Age: 18
Appearance: Long dark brown hair up in a pony with a ribbon, brown eyes, beige skin, red knee-length dress over a white blouse
Personality Traits: Responsible, hard-working, optimistic; superstitious, self-critical, shy
The Space Cauldron
Alone in the darkness of her apartment, Suzume waited, curled up by the window, swathed in a large blanket with a canister of salt open on her lap. Her teeth chattered on and off, as her eyes darted nervously around the room, searching every shadow for danger. Every so often she would peer through the blinds to survey the outside, only to recoil from the bright light and settle back into her chair, blanket wrapped around her more tightly than ever. She resembled a chrysalis, with only her face exposed to the gloom. She sunk deeper into herself.
Time passed slowly, as it had for the last forty two hours. She tried to stop looking at the clock on the wall, but even so could not resist a glimpse every now and then. Now seemed like an okay time to check. Another hour or two should have slipped past at least. She glanced towards the clock. Her stomach dropped when she saw the time. It had only been twenty minutes since she last looked. Suzume looked away again, and tried to think about something else. Visions of bats fluttered around in her mind. With a sob, she buried her face in her hands. Nevermind, don’t think, stupid. That proved to be considerably more difficult.
The day continued to crawl by. Suzume took to glancing at the window and the clock less and less. Her mind turned numb from terror and exhaustion. At some point her chin began to drop towards her chest. Her eyelids drooped and her teeth stopped their clattering. She shivered only occasionally, as her mind wandered to less frightening, and more abstract realms. The blanket she wore embraced her in warmth. At last her eyes closed. She descended into darkness.
Minutes ticked past. Breathing steady, Suzume had slipped into a light doze. The blanket shifted from her shoulders. A bit of drool formed around her mouth. Suddenly she lurched awake with a squeak.
Eyes wild, she surveyed the room in a panic. How long had she been asleep for? How many days had passed? Had anyone snuck in? Had the bats found a way in? Had she been bit? Her hands went to her neck. She patted all around it, feeling for any kind of blemish. The skin was smooth. Trembling, she lowered her hands back into her lap. Somehow she had been spared. She could not afford to lower her guard again though. She reached for the cold cup of tea beside her chair, shaken by her close call. Literally. As she brought the cup to her lips, her hands spasmed and the tea splashed down her front.
It was almost enough to bring Suzume to tears.
Swallowing self-disgust in place of tea, she returned the teacup as well as the salt to the table and disentangled herself from the blanket. She held it up in front of her, examining the spill. She would need to wash it, but first she had to regard the mess and face her own disappointment. There was nothing like personal shaming during a time of crisis.
Getting to her feet, Suzume scurried across the room, towards the bathroom to throw the soiled blanket into the hamper. With her arms and feet now exposed to the chill air, she felt goosebumps rising on her skin. Hurriedly she tossed the blanket into the basket and turned to leave. As she did, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror.
The two days she had spent cooped up inside her home had taken their toll. Her hair was filthy and lank, and dark circles showed under her eyes from lack of sleep. Suzume paused, musing. It could not hurt to clean up a little… She turned on a light. The fluorescents flashed to life immediately. The sudden light left her blinded. As her eyes adjusted, she saw herself in the mirror. She let out a shriek and staggered back.
Pale. Her skin was pale.
Frantic, she tried to recollect what the symptoms were. Sensitivity to light, fatigue, lower body temperature… As she stared back at her reflection, it all fell into place. Somehow she had become afflicted. Suzume slumped to the floor, to shocked too feel horrified or despair. The realisation left her numb. She buried her face in her knees, sniffling. Soon, she too would disappear.
It would only be when she awoke several hours later that she would realise all she needed was a solid eight hours of sleep and a meal that did not consist of prepackaged mochi balls.
