• A loud high pitch scream echoed down the halls of the apartment waking a few from their rest. People knocked at a young girl's door. The girls eyes opened showing nothing more than pure fright. Her eyes frantically glanced about her room letting out a soft sigh of relief. Her ears caught the sound of the knocking on her door and quietly she climbed off her bed making her way to the door. Her right hand curled into a small fist and covered her mouth as she yawned while her left reached out for the door knob turning it to open the door.

    An eyebrow quirked up as she stared at the figure standing at her door. She eyed him from top to bottom and held back an enormous desire to laugh. She composed herself rather quickly and gave a small smile "I'm sorry if I woke anyone, I had a nightmare" she said softly so as to not disturb any of the others further. The man shook his head and sighed "Natsuke this is the third time this week... you should go see a therapist. Obviously something is tormenting you and attacking your sub-concious. I'm just worried for your health, lack of sleep can take a very heavy toll upon your body... " Natsuke interrupted the man "... And what? make my productivity less fructifying for you?" she quirked up her brow again and crossed her arms.

    She gave a few steps around in her apartment and leaned against the door frame "Look I appreciate the fact that you gave me a place to stay when I had none. I will never forget how you took me into your home and raised me as your own. But I will never forget how you made me into something that I never wished to be. So you can see how my feelings are both mixed and compliacated J" She walked to her bed and sat on it. Jay approached Natsuke and smiled to her taking her small hands in his. "I understand that. I don't ask for anything much other than productivity but if it helps you any I do worry for you child" With a soft nod he walked out of Natsuke's apartment room and trailed down the hall back to his room. Natsuke sighed and laid back in her bed closing her eyes softly drifting off to thoughts she had long forgotten. Mixing in there the same recurring dream that she continued to have night after night.

    Morning came and the sun shined brightly. Though Natsuke felt everything but happy this particular morning. She got out of her bed and fixed it then walked to her bathroom where she freshened up and got dressed and ready to start her brand new day. Standing in front of her mirror she combed her uneven hair with her fingers grabbed her long dark brown trench coat and walked out the apartment. She trailed up and down the streets bumping into people. offering them small kind smiles and apologizing to them. Although she worked as she normally always did she had an un-easy feeling that haunted her. And sometimes when she looked to the dark alleyways she could have sworn that she saw shadows moving about and even heard someone calling her name. Natsuke's left hand went to her forehead shaking it softly. She thought it was nothing more than just tension and leaned against a wall taking a deep breath. Once she felt slightly composed she went back to work.

    Her eyes never looked up to those she took from, not for a single second and passing through an alleyway she heard the faint sound of someone sobbing "a child...?" she asked herself and sighed softly then paced into the alleyway.. "Hello...?" Natsuke called out softly to see if anyone would answer; though no one did. She let out a soft sigh and turned around gasping softly and with a wide eyed expression.

    Standing before her was a small figure no taller than Natsuke's waist. This figure had dull damaged ash brown hair and a broken expression on it's face. Natsuke almost was scared breathless by this figures appearance and swallowing deeply she finally managed to say something... "who...are... you...?
    were... you the one... crying just now....?"

    The figure didn't answer; it just stood there looking up at Natsuke with that sad broken expression until it finally spoke. "They will come for you...and take you where you trully belong...." saying that she walked on down the alleyway leaving Natsuke both speechless and baffled... stopping for a second the figure turned it's head just enough to be able to look over it's shoulder... "but... you are not..." her words were cut short by a sudden disappearance... "Hey WAIT!" Natsuke yelled and reached out her hand running twoards where the figure disappeared.

    She looked all around but found no sight of her and sighed softly then walked back out of the alley where she headed to her apartment to end the work for the day. Maybe the heat was getting to her or just the fact that she had so many worries on her she felt her mind beginning to play tricks on her. Natsuke didn't understand what it was but that image and the figures' words continued to stir inside Natsuke's mind. It seemed to haunt her just like those dreams....

    "Better left forgotten" she said to herself and nodded. "I need some rest..." she walked out of that dark alley and trailed down her way again to her dwelling. Standing at the entrance was Jay who seemingly startled her "Thinking much dear?" Her eyes lifted and she stared him straight in the face "Hm?...Oh it's you... you startled me..."

    Jay stepped aside and let her pass... "Sweetheart if you continue to walk down the streets lost in thought you'll get caught" he gave a half smile and then placed his hands in his pockets..."Now...show me today's production..."


    Natsuke digged into her pocket and pulled out a small pouch... "here..." she tossed it at him and then turned twoards the stairs "You know... hmm... No..." she shook her head "never mind... I'll be in my room...if you need me..." She walked up the stairs and left the rest to him.

    While she was upstairs showering he was there in his apartment counting the money from the taken wallets and inspecting the jewelry she managed to slip off of peoples hands as well as watches and other small trinkets she could easily get her hands on.

    "Well... she's gotten better... I'll give her credit for that." he smirked and placed the money in one place the jewelry in another and disposed of any other evidence that the wallets may have had. Some he kept in case if anyone offered a reward for finding it.

    Natsuke was there in her apartment; she stared out of her window for what seemed to her countless hours. She tried to forget of that occurence but couldn't. Something just wouldn't let her do so. "Who were you and what were you going to say...?" sighing she closed her eyes and fell back on her bed once again drifting into that recurring dream this time listening to a faint whisper that seemed to say...
    "The demons within..."