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The autumn air flew through Hana’s long, brown hair. It was the month of October and it showed. As she walked out of her school, she could see kids, already wearing Halloween costumes. She didn’t mind it, of course, she enjoyed Halloween like anyone else. She threw her bag over her shoulder, still holding onto it while her other hand was in her skirt pocket. She was ready to get home and just relax, maybe watch a movie or play video games. “Hey Hana, wanna walk home?”
She turned her head, stopping dead in her tracks when she heard a voice. It was her best friend Lucio, which was a bit surprising to see. Usually, he has band today and doesn’t head home till much later. However, she didn’t mind the company. “Sure Luo! What about band practice?” She asked. “Had to cancel, teach got sick with laryngitis. She couldn’t even say hi to us when she walked in.” He explained. She couldn’t help but let out a pity laugh. She felt kind of bad for the teacher but, it was probably a little funny trying to hear her speak. The two started walking home, taking in the fresh air. “So, how’s life treatin’ ya?” He asked. “Just fine.” She replied with a simple shrug. “Any word on your granddad?”
Her smile turned into a frown almost immediately. “No, not yet.”
Hana’s grandfather, Reinhardt Wilhelm, had gone missing a few weeks ago. So far, there hasn’t been any clues on where he might have ended up. No notes, no witnesses, not even his wife knew why he disappeared. The police are still searching but, Hana wasn’t too optimistic. It didn’t make any sense why he would just up and leave. He wasn’t that kind of person and yet, it happened. “Don’t worry, they’ll find him!” He said, trying to cheer her up. “I hope so...” She said, nodding a little. She was so close to her grandfather, people sometimes mistook them for father and daughter. He always wanted to protect her and make sure she was safe. Which made the fact that he went missing, even more head scratching. The two changed the subject and kept talking on their way home.
After a few minutes, Hana finally got home, closing the door behind her. “Mom! Dad! I’m home!” She shouted. “Welcome home, sweetie!”
Hana could hear her mom from the kitchen, walking in and seeing her wash the dishes. Her long sleeves rolled up as her arms were covered in bubbles. “How was school today?” She asked. Hana sighed, falling back on the dining chair and putting her bag on the table. “Same as usual.” She replied. Her mother giggled softly, wiping off her hands and arms with a dish rag. “Anything I need to know about?” She asked, looking back at her daughter. Hana simply shook her head in response as she watched her mom take a glass and fill it up with ice and water, placing in front of her. She took a sip, smiling softly. “Is dad not home yet?” She asked. “You know your father, always willing to work overtime despite how old he is getting.” Her mom replied. Hana’s mother was a doctor while her father was a chief for the local police department. Her mom, Dr. Angela Ziegler, usually had a few days off, which she used to clean up the house.
“By the way, Hana. Your grandmother is going to out of town to visit your aunt. Do you mind going over to her house and watering her plants?”
“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Hana was a bit taken aback by the fact that her grandma was going out. She had been so torn up since her husband went missing that she barely went out. However, Hana didn’t mind helping. “Thank you. I would do it myself but, one of the doctors resigned so, they need me around more often.” Angela explained, taking a rag and wiping up the dishes she just cleaned. “I’ll head over right now.”
Hana got up from the chair and walked upstairs to change out of her uniform. She came back downstairs in a pink jersey with stars on it, a blue checkered shirt, and red tennis shoes with knee-high socks. She also had her headphones that hooked up to her phone so she could listen to music while she was out. Angela waited at the door for her, kissing her forehead as Hana walked up. “Be safe.” She said. Hana nodded, smiling. “I will.”
As soon as the two exchanged goodbyes, Hana walked out and headed to her grandparent’s house. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far so, it wouldn’t take much time to get there. As soon as she walked around the corner, she saw a car in the driveway with her grandma, Ana, closing the trunk. She looked over, seeing Hana walk up. “Oh, Hana! I was expecting to see your mother.” She said, walking up to her granddaughter and giving her a hug. “Mom asked me to do it for her. She’s getting busy.” Hana explained, hugging her back.
Ana couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “Make sure your parents don’t work too hard or they’ll pass out.”
“I will.” Hana replied, letting out a soft giggle. “So, you just need me to water your plants?”
“Yes. There are two potted plants out here and another two on the patio. I’ll also need you to feed the fish, their food will be by the tank.” Ana explained, walking back up to her car with Hana following her. “Are you leaving already?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yes. Fareeha is waiting for me.” Ana replied, opening the car door and hoping in. “How long will you be gone?”
“Just two weeks. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She buckled up and started the car, ready to leave. “The keys will be under the doormat. Feel free to take them if you wish.” She said. Hana nodded. “Got it, grandma. Have a safe trip.” She said. Ana gave her smile and quick rub on the head before backing up the car. Hana walked back and watch her drive off, waving goodbye. The teen let out a big sigh, walking up to the door. She was glad to see her grandma in a good mood for once but, something felt off. Something she knew Ana would never tell.
Hana kneeled, sticking her hand under the doormat and pulling out the keys. She stuck them in the lock and turned it. Once she heard the satisfying ‘clink’ sound, she opened the door, walking inside the house. Nothing seemed different, it still looked as peaceful and clean as it always had. She then closed the door behind her, sticking the keys in her jacket pocket. “Time to get to work…”
It only took about ten minutes to get all the watering done and once that was done, she walked up the large fish tank that was in the living room. She picked up the fish food, taking just a pinch and sprinkling it over the water, watching the fish swim up to eat. She dusted her hands off after placing down the food. “That was fast…”
She should just leave.
The work is done, there's no reason to stick around.
However, there was something telling Hana that she shouldn’t leave just yet. She decided to walk around, heading into the kitchen. Everything was squeaky clean and everything was in the right place. Suddenly, something caught the corner of her eye. It was a picture frame…
She picked it up, seeing a picture of her grandparents when they were young adults at their wedding. They both look so happy…
Staring at it made Hana feel depressed. “Where did you go, grandpa…” She muttered, rubbing her thumb against the glass.
Suddenly, a cold breeze touched Hana’s neck. She turned around, immediately. Nothing was there.
The only thing she saw was the door to the basement. It was opened, just a crack. Curiosity ate at her as Hana placed down the picture, walking up to the door. “Why is it open?” She asked herself. Did her grandmother leave it open? If so, why would she leave it open?
Words began echoing into her head.
‘Hana. Whatever you do, don’t go down into the basement. Not until you’re old enough.’
Those were the words her grandfather would tell her when she was a kid. Every time she came over to their house, she always wanted to know what was in the basement. What was it that made her grandfather so strict about going down there? Even to this day, she was still pretty curious.
Hana took a deep breath, hoping this wouldn’t come back to bite her in the ass. She opened the door, seeing nothing but darkness. She took out her phone that rested in her skirt pocket, turning on the flashlight. Even with the light, all she could see was stairs. “Here goes nothing…”
She started walking down, feeling a bit of satisfaction just being down here, even though it creeped her out. She finally reached the bottom of the stairs and began looking around with her flashlight. All she saw were boxes, a desk in the corner, and some picture frames the rested against the cardboard. “This is what he was hiding?” She asked in a snarky tone. She couldn’t lie, she was a bit disappointed. She was expecting something much worse than this. She took a few steps forward and heard a crunch. She looked down, pointing the flashlight at the ground to see glass. She also noticed a bit of red at the edge of the light.
She moved the light up, seeing the source. It made her eyes widen.
It was a circle, covered in kanji. The only reason Hana could recognize the type of characters was from all the Japanese games she played. “Wait… is this blood?” She asked, her voice sounding a bit shaky. There wasn’t any sign that it could be paint, it just looked like dry blood. She gulped softly, walking in the middle of the circle and kneeled down to get a better look. The color was too dull and faded to be paint. So many questions raced through her mind. It explained why her grandpa didn’t want her down her but, there were so many things that needed to be answered. Why would this be here? Who left it here? Did her grandparents know about this?
She rubbed her hand against the concrete floor, immediately moving her hand back and letting out a hiss. She didn’t see the bits of glass that were in the middle of the circle and she cut her hand. She looked at it, seeing how deep it was as the blood dripped on the floor. It was as if each drip caused an echo as if she was in cave…
Suddenly, a soft wind began circling around her and she immediately got back on her feet. She looked around frantically, trying to find the source. When she looked back down on the circle, she didn’t see the kanji anymore. All she saw was a giant red eye, staring at her.
Hana felt her heart sink into her stomach. This had to be a dream, right? This isn’t real!
It felt as if something kicked her in the gut as she suddenly got thrown back, hitting the wall behind her. She let out a loud cry, holding her stomach. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. She lifted her head back, watching shadows contort and transform into a figure. It looked human but, also unearthly. It looked like a ninja, drenched in black, with a creepy mask covering his face. It looked at her with red eyes that felt like it burned into her soul. It felt like lungs were going to collapse, she couldn’t move an inch, that’s how terrified she was. Was this it? Was she going to die to this… thing?
It looked around the room, like it was confused and didn’t know where it was. Finally, it spoke.
“What is this place…?”
It sounded male, with a Japanese accent. His voice echoed and verbed.
He looked at Hana, her body tensed up immediately with tears in her eyes. “You… who are you?”
She opened her mouth to try and speak but, nothing came out, as if the words got caught in her throat. Suddenly, he disappeared and reappeared, right in her face. The eyes of his mask stared into her. She felt something sharp against her neck, all she could do was whimper. She could see that it was a sword from the light of her phone that was a few inched away from her. “Speak, mortal.” He said.
“H… H… Hana…!” She finally said, practically forcing the words out. He took the sword away from her neck, putting it back in its sheath. “Hana. So, you’re the one he wanted me to protect.” He said.
“Wait… what?”
He stood up, taking her hand to get her back on her feet. Her legs felt weak, shaking under her weight. Without even waiting for her to follow, he walked upstairs into the light. She followed behind, making sure to pick up her phone. Once they were inside, she shut the door behind her and looked at him, she could see him clearly now. He could easily pass as a ninja from an old movie about ancient Japan. She looked down, seeing her hand again. It had an ugly gash that continued to bleed. She needed bandages or else it would get infected. “Catch.”
She looked up, seeing the man toss something to her. She caught it with her other hand, looking to see what it was. It was gauze. “T… Thanks…” She replied, awkwardly. She got up on the bar, sitting on it as she started to wrap her hand up. He simply stared at her, keeping a good distance away from her. Once it was patched up, Hana looked over at him. She had too many questions that would take forever to answer. Guess she should start with the biggest one. “Who and… what are you?” She asked, trying to keep herself calm. She was still pretty shaken up from their initial meeting. “I am Genji Shimada, a demon from Hanamura Japan.” He explained.
“D… Demon…?”
That was what Hana was thinking he was but, the fact that it was true made her even more terrified. Demons don’t exist, that’s what she thought anyway. However, the circle, the large eye, the shadows, it wouldn’t make sense if he wasn’t a demon. “You seem surprised. I guess the old man didn’t tell you anything.”
“Old man?” She repeated. Was he referring to her grandfather?
“A man had travelled to Japan, to my home, to summon me. He wished for someone, anyone, to protect his treasure. I was willing to do that, in exchange for something else. Many years I had to wait, until the time was right, until the treasure found his secrets. His treasure was his granddaughter, Hana. I suppose that is you.”
That… was a lot to sink in.
She remembered stories her grandfather told her about the trips he went to Japan and all the things he learned. She never thought summoning a demon would be one of them. “My grandpa...? Wait, where is he!? Do you know what happened to him?” She asked, hopping off the bar. Due to the mask, she couldn’t tell if he was simply ignoring her or wasn’t sure what she meant. “He went missing, no one can find him! If you know where he is, tell me!”
He growled, rubbing his head. “Such a headache…” He muttered. “All you need to know is that you’ll never find him.”
Hana’s eyes widen, trying to grasp what he said.
“What…? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?” She screamed. Anger clouded her reason as she picked up a knife from the counter. Before she could react, he appeared in front of her, gripping her wrist. She couldn’t move her arm at all, it was practically frozen. “Don’t do something you’ll regret, girl. He knew the price for his actions and whether you like it or not, I’m here with you forever.” He said, sternly. Tears rolled down her face, letting the knife fall out of her hand and onto the floor. She couldn’t stop herself from crying, it felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Her grandfather was gone, possibly dead, because of her, and she had no idea.
He let go of her, watching her fall to her knees. He didn’t do anything except look at her. “Your grandfather wanted me to keep any and all dangers from you, so you may live your life until your last breath. That is what I plan to do. I will not hurt you.” He explained, kneeling down as he spoke. She looked up at him, tears still running down her face. “What if I don’t want you?”
“It’s not your decision. The deal has already been made and you cannot change it.”
She had no choice, she was stuck with him.
She wiped her face, taking deep breathes to calm herself down. She was angry, upset, and completely torn. “I don’t want to see you near me, got it?” She said to him, shooting him a glare. He got back on his feet, obviously not intimidated by her. “You won’t even know I am here.” He replied.
She pushed him out of the way with her arm, walking out of the house. She wanted to get out of this place, it didn’t feel like home anymore, it felt empty and wicked. She started heading home, her hands in her pockets. From behind her, Genji was following her through shadows, making sure she wouldn’t notice.
Once she got home, she opened the door, hearing her parents talking. She closed the door and was greeted by a friendly voice. “Hey Hana, welcome home.”
She looked up, seeing her dad, Jack, waving at her from the kitchen. She simply waved back at him, walking upstairs to her bedroom. Her parents were surprised to see that. Usually, Hana was happy to see her dad home but, not so much today. “Is Hana alright?” Jack asked, looking over at his wife. “She seemed normal when she came home from school today.” Angela replied.
Their voices became muffled as Hana closed the door to her bedroom, taking a deep breath. She took off her jacket and shoes, falling back on her bed as her body gently bounced on impact. She stared at the ceiling, her head pounding with so many mixed emotions. They were screaming at her but, all she felt was emptiness. Her heart began to ache as she felt like crying again until she heard her door open. She immediately sat up, seeing her dad. “Mind if I come in?” He asked. She simply shook her head. He walked in, closing the door behind him. “What’s up, kiddo? You seem off today?” He asked, his arms folded as he looked at her. “I just... had an exhausting day, that’s all.” She said. She didn’t want her parents to get mixed in with all this demon crap, knowing they’d be scared to death about her. He picked up her bandaged hand, holding it up. “Care to explain this?”
“I… accidentally broke one of grandma’s glasses and it gave me a pretty nasty cut. I’ll be fine, though.” She lied, giving him a compelling smile. Seems like he fell for it, as he smiled back and let go of her hand. “Well, I doubt she’ll miss it. Make sure to be more careful.”
She nodded, rubbing her hand. “Are you going to come down for dinner? Your mom worked pretty hard, she’d be disappointed if you didn’t come down.” He said, rubbing her back. “I don’t have much of an appetite right now… If you leave me some leftovers, I can have it tomorrow for lunch.” She replied. “Sure, kid.”
Jack placed a kiss on her head before getting off the bed and walking to the door. “If you need anything, let me know, Hana.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll be fine, dad.” She said. He chuckled. “Fine. Good night.” He closed the door, leaving her alone again. She sighed, rubbing her forehead. She hated lying to her dad but, she knew it was for the best. “You aren’t the best actress, are you?”
She moved her hand away, looking at her window. It was wide open and Genji was sitting on the sill. She growled, crossing her arm and turning her body to the side. “I didn’t ask about what you thought.” She snapped. “I didn’t need you to ask.”
She could practically see the smug smirk on his face once he said that. “Piss off!” She gripped one of her pillow, throwing it at him. He didn’t even flinch and caught it with his hand. “I’m not going to sleep outside like a dog.” He said, throwing the pillow back on her bed. “Well, I’m not letting you in my bed, perv!”
“I don’t want to be in your bed. Don’t think so highly of yourself.” He replied with a bitter tone. She ignored him, closing her eyes and covering her body up with a blanket. He sighed, stepping into her room and looking around. There was her bed, her desk, her computer chair, and a beanbag chair. He walked up to the beanbag. Guess this will have to do, he thought. He sat down in it, trying to get comfortable. It wasn’t the worst seat he’s been in so, it was bearable. Hana had her back to him, not wanting to acknowledge his existence. Soon enough, she slowly fell asleep.
Her dreams were far from peaceful. They were all nightmares about her grandfather being stabbed by Genji and him turning on her as well. She could barely get through the night and ended up waking up at six am. It wasn’t a huge issue since she had to go to school but, she knew she was going to end up napping in class. She got out of bed and rushed to get her uniform on. She hurried downstairs, seeing her bag on the table, where she left it. She opened it up and tried to get her homework done as quickly as she could. Her whole being was screaming at her to just skip school and go back to bed. She couldn’t though, knowing her mom would be angry. As soon as she got her homework done, she stuffed it in her bag and walked to the kitchen counter to make herself some toast. Once it started cooking, Hana noticed a note on the side of the fridge.
It read; ‘Dear Hana, got called to come to the hospital earlier than usual. Make sure to eat and do your homework. Don’t forget to stop by grandma’s after school. Love you, Mom :)’
Reading that brought a smile to her face. She was glad to have her parents to be her light in the dark. She came back to reality once she heard the toaster ding, telling her it was done. She let it cool down a bit before grabbing a knife and spreading the butter on it. She then stuffed it all in her mouth, not giving much time to really enjoyed it and raced out the door. She almost forgot about the demon that was going to be ‘protecting her’.
As soon as she reached the school entrance, she was greeted by one of her friends. “Hey Hana. You look like you got ran over.”
It was her friend, Olivia, or Sombra, which is the name she uses for all her assignments. Hana never really understood why but, she didn’t bother to ask. “I feel like it.” She replied, rubbing her eye. “Rough night, huh?”
Hana simply nodded, letting out a big yawn. Sombra raised an eyebrow, seeing her bandaged hand. “What happened? Did you get into a fight?” She asked. “I just cut it, don’t worry about it.” Hana replied, nonchalantly. The two started walking into the school together when she noticed something from the corner of her eye. It was Genji, sitting in one of the tree, just watching her. She looked back at him, not too happy to see him at her school. “Uhh… What are you looking at?” Sombra asked.
“Huh? You don’t see him?” Hana pointed at Genji but, all Sombra could see was the tree. “See what? Are you going loco?”
Hana growled, pinching her nose. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was going crazy. “Just forget it.” She huffed, storming into the school. Sombra was concerned for Hana at this point but, followed her inside anyway. Throughout the day, Genji continued to watch over Hana, much to her frustration. She knew this demon was only going to lead to trouble at one point…
The End.