Saint Joseph School

Alice was finally sleeping 'Good' he thought. Watching over her was a tall ghostly figure. He gave her one last look and passed through the wall into the hallway and started down to the chapel.

Ashen Lunaskia, or as Alice called him 'Guzol' after her favorite doll in her home dimension, floated softly through the doors into the chapel getting ready for the small and few prayers he asks for Alice's safety.

as he wafted over the floor he saw something strange...blood. Dark red, almost black blood. He followed it to the body of a young girl he recognized as Yuki Alice's roommate. 'Oh my...this does not look good'

Her body was bruised and broken. Blood pooled around her half naked form. Her clothing was burned and tattered, soaking the sweat and blood from her body. 'This poor child...' silent angry resonated from him as he wished there was something he could do.

Be bound to Alice he couldn't speak to other living people and have them understand him. However he did hear a rumor about ghosts being able to communicate in dreams. Thinking Alice would not be up for several hours he thought it best to let her slumber and knelt down beside Yuki and placed his hands on her head. He felt a cold evil spirit inside her but pushed on and with a sudden flash vanished into the dreamscape of Yuki unconscious form.

No ground, no walls, no, ceiling, Ashen steps forward into the dark void. He can hear his foot steps on the unknown surface. Tap, tap, tap, regardless of pressure each step makes the same generic tapping sound on every step he makes. Walking forward the void goes on and on. He hears laughter in the distance. Tingles go up his spine as he recognizes a child's laugh of delight in this absent place. Tap, Tap, Tap, he continues forward. The laughter fades. He stops his momentum and stands still listening for the fading sound. Tap, tap, tap, the sounds of foot steps continue with out his moment. The sound stops a little ways ahead of him. Jingling of change and keys in a pocket. A metal key is inserted into a metal lock. The sounds stop. Ashen stares into the void looking for life, looking for anything. A creaking sound hides in the darkness. The door knob turns and light seeps in. The void devourers the light in small sips. Only a little at first. The door opens wider. Light floods his eyes.

“Shhhhhhhhhh blurp shhhhhhhhh.” The Static white noise of the antic television left on after all the shows have gone off. Yuki sits at a table in her panda shaped pajamas. Her hands rest flat palms facing down on top the small square table. Yuki sits across from her. Staring into Yuki’s eyes unwilling to look away. Smoldering from the brimstone burning off her wings. Her hands flat palms facing down. The television atop a long dresser changes channels to another station of static noise. No movement. Ashen steps forward into the room. One step, then two. His movements make no sound. No tap no creek. The air is heavy and filled with tears. The salt rests on his lips. Studying the scene Ashen realizes he is standing in a motel room. The curtains open showing a bright afternoon outside. He notes the beds are missing and in there place is a flimsy fold out table with two chars. Small and round with red seats. Yuki sitting in one and demon Yuki in the other. Eternally stuck in a staring contest. Neither of them blinks. The television changes channels again.

“…in other news…(the professional voices fades in and out)…are you happy now?”

Ashen spins his head toward the television to acknowledge the question. A static face forms in the white noise and pauses. “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”, the static returns.
Yuki’s mouth opens and remains open. Yuki continues to stare at her from across the table with out motion.

“.noos emoh eb lliw rehtaf yM” Yuki announces with out moving her lips.

Yuki lowers her eye brows and slowly shakes her head side to side with a slight twitch. The motion indicated the physical response (no) while she continues to stare at her from across the small green Formica table.

(Flush)

Water runs through pipes exiting, and then filling as the door to the bathroom opens inward. Ashen looks over to see a short purplish demon imp washing his hands. Stretching to reach the faucet he turns the water off. Ashen studies the creature. Only standing maybe three feet in height and morbidly over weight the little devil scratches his butt as he enters the room. Looking up at Ashen he walks up and stands toe to toe with the visitor.

The words spew out in slow motion. “I think you got the wrong room buddy.” The little demon says in a deep quivering voice.

The fat purple demon walks over and comes to rest in a lounge chair in the corner. Yuki stands up. Her over sized panda shaped pajamas droop on her small frame. She turns her back to Ashen and begins to walk toward him. Yuki stares at her intently and with out emotion. Slowly each step toward him a struggle and clumsy. Her back facing Ashen she slowly spins around and faces his side. Leaning in to him with out touching she whispers softly in to his ear.

Ashen’s skin loses a shade of color as his eyes widen and shake at Yuki’s words. She retreats to his side and sighs with a frown as she turns her back to him again. Tap, Tap, Tap, the sound of her foot steps make it to the wall before she does. Awkwardly she reaches for the edge of the heavy curtain covering the wall and pulls it back. The curtain swings back into place as she steps behind it out of the room.

The small imp giggles to him self then laughs out loud. The sound of child like laughter he heard in the void. Yuki’s head snaps to her side staring at Ashen. Her still motionless hands flat on the table palms down. The smoldering fire still burning on her wings.

“The puppet controls the puppet master.” Sharp and cruel Yuki’s voice cuts to the heart.

Slowly her head returns to her original position and stares at the now missing Yuki in the metal framed red seat chair across from her. The Dumpy little demon stands to attention in lightning speed. Staring at Yuki in disgust and hate he throws his arms in the air yells, “LIES!” He storms toward Ashen pushing past him as he returns to the bathroom. A loud (slam) fills the room and then the bathroom door closes. Yuki’s eyes fill with tears as she screams in searing pain. The shriek fills Ashen’s head as he has never heard such a loud and penetrating cry of agony.

Ashen opens his eyes. The void extends infinitely in every direction. A soft airy whisper pierces the veil and passes through him.

“It’s so dark.”

Ashen looked around at the dreamscape he had entered.
'What is going on' He asked in a voice disembodied and echoed. 'Why does this form have multiple souls?' Sounds and voices could be heard all around him but it seemed as if they are too far way for him to understand what they were saying.

Suddenly a door flew open from nowhere. A small demon came running at him carrying the more human looking Yuki.

"You will serve my master!!" he screams and stops in front of them. He throws Yuki at Ashen who swoops to catch her. The demon opens his mouth and suddenly vomits a dark gray fluid on them both. Yuki's Panda Pajama's were drenched; the puke covered both her and Ashen's spectral form. The smell almost over whelmed him. At first he was confused but remembered his ghostly body here allowed to experience things as if he were alive.

He looked at the Demon as it laughed cruelly "My Master will be pleased!! I have covered you with my essence!! It would corrupt your soul and there nothing you can do to-"

'Stop it.' The light around Ashen’s form blared burning the filth away from him and the shivering girl at his side. 'Your Master has no power over her or me. Leave this place or suffer demon'The imp cowered and ran from them into yet another door in fright squealing shrilly "Impossible! Impossible!"

Ashen turns and bows to the started Yuki as the darker one merely stares from her seat above them, eyes burning with an evil flame.

'Why are there two of you and who is this Master?' His voice echoed in her mind she looked at him with fear in her eyes wondering if he was another demon 'I am the brother of Alice please do not be alarmed. I am sorry for my intrusion to your mind and, by extension your dreams, but you are badly hurt in the real world and I feared for your life.'

He helped her walk to a bed that seems to have been there all along and sat down on his knees in front of her holding her shaking hand. The Dark Yuki finally seems to have taken an interest for the first time and walked over to them.

“You don’t belong in this realm.”

Her voice hovers on the still air. Yuki looks at him with her eyebrows narrowed. Darkness whips around her devilish body.
Human Yuki looks up capturing Ashen’s gaze. Motionless and busy her eyes fog as she moves her lips to speak. No sound at first then the words catch up to present time.

“Retsim ereh niap tub gnihton s’ereht.”

A saxophone plays in the distance. Discombobulated jazz fills the void. “What is this?” he wonders. Ashen turns to look. The sax hits a high pitch squeak and abruptly stops as it had began. He turns back to face the Yukis.

“Go back……go back….go b….” The deep disembodied voice fades.

Light floods his eyes. As the sun shines down illuminating the small area he stands in. A new door now stands fixed in front of him. He looks to his side and accepts the girls are gone. The door textured and grained. Stickers decorate the wood. A flower, and music bands name, another one in Japanese. This was a child’s door. Ashen steps to the side and investigates the area of light. The sun shines only in a small round area encompassing him and the door. Ashen takes a step out of the light. Darkness. He looks back, the door and the light are now gone. The void takes over. His equilibrium starts to sway. He quickly takes a step back. The light returns and the door is back again. With a shrug and a sigh he slowly reaches for the door knob. Cool to the touch. The metal knob turns with ease. He takes a breath and opens the door.

Soft carpeted floor cushions his step as Ashen stands in the well lit room. The large window allows all of the suns warmth and light into the room. A small bed sits to his left with a saxophone resting against its footboard. The door closes behind him. He turns to see he had come from within the closet. Young Yuki sits in her brightly colored and over stuffed chair wearing her over sized panda shaped pajamas. Her back to him facing her computer monitor. Typing feverishly and laughing. “She looks so happy.” Ashen says to him self. She appears a few years younger then he knew her as. The room filled with stuffed animals, randomly discarded clothes, and cheerful boy band posters on the walls. Here innocent laughter fills his heart.

“油木! そのコンピュータを離れて得、ダイナーに来なさい.” Yuki hears her mother’s voice come from down stares.

“Coming mother!” Yuki yells back.

Reaching over and clicking her mouse she logs off her computer and ties her long black hair back with a pink velvet ribbon. She stands and turns to race past Ashen to the door. She kicks her ill placed satchel out of her way as she opens her bedroom door and exits.
Ashen turns to follow the care free child when he his pushed to the ground.
“No!” The demon Yuki cries. “This is my pain! You can’t have it!” Her voice quivers with fear. Ashen stands and asks. “What is this?” He looks past her to the door. “What happen here?”

The smiling Hello Kitty clocks ticks. The metronome tail swings back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Then stops. The second hand freezes. Silence interrupts. Demon Yuki stands motionless and stares at Ashen with fire in her eyes. The computer monitor turns from the dancing screen saver to fuzzy static.

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhh” Distant and monotone white noise crackles out of the speakers.

“It has to happen” the voice sneaks past the static. The saxophone plays again. Through the static and through the white noise the sax plays on shrill and off key. The monitor goes back to the screen saver of fish dancing in an under water playground. Silence returns. The Tail of the cat shape clock moves again.

Suddenly the room trembles as glass and wood shatters. The terrifying screams of women rake against Ashen’s soul. Destruction and chaos consume the house below. Ashen moves to the door to help. His mind races with panic from the screams of Yuki and her mother. The dark Yuki still motionless her eyes lower as she lifts her hand to impede Ashen’s advance. She shakes her head. He can see in her expression he is powerless to help. The screaming continue. Demonic shrieks of pain and the sound of furniture and walls being destroyed fill his ears.
Quietness, stillness, no one moves, no one breaths. A pause in the slaughter.
A single tear streams down the demon Yuki’s cheek. Ashen feels she has seen this event too many times. The stillness is broken as a voice rings out.

“Mommy!”

“Mommy!”

‘No!” The scream lingers.

Young Yuki’s cries cut Ashen to the quick and his knees buckle with empathy.

The closet door opens with a creek. The midget demon stumbles into the room. With not a glance to the somber pair he announces “When in Rome…” and laughs.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a knife and begins slashing at the nearest stuffed animal. Fiber stuffing flies in all directions and falls to the floor. He laughs at himself and mocks the cries of the child as he continues the mindless murdering of plush toys.
“Mommy! Mommy! What have I done? Mommy!” His fat belly giggles in his laughter.

Ashen’s mood flames with disgust matching the fire in Yuki’s eyes. She turns wiping the tears from her face and storms out of the room.
The over weight imp turns to see Yuki leave in haste. He looks at Ashen and shrugs.
“What?” He says in a sarcastic manor. Ashen begin to say something when the short demon cuts him off. “Master likes you.” The demon smiles with a toothy smile. Ashen pauses to digest the odd statement for a moment then walks across the room following Yuki out the door.

A dim lit room. The floor checkered and laminate. The walls draped in heavy curtains. Only a wooded chair occupies the space. Ashen take a step forward. His movements jagged and in slow motion. “Does time exist here” he wonders.

A soft and airy voice whispers, “It's so dark.”



As Yuki’s battered and bleeding body lay on the chapel floor tears drip off her swollen cheek and nose mixing with the pool of blood that has forms beneath her.

Ashen walks to the chair in the next room and after looking around feels he should sit in it for some reason.

"Ah hah! You made it good..." a dark voice calls from behind "I was getting bored waiting for you"

Ashen turns to see the fat imp walking to him and as he turns back there is a chair and a table where there wasn't before. The Imp climbs into the tall backed chair and smiles at Ashen "So...enjoying your stay here Mr. Trespasser glowing pants?"

'She was wounded in the outside world...I came to see if I could assist her." he stated

"Oh please...she has been wounded to bring of death before and lived. This is nothing you twit." he sneered "who do you, think you are and what did you think you could do?"

'I did not know...I simply wanted to help. So much has happened...I am not sure of what to make of It." he looks around seeing walls and curtains vanish into nothingness.

"Well it seems you are not only nosy but stupid too. Look there's nothing here you can help with so just pick your butt up and get lost!" the Imp looks at Ashen with sick arrogance.

'No, this young girl is the friend of my charge and I will help if I can. What has happened to have shattered her soul so terribly?' he looks fiercely at the imp.

'Well if MUST know...she’s half demon. The dark half is the demon and light is she, the girl. Years ago her father had some issues...big fight...blah blah blah, before she knows it her mother is dead and she’s shipped off to that school of hers." the Imp looks at him with a bored expression "in the end her silly little mind couldn’t take the tragedies in her life and the demon half takes over to keep her in the dark."

'I can understand that...but why does she not face them?' he asked becoming annoyed with the imps attitude

"How the hell should I know? I do what my Master says and nothing more or less." the imp began cleaning his nails

'I must know more...' Ashen rises from his chair

The music coming from the computer grows in volume. 'Curious...why has everything else left but the computer and desk?' he walks over to it feeling not only the Imps eyes but also others watching him. Leaning down he listens to the music but doesn't recognize it 'Strange...'

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you..." the says flicking something from his clawed finger

'What do you me-' Ashen is cut off as a black smoking hand lashes out from the screen and swipes him across the face leaving 4 bloody gashes 'Aaarrg!' he cries falling back 'What is that?' he asks clutching his wounds.

"Told ya..." the imp no longer has the air of arrogance he once did "Even if I could I wouldn’t tell ya...something’s are best left alone." he climbs down and walks over to the spirit and with surprising strength helps a shocked Ashen to his feet "look why don’t you just leave and forget this happened eh?"

'That...hurt...' Ashen touches his cheek dipping his fingers in crimson red blood. Suddenly the room swirls and a door appears on the far side. A loud knocking rings out from it.

"Ah crap..." the Imp looks over at it and watches Ashen cross over to open it.