Strikers;

The clouds fill the sky as far as the eye can see, the wooden box lays on the concrete floor, its surface shines in the moonlight through the window. I stepped forward. My steps echo through the wooden house. The concrete floor felt cold as ice on my bare feet. I go to touch the box, I wake up in agony as I fall off the bed. I'm covered in cold sweat. My alarm clock rang out.

“Wake up! You're going to be late for school!” Mother called from downstairs. “And your birthday breakfast is on the table! I'll be going to work now!” I got up, and I got dressed. I took my brush, my ribbon, and my clips. I walked out of the room, getting my hair ready. I dropped the brush on the staircase and kept walking to the dining room. A gift waited for me on the counter.

“Aw mother must have gotten me a present” I said, removing the ribbon from the green and blue design paper. I put the ribbon on the table, and the paper fell onto the surface on the counter.

I stepped forward just as I was about to see what it is, when my foot hit something hard and I started falling back. The tile hit me in a cold hard reality, I got up. I stared at the present. It was one of those pocket race cars. I stared at it. I removed the card board and untied the small car and the case. I took out the remote. It was half the size of a MP3 player. The car fit in it easily.

A pale boy rushed in. “Mama said she had a surprise for me!” He cried out happily. I stared at the race car. Oh. I thought. I handed him the race car, and he ran upstairs and into the room with it. I turned and looked at what I tripped on. A bolt of fear and shock went through my mind and being.

Its the wooden box.

Someone tapped my shoulder. I shushed them. “Hello? Come on! You're going to be late for dance class.” Nicole said. I took the wooden box ran upstairs to my room. I placed the wooden box in the carpet floor of my room. I got to the doorway, and put on my sneakers. “Lets go.” Nicole said. Nicole is a transfer student from America. So her name is strange.

I grabbed my backpack and my lunch in it. I slipped it on fast, and I got into the car. I slammed the door shut behind me. “Wow, watch it, you're going to break my dad's car.” Nicole said, elbowing me. “How is your knife collection?” I asked. “Well, they're pretty good, but I changed them to katanas.” Nicole answered. “Oh... I forgot, you're not in America anymore.” I said. “Dance class, huh?” I asked myself. “Thats after school. Idiot.” Nicole said, yawning. “You're tired aren't you?” I asked her. “Yeah, I am.” Nicole answered.

After the chat, the hours went by, it felt like eternity. I never spoke a word. In the middle of science, an ambulance trucks call rang out, police cars surrounded the building. It was a foggy day today. A police officer busted in few minutes after the commotion started. “Shinozaki Miyu. Come here.” He called out. I rose to my feet, and walked over to him. “Yes, officer?” I asked him. His eyes looked sympathetic for few moments, then he finally gained enough courage to say it.

“Your mother has been killed.” He said.

Enough shock went through my body to knock the wind out of me, and cause me to tumble. I fell to my hands and knees immediately. “M-mother...? Why... How?” I asked myself. Nicole rushed to my side. “Sh-she's dead?” I kept asking myself. I clutched the ground. “Its okay, please, its okay. Come on! Get up, Miyu!” She said.

I could never will myself to get up.