Ch 2. The wendigo's realm.

CHAPTER 2

The silent atmosphere glommed on everyone as much as the shallow rain did. It's been two days since the accident and the sun wasn't present, no bird's chirped this time around and the snivels and cries 'staged' by the O'Hera family group was all you could hear.

The light shining through the grey clouds made the whole experience of being present feel fluid and shou couldn't care less.

He sat at the front of the many chairs huddled together behind a neatly framed picture of Nao, its radiant pattern of gold and blue stripes attracted nothing but beauty. The picture was placed at the right side of the wooden podium, which was carefully assembled with glossy white and red roses at every corner.

The funeral wasn't meant to be secluded away from everyone, but almost all the present either invited themselves or came to console themselves out of pity.

There was no order to the service, some of the relatives leaned on trees, and their children played by the shrubs.

The elders who sat with the main family wore nothing but the best black for this occasion (As though it were some glorified charity event).

Everyone else' attention was centred on how sad they looked as they wept and not particularly what they came to cry for.

Throughout this ordeal Shou's mother held on his right arm tightly.

Shou was forced to dress for the occasion, he wore a black checked suit with no tie, though he didn't care much about that either. As for today, almost everything went past him, he failed to focus or rather, he wanted to escape the reality he resided in, and fluctuate through the memories he had with his sister.

*

They were 12 years old at the time, and in just a few hours they'd be 13.

Their birthdays were nothing short of amazing;the best money could buy.

A dream for most kids, but growing up with almost everything made life less of a fantasy to the twins, because all that stood between them and their dreams were their words.

This day was no different, what guaranteed this day as a special one…was their words as well.

They could be annoyed and the event would be cancelled… "Where is it!?"

And in this case It would've been.

"Where is it!?" Repeating Noa, she clustered all the designer clothes that were either asked for or gifted to her on the floor and after several minutes of looking- "Ahhh!" She screamed out of frustration.

That particular night, Shou was the first to slowly walk through her door, "*Yawn* what's wrong?" he said, rubbing his eyes all the way to her bed and lazyly sat down.

Noa barely noticed him enter the room, later on speaking, her mind was fixated on her search.

"Hey," As he scratched the back of his head he beckoned for an answer. "What are you doing? it's late you know-"

"Ahhh!" She jumped up in fright. "How'd you get there?"

"Would you stop shouting!" his eyes opened wide. "It's late...why are you yelling?" Noa seemed irritated with her brother's presence and she stomped to the open door. "Hellen!!"

"*Sigh* again.. it's late, everyone's asleep-"

"Shut up Shou! it's her job to be awake!"

"Yeh but… what are you looking for!?"

"Isn't it obvious? My dress isn't here!"

"What!?" Shou gazed at his sister in confusion. " Why is that important now!?"

Noa came closer to him, "For tomorrow you dummy!"

"*Yawn* but can't you just do that tomorrow?"

"No!" She pouted. "I need to see it before then and if you're not here to help then leave!"

Shou laid back quietly, he wasn't ready for a scuffle over a dress. "Whatever." He whispered with a defeated posture.

"H-ell-en!!!" She paced around her room for a while and everytime she thought of the dress she yelled out. "Where the hell is she!?" She muttered.

"Yes ma'am! Is something wrong?" Two women in their forties walked through the door, they wore matching black night gowns, and seemed alarmed, but why wouldn't they be? It was the middle of the night and a tantrum was to blame. "You called." Said Hellen, standing ahead of her associate with a crude deminer.

"Where's my new dress!?"

Hellen's eyes pincered with haste and shou got up to observe their reactions.

"Ma'am I think we'll look tomorrow-"

"I asked you a question! Not your opinion!"

She strode to her bed and folded her legs when she sat. "I want to see it before tomorrow's-"

"Miss Noa, I beg you to be polite." Hellen talking over the child was valid in her eyes and she wasn't about to indulge being at the receiving end of a 12 year old's tantrums.

Noa quickly threw a pillow at the helper, and Hellen's eyes were filled with anger. "Now you listen-"

"Don't try to raise me!! That's not your job you old hag! If you have complaints go to my mom, or leave. I don't care, But all I know is that your job is to bring my dress here."

Hellen took a step forward, with the intent to slap Noa across the face… although her associate held her by the hand and nodded with a frown.

"We'll look in the laundry room." reassured the other helper as she gently pulled Hellen away from the room… I guess her job wasn't worth one slap.

Noa watched the two women walk away, "Sheesh it's hard to get good help these days." She started and walked to the heap of clothes in her closet to continue her searching… The room was quiet, a few moments passed before a word was said.

"Why do you lash out like that?"

"I don't," she sighed as she looked on. "look… this is her job, right? she's not a person as far as I'm concerned… I'm not the one who told her to take the job, besides, they want money, set limits otherwise they'll crawl into your lifestyle like that *snap* and start asking for favours."

Shou scrunched his face and moved to the edge of the bed. "What's wrong with that? being mean isn't the only way to-"

"Shou," she cut, digging deeper into the large closet and throwing more clothing on the floor. "They want to be prioritised, thinking about myself like they do isn't bad, is it? When they see us they think about money or whatever.. So why not act like money does;it's not mean, it's straight to the point and only hard working people know it's true value…"

"*Sigh*you're just looking for an excuse to yell!"

"No I'm not! what I do sometimes is better than shutting my mouth like you; mr robot."

"Robot!?" He repeated, with a high tone. "I'm.. look, I'm not like you?"

"Speaking your mind doesn't mean you're me… saying what you're truly thinking is showing the real you and also some people become hypocrites by staying quiet…"

(Wait, am I a hypocrite?) Shou pondered for a few seconds but steadily understood what she meant.

"Just try it.. it's great-YES!!" Noa ran out the closet with an embezzled long white sleeveless dress. "I found it!!"

Her laughter and excitement lit up the whole room and Shou was intrigued by her smile that just gracefully appeared.

And he couldn't help but smile too. "Good job Noa.."

*

Shou smirked slightly, failing to understand why that memory continued to run through his mind.

He recollected for hours at a time, his emotions persisted to make him feel worse and worse, he was furious, depressed and disturbed and his tears were a fraction of all the pain exhibited.

His grieving mother held him tighter with every minute gone by, her caramel skin was pale and her blond hair was soggy, she didn't have time to clean it and perhaps that's why she tucked it in a black bonnet.

The extended relatives spoke their written regards… Even before his mother could.

"Oh, my- this is a hard day for all of us."

"I still remember her smile!" Said another relative, who probably never met her, but decided to say just about anything.

"Nao… was a brave young girl."

(How would you know!) He thought.

grazing at the photo once more, shou couldn't help but gaze at the empty seat by his mother's side.

(To hell with that bastard too!) He thought, clenching his fist and his body was shaken. (He can't even make it to his daughter's funeral!) His mother's soft touch slowly unravelled the fist and held her hand into his.

".. Don't," her eyes were puffy, she probably cried more than her son did.

"He'll make it in due time." she whispered.

"*Sigh* I love you sweetie, hope you can rest now… Thank you all. " An applause followed right after the sentiment, this funeral felt more like an act, the clapping resonated through Shou's mind and his patience wavered thin.

(Is this some joke to them!? Nao is gone and they clap-) his mother held his hand tighter as though she knew what he felt… and perhaps she did.

"Don't," She whispered. "just ca-lm down… Please Shou."

One of the male relatives approached her and spoke with a light smile."Why don't you… say a few words Martha?"

She stood up and her heart rate spiked with eachstep and everytime she got closer and closer to the front of the crowd old memories would flood her mind even quicker.

Regrettably the weather wouldn't allow her to breathe properly, she didn't have strength to stand, but she toppled onto the podium anyway… Martha was given the silence to speak, she looked at the large picture frame and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

"A-ah… I-" She failed to speak clearly, every sentence she tried to counger was heart wrenching, but that finally grabbed their attention, and with one deep breath, she said the only thing present in her mind… "Um,*sniff!* I-i" nothing was there to be said, frankly Martha couldn't put into words. "I'm so-sorry, please..." So she broke down instead…

Gnashing his teeth, Shou stood up and strode towards his mother's side. "Enough," he whispered. "... mom, I've got this-"

"Shou,No-" she insisted.

"Please! Trust me," … Martha knew Shou well enough to expect just about anything from him, she was disconcerted by the outcome but her weakness caught the best; she couldn't retaliate.

The chance to say just about anything was given, yet Shou wasn't sure whether to give a speech to compensate for his mother's behalf or to recite a heartfelt note… but knew something had to be said, his throat felt dry and he took in a whizzy breath.

"You should… All go to hell!"

"Shou!" Yelled Martha.

"No mom! These people are nothing but ass kissers for Dad-no, Mr.O'hera!"

The murmurs, grasps and snares crossed the atmosphere.

"Aren't you ashamed! How can you let a woman, who just lost her own child! stand up here and play along with your wims, huh!? Just because some of us share the same DNA, doesn't mean you can come to this funeral and have your way! Latter own pretend to care about us! If you expect a reward for coming here go to the man you followed for the fucking money!

"if you came here to pity us! then get out of here!! We don't need your pity!!" His rage condensed into tears that clouded eyesight. "Leave us alone!!!"

"Shou," His mother grabbed onto him. "Please stop." her mouth quivered as she held his head to her chest. "Son, enough." she pressed her eyelids together and a string of warm tears fell.

The relatives murmurs carried on, feeling displeased by the remarks and their faces clearly illustrated how unconcerned they were about the death.

Matha led her son back to their seats and hugged him tighter than before.

"Ahhhh!!!!" Shou let out a scream so loud, his head felt dizzy when he stopped. (This hurts…) He thought. (I'm sorry Nao… ) The loud murmurs of the unfiltered congregation filled his mind as he rocked back and forth in his mother's arms. (I'm sorry for all of this! But please, please don't leave me alone… please!!)

***

11:55.

United Kingdom, London.

Grey skies illustrated over the city of London, the streets were utterly calm but lively as ever.

The Beckham international hotel stood 10 stories tall, it was astonishing and the luxurious exterior and interior design was detailed with perfection.

A muscular figured male in black leather shoes and a black four piece suit, lay down on a white couch, that sat right next to a glass coffee table.

A white towel gently rested on his face and he seemed as peaceful as ever.

He lay still in an office laced with an open open view, which allowed the calm grey like hue to reflect through the office.

A desk alongside a swivel chair was placed by the large window and the silicon wall paint resonated a calm effect to the modern style office.

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

"Come in!" Ordered, the man.

A tall man walked through the door of the enclosed office with a phone in his hand, his whole appearance had a neat facade to it, his brown skin matched the buzz cut that was recently done. He wore a black dalce over his white shirt and black Kacie trousers.

"M-Mr. O'Hera." He said, with a stumbling speech pattern, provided over a distraught facial expression. "…The news arrived late to us, I'm sorry sir but, Miss Noa…"

***

Walking through the empty halls of a mansion is one of the loneliest feelings a person can encounter… when something that made it a home is taken away, your left with nothing but the things inside it… and suddenly the things within that wide, expensive, luxury feel worthless, and your quickly obligated to deal with the crippling emptiness that covers your heart with utter deference, until your mind turns the place you once called a home into a shackled prison…

Perhaps that's where Shou was heading and perhaps that's how he would see things after sometime.

Unlike his mother he wasn't ready to go outside today, he wore a grey track bottom and a plain black T-shirt.

Trudging through the hall filled with decorative art, under the marble floors Shou walked on, the drapes and curtains were closed; it was a miracle to see light pass through the house around this time and it only made the lifelessness from his eyes and body evident.

"Oh.." he said. "I didn't realise.. I walked right to her room.."

He stood by her door and knocked on it as though expecting it to open. "Um, hey," he knocked on it again. "Can I come in?" He lowered the tone of his voice, holding the door handle tightly and his thoughts scattered. (C'mon, just open it!) He told himself, gritting his teeth. (Just-!!)

Shou had managed to only open the door slightly, and a daisy-like fragrance practically leaped through the room when he stepped in.

Everything was left just about the same as before, although the room was dark, he remembered her queen sized bed closer to the windows but it was around the centre shining brightly with the yellow covers… It was a bit strange to see the floors not clustered with clothes, (The helpers must have put them away..)

She spent hours sitted by the dresser before going just about anywhere, it was placed by the left side of the door and the mirror reflected the bed clearly. 'It's my favourite thing in this room' she'd say.

He slowly took in the air of the room, before he sat on the bed, and lazyly dropped on the comfortable surface, rustling around the covers and wrinkling them before laying on his back. "She would never allow me to do this-" his tears were prone to come around, he covered himself with the blanket and curled into a ball. (I-i can't…) His painful sobbing reached the very corners of the room, his stomach felt twisted, the mucus plugged his nostrils, he couldn't help but Cry out more and more. (*Niff* What n-now,*niff* Don't leave me..)

It hurts… Shou felt alone again, but he found great comfort in her room, his body felt heavier and his eyes frivolously clamped down. "What, am I supposed to do-"

He was quiet, before he swad away to an unconscious state and drifted off to sleep.

**

"Sh-sh-o.."

(Huh!)

"S-H-O-U!!!"

"huh!?" Shou sat up, his body was suddenly at high alert and his heart beating vigorously was all he heard. "...Was that a nightmare?" he muttered, unravelling himself from the blanket. "I-can't remember-"

Shou rubbed his eyes and his left arm was drenched in blood, his heart stumped through his body and his mind swearled. "*Pant* what, *pant* is this?"

His arm started to shake in pain as the excess amounts of blood splat across the floor.

Shou stumbled across the room and his eyes widened when he gave a glance upon the mirror.

HELP ME HELP ME SHOU

PLZ FIND ME

The text was scattered across the mirror and wall… and shou's blood served as its ink.

HELP ME

The fear dropped Shou to his knees as he read the rest of the text on the walls the colour from his face disappeared.

"IT'S NAO." he whispered, trembling at what he just recited off the walls.