(no subject)
Title: Not-So-Childish Fears Part II - Leafy Tunnel
Author: Raya
Theme: Makoto (Optional: Green Fingers)
Genre: Drama / General
Version: Manga (pre-series)
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~1,342
Disclaimer: Makoto belongs to Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely cut out these photographs, stuck them on popsicle sticks, and used them as puppets in my old fashioned home theater.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Not-So-Childish Fears Part II - Leafy Tunnel
Continued from Part I - Summer Vacation
Makoto stared nervously at the trees along the road, waiting for them to reach out and grab her. The leafy branches swayed occasionally in the wind, causing her to jump and come to a trembling stop every few minutes. Each time, her mother behind her would squeeze her hands gently and murmur reassurances until she was ready to reluctantly walk forward again.
These trees were different from the ones at home. No papas had trimmed their long, seeking branches to keep them away from frightened little girls. These trees were older and wilder and much more powerful than the ones she was accustomed to. She could sense that although she could not understand what she was sensing. She just knew that they were more frightening than any other trees she had seen in her four short years.
They had been walking for a long time when her father suddenly stopped in front of her. Only her mother's strong grip on her hands kept Makoto from walking into him. The child's frightened gaze searched the road ahead frantically, certain that the trees were beginning to make their move, but everything was clear and quiet.
Yuichi studied the sign in front of him, and then looked around tiredly. His shoulders, neck, and back hurt from carrying the three heavy suitcases, and his daughter's cautiously slow pace was making the walk longer than it had to be. He knew that he should be grateful that she was walking at all, but he just wanted to get to the cottage and find some hot water to soak in. When he saw the direction that the sign said they had to go, however, he almost turned around to walk back to the bus stop.
Mai followed his gaze, and then looked at him with pleading eyes. She shook her head, desperately hoping he was not about to tell her that that was the path they had to follow. His slow nod made her close her eyes for a second and reach for all the patience that she could find.
The sound of suitcases thudding to the ground made her snap them open again. Yuichi rubbed his aching shoulders for a moment, and then turned to give them a forced smile. “Makoto, you be good for your mother,” he said as he touched the child on the head. “I'm going to go ahead,” he said calmly to Mai. “If it's like that the whole way... We'll turn around, camp on the platform, and take the first bus back in the morning.” Mai nodded in relief.
Makoto watched her father uncertainly as he turned and began to walk away. When she saw where he was headed, however, she began to shake. “Papa! Papa!” she cried fearfully. She struggled against her mother's hold for a moment, then slipped free and ran towards him. “No!” she yelled as she grabbed his leg. “Don't go! The trees! The trees will get you!”
“Makoto...” he sighed as he stopped. He and Mai gently pulled her arms from around his leg, and then he squatted down and gave her a hug. “Makoto, the trees won't get me. I promise,” he said as they rubbed her back and head soothingly. Makoto clung to his neck and sobbed. “I will be right back,” he soothed. “You'll see. Just a few minutes.”
When she did not calm down, he gave his wife a frustrated look. Mai took a deep breath, nodded, and then carefully but forcefully pulled Makoto off of her husband.
“No!” Makoto screamed as she kicked and squirmed. “Papa! No!”
“I'll be right back,” he said again as he stepped back quickly. Makoto howled and screamed in fear as he stepped into the leafy tunnel that led away from the road. She fought fiercely against her mother's restraining arms as she watched the arching branches that covered the path reach for him with their long, green fingers. He did not seem to notice as he went around a bend and disappeared from view.
The next ten minutes were the longest of Mai's and Makoto's lives. The four year old sobbed hysterically as she struggled to get free of her mother's tight embrace. Mai just held her close and prayed that Yuichi would return quickly. She released her daughter with a sigh of relief when he finally walked around the bend and came into view once more.
Makoto threw herself at her father, clinging tightly with her arms and legs as he lifted her up into a hug. “See?” his voice rumbled against her face as she pressed it into his neck. “I told you Papa would be all right.” He hugged her tightly once more, and then turned to face Mai as he absently began to rub her back.
“I don't know,” he said softly. “It doesn't go that far, but far enough. I stopped at the office, but it was closed already. They left our key and a map to the cottage by the door. There's another covered path, but the cottage itself is set in a small clearing. I think she might be all right if we can get her that far.”
They stared at each other for a few minutes and quietly debated the merits of spending the night hungry on the bus platform versus forcing their daughter through two tree covered paths to the much closer cottage. Their sore muscles and the setting sun finally made them decide to chance the trees.
As they were talking, Makoto slowly calmed down. She had been so certain that the trees were going to kill her father. There were so many of them and he did not have his saw to protect himself. She had hardly believed her eyes when he had walked back onto the road unharmed. Relieved and exhausted, she began to fall asleep.
Yuichi was just getting ready to put his daughter back on her feet and force her to go to her mother when he felt the tell-tale stillness. He paused, and then turned to look at the suitcases as Mai looked at him curiously. “Can you move those?” he asked. “I think she's asleep.”
Mai's eyes lit up with hope. If they could get Makoto to the cottage without seeing the trees, everything would be much easier. She nodded, and moved quickly to put the suitcases out of sight of the road. She grabbed Makoto's case, and then turned to nod once more at Yuichi. Hoping against hope, they hurried onto the first of the paths.
Makoto stirred uneasily as she felt the change around her. Something was nearby. Something powerful. Something that wanted to get inside her. Long green and brown fingers surrounded by a green light that caught at her dress and her hair. Long hard fingers that tried to push their way into her head. She shuddered and huddled closer to her father's warmth as he murmured soothingly at her. Then, as quickly as it had come the feeling went away.
It was only a brief respite, however. The feeling came back stronger than ever a few minutes later. Makoto whimpered and tried to cover her head with her hands while keeping her right arm wrapped around her father's neck. “Shhhh,” she heard her father whisper gently as he gently covered the back of her head for her. “We're almost there. Hush now. It's all right.” His arm lay strong and warm along her spine, protecting her back from those wooden fingers while his body protected her front and his hand protected her head. Makoto cowered into him and trembled in fear. “Almost there...”
The feeling faded more slowly this time. It did not go away entirely, but it did become barely bearable. Then, she felt herself falling backwards. She grabbed for her father instinctively, and then relaxed when she felt the familiar softness of a futon pad under her. Makoto rolled over sleepily and snuggled down with a sigh to dream uneasy dreams of trees with long, glowing, leaf covered fingers.
Continued in Part III - The Cure
Author: Raya
Theme: Makoto (Optional: Green Fingers)
Genre: Drama / General
Version: Manga (pre-series)
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~1,342
Disclaimer: Makoto belongs to Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely cut out these photographs, stuck them on popsicle sticks, and used them as puppets in my old fashioned home theater.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Not-So-Childish Fears Part II - Leafy Tunnel
Continued from Part I - Summer Vacation
Makoto stared nervously at the trees along the road, waiting for them to reach out and grab her. The leafy branches swayed occasionally in the wind, causing her to jump and come to a trembling stop every few minutes. Each time, her mother behind her would squeeze her hands gently and murmur reassurances until she was ready to reluctantly walk forward again.
These trees were different from the ones at home. No papas had trimmed their long, seeking branches to keep them away from frightened little girls. These trees were older and wilder and much more powerful than the ones she was accustomed to. She could sense that although she could not understand what she was sensing. She just knew that they were more frightening than any other trees she had seen in her four short years.
They had been walking for a long time when her father suddenly stopped in front of her. Only her mother's strong grip on her hands kept Makoto from walking into him. The child's frightened gaze searched the road ahead frantically, certain that the trees were beginning to make their move, but everything was clear and quiet.
Yuichi studied the sign in front of him, and then looked around tiredly. His shoulders, neck, and back hurt from carrying the three heavy suitcases, and his daughter's cautiously slow pace was making the walk longer than it had to be. He knew that he should be grateful that she was walking at all, but he just wanted to get to the cottage and find some hot water to soak in. When he saw the direction that the sign said they had to go, however, he almost turned around to walk back to the bus stop.
Mai followed his gaze, and then looked at him with pleading eyes. She shook her head, desperately hoping he was not about to tell her that that was the path they had to follow. His slow nod made her close her eyes for a second and reach for all the patience that she could find.
The sound of suitcases thudding to the ground made her snap them open again. Yuichi rubbed his aching shoulders for a moment, and then turned to give them a forced smile. “Makoto, you be good for your mother,” he said as he touched the child on the head. “I'm going to go ahead,” he said calmly to Mai. “If it's like that the whole way... We'll turn around, camp on the platform, and take the first bus back in the morning.” Mai nodded in relief.
Makoto watched her father uncertainly as he turned and began to walk away. When she saw where he was headed, however, she began to shake. “Papa! Papa!” she cried fearfully. She struggled against her mother's hold for a moment, then slipped free and ran towards him. “No!” she yelled as she grabbed his leg. “Don't go! The trees! The trees will get you!”
“Makoto...” he sighed as he stopped. He and Mai gently pulled her arms from around his leg, and then he squatted down and gave her a hug. “Makoto, the trees won't get me. I promise,” he said as they rubbed her back and head soothingly. Makoto clung to his neck and sobbed. “I will be right back,” he soothed. “You'll see. Just a few minutes.”
When she did not calm down, he gave his wife a frustrated look. Mai took a deep breath, nodded, and then carefully but forcefully pulled Makoto off of her husband.
“No!” Makoto screamed as she kicked and squirmed. “Papa! No!”
“I'll be right back,” he said again as he stepped back quickly. Makoto howled and screamed in fear as he stepped into the leafy tunnel that led away from the road. She fought fiercely against her mother's restraining arms as she watched the arching branches that covered the path reach for him with their long, green fingers. He did not seem to notice as he went around a bend and disappeared from view.
The next ten minutes were the longest of Mai's and Makoto's lives. The four year old sobbed hysterically as she struggled to get free of her mother's tight embrace. Mai just held her close and prayed that Yuichi would return quickly. She released her daughter with a sigh of relief when he finally walked around the bend and came into view once more.
Makoto threw herself at her father, clinging tightly with her arms and legs as he lifted her up into a hug. “See?” his voice rumbled against her face as she pressed it into his neck. “I told you Papa would be all right.” He hugged her tightly once more, and then turned to face Mai as he absently began to rub her back.
“I don't know,” he said softly. “It doesn't go that far, but far enough. I stopped at the office, but it was closed already. They left our key and a map to the cottage by the door. There's another covered path, but the cottage itself is set in a small clearing. I think she might be all right if we can get her that far.”
They stared at each other for a few minutes and quietly debated the merits of spending the night hungry on the bus platform versus forcing their daughter through two tree covered paths to the much closer cottage. Their sore muscles and the setting sun finally made them decide to chance the trees.
As they were talking, Makoto slowly calmed down. She had been so certain that the trees were going to kill her father. There were so many of them and he did not have his saw to protect himself. She had hardly believed her eyes when he had walked back onto the road unharmed. Relieved and exhausted, she began to fall asleep.
Yuichi was just getting ready to put his daughter back on her feet and force her to go to her mother when he felt the tell-tale stillness. He paused, and then turned to look at the suitcases as Mai looked at him curiously. “Can you move those?” he asked. “I think she's asleep.”
Mai's eyes lit up with hope. If they could get Makoto to the cottage without seeing the trees, everything would be much easier. She nodded, and moved quickly to put the suitcases out of sight of the road. She grabbed Makoto's case, and then turned to nod once more at Yuichi. Hoping against hope, they hurried onto the first of the paths.
Makoto stirred uneasily as she felt the change around her. Something was nearby. Something powerful. Something that wanted to get inside her. Long green and brown fingers surrounded by a green light that caught at her dress and her hair. Long hard fingers that tried to push their way into her head. She shuddered and huddled closer to her father's warmth as he murmured soothingly at her. Then, as quickly as it had come the feeling went away.
It was only a brief respite, however. The feeling came back stronger than ever a few minutes later. Makoto whimpered and tried to cover her head with her hands while keeping her right arm wrapped around her father's neck. “Shhhh,” she heard her father whisper gently as he gently covered the back of her head for her. “We're almost there. Hush now. It's all right.” His arm lay strong and warm along her spine, protecting her back from those wooden fingers while his body protected her front and his hand protected her head. Makoto cowered into him and trembled in fear. “Almost there...”
The feeling faded more slowly this time. It did not go away entirely, but it did become barely bearable. Then, she felt herself falling backwards. She grabbed for her father instinctively, and then relaxed when she felt the familiar softness of a futon pad under her. Makoto rolled over sleepily and snuggled down with a sigh to dream uneasy dreams of trees with long, glowing, leaf covered fingers.
Continued in Part III - The Cure