Chapter 4: Attacker

A swift wind knocked Sango forward. She sank to one knee as the breeze howled past her. That was bizarre, she thought. She rose from bended knee as whirled around.

"Gen? Where are you? Hello?" she called into the wind. She crossed under the gateway to the other side. "Gen, where are you?" she called again. She was just here not a minute ago. Is she playing a game?

Sango broke into a trot as she headed back the direction they came. She looked high and low for her, but no sign. She began to panic. Wait, maybe she went ahead of me and I didn't see her go by. She turned and ran the other direction, all the way to Genevieve's house.

Ding dong!! "Who is it?" came a familiar female voice.

"It's me, Sango." She thrust her hands into her jacket as the door swung open. "Did Gen already come back here?"

"No, I thought she was with you. Come in, I can check upstairs…you know how hard it is to hear from the basement." Maiki smiled as she closed the door. "Genevieve! Are you here?" she yelled as she trooped up the stairs. She peeped a head in her room, bathroom, and Kilala's room, but no Gen.

"She's not here Sango."

"Well, I don't know where she is either. We were taking the long way home through the park and she just disappeared. I called and there was no answer." Sango's brain was clicked into high gear. "Call the police and file a report. Who knows what kind of lunatics hide in parks at night." She was on her way out the door before Genevieve's mother could protest.

I can't figure it out. I heard no cry from her. She's so advanced in our class--she would defend herself against almost any threat! What could have happened to her?

Sango revisited every place they went that night and got phone numbers from people who might help out.

Depressed and lonely, Sango trudged home. A tear wetted her eyes as she unlocked the door to her house. She switched on the kitchen light and set to work at the table creating posters of her friend. When the hours crept into the a.m., she decided to turn in. She called a goodnight to her foster parents and headed to her room down the hall. Sango kicked off her shoes and sank down to the bed.

A hand reached across her nose and mouth and she shot up in fear. Fear widened her eyes as she fought against her attacker. Strong arms enveloped her and tightened the more she struggled.

"If you calm down and trust me, I will let you go," a tenor voice whispered in her ears. Her flailing arms had stopped and he loosened his grip.

Sango took a deep breath and nodded. With the grip released, she inhaled a deep breath sharply. She calmly looked to her side where the man kneeled on the bed to her right. What is he wearing? A purple-blue robe?

"Who are you and what do you want? Did you kidnap Genevieve?" Sango jumped to a standing position, eye to eye with him.

The man smiled pleasantly," I'm not here to hurt you, I just followed you from the park."

Sango hauled off and smacked him as she tried to scamper away again. Again, those powerful arms reached out to her.

"I mean I know something of your friend…just calm down." The red welt was beginning to swell on his face.

Sango settled the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The concern of her friend quieted her personal fear. "What do you know?"

"Well, I was walking through the gateway outside of Kaede's village when I felt a huge breeze slide past me. I was knocked down and found myself here. When I saw you I hid, but then followed you because I thought you might know how I got here." The blue robed man nodded and looked to Sango without question.

"My friend and I were walking through the park when a breeze blew me to my knee. And then she wasn't there…" an idea sparked in Sango's head. What if they traded places or something? That gateway has been thought to be a portal of which many mythologies speak. Is that plausible?

"Forgive me, my name is Sango. My friend's name is Genevieve," she blushed nearly forgetting her manners.

"Ah yes, a beautiful name to fit a beautiful woman. My name is Miroku. It's a pleasure to meet you." He gave a slight bow. Sango took an opportunity to look him over. He was of average height and short black hair tied into a pony tail. He stepped from the bed and looked into her eyes. His eyes are so gulp beautiful.

"Shall we go back to the gateway and see if there are any clues?" his determination to find out right now surprised Sango.

"It's three in the morning. I think we should rest a bit." Miroku yawned, apparently just as tired as her. "I can set you up a place to rest on the couch." Sango went to work unfolding the couch bed and gave him a blanket to sleep with. She crawled into her own bed and snuggled down with her body pillow. Poor Gen. I hope she's okay, wherever she is. I think I'll call in sick tomorrow for school. I couldn't possibly learn while she's lost. Miroku will help me…he seems misplaced too. He thoughts teetered on Miroku's boyishly attractive features. She blushed and nodded off to sleep.