Foxfire: Veil of the Nine Phantoms

3: The Nine-Tailed Fox III - The Museum's Blade

September 9 - Melanie

I didn't get a wink of sleep, partially because the events that had transpired were too energizing; I couldn't believe I had a magical fox spirit following me around. Mainly, I couldn't sleep because street racers were speeding down the Don Valley Parkway in the middle of the night. Apparently the racers were so loud they could be heard from Gerrard and Greenwood. Since street racers had decided to make the DVP their own personal racetrack, I bet the entirety of Riverdale woke up from the roar of a hundred motorcycles. They disturbed my peace and quiet, but there was nothing I could do to stop them, so much for Toronto's billion dollar municipal police force.

"Can't sleep?" said the fox woman.

I tried to muffle the sound by covering my ears with my hands. "It's too loud..."

"I can help with that."

I sat up and gave the kitsune an incredulous look. "You can? How?"

She smiled. With a snap of her fingers the noise disappeared, replaced by the soft sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

"How'd you do that?"

"The wonders of magic."

I was glad to finally have some silence. However, I still wasn't comfortable with a strange fox woman watching me while I slept.

When morning came, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. The vixen followed me inside.

I frowned. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"I'm acting as your familiar. I'm supposed to follow you around."

"Even inside my bathroom?"

"I'm a fox. I have no problem with nudity. It's how animals are meant to be in nature. Furthermore, the practice of nude communal bathing in public bathhouses was common in Japan prior to Western influence."

"Can you please get out?"

"As you wish." The kitsune mockingly curtsied and left me alone.

The vixen's constant presence bothered me, but now I could smile with relief. For the first time in hours I had privacy again. While I loved the magical superpowers, I hated the feeling of being possessed, like my body was being violated against my will. If the kitsune desired it, she could possess me and take control over my entire life. The thought made my blood run cold, but there was nothing I could do against a supernatural being. I was completely at her mercy. I had to trust her, I didn't have any other choice.

After eating breakfast and listening to my parents say 'happy birthday', I was ready to go to class. I grabbed my bicycle and went outside, where I saw our neighbour Mr. Mandelis sitting on his front porch. He lived in the other half of our duplex.

"Good morning. It's a nice sunny day, eh?"

"Yeah," he said in a quiet voice. Mr. Mandelis was a short and stocky curmudgeon with a constant frown. He was ancient; for my entire life he looked the same. I didn't know much about the man, but I knew that he fought in World War II in Greece. Every Christmas, my neighbour would gift my family with wine. Mom was a non-drinker because she was a fitness freak, so my dad would happily keep the entire bottle for himself.

I didn't want to bother Mr. Mandelis too much, so after greeting him I went on my way to Donlands Station.

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Travelling westbound between Broadview and Castle Frank, the subway passed below Bloor Street and went through the lower deck of the Prince Edward Viaduct. The train left shadowy tunnels and went into daylight, suspended over the Don River Valley by the Bloor Viaduct's steel rib cage. Below me, the Don Valley Parkway was an artery carrying vehicles throughout Toronto. On the right side, I saw the trio of high-rise apartments in Playter Estates. My heartbeat quickened at the memory of jumping off their rooftops. Farther away, I spotted Chester Hill Lookout, where it all started.