So, yeah...another update for all y'all! I had a discussion with my friend the other day about how I needed an editor-like Aikawa or that editor chick in Fruits Basket-to come to my house and bother me whenever I'm not doing any writing. Because I apparently need stress to get anything done. HAHA. So anyway, enjoy!

Misaki was exhausted; not sleeping for five straight days will do that to a person. Since the voice had first come to him, he had heard it three more times. Each time he had either been just about to fall sleep or just waking up. His panic-stricken mind eventually came to the conclusion that staying awake was the only way to avoid the phantom Usagi. Thus his caffeine and horror movie regime began.

Any time he started to feel groggy he would down a large cup of coffee or find a vending machine full of caffeinated sodas; if drinks were unavailable he substituted sugar for caffeine. His friends stared in astonishment as he washed down three candy bars with a cup of black coffee. At night, he watched horror movie after horror movie while doing his homework as slowly as possible.

As a result of all this, he was jittery and jumpy, the smallest things making him jump a mile. (He also visited the bathroom quite a lot.) When a classmate tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, he screamed and threw the book he was holding high into the air; it just missed a teacher on the way down.

"What is going on with you lately?" Honami asked him one day at lunch as she watched him drink yet another cup of coffee, his hands shaking violently. "You've had more caffeine this week than normal people have in a lifetime. Give me that!" She took the cup from Misaki's hand and threw it in the trash.

"Hey! I need that!"

"No, what you need is to explain yourself. You were fine a few days ago but suddenly you seem to have lost your mind! I—what?" Honami looked at him questioningly; he had flinched horribly at her words.

"How did you know?" he whispered, his blood-shot eyes wide.

"Er…how did I know what? You haven't actually lost your mind, have you?"

"I don't know, Honami! I really don't!" Misaki ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stick up in all directions and adding to his crazed look. "I thought I was okay…but then it happened." He glanced around nervously, as though he was expecting someone to jump at him from behind a tree or something.

Honami was confused. "It? What is it?"

"I...I've been...hearing things..."

"Hearing things? What kinds of things?"

Misaki looked around again, checking that no one was nearby to overhear. "I've been hearing...Usagi-san."

Honami stared at him, her eyes wide. "You've been hearing...a dead man? Misaki, how long has it been since you've slept?"

"Five days. Why?"

"Well that explains it, then. Go to sleep! Your brain is tired and you're imagining things!" She shook her head in exasperation. "Honestly, what have you been doing for five days instead of sleeping?"

"Drinking coffee, cleaning the apartment, homework, watching horror movies..."

"Why? Why don't you want to sleep?"

Misaki covered his face with his hands. "Because it's when I'm sleeping that it happens," he said, his voice muffled. "Every time I've heard him, it's been when I was falling asleep or waking up. I just...I just didn't want to be reminded anymore. So I figured..."

"You figured that if you never went to sleep, you wouldn't hear things anymore?" Honami sighed. "How long did you think that could last? If you keep up like this, you're going to make yourself sick!"

Misaki, can you hear me?

Misaki jumped up in alarm; Honami stood up, too, alarmed. "Misaki? What's wrong?"

"Again! I heard it again! No! I'm not even asleep!" He looked positively manic.

Misaki...wake up. It's me, Takahiro...

"Nii-chan?" Now he was hearing his brother's voice; something wasn't right.

"Misaki...?" Honami's voice was getting fainter and she seemed to be drifting away from him.

"Honami? Wait, what's going on?" Misaki tried to follow after her, but he couldn't move. Everything was being covered by a thick fog and he couldn't see anyone anymore. He was all alone in a sea of dark swirling fog...his limbs were so heavy...he just wanted to sleep...

Misaki...wake up, Misaki...we're right here...you can hear us, can't you...?

Yeah...I can hear you...but...who...who are you...? Where am I...? What...what is going on...? The fog was messing with his head. He didn't know what was happening anymore, couldn't remember who the voices that were all around him belonged to. He wasn't even quite sure who he was anymore...

Aw, I bet you thought I was going to keep going, didn't you? How silly! Again, I'm spreading the irritation. TO BE CONTINUED! *dun dun duuuuuunnnn* Haha! Thanks for reading and please review! I love getting input!