CHRONICLE O1UMEKO MIKAZUKI

I.Every nightmare starts out the same; shes in a garden, talking to someone who looks similar to her but shes sure isnt her (shes also sure that she is her). Umeko knows that this woman in front of her is Artemis, goddess of the Moon, and her former identity in a past life. She can never remember how their conversations go, but shes sure that theyre real. Whenever the conversations come to a close, the ground always crumbles beneath their feet; Artemis lunges for her, sometimes she catches her by the wrist and pulls her up to safety, but other timeslike tonight, Umeko falls deep into the darkness.Shes alone. She always alone, and there is always a man laughing. Its cold, chilling her to the bone and it stays with her even when she wakes up; it takes hours to get warm again, and even longer to fall back asleep. She wishes it would be over already, but the nightmare likes to take its sweet time.Finally, a man emerges, jumping down above her just like he did that day. His face is unrecognizable, covered by the copper jackal mask snugly fit to the back of his head. He is not the one laughing, she knows that much, but she fears him more than the person laughing.The man in the jackal mask wields a long knife with a gold and black hilt, the very same one Mom knocked out of his hands. Umeko makes a lunge for it, they grapple, he overpowers her with ease and then she catches the glint of the knife just before down on her abdomen, plunging deep and then he slices her open with the quick drag of his wrist.

Umeko was drenched in sweat when she awoke, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Her stomach was searing and she lifted up her shirt to see no mark on her stomach, her skin was as pale and smooth as always. She poked where the wound had once been and pain spread from her belly button to down to her legs and then up through her chest. She bit her wrist to keep her scream down, her limbs rigid as they seized up at the pain. When it faded she pushed herself up, noticing there was no ache when she moved. It was all in her headthe usual.The pink cabbit shaped clock on her nightstand told her it was three in morning. The house was quiet when she opened up her bedroom door, peering down the hall to see the half-open door of her parents room. Dad was fast asleep, his loud snores carried through the hallway, bouncing off the walls and the closed doors of her brothers rooms. A blue tinted light emitted from the bottom of Kohakus door at the end of the hall. Umeko peeked in and saw him lying on his bed, his arm strewn across his eyes. He mustve fallen asleep watching TV, Umeko thought, or he was actually still up. Sometimes Kohaku just laid in bed with his eyes closed but he wasnt actually asleep; Umeko could never tell the difference between real sleep and fake sleep though. Kohaku? She whispered, gripping onto the doorframe. She didnt necessarily want to wake him if he was asleep, but she was also too afraid to sleep alone. Kohaku!Come in and shut the door, Ume. He mumbled. He sat up, pushed his silver hair back, and moved over to the side of his bed closest to the wall. Umeko did as he said before shuffling across the cool hardwood floor. Kohaku laid down on his side and Umeko pressed the back of her head against his chest, closing her eyes and hoping for sleep. It didnt come. She kept tossing and turning, trying her best to get comfortable. She was still cold too, but Kohaku never slept underneath his blankets.He sighed loudly and Umeko opened her eyes to look back at him in the dark, he propped his head up to glare at her.Sorry, she said.Do you want me to get Kuro?Yes, please.Kohaku sighed again, pushing himself up. Stay put.She didnt know where she would go anyway. The quiet buzz of late night television helped to lull her into something like a half-sleep, but it didnt last very long. Kohaku came back with Kuro was trailing at his feet and the sounds of his paws made little pitter patters on the hardwood. Umeko kept her eyes shut when Kuro jumped up onto the bed, only opening them when he had nestled quietly beside her. The dog stared up at her with his big brown eyes, but they shone a vibrant green in the darkness, and the shadows settled deep into his snout--elongating it. Umeko blinked once, twice, and then three times. She could feel the goosebumps rising on her skin as the television light reflected on the back of Kuros ears and made them appear wide and tall. Soon there was no Kuro, there was only the man in the jackal mask, and her stomach began to pulse in a long line that spread throughout her entire body.She sucked the air in through her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut to erase the image from her brain, but it was still there.Kohaku encircled her, pushing her hair back with his palm as he whispered into her ears but she couldnt hear what he was saying. She felt like she was suffocating, like the Jackal was on top of her again. The pain of her stomach flared to her back, and she kicked out wildly, flailing her arms until she hit Kohaku so hard he released her with a muffled grunt. Kuro growled and jumped off the bed, and Umeko thrashed until Kohaku flicked on the overhead light.Umeko! Calm down! He hissed, sitting her up right with his hands on her shoulders. Breathe, okay. Im not the man in the mask and neither is Kuro. In through your nose, out through your mouth, he coached. She wasnt sure how many times theyd been through this now, and she wasnt sure when it would come to an end. It took her a couple of minutes to calm down, but when she had, Kohaku called Kuro back up onto the bed and willed Umeko to look at him. See, not so bad, right?Kuro looked apprehensive. His fluffy black ears were flattened down back ever so slightly, and his curled tail was swishing slowly at a low point between his legs. Umekos bottom lip trembled, she rndeached forward to pull him closer, scratching at the back of his ears and hugging him softly around the neck. Im sorry, boy, she said, her voice thick.Kuros ears straightened he pulled his head back, straining against her to lick the side of her face. She laughed at the slobbery feeling of his soft tongue against her cheek, and she leaned away to wipe the saliva off her skin.Umeko glanced up at Kohaku with a small smile, wiping away the tears that had formed at the corner of her eyes. Im sorry for punching you.Kohaku rolled his eyes, rubbing at his jaw before pushing his tousled hair out of his amber eyes. Its fine. Thats what big brothers are for, apparently. But seriously, its past three. Dadll kill me if he figures out you were up this late. We have to go see mom early in the morning, so lets try to get some sleep. Im going to leave the light on, okay?Umeko nodded, pulling the covers up from under his pillows; shed always found blankets comforting, Dad said shed carried one around since she was three. She lifted up a corner to let Kuro in; he burrowed down by her feet, circling until he found the most comfortable position.