Memoir
Summary: Sequel to "Forgotten." "Time really does change everything, doesn't it? Hard to believe I'm the same person." Hiei/OC
Author's Notes: I know, I know, I didn't update over the weekend. I'm sorry. I had to go to the Strange family reunion (and that's NOT a pun…). But I'm back now, so it's all good. Yeah. Oh, this is exciting; this is the chapter where we find out some about the crazy little boy! Anywho, let's take a moment to thank the reviewers.
DarkArcheangel: Yeah, you're right. She was exaggerating a bit. It happens to people who have been through something traumatic. Thanks for the review; I hope you like the story.
-X-1fallen angel1-X-: Ah, thanks for catching that. Yes, Akiko's mother has been mentioned once before, in the first chapter of "Forgotten." Thanks for reviewing the chapter and asking questions! Hope you like this chapter too.
ImParanoid: I know, I know, poor Akiko. I promise, things will eventually improve. It's all part of the story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy your trip. Keep reading and reviewing!
sillylittlenothing: Yeah, it's a rough situation for her. But just to give you a little better of an idea, Akiko has a job, a cheap apartment and a used car. She's frugal and good at managing money (since she had to do it for her dad and all), so she'll be all right. Keep reading and reviewing!
BlueWater26: No one knows what happened to Mrs. Mishimi…. It's an odd situation to say the least. Things do suck for Akiko right now, but things change . I hope you like the next chapter! Keep reviewing.
MikoHatome: I'm glad you liked "Forgotten" and are liking this fic so far. Yes the lullaby was an actual song ("Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls). Thanks for the response!
Always love hearing from you guys; you keep me sane.
Oh, by the way, italics type indicates a flashback/memory sequence.
Part Four: Blinded by the Light
Akiko wasn't quite sure how she had made it up to the door of her apartment; tears were blurring her vision horribly. She wiped at them with the back of her hand as she approached the door. The tears didn't dry up, even as she dug in her pocket for her key.
Eventually, she did get the door open. She kicked a clear path at the door, still sniffing and wiping her eyes.
"God, this sucks," she sighed, pushing the door closed a resting her head against the cool wood.
She stayed there for a time, trying to get a grip on all that had happened—from Mira picking her up yesterday to the meeting with the lawyer…. It was surreal.
Sighing, Akiko flipped the light switch and turned to the sofa, wanting nothing more than to collapse onto it. But something stopped her from doing that.
Said something being a little boy.
The same little boy she had seen in the graveyard. And that she had almost run over not two nights ago.
"Oh my God," Akiko breathed, cautiously stepping towards the little boy. "What are you doing here? Who are you?"
The child did not respond; he simply sat on the edge of the sofa, smiling warmly at her.
"Hey, kid, this isn't funny! Who are you?"
He rose to his feet and approached Akiko; she noticed, for the first time, that his face and arms were littered with scars and burns. Falling into a kneel, Akiko took the little boy's hand.
It was cold.
Too cold for anyone living.
Akiko's breath caught in her throat and she threw the little boy's hand back at him.
"Christ… you're…."
The little boy cocked his head to one side, waiting for what Akiko would say.
"You're dead, aren't you?"
Slowly, the little boy nodded.
"Dear God." Akiko dropped to the floor in a dead faint, the little boy watching her curiously.
The stars were beautiful that night; he sat and watched them with his parents, thinking in the way that only a child can.
It was perfect.
The boy's mother went into their house; his father followed her, motioning for the little boy to come inside also. He took his time getting to the door. The stars were just so pretty.
He heard his mother screaming.
Strange. His mother never screamed. The little boy looked around, trying to find what had scared his mother so badly.
He saw it.
Claws flashed. He barely saw the monster; it was enormous—bigger than the house. A roar escaped the beast as he took another swing at the little boy.
The child was screaming now, and bleeding. His father ran inside the house in a panic, looking for something to fend off the beast.
He found a torch.
By the time his father returned, the little boy was all but dead. The flame was a last ditch attempt to drive the beast away. But it didn't work. The father was sent flying; the torch fell to the ground, setting the grass ablaze.
There was no escape for the child now.
Tears streamed down the child's face as he looked up into the beast's face.
Glowing golden eyes were the last thing he saw before the claws flashed again.
The next day, his parents returned to the site of the fire.
Nothing was left but ashes.
Akiko's vision slid back into focus as she lifted herself off the floor. When she reached a sitting position, she saw that the little boy was still watching her.
Keeping her eyes on the child, Akiko crept over to her phone and, with more than a little difficulty, dialed Yusuke's number.
The phone rang twice, before Yusuke's voice came through the line. "What?"
"Yusuke, I need to talk to you."
"Akiko? It's three in the morning."
"I know. But I need to talk to you now."
"Okay, okay."
"Great. Meet me at the children's cemetery near my place in an hour all right? And call Kurama and Kuwabara too."
"All right. Just one question."
"Yeah?"
"What the hell is this about?"
Akiko shook her head. "I'll tell you when you get here. Hurry, Yusuke."
When Kurama's car pulled to the side of the road, Akiko was on the swing set, glancing over at the cemetery.
Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke climbed out of the car and approached her.
"So what's the deal?" Kuwabara yawned.
Akiko stood and began walking to the graveyard. "You won't believe this."
Yusuke smirked. "Yeah, right."
"I've been seeing this little boy," Akiko said, "in the weirdest places. And when I got home, he was in my apartment."
Kuwabara scratched his head. "He break in?"
"No, no," Akiko said. "I think he's been trying to tell me something. I asked him who he was, I held his hand…. He was dead; I'm sure of it."
"If he was dead how was he standing?" Yusuke asked.
Kurama frowned. "Are you saying that this child is a ghost?"
"Yes, yes, yes. That's what I'm saying." Akiko lead the boys through the graveyard, not really sure where she was going until she reached an ancient grave marker. "This is his. This is where he's buried."
Akiko ran her hand across the grave marker. "He was killed, you guys. He was killed by a yokai."
Author's Notes: Yeah. Spooky, huh? Anywho, I'm sorry for making you guys wait through the weekend for this chapter. Like I said, reunion (which, believe me, if I could've gotten out of it…). There probably won't be an update until Wednesday; I'm going to be out of town all day tomorrow. But I'll try to get some work in tomorrow morning before I head out. Well, read and review!