• Shinda, Hitodama
    (Death of disembodied soul.)
    What becomes of the soul after death, what happens to the body after the soul has left?
    “Tamashii, all you’ve done ever since then is stare at this tree and watch the blossoms fall season after season if I didn’t know any better I would think you’ve died inside.” The girl looked on past the comment and wiped the tears from her eyes she knew she lost a piece of her, she felt it but that was her price. “You don’t understand the blossoms are him, they’re all I have right now and I’m not letting him go this time.” Her history was bleak; her curse was even more terrible but the problem wasn’t Tamashii at the moment it was Shinda. The history of this man was old and ragged like the wind that ran through the cherry trees. The warrior was of great strength and of great love; Shinda came in the form of a glass eye and a tangled end to her.

    “Don’t touch what is not yours young lady” Came the sappy voice of a white faced geisha “They say that painting is enchanted with the feelings of hate and murder with that they say if you stare at it for too long you as well become filled with anger for your first and only love.” The young walking artist poked a small Tamashii on the head and walked her off to bed. Kneeling beside the scared servant’s beside the geisha spoke” If you touch it again you’ll pay for it and I don’t mean in yen, goodnight girl.” Golden light swirled around Shinda’s feet pulling him down and smothering him deeper.”SHINDA.” She yelled but no voice came from her lips, no sound, she couldn’t speak. They’ve gotten worse every night a stranger invaded her dreams, she knew his name but she knew not of him. Tamashii was a nothing in this house, she cleaned and dressed other girls but never was she ever as beautiful as the graceful lilies that walked so still in the snow.

    “You’ll never be as strong as you should boy.” Tye kicked Shinda’s back which was followed up by a sharp strike to the neck with a stick.” You’ve been distracted for awhile now is this room suitable my prince?” Shinda rose to his knees and studied the arena. “Father it’s the painting, dare I battle in front of a lady she seems to know me.” The picture hung above his weapon rack and taunted him; she seemed to see right through him. “You’ll never be good enough to carry on your country.” Tye stalked away from the arena leaving Shinda in his insecurity. “I can’t do this anymore.” He threw back his sword with a quick flick and released. A smash came from behind the boy and he spun on his heels. He knew of stories about this girl he had dreams about her ``Tamashii`` he whispered. She was said to be the one and only spirit trapped inside of glass “the picture” Shinda’s eyes widened as the portrait fell to the floor and smashed in a flurry of yellow and red shards. A scream erupted from the face down painting, he ran to the picture blinded by pain and light.

    Enthralled she knew what she was doing was wrong but she wouldn’t stop, Tamashii didn’t understand why a blank painting was so important to Aiko. The tiger with a temper is what they called her she was respected and known for making her enemies disappear. “What, I told you baka, I told you to stay away.” Tamashii backed up in fear of Aiko she felt her eyes close and heat build around her it was the light again that gold light it streamed from her and left her limp.” Tamashii you’re destined to be stuck behind glass, always beautiful and always watchful but never touched, see how I told you the painting would fill you with anger.” Aiko giggled and hung the pained soul on her wall, laughing she shuffled away with one last remark, “the boy your fond of is your price to me since you wrecked my painting you’ll fall in love with him but he’ll hurt you, in time you’ll come to repay him.” Tamashii was living in a way, she could see and hear but she couldn’t talk no matter how loud she screamed. Her soul was trapped on display as it stayed for years. The building was left, the moss grew and the stone took the place by force pushing walls and wooden floors against each other in a war for dominance. The girl watched as her home turned to forested land. Tamashii stayed alive long enough to watch Kanto become ruled by the king and his son. She watched over Prince Shinda and fell in love with him just as Aiko cursed she would but along with that she also couldn’t voice her dedication to him, she just hung on his wall.

    “SHINDA!” She yelled but once again no voice, no recognition breaking from her glass prison she felt the shards of glass cut at her harshly and some break loose. Finally her voice returned to her body that lied on the floor `` Shinda...I’m sorry`` with her curse known to her she saw the boy with his hands over his eye, red pouring from beneath his fingers. ``The girl...it`s her. `` Shinda ran to the girl lying on the ground impaled with shards and broken beneath the frame, ``It was you all along Tamashii. `` Tamashii picked up a free shard beside her. Soulless and cursed she reached behind the boy and ended his rule, as if too show his release Shinda was enveloped by the light not by choice but by the tiger’s control. Free from her shackles she returned to her servant life obeying only the cherry trees outside her temple.
    The irony of man's condition is that the deepest need is to be free of the anxiety of death and annihilation; but it is life itself which awakens it, and so we must shrink from being fully alive.