Chapter 2: Premonitions
After preparing a platter of snacks and pouring nearly Yuuko and Mokona's body weight of sake, Watanuki made his way to the store room duster in hand and got to work. About 10 minutes into dusting, Watanuki began to feel uncomfortable.
"Why do I feel like something's watching me," he asked himself as he turned from his work to see if there was anyone or anything nearby. From the shelf he was just dusting, a lanky shadow slid into view and its eyes gleamed as it pounced on him and slid into his clothes. Watanuki gave a shout of surprise and began flailing about trying to get the culprit out of his clothes as it slithered all over his body. Finally grabbing hold of the said culprit he yanked it out of his shirt and glared at it.
"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT?" Watanuki snapped to the creature. The creature of course being the Kudakitsune (pipe fox spirit) that had almost an obsession with the seer. The Kudakitsune merely blinked and squeaked as it nuzzled his cheek affectionately. Sighing Watanuki picked up his duster and got back to work as the Kudakitsune wrapped itself around his neck.
"I'm glad you like me so much but you can't sneak attack me like that every time you see me. Especially when I'm in the middle of working, okay," Watanuki scolded looking to the furry creature who only tilted its head in confusion before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Why do I even bother," he mumbled and gave another sigh.
Several hours later, Watanuki finished with the chores Yuuko had for him and after cooking dinner and of course getting more bottles of liquor which inevitably lead in running to the store to pick up some hangover medicine (with Watanuki smirking the whole way since he foresaw the hangover coming a mile away), gathered up his things and prepared to head for home. Normally, Yuuko would be lying on her "throne" smoking or drinking but instead stood in the hallway watching her part-timer putting on his shoes.
"Leaving so soon," Yuuko said in mock depression. Watanuki cast a glance at her before replying.
"Yeah as much as I love staying here, I'm afraid I have to get back to my apartment to finish my own work," Watanuki said sarcastically.
"If you insist however," Yuuko began, "I'd watch my back if I were you Watanuki," she finished in a tone that let Watanuki know she was serious. A sense of dread began to form in the pit of Watanuki's stomach as he saw the serious look on Yuuko's face. Gulping he nodded slowly and got to his feet, taking his bags in hand and left. Walking down the dimly lit streets he couldn't help but feel extremely jumpy as his eyes darted from one side of the road to the other.
"What could Yuuko-san have meant when she told me to watch my back? What does she know that I don't? And more importantly, why doesn't she ever tell me about these kinds of things?" Watanuki thought as he clutched his bag tightly in fear and slight irritation. He stopped and took a deep, cleansing breath. "Okay Watanuki, just calm down," he told himself. "I'm halfway home and if worse comes to worse Doumeki's temple is a few blocks away. As much as I don't want to I can hide out in there if I run into something I can't handle." Feeling much more secure he let out another breath and continued walking down the road. However, his confidence quickly faded as he felt a sharp chill shoot through his very core and heard something ominous from behind him. The sound was almost like the sound of something large and heavy was shuffling in and out of the shadows. He stopped again, his heart shooting into his throat at the chilling noise. He desperately wanted to turn around to see what it was however his body would not comply. Instead he gulped and quickened his pace. Unfortunately, the sound continued in pursuit as the shuffling sound grew louder as well. Speeding up Watanuki's heart began to beat faster from fear as the sound began to draw closer. In addition to the shuffling sound, he also heard the sound of something metal scraping along pavement. Now beginning to panic, he broke into a full sprint and booked it all the way home with the sounds not far behind. Busting through his door he turned around slamming it shut and locked it as he pressed his back into the door sweating and panting heavily with his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Gulping in air he shot around his apartment locking all the doors and windows before slowly and shakily drawing a curtain open to see if he could find the source of the sounds but found nothing. Releasing the curtain he drew back and let out a sigh of relief running his fingers through his hair.
"Whatever it was, hopefully it's gone now and stays gone," he said aloud as he switched on his lights. "I need to relax." With that he grabbed his pajamas and towel and made his way to the bathroom to soak in the bath before going to bed. After a soothing soak in the tub and preparing his gym clothes, textbooks, homework, and lunches (since he has class early the next day) he crawled into his futon (bed), took off his glasses placing them beside his alarm clock and turned out the light. After a few minutes his eyelids grew heavy until he eventually drifted off to sleep unaware of the large and shadowy forms that watched menacingly from his window.