Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Wind Knoll's Curse ❯ Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Oh, poo—it took me awhile to write this one up and I apologize. Computer has been weird and stuff. And I like chocolate chip cookies. XD; Yay!

 

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The doors to the Ice Temple opened steadily to allow some of the moonlight to creep inside of the candle lit temple. The wind demon kept the door open to allow Scarlet on inside with the candle she had sheltered from the wind the demon was letting out. The first room within the temple had several candles of different size lit and shined brightly with a soft blue hue. Pillows were lined perfectly on either side of the carpet that led down to the altar where the statue of the ice demon was situated.

 

Scarlet walked down the blue carpet underneath her feet steadily taking in the sight of the temple she had not seen the interior of in years. Gazing upward at the arched ceiling that held more of the blue tinted light, she couldn't help but feel a bit dizzy with the height of the ceiling. “It's been so long since I have been here,” Scarlet whispered as she continued to keep up with the redheaded demon. “I feel incredibly uncomfortable…”

 

Hearing her express her discomfort, Jin looked over his shoulder for a moment at Scarlet. “Don't be such. If you are doubtful or fearful, he will not come to you.”

 

Shielding the candle within her hands still, Scarlet said not a word as she walked onward towards the statue that stood within a large group of candles to show off the contours of the figurine. It was a rather large statue of the ice demon of him looking as though he were blowing a kiss to those that stood before him with long, tied back hair. It was constructed of white marble and a bit of it was rather worn thanks to the years it had endured.

 

Jin made his way up to the sculpture to examine it with a bit of a smirk as he did so. “Apparently they over exaggerated Touya as well,” he chuckled while looking for the scriptures that were normally there for people to read anytime they wanted within the temple.

 

“Over exaggerated?” Scarlet wondered as she watched the demon hunt through the books lined before the foot of the statue. “Does he have horns too like you?”

 

“Not quite,” Jin answered as he skimmed a few pages of the book in his hands. “But I can tell you his hair isn't that long and he's not as tall as me as people say. He barely even comes up to my chest.”

 

Looking back up at the towering statue that bathed within the blue light, she couldn't help but scoff a bit. “Wonderful—I've been worshipping a midget all my life.”

 

Hearing her remark, Jin smacked Scarlet in the back of the head with the book he held before offering it to her as she rubbed the back of her now slightly aching head. “Be respectful,” he demanded with a bit of a hidden laugh himself. “And take this.” Jin handed Scarlet the book he had recently smacked her with that had a dark blue leather cover and had a light blue Celtic type snowflake design. “This is what I want you to read for the night.”

 

Scarlet took the book that was handed to her so as to look over the cover. “I remember this book. My mother had one just like it and would read from it daily even when she was sick in bed.”

 

“She should have if she worshipped Touya,” Jin expressed while running his fingers through his wild hair. “That's his demonic bible if you want to call it that.”

 

“You want me to read all of this until I fall asleep?” Scarlet asked as she flipped through the many pages set before her.

 

“I want you to read it aloud until you become too tired to think and then I want you to sleep here, yes,” the wind demon explained once more as he headed back down the walkway before him. “If you don't do this, you will not hear about your mother.”

 

Scarlet kept the book within her arms as she watched the demon heading for the exit of the temple. The doors of the temple opened to allow the wind demon out as the wind he controlled swiftly made its way throughout the Ice Temple. Bringing up her arms at the strong wind that engulfed the place of worship, Scarlet cried out over the powerful currents best she could. “Wait!” She exclaimed only to hear the large double doors slam shut for the night, leaving her alone.

 

Moistening her lower lip, Scarlet eyed the many blazing candles before turning to gaze up at the statue of Touya the Ice `God'. She hadn't seen the statue in years and to be in the one place she had denounced when she was sixteen still made her feel uneasy. Her fingers gripped onto the book within her hands as Scarlet made her way down to the pillow that was resting before her. Opening to the first page, she cleared her throat as she attempted to read aloud to nobody but herself and who dared listen. “Touya the Ice God was said to be one of the few celestial beings found centuries ago within the fog of Wind Knoll. His temple was built within the south area of the town and took years to complete. It is said his soul resides within the very statue that was resurrected within his honor.”

 

Scarlet continued to read aloud, her words bouncing off the walls and seeming to surround her. The reading went on for hours within the lit temple, making the young woman become a bit drowsy over the time she spent reading and parching her throat. As the clock tower struck the coming hour, Scarlet couldn't help but release a weary yawn while stretching. To her knowledge, it was at least four in the morning and the hours she spent reading and reciting the prayers were taking their toll.

 

The book closed as Scarlet stretched upward with a slight yawn. “Well, I guess I better sleep here…somewhere,” she murmured to herself before getting off of her knees to look in the rooms for a place to stay.

 

Her bare feet tapped across the cold, marble flooring as she made her way into the room situated on the right of the altar. As she parted the flowing curtains that were dipped in a blackish, blue tone with white Celtic embroidery, she headed into the medium sized circular room that held a dinning table in the center and a few beds around the wall of the room resting quite closely together. On certain days where there was a celebration in honor of the `gods', the people would praise and worship at the temple until the day ended. Due to the fog being horrible at night, nobody could afford to go outside unless they wanted to get lost within their own town and so there were rooms set up within each temple for the worshippers to use until sunrise.

 

One of the many beds catching Scarlet's attention, the young woman sat upon the side of it as she undressed herself within the privacy of the temple walls. Scarlet didn't bring with her something to change into when it dealt with sleeping wear, so it forced her to strip down to nothing but her natural form. Tossing her clothes upon the marble flooring beneath her, Scarlet situated the covers over her body to get settled for the night. Lying upon her back, she couldn't help but look up at the ceiling that glistened in the blue candlelight that danced about the room. The light cast shadows upon the wall that made Scarlet feel unnerved as well as the sounds her ears would pick up that almost sounded like moaning.

 

“This place…it feels like it is alive,” she whispered to herself while turning on her side to face the wall nearby. Scarlet couldn't help but embrace her shivering body under the covers as she attempted to close her eyes for the night.

 

 

 

 

The images that flooded Scarlet's mind made her toss and turn in her sleep as she could see herself walking steadily down a long, dark corridor. The pictures she could vaguely see within her minds eye, resting there upon the hall, sent shivers up her spine as she continued walking down the hallway that seemed to go on forever with a door resting at the very end of the hallway. White curtains flowed from windows, almost in slow motion from time to time as did her own actions every once in awhile.

 

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Scarlet looked over her shoulder as she felt like something was following her from the distorted creaking and high pitched moans she could hear within the engulfing darkness that swallowed up the opposite end of the long corridor. As her eyes continued to look about the dreary atmosphere, a door seemed to just appear there to her right in a cloud of fog.

 

Her hand grabbing upon the doorknob, Scarlet let herself inside of what appeared to be a bathroom of some kind that looked almost like hers except a little bigger. The sound of metal rocking against metal caught her attention as she looked up at a hook and chain hanging from the top railing of the shower where the curtain normally hung. The sight of it startled Scarlet but thought nothing of it as she turned to the mirror that was hanging there above the sink.

 

The mirror was a bit fogged up, making it difficult for Scarlet to see her own reflection within it. Her palm touching the fogged up mirror, she tried to wipe it away so she could see her own reflection. Once she was able to see herself there in the mirror, she studied herself for a moment before hearing a low groaning sound that seemed awfully close to her ear. Her fear filled eyes looked over her shoulder to see nothing there but the door she had entered through and the shower and tub to her left. Still seeing that nothing was there didn't put Scarlet at ease. She still felt watched within that dark room somehow as she went back to gazing within the mirror.

 

As Scarlet tried to turn on the water so she could wash her face, the water only splashed within the sink for a moment before stopping completely. Confused, she continued to work with the cold and hot marked handles only to get nothing to surface for awhile until finally the water came out only to be crimson red in color. Her hands were under the red liquid when it surfaced, marking them both in the sticky substance. Pulling them back steadily from under the sink faucet, Scarlet began to tremble uncontrollably realizing what it was.

 

“Blood?” She wondered aloud before shaking her hands like crazy to try and get it off. Sickened by the sight of it, she hushed her screams as she wiped the blood on her body in attempts to get it off of her hands. But as she was doing so, the sink overflowed in no time at all and the blood started to drip down to the floor below and swirl about in the cracks of the tile beneath her feet as if to trap her where she stood.

 

Panic-stricken, Scarlet's breathes became labored as she stood there in the bathroom looking all around her until the sound of the chain rattling not too far away caught her attention once more. Looking up at the hook that hung there she was horrified at the sight of a beating, human heart hanging there now with the lungs as well just adding to the blood accumulating there upon the floor. Frightening, deep moaning sounds and high pitched screeches caused Scarlet to run as quickly as she could for the door she had entered through as she hurried back out into the corridor she was once within.

 

The fear that had engulfed her caused Scarlet to tumble over to the opposite wall once she closed the bathroom door behind her. Shaking in horror, she looked over towards the end of the hallway she was within to see a white woman in a pure white gown with raven hair dancing upon the ceiling like it was the floor to her. Her figure reminded Scarlet of an hourglass and her swaying almost hypnotized the terrified woman who sat there upon the floor. The more she watched the unnamed white woman dancing upside down, the less Scarlet realized that she appeared to be coming closer to where Scarlet was sitting in tears. Eventually the woman disappeared, leaving the horrified Scarlet to wonder where the white maiden went as she rubbed her tears from her eyes so she could see better. As she was doing so, a cold and clammy hand grabbed onto her forearm causing Scarlet to look over at who was responsible.

 

The woman she had seen dancing had a firm hold on her hand and the white dress was no longer as pure and white as it had appeared from a distance. It was dingy, torn, and marred in blood and soot. Her skin also was no longer as fair and looked almost gray color and had dark and brown spots upon them. Her raven hair that seemed to blend in with the darkness that was crawling closer from the back, parted up front to show her pure black eyes that were so void of life, it horrified Scarlet into a loud scream that was muffled by the darkness that eventually swallowed the two women up.

 

 

 

 

The covers flew off of Scarlet as she inhaled sharply once she woke up in her own bedroom early in the morning from the nightmare. Her palm meeting with her sweaty forehead, she looked about the candlelit bedroom that belonged to her in confusion as she wondered how she got back home from the temple. Wiping her tear stained cheeks with her hands, she looked over at her clock to check on what time it was since it felt like she had been asleep forever. The red numbers showed that it was fifteen minutes after nine from where Scarlet sat up in bed.

 

Running her fingers through her messy, streaked hair, she pushed the covers off of her further so she could get to her feet. “I guess I might as well get ready for work. If I go back to sleep now, I will sleep in,” Scarlet mumbled as she made it towards her bathroom wearily.

 

Her hands resting upon the sink, Scarlet couldn't help but be reminded of the awful dream she endured during the night. Shaking her head a bit to try and get rid of the images, she grabbed onto her brush to use it to rake through her hair. It was difficult to try and not think on the horrifying dream as she continued to get ready for the day, but Scarlet put up with the flashing images while she got ready in her bathroom.

 

When Scarlet was fully dressed for her job, she headed down the stairs to get to the front door only to be stopped by her father who was reading the paper in the kitchen.

 

“Where the hell are you going this early in the morning?” Chris asked as he dared not look at his daughter.

 

Hearing her father's voice made her heart sink and she groaned internally as she turned to face him. “I am going to my job at the store I told you about.”

 

“Yeah, I remember. You are going to that demon worshipping store,” her father remarked bitterly, still refusing to look at Scarlet as the paper held more interest than her.

“It's not demon worship,” Scarlet lied as she sighed irritably at her father. “It's just a store that sells items for the Wind Knoll Gods.”

 

“You're so naïve, just like your mother was,” Chris remarked coldly with a bitter laugh before walking off with his coffee and paper.

 

Rolling her eyes at her father's horrible attitude, she left the house with a slam of the door to announce her anger in her father's words. Standing there at their mailbox, Scarlet eyed the fog that was still there about Wind Knoll. It unsettled her as it often did and she couldn't help but hurry down Lavender Lane to get to the store she was indebted to.

 

The fog was as thick as ever and made it difficult for Scarlet to look through it to see what was ahead of her. Embracing her arms tightly about her body, she hurried down the concrete road that was beneath her boots though uncertain of where it would empty out to. Her eyes looking about the fog covered buildings she could barely see even if they were right next to her, Scarlet stopped for a moment near a payphone nearby and what appeared to be a grocery store to her right. “Where am I? What road is this?”

 

Scarlet hurried down the road regardless, eventually coming upon a trashcan and a bench that was situated in front of a restaurant of some kind that she had never seen before. There was a woman sleeping upon the bench it appeared that was wearing a dark red dress and black boots from what she could see from the angle she was viewing the woman at. Coming closer towards the sleeping person, Scarlet recognized the face that was slightly covered in the woman's black, messy hair.

 

“Silvia,” Scarlet called as she hurried over towards Silvia who appeared to be sleeping on the bench and had done so during the night. Kneeling down in front of the obviously intoxicated Silvia, Scarlet shook her gently. “Silvia, wake up!”

 

Silvia moaned slightly as she looked through her raven colored hair at the dull hued eyes of Scarlet. “Scarlet? What the hell are you doing here?” She asked, Silvia's words awfully slurred.

 

“What are you doing here?” Scarlet wondered as she helped Silvia at least sit upright on the bench she had chosen to sleep upon. “You didn't go home all night?”

 

Silvia ran her fingers through her hair as she attempted to put together Scarlet's words that she was having a hard time understanding at that moment. Looking over her shoulder at the restaurant that was slightly hidden in the fog that morning, she turned back to Scarlet with a drunken grin as she nodded. “Oh, man, I love sleeping outside at times. The images—wow—especially when you're buzzing like crazy,” she chuckled with a snort.

 

Scarlet rubbed the back of her neck with a cock of her brow, wondering what Silvia was talking about as she joined her there upon the bench on the sidewalk. “What images are you talking about? And you're not buzzing, you're straight drunk!”

 

“Oh, screw what I am talking about,” Silvia insisted as she looked about the foggy town with a confused expression. “What time is it?”

 

“I don't know for certain, but when I last left the house it was close to ten,” Scarlet answered as she fixed the black colored bandana she had upon her head to keep her hair out of her face.

 

Her hand wearily placed upon the wooden bench to heft herself up, Silvia stumbled to her feet before leaning on Scarlet with the one bottle of beer she had left in her hand. “Terrific—that means I woke up just in time for the store. Let's go!” Pointing off at nowhere in particular, Silvia couldn't help but laugh at her own stupidity.

 

Scarlet, on the other hand, found it less than amusing as she kept her manager from falling face first on the concrete. “But, where is the store? I can hardly see with the fog being so horrible today.”

 

“Hell if I should know,” Silvia chuckled while taking another sip of the liquor she had within her hand. “I think it's—that way.”

 

Following Silvia's finger, Scarlet noticed she was more than likely pointing towards the road and couldn't help but shake her head with a groan. “I guess we will just continue down this road for awhile or wait until the fog clears up. It should eventually.”

 

Remaining as Silvia's crutch for the time being, Scarlet headed off down the sidewalk and stayed close to the stores that would steadily come within view the more they walked. As they continued walking through town, it seemed as though the fog was getting worse and not better as they had hoped and it worried Scarlet more so than the drunken Silvia. Scarlet stopped at the end of the sidewalk they were walking on to gaze up at the road name they were on as she was confused at where they were.

 

“Rune Avenue?” Scarlet wondered aloud as she looked across the crosswalk before them and down the right where a little bit of the road could be seen before disappearing. “How did we get here?” Rubbing her forehead with the free hand she had, Scarlet couldn't help but grab onto her wind pendent she bought while furrowing her brow in worry. I wish this fog would let up. I wonder what the deal is with it being this thick at this time in the morning.

 

Just as Scarlet had wished such a thing, a calming wind started blowing from her right. Scarlet looked at the wind as it quickly came at her, startling her at first as she turned her face quickly from it when it got too rambunctious. Closing her eyes tightly to try and keep the bits of debris out of them that the wind carried within its currents, Scarlet eventually felt the wind settle so she could look about the area once more. The fog had lifted a little for them but it was still awfully thick in some areas.

 

Silvia looked drunkenly about the roads before pointing down the road on Scarlet's right that was once so hard to see. “Go down that road until the third light and then take a left on Crimson Cove and keep going until it shows Willard Drive on the right somewhere I think,” Silvia responded best to her ability seeing as she knew it was time to get to the store. “Just hurry and get your ass to the shop. I don't want us to be late.”

 

Scarlet merely scoffed as she quickly headed down the road Silvia pointed towards. She was eager to get to the store just as much as her manager. Playing as Silvia's crutch wasn't exactly on her list of things to do that morning.

 

The fog seemed to separate for the two as they made their way to Willard Drive finally. When the road was within view, Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly hurried towards the store with Silvia still leaning upon her with a few random laughs. The door to the Black Magic Store was the one thing Scarlet was relieved to see as she turned the handle to find it open. She found this a bit odd and looked down at Silvia who didn't seem to care as she shrugged her shoulders, wondering what Scarlet was waiting for.

 

Scarlet walked into the store and called over the ringing of the bell as she did so. “Hello? Is somebody here?”

 

The curtain in the back moved as Blossom made her way towards the front in a sleeveless, midriff tee and black, tight fitting trousers. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail as she scurried to the front where she heard the two enter. “I see Silvia is drunk as all today. I guess that explains what took you both so long.”

 

Scarlet let Blossom take Silvia with a nod. “Yes, I found her on a bench like this and raving about some images that I don't quite understand.” Turning to look at the fog that was still quite thick, Scarlet waved towards the window with a sigh. “And the fog has been awful today. I wish it would ease up already.”

 

Blossom took Silvia with a mere nod in return at what Scarlet was saying to her. “I hear they will do something about the fog problem. Let me take Silvia in the back room. I want you to just sit tight behind the counter for awhile.”

 

Watching as Blossom hauled Silvia into the back room behind the curtain, Scarlet took her spot behind the counter while resting her chin upon her overlapped arms that were there upon the countertop. Her eyes peeking over at the windows of the shop she could just see, Scarlet groaned slightly at the fog. When will that fog lighten up? It's almost 10:30.”

 

Closing her eyes, Scarlet could see the images that had been within her mind during the night and it disturbed her as she continued to let them race through her head. Her expression painful, she brought her hands up to her face to try and stop the sounds ringing in her ears that were of distorted, high pitched cries and low, slowed moans. Scarlet's eyes flying open finally, she took in a deep breath before standing upright behind the counter. Embracing her quivering body tightly, the young woman was startled when a hand came from behind to cover her mouth in an aggressive manner.

 

As she was trying to catch her breath from the sudden grab from behind, the playful redhead peeked quickly over Scarlet's shoulder to look her in the eyes. “Gotcha!” He snickered before releasing her mouth.

 

Seeing who it was made Scarlet groan as she wanted to slap the demon there nearby that scared her. “Man, I wish you wouldn't do that! You frightened me!”

 

Jin merely laughed at her reaction as he jumped on the countertop where there was room so he could look down at the rattled Scarlet. “Well, you certainly are jumpy. Mind telling me what is rattling you?”

 

Her fingers massaged her forehead at the headache that always came lately whenever the wind demon showed up. Growling a bit, she eyed the demon with a bit of annoyance in her expression. “Don't you have other worshippers to annoy and tease?” Once she remembered the fog, Scarlet felt need to direct Jin's attention to it. “What about the fog? It's been atrocious all day today!”

 

The grinning demon looked out at the fog that surrounded the town before rolling his eyes at Scarlet's demands. “You humans are so whiney.” Outstretching his hand towards the door, he brought his hand up to control the wind that was outside so as to use it to blow back the mist.

 

Scarlet watched from behind the counter as the demon used his influences to speak with the wind outside and bend it to his control without a problem. The wind split through the heavy mist and parted it like it was nothing at all. Scarlet was more than amazed at seeing his wind powers do such a thing as she shifted her focus on the wind demon before her. “It was nice of you to finally do that,” she sarcastically responded.

 

“Don't sass me, little girl,” Jin remarked as he hefted himself off of the counter. “So how was your time at Touya's temple?”

 

Having to remember such a time at a place she had long forgotten, Scarlet could only look off to the side as if to avoid the topic for a moment. “It was frightening…I don't know if I can ever really go back there.” Scarlet hated to admit it but she was having a hard time shaking the disturbing images that plagued her.

 

Jin tried to catch Scarlet's wandering eyes as he wondered what had gotten to her. “Why do you say that? You want to find answers about your mother's death, don't you?”

 

“Can't you just put in a good word for me?” Scarlet wondered as she fidgeted a bit there behind the desk. “I really cannot go back to that temple—.”

 

“It doesn't work that way,” Jin quickly interjected. The redhead rubbed the back of his neck before he continued to explain further while motioning with his hands. “I can tell Touya till I am blue in the face about you and what you are but he wouldn't make a house call to someone who is not willing to go the extreme for his services.”

 

Scarlet shook her head slightly confused, “Then why did you come to me?”

 

Jin reached across the glass counter to grab onto Scarlet's left hand to open up her healing palm to show her the burnt wind design she put there the night he came to her. “That is why I came to you,” he answered with his finger pointing to the Celtic design. “You were willing to burn my symbol into yourself for my benefit.”

 

Scarlet looked down at the design burned within her flesh before bringing her hand back to her side. Before she could say another word, Blossom surfaced from the back room making Scarlet hold her words. Looking to Jin, she whispered out the corner of her mouth, “I think you better go.”

 

Blossom broke the silence that soon consumed the room with a bit of an irritable sigh. “It's annoying when Silvia is like this some times.” Making her way over to the door and past Jin like he was just part of the scenery, she flipped the sign from closed to open. “I see the fog has finally picked up,” Blossom said as she turned back towards Scarlet from where she was standing at the door.

 

“Yeah,” Scarlet responded as she eyed Jin who was still in the store, “funny how that happened.”

 

Jin said not a word as he merely shrugged his shoulders while walking into the back of the room where the candles were placed.

 

Sighing out her frustration still, Blossom headed for the counter so she could support herself upon something. Her hands gracing the top of the area, she shook her head from side to side. “Sorry you had to put up with Silvia like that. She can be something else when she is wasted.” Blossom eyed the slightly swaying curtain that held its own secrets unknown to Scarlet. “No doubt she got so wasted they kicked her out of the bar in due time.”

 

“When I picked her up she was going on about some images that intensify when she is out in the fog,” Scarlet explained once more with a bit of concern. “I don't understand how anyone could sleep out in such conditions. It's terrifying me the more I think about it.”

 

Blossom untied her hair with a roll of her eyes at the sound of that. “Silvia just loves what Wind Knoll's fog does to her, especially when drunk. I cannot say I have experienced what she does out there but I have at times more so when sober…it's awfully frightening unless you're so drunk you think it's all a funny nightmare.” Pointing towards the curtain off to the far left of the store, she continued, “To Silvia, it's her way of getting high. She is a little nuts in this state so just ignore her.”

 

Not enjoying the subject, Scarlet raised her hands as if to stop Blossom from going any further. “Is there anything you want me to do? Is Silvia going to be okay?”

 

“Yes,” Blossom answered as she dug into her pocket to pull out her wallet. “I want you to go down to Ocean's Breeze and pick up the breakfast for everyone.” Pulling out enough money for those who worked there, Blossom headed behind the counter before shooing Scarlet out of the area. “I will take over things here.”

 

Taking the money handed to her, Scarlet managed a nervous nod seeing as she had never really gotten things for herself often much less for others. “Okay, what does everyone want?”

 

“Just get everyone a regular decaf coffee with a bagel for me, a cinnamon roll for Silvia, and whatever it is you want. I don't have enough money at the moment for coffee with fancy names,” Blossom explained as she pulled out a magazine she felt like reading for the moment behind the counter until customers arrived. “That place is shit expensive.”

 

“Okay, I will be back later then,” Scarlet said as she made her way outside and into the slightly misty roads.

 

Scarlet could see the buildings and sidewalks opposite to her as she headed to Ocean's Breeze further up Willard Drive. The wind that Jin had unleashed obviously did the trick. She could now see people out and about, doing their routine daily activities for that quiet morning. While heading down the roads, Scarlet couldn't help but feel like something was watching her through the fog and she became rattled by those who passed her suddenly. Pocketing the money she had, Scarlet's weary gray, green eyes searched the area around her frequently for whoever it was she felt was watching her only to find nothing.

 

The people that ran into Scarlet said not a thing though felt need to scold her for standing in the way or swear at her as they continued on their way. Scarlet looked through the strands of her bi-colored hair that waved within her face before quickly turning away to run for the coffee shop. As she was doing so, she would occasionally look over at the misty streets as if to see a tall figure with narrow gold eyes watching her from time to time. It was as though every time she looked back at where she saw the figure, it had either moved or was coming closer towards her making Scarlet panic.

 

The coffee shop soon within sight, she was quick to open the door and close it behind her. Her breathing labored and her complexion paler than usual, it looked to others as though Scarlet was under attack though everyone who gazed upon her said not a word. Trying to catch her breath, the rattled Scarlet headed up front with the money she was given. “Hi,” she greeted to the young male behind the cash register. “I would like three decaf coffees with one bagel, one cinnamon roll, and a chocolate donut please.”

 

When her order was given to her, Scarlet stood within the coffee shop as if debating on whether or not to head back outside. Once the courage came to her and the realization that it probably was nothing, she stepped back out onto the sidewalks with the items in her arms while heading back down the road cautiously. The same eerie feeling of being watched came back over Scarlet as it had when she was heading to the place. She couldn't shake it as she squeezed her way through the traffic that was starting to gather upon the sidewalks.

 

The same figure that she had seen previously continued to show up within the misted roads as if it were following her. When Scarlet picked up her pace, whoever it was quickly darted in front of her making the frightened woman released a scream that was soon muffled by the palm of the beast in front of her. Her eyes widen and her heart beating wildly, she looked up at the towering man with silver hair and ears that looked like that of a cat to her.

 

His eyes narrowed down at her once he removed his hand from her mouth. “Where is the girl I am looking for? You are not here. I was told she would be here.”

 

Scarlet kept the drinks and food in her arms still as she trembled uncontrollably at the sight of the awkward man standing before her. “Who—what are you talking about? Who are you?”