Sweet Burden Read online

  “Um, yah.” Hitomi felt like a bumbling fool, fidgeting and staring. “Thanks again…” she pressed for a name.

  He continued to smirk, “You’re welcome, Hitomi.” He turned and disappeared into the crowd.

  Hitomi spun around searching for him but immediately lost sight of him. Her jaw had dropped. How did he know my name? She shuddered again. Maybe he hadn’t said her name. It was very loud and she could have misheard him. She closed her mouth and pushed back through the people back to the couch where Kerry and Shane had been. The couch sat empty, only their drink glasses left as evidence that they had been there. She scanned the dance floor but couldn’t find them. Desperate to find them or the beanie boy she stood up on the couch and scanned the crowd. Finally she spotted the bright glow of Shane’s hair during a blast of light. He was over at the bar again, but she didn’t see Kerry.

  “Hitomi? What are you doing?” Kerry appeared below her.

  “There you are.” Hitomi dropped down to the floor and plopped back down on the couch. Kerry sat down next to her.

  “You’re shaking. What happened?”

  “I’ve been having these weird feelings that someone is watching me,” Hitomi sighed and went into the entire story of her walk home and the odd boy she met by the restrooms. She still felt like there was some sort of presence around her. Kerry launched into ghost stories just as Hitomi had predicted, stating that a strong paranormal entity must be around her.

  Hitomi pushed her hair away from her face and just let Kerry continue to talk. She knew that is wasn’t some ghost following her around. She didn’t believe in ghosts. This was a person. It was a person that followed her and watched her. As Kerry rambled on, Hitomi adjusted her top and glanced at her shoulder. She yanked at the neck of the shirt and saw a red handprint left on her skin. She hadn’t felt burned and it didn’t hurt, but it was definitely a handprint. Ignoring Kerry now, she looked at her other shoulder seeing an identical mark. Her head shot up as she looked for the boy. Is he the one following me?

  Hitomi adjusted her shirt, not wanting to share the new revelations with Kerry. The rest of the night, Hitomi searched for the boy. When Bradley had approached her later in the evening, she brushed him off and continued to weave her way in and out of people.

  After Shane dropped Hitomi off at home, she rushed up to her room to strip off the goth gear and hide it. She put on her pajamas and then went to the mirror to inspect the handprints more. She gasped when she saw they were gone. She curled up on her bed with her laptop, but couldn’t help but think of the night. The boy’s hands hadn’t felt hot or cold. But she felt herself tremble in his presence. Maybe Kerry was right and he was some sort of spirit following her. She shook her head at the notion.

  The sound of the car pulling in the driveway brought Hitomi away from her thoughts. Hitomi put her laptop on the floor and shut off the light only minutes before her mother came in to check on her. She had just arrived home and had no idea that Hitomi had even been out. Hitomi pretended to be asleep as her mother closed the door. As soon as the door was closed again, Hitomi leaned over the edge of her bed and grabbed her laptop. Maybe there was something that could explain it on the internet.

  Chapter 2

  The cavern was dark, except for a flicker of light emanating from a single candle. Outside the cavern opening, voices could be heard talking in groups. A figure rested on a makeshift bed, his head leaning against the cool grey rock. Someone pulled back the thick fabric covering the entrance and entered, letting in a stream of yellow and green light. The colors quickly faded as the fabric fell back down.

  “There’s a new list,” the short portly figure stated. The small minion fidgeted stroking his white beard that seemed to glow in the darkness.

  Slowly the figure on the bed opened his eyes revealing red glowing orbs. Any other features were hidden in shadow. He turned to the minion and motioned for him to come closer. He took apprehensive steps towards the silent figure. Once bedside, the thick paper was snatched from the minion and quickly he dismissed him with a wave of the hand. The small man bowed and scurried out of the room.

  The figure stood revealing his lean muscular body. His crimson eyes scanned the list and he let out a yawn. Laying the list next to the candle, he relaxed back against the rock for a nap before heading out for the night.

  ****

  The weekend had passed by with nearly a blink. Hitomi found herself up Monday morning late again. She dressed quickly realizing that she had slept through her alarm and Kerry’s horn honking. Even though her cell phone was dead, she threw it in her bag while slipping on her shoes. She rushed downstairs to find a note from her mother reiterating that she would be home late that night and had left early. Hitomi pulled on a jacket and remembered to grab an umbrella.

  She practically ran the entire way to school and was surprised to find herself barely late. The first bell rang as she rushed towards the entrance. Not concentrating on her steps, she tripped on a crack splattering to the pavement as her back pack knocked her on the back of her head. Her head and hands scraped across the concrete.

  Hitomi winced as she sat up. Holding her fingers to her forehead, she pulled her hand down revealing blood. She brushed the dirt and blood from her hands against her jeans and then noticed the gash in her jeans and her knee. Letting out a defeated sigh, she pulled herself up from the ground and went directly into the bathroom to attempt to fix herself up.

  In first period, Hitomi got scolded in front of the class by Mr. Bardall for being late again. When she was finally able to take her seat, Kerry leaned over to her.

  “You look like hell,” Kerry smiled.

  Hitomi’s lips tightened and she gave Kerry a glance with the undertone of ‘don’t ask.’

  “Where were you this morning? I sat outside and honked until your neighbor threatened to call the cops.”

  “I couldn’t wake up,” Hitomi mumbled.

  “Still being followed by a ghost?” she changed the subject.

  “I didn’t really sense anything the rest of the weekend, but I don’t really think it’s a ghost,” Hitomi shrugged.

  “Maybe you have a secret admirer,” Kerry raised her eyebrows.

  “Ladies, since you are wasting my time, I will waste yours. Detention tonight Ms. Beaumann and Ms. Belden,” Mr. Bardall said loudly. Kerry and Hitomi both sunk down in their seats.

  At lunch time, Hitomi avoided the lunch room and went to the school nurse. She was going to get her cuts cleaned up and bandaged, but upon the nurse’s observation, none of the cuts or scrapes looked to be bad. The nurse even asked her if they had happened over the weekend, instead of just a few hours ago.

  After detention, Kerry drove her home and Hitomi sacked out on her bed. She pulled open her school books and started on homework. Later she made dinner and put the leftovers in the refrigerator for her mother, then headed upstairs for a bath. She went into her room and started to undress when she heard a loud bang on the roof above her room. Hitomi grabbed her robe and pulled it on as she turned to the window. Realizing she had forgotten to draw the curtains, she walked over to the window and peered outside. The streets were practically empty. She closed the curtains and started back to the door figuring she had imagined the noise.

  Abruptly feeling an overwhelming sensation she was not alone, the hairs on the back of her neck stood and she spun back around. Everything was in its place. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Hitomi shook her head and went to take her bath convinced she was losing her mind.

  ****

  The dark figure paced back and forth on the roof of the white house. Pushing his shaggy black hair from his face, he took a seat and pulled the paper from his pocket. Black lines were drawn across names, only one name visible at the bottom. Hitomi Beaumann.

  He stuffed the list back into the pocket of his jeans and lay back on the roof resting his hands behind his head. Staring up at the sky, he waited to hear the girl re-enter her room. The sky was a vicious black and faint
cracks of thunder could be heard in the distance. It wasn’t long until a car pulled into the driveway. He sat up in a crouch and watched a woman wearily walk into the house. Leaning over the edge of the roof, the girl’s bedroom light went out.

  Waiting until the woman went to bed, he entered the house. Picking locks was something he had become accustomed to. He silently shut the door and crept up the stairs, stopping to examine a few photos. Calculating exactly which door was the girl’s, he carefully twisted the handle and stepped into the room. He was immediately filled with her scent and the overload caused him to take a step back. He could taste honey and vanilla pouring from her skin.

  He swallowed hard and entered the room. The girl lay silent and motionless in front of him. He took a few steps closer and saw the slow rise and fall of the blankets. A few more steps and he heard the sound of her breathing. He felt himself being drawn towards her as if she had her own gravitational pull. Now standing over her, he couldn’t look away from her. Her golden hair cascaded around her face. She had prominent rosy cheeks and full cherry lips. He knelt down next to her taking in another deep breath of her scent. No one had ever had such a compelling smell to him before.

  He continued to watch her sleep as he sat back and rested his chin in his hand. Confusion flooded his mind. He had never been drawn to human before. Without even considering what he was doing, he reached up and meant to brush a wisp of hair away from her face. The second he touched her, he felt a shock of heat burn his fingertip. He pulled his hand away as the heat traveled throughout his entire hand and started up his arm.

  The girl let out a small sigh and he rushed from the room.

  Arriving back in his cavern, the warmth had moved through his entire body. He sat on the edge of his bed and stared at his hands as they shook. He wasn’t sure what the girl had done to him or what power she possessed. His stomach turned and knotted. He dropped his head into his hands and tightened his fingers in his hair.

  His room lit up as someone pulled back the fabric and entered.

  “Done already?” a boy asked.

  “She did something to me,” his voice waivered and he lifted his head. “Guri, I don’t feel right.”

  Guri stepped closer and took off his grey beanie revealing a mass of silver hair. He attempted to smooth out his knotted hair and knelt down in front of him. “Her, who? What happened?”

  His chest ached with a raw burning sensation and he couldn’t even bring himself to say her name out loud. “I feel like my insides are ripping in half.”

  “What happened?” Guri asked with more demand.

  “All I did was touch her. She was sleeping and I touched her. I couldn’t stop myself.”

  He noticed a hint of a smile cross Guri’s mouth, but quickly it was gone. “Just get some sleep. You should be alright. You can take care of her tomorrow.” Guri forced him to lie down.

  “But the council? The list?”

  “Tomorrow,” Guri repeated. “Get some rest Obsidian.” Guri left the room and Obsidian thought he heard Guri mutter. “You’re going to need it.”

  He shook his head and rolled over in his bed. What have you gotten yourself into Obsidian? His insides continued to wage war until it finally subsided and he was able to drift off to sleep.

  When he awoke hours later, the girl was the first thing he thought of. He needed to take care of her immediately, but more he just wanted to see her again.

  ****

  “How’d you do on the math test?” Kerry asked as she and Hitomi walked out of school.

  “Terrible, I’m sure,” Hitomi sighed rubbing a spot on her forehead that had hurt all day. She had checked in a mirror in the morning and nothing was there, not even a mark. But it felt sore and she had been exhausted all day.

  “How could you do terrible? All you do is study,” Kerry nudged her as Hitomi let her gaze drift up to the sky.

  The clouds had parted for the day and there was even a slight glimpse of the sun. She smiled as the sun hit her face and she closed her eyes feeling the heat. When she opened her eyes back up, she saw a guy sitting on the ledge of the school roof.

  “Kerry.” She looked over at her friend and pointed up. “Do you see…?” Hitomi peered back up and the guy was gone.

  “See what?” Kerry tilted her head back.

  “It was nothing. Nevermind. It must just be my imagination,” Hitomi said unconvinced and smiled at Kerry.

  “Maybe it was your ghost,” Kerry wrapped her arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “Do you need a ride?”

  “Um, no. I think I’ll walk.”

  “Call me later,” Kerry kissed her cheek and hurried off into the parking lot.

  “Bye,” Hitomi mumbled and sat down on one of the benches outside the entrance. She adjusted her back pack and glanced back up to the top of the building. She swore she saw a guy up there seconds ago. Staring at the roof, she squint her eyes spotting an odd red sparkle. With a blink it was gone. Someone had to be up there and maybe it was the source of her odd feelings lately. But she wasn’t feeling the eeriness from previously.

  Not really considering what she might encounter, Hitomi rushed back into the building and started up the steps that accessed the roof. The lock to the roof door had been broken for years, so she knew she would have no trouble once at the top. Her legs burned as she hauled herself up. Once at the top, she swung the door open to the roof and stepped out. Catching her foot on the door’s lip, she tripped and fell to the ground.

  Hitomi let out an irritated, “Hmph.” She stood up and dusted herself off, then glanced around. “Hello?” she called out. “Is anyone up here?” She placed her back pack in the doorway just in case the door happened to lock and walked over towards the ledge. “Hello? If you’re up here, show yourself.”

  ****

  Obsidian stood with is arms crossed leaning against the ledge facing the girl. His eyes were wide with shock that she had sensed him. Obviously, she still was unable to see him staring right at her. But she had seen something or sensed something to cause her to come to the roof. Obsidian silently cursed himself for being careless with his invisibility. He brushed his hair from his eyes as she neared him.

  “Hello?” she called out again with a sense of defeat.

  He stood perfectly still as she moved beside him, but couldn’t help but let out a slight gasp noticing her sapphire eyes. They reflected the color of the bluest oceans. He closed his eyes as her hair blew in the wind and he inhaled her scent. The ends of her hair whipped in his face and he found himself longing to touch her again.

  She leaned against the ledge and looked down. She made a slight hum as if she was confirming a thought in her head. He looked sideways at her as she pulled a cell phone out of her pocket. She gave a dismayed look at the time and turned back around. If Obsidian had been smart, he would have taken the opportunity to move a few inches from her. She came within millimeters of touching him. He wanted her to accidentally touch him. He wanted her to know he was there watching her.

  She hurried through the door and it slammed shut. Obsidian let out a sigh and turned around to watch her leave the building below.

  ****

  When Hitomi arrived home, her mother’s car was in the driveway. She was surprised to see her home and she rushed into the house.

  “Hitomi, is that you?” Regina called from the kitchen.

  “Who else would it be?” Hitomi replied dropping her bag by the front door and walking into the bright kitchen. The room was spacious with a small table for two. The cabinets were painted in a once vivid yellow that had faded over time. The countertops were littered with all the modern day small appliances.

  Regina Beaumann stood at the sink munching on something and reading over a letter. She was still dressed in her blue scrub pants and a scrub top depicting numerous pictures of butterflies and flowers. Her brunette hair secured tightly on top of her head, she barely noticed Hitomi walk into the room.

  “Mom, what are you doing home?”

&nbs
p; “I just came home early.” Regina folded up the letter and turned to her daughter. “How was school?”

  “It was just school,” Hitomi replied with a shrug. Although her mother was protective of her, she was never one for prying. There was no reason to worry her mother with the suspicions that someone was following her.

  “So, how about a girls’ night? We can watch a silly movie and eat popcorn,” her mother suggested as she leaned back against the counter and folded her arms. “We hardly spend any time together.”

  “I’ve got homework.”

  “Okay. After your homework.” A smile spread across her mother’s face.

  Not wanting to disappoint her, Hitomi nodded. “Alright.”

  Regina moved across the kitchen to Hitomi and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Is everything okay? You seem a little jumpy.”