Chapter 2: When She Got Home...

That cold November night, on her way home from the conference, Kinshi realized that she left one of her teacher books at home. She had to bring it in to class either tonight or tomorrow morning, when she might forget. She decided to bring it in tonight.

While she walked home, there were footsteps behind her. Tap, tap, tap. Kinshi was starting to get a little scared. She heard that muggers weren't likely to attack you if you walked with authority, and she guessed a brisk stride of fear wouldn't look any different from a brisk stride of confidence. So she pumped up her walking speed by a few longer strides. Tap, tap, tap. The footsteps seemed to get faster as well.

Kinshi felt every muscle in her stomach clench. She rounded a corner and pressed herself into a shadow made by the wall. Turning her head for a better angle to see, she brushed against a stalactite of icicle that hung from the ledge just above her. Dislodged, it fell to the ground and made a noise of impact: Crack crack. Kinshi started to leave, then studied the shards of glistening ice at her feet. She tapped her foot once on the sidewalk. Tap tap. She did it again. Tap tap. She tapped both feet, one after the other. Tap tap. Tap tap. She stifled a nervous laugh. She'd been running from the echo of her hard-soled boots off the walls of the huddled homes!

When Kinshi got home, she opened the door to a pitch-dark home. She could hear Sesshoumaru's harsh, slow breathing in the corner where the couch was. Sesshoumaru, she thought. You really love that couch, don't you? But there wasn't any light in this house. Kinshi waited inside the door for several seconds, hoping that her eyes would accommodate, but it was no use. She really didn't want to turn on the light. It would only disturb his peacefully sleeping husband and make him cranky. Besides, she really didn't need the light. She knew where her other folders were.

Four steps from the doorway, her foot connected with a soft lump on the floor. She nearly went sprawling over whatever Sesshoumaru had dropped there. Sad, she thought. Sesshoumaru was playing with his dolls again. I'm going to have to yell at him again tomorrow morning! Kinshi walked carefully across the room, her left hand out. She felt Fluffy nudge her right hand roughly. She didn't care right now. She moved her left hand toward the desk, and as she took her folders, Fluffy persistently nudged his head into her side.

"Not now, Fluffy," she growled. Not to be ignored, he pushed his whole body up against her. He pushed too hard, because she fell. The noise was so loud, someone in a tornado could hear it. Kinshi froze. If Sesshy woke up, she would be the one who received the yelling. But Sesshoumaru kept snoring steadily on the couch. Could sleep through the end of the world, she thought with a smile. But Fluffy wanted to play. He rubbed his paws up against her leg. "I'm sorry, Fluffy, but I have to get back to work," she cooed. Fluffy whimpered, but settled down and slept.

As she locked the door, she had a suspicious feeling that she was being watched. Kinshi put her folders into her knapsack. But Kinshi heard the echoing footsteps again. She smiled, and stopped dead in her tracks. There was a footstep that wasn't an echo... She called the police on her cell phone and ran towards the school.

Scary, huh? Well, don't forget to submit reviews! My story is almost complete.