Supernatural

Night was falling on the narrow road through the forest and a light rain fell, dampening both the head and the spirits of the lone monk who trudged along it. Miroku glanced around at the darkening woods and sighed. The prospect of spending the night among the misty trees was not an inviting one. An unknown animal howled somewhere in the distance, sending shivers up Miroku's spine, and he started as some birds flew suddenly out of a thicket to his right. "Oh, nothing to worry about!" he said out loud to himself. "Just a few animals, that's all. Nothing at all to-"

"Are you lost?"

The monk jumped a foot in the air, losing his grip on his staff and letting it fall with a muted jingle to the dirt path. He whirled around to see a young woman staring at him out of dark brown eyes. Her pale skin contrasted dramatically with her deep brown hair. She stood oddly straight and rigid. "Are you lost?" she asked again.

"Erm...no, no, why would you think that?" stammered Miroku as he leaned down to retrieve his staff. The young woman didn't answer, but instead gazed upward at the twilit sky for a few moments before looking back at him.

"It's not safe to be out at night," she said in a strangely flat voice, staring unblinkingly at Miroku.

"Well, I'm sure I'll manage..." said Miroku. The woman's eyes seemed to be boring holes into his own, and he stared out into the trees to escape.

"It's not safe," she repeated. "You must stay at my cabin for the night."

"Oh, no, no! I wouldn't dream of imposing...must get going, you know..." Miroku babbled. He didn't know what exactly, but there was something strange about this woman that made him want to get away from her.

"I insist," she said. The monk looked back at her. Her eyes were so entrancing...maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay with her.

"Alright, I accept your most generous offer," Miroku said with a bow. "My name is Miroku. May I know your name?" A faraway look came into the woman's eyes as though she was trying to remember the words to some half-forgotten song. She was silent so long that Miroku had begun to fidget and wonder if he should apologize for offending her. But finally she stated, "Sango. My name is Sango. Follow me." She then turned and walked away through the trees. Miroku trailed after her along some unmarked path to a small, half-overgrown cabin. Sango opened the door and motioned him inside. Miroku hesitated, then walked into the single, musty room. It was lit inside by a one small lantern, which cast a spooky light on a bed, a table, two chairs and a wooden chest.

"Do you live here all alone?" inquired Miroku to break the silence.

"Yes," replied Sango. She opened the small chest and took out a loaf of bread. Miroku took the half of it that she wordlessly handed to him. The rest she placed back in the chest.

"Aren't you going to eat?" asked Miroku.

"I am not hungry." Sango watched him eat in silence. When he had finished, she gestured toward the bed and said, "You must get some rest."

"No, that's alright, I can't take your bed. The floor will do," said Miroku hastily.

"I will be fine," she said. Once again Miroku felt the hypnotic effect of her eyes and short, commanding statements. He lay down on the bed without further argument. Sango sat on the floor, watching him until he fell asleep.

Miroku awoke the next morning to Sango's voice.

"It is morning. You may continue on your way," she said. She made no response as Miroku gathered his things and backed out the door, thanking her profusely. As he was about to leave, the monk stopped and took a gold ring off of his staff. He handed it to Sango.

"Please take this as a token of my gratitude." Sango nodded once and put it in her pocket. Miroku walked away from the cabin, feeling her piercing gaze on his back all the way to the road and trying to ignore the impulse to run. Once back on the path again, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That was the strangest hostess I've ever met," he said to himself.

"Hostess?"

Once again Miroku jumped in fright and whirled around. A traveling merchant stood there, looking at the monk curiously from under his wide hat.

"Yes," said Miroku when he had caught his breath. "The young woman who lives back in the woods there let me stay with her for the night." The merchant tilted his head to the side inquisitively. "What? Nobody lives back there."

"But a young woman named Sango lives back there in a cabin!" said Miroku.

"Sango?" The merchant thought for a moment. "Well, there was a woman by that name who lived in these woods. But she can't have had you stay with her."

"Why not?" asked Miroku. He was thoroughly puzzled by the merchant's statement.

"She died a few years ago when her cabin caught fire."

"Died!" cried Miroku. "It must have been someone else. I met Sango just last night! Here, I'll show you." He trudged back off through the woods, dragging the stammering merchant behind him. But when they reached the cabin, Miroku stopped dead and gasped. There in the woods was the burned out shell of a small cabin. And in the midst of the ruin was a scorched wooden chest, on top of which lay a single gold ring.

The End