Red Lilies

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The beginning of a happy new year; faces that she learned and stayed; voices she became accustomed to; new habits and routines she now loves.

Now, instead of running away, she stayed put.

When those sheer faces stared at her from afar, she stared back.

White masks ignored her presence, so did she.

It was as if the world she lived in was divided by two. And Sakura lived in a limbo of both worlds.

But she liked it. All those warning about violence and evil had been just that, words. People moved along, bodies of souls along with them. Even the hungry dark ones seemed to mind their own business most of the time.

Maybe it should be weird, they should be chasing each other like cats and mice as they cause destruction and panic around them.

However, they don't. As if a vail had been thrown on all of us, causing a strange sense of peace and tranquillity.

If you asked her why, she had no clue. Ask how it used to be, even less of a clue. Everywhere she went was calm, for the most part. Only her mind has been plagued with a darkness she tried to run away from.

Until it finally caught up with her.

First, her head was pounding, so hard she had to stay home. Pack a small bag of treats, pain medication and water... this could take some time.

With her body screaming at her to run, jump, hop on a bike or something. Anything! Because it was calling for her.

There was a fissure, a big one.

Maybe even bigger than she had seen in a while, but alas, her mind was telling her where to go. With her running shoes, sweatpants and a hoodie, she sprinted. Hair tugged safely in her hood and dark shades on, one might find her dark figure weird and hopefully take the hint to look elsewhere.

Just another random jogger in black, early in the morning. Her skin flushed and air huffing out in desperate breaths.

But she arrived. A little far away from the largely populated areas of Karakura, even she was a little lost. The greenery around the area made it feel like a different world. Large vast of trees, bushes and cobble stone roads. Even the homes looked like they had been built over a hundred years ago.

Beautiful.

How far has she run!?

Glancing up at the sky with great effort, Sakura noticed it was mid-day. The warmer weather had arrived with a welcomed heat she missed.

Wait until a heat wave brings her happy welcome into sweaty nights.

Never mind that, the pounding in her head was a reminder of her reason to be here... wherever "here" was.

A few more steps and she found the clearing near an old well. Old grown out paths with stone and forgotten structures of wood and paper panels. This used to be a small shrine.

She could tell.

The markings on the mossy stone and wood were of those her mother thought her about. Beautiful words of love and protection made by those who bestowed spiritual guidance to the masses of scared people.

When monsters where normal.

Danger was as common as breathing, those with higher spiritual presence could see, feel and even talk to those "monsters".

A small thunder dragged the pinket out of her thoughts.

Right, the reason she was here.

That fissure.