Bitter crimson tears flow from lifeless eyes, and mingle with the endless sands... Bestowing ever greater power upon the demon god. -Gaara from Naruto

***

I woke up gasping clutching the blankets that were spread around me. The nightmares continuing to haunt me each night. The man in a dark cloak coming slowly towards me. The flash of metal reflecting the street light over head. Him whispering something that I am never able to here. I shook my head pushing the dream from my head.

I looked around my dark bedroom seeing nothing but darkness. Bolts of Lighting bring light for only a second before it went black again. I felt the thunder rubble my bed, chasing after the Lightening. I rubbed my eyes, hearing my mother yelling down stairs.

I already knew that it was somewhere near two in the morning, but I looked at my clock just to see that the power was out anyway. I sighed climbing out of bed my baggy pajama pants and shirt clinging to me. I walked to my door and down stairs.

"Meraina!" My mother yelled, her voice shrill.

"I'm here." I answered and she humphed.

I walked down another flight of stairs to the basement grabbing the flash light off the hook on the wall. I flicked it on and looked around the dirt floor room. The house was built in the 1800 so it had a stone foundation. Two beams also held the place up in the middle. I walked by these beams now to where our old generator sat with extension cords sticking out of it.

"Come on baby, you can do it." I mumbled setting the flash light to the side and yanked on the cord.

I did this a couple of times until it wheezed to life. I saw one of the lamps flicker on upstairs and I grabbed the light. I moved spider webs and spiders out of my way as I headed back to the stairs.

Once I got to the top I checked myself for any spiders so as not to scare my mother. I decided I was fine flicking the light off and hanging it back on the nail. I latched the door behind me and turned to look at the old winkled woman sitting on the couch. Her hair just a bush on her head, wiry and gray.

Her brown eyes were sharp though and full of fire. The only thing I wished for her was for her to really rest. Not to consistently wake up in the middle of the night coughing up blood. The cloth in her hand always needing cleaning of it.

I walked over to her taking that cloth now and handing her a clean one.

"Did you take your pills already?" I asked her softly.

"Of course I did." She grumbled.

I nodded and walked over to the jug of water, we always had in case this happened. I poured some in a bowl and rinsed the cloth of the blood.

"Do you have school this morning?" Mother asked, starting to cough again.

"No, I'm on break. I do have work though. I'll be getting out at 7 tonight. I'll make dinner... Unless, you need me home earlier?" I said and looked at her.

"No. What will be for dinner?" Coughing.

"Ham steaks actually. I got them on sell so it'll be a treat." I answered ringing out the cloth.

"That sounds good." She said and I heard her stomach rumble.

I frowned and got up getting her, her bowl of oatmeal that she ate every morning. I walked back to her with it. She took it and the spoon and started to eat.

"I'm going to go get dressed than I'm going to head out. I need to take care of a couple of things before work. Your lunch is in the mini fridge by the couch. Just heat it up for two minutes and then let it cool for about a minute to three." I told her as I hung the cloth on another peg to let it dry.

"Good." Another fit of coughing.

"Call me at work if anything happens. I'll be here in five minutes if you need me." I called to her as I walked up stairs.

I listened to her coughing and I bit my lip. I opened my door grabbing the flash light on another peg outside my door. The room really was only being a closet with a bed and a small dresser with my alarm clock and single window all scrunched together. I changed quickly into a my work clothes which were a pair of old shorts and a black tank top. Than turning grabbing the single hair elastic on the dresser, rolling it onto my wrist as if it was a bracelet.

I walked out of the room my black shoulder length hair trailing after me. I grabbed the sweat shirt from of the wall at the bottom of the creaky stairs. A couple of holes wearing into the gray fabric.

"I love you Mom. I'll see you in a little bit." I called and walked out the old broken door.

The rain greeting me with the first step.

Authors Note:

Yoohoo Haruko here!

Yeah I know. Kind of boring right? I promise it'll get better as it goes. But thank you for reading it even if it was kind of pathetic. :3

I would really enjoy helpful comments. Even if it's just opinion based. Anything is fine. Also sorry for adding the quotes but I feel as though they show you what the chapter is going to be about... even if they are from an anime. I'm sorry again! :D

Thanks again,

-Haruko