InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dusk ❯ Memories ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A/N: Ok guys, this story is the one that is taking over for Could This Get Any Worse. Its different in a lot of ways, but it may be similar in others. Just give it a chance.

Disclaimer: Never have, never will.

Summary: Leslie had always loved the night, but never did she realize just how much the night loved her.

Rating: R(M) may change, I don’t know how this story is gonna turn out

Genre: Romance/Drama/Adventure/Action/Supernatural



The night, such a glorious time of day, when the world went to sleep, and one could dream of impossible fantasies. A time when the darkness concealed the land in its warm cloak, protecting it from the harsh blazing sun that scorched the world. It was a time of joyous celebration, when a person could enjoy their privacy, enjoy their solitude, even if ended when the sun rose ever morn.

Leslie Simmons had believed this since the day she took her first step, when she had fell upon the concrete and cried to the heavens. Ever since she had first captured fireflies in a tiny glass jar and marveled at their starlike brilliance. Everything since her childhood had belonged to the sinking sun, belonged to dusk. When the light died away, and the stars came out to play.

For as long as she could remember, she would shriek at the mentioning of the outside world when dawn arose. She had detested the heat, or the bitterness of the northern wind. Leslie hated the glaring of the flames as they beat down, how they would shine in her eyes and make her squint uncomfortably. So it was only natural, that once she grew, her best thinking was done from dusk on.

The moon gleamed down on her porcelain face, and a deep quaking of fear was being realized even more. Tonight was the last night in which she would spend in her home, after that the moving vans would take away all their possessions to the big city to where her elderly grandparents lived. Leslie loved them dearly, but she wasn’t sure she wished to live at the bed and breakfast with them.

Turning her head towards the sinking moon, a loneliness increased in her bones as she took in the view one final time. Ever since her elder brother, Shawn, had disappeared, their father had grown increasingly anxious, is blue eyes moving suspiciously every time the sun sank. Chuckling quietly to herself, Leslie thought of the blind rage that would be sure to happen if her father ever found out she sat upon their roof every night and stared longingly down the gravel road.

Balling up her fists, tears of regret ran down her face, she had long since given up on ever telling that boy that she loved him, but now, it seemed even more real. Leslie knew that he wouldn’t feel the same, but still, she was going away, so what did it matter? It mattered to her, so on her last day at the school, her lips had remained closed, and her eyes averted.

The sun was rising, the dawn upon them, and the unreal air still evolved around her. Leslie couldn’t quite grasp the reality that she was truly leaving her childhood home, leaving her legacy behind and starting anew. Swinging effortlessly back into her room, and replacing the screen, the young woman glanced one last time around her sanctuary for eighteen years, and left without a glance back.

“Oh, darling, look at it, my childhood home,” Mrs. Simmons gasped in awe as the shrine came into view, her brown eyes sparkling with warmth and joy.

“It certainly is a wonderful and beautiful home, don’t you agree Leslie?” Timmothy stared pointedly at his daughter, silently warning her of any rebuke.

“Yeah, wonderful,” Leslie detested the entire area now, a place where she had once thought lovely, now looked horrid.

Leslie waited until the car had halted, and launched herself onto the wet sidewalk, ignoring the other people who swarmed about. Her feet padded silently up the stone steps as the yard of sorts came into view, and the welcoming arms of her grandparents. She felt her feet falter, her mind wondering what to do, she felt a bitterness towards the couple almost, they were the ones that were responsible for her misery.

Not wanting to be rude, Leslie let them envelope her in their embrace, their eyes of old clouding with happiness. Stepping back, and bowing in respect, the young woman left the elders to their business, fully intent on first pick on any room in the home.

Being already settled into her new home, Leslie once again felt the restlessness of a midnight fast approaching. The itch to escape was maddening, and even though Shawn had been lost this way, the calling was too great, and she knew that once the sun sank, and the family was asleep, she would make her escape.

Drumming her fingers against the wood restlessly, Leslie looked tiredly out at the sky, the red and orange hues only barely showing. Supper was being prepared, and the scent of frying meat made her stomach lurch in anticipation, but still, the need to run was even more evident. Growling silently to herself, Leslie tried in vain to escape the picture of the outside world, rushing to the living room across the hall.

Her father and grandfather didn’t even look up as she sat in between them on the overstuffed couch. Leslie hated the dramas those two seemed to thrive on, but found it much more satisfying than the hunger to retreat. The constant swooning of the women as the samurai slaughtered another villain was sickening, who could love a man who killed for pleasure? For soon, she had realized, that this man was in a tournament to see who won the hands of all twelve women, and he was laughing every time his sword sliced through the neck of another. And those air-heads, they just stood on the balcony above giggling and laughing like baboons.

Giving up once more, and leaving the men to their own devices, Leslie strolled up the wooden staircase and into her room. So many things had happened, and how she yearned for the fresh country air, the sweet fragrance of flowers growing wild, not the stench of pollution. Bringing her knees up, and resting her chin there, she let her mind wonder to forbidden parts.

Many things had been occurring since that day three years previous, but little had registered in her mind. Leslie had noticed the disappearance of her father more and more once dusk fell, and that hunger raged through her once more. Her mother had become more remote, pulling into herself as the world thrived on around her. And she herself had noticed her curiosity double tenfold, and her night lust triple.

Sighing once more as she reminded herself to wait as patiently as possible, Leslie returned to investigating her new home. Thing would not be wonderful, she wouldn’t be able to graduate with her friends that she had grown up with, and she wouldn’t be able to run in the fields anymore. Everything was wrong, and she could feel the first of many tears fall down her rosy cheeks.

Looking at the shut door in disdain, something out of the corner of her eyes caught Leslie’s attention. Standing from her perch on the windowsill, the young woman stared fixedly at the square that stood out on the white ceiling. A rope with a circular loop hung from it, and a mischievous glint lit up her chocolate eyes.

Giggling like a school girl after her first crush, Leslie skipped merrily towards the trap door, reaching up with skilled hands and grasping the white plastic circle. Yanking on it, she watched as dust and fragments of bugs fell down upon the carpet. Coughing, and scrunching her brows, the young woman quickly snatched a chair to the desk and stood upon the seat. Looking around worriedly, Leslie disappeared into the tiny dark hole.

Laughing out loud, Leslie wallowed about in her wonderland, her locks spinning about her as she scurried hurriedly about. The dark murky air only made her lungs sting slightly as every ounce of energy was spent on finding out the mysteries of the wondrous world. Her hands itched with preparation as she opened another box and sifted through its contents with great haste. Through her investigation, she couldn’t help but realize she had found her safe haven.

The box was musty, mold growing on the outside of the box as the age of its contents came to be known. Many photographs lined the bottom, some framed, others not. Some were in black and white, and some more recent, being that of color. Their memories were refreshing, and even though the dust cluttered the air, Leslie found that she preferred this room above the rest of the home, the room which the passing of time did not exist.

Sifting through each piece of history, one in particular caught her eye, one that she hadn’t seen since the incident. Her breath hitched as a picture of her brother and herself was held in her palms, a day before he had left. Memories resurfaced, and Leslie, though saddened that her sibling had left, found it comforting.

It had been sunny that day, the middle of summer when Leslie and her brother would come to their grandparents’ home. That day had been wonderful, full of laughter and fun, and even though no one else seemed to notice the change, the subtle hints had registered with her. He had acted differently, excited almost, not reluctant. And though it had grown slightly faint, that one fact rang true no matter what the outcome.

Sighing, and tucking the photo gently in the pocket of her jeans, Leslie shut the box, deciding it no longer held any secrets that needed discovered. The sun was just barely peeking over the edge of the hills, and the scent of food was becoming enticingly strong now. And unknowingly, she had been craving substance, and her stomach grumbled in confirmation of this fact.

Sadly, Leslie slipped out of her secret sanctuary, and slipped down onto the floor below. Supper wouldn’t be ready for about an hour, or so she guessed, and decided it best to take the shower she desperately needed. The decay of the area she had been in still penetrated her skin, and she knew severe scrubbing would be in order if she were to shake the horrible stench.

Leslie scrubbed furiously at the furniture that was blanketed in a fine layer of gray dust. Her coughing did little to conceal what she had been doing, but still she had to try to hide it as best she could. Beetles and other dead insects lined the thick carpet, and she cursed to the fact that she would have to drag the heavy vacuum out of the closet in the hall, further alerting the other household occupants.

The sun had finally disappeared from sight, and the windows to her room were wide open, excepting the cool breeze. Leslie smiled wistfully, enjoying the even slightly tainted air that swept back her strands. Crickets sang beautifully into the night, picking up where the birds had left off. Even the buzz of the machine cleaning her floor could not drive away that sweet musical chorus.

Unplugging the device with a grunt, Leslie quickly discarded the old vacuum to the corner, glaring at it slightly. Her arms ached with fatigue, the wheels on it long since abandoning their easy oiled smoothness. Frowning as it fell to the ground, an annoyed sound worked its way up her throat.

Things of destruction were quickly lining her brain, but the machine was saved with a yell from her mother that it was time to eat. Sighing in an attempt to reign in her earlier thought, Leslie walked across the floor, slamming the door in her wake.

“More rice dear?” Mrs. Simmons offered the bowl to her husband, who smiled respectfully and took another spoonful.

“Thank you,” he seemed distracted, his eyes increasingly looking from his plate and out into the night air.

“How was you trip Leslie?” Christine tried to distract her granddaughter who seemed to be noticing the restlessness of the feast.

“Fine,” Leslie would not fall for such foolish attempts, but instead switched her attention to her rather silent grandfather.

Silence pressed down heavily, the midnight hour growing more intense as the hours ticked further on. Leslie felt the urge grow stronger, and she couldn’t figure out the reason, never before had the pull been so strong as tonight. She had to fist her hands together, gritting her teeth as each minute that ticked on was another agony filled moment.

“So, Leslie, are you done unpacking?” Leslie was about to nod her head in confirmation to her mother’s question, but quickly reconsidered.

“No, I’m not, better go unpack!” sliding her dishes away, she hastily made her way out of the room, happily escaping the eyes of the others.

Eager to escape, but fearing the repercussions for leaving so soon, but still, it seemed to call, to warn, to entice. Groaning, and throwing herself onto her bed, Leslie looked upon the ceiling with vengeance, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to resist much longer in her condition. To see the outside world was to demanding, and so she did the one thing she could do, she settled down into her bed, taking a sleeping aid, and dreamt of nothing.

Sitting upright, sweat pouring off her forehead, Leslie gave off a slight chuckle as her worries were put to rest. Midnight. She knew by this time she had been checked on by parents and could easily escape without anyone knowing. But tonight, though usually she would not leave the roof of the house, she would explore the city when the world was resting, and it became her playground.

Stepping off her bed and onto the floor, a quick glance back at her door made her hesitate slightly. A shadow, so slow and creeping made her halt, her instincts going wild as she desperately fought the feeling of curiosity and fear. The lazy meow made her smile, and Leslie once more continued on her journey, slipping out her window as if she were a shadow of the night itself.

“Well, this certainly is interesting,” Leslie laid a gentle hand on the polished rock, the dedication of the park belonging to her ancestors.

Sweeping her long hair behind her shoulders, Leslie skipped merrily as the moon sweetly kissed her pale skin. The stars watched in wonder at this human child that defied the normal fears of humanity and seemingly enjoyed the mysteries of their home. Her darkness of strands blending in perfectly with the sky of their world, of their land.

Sighing, and watching as trees grew to the heavens, Leslie wondered silently why her family now feared the night so. Could it have been that this was the time of day when her brother had disappeared into the dark and not returned? She had never considered her family cowardly, but with each dawn that arose, she found herself questioning that more and more. At one time, she had freely enjoyed the crisp air of dusk, but now, she was forbidden from it, though she had opposed the rule from the beginning.

A rustle to her right made her eyes open in surprise, and her head tilt to catch whatever had disturbed her tranquil thoughts. Leslie shrunk herself down slightly, know the cover of night here was much more sinister than that of her home. The bushes rustled once more, and she could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she crept ever closer. This would be her down fall, she knew it, someday it would snatch her up.

Jumping in surprise, Leslie watched a small feline like creature jumped out in front of her, studying her with its keen eyes. Smiling fondly down at it, she silently wondered where it had come from. Its gleaming coat, and full looking stomach proved it to be that of someone’s, definitely not one that lived its life on the streets.

Reaching out her hand, the small cat let the human rest her hand on its head, meowing in satisfaction as its tiny ears were scratched tenderly. Squealing in surprise, Kagome felt her mouth drop open as she saw the three ears sticking out from the animal. Its orange and bronze colored fur was soft and warm, but the three ears that moved about, catching every tiny noise, was unnerving.

Sitting on the cool ground, the damp earth working its way through her clothing, soiling it with the mere touch. Grass stains lined her knees, but Leslie cared not, only the constant purr of the creature beside her seemed to register in her young mind. Everything was a whir to her ancient eyes as she watched each blade of grass being lifted by the steadfast wind.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” surprisingly, Leslie had not been startled by the voice that suddenly had spoken to her through the cover of the shadows.

“Yeah, it is,” her breath was warm to her arms, and she felt the small cat curl up beside her, happily meowing at her.

“I see you’ve found our companion," Leslie looked up at the man who sat down beside her, and her breath hitched.

“How?” the dark headed god looked at her with a smile, his perfectly white teeth gleaming without the help of a light.

“Easy, baby sister, I simply left, I didn’t perish, or, so to speak,” Leslie couldn’t take her eyes of him, he hadn’t changed, not one bit.

“This isn’t happening, I have finally lost it, just like my friends said I would,” Leslie held her head, shaking it back and forth, urging this imagination to disappear, it was stubborn.

“Is it really that hard to believe?” Shawn, or so it seemed, didn’t at all seemed fazed by the babbling of his sibling.

“Yes, it is, if you’re real, then why, after all these years, did you suddenly decide to show yourself?” his gleaming blue eyes didn’t faze her in the least, in fact, Leslie could feel her stubborn traits go into full gear.

“Perhaps its because if I hadn’t shown myself, you would be dead by now,” his loose comment made her shiver, but still, her brown orbs wouldn’t stop their scrutinizing penetration.

“What are you talking about? I’m in no danger,” Leslie scowled, her chest puffing out at the thought of her sibling thinking her weak.

“Oh really?” his amusement was clear, and Leslie couldn’t help but become irritated even further.

“Yes, really,” her eyes started gleaming with a glint that he had never seen before, and Shawn realized that she had changed drastically from the innocent girl he once adored.

“Leslie Simmons!” Leslie gasped as she turned and came face to face with what seemed to be her father in an ancient slaying costume.

A/N: Guys, I’m sorry about starting a new story, but I truly like this one, and I know I say that all the time, but still, I just adore vampires. R&R! PLEASE!

Darkened Torch