Black Bird

Black Bird: Chapter 1

I stood there crying in the midst of swirling feathers as a boy in a black kimono gently patted my head, "Misao...” he whispered, "someday...I'll come for you, I promise," he shot me a smile, "because you're going to be my-"

"What’s the matter Misao?" my mother asked coming up behind me. "Was someone here?" she questioned as she watched a flock of crows take flight off into the sky, the boy no longer by my side.

The world is full of bizarre things.

"Misao!" I was jolted from my memories and brought back to my school surroundings and my friends, "Why are you as still as a statue?" a friend of mine, Mana asked as I stared frozen in my seat at a raven demon sitting on my desk. Meeting my gaze with a blank stare, "Hey, Misao" another of my friends, Kana said again making me release my gaze on the demon.

But the average person can't see them.

"Oh sorry. What?" I asked swatting the raven demon's head. "Tomorrow's your birthday, right?" she dismissed my behavior as nothing. "Is there anything you want?" her face questioning and expecting an answer this time. "A boyfriend." I said, "A boyfriend." I repeated with more determination.

"You don't have to say it twice."
"We know that,” they said in a 'duh' voice.

"That guy at the party asked you for your email address, didn't he?" my personal interrogator asked. I rested my chin on the palm of my hand, "Oh that guy...I didn't give it to him." I informed them in a bored voice. *He was possessed by the spirit of an aborted child.* I thought with a sigh.

Im Misao Harada.
I guess you can say I have 'The Sight.'
When I was little, people avoided me because of it.
Now I keep everything hidden.
I spend each day searching for happiness as an ordinary high school student.

Just like I was ignoring the raven demon perched on my shoulder.

But...

Something pushed my heels, "Oh!" I exclaimed as I fell on my face, my books flying everywhere making it seem like I had just tripped on flat ground.

It's not easy...

"Misao?"
"Did she trip over nothing..?" my friends muttered, staring at my sorry, stretched out form.

Lifting my head off the ground I looked around seeing a group of ghosts and ghouls snickering at my fall. *There're a lot more than usual.* I thought while glaring at the giggling demons. Crap.

"Are you alright?" Mana asked with a worried expression. I hopped up, "Oh I'm fine, I'm fine." I stated waving my hand in dismissal in front of my overly alert face. "I'm used to this."

"You’re used to this...?" Kana wondered with a look of pity.

"Misao." the boy in the kimono held out his hand to me, "are you ok?" He helped me up off the ground. "You mustn't cry. These guys will just enjoy it even more," he held my hand and patted my head. "If they're mean to you again, I'll beat them up," he reassured me, referring to the swarm of demons that hovered around me nonstop. "Stay by me."

When I was little...we often played together.
He was a little older than me.
He could see the same things I could.

"A firefly!" I pointed at a drifting demon with my small hand, dressed in a kimono for the summer festival. The boy, holding my hand and still dressed in his black kimono shook his head at the demon, "Not quite..."

But he had to move far away.
When I cried, he said...
"I'll come back for you one day, I promise."

Coming back to the present I smiled as a light blush colored my face and thought with a dreamy look, *I guess he was my first love.*

The truth is...

My eyes snapped open to take in the site of several demons patrolling the halls.

There's no way...I can get used to this...

My friends both rushed to my aid, "Oh, she fainted...!" shouted Kana.
 "Come on, snap out of it!" yelled Mana as she shook my body.

I'm still...waiting for that hand.
I don't remember...his face or name...or anything else about him.

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So I'm hoping to update at least twice each week...but for now I'll post as much of the story I can until book 2.

Hope you enjoyed! Happy reading!