Inside the Kiryu's

Wind blew silently slowly carried the scent of woods. It was a peaceful evening. Perhaps, it was too peaceful. Too quiet.

It was not unusual because villagers in All God's Village liked to sleep early. Thus only few were seen on the road, they too hurriedly reached their houses. It happened every end of the day.

They lived inaudibly, isolated from outer world. For they desired thus. They worshipped and feared the power of nature. And were very doctrined by it.

These were thoughts crept into Yoshitatsu Kiryu's mind while he was sitting in his room and gazed upon a small garden next to his room.

Yoshitatsu was a fine middle-aged man. He had good body proportions, not too tall nor too short. His jaw was firm and his eyes were sharp.

He was a father of twin daughters and was gifted in doll making, a job that could feed him and his family enough prosperity.

But even prosperity or affluence could not escape him from the binding doctrine. Several weeks ago was his family's turn. The Crimson Sacrifice. Where one must give the youngest of one's twin offsprings to be thrown into the Abyss to "watch over the entire village from the depth of ground and also tame the fiery earth" leaving the eldest as the watcher from heaven.

Indeed such gruesome ritual would end up with the left behind of the twins suffered greatly. He could feel so when he saw Akane. Days after the ceremony, his daughter became an emotionless puppet, spoke no words and ate no food. She only muttered, "Why do you kill? Why do you kill?"

Yoshitatsu loved his daughter and could not bear to see her like that anymore. He then gave out all his skill and talent to make a human-sized doll resembling the deceased Azami, Akane's twin sister, hoping for the revival of his daughter's smile. He was succeeded.

Slowly the spring of life filled Akane again. Her pale cheeks became cherry-pink and she blabbered no more nonsense. She was very fond of "her new friend" for she left not a single second from its side. Even she whispered words over and over again to it and named it 'Azami'

At first, Yoshitatsu was joyful of his job-well-done. He was glad and relieved to see her daughter's original self had returned. He was very content of his masterpiece that even sometimes made him difficult to tell them apart, undeniably the doll and Akane looked very alike just like Akane and Azami were.

It was short-lived, though. For some unknown reasons fear and doubt little by little crawled into him.

The doll was very alive…too alive. Moreover Akane seemed can communicate with it the way she did with her sister. It looked too much alive… Could it be that Azami's soul transcended into it?

"Father?" Yoshitatsu startled from his thoughts. He looked around and saw Akane with 'Azami'

Akane was dressed in her favorite kimono. She wasn't mature yet, but her long straight shinny black hair, pearl-skinned face completed with cherry-colored cheeks, and pair of bright obsidian eyes gave out radiant mystical aura of beauty.

"What is it? Can't sleep?" asked him gently.

"No. Akane was just wondering why father gazed off to nothing like that. You looked so weird," she giggled and to the doll she said, "Right, Azami?"

Yoshitatsu walked to her and caressed her long black hair. "It's late, sweet heart. Go to sleep. Father was just thinking about things"

She nodded, "Alright. Good night, father!" then she kissed her father's forehead. "Azami, say 'good night' to father too!" she held her doll and made its head descend to her father's forehead imitating her kiss.

When she walked to her room, she still talked to her doll. Yoshitatsu smiled and sighed a sad tone upon her daughter. He then realized he too was tired and decided to call it a day.

That night was very silent. No singing cricket nor hooting owl. Clouds covered the illuminating moonlight. Breeze too dozed off, exhausted to blow.

Yoshitatsu was sleeping soundly in his room. Until he was awakened by…..

"….Fa…ther….."

He only moved a little. His exhausted brain signaled him that it was just his illusions.

"Father….."

It was not a dream….He opened his heavy eyelids and searched for where the voice came from.

Besides his futon stood his daughter. So he thought at first. But then he realized something different about her.

He woke up and blinked several times. Hopefully he could convinced himself that what he saw is untrue.

But she still stood there….

"A…Azami…?" his voice was barely heard even by his own ears.

"Father….." she spoke back.

"Is it….Is it…really you?"

"Father. 'It' is not me…"

"Huh?" he answered with bewilderment.

"The doll……. It is not me….."

"What are you talking about?" he asked her.

"The doll is not me….It is not me………..It is different……."

Lightning struck and made him shocked for a moment.

"It….is not me……It….is……. evil……"

"You mean the doll I made for Akane?" he asked.

"Kill it…father…..kill it………….kill….it.........before it's too late…….."

"Kill the doll?"

"….kill it….hang it…..throw it into 'there'……………"

"'There'…..?" there was a flash of vision in his head. It was the Abyss where the ritual was held.

"…..throw it there……..it is the only way……"

"But, Azami…!!"

"Father….I……I…am….gone. I'm….already…gone……It…is not me…."

"Azami…."

"…kill it…..father…….and…..save…….Akane…………………………"

There was thunderbolt. Yoshitatsu found himself alone in his room. He still breathed fast and his body was wet of sweat. His eyes still gazed onto where the "ghost" was.

"What was that….?!" His mind rewinded the bizarre experience again and again. He tried to think clearly. His heart pounded rapidly.

"The doll…." He murmured. Like stroked by some mysterious will he opened his tool box and reached out for anything possible. He madly threw out one by one every tool proven unused to him.

"A rope! A rope! Where's that bloody rope!!!" He whispered. His mind was occupied by single thing, he had got to save his daughter from that doll!!

Yoshitatsu tiptoedly walked towards Akane's room. He was unsure and determined at the same time. But he was set. He had to kill the doll no matter what.

Without making any sound, he opened the slided door leading to his daughter's bedroom. He almost lost his breath upon doing so. His heart worked extra speed that made him think it was going to explode in any minute.

He was now in the room. It was dark. He was waiting for his eyes to be used to darkness for seconds. Then, he tightened the rope he held between his hands. Step by step he reached for Akane's futon looking for 'Azami'. He knew well Akane always slept with it.

What he thought of his daughter's body-shape under the thick blanket was in fact only a bundle of pillow. The bed was empty. Before his confusedness loaded, he could hear a soft giggle in the room…

"You see, Akane? Didn't I tell you?"

It sounded like his daughter's voice if it was without an eerie hissing tone.

The lightning flashed and gave Yoshitatsu a slight view of the room's deepest corner, where the voice came from. His heart would had burst out protesting if it were alive.

In the dark corner, sat neatly his daughter. With her doll. Only this time, the one who talked was not Akane alone….

"Hee hee hee hee hee…" 'Azami' crackled.

"You're right, Azami. Father does come...." said Akane tightening her embrace.

Yoshitatsu felt his blood dried up. His back hair stood. "What….What….ARE you?!!" he yelled, but the truth was his voice was prohibited to get out by his tighten trachea, so instead of yell his mouth only gave out whispering sounds. Whispering and shivering.

"Oh no….father has gone mad, Akane. He even doesn't recognize me. Oooh what'll we do. What'll we do..." The evil doll hugged its master closely.

Akane hold it tighter, "Don't worry, Azami. Akane's here..."

"You evil!! Away from my daughter!!!" he shouted along with the lightning noise.

"Eeeek! Father is mad! Father is mad!! Father wants to kill us both!!!" Akane sobbed.

"We have to defend ourselves, Akane. Or father will kill us…" the doll hissed.

"What…….!" Yoshitatsu felt his body stiff. He could not reached them. They were shielded by invincible force.

"Yeesss…..We should kill him, Akane. Before he kills us…." It stood up along with Akane. Surprisingly, it was able to stand and walked on its own.

"Kill father….before father kills us…." Akane too stepped towards her father. Slowly….. Slowly....slowly…

Yoshitatsu body's lost its will to stand. He looked at both of them in horror. Gasping. Panting.

"Kill him…..Kill him….."

"Kill father…..before father kills us….."

Their hands stretched out.

Their father whimpered like a small child while trying to crawled back eager for an exit. However he found none because the mysterious forces also locked the only door that led out tightly avoiding him to flee.

"Kill him……"

"…..before father kills us….."

His eyes widened and tears were dropping on his cheeks.

"Kill him……"

"….before father kills us…."

Both Akane and 'Azami' walked with their heads down like pair of corpses and stretching their hands out.

"…..no……" his lips was mumbling.

"Kill him……"

"….before father kills us…."

"Stay away….!!!!" He covered his face with his palms. But it was no use.

"Kill him……"

"….before father kills us…."

"No…!! No!!"

"KiLL hIm….."

"….bEFoRe fATHeR kILLs uS…."

They were now just few inches from him.

"KiLL hIm….."

"….bEFoRe fATHeR kILLs uS…."

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!"

The sound of rainfall broke out the long silence of the night. In that kind of weather, villagers were gladly bundled up in their warm futon. All of them were on their dreamlands.

Indeed they liked to sleep fast.

That was why noone could hear sinister laughters came out from the big Kiryu's residence…

END

AN: What do you think? This is my second fanfic I've ever made in my life. I've never write a horror story before, so I hope I don't bore you with this fanfic. And I'm sorry cuz I'm sucks in grammar.

Please give any comment. I'd be really glad if you give me some. That's what makes me keep on writing.

Oh, and I'd like to thank Lafine for giving me info about this incredible site.

Thanks vi