HOME | DD

Description
No Exit chapter 1

Do not enter. The sign clearly served as a warning to any and everyone, especially curious and adventurous youths. The old shrine was dark and dank, falling apart at its very seams. The wood was rotted in most places and pieces of wall, roof and floor were missing. The entire place was on the verge of collapse. One nervous girl stood outside, glancing between the sign decorated with moss to the car and then to the entrance. "Just because I'm the only one who can understand the language doesn't mean I'm the only one who has to follow the rules!" she called irritably. "Let's just go!"

A girl not much older than her came out with a smirk on her face. She placed a hand on her hip, staring down at the reluctant friend. "Stop being such a scaredy cat, Klaudia." she laughed. "Live a little. Although, If you want to stay out here by yourself, feel free."

The girls took a look around. Thick trees surrounded the abandoned shrine. A dirt road was the only way to and away from the desolate location. It was eerie enough simply being outside, let alone in the creaky death trap of a building. The other girl gave a smug smile, waving a hand as she re-entered the shrine. The boys they were with could protect her if anything did happen, despite her certainty that it wouldn't. The worst that could happen was having a foot go through the floor or a bug landing on her.

Klaudia looked flustered, embarrassed and worried. She scampered after her friend, cursing under her breath as she made the transition from light into darkness. She gulped, holding her arms close to her chest. "This is the worst idea any of you have ever had!" she criticized loudly into the darkness.

A laugh answered her, followed by a boys voice. One of her friends: "Relax Klyde!" he called. "Now hurry up, or we're going to leave you behind!"

Klaudia staggered, unsure of her footing in the dark. "I can't see a damn thing in here!" she shouted.

"Just keeping coming." her friends urged. "We've got flashlights over here."

A bright light was at the end of the hall. She sighed in relief, stepping quickly to meet up with her companions. It was hard to walk in the dark and even harder to be alone in a creepy building. Klaudia burst into the room, blinking at the intensity of the light. She shielded her face, squinting to make out the shapes in the room. One object, a stone basin was in the center, the liquid inside emitting a bright white glow. "This isn't right." Klaudia mumbled, turning back to the entrance. "Guys, where are you?"

The door was gone. The walls were seamless, not a mark or signification that there was ever an entrance. Anxiousness gripped her. She glanced around, stepping back. If this was a joke it was no longer funny. Something caught her heel, causing her to fall back with a screech. Her hand caught in the basin, but it was not sturdy enough to keep her up. It fell with her, splashing her with the glowing liquid.

It stung her skin with an icy coldness, soaking her clothes. The glow wrapped around her, surreal and alive. She squirmed, letting out a panicked scream as she tried to worm away. The glow intensified, burrowing into Klaudia's flesh. Pain stung throughout her, shooting through her core.

The pain and glow finally ebbed away until not even a remnant of remained. Klaudia remained still for a long moment, trying to retain a firm grasp over her racing heartbeat. "Klyde!" her nickname was called. "Come on, hurry up!"

She staggered to her feet and found a door before her. The entrance just as it had been, without the glow. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness now. She navigated carefully through, following the now constant calls of her friends. She needed their voices to guide her as she was hesitant to go towards any other lights. "How big is this damn shrine?" she cursed loudly.

The exit came to her; the sound of a powerful river drowned out the voices. Klaudia called out to them, shielding her eyes when she finally came into the sunlight. The exit to the shrine was in a spacious gorge with a river flowing far below. "Guys?" she called. "Come on this isn't fun-"

She overstepped the ledge plummeting straight down to the river. There was no time to scream, just enough time to realize that she was falling and that it was most likely the end. The water hit her and
dragged her down. It tugged and pulled her along keeping a firm hold on her. The current was strong and kept her from going up for air. Slowly she was dying from the water forcing itself down her throat and nose. Blackness edged into her vision, the urge to struggle for life diminishing. It was over. Klaudia was done. She closed her eyes and begged for it to be over with.

•-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•

A toe prodded the body washed ashore and then retreated hastily. There was no response, the body seemingly lifeless. They went close again, sticking near this time to turn over the body. Her skin was cool, but still warm with life. Blonde hair clung to her face, matted with sand and weeds from the river. Her breath was light but audible, her shoulders shaking when the light breeze would occasionally roll in. "She's still alive Len!" the man overlooking her called to his woman companion. "I've never seen anyone like her. Her hair is yellow!"

The woman gasped, cautiously stepping closer. "Is she a demon?" she asked.

"Doesn't look that much like one. Clothes are strange but she looks pretty human." he replied. "River must've taken its toll on her. It's amazing she's even alive."

The woman was at his side now, timidly looking down at the washed up girl. "She's so young." she murmured. "Gin, we should bring her up to the inn. We can find out what brought her here when she recovers. Out here she'll be dead within a few hours."

Gin sighed, rubbing his bearded chin. He was deep in thought, trying to weigh his options. He couldn't help his curiosity and it eventually got the better of him. He nodded, carefully picking up the girl. He wasn't young, but he still wasn't old enough to not be able to hoist an adolescent girl up and carry her back to his and his wife's home. "It's a good thing it's early." he commented. "If it was any later our guests would be up and we'd need to run the bath house."

Lin nodded sagely, understanding the grim reference behind his words. "She would surely have died."

•-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•

Len carefully peeled the soaked clothes off of Klaudia's body making sure not to aggravate any wounds the violent torrent of the river may have caused. She discarded the wet clothes and wrapped her up in a simple white haori so she was covered up for some added comfort when she woke. Once Len had finished cleaning and changing the girl's clothes she set her on prepared futon.

Klaudia groaned and shivered, rousing just as the blanket was pulled over top of her. She reached up groggily with her right hand, rubbing her tired eyes. For a moment she was ignorant of her surroundings. She sat up with some effort, wincing as a twinge of pain erupted through her. It was minimal but noticeable.

A gasp brought her to attention, shortly followed by a pair of hands grasping her arm. Len's eyes were wide with shock as she ran her hand over the thick black marks freshly inked onto Klaudia's flesh. "The
sacred marks!"

"Who are you?" Klaudia squeaked, too distraught to pull away. "Where am I and what happened?"

"Hush child." Len shushed her gently. "All will be revealed. I must go fetch my husband immediately. Rest for the time being."

She ran from the room, leaving Klaudia alone, confused and absolutely terrified. "I don't think I'm in regular Japan anymore."

Description
No Exit chapter 1

Do not enter. The sign clearly served as a warning to any and everyone, especially curious and adventurous youths. The old shrine was dark and dank, falling apart at its very seams. The wood was rotted in most places and pieces of wall, roof and floor were missing. The entire place was on the verge of collapse. One nervous girl stood outside, glancing between the sign decorated with moss to the car and then to the entrance. "Just because I'm the only one who can understand the language doesn't mean I'm the only one who has to follow the rules!" she called irritably. "Let's just go!"

A girl not much older than her came out with a smirk on her face. She placed a hand on her hip, staring down at the reluctant friend. "Stop being such a scaredy cat, Klaudia." she laughed. "Live a little. Although, If you want to stay out here by yourself, feel free."

The girls took a look around. Thick trees surrounded the abandoned shrine. A dirt road was the only way to and away from the desolate location. It was eerie enough simply being outside, let alone in the creaky death trap of a building. The other girl gave a smug smile, waving a hand as she re-entered the shrine. The boys they were with could protect her if anything did happen, despite her certainty that it wouldn't. The worst that could happen was having a foot go through the floor or a bug landing on her.

Klaudia looked flustered, embarrassed and worried. She scampered after her friend, cursing under her breath as she made the transition from light into darkness. She gulped, holding her arms close to her chest. "This is the worst idea any of you have ever had!" she criticized loudly into the darkness.

A laugh answered her, followed by a boys voice. One of her friends: "Relax Klyde!" he called. "Now hurry up, or we're going to leave you behind!"

Klaudia staggered, unsure of her footing in the dark. "I can't see a damn thing in here!" she shouted.

"Just keeping coming." her friends urged. "We've got flashlights over here."

A bright light was at the end of the hall. She sighed in relief, stepping quickly to meet up with her companions. It was hard to walk in the dark and even harder to be alone in a creepy building. Klaudia burst into the room, blinking at the intensity of the light. She shielded her face, squinting to make out the shapes in the room. One object, a stone basin was in the center, the liquid inside emitting a bright white glow. "This isn't right." Klaudia mumbled, turning back to the entrance. "Guys, where are you?"

The door was gone. The walls were seamless, not a mark or signification that there was ever an entrance. Anxiousness gripped her. She glanced around, stepping back. If this was a joke it was no longer funny. Something caught her heel, causing her to fall back with a screech. Her hand caught in the basin, but it was not sturdy enough to keep her up. It fell with her, splashing her with the glowing liquid.

It stung her skin with an icy coldness, soaking her clothes. The glow wrapped around her, surreal and alive. She squirmed, letting out a panicked scream as she tried to worm away. The glow intensified, burrowing into Klaudia's flesh. Pain stung throughout her, shooting through her core.

The pain and glow finally ebbed away until not even a remnant of remained. Klaudia remained still for a long moment, trying to retain a firm grasp over her racing heartbeat. "Klyde!" her nickname was called. "Come on, hurry up!"

She staggered to her feet and found a door before her. The entrance just as it had been, without the glow. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness now. She navigated carefully through, following the now constant calls of her friends. She needed their voices to guide her as she was hesitant to go towards any other lights. "How big is this damn shrine?" she cursed loudly.

The exit came to her; the sound of a powerful river drowned out the voices. Klaudia called out to them, shielding her eyes when she finally came into the sunlight. The exit to the shrine was in a spacious gorge with a river flowing far below. "Guys?" she called. "Come on this isn't fun-"

She overstepped the ledge plummeting straight down to the river. There was no time to scream, just enough time to realize that she was falling and that it was most likely the end. The water hit her and
dragged her down. It tugged and pulled her along keeping a firm hold on her. The current was strong and kept her from going up for air. Slowly she was dying from the water forcing itself down her throat and nose. Blackness edged into her vision, the urge to struggle for life diminishing. It was over. Klaudia was done. She closed her eyes and begged for it to be over with.

•-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•

A toe prodded the body washed ashore and then retreated hastily. There was no response, the body seemingly lifeless. They went close again, sticking near this time to turn over the body. Her skin was cool, but still warm with life. Blonde hair clung to her face, matted with sand and weeds from the river. Her breath was light but audible, her shoulders shaking when the light breeze would occasionally roll in. "She's still alive Len!" the man overlooking her called to his woman companion. "I've never seen anyone like her. Her hair is yellow!"

The woman gasped, cautiously stepping closer. "Is she a demon?" she asked.

"Doesn't look that much like one. Clothes are strange but she looks pretty human." he replied. "River must've taken its toll on her. It's amazing she's even alive."

The woman was at his side now, timidly looking down at the washed up girl. "She's so young." she murmured. "Gin, we should bring her up to the inn. We can find out what brought her here when she recovers. Out here she'll be dead within a few hours."

Gin sighed, rubbing his bearded chin. He was deep in thought, trying to weigh his options. He couldn't help his curiosity and it eventually got the better of him. He nodded, carefully picking up the girl. He wasn't young, but he still wasn't old enough to not be able to hoist an adolescent girl up and carry her back to his and his wife's home. "It's a good thing it's early." he commented. "If it was any later our guests would be up and we'd need to run the bath house."

Lin nodded sagely, understanding the grim reference behind his words. "She would surely have died."

•-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•

Len carefully peeled the soaked clothes off of Klaudia's body making sure not to aggravate any wounds the violent torrent of the river may have caused. She discarded the wet clothes and wrapped her up in a simple white haori so she was covered up for some added comfort when she woke. Once Len had finished cleaning and changing the girl's clothes she set her on prepared futon.

Klaudia groaned and shivered, rousing just as the blanket was pulled over top of her. She reached up groggily with her right hand, rubbing her tired eyes. For a moment she was ignorant of her surroundings. She sat up with some effort, wincing as a twinge of pain erupted through her. It was minimal but noticeable.

A gasp brought her to attention, shortly followed by a pair of hands grasping her arm. Len's eyes were wide with shock as she ran her hand over the thick black marks freshly inked onto Klaudia's flesh. "The
sacred marks!"

"Who are you?" Klaudia squeaked, too distraught to pull away. "Where am I and what happened?"

"Hush child." Len shushed her gently. "All will be revealed. I must go fetch my husband immediately. Rest for the time being."

She ran from the room, leaving Klaudia alone, confused and absolutely terrified. "I don't think I'm in regular Japan anymore."