Chapter 1. Illness

"Sissy?" came the soft and sorrowful voice of a child. Her voice traveled down a long dark hallway. So soft you could barely hear it. However, a tall and slender woman walked into a room. The light of a small lamp made shadows dance across the gray walls of the small room.

The woman moved to the edge of a low and small bed.

"Yes Kanna?" came a soft and reassuring voice. A delicate hand reached forward and was placed gently on Kanna's forehead. It recoiled quickly.

"Oh Kanna. You're burning up! We need to get you to the hospital. Here, I'll get you some things to take with you." she said before getting up and rushing around the room.

Kanna watched as her sister did her best to help her. She had been sick for 2 weeks now. Their good for nothing father didn't do anything. Her brothers did what they could, but, they were always working, sleeping, or doing schoolwork. Kagura is the eldest of them and doesn't go to school any more.

She graduated then just stayed home. She did a few odd jobs now and then. She had no time any more. She had to quit. Kanna felt responsible. Not even their mom did anything to help her.

"Kagura? You don't have t..." Kanna began but was stopped by a cough. Kanna felt weak as she had since she became sick. Kagura finished packing a forest green bag and put on her back.

She bent next to Kanna's bed and gently picked her up. She wrapped her in her blankets as best she could. Kanna's long white hair was hanging loose. Kanna's strangely... silvery eyes lay half closed. Her breathing became heavy as she closed her eyes fully. Kagura was stricken with panic as she ran down the steps. A heavy smoke laid in the downstairs area. Both their parents smoked and drank all the time. Kagura sighed as she laid Kanna down on the sofa.

"Hold on just a moment. I need to get some money. Mom won't mind if I take her car... and purse. She's probably too drunk to care." Kagura sighed as she moved down a small and narrow hall.

She knocked on her parent's bedroom door softly. She could hear them behind it. She wanted to punch her mother when she pulled open the door. She had a lit cigarette in between her fingers and exhaled a puff of smoke right in Kagura's face.

Her mom's long black hair laid over her bare shoulders. Her hair was a mess and her makeup was smudged all over the place on her face. Her shirt sleeves were pulled down so far you could see the straps of her black underwear. Her blue skirt was pulled up rather high on her legs.

"Yeah? What the hell do you want." she said in a cold and wavering voice. Kagura coughed from the smoke of her cigarette.

"I need to borrow some things." Kagura said getting right to the point. Her mom raised her eyebrow in suspicion. She shrugged slightly and pulled the door open all the way to let Kagura in. Kagura wanted to throw up whenever she went in her parent's room.

Kagura held her breath as best she could. Her mom closed the door slowly behind her once Kagura came in. Her parents scarred her. More than anything else.

"Hey, Naraku! Kagura came to visit us!" her mom yelled. Kagura's eyes went wide. She hated her father most of all for more than one reason. She looked up as she heard a door open then close. Her father walked in. His shirt was gone showing his bare chest that his long hair covered. His eyes looked faded like he wanted to kill.

"Kikyo! Why did you let her in?!" He demanded. Kikyo looked scarred as Naraku walked up to her and grabbed her arm. He pushed her backwards into a wall. Her head drooped as she passed out and fell onto the floor. Kagura backed up slowly until her back hit a wall. She gulped loudly as her dad turned his eyes to her.

He isn't her real dad. He is her step dad and Kanna's as well. His old wife died, from suicide. She killed herself because of him. Then he met Kikyo. He put on a kind mask until they became boyfriend and girlfriend. She and her daughters had to move in with Naraku Now he controls her like he did his old wife.

Naraku walked towards her. His walking looked more like it was swaying. Kagura closed her eyes as Naraku slammed his hands into the wall on either side of her face. Kagura opened them as a look of fright spread over her face.

"Kagura. Your so pretty and your mom is so... so... boring now a days. C'mon, be mine. You'll never be bored or unhappy again." He said while leaning his face in towards Kagura's. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. Kagura moved her hands and began to push him away.

He grabbed her hands and held them tightly above her head. He was an extremely strong man for someone who drinks so much. Kagura's feet barely touched the ground. Kagura was about to scream when Naraku blocked her mouth with his.

Kagura nearly threw up if she hadn't kicked him in the gut. She was wearing her black heeled boots. It must have hurt badly because he fell backwards onto the ground and into a fettle position holding his gut. Kagura grabbed her mother's purse from a lamp table and her keys. She ran out the room and locked it before she went out.

"Kagura? You were gone for so long. Are you okay?" Kanna asked lightly. Kagura couldn't answer. She had almost been completely raped by her step father. She would never be okay.

She picked up Kanna and carried her outside. A light snow was falling. Kagura put Kanna in the passenger side of her mom's blue car. She locked the doors after she got in and started the car. She buckled Kanna and herself into the car and drove away from their old broken down apartment.