Morbid

2

Hanami POV
The first thing I noticed when I was shaken awake was how bright it was, I mean, my room had a large window but it was closed. The second think that came next was the ache. Right from my lower back to my left shoulder blade I felt tense." Hanami, what on earth are you doing on the porch asleep?!", my cousin Seishins voice asked." Wha- on the porch...?", I asked confused. I then remember that I didn't fall asleep in my bed, I came outside with my coffee to get some air, I must have fallen asleep. I went to get up but the pain shot through my whole back and I hissed loudly." Hanami!! Are you ok?", Seishin asked concerned." Yeah.... Well no actually, I'm in so much pain.", I answered honestly." You should go to the clinic, Toshio is a registered chiropractor. I give you a ride there since I also need to go.", Seishin said. Realizing that there was really no way out and my back was killing I could only mumble a sure.
I somehow was able to get to my room, throw on some leggings and a sundress, strapped my sandals and walked out my room. It took seishin maybe 30 minutes to get to the clinic, but it felt like forever. When we got there Seishin helped me off and walked me to the desk. As we entered a blue haired lady that looked absolutely sick passed by us, she looked dazed and pale." That was ms. Nao, she's married to Mikiyasu.", Seishin Informed me. I was shocked because I never knew Mikiyasu even got married. Toshio was right behind Nao, hands in his pocket. He walked past us to talk to Mikiyasu who was waiting outside for his wife. They exchanged a few words and Mikiyasu left looking distressed. Toshio walked back in and went straight to Seishin. I tried to say hello but he walked right past me as if I wasn't there. It left a sting but once again I couldn't blame him for being slightly cold towards me. They talked for about 10 minutes and the only words I could pick up were "Nao" "animea" "Going to die". All these words were frightening me. Seishin then pointed to me and they walked over." Come with me, Seishin I'll see you later.", Toshio said, motioning me to come with him.
We entered a room that was white and smelled of rubbing alcohol." Sit right there.", Toshio said pointing to the bed." So what happened? Did you sleep in the wrong position, chronic back pains, or is the mattress poor quality?", Toshio asked." Di-Did Seishin not tell you?", I asked him." No, he only told me you had back problems.", Toshio stated. I nod my head and felt embarrassed because I now had to explain to him why my back was messed up." Well uh. Funny story is.... I fell asleep on the porch.", I answered laughing nervously. I could hear the faintest chuckle slip past is lips." Well you're sore because you were laying on a hard surface that wouldn't adjust to your body unlike a bed. What the hell were you doing outside asleep anyway?", Toshio asked looking confused, eyebrows knitted together." Well, I had a nightmare and I was to scared to go back to sleep. So I got up and sta-", I stopped before I could finish. The last thing he needed to know was that I was looking at the clip." I just couldn't sleep until it was practically morning, I just happened to be outside when I passed out.", I said." Well let's see, do you have any sleeping disorders?", Toshio asked, writing a clipboard." I suffer from REM and sleep paralysis.", I informed him. He quickly wrote that done and looked at me." How often do you have these kinda nightmares, the kind that keeps you up at night?", Toshio asked." To be completely honest, ever since I left Sotoba, they have increased to at least twice a week.", I said." What are they typically about?", he asked, still jotting down notes." There a bit of a blur, but I do remember one dream I have almost every year.", I said to him." What is it about?"." Its... Its werid and very upsetting.", I said, looking to the ground and avoiding eye contact. I took a deep breath and continued." Its about Sotoba, every year around maybe fall I get this dream. I see Sotoba burning, the villege is burning to the ground. I also see bodies and most weirdly.... I see you.", I said." Me?", Toshio said,clearly confused." Yes, you. I see you covered in blood, coming at me full of rage. I feel you hands wrap around my throat and then... I bolt awake, only to find myself choking myself.", I finished. Toshio looked really uncomfortable, almost as if he was avoiding eye contact with me. Toshio cleared his throat," Yeah thats... thats REM for you.", Toshio said, still not looking at me.
" Ok, I need you to lay down on your left side, pull you right knee up to your chest and take a deep breath." Toshio said. I did as told and I felt him place is warm hand on my lower back and the other placed on my right knee. He pushed both hands down lightly and I felt my hip pop." Ok now otherside.", Toshio told me. He repeated the same action and then had my lay on my stomach. He put his hands somewhat between my hip and waist, and pished down. The feeling I got was amazing considering  most of my pain lay around my hip." Not gonna lie, think you just got me pregnant.", I joked, laughing lightly. I heard Toshio choke and cough behind me which caused me to laugh even harder." As blunt as ever I see.", Toshio said." Guilty.", Ishot back at him, my sides now hurting from laughing. Toshio finally let out a chuckle." You know... We missed you here, in the villege. Everyone was worried for you.", Toshio said." Jeez, this villege acts as if I left when I five, I was eighteen, I was fine.", I said annoyed, especially when we were having a good laugh." Well you did leave out of the blue, you were here one morning and then the next moring we find out that you were already on a plane, gone.", Toshio said, but his tone of voice was weird, mixed with anger, sadness, hate, I couldn't tell." I had to leave, if I stayed people would talk me out of leaving, I'd rather people talk behind my back knowing that I made my on choice then live a life constantly pleasing others.", I said, arms crossed." Is that how you viewed our marriage, as something you had to do?!", Toshio asked, clearly angery." Toshio don't, don't do this. We were having such good time and you have to go and mess it up.", I said in a sad but still irritaed tone." No Hanami! I need to know why, why you left when we were so happy. Do you understand the heartbreak I felt when you felt me with no warning.", Toshio said, his voice raising, but I wasn't having any of it." Oh yeah you were So heartbroken that you got married a year later. You know what. ?! Fuck this, I don't need this. I'll go pay at the front desk but I don't want to see for the rest of the week!", I shouted at him. I got up and rushed out the door before he could utter another word to me.
After paying for my visit I walked out of the hospital in a hurry so no one could see the tears running down my face. I didn't feel like having the villege see me this way or here their damn gossip. I walked all the way to a small garden near a river I found when I was young. I looked at the water remembering that this was the very first spot me and Toshio had our first date. More tears ran down my face as a sense of nostalgia over came me. We had our whole future planned out and now, now I've gone and ruined it. "We should have been married with at least our first child by now, but no, I was selfish and ruined it all.", I said to myself out loud." Its ok to be selfish, well, if its for the right reason of course.", A voice said behind me. My head whiped around and was nearly face to face with a teal eyed girl. I felt as if I was going to scream, but my throat was so dry from crying nothing came out. I just looked at her with wide eyes, trying to think of something." Hey, my name is Sarah and I'm new here!", the girl named sarah said. She had a hand stuck out which I assumed was to shake mine. My shaking hand grabbed her's and gave it a shake." I-I'm H-Hanami.", I said trying to level out my voice." Well its nice to meet you Hanami, so glad ran into eachother!", Sarah said." Oh, uh, yeah. Wait you're new here?", I asked." Yeah, me and the family I work for moved in about a month ago.", Sarah said with a dazzling white smile, wait, is that a fang?" Oh, so you're the family that moved to Kanemasa.", I said in a matter-of-fact tone." Is that what the villege calls it?", Sarah asked." Yeah, the house was always the jewel but black sheep of the villege. People can't but to admire the European style house, but its so out of place here.", I said." Not to pry, but why were you crying?", Sarah asked, her head tilted to the side." Oh just my life regrets coming to bite me in the ass.", I said, looking into the water of the river." There's no point of crying of what could have been, instead think of the now. What is it that you could be doing now to take your mind off of things?", Sarah asked." I guess I could get a job. Can't spend my whole time here at the temple.", I said." Oh, are you the daughter of the priest here?", Sarah asked another question." Oh no. I'm his niece.", I said. Sarah nodded her head, signaling she understood." What about you. Not every day Sotoba gets new members to the villege.", I said." Well I work for the Kirishima family as a maid and bodygaurd. I may not look like it but I have great combat skills!", Sarah said, pumping her fist into the air." Is it fun?", I asked, wondering how someone could be so happy with being a maid." Oh yes, the family I work is so kind and I get to work with boyfriend.", Sarah said beaming." Yeah that does sound like the dream.", I laughed. Sarah and I sat by the river and just talked. It felt great to be able to finally talk to someone who can't judge you and to make things better, she agrees with! after talking for about an hour Sarah got up and brushed her pants off." Well I hate to cut our conversation off, but my mistress wanted me to run into to town to day and do some..... errands for her.", Sarah said, the last bit sounding unsure but who was I to ask." I guess I to better get going before Seishin sends a search party... Again.", I said also standing up. We shook hands and parted ways.
I arrived back at the temple after walking fo thrity minutes. I walked into the family room and found Seishin on the phone. I sat down by the table and waited for him to hang up. If I listened closely I could him talking to the person. It was something about Mikiyasu and Nao but before I could hear more Seishin hung up." What were you talking about?", I asked." Well I'm afraid to say that your going to need your black Kimono tomorrow.", Seishin said in a tough voice." What, why?", I asked." As of this evening Mikiyasu's wife Nao has sadly passed away from an illness and the funeral is tomorrow.", Seishin." What?! How can that be? Why are all these young people dying in Sotoba? It's so uncommon.", I said shocked." Things aren't the same here Hanami. Sadly this villege is changing, and I fear for the worst.", Seishin said looking out the window. I looked out with but when I did I felt the air leave my lungs. WhenI looked out the window all I could see was the forest set ablazed.