THE DEERFACE

Amphibian: Posts : 73
Location : Bayport

Post n°1

THE DEERFACE

Amphibian Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:35 am

Chapter 1; Nothing to worry about

...Pulling myself out of the disgustingly disgusting puddle, of which I’d just been tossed into by a ghostly something or other, I glance around, not quite sure what I expect to find.
Perhaps a big hairy arm busting out of the wall, ready to grab me.
...Gingerly touching the back of my sore head, which had slammed quite forcefully against the bottom of the murky pool, I decide I’m simply not in any shape to stay down here an instant longer.
Wiping the water from my face, my droopy eyes scan the room for clues which turn out to be nonexistent.
...Great.
...Slumping my shoulders I drag myself back through the secret passageway, and into Savannah (the ghost hunter)’s room, leaving puddles of water here and there from my dripping clothes.
My eyes quite literally bug out as my gaze falls upon the paper door leading out to the balcony.
...Torn into the screen is the exact shape and size of a human being; exactly as if someone had simply smashed directly through it at full speed, just like in the cartoons!
Blinking rapidly, I bolt out of the room, down the stairs and into the lobby, where I find Miwako coddling her robotic kitty like there’s no tomorrow.
...“Hiiii.” She drawls, her voice filled to the brim with the boredom of way too much paperwork.
Then noticing that I look as if I’d just jovially jumped out of the ocean she asks quite hesitantly: “What happened to you Nancy-San?!”
...Dashing over to the front desk I slam my fists down on the counter so hard, Miwako’s glasses fall off.
...“You won’t believe what just happened to me!” I scream. “First, I got pulled into this…” I pause not wanting to tell Miwako about the ‘top secret bath’ thing I found. “…Bath thingie” I cough at the lame choice of words, then continue. “By a creepy looking dude with black hair and gigantic red glowing eyes!”
...The receptionist blinks.
...“And it held me down under water,” I continue, puddles forming on the front counter around my soaked sleeves. “And tied me up and tried to drown me, but, don’t worry, I lived. Then, I saw that someone busted through the paper door thingie on the balcony in one of the rooms! There is something seriously wrong here!”
...There is a deafeningly long pause then Miwako clears her throat, puts her glasses back on and smiles.
...“It’s just your imagination Nancy-San.” She says simply. “Nothing to worry about.”

Chapter 2; Midnight Bento Party

...“You've been concerning yourself over this matter too much.” Miwako places her fisted hands on her hips. “I will have Rentaro tend to the screen, why don't you get some rest, Nancy-San? It's getting very late,”
...“Yeah, that's probably a good idea,” I groan, the word “rest” reminding me of how tired I am.
...“I'll see you tomorrow then, Nancy-San.”
I nod, and turn to the dimly-lit hallway, nearly crashing into the open slider door.
Bouncing up the stairs five at a time, (athletic, aren't I?) I resist the urge to glance over my shoulder, as the sound of discrete footsteps thump softly in the back of my head... but it must be just my “Imagination”.
...Bracing myself for the very worst, I wrap my fingers around the cold brass doorknob to my room, not knowing what I expect to find... it suddenly strikes me that everything about this Ryokan is unpredictable.
...A sigh of relief escapes my pursed lips as my eyes refocus in the darkness to find nothing more than the bed.... er, mat, set so neatly in the way.
...After changing into my Tinkerbell pajamas, I crawl under the stiff sheets, and don't dare shut my weary eyes until ten minutes later, when I am almost positive the only sounds around me are the beating of my own heart and my shaky breath against the pillow.
...“You can't sleep, Nancy. So don't even try.” My creepy thoughts whisper in my head.
Listening to my stupid conscience, I crawl out of bed, and slip on a pair of jeans and comfy navy blue ocean-y t-shirt, before cautiously leaving the safety of my room.
...Stumbling into the the baths, I stand in the exact same spot and exact same position I was in on the day I arrived at the Ryokan Hiei, when the creepy ghost thingie smashed the mirror... JUST TO SCARE MYSELF. Then it hits me like a kickball in the face.
...“Why hasn't Rentaro fixed this mirror, yet?” I murmur to myself in thought. “Miwako must have told him to, like... a year ago.”
...Though it cannot be possible, that's exactly how long I feel I have been staying in Japan.
To make sure I am not actually sleepwalking, I squeeze my left palm over the faucet spout, turn on the water, and laugh involuntarily as the cool stream sprays all over me.
...After my strange little mischief-making toddler moment is over, I make a beeline for the exit of the baths, as the memory of the mirror incident slowly leaks it's way into my brain. Smash. Smash. Smash.
...Suki purrs robotically from the front desk. I stumble through the super neat row of flip-flops, and out the door.
...If I am not going to get any rest tonight, I might as well make the most of my time. Figuring that Yumi will probably still be working her Bento station at this unearthly hour, I somehow find myself on the metro bound for Matsue.
...My eyeballs go nuts and almost fall out as I step through the fun revolving doors of the Expo Center, from lack of lighting at the Ryokan, and the superabundance of neon, flashing, long, twisty, burning light bulbs mounted to... well, practically everything.
...Yumi doesn't look up from her Bento-making as I approach her.
...I clear my throat.
...“Oh!” She jumps back, clutching a receipt in her left hand, and almost smashing into the wall, like a hyper teenage driver accidentally back her Dad's car into the garage. “Nancy! I didn't see you coming. Good that you're here, though, I need help with bento,”
...Next thing I know, Yumi pulls me by the sleeve behind the counter, and shoves a stack of empty bento boxes the height of the star Betelgeuse into my arms.
...“You know what to do,” She chirps happily, turning to the cabinet under the sink.
I sigh defeatedly, and drop the boxes onto the counter, plucking the first order slip from the spinny rack in front of me.
...“Do you get a lot of bento orders at night?” I inquire, hoping to push the conversation into something a little more.... desirable.
...“Oh yeah,” Yumi throws an opened bag of flour onto the counter, causing a white cloud to emerge from inside, and coat her head of kinky brown hair in ghosty-white powder.“You wouldn't believe how many orders I get late at night, like this..”
...“No, I.... guess I wouldn't.” I glance around at the abandon Expo Center. “It looks pretty empty in here, to me.”
...“Oh, that's cause they're all in the silly meeting,” She waves her hand in the general direction of the modern-looking double doors. “Actually it's more like, 'Scream and yell at each other' meeting.” She rolls her over-caffeinated eyes.
...Before I can reply, a loud electronic “Beeeeeeep!” sounds from inside the pocket of Yumi's colonial dress.
...She feverishly yanks out her over-sized vibrant pink cellular phone, donned with a superabundance of hard-earned phone charms and stares at the text displayed on the screen, which is unfortunately unreadable from where I am stationed, before bursting into laughter.
...“Oh goodness, Rentaro...” Yumi giggles, scooping a measuring cup-full of four out of the bag, and dumping it into a large silver bowl.
...“Rentaro....?” I question over my shoulder, placing a piggy-shaped bento into the box.
...“Well, he's really not that bad, once you get to know him..” She replies, adjusting the gigantic red polka-dot bow on the top of her head.
...“Oh...” Is all I manage to murmur, as my mind begins to lose itself in a forest of thought.

Amphibian

Amphibian: Posts : 73
Location : Bayport

Post n°2

Re: THE DEERFACE

Amphibian Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:43 am

Chapter 3; the haunting of Mr. Deer

...“Well,” I sigh at last, turning to Yumi with the bored-est of facial expressions. “I’m going home, bye.”
...“What?” Yumi Demands, as I leap over the counter, nearly knocking over a giant box of piggy bentos. “Where do you think you’re going Nancy-San?!”
...I freeze in my dramatic running position towards the exit of the glowing, utterly trembling-with-excitement-even-this-late-at-night building. “I’M GOING HOME!”
...“Home?...Ryokan?”
...“Whatever.” I quickly pull my still-damp-from-falling-in-the-puddle-hair into a floppy braid. “Bye-bye.”
...I leap onto the roller-coaster-like metro and fly back to the Japanese inn.
By the time I get there it’s morning.
...Sleepily tripping down the pretty cobble stone path, I decide that I should take a nice hot shower before heading off to that class thingie I teach…
But, then, before I can even utter the word: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious I find my pale ears perking up at a barely audible rushing emerging from the bushes planted directly next to me, growing sleepily along the pathway.
...I hold my breath, just in case it’s the ghosty comin’ to drown me again.
...I stare into the dense bushes for a moment before nearly screaming my lungs out as an unfamiliar stuffed animal-like-form of a forest mammal emerges for the brush.
I fall over.
...The deer steps, quite human like, out of the shrub on it’s hind feet, pausing in front of me momentarily to whisper in a quite human like voice:
...“Leeeeeeaaavvveee the iiiiinnnnnnnnn, Naaaannncyyyyy….”
It’s left antler sways to the left, stuffing poking hesitantly out the hastily-sown tip.
...Too shocked to move, I watch quite stunned, as it sighs, reaches up and attempts to fix it’s antler, which causes more harm than good, as the soft tearing of fabric rings in my ears.
The plushy antler falls to the walkway with a barely audible “TAP!”
...I gasp.
The deer gasps mockingly, flopping it’s head to the right, naturally causing it’s plastic googley eye to roll around whimsically like a certain pioneer costume-wearer I recall quite well.
...“Who…who are you?” I ask, actually expecting an answer. (Yeah, I know it’s silly.)
...“You’re worst niiiiightmaaaare” It's muffled voice drawls, as the deer crashes back into the bushes like an over caffeinated jack rustle terrier.
...I blink and begin pinching myself vigorously, pondering the notion of being stuck in a dream.
...“Ow…” I rub my sore arm several minutes later, realizing that this, indeed, was NOT a dream.
A stuffed animal deer had just threatened me….
...I chuckle to myself, considering the above, then proceed to bursting into uncontrollable laughter, until, roused by the ridiculous amount of noise, Miwako swings wide the front door, her face contorted in puzzlement and asks:
...“What is going on Nancy-San?” She pushes her glasses up her nose with her pinky.
I catch my breath excitedly and turn to face the receptionist.
...“A deer just jumped out of the bushes, told me to leave the inn and threatened me!” I resume laughing.
...Miwako waits until I am finished before shaking her head sympathetically.
...“Just your imagination,” She nods. “Nothing to worry about.”

Chapter 4; Savantha

...After Miwako stood in the doorway for a few minutes, she suggested I come inside and have tea.
Now, here I sit, in front of the fish ornament thingie I can never touch, teacup in hand.
...Miwako plugs away at her computer. Suki purrs robotically.
...“I fixed the mirror, Miwako,” Rentaro sheepishly steps inside the lobby through the back door.
...“Good; it's about time.” She glares at him, and straightens her glasses.
He nods and looks around the room for a full minute before noticing me.
...“OH! Hello, Nancy-Sama!” He falls to the floor beside me, cross-legged.
Miwako glares and kisses Suki on the skull.
...“Having tea, I see?” Rentaro chuckles.
...“RENTARO.” Miwako says in a low, stern voice, pointing a shaky finger at the back door. “OUT.”
...“Yes, Miwa.” He grovels, creeping sheepishly out of the lobby.
Silence.
...“Rentaro does not know any better,” Miwako shakes her head disapprovingly.
...“It's just how I remember it!” A woman who looks around 30 with a deep southern accent drawls, swinging wide the front doors, and stepping into the lobby. Her swirly blonde-ish hair swoops around her chin and shoulders, and her excited multi-colored eyes brighten, matching her 50's attire.
...A teenage boy with shaggy brown hair and wearing a pale green over shirt follows, timidly peeling saran wrap from his over-sized swirly rainbowy lollipop.
...“Greetings,” Miwako smiles from behind the front desk, removing her hands from coddling the robot.
..“Well, hi there!” The woman dashes over to the front counter and drums her fingers excitedly on the tabletop. “This is the Ryokan Hiei? Right?”
...Miwako nods with the fire of a thousand suns.
...“Good!” The blonde shakes the receptionist's hand violently. “I'm Savannah Woodham,”
...“Savannah!” I exclaim, awkwardly waving.
Logan turns to blink at me. “Nancy? Drew?” He mouths awkwardly.
I nod and grin awkwardly.
...“Good day to you, Savantha-San.” Miwako smiles, her eyes drooping with boredom. “You have no reservation?”
...“Uhh, no, I don't believe I did, Hunnay'bun. Oh, and the name's Savannah..”
I chuckle to myself, and return to the teacup in my hand. Logan casually approaches the fish ornament, and sits down beside me.
...“Why is Savannah here?” I whisper hoarsely, twisting around on the pillow.
...“I don't know!” Logan whispers back, licking the lollipop. “She's a very secretive type of person... but I think she might be going back to ghost hunting! All I know is one minute I'm sitting like the bored teenager I am, slouching over a desk and answering a few death-threat phone calls, and the next thing I know, Savannah is dragging me away muttering something under her breath about the “Haunted Ryokan”..”

Chapter 5; The Nanogram Puzzle Marathon that never happens

...I blink at Logan and he nods. “Yup. You heard me right, Nancy Drew.” He licks his lollipop, and I notice that his tongue is beginning to turn a vibrant hue of neon blue.
...“Jingles.” I hiss in surprise, leaping up from the pillow and spilling my tea all over Logan.
He screams, his lollipop falling to the floor and shattering into a million artificially flavored pieces.
...“SAVANNAH!!!!” I Scream down the hall after her.
...“NANCY!!!!!” Logan screams after me. “NANCY….NAAAAANCYYYYY…..NANCY……NNAAAANNNNCYYYY…..NA-NCYY…”
...“WHAT?!?!?” I finally scream whirling around to face the ghost hunter’s apprentice.
He rests his hands on his knees and gasps for air. “Would you wait up!?”
...“Oh.” I cough. “Why didn’t you say so?”
He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling.
...“Come on” I continue trotting down the long creepy hall. “I wanna talk to that ghost hunter!”
Logan groans. “But that’s sooooo boring. We can talk to her anytime. Let’s go exploring instead!” His pale been-in-the-ghostie-office-too-long face lights up like a nightlight with a too-strong bulb.
...“Awwwww, man.” I moan, falling to the floor. “That sounds SO boring.”
...“Psshh!” Logan scoffs, taking another rainbowy lollipop from his jean pocket. “It’s not as boring as talking to Savantha-San!” He says, quoting Miwako. “Come onnnn.” grabbing my hand he pulls me to my feet.
...We soon find ourselves tripping down the stairs and falling outside.
...“Ugh.” I scramble to my feet. “This is ridiculous, Logan! I knew we should’ve-”
...“HEY LOOK!” Logan pulls himself out of the pond. “A shed!” He climbs out of the cattails and starts for Rentaro’s tool-shed.
I yawn and follow.
...“Hey!” Rentaro exclaims throwing himself over his crowded work bench.
...“Hi.”
...“Hi.”
Silence.
...Logan and I exchange a glance.
...“Soooo….” Retaro attempts to make conversation. “Who’s up for a nanogram puzzle marathon?!”
I slap my forehead.
...“YES!!!!!” Logan jumps so high his lollipop sticks to the ceiling.
Oh boy. This is gonna be a long afternoon…

Amphibian

Amphibian: Posts : 73
Location : Bayport

Post n°3

M'okay! New stuff! ;D

Amphibian Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:47 am

Chapter 6; Wish you were here

...“Well, B'Logan can't do this right now,” I gag, pulling the ghost hunter's apprentice out of the gloomy shed, leaving dumbfounded Rentaro behind.
...“Oh-kay!” He calls after us, as we nearly fall into the pond... again. “Catch you around!”
...“Catch ya!” Logan slams the door with a laugh.
After finding the back door of the Ryokan in the inky darkness, Logan and I begin knocking on every door in each hallway, trying to find Savannah's room.
...“This could take a while,” Logan moans, trying the doorknob of room #3.
...“Who cares,” I snort, rapping on a door further down the hall. A moment of silence passes between us, and all that is heard is the muffled growling vacuum from where Miwako is cleaning the floors of the next hallway.
...“I just remembered!” Logan smacks his forehead.”Tomorrow is my birthday!”
...“Really? How old will you be?” I grin awkwardly.
...“15,”
...“NO KIDDING!” I shout, rattling the doorknob of room #7. “We're the same age!”
...“WOW, really?” Logan bashes the back of his head against the wall in laughter. “That's so awesome!”
I giggle and nod awkwardly, moving onto the next door.
...“Who is iiiiiitttt?” Drawls a southern accent from inside.
...“Hey, I found her!” I report to Logan, busting the door open. “Hey Savannah!”
...“I can't believe I evah' left ghost huntin'...” Savannah murmurs, gripping tight to the familiar blue ghosty book in her hands. “It's just so exciting!”
...“You can say that again!” I exclaim with avid exhilaration. “I almost got killed by a ghost yesterday and it was EXCITING!”
...“......”
I cough awkwardly. Logan comes inside, closes the door, and turns off the lights.
...Savannah screams. “Loggy turn that on this INSTANT!”
The 14 year old laughs and flips the switch. “Sorry, Savannah-San”
...“You betteh' be, Logan!” Savannah hides behind the paperback. “Ya know how scared I am of the dark!”
...“I knowww,” He plops himself down on the floor next to me. In the way.
...“Why did you come back to ghost-hunting, Savantha?” I ask, chewing on the tip of my tongue.
...“Well, ya see... one night, I was havin' a dream- ya know, one a' those precognitive types- and there was this person, but I couldn't really see their face, and they said tah' me: “Savannah Woodham, the ghosts of the Ryokan Hiei miss you!” And I looked up, and I saw this postcard of the Ryokan, and scrawled across the postcard in a creepy font were the wards: “Wish you were here!”. So, I'm back!” Savantha laughs.
...“Oh....” I trail off, glancing over to see Logan's face as blank as a blanket. “That's quite the dream.”
...The ghost hunter nods sheepishly. “It sure was, Hunnay'bun.”
...“Oh!” I suddenly exclaim. “Savannah, I have to tell you something....”

Chapter 7; Don't run!

...“What’s that?” The ghost hunter doesn’t even glance up. (how rude is that?)
...I cough and reposition my feet. “So I was walking along the path this morning and this big plushie deer jumped out of the bushes at me and told me to ‘leeeeeavvvvee theeee innnnn’!”
...Savantha-San drops her book and it lands on her toe with a thud.
She winces and begins screaming.
...Logan and I exchange a glance and he hands me an extra lollipop.
...“You okay?” Logan and I finally ask in unision after the ghost hunter is calm once again.
“That musta’ huuuurrrrt.” Logan drawls, chewing the last bits of his lollipop and jamming the sticky stick back into his pocket, to which I wince at with perturbation.
...“I wasn’t screamin’ bout muh toe!” Savanna squiels, hugging me and jumping up and down, causing my stained rainbowy from the lollipop teeth to ch-ch-cha-chattterrrr.
...“I was screamin’ bout whatcha just siad, dollin’!”
...“…..” Says Logan.
...“The deer?” I question.
...“Heck yeah!!” Savannah claps. “This is, indeed, an excitin’ bit a’ news, Nancy!”
...“What do ya mean?” The lollipop slips from my hand and falls to the carpet.
Logan frowns. “Those things don’t grow on trees, ya know, Nancy!”
...I glare. “I am aware, thanks, Loggy.”
...“HAY!” Logan shouts.
...“-Is for cows!” I cut in.
Logan returns the glare-stare. “ONLY Savantha-San calls me that.”
...“Kids!” Savannah screams at the top of her lungs. “We are on the brink of makin‘ the biggest paranormal discovery in paranormal history!!!!”
...Logan sighs bored-ly. “How can a deer be a ghost…?”
...“It might not be a ghost.” Savannah cracks her knuckles. “But it’s definitely a haunt!”
She whirls around and stares at me. “Nancy, you must tell me everything you can about your encounter with this creature!”
...I tell Savannah everything, right up to the very last detail about the loose antler!!
...By the time I finish, Logan has fallen fast asleep on the floor, coddling his lollipop.
Savannah rubs her chin thoughtfully. “I think this calls for some ghost recordin’s!” She squeals, jumping over Logan and sprinting out the door.
...“WAIT UP!” I scream, rousing poor Loggy and running down the hall after the ghost-studier.
Miwako, turns off the vacuum momentarily and stares after me. “Don’t run inside, Nancy-San, it can be very dangerous!” She stamps her foot.
...Pouting I stop my dramatic sprint, drop to the floor and crawl down the stairway on my hands and knees, screaming over my shoulder at the tippity-top of my lungs:
...“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful!!!”

Amphibian

Amphibian: Posts : 73
Location : Bayport

Post n°4

Re: THE DEERFACE

Amphibian Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:28 am

Chapter 8; Magic Backpack

...“Ghost recordings?” I echo, and Savannah drags me down the creepy hall.
The lights flicker, and go out.
...“Wahoo!” She yelps, when we reach the back door. “Power outage!”
I frown in disgust.
...“WAAAIITT FOORRRRR MEEEE!” Logan screams behind us, desperately trying to keep up, lollipop arm outstretched.
...Savantha rolls her multicolored eyes and continues down the murky stairs leading to the path below. Yanking off her plaid backpack, she digs around inside until finally pulling out two jumbo speakers the size of my Dad's head.
...“Playback features,” The ghost hunter hands me a mini remote control and a portable DVD player, three hand-held EVP recorders, two camcorders, two thermal cameras, a laptop, a night vision scope, a digital camera, two extra lenses, three LED flashlights, a tripod, two EMF detectors, a GPS, a compass, a thermometer, a couple of tangled wind chimes, two thermal scanners, a set of walkie-talkies, a box of matches, a handful of candles, a handful of batteries, a travel-size first aid kit, and a pack of Stride.
...“THAT'S MINE!” Savantha screeches, snatching the gum, and cramming it into her mouth.
...“How do you fit all that stuff in there? You're like.... Mary Poppins!” I drool, gawking at the magic backpack.
...Savantha glares at me, and pulls the pack of gum from her teeth. “I nevah' liked that movie,”
...“Oh....”
...“.....” Logan hands me the lollipop I dropped. “Yours, I believe.”
...I grimace and grab it out of his sticky lollipop-ish palm.
...“You n' Loggy will have tah' share a walkie-talkie,” She thrusts the neon yellow device into my free hand. I flip it over to find scrawled on the back in neon green sharpie are the words: “This talkie-talkie belongs to Loggy!”, followed by a sticker that reads: “I love ghosties!”
...I cast the ghost hunter's apprentice a look of sarcastic disappointment. “You did this?”
...Logan nods, crunching on the last of his rainbow.

Chapter 9; Ghostie me happy

...Logan and I hurriedly set all the ghostie equipment up as Savannah barks commands like a rottweiler puppy dog.
...When everything is finally in place, Logan and I collapse onto the floor in utter exhaustion and exasperation.
...Savannah yawns and glances at her watch. “My goodnez’ it’s gittin’ late ain’t it kiddos?” She begins cramming the ghost stuff back into the magic backpack. “Lets do this tah’marra instead, mmm?”
...Before we have a split second to answer, Savantha-San crams the last of the junk into her pack and flies up the stairway leaving us children in the dark, creepy lobby.
...“Eccentric, isn’t she?” Logan demands, crawling through the darkness and over to the front desk, where he beging ringing the little “call” bell thingie as if his life depended on it.
...“Oh, yeah.” I bump into the front door.
Suddenly the lights flick back on and an unbelievable perturbed Miwako tiptoes into the lobby.
...“Meeeeewaaaakooooo!” I scream, running over to her and wrapping her in a huge hug.
...“…” says Logan.
...“What did you think of that wicked power faaaaaillurreeee?!” I squeal, lightly clapping my shaky, exhausted hands.
...Miwako’s face turns Sunset herb red and she stamps her foot so hard, I literally watch, dumbfounded as a small dent forms in the light wooden floor.
...“IT WAS JUST YOUR IMAGINATION!!!!” Several mirrors shatter.
She clears her, now sore, throat and lowers her voice to a whisper. “Nothing to worry about.”
...I nod violently and run outside.
...“Good night, Miwako-San.” Logan chirps, hopping upstairs.
...I’ve been awake for over 30 hours and I don’t feel the lest bit sleepy, so I hop on the metro bus thingie and fly to the expo center.
...The scent of slightly burned hotdogs and too-hot-grease fills my lungs as I hop off at my destination, then-
...My small, pale jaw drops to the grimy, trampled, movie-theater-sticky floor in utter shock…

Chapter 10; Stop the train!

...“Yuuuuuuumiiiiii??!” I scream into the empty expo center, as I stare in horror at the clean counter in front of my face, the neon glowing bento sign, now darkened.
...“Yumi, answer me, now!”
...No reply.
...After glancing around in disbelief, tumble down the escalator, out the revolving doors, and onto the metro, figuring my bento-making friend will most likely be at her apartment.
I jump off the bus when it reaches Kurume, and crawl breathlessly up the stairs of the subway station.
...“YUMI!?” I bash my fists into her apartment door, causing the numbers to fall off.
...Silence.
...I take the handy key that she gave me on our first encounter from my back pocket where I keep all my important things, and cram it into the keyhole, before swinging open the door to reveal....
...“NOTHING?” I whisper in shock, this entire scene reminding me of a whimsically epic part of a movie..
...All that remains in the abandon apartment room is the small kitchenette and the bed, totally stripped of sheets and pink decorative pillows.
...“Yu-” I am about to call out her name again, when I spot a stray piece of paper, limply laying on the floor, tucked carelessly under the bed frame.
...I pick it up. I read it. I bite the corner off in disgust, chew it, swallow it.
The paper reads in funky bold letters:
...“EVICTION NOTICE: Yumi Shimizu, This is your last and final warning of eviction! Get out! Or else... Sincerely, the Japanese Eviction Department”
...“Poor Yumi has been evicted from her apartment!” I squeal in disgust., throwing the paper down, and slamming the door after me.
...As I take the metro back to the Ryokan, we stop several times at the station, to let passengers climb aboard. Glancing out the grimy, grease-covered window, I notice a crumpled, crying girl wearing a colonial pink dress sitting on a grimy bench next to a large cello case.
...“STOP THE TRAIN!” I freak out, pushing my way through the crowd and busting through the door like an action figure.
...I crash down on the pavement. Oof! What a hard landing; but I quickly recover to scramble to my feet and over to the girl, who turns out to be Yumi, hanging her head in a sea of tears.
...“Oh, Naaancyyyy-saaaan,” She drawls mournfully.
...“Awww, there there,” I slither onto the bench beside her. “I know you got evicted,”
...Yumi throws her head back and screams at the top of her lungs. ...“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
...“...” I say, deaf.
...“Sorry;” She apologizes. “Had to get that out of my system.” Yumi wipes away her drippy mascara, and blinks at me. “Well!?” She demands, stomping her foot. “Are you going to invite me, or not!?”
...“Invite you..... where?” I knit my eyebrows together with my extra pair of knitting needles.
...“To the RYOKAN.” She waves her hand in the air. “Duh,”
...“Sure...” I hesitate. “What's in the cello case?”
...“My three-day old piggy bentos.” She grimaces at the cello case. “For some reason, nobody likes them!”
Silence.
...“I rather liked those piggy bentos.” I stare at her solemnly.
...“WELL, there's more than enough to go around! Now, let's go back to the soon-to-be-mine Ryokan, shall we?!”