chapter 1

in progress

It was nearing sunset as Sachiko ran towards home. It was hours past her curfew. “Mom is going to kill me!” she gasped. She had been at the library, reading as many manga as she could, since it was the quietest place she knew of. She had got caught up in D.N.Angel, (reading four of them in one sitting) before she realized that the light was fading outside. Then her phone, which she always carried with her, died so she couldn’t call her mom to apologize for her tardiness before it got really serious. She ran as fast as she could for five long blocks and by the time she was at her house she was seriously out of breath, and her heart was beating painfully. She unlocked the door and as she was about to open the door, it opened. Mother stood there with a deep frown on her face and her hands on her hips. She took hold of Sachiko and dragged her daughter in. She nearly slammed the door. 
“Where were you, four hours ago, Sachiko?” By the tone of her mother’s voice she could tell she was probably looking forward to at least a week of being grounded. 
“I’m sorry mom…” 
The mother just shook her head and sighed again. “Go to your room for now, I need to think about what I should do.” 
Sachiko rushed up the stairs and into her room. Mother was very trusting, thought Sachiko. Though, it’s not as if I would be likely to go missing for some other reason then what I told her. It’s not like I knew anyone to go out with…or to hang with. Sachiko sighed as she sat on her bed. I’m a nobody, really. She sprawled out on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. 
“That’s sad” 
Sachiko jumped. The voice was rather deep and despondent, as well as startling She looked all about her room and stood shakily. Am I hearing made up voices in my mind, now? A tall shadow formed behind her, silently creeping up on her. “I assure you I’m not imaginary” She started again, and let out a small yelp. She saw a tall shadow forming on the wall in front of her. She gulped then looked behind her. Her eyes widened and she took several steps back before she hit the wall. “Whh…What are you?!” 
Now it’s hard to explain what he looked like exactly, because his form seemed to shift slightly every moment or two. The first thing Sachiko saw of him though frightened her. Long dark scaly limbs, two bright red eyes, and a smile filled with razor sharp teeth made her think at first it was a demon. But what it did next made her doubt. It bowed to her. Gracefully too. She frowned as his form lightened into a lighter blue color so she saw more of his features into something other than a tall evil shadow demon. It had a gentle face, she saw, despite the sharp teeth in his mouth she caught glimpse of now and again. His eyes became a duller red, and he smiled ruefully. “I’m sorry that I frightened you,” Sachiko felt a bit of her fear ebb away. 
“I am afraid I am affected somewhat by how you’re feeling when you see me, I sort of amplify it and appear well, as your emotions would if you could see them…” 
Sachiko looked on it in wonder and its scales softened and its color shifted to a flecked gold tinge on top of the light blue. “What are you?” She asked it again this time feeling less wary of it. It smiled again, it suddenly looking fluffy instead of scaly. “It is hard to say, you could say I am somewhat like your spirit guardian, or perhaps to say I am a creation of your heart.” 
Sachiko walked up to it, as it shed its fluff and grew small feathers here and there. “Why show up now…uh mister heart thing?” 
It turned an uncertain opaque blue. “I was told to warn you of what is to come.” By who, she thought. He shrugged, “I do not know his name, for I am human-like, created by your heart, but I am more in tune to things not seen by earthly eyes, or heard by earthly ears. I know though, that he, who told me, cares very deeply for all of human kind.” 
Sachiko shook her head unbelievingly. “Is this really happening?” 
The heart creature smiled and held out its hand, three warm fingers rested on her cheek. “What do you think?” 
Suddenly she was plunged into a dark void of darkness. Her eyes opened and she was blinded. 
“Sachiko!!” 
She awoke to find her mother standing next to her bed. She sat up drowsily and rubbed her eyes. Her cheek, she felt it still warm from where the heart creature touched it. 
"I have decided to take away your library time for the next four days. Remember baby girl how much you mean to me" 









Sachiko turned from side to side, her mind began to pace, had it happened, did it really? It became impossible for her to sleep so she decided to go downstairs for a snack. As she sat down slowly munching on an Oreo, she began to think with more clarity... It had been several weeks since she had seen the creature and she was beginning to worry. She knew it had happened but why? Why did it suddenly appear to her one night, and then disappear? She shook her head slowly, no matter how she looked at it, it made no sense whatsoever. She wouldn't have even believed it possible, but now she was completely sure it wasn't just a figment of her imagination. She jumped off the chair and turned off the lights. As she made her way upstairs she suddenly froze, midway. A deep shadow loomed from behind, darker then the night with no stars or moon. For a moment she thought it was perhaps the heart creature, but she could feel its true intentions, dark, foul and violent. She was too afraid to run or to turn around so she stood there, shivering. She nearly collapsed as it suddenly began to speak. "Sachiko...” it hissed, like a snake.
"I have come, from the depths of your soul, of your mind, to tell you of your impending doom." 
Why, she thought. "I am you Sachiko. The one that could have been, that you could become, from the depths of your hate, your pain, your fears" 
"I am as old as hate itself, as i have grown, and grown, passed down by generation to generation. I am you, as well as you father, your mother, your ancestors" 
Sachiko slowly turned, curious what it looked like. Her eyes widened as she looked into the eyes of herself. It smiled and it was horribly uncanny how much it looked like Sachiko, and how evil it appeared. It slowly began to shift, somewhat like the heart creature, only more rigged, and harsh. Into her mother, into her father, and strangers from long ago. Voices upon hundreds of voices began to echo in her mind. Telling her to give in, to become one with "IT", to warn her she would die soon. She shook her head, and shouted "This isn't happening, this isn't!!" 
A loud inhuman cry echoed through her mind, with such intense pain, she collapsed, holding her head. Suddenly it was gone and the darkness evaoperated. She felt soft warmth on her check, and looked up into the deep blue eyes of the heart creature. “I am here, you are safe now" its deep voice rumbled, making her feel safe. Sachiko began to cry softly, as she buried herself into the creatures now long blue hair, and sighed. "What was....it that i saw, was it...really telling me the truth?" The heart creature held Sachiko gently and murmured softly. "There is evil and curses on many families. Some of them have heart creatures like you do with me. With me i can help guide you to break whatever foul things that come for you." 
"I never had this...happen to me early on...so why is it now stirring up now?" 
"All i know little one, is this heart creature was sent here to help you conquer the darkness coming. He told me you were the one." 
Sachiko pulled away and shook her head vigorously. "I am no one, i have nothing but my books and mother, i am nothing and I have nothing." The heart creature began to darken in color and the hair became short and coarser. "Do not let such thoughts enter your mind little one, or It'll come back...i can feel it even now. Close the door on it now!" Sachiko had no idea of how to close a door that didn't physically exist but she tried to concentrate on good things. Even then the dark shadows began to form around the heart creature, circling its feet. Loud cackling came from the shadows, a sound so foul that she wanted to rip her ears off and puke. It was then that a thought came to her. It was a small flame in front of her, golden in color. The shadows began to draw back from it, hissing and growling fearfully. She walked to the ever growing flame and stuck her hand in without thought of burning her skin. It was warm and soft, and then engulfed her whole body. Love seeped through into her pores, muscle and bones. Then a soft voice came to whisper in her ear, 
"Do not fear my love. Grasp hold of your heart creature's hands and focus on me. He who is and who is always. Fear not..." The smooth whisper faded away and the light disappeared. The shadows were waiting for her. They had nearly engulfed all of her heart creature, and now they began to advance. Whenever they brushed against her skin it opened gashes and bled. She was afraid but the one's voice gave her strength and jumped into the shadows engulfing the heart creature which had begun to droop. She grabbed its hands, despite the new gashes, blood and pain she did not let go. It seemed an enternity but finally the heart creature began to lighten from black to dark grey and such until it was blinding white. The shadows cringed, drew back and howled before they grouped together into one large vaporous cloud that writhed faces with in it. It gave a bloodcurdlingly roar before charging. Sachiko felt weak and terrified but she would not let go of the heart creature’s hands. As it passed through their bodies Sachiko fell limp and the heart caught her before she fell on the carpet. The heart creature held her in its arms and stood. The virulent viper soon turned around and charged once again but came to an abrupt stop inches away from the heart creatures now glowing body. 
"You have made an enemy of a strong Truth, Malicious Liar. Leave now or taste your vile blood in your mouths." 
It hissed loudly and held out a phantom hand that pointed to Sachiko. "We will be back for her soul, and we shall become one with her and destroy...WE WILL DESTROY!" 
The heart creature opened its mouth wide and roared. The Liars fell back with a wrathful wail and dissipated into the darkness. All was quiet as the heart creature held Sachiko's sleeping body close to it. It then went up the stairs and placed her on her bed, pulling the covers over her small body. "Good night my miss, dream of him...dream of me" it murmured gently. The heart creature backed up into the wall and dissipated with a soft glimmer. 
Sachiko awoke with a great start, her heart thrashing in her chest. She sat up quickly looking all around her. There had been the heart creature and demons that chased her up and down stairs. That...it felt so real. She held her hands to her face and could not believe what she saw. Her hands and arms were covered with deep slashes that had turned to brilliant blue scars. She rushed to the bathroom, slammed the door shut and quickly turned on the water in the faucet. No matter how hard she scrubbed they would not fade. Oh god...it really did happen. That dream....that dream...had been real. Her whole body shook as she relived the gouges created by the fiends, and nearly felt like blacking out. 
"Sachiko? Hurry on up, I need to shower for work." 
Mom...can't see the marks? Sachiko thought, when she remembered she hadn't locked the door. The door opened a crack, with mother peering through. 
"What is taking you so long?" She opened the door fully before Sachiko could cover up her arms. Mother looked her arms over. 
"Why your arms and hands are bright red dear...have you some heat rashes?" 
She reached forward but Sachiko moved away and ran back into her bed room, flopping on the bed and hid under the blanket. "It's nothing mum!" She called out muffled from under the covers. 
¨Well dear...i'll leave out some of that lotion that helps with inflammation.¨ 
with that Sachiko’s mother disappeared into the bathroom, and shut the door. Sachiko threw the covers off her as she heard her mother shut the door, and ran down the stairs to the full body mirror at the bottom of the stairs. The scars were clearly reflected; in fact they rippled beneath her skin, throbbing like strained veins. She shook. ¨Oh god...¨ she mummed in fear.