Life-less Dolls

Chapter 1

          The peace and quiet of a night of the new moon can be mind numbing. This night in particular was unusually quiet, but I guess that’s how it is in the desert. My feet sunk into the fine grained sand each step I took and filled most of the grains were caught in my shoes. The only other sounds were the night life in the tree line I walked beside and the wind, which was more of a breeze, as it blew some of the sand up around me. Stomping along in the sand beside me was one of my favorite puppets of mine: Colossus. His large turtle body creaked as it swayed into its steps that followed mine as he was always meant to. He said not a word, though I wonder if he can speak at all. You may think that’s crazy, but if you walked a day in my shoes, you’d understand.

          My life isn’t some great adventure that I can and do enjoy every day. It’s a struggle for survival and a race against time. My name…is something I usually keep to myself. The less people thank and know of me, the better for them of course. Then again, I’m basically talking to myself so…my name’s Maiko. Yeah, dancing child, but I have nothing to dance for…and I might as well be a child; I discarded my last name since I’m all that’s left…and all that ever will be left. Do you know what it’s like having to celebrate your birthdays running? Do you know how it feels...to be all alone in this world besides your friends, which...aren’t even alive...their just lifeless dolls, the things that keep you alive, and the thing that chases you none stop? If you do, I pity you because we live the same life.

          The wind picked up a bit and almost blew the straw hat on my head off had I not grabbed the rim of it. My cloak fluttered through the wind, but stays secure around my shoulders. The bag in my shoulder was getting heavier by the second and finally, it slips off into the sand. I groaned and Colossus stopped beside me as I went to pick it up. Suddenly, all the sounds of the forest ceased. Now, I could hear the soft, yet unmistakable slimy slithering of that foul creature. My eyes widened and I turned my head just in time to hear it call out to me, “Maiko…you can’t run from me forever…come out, come out where ever you are…”

          I gasped and looked over at Colossus. I pressed a button and his whole form shrunk to the size of the palm of your hand. I grabbed him and threw him into the bag and ran after pulling the bag up onto my shoulders, some of my other puppets hanging on the outside of the bag swinging in the wind. I heard an evil chuckle from behind me and then the sound of trees crashing and falling, “There you are you little runt!”

          I ran as fast as I possibly could, but it was never enough. I knew the beast was right behind me and I ran blindly through the sand. I didn’t know where I was going and I was not aware that I had attracted the attention of the village guards of the village I was headed toward. No, instead a large, shadowy hand swept me from my feet and knocked me into the sand. I gasped as I hit the ground and rolled at least ten feet. My bag spilled its contents out beside me; my scrolls and puppets were scattered in the sand. My hat was blown from my head and went who knows where! My cloak was torn, wrinkled and tangled around me.

          I coughed and spit up the sand and my eyes widened as I flipped over onto my back and stared up at the thing that chased me night and day and ruled every nightmare that I have; the Zero Tails it’s self. Yes, it was suppose to be destroyed after that crazy dude tried to use its power to destroy the land of fire, but this beast was not the same. He’d come back and was much more dangerous and dark. He’d killed my family to bring out the pain and anger in my heart so he may feed off of the fear, anger and sadness. I try to run away and find a place where I don’t have to worry about him finding me. There is no where that I have gone so far that he can not find.