Caged------------------*^~
March 10, 2004, Chapter 6--------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *^~
When she awoke again she was alone, lying on top of the sheets, in the dark. She didn't remember dreaming, or going to sleep, or even closing her eyes but she felt ages had passed since she last stirred a finger.
Quickly Kagome got up. And immediately regretted it. Bringing her hand to her forehead she groaned. Nothing around her seemed willing to sit still. Every shadow around her shifted mockingly till she fell backwards into the mess of sheets and blankets she had emerged from.
Putting her hand behind her to steady herself she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. The first signs of a splitting head-ach brought the hand on her forehead over to massage her temple. She would need to find some Tylenol before her skull cracked open.
She opened her eyes again to look around. Were the hell was she? She got up, more slowly, one hand extended at her side to balance her. She tried to remember anything about getting here. She recalled the well, lots of blood, then waking up with Inuyasha, then darkness? And more blood??
Ugh. She stopped trying to recall, her head-ach getting worse from effort.
His room. Naraku's. She was positive. She felt his presence in the darkness. Unfortunately every corner was covered in shade. She had to get out of here.
She looked around for her exit and saw the window at her side. But she decided she wasn't that desperate and would save that dramatic leave of the room as a last resort. She found the door on her right and concentrated on getting there and not finding herself sprawling on the floor again. When she got to the rice paper door she opened it and quickly slammed it shut behind her, then leaned on it for good measure in case the shadows decided to drag her back in kicking and screaming.
After a moment her heart stopped racing and her head-ach receded. Finally she dared to open her eyes.
'Crud!' It wasn't any brighter out here and certainly not any friendlier. Taking a brave step forward she assessed her choices. Left or right? Choices, hah, they were probably both long and winding hallways leading her to a slow death.
She sagged back against the wall. 'Oh well, nothing much going for me here anyway.'
She chose left. With her luck probably the longer and windier hallway, with a trap door, a long fall, pain and...a slow death.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
After what seemed like hours of walking she deduced there was no trap door to kill her. No her fate was far worse. Walking to death!
She stopped. In front of her the hallway split in two. She sweared to god she had been threw here at least a dozen times. She stomped her foot in frustration this was ridiculous, that window was starting to look good compared to walking to eternity.
Exasperated she raked her fingers threw her hair. Where the devil was everyone? Where was Naraku? Was he planning to killing her or just leaving her to wonder around his house like an idiot?
She let out a ragged breath. She needed to relax. She needed to slow down and figure this out. She undid the red neck from around her uniform and put it next to the wall. She had to be sure she had been here and not just a place that looked the same.
She walked into the left passage determined.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
She was sure! She stared at the little strip of red cloth in the corner. She had indeed been here a hundred times, and was walking in circles.
'Somebody shoot me please.' She fell against the wall and let herself slide to the floor. 'I'm going to be lost in here forever. Then when I'm old and wrinkly Naraku will finally show himself. He wouldn't have aged a day of course, and would just look at me pathetically before walking away coolly. And I'll be all alone again. All Alone!' The hand Kagome raised dramatically into the air during her reverie dropped. '—or I'll starve. Which ever comes first.'
She closed her eyes and banged her head against the wall. There had to be a way out. There had to be a rational reason she was ending up at the same place over and over.
It was a puzzle. Like a...a maze.
Her eyes shot open. "That's it! It's a maze so if I keep walking in the same direction I'll be Free!!!"
She quickly got up and walked into the left passage again. But this time every turn she made was in the same direction.
After walking left continuously she got to a door.
She starred at it in horror.
The evil, horrible door.
She ripped it open and starred in disbelief. Then strangely calm Kagome walked forward and dived into the makeshift bed of sheets and blankets. Exhausted she fell sleep in Naraku's room.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
'Ugh. Too hot.'
Kagome kicked her legs and threw off the blanket covering her. With one hand she pulled the damp hair from the back of her neck and fanned it out around her head. Then turning to the side she delighted in the new found cool.
'Is it morning already?' Her hands stretched away from her before again falling to her sides lazily. 'Morning can wait just a little longer.'
Her finger tips brushed against the warm blanket still wrapped around her feet. Sleep ebbed away slowly as she stretched her hand out more to feel the material curiously, trying to place it. It was unbelievably downy, like fur. 'That hadn't been there last night when I—'
'Oh my god!' She shot up immediately. 'Naraku's room.' She was in Naraku's room. How could she have forgotten something like that?
She looked at the white blanket, covering just above her knees. She ran her hand over it suspiciously, not remembering it being there before. Even so, it was extremely soft, she ran her hand over the fur again, enjoying the feel of the short hairs. No wonder she had been so warm.
It looked strangely familiar. She had seen this before, many times, but where? She continues to rub her hand over the fur in reflection.
Then her hand stopped in mid stroke and she looked down at it reproachfully. Of course, where else? On Naraku! It was the white costume his copies always don.
'Eww!' she quickly removed her legs from the cover. 'I was sleeping in baboon!!
She defiantly wasn't feeling sleepy anymore.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
A fist. Some rice. And tea. It wasn't gourmet but at least she wouldn't starve. IF she decided to eat it.
Kagome stared at the said food, laying untouched on a silver tray, from a yard away. Waiting, for what, the food to jump out of the plate and eat her? That was silly, but excuse her for being just a bit cautious.
It could be poison, yes, but she didn't see why Naraku would bother if he could just do it himself.
Her eyes wandered around the room. Nothing else was disturbed. But the food and blanket proved someone else's presence. She shivered, pulling her knees to her chest. Someone else had been here while she slept. How could she sleep threw something like that?
She looked around but still saw nothing but shadows. She shivered again. It was too dark in here!
She stood up and looked behind her. The window looked like it hadn't been opened since it was built. Still she walked over to it determined and pushed at it.
Of course it didn't budge. It was probably rusted shut. Kagome looked at it unyielding. There was no way she was staying in this room unless there was some light and fresh air. She pushed it again, her resolve melted away a little with each moment it stayed glued shut.
Her hands slipped off the wood and fell to her sides. With her head down, her long bangs covered her eyes. She felt the shadows around her jeering and she looked up, her eyes shining with tears.
She hated this place! It was dark, she was all alone, there was an impossible maze outside the door and this moronic window wouldn't open!!
She banged her hand against it furiously. "Open you stupid window!" She pushed at it with all her strength and watched amazed as it opened under the pressure, groaning loudly in protest.
The light stunned her and she hesitated a moment. When her eyes cleared she saw she was leaning dangerously over the edge. She quickly pushed herself back and laughed. She walked over to the other window and pushed at it. Surprisingly it complied and opened fully to her.
She looked up at the sky and saw it wasn't as bright as she had first imagined. Gray clouds covered the sky. And the sun shone out from behind them dully. But that didn't depress her as much as the grounds below. The grass looked dry and the trees not any better. And a little further out a forest started, dark and foreboding.
If there was anything flourishing beyond that a thick fog obscuring it completely.
Kagome sighed and rested her elbows on the windowsill. A half smile still on her lips. 'What did you expect, green fields and blue skies?' She closed her eyes and smiled more. 'Maybe it will rain.' She thought hopefully
Then she laughed, it had to be getting pretty bad for her to wish for rain. But she looked up expectantly. Maybe this rain would be different. Maybe this rain would wash all the darkness away.
The first drop fell and she held her breath. Maybe—
Rime Stone*^
March 10, 2004, Chapter 6--------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *^~
When she awoke again she was alone, lying on top of the sheets, in the dark. She didn't remember dreaming, or going to sleep, or even closing her eyes but she felt ages had passed since she last stirred a finger.
Quickly Kagome got up. And immediately regretted it. Bringing her hand to her forehead she groaned. Nothing around her seemed willing to sit still. Every shadow around her shifted mockingly till she fell backwards into the mess of sheets and blankets she had emerged from.
Putting her hand behind her to steady herself she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. The first signs of a splitting head-ach brought the hand on her forehead over to massage her temple. She would need to find some Tylenol before her skull cracked open.
She opened her eyes again to look around. Were the hell was she? She got up, more slowly, one hand extended at her side to balance her. She tried to remember anything about getting here. She recalled the well, lots of blood, then waking up with Inuyasha, then darkness? And more blood??
Ugh. She stopped trying to recall, her head-ach getting worse from effort.
His room. Naraku's. She was positive. She felt his presence in the darkness. Unfortunately every corner was covered in shade. She had to get out of here.
She looked around for her exit and saw the window at her side. But she decided she wasn't that desperate and would save that dramatic leave of the room as a last resort. She found the door on her right and concentrated on getting there and not finding herself sprawling on the floor again. When she got to the rice paper door she opened it and quickly slammed it shut behind her, then leaned on it for good measure in case the shadows decided to drag her back in kicking and screaming.
After a moment her heart stopped racing and her head-ach receded. Finally she dared to open her eyes.
'Crud!' It wasn't any brighter out here and certainly not any friendlier. Taking a brave step forward she assessed her choices. Left or right? Choices, hah, they were probably both long and winding hallways leading her to a slow death.
She sagged back against the wall. 'Oh well, nothing much going for me here anyway.'
She chose left. With her luck probably the longer and windier hallway, with a trap door, a long fall, pain and...a slow death.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
After what seemed like hours of walking she deduced there was no trap door to kill her. No her fate was far worse. Walking to death!
She stopped. In front of her the hallway split in two. She sweared to god she had been threw here at least a dozen times. She stomped her foot in frustration this was ridiculous, that window was starting to look good compared to walking to eternity.
Exasperated she raked her fingers threw her hair. Where the devil was everyone? Where was Naraku? Was he planning to killing her or just leaving her to wonder around his house like an idiot?
She let out a ragged breath. She needed to relax. She needed to slow down and figure this out. She undid the red neck from around her uniform and put it next to the wall. She had to be sure she had been here and not just a place that looked the same.
She walked into the left passage determined.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
She was sure! She stared at the little strip of red cloth in the corner. She had indeed been here a hundred times, and was walking in circles.
'Somebody shoot me please.' She fell against the wall and let herself slide to the floor. 'I'm going to be lost in here forever. Then when I'm old and wrinkly Naraku will finally show himself. He wouldn't have aged a day of course, and would just look at me pathetically before walking away coolly. And I'll be all alone again. All Alone!' The hand Kagome raised dramatically into the air during her reverie dropped. '—or I'll starve. Which ever comes first.'
She closed her eyes and banged her head against the wall. There had to be a way out. There had to be a rational reason she was ending up at the same place over and over.
It was a puzzle. Like a...a maze.
Her eyes shot open. "That's it! It's a maze so if I keep walking in the same direction I'll be Free!!!"
She quickly got up and walked into the left passage again. But this time every turn she made was in the same direction.
After walking left continuously she got to a door.
She starred at it in horror.
The evil, horrible door.
She ripped it open and starred in disbelief. Then strangely calm Kagome walked forward and dived into the makeshift bed of sheets and blankets. Exhausted she fell sleep in Naraku's room.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
'Ugh. Too hot.'
Kagome kicked her legs and threw off the blanket covering her. With one hand she pulled the damp hair from the back of her neck and fanned it out around her head. Then turning to the side she delighted in the new found cool.
'Is it morning already?' Her hands stretched away from her before again falling to her sides lazily. 'Morning can wait just a little longer.'
Her finger tips brushed against the warm blanket still wrapped around her feet. Sleep ebbed away slowly as she stretched her hand out more to feel the material curiously, trying to place it. It was unbelievably downy, like fur. 'That hadn't been there last night when I—'
'Oh my god!' She shot up immediately. 'Naraku's room.' She was in Naraku's room. How could she have forgotten something like that?
She looked at the white blanket, covering just above her knees. She ran her hand over it suspiciously, not remembering it being there before. Even so, it was extremely soft, she ran her hand over the fur again, enjoying the feel of the short hairs. No wonder she had been so warm.
It looked strangely familiar. She had seen this before, many times, but where? She continues to rub her hand over the fur in reflection.
Then her hand stopped in mid stroke and she looked down at it reproachfully. Of course, where else? On Naraku! It was the white costume his copies always don.
'Eww!' she quickly removed her legs from the cover. 'I was sleeping in baboon!!
She defiantly wasn't feeling sleepy anymore.
-------------------------------------------------------------------^*~
A fist. Some rice. And tea. It wasn't gourmet but at least she wouldn't starve. IF she decided to eat it.
Kagome stared at the said food, laying untouched on a silver tray, from a yard away. Waiting, for what, the food to jump out of the plate and eat her? That was silly, but excuse her for being just a bit cautious.
It could be poison, yes, but she didn't see why Naraku would bother if he could just do it himself.
Her eyes wandered around the room. Nothing else was disturbed. But the food and blanket proved someone else's presence. She shivered, pulling her knees to her chest. Someone else had been here while she slept. How could she sleep threw something like that?
She looked around but still saw nothing but shadows. She shivered again. It was too dark in here!
She stood up and looked behind her. The window looked like it hadn't been opened since it was built. Still she walked over to it determined and pushed at it.
Of course it didn't budge. It was probably rusted shut. Kagome looked at it unyielding. There was no way she was staying in this room unless there was some light and fresh air. She pushed it again, her resolve melted away a little with each moment it stayed glued shut.
Her hands slipped off the wood and fell to her sides. With her head down, her long bangs covered her eyes. She felt the shadows around her jeering and she looked up, her eyes shining with tears.
She hated this place! It was dark, she was all alone, there was an impossible maze outside the door and this moronic window wouldn't open!!
She banged her hand against it furiously. "Open you stupid window!" She pushed at it with all her strength and watched amazed as it opened under the pressure, groaning loudly in protest.
The light stunned her and she hesitated a moment. When her eyes cleared she saw she was leaning dangerously over the edge. She quickly pushed herself back and laughed. She walked over to the other window and pushed at it. Surprisingly it complied and opened fully to her.
She looked up at the sky and saw it wasn't as bright as she had first imagined. Gray clouds covered the sky. And the sun shone out from behind them dully. But that didn't depress her as much as the grounds below. The grass looked dry and the trees not any better. And a little further out a forest started, dark and foreboding.
If there was anything flourishing beyond that a thick fog obscuring it completely.
Kagome sighed and rested her elbows on the windowsill. A half smile still on her lips. 'What did you expect, green fields and blue skies?' She closed her eyes and smiled more. 'Maybe it will rain.' She thought hopefully
Then she laughed, it had to be getting pretty bad for her to wish for rain. But she looked up expectantly. Maybe this rain would be different. Maybe this rain would wash all the darkness away.
The first drop fell and she held her breath. Maybe—
Rime Stone*^