Eclipse of the Moon

~*Chapter One*~

Rated PG/PG13: for violence...I think...I dunno...and fear >D

“There’s too many people, making too many problems... can’t you see this is the land of confusion... you’ll never less stop trying, to make it a place worth living in...a place worth fighting for. Stand up and let’s start showing just where our lives are going to.”
---Phil Collins

“Writing is nothing less than a wonderful form of art. A good picture creates a story, and a good story creates a picture.”
---Chrissy... AKA Callisto

~*Japanese to English: Dictionary*~

Kaze= the wind

Hime= princess

Inazuma= lightning

Umi= the sea

Mizu= Water

hayaku= hurry up

Itai= ouch! That hurts! (^.^)

Nani= What (the heck!?)

Shine= die(command)

~*Unknown Character Dictionary*~

Shin (pronounced SHEEN)= Makoto’s boyfriend from my fanfics.

“Its amazing. The sun will set early, around five o’clock I heard, but the moon won’t rise until around five AM. It will almost immediately go into eclipse. It won’t go into full eclipse for about ten minutes, and it will only stay eclipsed for less than three whole minutes. Then, before the moon even begins to set, the sun will rise. Just like that.” Shin snapped his fingers.

“No wonder this is such a big event.” Ami replied. “Its a scientific phenomenon! All of these factors coming together all at the same time to create this rare event.”

Usagi scratched her head, “I don’t get it.”

“Don’t worry about it. Well, my parents own a cabin in the mountains, and I’d love you all to come up with me to see this. What do you say? Three or four days in the mountains. We’ll have a great view of the whole thing. There’s a lake, and the cabin itself is wonderful.” Shin paused and waited for a reply.

“That sounds great!” Mako said happily.

“Is Mamo-chan coming?” Usagi asked enthusiastically.

“Sure, you’re all invited. Even Haruka and the others.” Shin answered.

“It sounds great to me!” Rei said.

“You’re sure we can use the cabin Shin-san?” Ami asked.

"Yeah, my parents only go up once a year, usually in the spring.” Shin answered.

“Let’s do it!” Usagi cheered.

It was the perfect opportunity. None of them could believe it. A chance to visit a remote mountain cabin on the same day as the first Lunar eclipse in over 15 years. The perfect view, the perfect chance. Two days later they found themselves standing in front of an elaborate two story cabin. It was surrounded on all sides by thick woods.

Between Haruka, Shin and Mamoru, all ten of them had arrived safely at the cabin by sunset the day before the eclipse was to take place.

“What do you think?” Shin asked as they climbed out of the three cars and looked up at the cabin.

“Its beautiful!” They all began to comment and chatter happily.

“There’s a great big bedroom on the bottom floor and three more bedrooms on the second floor.” Shin told them as they made their way inside. “I was thinking you five could take the bigger one on the bottom floor. It has at least five or six bed in it. Its like a dorm room really.”

“Sure!” Usagi replied. “Come on Mako-chan, Ami-chan, Minako-chan, Rei-chan! Rei-chan?” Rei had not come in with them. Usagi went back outside to find Rei standing perfectly still, staring into the trees.

“What are you doing Rei-chan?” Usagi asked bewildered.

“I have this bad feeling... like this is a mistake....” She said softly. She shook herself, turned quickly and smiled. “I guess its nothing. Let’s go.” she grabbed her bags and started for the cabin.

Slightly concerned, Usagi followed her in. Rei was seldom wrong about these things, but she never liked to worry the others.

When Usagi walked in, Shin was explaining to Mamoru about a ledge overlooking the ocean on which they could view the eclipse.

* * * * * *

The night was cool and sweet with the pure scent of trees and fresh air, and they stayed up late just watching the stars. Rei seemed distant and distracted, and Usagi became increasingly worried.

The night wore on, and they finally called it a night around one AM. Everyone fell quickly asleep. Soon the peaceful sounds of nocturnal rest wore down to nothing: and yet sleep had become utterly impossible for Rei. Her eyes remained monotonously open; staring, fixed on the darkening nothingness above her. She didn't move but for the systematic blinking of her eyelids. Her mind was slow, sluggishly playing strange images through her mind. Usually, when she had a vision, it came in clear ideas: perfect pictures of the future, of what she was fearing. But not now. This time, what she saw looked like emptiness. A blackness clouding her mind. And yet there was something in it. Remaining there; hovering over her head like a butcher's knife, undaunting, unchanging. She couldn't explain it, and she couldn't keep it from her mind.

She watched the night pass, from her position of sleeplessness. The moon rose and shone its silver light through the curtains in the window. Crickets chirped outside, and the warm fire crackled in the corner; filling the room with a soft, warm glow. Hours passed slowly, and soon, everything was still. It must have been well after midnight, but hours before daylight. The crickets ceased to sing, and a thick fog had risen, completely blocking out the moon. The only light left was the single ember in the fireplace which was giving off a faint glow, but it too gave one last crackle and then went dead, leaving Rei alone in the pitch black darkness. She couldn't see anything; not even her hand in front of her face.

The darkness was heavy and weighted down her eyelids. She closed them slowly and breathed in deeply as a feeling of tranquility swept over her body. She felt herself drifting off. Her mind was blackening. Winding down to nothing. She couldn't think. Something prevented it, hard as she tried she couldn't open her eyes again. She breathed in again, but choked. Struggling for her breath, her throat tightened and her head became light. It hurt inside, like her chest was on fire.

How she wanted air. Her arms shot out and felt for her neck, but as she found it, her hands became cold. Something was there, she could see something blurry through her half open eyes, but she no longer had the strength to fight it off. Her mouth opened and gasped for breath. She tried to loose herself, to free herself from death, but her eyes were heavy and her head slow. It burned inside with increasing pain. In one last burst of strength she jerked her body to the side, hitting the small table beside her bed and knocking everything to the floor with a crash.

Instantaneously, every person in the room shot out of bed and a few flashlights clicked on, searching the room for the disturbance. Usagi’s quickly found Rei, who, when the light hit her, screamed out in agony. She shot up and clutched her neck. She coughed and sputtered, trying to catch her breath; bringing large gasps of air in and quickly letting them back out.

“What happened Rei-chan?” Usagi whined. “Its late, what are you doing making so much noise?” She glared sleepily at Rei and began to fluff her pillow.

“What the matter, Rei-chan?” Mako sat up in her bed and asked her.

“Didn't you see them?” Rei gasped.

“See who?” Minako asked.

“I don't know!” Rei yelled. “That person, who ever it was. The person who attacked me!”

“What?” Minako sighed. “There's no one here but us. Look, at your bed, Rei-chan. Its completely tangled up!” She was right. The sheets in Rei’s bed were twisted and pulled out, hanging over the side of the bed and wrapped around her body. “You were just dreaming and your sheets got tangled around you.”

“That seems right, Rei-chan.” Ami yawned. “The possibility that an attacker made their way into our room and out so quickly, without anyone noticing it, is very unlikely.”

“There's no one here Rei-chan.” Mako settled back down on her pillow. “And no way for anyone to have gotten in. Besides, we're alone on this mountain. There's no one for miles around.”

Fire burned in Rei’s eyes, ”How can none of you believe me?” She cried out. “I know what happened! I felt hands around my neck tightening and cutting off my breath. Do you think I'm lying?”

“Of course not! We just think you were dreaming Rei-chan.

Good night." Usagi clicked off her flashlight.

“I'm sorry Rei-chan.” Ami said sadly. “But I too think it was all just a nightmare. There is nothing to be angry about. Let's all just go back to bed.” She turned over and went back to sleep.

"Good night, Rei.” Minako yawned and clicked off her light as well. “Don't worry about anything. We're safe here.”

Rei spent the rest of the night lying awake in bed with a flashlight on next to her.

* * * * * *

“What do you mean Rei is missing?” Mamoru asked a shaky, upset Usagi.

“She’s missing! We haven’t seen her since this morning. Its my fault! She told me yesterday she was upset, and then last night when she woke up, nobody believed her... but we were right there and we didn’t see anybody!” Mako and the others glanced about guiltily. “She left at noon, said she was going for a walk. I thought she needed some time to cool off, she was so mad! But now I’m worried, its been 6 hours Mamo-chan, where could she be!? We have to find her!" Usagi pleaded through tears, almost hysterically. Mamoru took her into his arms and she calmed down a bit.

"All right, I'll take the car and go search for her while you look around here. I'll get around faster and get a better look around." Haruka offered.

"I'll go with you." Michiru said, and the two ran to the car, hopped in and drove out of site.

"Let's split up." Mamoru directed. "Usagi and I will go towards the lake with Makoto; Shin: you, Ami and Minako go the other way. Setsuna and Hotaru, you stay here in case she comes back.” Hotaru’s horrified expression looked a little better with this news. “We'll meet back here in forty-five minutes, with or without her. It will be dark in an hour, and easy to get lost, so we have to hurry! Take at least one flash light with you. Be back here in forty-five minutes." With that, they split up and ran into the shade of the trees.

The late afternoon sun was still warm and bright above their heads as they ran quickly through the vines and branches of the woods. Sweat ran down their backs and their hair clung to their foreheads, limp and shaggy. Mamoru and Makoto had never seen Usagi run so fast without complaint. After twenty minutes of running through small, twisting trails, they gave up and started for the lake. Within five minutes they had reached the lake, and split up to look around.

"Rei-chan!" Usagi called out, as she pulled a branch back, and stepped through. About ten feet in front of her, the sun caught something and it sparkled like a star, catching Usagi's eye. She turned and ran to it, dropping to her knees. She brushed the leaves away, and picked it up. She turned it in her fingers, and then clutched her hand around it-Rei's earring. A breeze blew into her back, cooling the back of her neck and chilling her to the spine.

"Mamo-chan! Mako-chan!" She called out as she got to her feet. Rei had been there. She must be near. With trembling legs, Usagi made her way forward. The sun was lowering, and time was running out. She turned to the left and commenced calling Rei's name. Through the leaves, under branches, she made her way deeper and deeper into the woods. Something drove her forward. A feeling of darkness loomed above her head, but she continued to move forward. Disregarding all feelings of fear, she kept going. The trees were so thick now that only a small amount of light could make its way through the canopy of intertwining leaves above her head.

"Where are you Usako?" Mamoru's voice came from a distance.

"I'm here!" She called back. She continued to move further away. She couldn't stop now. Something was drawing her near. She was getting closer.

"Rei-chan!" She exclaimed gleefully. Usagi now stood in a small clearing so dense with foliage that it was almost completely dark. Before her, with her back to her, sat Rei. She was leaning against a tree with her head down. Usagi could tell she was very upset, and so she made her way towards her slowly.

"Rei-chan." She said happily. "I'm so glad I found you. I was so worried." A tear formed in her eye and her voice cracked as she neared Rei. "I know you're mad at us, Rei-chan." She said. Rei remained motionless. "Please don't be though. Rei? Please answer me!" Usagi had reached her and now stooped down on her knees to talk to her. "Rei?" She looked into her face and gasped. "Rei? Rei!?" Usagi shook her shoulder, and her head slumped down. She was dead. Her vacant eyes half open, with a foggy glaze covering them. Usagi shrieked and fell backwards, quickly picking herself back up and backing away. "Rei-chan!" She shrieked through tears. "Rei-chan!" She could hear Makoto and Mamoru faintly in the background, calling her name, but she couldn't answer. The air was thick around her, and it pained her to breath it in. As she stood in the shadows she suddenly felt something strange. The feeling that she wasn't alone.

She turned her head, it seemed as though in slow motion. Her eyes widened, Her long pigtails whipping around her back in one swift movement. Her bangs flew from her forehead and her mouth opened in a tiny 'o' shape as she gasped in terror. A black fog rose from the ground. It swirled above her, expanding and growing. Though it was ultimately shapeless, it looked almost like human in form. It rose over her head menacingly. Then, out of nowhere, large claw-like hands shot out of its side and strait at her as she shrieked, trying to jump from its grasp.

"Usako!" Mamoru stepped through into the clearing, followed by Makoto, his lantern glowing brightly. Its warmth shone down on Usagi, who lay trembling on the ground. "What happened?" He cried and ran to her side. She grabbed his arm and her shivering eyes looked deeply into his.

"Rei-chan! Rei-chan! It tried to-its here! I saw it! She wasn't lying! Oh, Rei-chan!" She dissolved into hysterical tears. He helped her up and then ran to Rei's side, sadly picking up her lifeless body. "What happened to her?" He said, his voice a mixture of fear, anger and disbelief.

"That darkness that horrible darkness." Usagi sobbed, and Makoto tried to calm her.

"She's dead..." Mamoru gasped.

"It's still here!" Usagi cried fearfully. "Mamo-chan." She stood up suddenly. "I want to get out of here. We have to get out of here!" She was growing hysterical. "We have to leave. It was right here! It was here until you came.... We have to get out!" She cried louder. "Mako-chan, let's go." She backed up and picked up the lantern and began to run out of the clearing.

"Usagi!" Makoto called and ran after her, followed by Mamoru who was still holding Rei. They ran through the trees. It was dark now, the sky ranging from a shade of dark blue in the East to a light violet in the West. They flew through the trees, Usagi in the head-running fearfully as though for her life. She kept increasing her speed. Her legs ached and trembled under her, but she pushed them harder. Faster, faster. Everything was a blur. She couldn't see; her eyes were so blurred with tears.

And then it happened- a dark, booming, masculine voice that seemed to rise out of the ground shouted angrily, “*HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TAKE HER BACK!*” The earth began to shake. It groaned and rumbled, making the trees dance like rag dolls. A wind swept through, whipping around them. Usagi stopped and Makoto and Mamoru caught up. It seemed to go on forever. Trees fell in every direction, narrowly missing them. They fell to the ground, loudly crashing around them.

An enormous mount of earth shot into the air and grew like a tidal wave. It towered above Mamoru. In one more swift movement it swept sharply downward on top of him. Usagi cried out in terror as she watched in horror. She felt her knees buckle as she fell down landing with her hands. The lantern fell, turning over once and then landing sharply on a rock, cracking down the side and shattering the light bulb in an explosion of darkness that was simultaneous to the end of the earthquake.

Everything was still. Motionless under the dark moon-less sky. Not a sound was heard but for the faint, flickering sound of giggling in the distance- sharp and cold. It rang out through the forest; breaking the silence of death that surrounded them.

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