A/N: Okay, after seeing The Ring, The Ring twO, Ringu and Ringu 2, as well as reading a few Ring/Ringu fics, I figured I'd write one of my own. Here it is, sorry if it's not very scary at first.
This story will start with Sadako's video, and I may, emphasis on MAY, write a sequel that will contain Samara's video. Or I may find a way to write it in here. Only time will tell.
"Hey, Céléna!"
Céléna looked up at her friend, Nikki.
Nikki had several golden bangle on each wrist, and was wearing her cheer-leading outfit.
"Watchya doing here?" Céléna asked, actually feeling happy that her friend had come over. Her parents were out, her daughter was at a friend's house and there was nothing on TV.
"A friend of mine suggested I watch this, so I figured I'd bring it over to show you, too."
Nikki pulled out a recording tape from her bag that had no label.
"Did this friend tell you what it was?" Céléna asked.
"No, just that it was a must-see, so I'm gonna surprise you, too." Nikki shrugged.
"Well, I'll start it up, could you go get some lemonade from the kitchen? I seem to be too weak from thirst to make my way out of the room." Céléna said jokingly, sprawling out on the carpet to emphasise.
Nikki laughed.
"Fine, you baby." she tossed the video on to the bed and left.
Céléna popped the video into her machine, turned on the TV, and sat back to watch.
There was a burst of white noise, followed by an image of a man looking down from above. The view area seemed to be round, as though the camera was looking from the bottom of a vertical tunnel. There were dark, swirling clouds overhead.
The image changed, and there was an Asian woman in front of a mirror, combing her hair. The mirror was on the far left of the screen.
Suddenly, the mirror flicked to the right, and there was an imaged of a young girl in a white dress, with long, black hair obscuring her face.
This lasted only a second before changing back to the woman and the mirror was on the left again. The woman was now looking in the direction where the young girl was, and she smiled.
The image changed, and there were strange characters moving around on the screen. The looked to be from an article. Céléna recognised them as Japanese, as she sometimes looked at Japanese fan sites devoted to some of her favourite animés, before the image changed again.
There were people writhing around on the ground somewhere. It looked like they might all be having bad trips or something.
The image changed, and there was a man with a white towel or something on his head, obscuring his face. He was pointing to the left of the screen. Behind him was the unmistakable movement of water, as though he were standing with the sea behind him.
The image changed, and there was someone's eye. Ready for the Japanese characters this time, Céléna was able to make out more Japanese characters reflected in the person's eye just before the image disappeared.
A well in the middle of the woods. Céléna looked at it, but, after a few seconds, the whole thing reverted back to white noise.
That was the weirdest thing ever.
She turned off the TV, and noticed Nikki standing behind her on the right. However, on the right, in front of her daughter's bed, there was the young girl with the black hair and white dress.
Céléna turned and looked in the corner where the girl should have been standing, but there was nothing.
"Céléna?"
Céléna turned to the doorway, which was in the opposite corner, to see her friend, who looked tearful.
"Céléna, I'm so sorry, but I got scared, and… and…"
Céléna got up and stood before her friend.
"Scared of what?"
"Céléna…" Nikki was cut off by the phone ringing.
Céléna walked over and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
Céléna heard nothing but a strange, high-pitched sound. High-pitched, yet quiet. She thought she recognised the sounds from certain parts of the film she had just watched.
"Hello?" Céléna said, louder. She then proceeded to tap the button of the cradle repeatedly, hoping to re-establish the connection, but all she got from that was the dial tone.
Céléna hung up and turned to Nikki.
"Nikki, what's going on?"
"Céléna… my friend who made me watch that, it was to make me his tail. Anyone who watches that tape dies exactly a week later, unless they make a copy of it and have someone else watch it. I just made you my tail. You have to make a copy and have someone else watch it."
"And you believed the story?"
"It's all true." Nikki said, tears still flooding from her eyes. "Look."
Nikki pulled up her sleeve on the left hand and held up her arm for Céléna to see.
There were bruises on it as though someone had grabbed her very forcefully.
"You stupid bitch! I thought you were my friend!" Céléna felt betrayed like never before.
"I'm sorry!" Nikki turned and ran.
Céléna sunk to the floor.
What will happen to my daughter?
Céléna started crying.
Five years ago…
Céléna was twelve years old. She had slept over at a friend's house. Her friend's mother was driving her home afterward. They were only a block away when the car broke down.
"Damn." The mother said. "I'm gonna have to get a tow truck. Céléna, we're not far off, do you know how to get to your house from here?"
Céléna looked out the window. Her parents sometimes walked down this way with her to get things at the corner store.
"Yes. I know the way."
Céléna got out of the car and started walking. She was about halfway home, when a man pulled up.
"Do you need a ride, pretty girl?"
Céléna was no idiot. She knew what this guy was after.
"No thank you." she said politely.
"Oh, really?" the man got out of his car and walked around to where Céléna was standing.
Céléna was petrified. She didn't know if she could outrun this guy, or if she should just scream for help, so she did nothing.
The man came up to her quickly and used one arm to pick her up, while covering her mouth with the other.
Céléna fought and wriggled, but the man wouldn't let go.
The man brought her into his van in a side door, and dropped her onto the seat so that he could turn and shut the door.
The rest had passed in a blur, though someone had arrived and came to her rescue, the act had already been done.
For several months, she had nightmares about what had happened. Not long after the incident, however, Céléna had begun eating with increased appetite.
Her parents didn't notice this at first. They figured it was all psychological. That she would get back to normal later. After all, she hadn't even had her first period yet.
It was when she started getting big that they figured they'd better have her examined again. The first time had been to recover proof for the court case. Now they would need to check for pregnancy.
The tests came out positive.
Her father was saying that she should get an abortion. That it would be much easier. Céléna knew that she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did that. She told her parents firmly that she would not get an abortion unless there was a certainty that she would not survive the pregnancy.
July 1st, when Céléna was thirteen, the baby was born. A girl. Céléna had been thinking of naming her Aurora, after the princess in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. At the last minute, she asked her parents what Aurora was in french.
So it says on her birth certificate: Aurore Céléna Lajoie.
Present…
My baby… she's five… she needs a mother. But who could I get to be my tail? Am I desperate enough to condemn someone else?
Céléna heard the door open downstairs.
"Hello?"
Céléna recognised her mother's voice.
"Mommy?" Aurore called.
Céléna got up, wiped her face, and rushed downstairs.
"Aurore." She ran to her and scooped her up in her arms and kissed her cheeks repeatedly.
"Are you alright, Céléna?" her father asked, concerned.
"I just saw something on TV. It was…" she struggled to think of something that would make her want to hold her daughter so desperately. "A documentary about abused children."
"Ah." her mother said, understanding.
"It's late. I better put her to bed."
Her parents nodded and Céléna brought her daughter upstairs.
Céléna put on her pyjamas in the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom while Aurore remained in the latter to put on her nightgown.
When Céléna came back, she saw the girl from the video bent over one of Aurore's fairy tale books.
A/N: Uh-oh… how'd that happen? Find out… next chapter! That is, if you deem this worth reading. Review, flames welcome.