2/1/03
ooc: This is the first section of my fanfic, so enjoy!
Lost in Life It was burning her alive. She couldn’t just stay there and die... What could she do? They would find her here if she stayed, but her mother... she told her to stay. Where was Mother? She should have been back by now. Just a few more minutes...
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1 hour earlier
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“Kiyoshi, where are you? Oh that girl!” Kiyoshi’s mother searched for her 4 year old daughter in desperation. She was going to be late for the ceremony. She looked under the wooden table positioned in the middle of the kitchen, and then under the laced chairs. At this rate, she would never find Kiyoshi. “Kiyoshi! We are going to be late and I’m going to kill you if you don’t get out here right now!”
Little Kiyoshi crawled out from behind the hand-carved dresser. She was wearing a silky white dress that her mother had made for her. It was accompanied by two white roses tied together by a white ribbon in her honey colored hair. Her green eyes glowed in frustration at her mother, who was looking on in adoration. “Why do I have to wear this?!” Kiyoshi stomped her foot, demanding an answer. “Just because Kito is becoming a leader, I have to wear this??? I can’t believe you, Mother!”
Her mothers face grew stern, but the glint in her eyes remained. “Listen, you look lovely. I know you don’t like to wear fancy clothes, but the village is having a “formal” celebration for Kito. If you want to come, then you better change your attitude.” Her mother smiled, and reached out for Kiyoshi’s hand. She took it and gently tugged. “Let’s go, Kiyoshi.”
The little girl sighed and nodded. “Alright, but I’m not going to wear this ever again, deal?” Her mother chuckled and agreed with a quick nod. They exited the small hut and walked off to the ceremony, Kiyoshi mumbling the whole way.
At the plaza in the middle of the villa, surrounded by white and purple lilacs, many people sat on red velvety pillows at the wooden tables that were about half of a foot off the ground. Food was spread out in rows on the rectangular tables and Kiyoshi drooled at the site of her favorite deserts. Kushiyaki and yakitori were part of her favorite foods diet. She rushed over to one of the tables, knocking down two elderly women, and began to stuff her face. Her mother glared in disapproval. Kiyoshi swallowed that which was in her mouth and took a seat on one of the plush pillows and made herself comfortable. She watched the stage longingly. She hoped to be a leader one day, just like her big brother.
A long line of men began to march up onto the stage and conversations stopped, all except for a whisper here and there about the new leaders kimonos. They were black and gray and had blue stars distributed around the seams. The head leader moved to the center of the stage and took a deep breath, steadying himself to start off the speeches.
He spoke slowly and clearly, “Hello everyone. Today-” But that was all he said, for he had been cut off by an ear bursting noise, like that of a bomb exploding. Smoke flared from the back of the village and everyone began to whisper in panic. Another explosion sent everyone into a scramble, the women shrieking and the children crying. Kiyoshi sat on the pillow, being stepped on by everyone who tried to pass the table, stunned and afraid. She could hear her mother screaming, but it sounded as though she were miles away. Kiyoshi just sat there, staring at the fire rising towards the violet sky.
The grunts and whinnies of horses sounded through out the small area, and great men with swords came galloping into the village. They laughed a devilish laugh as they sliced of the heads of those around Kiyoshi. Her brow furrowed and tears sprang from her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream, but was swept out of the way from a thin metal cutter. The frightened girl looked up into the face of her mother. Tears rolled down her face as well, but she seemed so determined. Kiyoshi jumped out of her mother’s arms and began to run beside her. She was a much faster runner than her mother, so she thought this would help. Kiyoshi was pushed into a small ditch by her mother, surrounded by tiny huts.
“Please, stay here, Kiyoshi. What ever you do, don’t move!” Her mother wiped Kiyoshi’s cheek and smiled. She then quickly dashed off into the smoke. Kiyoshi could only hear the screams of the people and the roaring of the fire now. The smoke formed a think haze over her head. She coughed loudly, hoping someone would hear her and save her, but her coughs were muffled by a nearby horse.
Metal clanged and the smoke was stained red where the fire had spread. Something hot and wet hit Kiyoshi’s face. She thought it was warm water, but as she wiped her face, the creases in her fingers filled with a bloody red liquid. She screamed in horror, but no one could hear her.
Fire crept into the ditch, trailing on the fallen wood that now trapped Kiyoshi’s fragile body. It was so hot. Perspiration collected on her body and the fire whipped at her back. She cried out with pain, but the fire did not cease. It grabbed at her face and arms, leaving bubbling red blisters behind. She buried her head in her arms and wept harder than ever before. She had to get out of this ditch. It was burning her alive...
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And now...
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She waited until her body was boiling and her head was throbbing. Blood poured from her ears as the shrieking of people still commenced. He hair was black and ashy, and her skin was being ripped from her muscles. She couldn’t wait any longer. Her mother wasn’t here, and she was dying. She stood up and dashed out of the ditch as fast as her damaged legs would carry her. The coolness of the air stung her frail skin, but was soon recovered with the hot sensation fire produced. The heat was excruciating, but she ran none the less. She ran until...
Kiyoshi’s head slammed into something fat and hairy. A hoof stomped into the dirt beside her, and Kiyoshi’s eyes widened. Her body stiffened. A man reached down through the smoke and grabbed her by her hair. He pulled her up out of the smoke and set her on his horse. His hair was a silvery blonde, and his eyes were gray and cold. She gazed at him in amazement. Why had he saved her? The man smirked and his teeth matched his snowy white uniform. He blew a whistle and everything seemed to stop. Kiyoshi’s ears couldn’t take anymore, and she was so tired. Her eyes grew heavy, and her weary body weakened. She relaxed her aching muscles. She strained to keep her eye lids from dropping, but it was no use. She just wanted to sleep...*
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ooc: What did you think?^^