I can still dream at night. Sure they are not the visions and foreboding images that Judou has gotten. They are the simple dreams everyone has had at least once. It's silly, but I still suffer from the 'petty' dreams of childhood. I've scared myself with the type of nightmares one stops having at the age of nine. On the flip side, I have fantasies I have as child, dreaming I'm a princess living in a grand castle awaiting my prince upon a white horse. I would wait there, looking out at the expanse locked in a room. Then I'd hear a noise and it would be my prince in white armor. I couldn't see his face, but it didn't matter as I twirled in his arms. I find it lots of fun. Until the bogeyman comes after me. - = - Wings of Fate Chapter 4: Being Alone By Ranma X. created by John Evans and Ardweden - = - I woke up in a cold sweat. I felt so scared at that moment. I stopped and caught my breath, shaking off the overwhelming feeling of fright. I was able to calm down enough to almost fall asleep when the alarm started ringing. It was eight already. I got up and did the normal things one does when getting up in the morning. I brushed my teeth, took a shower, brushed my hair, you know. I made breakfast and turned on the terebi as I ate. News: Ethnic cleansing in Rwanda Documentary: Rainforest Destruction Smiling Happy Child Fighters of Justice News: World Hunger on the Rise Soap Opera Smiling Happy Child Fighters of Justice News: West Nile Virus epidemic growing threat in North America Documentary on Serial Killers Smiling Happy Child Fighters of Justice News: Economy plunging Aum CultResurgancesmilinghappychildfightersofjustice .. .. .. .. .. I turned off the television. I can't stand to see the suffering of the world. I feel as if most of the suffering in this world is needless and seeing it is just so...I calmed myself slightly and turned the television on again. It was a report about yesterday. I saw the footage: of the cracked street, of the crowds, of Shuukou and myself. I stared as the news reporter explained that it had all been part of a movie shooting. Something felt very wrong. Someone was covering up what happened... Thinking back to what had happened, I was filled with a sense of deep seated fear. Even now I can feel the fright I felt when they had attacked us. I can't even describe how it felt. It...it... Let's not talk about it. Excuse me...Um...oh yeah. Outside was cool and quiet. Driving to the Hospice was always a nice treat that I know not a lot of people have. I always enjoyed seeing the children playing in the park across the street. It was a beautiful day, and I started to feel a little better. I found a parking spot and stepped out of my car, breathing the cool air deeply. The Hospice was rather quiet as usual, but I felt a certain darkness that couldn't be seen. I began attending several of the patients. Shortly after I gained my powers from the experiment, I decided to volunteer in the Hospice. I think it was the best way I could ever use my powers to benefit others. At times, when I know no one can find out, I help them. I heal them a little. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I can cure anyone fully. I wouldn't want to. I know that if I said this to most people, I'd get drawn into morality plays, but life is too precious to suggest death. It was around 10:00 when I attended to Shiro when the feeling really started bothering me. Shiro was sent here when he was about fifteen. He had been diagnosed with a rare blood disease since he was a child. He was a very gentle person, though he had a bit of an odd subversive sense of humor. He reminded me of a young Judou at times. When I came in, he was lying on his bed, listening to the radio. He noticed me and lowered the volume. "Miss...Why does it feel so cold today?" he asked me. "I don't understand what you mean Shiro," I said as I checked the thermostat. It read about tewnty-two degrees, which was the temperature we always kept it at. "If you want I can turn up the thermostat for you and-" I was interrupted by a deep-seated feeling of paranoia. I looked out the window in his room. A sparrow had perched itself on the windowsill. I felt the shadow in the air. My vision was completely skewed as I saw patches of lightness and darkness interwoven and blurred. It felt as if a giant strobe light had been placed within the room. Within that pattern I saw what appeared to be an amorphous thing with external patches of darkness that seemed to be wings. It formed, gaining more detail. It was a crow. I don't think I need to explain why this would bother me. "Miss... are you all right?" Shiro asked with concern as I stared at the shadow that appeared overhead. I looked, frightened, tears streaming from my eyes. "No..." It was all I could say before it dove down at me. I ducked and escaped it. This was when I felt my powers flaring. I felt the energy emanate from my hands as the thing swooped down again. I closed my eyes. I was horribly frightened. I'm sure I even called out for Shuukou, but I couldn't hear myself at that point. I didn't see it, but I felt its presence as it came closer. I still to this day don't know how I did it, but I managed to grab hold of it. I felt it writhe with pain inside of me, though I heard nothing externally. Then its presence disappeared. I fell to my knees in pain and unconsciousness as the doctors arrived. I awoke a few hours later. I saw Dr. Takamura looking over me. "Dr. Takapuna?" "What happened Akari?" "I don't know. I don't remember..." I lied. I remembered exactly what had happened, but I couldn't tell him any of it. I knew I had to keep my abilities a secret. "Hmm...Are you all right?" "Um...yes I think." "Very well then. Go home. You look like hell. Get some rest." "Okay...um, Dr. Takamura?" "Yes?" "How is um...Shiro?" I asked. He looked at me at said, in a rather cold voice, "Mr. Hirokana is alright." "Thank you." I said. The traffic was light and I turned on the radio to the local J-pop station. I was on my way home when I decided that Judou had to know about this. I even started driving to his house, but then I changed my mind. I shouldn't impose on him. Calling when I got home would be a better choice. When I got home, I changed and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess; my hair was in disarray and my cheeks tearstreaked. I blinked a couple times, then started crying again. Don't get me wrong. I'm not narcissistic. I just wanted some relief from what was going on. I grabbed the phone and dialed Judou's number. There was no response. I went to bed quickly, too tired to cry anymore. - = - Author notes: It was really tough to do this. Thank you VERY VERY much to Ravi Duvvuri and Ardweden for prereading and last minute help. Here it is and I guess maybe I wanted this to be my apology for my idiocy over the whole FAQ thing. I sort of meant I didn't care about the lack of pre-reading, not that I didn't care about FAQing. Either way I was being very st00pid. Sigh. This part I did the routine thing and I think hopefully it helped. Hopefully I at least won't piss anyone off. I have the feeling that, inevitably, I will. I'm probably going to drop out of Mystery Club. Will be at the indies, chatroom(I suppose It'll take time for people to get over my idiocy.), and IFR. Does anyone read Genie or WEH by any chance? if yes, drop me a message. Ranma X. drstupid@geocities.com