Tickling One-shots

A Ticklish Curse

Sorry I take so long between stories. If I had more time I would write more. In any case thank you for reading them and let me know what you think.

Huffing and puffing Melanie was beginning to regret her decision to come here. The landscape was beautiful but the hike was just as brutal. At least she was alone, she appreciated an empty tourist locale. Taking a deep breath she carried on, determined to make it to the top. She was already half way up; it would've been a waste of time to go back now. The dense trees that lined the path up let little wind to pass through and for humidity to condense. The only respite from the heat was the canopy of leaves that blocked out most of the sun, though her shirt was still soaked from sweat. Definitely not the best day to wear black. The path began to narrow slightly and steepened abruptly. Every step was an effort and all she could do was take deep breaths and think about how swole her legs would be after her holiday. Peeling her sweaty black T-shirt off her skin she took a steep sharp turn and the path quickly leveled out. As she turned the corner of her eye she finally saw it, Kusuguru Shrine. She had finally made it. When she planned her holiday in Japan she didn't expect herself to do such a brutal hike, but the way the mountain shrine was described online convinced her to give it a try. A small wood carved structure right at the top of the mountain surrounded by trees and a gap in them that displayed the surrounding countryside. Melanie took a second to catch her breath appreciating the scene. The small shrine was covered in odd markings and the centerpiece displayed a small wooden carving of a woman painted black with a wide odd smile only a few inches tall. Melanie walked up to the shrine and noticed feathers among the designs that marked the wood. Up close the smiling wooden woman looked even stranger. She picked up off the centerpiece to get a better look. As she touched it she felt a strange tingle on her fingers that ran up her arm, like a static shock when you touched a doorknob. Looking at it up close she noticed that the figurine was also holding a small feather as well, intricately carved into the wood. For such a deserted place the craftsmanship was quite impressive, Melanie was surprised this place didn't have more visitors.

After a while walking around the shrine and mountain top Melanie made her way back down. Still soaked in sweat the stellar view and pictures had definitely made the trip worth it. Zipping down the mountain she made it to the base in no time and made her way to the nearby town to catch her bus back to Tokyo. The sun was beginning to set and cool winds started to blow and soon enough goosebumps rippled on her skin. Turning the corner she saw her bus and started jogging toward it hoping to still make it. The bus driver waved to her through the mirror showing that he saw her and that he'd wait. Just as she was getting on the bus she saw a woman sitting at the stop, wearing a black kimono. She must be boiling in that, Melanie thought. The woman had long black hair and pale skin, her hands neatly set on her lap. Though she had made no motion Melanie felt a strange energy come from her, almost ominous. Melanie found her seat and let out a heavy sigh, exhausted from the day. She turned back to look at the woman again, curious to see if she could pick out a new detail about her. To her surprise the woman was gone. Melanie's eyes darted around the bus but she wasn't there either. She relaxed back into her seat too tired to think about the oddity anymore.

Melanie's eyes shot open when she felt a jolt on her shoulder. They darted around to see that it was just the bus driver waking her up. She didn't even remember falling asleep. The bus had stopped at at trainstation on the outskirts of tokyo, she unfortunately still had to take a train back to her hotel but at least the view would be nice. Her clothes were dry too, though she could smell herself and felt bad for whoever would sit next to her on the train. Luckily for other riders the train was surprisingly empty and there were plenty of seats far enough away from her. Stepping off the train onto the platform a figure was caught in the corner of her eye, she turned to see what it was. To her astonishment it was the girl from before. She saw her through the window sitting on the side of the traincar. Was she always there? How had she not noticed her? Could it have been someone else? It couldn't have been, she thought, the appearance was too distinct and the ominous energy she felt at the bus stop was here as well. Just as fast as she saw her, the train sped off and the woman along with it. Melanie stood there half a second but quickly shook it off. There must be some festival today, that's why people are dressed like that, she thought. She quickly pushed the event out of her head, hoping the unsettling thoughts would be of no consequence.