Ever After 2

Chapter 1

Bone-Eater's Well

Continuing from the epilogue of Ever After.

"The w-w-well. It-it-it opened!" Grandfather Higurashi said, in shock.

The elderly man just finished cleaning up the shed when he swore he felt a breeze. He was moving boxes around, putting all the old stuff away in the shop because he just received some new inventory. So he spent all day stocking up new things. Suddenly, all of a sudden he thought he heard a noise that came from the well. He looked into the well again, defiantly seeing a blue sky. He smelt the scent of pine trees and the tranquility of nature. He knew that his eyes are old, but they are not deceiving him. His shaking hands came up to his cheeks as he smiled with joy.

He can get to see his granddaughter again!

Gramps jumped up and down, excited from what he just witnessed. He had to tell everyone.

"Oh, Kami! Kagome can finally come home! I have to tell my daughter the great news!" He said.

"Kagome can come home! Kagome can finally come home!" He yelled out to the house while trying to run as fast as his old legs could take him.

Miss. Higurashi, Sota, and his girlfriend walked outside the back door to see what all the yelling and screaming were all about. Standing side-by-side, they watched Gramps running towards them with constant arms waving up and down, trying to get their attention. Sota looked up at his mother, who had her brow raised, to see her wondering what her father-in-law was up to now.

"You think he saw another raccoon?" Sota asked, not surprised by his grandfather's comical actions.

"Possibly," his mother replied.

"The well is open again! Come look, I kid you not! The great Bone-Eater's Well has finally opened again!" He told his family.

"Gramps, are you sure? I mean you could've just been imagining that you saw it open," Sota said, not believing what his grandfather just said. He misses his big sister very much, but it couldn't have opened. Not now, not ever.

It was impossible.

"I did, Sota. My eyes may be old, but they are not irrational. I know what I saw."

"Wait a minute. Do you guys have a well? That...opens?" Hitomi spoke up confused. "I know you brought up that you have a daughter, but not a well."

Hitomi looked beside her at Sota who was too busy staring at Gramps with an irriatated look. What else did Sota not tell her? She asked herself.

Miss. Higurashi ignored the clueless girl, looking at her father's face. She noticed he had the same look on his face when someone brought up Kagome, and when she was here living in their house. His eyes were brighter, and the smile on his face was larger because of the high cheekbones he had. But is he right? Has the well really opened? She could see her daughter again? Oh, she would love that very much. Kagome was her baby. It was very hard to let her first child go off to a world. A world that she has never even seen before. But it made her child happy to be with the man she loved.

"If you said it opened, it opened, dad. But I want to see for myself," she said before walking down the steps so she could go to the shed. Miss. Higurashi ran as fast as she could.

"Wait, mom! I'm coming too!" He yelled. "Um, Hitomi...can you wait right here for a second. This is like a personal family thing for us. I'll tell you everything later. I promise," Sota said to his girlfriend as his mother and grandpa went to the shed.

"Uh, sure. Go ahead," she smiled softly at him, understanding that whatever was going on was a very urgent matter.

"Thanks," he said quickly, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before running to the shed to catch up with his family. Hitomi was so confused. What does a well opening have to do with getting their daughter back? And...when did wells open?

Sota ran to the shed with an excited smile on his face. If Gramps was right, then his big sis could finally come home. He could probably see Inuyasha, too. He laughed just thinking about seeing the dog demon that he looked up to when he was younger. When he slid open the shed door, he saw his mother crying on his grandfather's shoulder. Grandfather Higurashi looked at his grandson with hurt in his eyes as his daughter-in-law cried her heart out while clutching her hands on his shirt. Sota looked down before closing his eyes. He felt disappointed and angry. The 22-year-old started to feel his eyes starting to water.

It closed up.

Again.

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The sun shined brightly in the blue sky in the Feudal Era. It was another beautiful day. The weather was really nice, all the animals in the woods were outside roaming around in the perfect scenery of green grass, trees, plants, and blooming flowers scattered all over. It was also perfect enough for little Shiro to sneak to the Bone-Eater's well again for the 100th time. His short silver hair with small dog ears on top of his head popped up from bush to bush to keep a lookout just in case anyone saw him. He checked for any noise of anything suspicious, knowing that anything or anyone can be out here. His small but developing nose twitched for any new scents. Seeing that the coast was clear, he tiptoed his way to the Bone-Eater's Well. Even though he should be in school learning about his reading and counting skills.

Shiro sighed and laid upon the sturdy wood. It was very relaxing for some unknown reason. Much more relaxing than school. The wood released some sort of energy that was addicting to the quarter-demon that it reacted with his body to feel soothing, and also much calmer. It felt like peace. Nobody could understand that, but him. It attracted his presence. He did not know why he loves the old thing so much. Maybe if his mother understood the feeling he was getting from the Bone-Eater's Well, then maybe she would let him come out here without getting all mad.

Shiro doesn't even know why his mother acts so strangely every time he brings up the well. He sat up, turning over to lay upon his side. Shiro doesn't see any harm from the well. I mean it is just a well! It seems harmless to him. What's it going to do? Suck him in?

Ha! Like that'll happen. He thought with a grin.

The eleven-year-old boy was just attracted to the old thing. It feels like it calls his name to touch it, explore its real meaning...but he can't. Because his mother forbids him to go near it.

He tried asking his mother what is the problem with him going near the well, but all he got was:

"'I am your mother. You do what I tell you to do!"

Shiro shook his head at the answer. He loved his mother very much, but that doesn't tell him why he should stay away from it. It's so ridiculous that she doesn't give him a valid reason. Nothing will happen to him, he's perfectly safe. A well can't do anything outrageous. Shiro let go of his thoughts, continuing to feel the relaxing energy that came from the well. He was perfectly safe and sound.

Or so he thought.

What he did not catch was a pair of eyes watching his every move.

TO BE CONTINUED

The sequel and I are back!!!  I hope you are being safe during these crazy times in the world. I am so happy to be back writing.

So...What do you think is going to happen next?