They don't even bother to get to know me... but honestly, I don't really care.
I've never believed in fate and I've gotten some pretty shocked responses about it. I don't believe in fate, so what? It's not a big deal... for me at least, it isn't. I believe that things just happen by a mere coincidence. Well, that was until that day... the day I found out about my visions. Now, the word "fate" means respect to me.
As I was sitting on that branch, envying Kaori and her mother for their mother-daughter relationship, I suddenly caught sight of a shadow. It was moving on the ground, blending in perfectly to the darkness. Silently, I stood up, steadying myself on the branch, and looked down. I couldn't quite see who it was, but it was a man, that I was sure of. Don't ask me how, though, cause I wouldn't be able to explain.
Anyway, there I was standing on a branch... it must've looked pretty weird, but that was the least of my concern. I locked my eyes on the so-called "intruder" and watched his every move. I'm surprised he didn't hear the noises from when I moved around in the tree. If he did, he sure didn't show any sign of knowing I was there.
He appeared to be looking for something as he walked around the lawn. Looking for what, I didn't know, but I was soon going to find out.
I climbed down to another branch and stood there, watching him like a hawk. What I didn't know was that I was going to regret ever climbing up that tree.
Another step and I suddenly found myself falling off the branch. I helplessly fell towards the ground, but luckily I wasn't so high up. I let out an "oof" when I landed on the ground. "Get up, get up, get up!" I whispered to myself, but my body wouldn't obey. Finally I managed to push myself back up on my feet. I dusted off all the dirt from my clothes and then looked up to see where the mysterious person had gone off to. I regret doing that, cause when I looked up, I was surrounded by shadows...
Author's note: *ducks all the vegetables being thrown
at her* ahhh, I know, I know!! "NOT ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER!!" .... gomen,
gomen, gomen, gomen!! forgive me!! ^^