Personal Demons: Warning to Mimiru!

Shielding myself from a bright light, I spun around to face Mimiru, “Kazuma!” I gasped, “Where were you!?”

Mimiru looked at me, dumbfounded, “Sassi…I was…right next to you…”

I glanced quickly around the room. The lights were on, the students were all there, and the door to the lobby was still wide open. “But…” Was it a dream? Did I just daydream? My mind flooded with questions-so many questions, but no answers. I scanned the room, searching for the possessed boy. I saw him; he was standing on the other side of the room, reading a pamphlet.

“Sassi…” Mimiru whispered, “You look a little pale…”

I ignored Mimiru and charged towards the boy. He looked up in baffled surprise as I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him to the wall, “What did you do?! Come out you damn monster!” The boy was silent, and he shook as I placed him gently on the ground. He couldn't have been what I thought he was…maybe it was just a dream.

The boy dusted off his shirt, “what was that for?” he said angrily.

I shuffled my feet and turned away glumly, “Sorry, my mistake. I thought you were someone else.”

Mimiru ran up to me, “Sassi, what has gotten into you?! You've been acting strange.”

I pulled her to the corner of the room, next to the janitor's closet, “Listen, I have to tell you something.” I pleaded, “Please, let me explain.”

Mimiru shook her head, “I dunno, Sassi. You've just been actin' weird.”

Suddenly, I felt my body collapse, aches and pains throbbed through my right arm, my chest, and my head. I cried out as I sunk to the floor. The pain from ramming the door, I thought, it's the same pain! I heard Mimiru's shrill voice calling to me; it was so muffled, I couldn't understand what she was saying.

I opened my eyes. The pain was gradually getting less intense. Mimiru stood over me, with a very concerned look, “Sassi…are you hurt?”

I grimaced and forced myself to my feet, “It wasn't a dream…I have to tell you.” I felt my knees shake and I forced them to lock into place. I pushed Mimiru into the corner.

“Sassi…” She looked at me accusingly, “what are you doing?”

Looking her in the eye, I tried my best to stay calm. I struggled to steady my breathing, “I'm gonna tell you something, but you have to promise that you'll believe me.”

“Sassi…” Mimiru gave me a look of distrust.

“You have to believe me!” I demanded, trying not to raise my voice too much.

“Okay!” she spoke loudly.

I covered her mouth and looked back to see if anyone had heard. No one seemed to notice. I looked back at Mimiru, “okay, now that that's been covered…You know that U.F.O. thing?”

She nodded slowly, “Yeah, what about it?”

“Listen,” nervous, I looked back again to see if anyone else was listening in, “That U.F.O… it was a ship-a space ship-like in the movies.” I tried desperately to keep my voice steady, but it shook regardless of my effort.

“Is that what this is about?!” Mimiru gaped, mouth open at me.

I put my hand over her mouth again and looked over my shoulder. No one appeared to be looking, “Listen, I know it sounds crazy…but the aliens…or, rather, extra terrestrials…well, they take over animals' bodies…and then they get as close to a human as possible…and…”

Mimiru scoffed, “Sassi, are you nuts? The U.F.O. joke is off. You're not being funny.” She tried to push me away. I pushed her back into the corner, trapping her. “Sassi, get away!”

I stepped away from the wall and from Mimiru. We stared at each other for a few moments. “…That raccoon…did you see its eyes?”

Mimiru nodded, “red eyes are common in rodents…Sassi, my raccoon is NOT possessed by `aliens'.”

“Didn't you think it was weird that a raccoon would follow you home like that!? The Extra terrestrials get close to humans and soon enough, they take the humans' body! The raccoon is not your friend!” I tried not to raise my voice any more.

Mimiru began to yell, “You said yourself, `it could've followed me home because it smelled food on me'!”

“Well I--!” I paused, “I…was wrong.” I looked down at the floor, “but I'm not joking right now…”

Mimiru sighed, “Sassi, what has gotten into you lately? Ever since that thing appeared…you've been acting really different. I think that's what's gotten to you Sassi.”

“Mimiru, it's gonna hurt you! If it takes your body, I don't know how to get you back!” I felt my eyes sting. I was going to cry, I realized.

With a sudden look of indecision, Mimiru's voice became a shrill whisper, “You…you actually believe this? Who told you these things, Sassi?”

I glanced quickly over my shoulder again, and then turned back to Mimiru, “One of them…that boy over there…” I gestured to the boy who I had slammed against the wall-the boy who, from what I remember, was one of them, “He told me.”

Mimiru scowled, “He was probably playing a prank on you, Sassi.”

“No. He's one of them…the lights went out and everyone else disappeared from the room…and it was just me and him. He told me their plans and how they were going to pull it off.”

She shook her head, “You're an idiot, Sassi. Either that or you're crazy.”

“No.” I insisted, “He told me everything. Mimiru, you gotta believe me!”

“I can't, Sassi. I'm sorry, I can't…” She walked past me without making any eye contact with me at all and joined another group of students.

We all went home right after the field trip. It had ended up taking the entire day-just to learn about a few fish.

I started out the school doors, ready to walk home. I was exhausted from everything that had happened that day. My body still ached. Soon enough, I started limping a bit while walking. Mimiru hadn't said a word to me after what I told her…but what I said was true…wasn't it? I puzzled in my mind-replaying the whole week over and over in my head, revising and recovering every last bit. Nothing seemed to make sense. I couldn't fit anything together. It was as if three puzzles were mixed in the same box-and I had to sort the pieces before putting the puzzles together. I shook my head, maybe I am crazy, I thought. After all, nothing happens in a small town like this-nothing ever will…nothing ever happens in a small town like this…