Something freaky I discovered: Yumi in Japanese means bow (as in bow and arrow). What was her mother thinking?

''YUMI YOSHIMURA!'' An angry voice called out. I looked around. What in the world was I doing on the street corner? No one else was there. Odd.

As I was trying to figure it out,a loud roar,much like thunder,crashed. It sounded like it was coming from almost right behind me.

Then it came again. It was a gunshot! I ran off like a wild beast,unaware that I was heading toward that dreaded tree-lined road.

But,if I could make it there and back to my house,I would probably be safe. I kept running. I looked behind me,and to my horror,Father was running after me---with a gun!

I ran faster. I had almost reached the tree-lined road when...

BLAM!

I felt great pain that brought me to my knees. I could not get up to run. I looked and saw a huge wound in my shoulder,the warm,oozing blood staining my purple skull shirt.

''Yumi!'' A voice said. It wasn't Father. ''Yumi! Get up!''

''Yumi! Get up!''

I opened my eyes. Ami was standing over me.

I sighed in relief. It was just a dream.

''What is it?'' I asked.

''I was wondering what you were doing.'' Ami said.

''I...I must have fallen asleep.'' I got up.

''You know,Yumi,'' Ami said as we walked back into the livingroom, ''you've been acting kind of odd lately. Is anything wrong?''

''Well...yes...but...'' I thought for a moment.

''What? Tell me,please.''

''I don't want to talk about it.'' I stopped walking and stood by the window,arms crossed.

''Oh,come on,Yumi,'' Ami said, ''we share everything...it's always been our rule!''

''Well,the rules have changed.'' I walked away. Ami called after me,but I did not go back.

I sat on the couch,deep in thought.

Ami can't tell me what to do. I am one who is respected,admired,known to all (somewhat). No one can command me,no one can bother me in such a way. I will not let them get away with it,ever.

But that...that is now. I was powerless before.

Ah,Madame Blubbery's opera class. I had been in it since I was very young,although I hated it.

On this paticular day,some other students and I were getting ready for practice. One boy,Keigo,was giving us a warning before we got up on stage.

''She has this freaky whistle thingie now,'' he said, ''so be careful,or else she'll use it to trick you. She could do it to any one of us...'' he pointed to the other students, ''she could do it to you,and you,and...'' he pointed to me,and I looked at him timidly. ''Yes,freak,she could even do it to you.'' And with that,he went up onstage. I would have to go up there in a few minutes.

At one point Keigo refused to sing anymore,saying that he had nearly blown out his lungs. Madame Blubbery kept trying to pursuade him,but nothing worked.

Then she took out a whistle from her pocket and started playing it. It sounded pretty.

''Wh-what?'' Keigo said,somewhat dazed. ''All right,that's it!'' He said angrily,rolling up his sleeves.

''Now,sing!'' Madame Blubbery shouted. Keigo sang. I watched,confused.

''Hey,freak!'' Another student said,pushing me. ''You're on!''

I went up onstage,scowling.

''Why aren't you singing?'' Madame Blubbery asked. I just stood there pouting.

''Sing!'' She shouted.

''No!'' I shouted back.

Then she started playing the whistle again.

I heard a voice calling for me. ''Yumi-chan!'' It said. ''Come,come!''

''Mother?'' I wondered aloud.

''Now,sing!'' Madame Blubbery shouted. I just stood there,bewildered.

The voice came again: ''Come!'' Yes,it was Mother's voice.

''Now,sing!''

I did just that. I sang so loud every window in the theatre broke.

''Good.'' And with that she put the whistle away. I stopped hearing Mother's voice.

Then I understood. It wasn't Mother,it was the whistle! Keigo was right.

Later on,I was back home. Mother wasn't back from work yet. It was rather strange...she had never been gone this long before.

But then she came through the door. Someone else was with her. She had dark purple hair,green eyes,and a black jacket with a black skirt. Then I recognized her.

''Aunt Yuru,'' I said, ''what are you doing here?'' But she and Mother just walked off into the kitchen,ignoring me. I followed them.

Aunt Yuru noticed me. ''Oh,there you are,Yumi-chan!''

''Konichi Wa.'' I said to her shyly.

''Why don't you come over here and show me how well you can sing?''

I wanted to tell her that I had already sung my heart out against my will eariler today,but I just couldn't.

''Come and sing for me,little Yumi-chan.''

''Little!'' I shouted. ''You can't talk to me like that!''

''Yumi!'' Mother said angrily. ''Do you think that Yuru and I are doing wrong?''

''No,'' I said, ''I don't think that.''

''Good.''

''What do you mean?''

''It is enough that you feel we are right,'' She said,getting up from the table. ''that's enough for you. Now,go.''

What happened then does not matter. What is to come does not matter,at least to me. All that matters is now.

But,if the past does not matter,why am I so tormented by it?

Some things I suppose I will never learn. But,that doesn't bother me...oh,no,it does.

Oh,please,let me leave Osaka. Let me leave and never come back.

A/N: Well,that's a wrap...for now. In the meantime,please review and do make haste,flame me and my wrath,you shall taste!

--------------------------------------Shaddie-chan-----------------------------------------------