Personal Demons: Contact

I sat in the corner of the clubhouse, hugging my knees to my chest. Sweat streamed down my forehead and dried with my tears as I chanted, staring wide-eyed at the drawings on the floor, “I can't take it anymore; I can't take it. I can't take it anymore; I can't take it. I can't take it anymore; I can't take it. I can't take it anymore; I can't take it. I can't take it anymore…” I gulped, speaking faster each time, “I can't take it…” Finally, I grabbed my hair and shut my eyes, screaming, “I can't take it anymore!!!”

I got up clumsily, laughing, holding my head in my hands, “What do I do…?” I cackled manically, “What to do now?” My laughter shifted back and forth from sadness to udder confusion. I didn't know what the hell I was laughing about…maybe I had finally cracked…

I stumbled over to Kazuma's body, still laughing, but sobbing as well, “Mi-Mimiru…Mimi…ru…” I tore the blanket off of her corpse and stared at her pale face. Coughing and laughing, I scooted myself next to her and propped myself up, leaning against her and the wall, “What do you think? Should I do something to save myself? Or should I die next to you?” I sobbed, “I don't want to leave you…and I really have nothing to live for…” I choked, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. My cracked lips shook as I pressed them against her icy skin. This is where I wanted to be…with Mimiru…this is my reality…

I blinked. Sunlight peered through a crack in the ceiling of the clubhouse. Yawning, I stretched and scratched my back a little, looking around lazily. The clubhouse seemed a lot cleaner and neater this morning. It was as if someone had cleaned it in the night. I looked down at Mimiru. Her body must have fallen over last night, because her head lay in my lap. In the light, she didn't look nearly as pale. This cheered me up; seeing her like that was almost like seeing her alive again. Gently, I picked her head up and moved, replacing my lap with a small pillow.

I stepped out onto the porch and stretched again. It had been really peaceful the last forty-two hours or so…jeeze…had it really been almost two whole days? I stood up and climbed down the latter into the clearing, “Weird…still not even a sign of any wild animals…not since the raccoon…” I stopped short. I almost screamed when I saw it: the raccoon…it was laying outside on a tree stump. Flies feasted on its filthy corpse. I hadn't moved it…had I? I didn't think I did…

“Tsukasa, get away from that thing. You could get sick standing next to a dead animal like that!”

I whirled around in shock, “What?!”

Mimiru stood on the porch with the blanket rapped loosely around her, “I said you'd get sick, stupid.” She smirked.

I backed away from the raccoon and walked slowly towards Mimiru, “Is…is this a dream?”

“Do you think it is?” she laughed, “what's the matter, you weirdo?”

I gasped, “You…you were…the aliens…they…”

Mimiru laughed again, “Oh…you thought I was dead? Ha! No way!”

I laughed and smiled, relieved, letting her continue.

“There's no way in hell those stupid Martians can bring me down!” she struck a dramatic pose, “You've got to be kidding! Those buttheads can't beat good ole Kazuma Mimiru!!”

I laughed again, climbing the ladder quickly. I leaped up over the last step and threw my arms around Kazuma, “Oh, thank you…thank god…”

“Hey now,” she patted my back, “don't go all religious on me…I like how you're atheist; it makes you so interesting.”

I laughed, “Okay…” I hugged her tighter, “I…I'm just so relieved! I really thought I lost you! You were out for, like, two days! And your skin was cold and you weren't breathing…” I sobbed, “I was so scared…”

Mimiru buried her face in my chest, “So…were you the one that stopped the alien…? I woke up because I heard a noise outside…it was almost sunrise, so I didn't think it could be anything bad…so I went outside and…that's the last thing I remember…”

“It was one of them…” I shut my eyes, recreating the image in my head, “It was your body…but it had gross, wrinkly skin and big red eyes. I threw a penny in its mouth and that's how it died I guess…and I was certain that you had died too.” I pulled away and looked her in the eye, “but what I don't understand is how it got inside you-the alien from the aquarium field trip said that they can't possess people who know that they're there…”

Mimiru nodded in agreement and then took a moment to think about it, “…Well…I think that it's because, technically, I didn't know it was an alien. I thought it was just a wild animal.”

I gasped and sighed, sitting down on the porch, “Hmm. So now we literally have to watch our backs for everything that moves; as if this wasn't annoying enough.” I grunted, using a small twig to clean the dirt from under my fingernails.

“Your world has really gone topsy-turvy on you, hasn't it Sassi?” Mimiru muttered glumly, “You never believed in any of this stuff-let alone did you expect that it could affect you in any way…”

I looked down, remembering my mother's words, “Yeah, yeah…you don't have to live in a big town to see the world's biggest events. I know, I know, so don't give me that `I told you so' crap.”

Mimiru sat down next to me, “I wasn't…I just…I pity you that's all. Everything that you, as a person, believed in…has been proven wrong.”

I stood up just as she finished, “C'mon. There's a radio tower in these woods, remember? Its abandon, but we can probably use the equipment to call for outside help.”

Brushing her school uniform off, Mimiru stood too, and began climbing down the ladder, “Yeah, you're right. But I'm starving! Can't we run into town and grab something to eat first?”

“No,” I snapped, “they'll be right there, waiting for us. Suck it up.”

We headed in the direction we figured was north, where the radio tower should be…but we didn't see anything but forest for a few hours. We stayed utterly silent the whole way. It's funny…I was so happy to see Mimiru alive and well, but I really had nothing to say to her. I could have told her about my weird dream…but no…I didn't want to even think about it until I discovered what it meant.

Could it be perhaps that one of my dream theories was right? Did I really go to another world…? Tsukasa's world…that would mean that I have two separate subconscious' right? If I am not Tsukasa…then where is Tsukasa? If that was his world, then how come he wasn't there? Does he look different than I do or something…? I still don't understand.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound surrounded the area. I heard Mimiru's muffled scream as she covered her ears, but I didn't cover my own; instead, I looked around, trying to find the source of the noise. I found myself breathing uncontrollably; I was shaking all over. I reached out and linked my arm with Mimiru's, so I wouldn't lose her somehow. The buzzing grew louder and louder, making my head pound even harder than my heart. I heard another scream, but it wasn't Mimiru's…it was my own voice.

Mimiru and I fell to the ground, both covering our ears now, though it didn't really seem to help. The buzzing still increased in level; I was sure it would damage my ears; but still I kept my eyes open, on the lookout for them.

Soon enough, the whole town emerged from the trees, followed by a dark haze. I screamed at Mimiru, telling her to look, but she didn't hear me; I didn't even hear myself. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up. She took the message and began to run. It seemed like we were still going north, but I don't think either one of us knew.

As we ran further, the buzzing noise gradually disappeared, making it easier for us to hear. Finally, when I could hear my breath, I turned to look at Mimiru, who kept neck and neck with me, “Do you think that we accidentally headed west instead of north?!”

She shook her head frantically and then looked back to see if they were following.

Sure enough, the whole crowd approached, gaining on us slowly. But they weren't walking…they were just…floating!

“Aw, this is just great!” I huffed, “They don't even have to work at it…they'll catch up in no time!”

Mimiru stopped and pointed, “Look, Sassi!”

I stopped a few yards in front of her and peered above the trees: the top of the radio tower was visible. I looked back at Mimiru and we exchanged glances, and then ran as fast as we could in the direction of our sanctuary.

As soon as I reached the ladder, Mimiru was already half-way up. Meanwhile, the buzzing sound began to increase again.

Mimiru opened a trap-style door at the top and hopped out of sight. I followed as quickly as I could and when I reached the top, I looked below to see the monsters scrambling up after us, “Kazuma!” I shrieked, not sure what to do.

“You grab the radio,” she said shutting the trap door and locking it, “I'll try and keep them out.”

I looked into her eyes sadly, “Kazuma…”

She glared at me, her eyes watering, “Just do it already!”

I screamed into the radio, desperately, hoping they could make my voice out, “Help us! Is anyone out there?! If anyone can hear this, please help!” Nothing but static. I could hear my best friend Kazuma Mimiru gasping and crying, trying to keep them out. Her weight couldn't keep the trap-style door closed though. They would get in very soon. I turned the radio up and screamed at the top of my lungs into the microphone, “Help us!! Anyone! Please!” I began to cry as I heard Mimiru scream out in pain, “Don't let her die-I've got to save her!!” I put down the radio and ran to take Mimiru's place on the door, “Take the mike.” I cried.

Mimiru ran to the other side of the old, crooked radio tower, making the floorboards creak violently. She picked up the radio and shrieked as loud as she could, “Please, God!! Help us!”

Suddenly, Mimiru's face lit up as a voice came on from the other side of the radio, “Hello?” they said, “Are you there?”

Mimiru laughed triumphantly, “Yes! Yes, we're here! Can you help us? This is going to sound crazy, but…”

The man on the other end cut her off, “Are you safe? Is anyone hurt? How many of you kids are there?”

“Um, yeah, we're okay, but the door won't hold much longer…they'll get in soon. There are two of us, but our whole town is in danger…they've all been…possessed by these…well see, there was a U.F.O. landing and since then, people have been…” She tried to find the best words to explain it all.

The man cut her off again, “Yes, I know. It's happening here in Seattle as well. Aliens, right?”

Mimiru nodded as if he could see her, “They're here…we don't know what to do…” the table that the radio was sitting on was shaking, due to them trying to knock the tower over. The radio fell and turned off. Mimiru panicked and glanced at me, “Sassi!”

I struggled to keep the door down. The iron latch was cracking, “Here, keep it down for me!” We switched places again and I took the radio and turned it back on.

Immediately, the man's voice was crying, “Hello?? Hello?!”

I answered, “I'm here!”

“Did you hear me?”

“I'm here!” I yelled.

The man slowed his talking, “Okay, listen carefully. They're allergic to an element called zinc. It's found in pennies and…”

I cut him off, noticing that the latch on the door had completely shattered, “Thanks!” I slammed the microphone down and ran towards Mimiru to help her. Just then, the door burst open, sending pieces of wood flying. I grabbed Mimiru and we jumped from the tower into a nearby tree.