InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ On the Other Side ❯ To Die is to Live ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

DISCLAIMER: all previous disclaimers apply.

Chapter 2: To Die is to Live
I was there the day it happened. I watched as the person my mother loved and trusted most drained the life from her. Despite that, I can’t blame him. I knew he was not the man I knew. In those last crucial moments, I knew that man was not him. I wonder why I don’t dream of them anymore. Sometimes I have bits and pieces of that night play in my mind but… there are darker aspects of that night I just cannot illuminate. All I know is on that day my life ended.

Kagome could honestly say she was content. Though Takeo and Izayoi were totally different from her parents, Kagome was happy to be around them. She trusted them and, like her parents, demonstrated special abilities: Izayoi was a telepath and Takeo was a demon. Rin never really portrayed that she had abilities as everyone else had, but she had once been close to her younger sister. Finally, there was Sesshomaru.. She could not explain things there. Before her mother died, Kagome and Sesshomaru confessed their feelings for one another, but never got into a steady relationship. It was obvious that Sesshomaru had intentions of making up for lost time. She wondered what would happen in the future and what would have happened if Rin had not interrupted their little “reunion.” She blushed at the thought. They had never reached that level; they barely were in the kissing stage. However, Sesshomaru’s personality had done an entire 360. Four years ago, Sesshomaru would not be given a second glance. His silver hair was always unruly and even the thickest brush shrank in fear. Despite his mother’s impeccable taste, Sesshomaru often dressed like an old man. Then there were the oversized glasses he didn’t really need; they were fake lens but he wore them for unknown reasons. Kagome would always remove them when they were younger and tell him he had gorgeous eyes to which he would blush and stutter. Sesshomaru never took initiative; he was shy and respectful. He always managed to keep impure thoughts at bay. He was a total turnoff in every way imaginable, yet Kagome loved him with all her heart. She was pleasantly surprised by the bold, new, and downright sexy Sesshomaru. She loved the way he treated her now and set her soul on fire with his new passionate ways. He had changed, but she could still see that Sesshomaru she used to know underneath his beautiful new exterior. She had always loved Sesshomaru, and the welcomed improvements proved beneficial. She wanted to see what else had changed.
Kagome snapped out of her musings to Sesshomaru’s soothing voice announcing that dinner was ready. She seated herself across from Sesshomaru; Izayoi and Takeo were already seated before the large feast (Kagome wondered how Izayoi and Rin whipped up so much food in such short time). Kagome wondered why the food had not been demolished yet, especially considering Sesshomaru’s infamous bottomless stomach. As if reading her mind, Sesshomaru answered, “Rin’s not here yet. We usually wait til everyone’s here.”
As if on cue, Rin entered the dining room. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head and her brown eyes were lined with thick makeup. She was tall, about 5’8”, with a lovely slender figure. She wore a black tank top that showed off a considerable amount of midriff and a blue jean mini skirt. She had a simple silver chain around her neck and small silver hoops in her ears. She smiled as she seated herself. “Sorry, I had to change. A few friends are going out after dinner and I wanted to leave straight away.”
Takeo and Izayoi nodded and the family began to fill their plates with food. Kagome sat quietly, not really interacting until Sesshomaru gently nudged her with his food under the table. She began to nibble on the savory morsels, trying not to throw the food down her throat like a starving man. It had been four years since she had a decent home cooked meal and Izayoi’s food was nothing short of delicious. She found that she could not help herself and began eating as if the food would disappear. Izayoi smiled. “I’m glad to see you still have an appetite. I was worried when I saw you with that doctor. You’ve lost so much weight.”
Kagome nodded, still chewing her roast beef. “The hospital gave us food but it was disgusting and rationed. It wasn’t as if I had a choice,” she shrugged and began to attack her food again.
It was a pleasant family dinner. Kagome found that she had missed these moments and she was glad to be home. She was smiling again. She was talking and her eyes lost the cold, dullness they had developed over the years. She felt she could really be happy.
Until she heard them again.
The voices… the numerous frantic voices, all speaking at once in her head. Her head throbbed and her vision blurred. She clutched her head and moaned in pain. The family looked at her in concern as she stood up and wobbled unsteadily to the door. She collapsed to her knees, clutching her head tightly and panting heavily. Sesshomaru was by her side instantly, holding her hand. Her eyes became clouded and darkness began to envelop her. The last thing she remembered was Sesshomaru’s frightened face as he frantically called her name.
She had a nightmare: so much blood… a dark figure… death was in the air and the only thing she could truly make out through the blackness was some sort of shining object in the distance. She reached for it but could barely get a grasp on it before she was yanked into the world of consciousness, covered in sweat and panting. She was scared. She willed her body to move and get into the shower, letting the steaming water relax her tense muscles; as her foggy mind began to clear, it dawned on her what the date was: July 2. She quickly rinsed off, got dressed, and hurled herself downstairs to her mother making breakfast. Her dark locks were pulled into a messy bun and her slender body moved gracefully across the kitchen. Everything about her was graceful. Her dark eyes held a fire and passion that greatly contrasted her calm demeanor. She worked on her meal, oblivious to the pair of silver eyes watching her, humming a sweet melody and twirling around the kitchen. Only when the girl giggled did her mother realize she was being watched. Her eyes lit up with a smile as she embraced her daughter. “Happy Birthday Baby!” she squeezed her daughter. “Already thirteen! I swear you’re growing up fast so you can leave mama!”
Kagome smiled. “No of course not Mama. You know I love you too much,” she looked at her mother with expectant eyes. “So what did you make me for breakfast?”
Her mother grinned. “Only the once a year birthday pancake extravaganza.”
Kagome laughed but her eye lit up with childish delight. “Mama, I swear you come up with the oddest names.”
“Yes I suppose,” her mother giggled, “but you gotta admit it makes it fun,” she added with a wink. “Now hurry up and sit down. Breakfast is almost ready.”
Kagome was rinsing her hands when her father walked into the kitchen wiping his hands on an oil-soaked cloth. He tossed it aside and lifted Kagome in the air, spinning her around. “Happy Birthday, Smurf!” he bellowed and brought her face to his in an affectionate cuddle. “Thirteen years and you’re still big as an ant.”“Daddy!” Kagome protested laughingly. “Daddy, your whiskers are scratching me.”
“Rin called this morning,” her mother interrupted their fun. “She said that she won’t be able to make it to the party because of final exams, but she will be here tomorrow morning with a surprise for you.”
“Good because she owes me big time for the birthday present last year,” Kagome stated smugly as she sat in her usual spot at the table.
Rin was Kagome’s older sister by four years. She had gotten a scholarship to a prestigious high school on the mainland. She tool a boat from their island home and stayed on the mainland during the school year minus the occasional weekend and holidays she came home. Kagome’s best friend (and boyfriend, though she wasn’t certain) also went there.
Though the girls were sisters, one could not tell simply by looking at them. Kagome had adopted most of her Japanese mother’s features, while Rin took on her father’s looks. They all lived together on a moderately sized island off the mainland called Crescent Point, named for the highest point of the island said to touch the moon. Several years ago, Kagome’s parents along with the Inutaishos changed the island’s economic state by turning it into a vacation spot for all the mainlanders; it became a relaxing paradise for people of the mainland and travelers alike. The Higurashis and the Inutaishos were widely respected for changing the island’s fortune. Now the original inhabitants could live comfortably with no worries. Both Kagome’s father and Sesshomaru’s father owned the entire tourism bureau and were responsible for boosting the economy. Kagome’s mother was a respected psychic and was often consulted by tourists and natives alike. While Kagome inherited her mother’s skills, the first born daughter never displayed any such abilities. Even Kagome’s father had psychic abilities.
The trio sat down to breakfast, eating their meal and having typical family conversation about the upcoming party that afternoon and school. Kagome noticed throughout the meal, her parents kept glancing at each other with perturbed expressions. She had no idea what was going on and even her telepathy was useless. She decided that it was best she left the subject alone for now and enjoy her special day with the ones she loved most.
After breakfast, her father took her shopping while her mother prepared for the party. Her father spent the day spoiling his younger daughter, letting her have the time of her life. They returned several hours later weighed down with Kagome’s numerous bags of clothes, shoes, and accessories. By the time everything was brought inside, the first guests began to arrive. Kagome changed into one of her new outfits (a black jean skirt with a pink and black striped top that came slightly off the shoulder and black ankle boots) and joined her party. Sesshomaru was the last guest to arrive and she spent all her time next to him while others came to wish her a Happy Birthday, place games, and open presents. She received more new clothes, a few pieces of jewelry, two new books, and money (for those who did not know what to get her). She never did find a present from Sesshomaru and was disappointed until he pulled her into the next room away from the partying teenagers. He placed a small red package tied with a black ribbon in her palm. “Open it,” he instructed.
She pulled her ribbon and lifted the lid; she gasped when she found a beautiful golden heart shaped locket. The front had an extremely detailed rose in the center, the actual rose changed to a rose gold color and was surrounded by small diamonds. She pulled the necklace from the box carefully as if it would break and gently pried it open. Her eyes watered slightly as she gazed at the picture of the two of them sitting under a tree together on a beautiful sunny day; she sat between his legs, her back against his chest and his arms draped protectively around her shoulders, holding her close. He had taken off his glasses for that picture and she talked him into wearing a t-shirt and jeans that day. She smiled at the camera, but his gaze was on her, a warm, loving smile on his lips. The photo on the other side was her favorite picture of him (again sans glasses) grinning back at her. She closed the locket to look at the back; a simple message written in elegant script was all that was there: “My heart is yours forever.” Kagome stared at it in disbelief. She knew it had to be expensive and Sesshomaru had put a lot of thought into it. She looked at him with unshed tears, whispering his name.
He smiled and took the locket from her to stand behind her and put it on. He then wrapped his arms around her shoulders and brought her back to his chest. “Happy Birthday,” he whispered.
She turned to face him, his arms still around her, but now on her waist. She brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes and was silently thankful he chose not to wear his glasses today; he even willingly wore casual clothes. She smiled before she pressed her lips to his in a brief lingering kiss. Sesshomaru and Kagome had always cared about each other and finally admitted their feelings for one another a few weeks ago. Kagome’s parents did not mind the age difference, being as they grew up together (and the fact that nothing could stop them anyway. According to Aika they were destined). Her grin widened. “Now for your present.”
Sesshomaru sighed. “Kagome, it’s your birthday. I shouldn’t get presents.”
She giggled. “It’s tradition. Besides you give me presents on your birthday so even exchange,” she reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace; it was a tiger’s eye gemstone carved to look like a fang with hematite beads on each side. She smiled softly as she latched the necklace around his neck; she kept her arms locked around his neck as he leaned down for a short but lingering kiss. He thanked her and she smiled brightly before snuggling into his chest, sighing heavily.
“What’s the matter, Rosebud?” he asked, running his fingers through her hair. She told him about her dream and the strange vibe she had been feeling at breakfast with her parents. She told him that the feeling was getting worse; when she finished Sesshomaru was rubbing her back soothingly. “It’s gonna be okay. Whatever happens, it’s gonna be okay.”
Kagome sniffled. “I’m scared,” she admitted. “I don’t know what to think about it.”
“Then you should tell your mother. She would know,” he felt her relax a bit and looked into her eyes. “Don’t worry so much or you’ll have wrinkles before you’re twenty,” he joked. “Now let’s get back to your party. Only six more hours before you turn into a pumpkin again,” he tweaked her nose playfully. She giggled and followed him out of the room. She really did enjoy the rest of her party. She decided to push the dream away for the time being. It was around ten o’clock when the guests began to leave; of course Sesshomaru being the last. “I promised you a couple of dates, didn’t I?” he said with a grin. She nodded shyly and flashed him one of the smiles he loved so much. He gave her a quick peck. “I’ll drop by tomorrow,” one final hug and he was gone.
Kagome turned to see her parents cleaning up the trash from the party. Her heart pounded harder in her chest as an ominous sensation began to peak. Silently, she went to help her parents clean. Once one, they sat on the couch, sorting through Kagome’s gifts again. Her mother held up a silver package. “This is my gift to you,” she told her daughter as she tore through the paper, revealing a black velvet covered journal with her name spelled out in silver rhinestones. “Fill it with all your precious memories from now on.”
“I love it, Mama,” Kagome beamed, although her eyes seemed distant. “Thank you.”
Her mother took her hand. “Now tell me what’s going on in that head of yours. I know something is troubling you and as you know I can’t read your mind,” Kagome sighed. Though her mother could never read her thoughts, she was still excellent at reading her daughter. So she explained the dreams and the bad vibes she had been feeling all day. She couldn’t help but feel that something bad was going to happen. Her mother looked away trying to hide her tears. “Kagome, I think you should go to bed now, Baby.”
That did nothing to ease Kagome’s worry. “But, Mama…”
Her mother stood. “Please, Kagome,” she had that edge in her voice that said that was the end of it. “Right before Kagome climbed the stairs her mother called for her one more time. “I’m sorry… for everything. I hope that despite everything, you’ll be happy.”
Kagome wanted to run back and hug her mother, but decided against it, running to her room. She pondered on her mother’s words until she eventually dozed off. She was awakened a couple of hours later to the sound of her door being thrown off the hinges; her father quickly approached her in bed and dragged her out by her hair. “You have it,” he barked darkly.
Kagome cowered on the floor, eyes wide in horror. “Daddy?” she whimpered. “Why? Stop… you’re scaring me.” Her father pulled out a long blade and placed it near her erratic heartbeat. She stopped breathing, too terrified to make a sound. She stared at the blade then back at the crazy man holding it. “If you don’t want to die all you have to do is give it to me. My Master needs it to become whole again.”
Kagome couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. “Daddy, what’s wrong with you?” she demanded. “Why are you doing this?”
Her father growled as he hand connected with her face, making her hit the floor. “Shut up! You’re lucky he doesn’t want me to kill you,” he grinned wickedly. “However, I can wound you. Just enough to where you won’t die,” he grabbed Kagome by the hair to make her stand on her feet. “Are you going to cooperate? We don’t have to make this more painful than it needs to be.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Kagome sobbed. “Please Daddy!” she screamed in agony as her father slowly dragged the blade across her arm, leaving a deep gash. She choked on her sobs and whimpered in pain. “Daddy,” she said in a tiny child-like voice, not understanding why this was happening. “Stop it please.”
His grip loosened and she collapsed on the floor. “Kagome,” he choked out painfully. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” she looked up to see his face streaked with tears, and that was when she first realized his eyes. They were no longer the kind cerulean eyes of the man she loved; they were tinted deep violet then flickered blood red. “I never wanted to…” he grunted from a sharp pain and his eyes remained solid blood red. He advanced toward Kagome who was trying to move away.
“MINORU STOP!”
He stopped halfway to Kagome and glared at the woman in the doorway. “You are no longer of use to us, woman. Do not interfere. The child is all we require.”
“Get away from her now!” Aika commanded firmly. “If you harm her any further I swear to God I will kill you.”
Minoru cackled maniacally. “You kill me? Have you forgotten that you --” he stopped and doubled over as if in pain. He clutched his head, screaming in agony. “Aika!” Minoru’s eyes were violet again. “Please kill me. He… something has my body. He wants… Kagome.”
Aika’s eyes began to brim with tears. “Minoru… if you can, fight it!” she pleaded. “I don’t know if I can do it!”Minoru screamed again. “Aika, he won’t let me go. He wants Kagome. He… AHHH!!!!” he froze for a solid minute, his arms drooping to the side and his head bowed. He looked at her through blood red eyes. “I must apologize for that slight interruption,” he grinned insanely. “I promise he won’t be bothering us again. Now where were we?” he looked thoughtful. “Oh yes. I remember now,” he skillfully flicked his wrist and Aika was hit in the shoulder by a sharp throwing knife. She yelped in pain and surprise and dropped to her knees, clutching her bloodied shoulder. Minoru grinned again. “You were the previous one. Perhaps you can tell me what I need to know. You see my Master is searching for something very important and the girl is the key. You’ve aided us in our ventures before.”
Aika held her ground, her eyes defiant. “Never.”
Minoru cackled malevolently. He pulled Kagome against her, cutting her across the chest. Kagome screamed again and fought to hold on to consciousness. “Need anymore persuasion?” he asked darkly, his tone promising more torture to the girl if Aika did not cooperate. Aika pulled the blade from her shoulder and threw it at Minoru, causing him to drop Kagome; she launched herself at him, trying to wrestle the blade from Minoru’s hands. Minoru laughed again before he pushed her back and flicked four more blades at her. “Aika, you and I both know that you can do nothing. Your powers are weak an there is nothing you can do. You know you cannot stop me in your current state,” Kagome watched with glazed eyes, trying to will her body to move. She could feel her life slowly drain away with every beat of her heart; she wanted to scream when she saw her father slam her mother into the wall; she fell to the floor where he proceeded to kick her repeatedly, breaking almost all of her ribs. Then he lifted her and painfully ripped the blades from her flesh, letting the blood flow freely from her wounds.. He placed the blade near Aika’s jugular vein. “Why don’t you use your powers and save yourselves, Irene?” he taunted. Kagome continued to star at him confusedly, unable to find her voice. Aika struggled slightly but yelped in pain, tears running down her face. “Girl!” Minoru bellowed, holding Aika in place. “I will kill your mother if you do not show me your power. Reveal yourself to me!”
Kagome was frozen from fear and fatigue. There was her mother: her beautiful strong mother in the hands of some lunatic that resembled her father, her life in danger. Kagome felt helpless as the pressure of the blade increased against her mother’s throat. “Please,” Kagome choked brokenly. “I don’t know… what you want from me. I can’t… I don’t have anything. Please… just let my mom go.”
Minoru frowned deeply. “That’s too bad. Very well then. Perhaps you need a little… motivation,” without hesitation, Minoru sliced Aika’s jugular, blood spurting everywhere. Kagome could not even scream as she watched her other’s limp body fall on the floor, swimming in her own blood. Kagome stared in disbelief with shaky breaths and body trembling. She used every ounce of her strength to pull herself to her mother’s body, silently chanting to herself that it was a dream. When she reached her mother, she pulled herself to sit on her knees, cradling her mother’s head in her lap. She stared at her mother’s lifeless face, her cold eyes filled with pain and horror. Kagome’s composure visibly relaxed and her breathing evened. Slowly, she closed her mother’s dead eyes and continued to gaze at her face, her curtain of ebony hair shielding her expression. “You should have saved her,” Minoru murmured, staring stoically at the girl. “You could have too, if you used your power. But it’s too late now. She’s dead… and you killed her.”
Kagome never moved. Suddenly Minoru was thrown back by an invisible force. The power behind the energy threw him so hard into the wall he coughed up blood. He slowly opened his eyes and saw black wings spring from her back, her gaze never leaving her mother’s face. Minoru tried to lunge at the girl again but was thrown back before he could even touch her. Kagome laid her mother on the floor in a peaceful position and slowly stood, her back still to Minoru. She slowly turned to face the man, her face stoic and her eyes a deadly crimson. She advanced toward him slowly, materializing daggers around her being before telepathically launching them at the man, effectively slicing his flesh and pinning him to the wall simultaneously. When she finally stood within arm’s length of the struggling man, her face twisted into a feral grin; his eyes widened in horror as his shirt disintegrated and she sliced his abdomen in fine lines horizontally then vertically. He was bleeding profusely and losing consciousness quickly; she waved her hand, ripping him from the wall and throwing him into the window. He supported himself against the cold glass, trying to gather himself. A long blade appeared in her hand and she flew at him with blinding speed, hurling both of them out of the window and into the ground, causing a powerful tremor to pulse through the earth. She pushed the blade deep into his chest until he was pinned to the ground. She flew back up to the second story, her wings flapping ominously as she watched the man slowly die. When her feet made contact with the floor, her wings dispersed and her eyes faded to their natural silver color before she collapsed from exhaustion and the waves of voices resonated in her mind.
Kagome spent the next four days in a coma, her mind replaying the events of her mother’s death then nothing before the nightmare would begin again. Her mind could never recall what happened after seeing her mother die; the only things that came were black wings and blood. When she finally regained consciousness, she was lying in an empty white hospital room. She turned to her side and saw Sesshomaru sleeping soundly next to her bed. “I’m alive..?” she croaked. Then the tears stung her eyes and she let out a small sob. Sesshomaru woke up and she sobbed harder. “I’m alive,” she whispered again. He said nothing as he encircled her in his arms, letting her cry silently. It felt like hours before she finally calmed down. He looked at her sadly, stroking her hair.
“He’s still alive,” was all he said. She nodded, understanding what he meant and looked away from him.
“Mom’s dead,” she said, almost inaudibly. Sesshomaru’s jaw tightened as he fought the urge to cry. “It’s my fault,” she continued. “I couldn’t save her. I was… helpless.”
“Kagome,” Sesshomaru spoke. “There was nothing you could do. You were afraid and your mother knew the danger when she tried to protect you. Don’t blame yourself for something so messed up… something you had no control over.”Kagome’s body shook with sobs again. “Ales. I should have been the one to die. I was the one they wanted. She never deserved it. I… she…” she couldn’t form a coherent thought and Sesshomaru just held her. “What am I supposed to do now? Won’t they come back for me?” she whispered.
“Tell me what happened,” he prodded gently. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”
She told him as much as she remembered; she did not know the details with her father and how he became injured. She just knew she blacked out when she saw her mother die. Just as she finished, an angry Rin burst into the room and slapped Kagome. “WHY DIDN’T YOU DO ANYTHING?!” she demanded. “Why did you let her die?” Kagome said nothing; she did not even tend to her throbbing cheek. “I hate you,” Rin hissed. “You’re worthless. You could have saved her. Then she would be here and Daddy…” she closed her eyes. “We’re through. I cannot bear to be your sister anymore,” she left the room before Kagome even had the chance to respond.
No sooner had the door closed it opened again and two men entered this time. One was tall with slicked back sandy blonde hair and hard hazel eyes. He had an angular jaw the clenched as he looked at the bandaged girl in front of him. He wore a white button down shirt and khaki slacks with a gun holster. He knelt in front of Kagome. “My name is Officer Tipton. I need to ask you what happened with your parents, Sweetheart. This man beside me is Dr. Prie. Don’t worry. We just want to help you.”
Kagome clutched onto Sesshomaru desperately. “Please, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s bad enough I had to live it! Just leave me alone.”
Tipton’s eyes softened. “Miss Kagome, I know this is hard. But if you can give us any information that will help us find the person who did this to your parents, we’ll get him and make sure he pays.”
Kagome trembled. “No one did it… I never saw him. My dad… was controlled. His eyes were red… he didn’t want to… they were looking for me.”
Tipton leaned forward. “Who?”
Kagome looked back at him, fear in her eyes. “Kagura,” she whispered.
Tipton stared at her confused. “Who is Kagura? Someone who has a grudge against your family?”
Kagome shook her head. “I’ve never met her. Her name just came to my mind. There is no Kagura on the island… but I do know her… I don’t know how but…”
Tipton was about to ask when Dr. Prie stepped forward. “Miss Higurashi clearly you are making up stories in your terror-stricken mind in order to cover something up. It is common with shock victims to get their memory… muddled, for lack of a better word. There is something vital you are not mentioning. Did your father have a history of mental instability? I hear that your mother was ‘psychic’. Poor souls who believe in that mumbo jumbo. So are you protecting your father? When you were brought here, they found blood from both your parents all over you. So did you try to protect yourself by creating these fake people and make it seem like someone is ‘after you’?”
“Dr. Prie you had better stand down,” Tipton barked harshly. “You are badgering her!”
“Merely trying to uncover the truth. It is clear that Miss Higurashi has a very active imagination. She said herself that there is no Kagura on the island and that she has never met the woman yet she knows her. It is very doubtful that the woman would be capable of such brutality.”
“And a thirteen year old girl is?!” Sesshomaru growled. “What a load of bullshit!”
Dr. Prie was calm. “Children who are mentally unstable have been known to inflict harm on others. And all that nonsense about ‘psychics.’ It is clear Miss Higurashi needs help. We can acquit her as a suspect if she spends some time in a mental hospital. I will personally take care of her.”
Tipton grabbed the doctor by the collar, fury evident in his eyes. “That girl just lost her mother, her father is in a coma and may never wake up, and her sister abandoned her! Now you want to cart her off to some loony bin because she is ‘unstable’?! I hat to see the son of a bitch who can come out of something like that and be completely sane!”
Kagome clutched her head as the men argued. The voices from before began to seep through the pores of her brain and her head throbbed. Her eyes flickered then her body relaxed. Slowly her hand went to reach for one of the stands near her bed and she hurled it at the doctor; what everyone missed was that her hand never mad physical contact with the stand. Tipton managed to pull the doctor away just in time and Kagome screamed and thrashed about the room. Tipton called for help as he pulled the shocked Dr. Prie out of the room. Four nurses entered and managed to pin each of her limbs down and administer a sedative. It was supposed to take seconds to make her slip out of consciousness but she fought all the nurses off and continued to thrashing around. Sesshomaru saw the hysteria in her eyes, but also noticed they were dilated. Slowly, he approached her and wrapped his arms around her, whispering soothing words in her ear. Immediately Kagome froze and tears flowed from her eyes. She crumpled in his arms and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, she was escorted to a mental institution on Dr. Prie’s orders. When she arrived in her small quarters, she noticed Sesshomaru’s locket was gone; that was when she lost all hope. She was not allowed visitors. She visited Dr. Prie almost daily; during that time he would tell her constantly that her reality was wrong. He did everything to make her accept what he told her was the “truth.” Eventually, she learned to shut herself off and stopped speaking for four long years. However, her involuntary solitude allowed her to learn more about her abilities and perfect them; but her soul fell deeper into darkness.
Kagome woke up to a searing hot burning sensation on her lower back where her birthmark was; she lifted her shirt to stare at the small butterfly shaped mark on her back as it glowed a fiery orange for a second then returned black. She slowly sat up and found that she was sitting in the middle of the meadow that seemed to stretch for miles and the sweet fragrance of flowers permeated the air; the meadow was a multitude of colors, filled with every flower imaginable. There was a fresh lake in the center with a waterfall pouring its contents into a small pool from a canyon that was so tall, Kagome needed to bend backwards to see the top. The warm sun reflected off the water’s surface, making it seem like the entire lake was glowing. As Kagome circled around the lake she noticed a statue in its center; she waded through the water to study it more closely. It was a woman dressed in a long gown and angel wings cradling a small child; it was carved out of pure marble and was so detailed it looked almost alive. Kagome couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew the statue and she stood on the pedestal to investigate even further. Her eyes widened and her heart stopped when she recognized the faces on the statue: the angel woman was her mother and the child… was Kagome.


I want to thank all my readers who are motivating me to keep writing this story. Even the silent visitors ^_^. I’ve gotten 200 hits on this story and I am proud. Thank you all for reading and any reviews/comments/constructive criticism is welcomed. Next chapter will be up soon.