Fallen by A.Raven.Fang

Prologue

Fallen

Prologue

Storm clouds.

Thunder.

Rain.

The sky was weeping.

As it let forth its sorrow, she couldn't help but think the numbness in her chest was unnatural. She should be the one crying – not the clouds. But she could shed no tears. As her eyes traveled over what remained of the Bone Eater's well, she could find no strength to cry. Why should she? This wasn't really happening. It was a dream. A result of eating too much before going to bed. A secret fear she'd always harbored inside that her mind decided to play out while she slept. Something touched her shoulder, gently, and she marveled at how realistic the sensation was. A voice floated to her – gruff, tense.

"Kagome..."

She wanted to turn and look at him, but found that she could not look away from the scene of destruction before her. Her mind had broken like a fragile record, the only image that registered now repeating itself over and over again. Wood torn into ribbons. Ribbons. Ribbons. Ribbons. Ribbons. Ribbons.

Ribbons. Ribbons.

Shreds. Pieces.

Dust. Ash.

Nothing.

There was nothing left of it. Of her home. Of her family.

Odd, that – for the remains of the well felt real as she knelt down and touched them. How could something exist yet not exist? It couldn't. Because this had to be a dream. She tried to remember how she'd gotten here – how this dream had begun. Nothing. Just ribbons. Ribbons. Ribbons. Shreds. Pieces. Dust. Ash. Nothing. She suddenly found her view blocked. A hand – warm, skin moist from the rain – forced her to look up. The moonlight fondled his face as if it was obsessed with it. High cheek bones, full lips, dark, chiseled eyebrows. It left no feature untouched.

"Inuyasha..." she found herself whispering. She liked this part of the dream much better. But then he was speaking and she frowned, having difficulty understanding him. Suddenly remembering her original intention of going home she stood, as if possessed, and tried to lift a larger piece of wood from the pile covering the opening. "Help me with this, Inuyasha...my, what a mess...just how am I supposed to get home with all of this in the way...don't just sit there, Inuyasha; be a gentleman and help me with this." He just looked at her. Slowly. Carefully. As if trying to determine what language she spoke in. She saw something in his eyes – a truth that could have been truth; a truth that would have terrified her had this been reality and not some strange dream.

"Kagome..." he said carefully, "I don't think you can – "

"What are you talking about, Inuyasha?" she asked uneasily.

"The well is broken and – "

"I can see that just fine. That's why I want you to help me move this stuff so I can go home..." Her voice seemed to falter. The rain was making her hands slippery. Water was soaking into her leather shoes. Her feet felt chilled. Inuyasha still hadn't moved.

"You can't go home right now – "

A nervous laugh. She forced a warning into her tone.

"Stop being ridiculous...what are you talking about?"

"You can't go home," he said slowly. His eyes slid away from hers. The wind blew around them viciously, and this time Kagome wasn't sure if the chill came from her skin or from her heart.

"Inuyasha...stop...this isn't very funny..."

She kept expecting him to suddenly smile, to pat her on the back and mock her for being so gullible as to actually begin to believe him. She kept expecting for the wind to stop; for the rain to stop; for the sun to shine, and for the ribbons to sew themselves back together. It was a dream, after all. It wouldn't be strange for the scenery to change in the span of a second. But when Inuyasha spoke to her, the pain in her chest hurt so much that she could hardly, truly, believe that this was nothing but a dream.

"You can't go home, Kagome...not any more..."

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Not any more...

Not now...

Not ever...

Never...

So many ways of saying the same thing. So many ways of introducing finality. And all were so clean – so effective. The water beneath her bare feet felt cool, easing the pain of walking upon sharp river stones. She had asked to be alone for a little while, to try and get a grip on a reality that was becoming less and less believable. How ironic it was that it had been a demon who had opened the passage to this world, and a demon who closed it as well. The battle had escalated more that it should have. The demon hadn't been strong – shouldn't have been as strong as it was. But the single shard embedded in tail had been enough to give it the power to liquefy and melt everything in sight. It's breath had been like napalm, and the well and surrounding forestry had given in easily.

She looked down at herself, suddenly remembering where she was. Kaede had lent her some traditional clothing to be used while her uniform was out of commission. Accepting the garments she so hated out of necessity, she had hiked over a mile into the forest to get as far away from the village as possible. The reality had yet to fully sink in. A thought struck her.

In less than a week, she would have been celebrating her little brother's birthday. Since it was deep winter, they would have played outside together, making snow men and drinking cups of hot chocolate. It was also the time when the entire family helped clean out the shrine storage room. Gramps always kept too many unnecessary things in there. An icy fist wrapped around her throat and she nearly chocked. Would she never see those times again? Would she never hear her brother's laughter? Never feel her mother's embrace? Never listen to her grandfather's crazy ramblings? That couldn't be, could it?

I know I gave up hope of ever having a normal life after this. I've seen so much death and brutality. People close to me have died. I, myself, have taken lives – demon though they may have been. And I love everyone here so much. I knew that I would never be able to just jump back in there and leave all of this behind. But...I never thought that I wouldn't be able to go home at all...

In her mind, there had always been a choice. But now that choice was suddenly erased. Her mother's face, Souta's carefree smile, her grandfather's scowl. Everything was gone. No more place that she could call home. No more. Not now. Not ever. Never. Forever. Gone like sand that slipped between her fingers only to be washed away into an ocean of impossibility.

She only realized that she was nearing the edge when she felt an uncomfortable tugging at the hemn of her hakama. Her eyes were dull as they took in her new surroundings. She was nearly knee deep in water, and the current was very rapid. That was when she noticed, for the first time, the nearly deafening roar of crashing water. Heart skittering, she stepped a little closer and saw the end. The edge. Feet crying out in anguish, she maneuvered herself out of the water and only land, walking until she stepped onto a rock that hung on the very end of the large waterfall. Looking out, she felt puny in comparison to the rushing currents of the large river. It called out to her.

I can't accept this...I just can't...I don't belong here...

She saw her mother's crying face, Souta's sad eyes. She felt her grandfather's loneliness, and nearly suffocated from her longing. No more home. No more family.

I want to forget...I want to forget...I want to wake up and find that I've been dreaming...

The water called to her. Come. Join. Become one. A sort of dizziness wrapped warm tendrills around her chest. Memories consumed her – memories of something that she could never have again. Fear. Terror. She was so scared. Where was her mother? She wanted comfort. She wanted someone to tell her that everything would be alright. But no one came. No one but the water. And so she followed it.

Right over the edge.

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To be continued...

Please review! If you want me to continue, drop me a word or two. ^___^ I'm very excited about where this might be going...