Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > Being Sesshoumaru, Being Human
Chapter 3
All had been well in Theresa Hyland’s English classroom for almost a full month. The students seemed to understand the bad situation she was in and were making an effort to be helpful (or at least not difficult). They had been making very good progress in their language skills. This was especially true of Kagome, who hadn’t missed a day of class since Theresa had spoken to her after school. Finally, the young JET had a reason to feel upbeat.
Then Kagome missed a day of class.
Theresa thought nothing of it. December had just begun and the weather had been unusually cold. Maybe there was something to all of Kagome’s supposed illness…it was plausible that the extra-cold weather had hit the girl hard, and she was staying home because of that. A day or two and she would be back. But then Kagome missed a second day, and a third, and eventually an entire week went by without her even setting foot on school grounds. Theresa decided that this called for drastic measures -- a trip to the Higurashi shrine to chat with Kagome’s family.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
She rapped sharply on the Higurashi family’s front door, then turned to study the grounds of the shrine while she waited for someone to answer. Theresa had to admit, she was a little jealous of Kagome. To group up in a place like this would have been amazing. Then again, outdoor playtime options had probably been somewhat restricted by the sacred nature of the shrine’s grounds. But there was a park within walking distance…
The house door opened and a woman appeared. “Can I help you?”
“You must be Kagome’s mother,” Theresa said, turning and bowing to the woman. “I’m Theresa Hyland, her English teacher. Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Oh, yes. Please, come in.” Mrs. Higurashi stepped aside and motioned the young American in. Theresa slipped off her shoes and placed them neatly by the door, then followed her student’s mother into the dining room. She accepted the tea that was offered, and when they were both finally settled she took a deep breath and looked up at the woman before her.
“Mrs. Higurashi, it’s about Kagome. I’m worried about her…she’s missed so much school in the past year, and I’m afraid she won’t do well on her high school entrance tests if she misses any more. Things were going really well this month. She hadn’t missed a single day. But then she disappeared again, and now she’s been gone for an entire week! Is she alright?”
“Well, she’s as fine as can be expected, I suppose. She’s very ill, you know.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard,” Theresa said. “You wouldn’t mind if I paid her a visit, would you? I mean, I suppose a visit from a teacher isn’t going to cheer anyone up all that much, but I am worried about her.”
Mrs. Higurashi’s eyes darted to the room’s small window, then back to Theresa. “Well, the truth is, she’s not here. We had to send her to a hospital in another city for treatment this time. The doctors here are baffled.”
Theresa’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see. Well, when you go see her, please tell her I was asking for her, and please tell her that we’re all looking forward to her coming back.”
“I will,” Mrs. Higurashi said, giving the English teacher a grateful smile. The two finished their tea in peace, then Theresa left.
Right, in a hosptial in another city. Tokyo has the best hospitals in the country...something isn't right here. She paused when she came to the old sacred tree and stared up at it as though challenging it to give her an answer. But the tree just stood there, leaves rustling in a slight breeze, offering nothing but shade. Theresa frowned and turned away, just in time to hear the sound of a door sliding open somewhere behind her. Without really thinking, she darted around the small fence enclosing the tree and huddled in the shadows, eyes roaming the area before her. Then she gasped. There, emerging from a small building across the shrine grounds, was Kagome. And she didn’t look the least bit unhealthy either. Well, perhaps she looked a bit tired, like she had been running or doing heavy lifting…though the way her backpack bulged, Theresa figured that would more than explain the heavy lifting bit. So what had she been doing in that little shed? As soon as Kagome vanished behind the main part of the shrine (headed for the house, apparently), Theresa stood from her hiding place and ran to the shed, pushed the door open just enough to slip inside, and took a look around. At first glance, there was nothing of interest there. The shed appeared to be an old wellhouse of some sort, for there, in the center of the room and down a short staircase from where Theresa stood, was a square well. The top was wide open, and there was nothing to stop anyone or anything from falling into the well. That certainly wasn’t very safe.
Theresa studied the well and frowned. Was there something in it? Something other than water, that is? She could have sworn she saw a dim light shining within the well. The young woman made her way down the stair and slowly approached the well, leaning a bit over the edge to see what was within. Sure enough, there was something glowing in there, and it wasn’t water. At least, it didn’t look like water. Theresa leaned closer, closer, and then (without knowing what possessed her to do it) she stretched her hand deep into the well in an effort to reach whatever was glowing down there.
Her last thought as she tumbled head first into the well was that stretching like that had been incredibly stupid.
All had been well in Theresa Hyland’s English classroom for almost a full month. The students seemed to understand the bad situation she was in and were making an effort to be helpful (or at least not difficult). They had been making very good progress in their language skills. This was especially true of Kagome, who hadn’t missed a day of class since Theresa had spoken to her after school. Finally, the young JET had a reason to feel upbeat.
Then Kagome missed a day of class.
Theresa thought nothing of it. December had just begun and the weather had been unusually cold. Maybe there was something to all of Kagome’s supposed illness…it was plausible that the extra-cold weather had hit the girl hard, and she was staying home because of that. A day or two and she would be back. But then Kagome missed a second day, and a third, and eventually an entire week went by without her even setting foot on school grounds. Theresa decided that this called for drastic measures -- a trip to the Higurashi shrine to chat with Kagome’s family.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
She rapped sharply on the Higurashi family’s front door, then turned to study the grounds of the shrine while she waited for someone to answer. Theresa had to admit, she was a little jealous of Kagome. To group up in a place like this would have been amazing. Then again, outdoor playtime options had probably been somewhat restricted by the sacred nature of the shrine’s grounds. But there was a park within walking distance…
The house door opened and a woman appeared. “Can I help you?”
“You must be Kagome’s mother,” Theresa said, turning and bowing to the woman. “I’m Theresa Hyland, her English teacher. Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Oh, yes. Please, come in.” Mrs. Higurashi stepped aside and motioned the young American in. Theresa slipped off her shoes and placed them neatly by the door, then followed her student’s mother into the dining room. She accepted the tea that was offered, and when they were both finally settled she took a deep breath and looked up at the woman before her.
“Mrs. Higurashi, it’s about Kagome. I’m worried about her…she’s missed so much school in the past year, and I’m afraid she won’t do well on her high school entrance tests if she misses any more. Things were going really well this month. She hadn’t missed a single day. But then she disappeared again, and now she’s been gone for an entire week! Is she alright?”
“Well, she’s as fine as can be expected, I suppose. She’s very ill, you know.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard,” Theresa said. “You wouldn’t mind if I paid her a visit, would you? I mean, I suppose a visit from a teacher isn’t going to cheer anyone up all that much, but I am worried about her.”
Mrs. Higurashi’s eyes darted to the room’s small window, then back to Theresa. “Well, the truth is, she’s not here. We had to send her to a hospital in another city for treatment this time. The doctors here are baffled.”
Theresa’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see. Well, when you go see her, please tell her I was asking for her, and please tell her that we’re all looking forward to her coming back.”
“I will,” Mrs. Higurashi said, giving the English teacher a grateful smile. The two finished their tea in peace, then Theresa left.
Right, in a hosptial in another city. Tokyo has the best hospitals in the country...something isn't right here. She paused when she came to the old sacred tree and stared up at it as though challenging it to give her an answer. But the tree just stood there, leaves rustling in a slight breeze, offering nothing but shade. Theresa frowned and turned away, just in time to hear the sound of a door sliding open somewhere behind her. Without really thinking, she darted around the small fence enclosing the tree and huddled in the shadows, eyes roaming the area before her. Then she gasped. There, emerging from a small building across the shrine grounds, was Kagome. And she didn’t look the least bit unhealthy either. Well, perhaps she looked a bit tired, like she had been running or doing heavy lifting…though the way her backpack bulged, Theresa figured that would more than explain the heavy lifting bit. So what had she been doing in that little shed? As soon as Kagome vanished behind the main part of the shrine (headed for the house, apparently), Theresa stood from her hiding place and ran to the shed, pushed the door open just enough to slip inside, and took a look around. At first glance, there was nothing of interest there. The shed appeared to be an old wellhouse of some sort, for there, in the center of the room and down a short staircase from where Theresa stood, was a square well. The top was wide open, and there was nothing to stop anyone or anything from falling into the well. That certainly wasn’t very safe.
Theresa studied the well and frowned. Was there something in it? Something other than water, that is? She could have sworn she saw a dim light shining within the well. The young woman made her way down the stair and slowly approached the well, leaning a bit over the edge to see what was within. Sure enough, there was something glowing in there, and it wasn’t water. At least, it didn’t look like water. Theresa leaned closer, closer, and then (without knowing what possessed her to do it) she stretched her hand deep into the well in an effort to reach whatever was glowing down there.
Her last thought as she tumbled head first into the well was that stretching like that had been incredibly stupid.
Sign up to rate and review this story