The story so far:

Prolog – Mayumi Osaka finds herself in a horrific situation while on a pleasure ride aboard a multimillionaire's yacht.

Chapter I, Subpar – Serena resolves to win the love of someone she admires by altering herself.

Chapter II, Calamity – The wellbeing of Naru's mother, Mayumi, is called into question when her cruise vacation is cut short by a sudden epidemic aboard a luxury liner.

Chapter III, Tryst – Serena's unusual morning ends off with meeting a strange girl and a controversial item in her possession.

Chapter IV, Friction – An interesting item catches Serena's attention at a boutique, and later, she finds herself heatedly defending her contentious decision to take drastic means to change her appearance.

Chapter V, Outsider – Serena cuts class to satisfy a curiosity but instead finds herself wondering how she appears in the eyes of others.

Chapter VI, Reveiller – A disturbing wakeup call has Serena rushing to Naru's house at 3 AM, ending in unspeakable tragedy.

Chapter VII, Fragments – Serena is tormented by her actions and struggles to come to terms with her guilt.

Chapter VIII, Encounter – Serena sees Naru for the first time after the fateful night when their lives changed forever.

Chapter IX, Pressure – The police become involved in Serena's troubles. She tries her best to keep her secret while also maintaining her sanity after she remembers she felt behind a vital clue at the crime scene...

Chapter X, Façade – An intruder makes an unwelcome appearance at Mayumi's funeral and presents Serena with an astonishing gift that leaves her questioning her morals...

Book I

- Disingenuous -

- Epilogue -

Rift

Naru's eyes were as red as the setting sun, which was now almost completely obscured by buildings to the west. The sun's warmth had disappeared and the shadows of the graves and tombstones had grown long. They had slowly crawled their way across the plot of Mayumi Osaka and covered the Tsukinos in a chilly shade. As the darkness crept its way over them, the black pit in front of them seemed to grow even darker and deeper.

It had been over an hour since the last mourners had departed. No one had said a word in almost as long. There was no need to say anything, but no one would budge from their spot until the bereft girl gave a sign that she was ready to leave.

Naru could cry no more tears as she gazed into the dark grave. Serena looked at her friend and wondered what was going through her mind. Was she thinking of just throwing herself in there as well? The frail girl could only move so fast, but even if she were intent on joining her mother at the bottom of the pit, Kenji and Ikuko were within arm's reach behind her and could thwart any such attempt.

Serena glanced back and forth between the gaping hole in the ground and her family. Her brother sat crossed-legged on the grass while her parents leaned on one another for support. All of them were as still as the trees that adorned the path of the cemetery while the brood of cicadas continued their droning hum.

Without looking up from the open grave, Naru finally broke the silence. "We can go." Her voice was weak and the words were strained, as though they had gotten caught partway up her larynx.

Serena was relieved to hear those words. Her legs and back ached from just standing, but she had known better than to express her discomfort.

"Let's get you some rest," Ikuko said calmly as she tenderly rested her palm on Naru's shoulder. "This has all been very hard on you."

Serena knew her mother was very empathetic, and she no doubt sensed that the bereaved girl suffered silently much the same as she did in difficult moments. Maybe Naru reminded Ikuko about herself? In some ways, they were more alike than Serena was with her own mother. It truly felt to Serena that Naru was the daughter her mom was meant to have, but had her instead. This was not the first time the disappointment of such a realization had crept into her thoughts. It only seemed much more real now.

Ikuko gently wheeled her would-be daughter down the gentle slope, back toward where their car was parked. It was a very somber moment. The five of them proceeded in silence toward the gates, all of them almost entirely in lockstep. Shingo was the one to break the quiet with a gasp. He was elated about something. Serena looked up to her parents, hoping they would deal with her brother's lack of decorum. Both Ikuko and Kenji were about to chastise their son, except that they first followed his gaze to see what had stirred his excitement. It was not difficult to discern - amidst the passersby on the street taking opportunistic photos on their phones, was a red Ferrari Testarossa parked on the street, just beyond the cemetery gates. Even annoyed drivers on the narrow road could not help rubbernecking to steal a glance at the luxury car.

Naru uneasily fidgeted about in her seat at the sight of the vehicle. There was something troubling her – Serena could see it on her face. "What's wrong?"

"I... I... " Naru struggled to verbalize her ideas as she nervously searched for words. It did not help that all of the Tsukinos had their eyes on her. "Stop right here!" she demanded, far more commandingly and authoritatively than any of them had expected from the sickly girl. Puzzled, Ikuko stopped pushing the wheelchair and they all came to a standstill not far from the cemetery gates. "There's ... something important I need to tell all of you."

"What's going on?" Kenji raised an eyebrow, worried by Naru's suspicious tone and body language.

Naru averted her eyes. "I... I can't... I'm… not coming home with you," she stated meekly, reverting back to her wearied demeanor. The Tsukinos, each with a perplexed expression, disconcertingly looked down at the wheelchair-bound girl.

Serena shook her head, her lips parting slightly but forming no words to express her puzzled disbelief. Where could she possibly go in her condition?

"What do you mean 'I'm not coming home with you'?" Ikuko questioned, the confusion apparent in her soft voice.

"I'm… going somewhere... else," she replied, motioning with her hand at the Ferrari's tinted windows. They were so dark that none of them would have known someone was inside the vehicle. Naru had clearly arranged something, for there was no way she could see through the tinted windows either. The luxury car's driver-side scissor door opened vertically, something which Serena had seen only in movies. A handsome man, likely in his late twenties or early thirties, stepped out. He was very tall and wore a light blue designer suit, perfectly pressed, with a canary yellow dress shirt underneath. His walnut brown dress shoes matched the colour of his long, wavy hair. Everything about his appearance was and every bit as meticulously cared for as his car. Despite the confusion of the moment, Serena was taken in by his undeniable attractiveness, which was apparent even from a distance.

Naru smiled at him and beckoned him to come to them. The man nonchalantly left the driver's side door open and approached. Curious onlookers stopped in their tracks to peek at the vehicle's pristine interior. It was evident that the man was accustomed to the gawks and stares of curious onlookers. He paid them no attention as he walked toward the Tsukinos.

"You… know this man?" asked Serena's father, looking back at Naru.

"Yes," she affirmed with delight. Her face beamed bright with every step he took toward them. The man's pleasantly delightful cologne, carried by the gentle wind, washed over them before he reached the family. Serena was not sure how, but the cool, piney scent even smelled expensive. "Everyone, this is Maxfield Stanton," Naru gleefully introduced him, her character entirely uplifted in his presence.

"Pleasure," he firmly shook hands with Serena's father instead of exchanging customary bows. He turned to Ikuko, delicately took her hand and kissed it with the grace of a ravishing fairytale prince. "Charmed," he smiled, soft dimples appearing on his cheeks.

"Oh!" Ikuko reddened with embarrassment.

Serena was impressed by the man's suave elegance and finesse. In case there were any doubts – as though his appearance and name were not obvious enough markers – the man's mannerisms were distinctively not Japanese.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I trust Naru has discussed our arrangement with you?" As he spoke, his two rows of immaculately white, perfectly aligned teeth were noticeable.

A confused look appeared on the faces of both Tsukino parents. They looked so identical that they could have shared the same face at that moment.

"No. Not at all," Ikuko stated drily.

"What 'arrangement'?" Kenji demanded.

Serena could tell by the way that her parents were looking at Naru that they felt betrayed by her silence and lack of forthcoming. Maxfield also turned to Naru, who then averted her gaze downward into her lap. Nobody needed to see her face in order to know she was embarrassed and ashamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have the courage to tell them," she said, remorseful.

"What do you want with Naru?" Evidently, Ikuko's protective instincts had kicked in and she did not make any effort to hide her suspicions.

"Yes. What does a grown man want with a young girl?" Serena was fixed on her dad, whose question was surely rhetorical, as he himself was likely fully aware of what men wanted from women ... even girls. "What's this 'arrangement'?" Serena's dad repeated. He could have asked Maxfield, but he wanted to hear it from Naru instead.

"I'm... not coming to live with you," she said. "I'm going to stay with Maxfield."

"What?!" The Tsukino family asked in unison, astonished at the revelation.

Naru raised her hand defensively. "I... didn't know how to bring it up. I'm really sorry. You've done so much for me, I know. Please, don't be mad at me," she pleaded. "It's just... I don't want to be a burden on all of you. Just … look at me. I… can't even walk on my own," her voice cracked behind choked-back tears. "I couldn't even brush my hair or get in this dress alone either. I'm helpless."

"And this... Maxfield," Kenji waved his upward palm at the stranger "is just going to do those things for you now?" He stated with distrust and disgust apparent in his tone. Serena was very surprised to hear her dad address the man by his first name, foregoing usual norms of respect amongst adults.

"Just who is this man, exactly?" Ikuko demanded, ignoring his very presence and altogether forgetting his debonair charm that had almost swept her off her feet a moment ago.

"Please, let me explain," Maxfield interjected coolly. His deep, soothing baritone voice disarming those around him. "I met Mayumi during a cruise we attended -"

"- so you're just some random guy from the cruise?" Kenji cut off Maxfield, sounding almost angry. He surely must have been, as Serena had never known her father to raise his voice at a stranger.

"No. Not quite. I own the cruise line," he said casually, as other people might talk about owning a pair of socks. As he spoke, he waved his hands gently. His lustrous, expensive, silver watch - no doubt a Rolex or something even more expensive - caught Serena's eye. "I own several international travel and tourism companies, actually," he further added.

To own a fancy car was one thing, but to own several lucrative companies was a different matter altogether. He must be really rich, Serena reasoned.

"He's a billionaire!" Naru exclaimed with innocent delight, as if she had read Serena's ponderings.

Wow! A billionaire?! Serena was taken by the very notion.

"Let's not exaggerate, Naru. I'm still a few million short of a billion," he corrected her.

That's still an awful lot of money, Serena thought. She was sure they were all thinking the same thing. Clearly, neither of them were talking in terms of the Japanese yen. After all, any frugal Japanese salaryman could amass several ten, if not hundred, million yen. With a name such as Maxfield, maybe the one followed by all those zeros was in British pounds, Serena reasoned. It was difficult for Serena to comprehend the vastness of such wealth. At most, her meagre allowance had never permitted her to do anything more than to sparingly spend on a few gachapon capsules or video games every now and then. Her recent expenditures on weight loss pills had entirely exhausted her already shallow funds. Despite her sudden fascination and intrigue with what the billionaire might do with all his money, Serena remained quiet while her father butted heads with the wealthy man in front of them.

"And just where were you all this time?" Kenji demanded, annoyed and angered that he had not bothered to attend any of the services if their deceased friend meant anything to the man.

"Truth be told, Mr..."

"Tsukino," Kenji stated tersely with visible irritation.

"... Mr. Tsukino, I could have been present today, but I remained out here at Naru's request. She felt she needed time to explain to you and your family her decision."

"Were you not planning on telling us?" Serena finally spoke up, indignant at her friend.

You don't have a right to complain about keeping secrets...

Serena did not think her friend could have looked any more fragile and weak than she already did, still emaciated by her contact with the wither. Yet, when she slumped even further into her wheelchair, she reminded Serena of the frail mummy Mayumi Osaka had become in her final hour.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention. I ... just couldn't get the words out."

Ikuko eyed the multimillionaire. "Just when did you two meet, anyway?" she inquired with dubious scorn.

"After I heard about what happened to Mayumi, I inquired about her daughter, whom she had spoken about with high regard during our brief time together. When I learned that she was in the hospital, I asked the staff there to notify my secretary when Naru awoke. I met Naru after two officers had questioned her about... well, you know," he looked down at Naru and felt no need to finish his sentence.

"So that was your car at the hospital," Shingo said, making the obvious connection for everyone. No one bothered to acknowledge his needless comment. It was not as though Ferraris were a common sight in Minato anyway. How many billionaires could possibly be driving around the city with the same car? Even in Ginza, you would probably be very hard-pressed to find one, Serena thought.

"Please understand, I intend to take full care of Naru," the almost-billionaire explained.

"And what's wrong with how we would take care of her, Mr. Stanton?" Serena's father demanded, obviously insulted by the implicit assertion that he would not be able to provide adequate care for Naru.

"I can provide her with personalized, 'round-the-clock medical care with doctors, physical therapists, grief counselors, nutritionists, and chefs in the very comfort of my penthouse suite in Ginza. I have numerous amenities that can help with Naru's recuperation as well - a personal gym, pool, sauna. While in my care, she won't have to worry about anything - everything will be provided for her by professionals. Can you say the same?"

It was no surprise that he lived in Ginza, but Serena could not tell whether Maxfield was actually modest or only played the part. The smug smile that spread across his lips certainly hinted at a touch of arrogance hidden under his cool exterior.

Maxfield stared down at Kenji, who was gnashing his teeth, angered by the multimillionaire's condescension. Even with his newfound wealth, Kenji was no match for the coffers of an almost-billionaire.

"Please! Don't fight!" Naru interjected, wary of the increasingly confrontational tone the conversation had taken. "I'm staying with Maxfield because I don't want to be a burden to you," Naru repeated. "I need to get better. He's offered to take me in."

"In exchange for what?" Ikuko asked. The tone in her voice was enough to make her meaning clear.

Maxfield raised his hands defensively. "Nothing."

"There's always a price, Mr. Stanton." Kenji stated, his distrust evident in his tone. "As a businessman, I'm sure you know that better than anyone else."

Maxfield looked at Naru, who looked distraught over how this introduction was playing out. "Let there be no bad blood between us, Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino," he ignored the accusations levied against him and instead tried to deescalate the situation. "You're all welcome to come for a few days to judge if my… humble lodgings will be suitable for Naru," Maxfield offered, choosing his words carefully. "There's more than enough room for all of you. In fact, we could even all go right now"

Shingo's eyes lit up. "Yeah! That'd be cool!" he cried out, no doubt already envisioning himself overlooking the Tokyo cityscape from the balcony of a swanky penthouse suite.

Kenji silenced his son with an extended arm, his palm over Shingo's mouth. "No, that's quite alright, Mr. Stanton," he declined, speaking on behalf of his family. "That won't be necessary. None of us will be joining you tonight."

"But-" Serena protested over her father's unilateral decision. A quick glare silenced her too. She had seen that look before and knew what it meant. Clearly, her father felt betrayed. His anger clouded any attempt at reasoning with him. Serena had never realized her father's pride was so prickly.

"Naru," Serena began, unsure of how to convince her friend to reconsider. You don't just run off with a stranger... Before she could cogently form her thoughts, Ikuko spoke up.

"Are you sure you can trust this man?" she asked, kneeling to face Naru head-on as if in anticipation of a secret response that she could then use to move beyond the stalemate and win her second daughter back.

Naru looked at her adoptive mother, then the rest of the entire Tsukino family. "Thank you for worrying about me, but I don't want to be silenced." Serena knew Naru avoided being direct or confrontational. She had always felt uncomfortable asserting herself. But it was clear that she had to speak up if they were going to move beyond this point. "Today you showed your honour and respect for my mother. If you really care for her, then you can extend your welcome to Maxfield and trust him - like she did." Naru underscored her words. Those words had definitely taken courage for her to say. "If she trusted him, then I know I can, too. And so can you."

Serena looked at her parents, who remained quiet. Naru had certainly raised a valid point. Why had she not simply said this before? Or had she thought of this on the spot? Either way, Naru had implicitly, but tactfully, challenged whether the Tsukino parents' show of respect was sincere. It was a cheap shot, Serena knew, but she admired the craftiness behind the argument. If her parents truly respected Mayumi, they would have to concede, regardless of their objections.

After a pause, Ikuko spoke again. "You're comfortable doing this?"

Naru was unhesitant "Mhmm," she nodded. "I know we just met… but I can tell he really cared for my mother. He's a good man."

"Then go." Ikuko's sudden openness to the idea signaled the defeat of the united Tsukino front.

"Ikuko!" Kenji objected immediately. He must have been really upset - Serena never recalled him addressing his wife by her first name.

Ikuko raised her hand to stop her husband. "She's clearly made her mind."

"She's a minor! It doesn't matter what she has to say about it!"

"We can't just force her into our home, Kenji." Serena rarely ever heard her mother call her dad by his first name either. She must truly be serious. "Or what? Do you intend to kidnap her and lock her up against her will?"

The other members of the Tsukino family were shocked by Ikuko's response. Her transgression of norms was unexpected; it was most unlike her to undermine her husband's word, especially in public.

"What do you mean, 'Then go'?" Kenji questioned, incredulous and vying for the final word, which he was accustomed to having. "She's coming with us."

"What're you going to do, hmm? Twist her ear until she gets into the car with us?" Ikuko shot back. Indeed, she had a good point. It seemed incredibly wrong to win this argument by physically overpowering an enfeebled girl and taking her somewhere against her will. Whether Kenji liked it or not, the matter was settled. Ikuko leaned in again and whispered loud enough so that Serena could also hear, "Don't worry about my stubborn husband. I'll get him to come around. We will come visit you before you know it," she reassured Naru, speaking softly and gently, yet also noticeably sad. "You won't be far from us."

"Ms. Tsukino," Maxfield started again, with his rich voice. "Thank you for allowing me this honour. Your faith in me is a testament to your love of Mayumi. Do not worry, Naru is in good hands." He smiled pleasantly, displaying his perfect teeth, and directed them to his car with a slight bow and a gentle wave of his arm.

As they made their way to the sleek, cherry red automobile, a weak smile spread across Naru's lips, one of the only few to grace her face since she had awoken in the hospital. "Thank you," she said with delight, reaching back to place her hand on Ikuko's.

Naru had a kind, gentle heart and no doubt it was true that she did not want to burden Serena and her family. However, Serena was not remiss to notice the appeal of a reified Prince Charming coming to save Naru and make her feel better. That much was undeniable. Standing before Naru was a handsome, wealthy man who would whisk her away from this dreadful situation, remedy her sorrows and lavish her with extravagance. Although Serena knew that Naru never envisioned herself as a damsel in distress, when Prince Charming came knocking on her door, she knew she would have been foolish to turn him away.

"Serena, would you help me into the car?" Naru asked.

"Yeah," her short, monosyllabic response caught in her ambivalence. It was remarkably odd - last night, Serena had wanted her friend to live anywhere but with her family, yet now that she was asked to help send her off elsewhere, a part of her wanted to keep her friend close. But she could not have it both ways though, and Naru had already made her wishes clear.

The two girls went around the front of the luxury vehicle, both of them appreciating its pristine finish as the passenger-side door reached toward the darkened sky. "Thank you for all your support. You've been so great," Naru said, looking up to her friend as though she were a big sister looking after her. "I'm really sorry about this drama."

"Naru, I'm not so sure about this," Serena admitted, a sense of worry overcoming her. She wanted to be supportive, yet she did not have it in her. Did my compassion die too? Doesn't Naru deserve something to be happy about?

"I'll be fine. We talked for a long time last night. He's a really sweet, caring man," Naru reassured Serena, resting her weight on her friend as she lowered herself into the vehicle's tanned leather interior. Neither of them had ever experienced a new car smell quite as wonderful as this one. Everything in the interior was immaculate. The windshield, dashboard and stick shift were spotless, not like their car, which often got dirty and dusty, despite its newness. Serena tried to see the silver lining. Perhaps it would not be so bad going with the almost-billionaire. He could provide for Naru in ways they could not. There was truth to that.

"You'll have to keep the wheelchair for now. No room for it in here," Naru chuckled.

Serena just forced an uneasy smile across her lips. At least she seems happier...

Maxfield handed his business card to Ikuko, who respectfully placed it in her wallet before gently ensconcing it back into her purse. "Should you change your mind about visiting, call my secretary. She'll arrange everything for you." He nonchalantly walked to the driver-side door and got into his Ferrari. "I look forward to having you all over," he said, before closing the scissor door.

Naru had already buckled herself in, no trace of doubt over going with the multimillionaire.

"Call me, ok?" Serena asked earnestly.

"Of course," her friend replied, the scissor door silently closing back down.

Despite her friend's reassurances, Serena felt no better. I can't blame her for not wanting to stay… and she doesn't even know the truth of what I did. Serena selfishly hoped her friend would remain ignorant of what had actually transpired in her own bedroom. The entire wake and funeral had gone by and Naru had not hinted at holding back any information. If she eventually did recall something, it would certainly be best for them not to be sharing the same roof.

The Tsukino family watched idly as the Ferrari Testarossa revved its engine. Its distinctive roar sounded expensive. The luxury car's brake lights washed the family in a coat of red. The engine gave a quick rumble and before long, it had sped out of view.

Serena looked at her irate father, the empty wheelchair now in his hands. If he could throw it far enough to hit Maxfield's Ferrari, he probably would have, given the look on his face. Her mother had been more empathetic toward Naru's desires than her father, but Serena was not convinced her show of kindness was for the better. Despite Naru's claims to the contrary, Serena felt a terrible unease about her friend's departure.

'No, stay...' she had wanted to say.

Yes, stay. You're safer with the killer, Serena's unpleasant inner voice added. It spoke louder than before, its scathing words more difficult to shake off.

Ever since that night… It had never been there before, I swear it. Serena was sure she had never argued with herself in this manner before.

Her mind, as her emotions, felt as though it was coming apart. The ambivalence she felt about herself, her friend and family were tearing away at her, splitting her at her very core. Dark thoughts casually crept across her mind, as though they were welcome and had always had a place there. She did not want to listen to the derisive comments, but they were now coming with greater frequency and intensity. It was taking more and more effort not to have a conversation with herself out loud.

She needed something else to draw her thoughts away from her growing lunacy, yet all she could fixate on was the empty seat cushion on the wheelchair, which only served to remind her of her own feelings of emptiness. Naru wanted love and attention - things Serena had once given in abundance, but which she could no longer provide. Was it wrong for her friend to seek those out elsewhere? A part of her also felt betrayed, but ultimately, no, she could not fault her for it. Who wouldn't want to be with a billionaire and live in a fancy penthouse or mansion, anyway? Even she knew she would have jumped at the chance. Maybe, she actually was better off with the almost-billionaire she had met last night.

'It's not Naru who needs help - I'm the one that needs it!' she wanted to cry out. She was so … hurt. But who could know about her pain? Who could share in her tragedy without learning of all the misery she had created for others? Who could possibly console or even pity her?

Serena wanted to be strong. Be like mom. Be just like her.

"She's gone away," Serena whispered, mournful, the empty road reflecting her predicament.

No, you drove her away.

There it was again. That voice. She hated it, but she could not rip out her own brain from her skull. There was no escaping its cruel words. The voice was all-reaching. It was becoming maddening.

Serena fixed her gaze intensely on her mother, hoping the sight of her could manifest the inner strength she desired. She desperately sought to ground herself all the while feeling her breathing becoming shallower and constricted. Rather than becoming stronger, she felt her mother, her surroundings - her whole life - drifting beyond her weakening grasp. Kenji and Ikuko were too busy whispering between themselves with muted anger and frustration to notice their daughter's psyche cannibalize itself.

A rush of tears burst through to the surface. The great dryness from before was suddenly an unstoppable torrent, blurring Serena's vision and streaking her hot cheeks. An intense heat had radiated from her chest to her face. The tightness in her lungs that constricted her breathing somehow grew even more intense. The air she breathed in felt hot and as though it were burning her insides and suffocating her at the same time. Her lips quivered uncontrollably. She attempted to maintain her composure by biting down on them, but it restricted her breathing even further. She had not noticed she had been breathing through her mouth this whole time. A few erratic nasal breaths were all she could manage before her legs gave way under the immense pressure of the spinning world.

Atlas crumpled.

It was all just too much. She collapsed and now the whole world fell on top of her. Serena was on the hard asphalt, a mess of spastic sobs and tears. Her limbs trembled uncontrollably. She did not know what words were escaping from her mouth, nor whether they were even coherent. The world had disappeared before her eyes, every detail fading into darkness.

She had heard the cries of her family shouting out in shock, but they could do nothing for her. She could feel her family clumsily struggle to try and lift her dead weight off the ground as they contended with her flailing limbs. Perhaps they meant to haphazardly place her on Naru's vacant wheelchair. Her eyes were sealed shut and she could not pry her eyelids apart. They refused to open, much the same as her arms and legs were in mutiny. She could feel herself being moved about, but for all she knew, she was still on the dirty floor. Serena was enshrouded in nothing but pitch black.

Perhaps this is what it's like to die …

I am dying.

The Serena she had always known and had always been was already dead. She could feel herself rotting away, even while she could partly sense her mother trying to shake her back from her frantic state.

Serena had lost all control of her body and was losing her faculties as well. The voices of her family grew ever distant. She knew they would never be able to resurrect her. Serena Tsukino had truly been interred along with Mayumi Osaka, every bit as departed as the decapitated mother. The tombstone might as well have had her name on it, too.

"I did it! I drew her away! I did it! I drew her away" She heard a screeching, sorrowful wail. Was it hers? It must have been, but the cries were foreign to her ears. That voice was entirely unfamiliar. She heard the phrase being repeated over and over. Was it replaying in her mind? Was she rambling on? She could not tell. She was utterly frightened as much as she was out of control.

Suddenly hyper self-aware, only the sound of her body rang in her ears. In the dark abyss, the intense echo of her heartbeat and breathing reigned supreme. They were painfully deafening and her ears refused to take in any external sounds. The raging pulse of blood rushing through her eardrums, pounding brutally rhythmically, could not hide what she could feel rushing toward her. She did not need to open her eyes to see it. She already knew what it was and that there would be no escaping it.

It was getting closer and she could smell it. Taste it.

Blood.

The bitter, unpleasant, even metallic taste of it. At first, it was just a hint, just a slight trace of it. But before she knew it, the unmistakable taste was the only thing she could sense, as though it flooded her mouth.

The entire earth shook violently under her. The ear-splitting sound that accompanied the tremors rattled her to the core, driving her fear to its ultimate limits as the ringing in her ears reached a climax.

There she stood. She could see herself in front of a pink-red tsunami that swelled high above her, its crest arching further and further above her as the wave grew and grew. Its immensity was indescribable. It surrounded her on all sides, building up, higher and higher in the pitch-black abyss. It was a force unlike anything Serena had ever witnessed.

She let down her defenses. There would be no stopping this. There would be no reprieve, no escape. Nothing she could possibly do would save her from the impending deluge.

Serena watched in fearful awe as the turbulent water rumbled ever higher to its very zenith, mist trickling off the great mass as it swelled even further. There was an abrupt quiet as the waters danced upon reaching their apex. Serena paused to feel the gentle spray that trickled over her and covered her body in this surreal moment of sudden silence… Then, as she looked back up, in one violent instant, the tsunami aggressively craned downward and crashed at her feet with a deafening roar...

… and she just let the pink tidal surge wash over her.

AN -

... and there it is. Book I concluded. Prologue posted in Aug 2013, epilogue May 2020.

I've been contemplating a change in title for a while... Decided now was a good a time as ever. The new title, Fractured, definitely captures the fragility of Serena's mental state. Having been through difficult experiences as of late, I definitely feel this word describes how I'm feeling too. (OMG writing as catharsis? WHAAAAAAT?)

Anyway, to think... this entire novel was spurred on by ONE paragraph that I wrote back in 2011-2012, itself a part of a different Sailor Moon story I have since discontinued. I was so enraptured that I immediately wanted to expand it... Wow. Final product, finally! (Kicker: that initial paragraph is not even a part of this novel now!)

And all ~70,000 words of this novel without the words "Sailor Moon." (I had that as a goal for myself!)

Truthfully, as happy as I am to wrap up this book, writing this novel has not been an easy process. As my expectations around storytelling and writer's craft have increased over the years, I have found my abilities lacking. The time it took to get something I was truly happy with... I can't even count the hours and the number of edits and rewrites. I have a renewed respect for authors.

But, even more so, it has been incredibly challenging to make time for writing in my life. I felt like I actually had time before. It only took a global pandemic and the closure of just about everything, to give me the time to finish this novel. Right now, my personal life has been upended and is in turmoil. (Don't worry, I'll come through it just fine in the end! Just a real rough patch for the last few months that will continue...) Personally, I was really struck upon rereading the passage where Serena has a panic attack -I had written this well over a year ago at least- I can't believe how accurately I nailed it! Maybe when things settle down and *I'm* not having panic attacks and not in the same mental state as our protagonist here... maybe I will write some more... I really don't know. I have fantastic ideas for subsequent books, but I don't see myself having a chance to write these out any time soon.

Anyway, if you stuck around this long, I hope you enjoyed the story. Thank you so much. It means the world to me to share this with you. :) Apologies for the incredibly lengthy delays between chapters. Thank you once again.