"Ahhhh."

I wake up screaming in the middle of the night like in those scary horror movies.

A thundering heart, the familiar smell of sweat, the vivid images of a nightmare that refuses to fade.

The hair that sticks to my neck like tiny creeping claws are peeled away by my trembling fingers.

When I widrew them in the night lights, they are dyed in deep crimson, nails dripping fresh blood.

I was wrong to fall asleep.

A whimper leaves my lips and I fumble off the bed heading to the bathroom.

When the lights hit, I gaze down to my hands without a speck of the blood spilled.

The relief I felt was only fleeting before nightmare replayed. With each blink my reality changed as I screamed wanting for it to stop.

I knew deep down that I had woken up, that it was over but my mind was still fussy.

Gingerly turning the knob I let myself soak to the skin in the shower and scrub away at my hands wishing it could wash away those gruesome scenes.

The girl in the mirror stared back at me, her eyes bloodshot, hair disheveled, her cheeks and nose painted red with her cries.

Don't I look gorgeous.

Not bothering to change clothes, I near the wooden chair in the corner and manage to balance my curled up self.

Every light in the room was now lit and I stared at the walls hoping to stay awake, willing myself to not think of him.

But I was failing, the tremors of fear began to overtake my body as I lodge onto the memories.

In a spontaneous decision, I run over to the cupboards and pick a backpack big enough to carry a blowup pillow and blanket.

I kick off my indoor-sandals that squeaked from being wet and adorned a pair of sneakers without the patience to put right the laces and the bedroom window was creaked open. Dazed and uncaring about the noise I made, hurried across the slanted roof and barely made it across to the spiral tree.

The streetlights leads me till the boundary line of the temple premises and then on the moonlight keeps me company. Through the forest that was fast asleep, I begin to run. As if a blood thirsty demon sought me out with the desire to gnaw on my bone.

When the temple bathed in silver hue appears, I gain a piece of clear sky amidst a storm. My each breath form a soft cloud in the chilly night and I braze myself to jump.

The mystic doorway lets me through into a world that promised me warmth and peaceful sleep.

Without a thud I land and immediately unpack the blanket I brought and drape my shivering self. But I am unable to settle down when I hear someone call my name in suspicion.

Frantically I pull myself up, but did not move as fast towards the source. In slow cautious steps I leave my belongings in a bundle to step into a clearer view, and there over a hundred yard away, the God the Underworld in ceremonial attire and crown stood, flanked closely by Izumi whose face appeared paler adorning dark hues.

They stare at the one emerging from the forgotten gateway in one shoe, her damp hair ridden with fragments of forest life.

With lips slightly parted in soft pants and cheeks burning from a fever, the familiar smiling face was weighed down in gloom and grief.

My legs take off on their own and with tears obstructing my vision and sobs drowning out all wordly sounds I run through the windy planes.

Past the god of the Underworld to an unsuspecting old friend who extends his arms from habit as I latch onto him and dare not let go after.

The small movement of clenching fists went unnoticed.

"I am sorry.... I am so sorry." The sobs were uncontrollable as I succumb to guilt and his hesitant hands tighten.

"Rain. Rain.." he repeated my name in assurance, like urging a cat to climb down a tree.

He utters soothing words and I calm as his efforts pay off. Gingerly his finger touch my puffed eyelid and I finally open my eyes up to his grey orbs.

" You have to let go now." Izumi says but make no motion to retreat away.

"No." My hands dig into the fabrics.

"Please." The sadness the word held almost loosened my grib, but I held on.

"I won't...I can't have that h

"Please." He repeats and hypocritically lean down inhaling long and hard rest his chin on my shoulder.

"I won't let me go."

His palms flat over my spine grew frosting cold as he says. "You are so cruel."

I whine as squeeze me tight about to let me and in the moment of panic, I refused to stand up on my on two feet. Letting my body limp, I force him to hold onto me willing to play pathetic to make him stay.

"Don't be like this." His eyes were closed as he bumbs his forehead against mine and lingered as if savouring the touch.

In shwift movement I am up in arms but to my dread gives me away to another pair of hands without a word.

Trying to hold him was like trying to grab onto water he slips further away and the hands that holds in secure yet loose hold turn to a crushing grip.

"Rain...."

"Why can't you stay?" I cut him off screaming and he holds onto composure but almost takes a step forward.

"Listen to me Rain..my reasons for now, you wouldn't be able to understand. But I promise I will explain, so Rain please.."

"Trust me...the way you used to." He looked like a man running out of time and something in his gaze scared me of the future.

I had nothing to say and only merely nodded as he moves further away.

"Wait for me."

He disappeared and numb to the bones I no longer cried only staring at the blades of grass glazed over in frost where he stood. And somewhere along the silence I dozed off.

A chilly wind nudge me closer to my source of warmth and like clockwork his hands easily adjust to the change in posture.

I was like a guinea pig in a glass ball, my limbs and body were mine to control but the world I inhibited wasn't my own.

My eyes open to his medallion, it intricate designs hard to sketch. Slowly I gaze up to haw hard set in anger.

Sensing my unapologetic stares, he glance down and instantly find my assumption proved right to a fault.

Like firefires in the pitch dark his eyes shone in retrained fury. And half awake, I curl myself around him wanting to comfort.

The arms that embrace me for once falters, struggling to keep hold.

When the small animal he held finally settles back to the position she deemed fit he sighs, reverting to his calm self.

"Reckless." He leans to blow off a stray strand of her hair away from her moist lashes.

And as my consciousness slips into the realm of sleep, I find myself dreaming of the rising sun under a cloudless sky beside a King with amber eyes.