HELP…

FIND ME…

"Uhh…Misao?...Is that you Misao?"

"…..MISAO!"

A girl woke on her bed in a cold sweat.

Sunlight streamed over the bed through the thin curtains covering her window.

"W…was I dreaming?" The girl asked aloud. She sat up in bed and swung her legs over the side as she gazed around her room lazily. She sighed. "..I thought I heard Misao…I..guess it was…just a dream…it has been three months…" She said as she looked at the clock.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late for school if I don't hurry!" She shouted as she jammed her feet into her socks and shoes and headed for the door.

Misao never stood out too much in our class…she was just a simple girl, really. I wasn't too close to her, but I was always worrying about Misao being alone…

"Aki! Breakfast is ready!" Her mother called as her door to her room swung open.

"Sorry, Mom! But I have to go!" She said as she dashed out of her room and out the door.

I hoped I could be her friend, but…that didn't happen…three months ago, Misao went missing…she wasn't coming to school. And she hadn't gone home either…

Aki walked down the road towards the school, students from all 4 years rushing past her: also late.

She's not the type to flee home. Our parents said that she might have gotten involved with something. Our class spread rumors that she's long dead by now…I really hope they're wrong…I wanted to be her friend…

Aki heard distant voices of many teenagers and the bell of first period. "O-oh crap!"

FIND ME…

Later, in class, Aki sat quietly at her desk as she gazed out the window, lost in thought. Was that Misao I heard in my dream?...I wonder…

"You've got guts to ignore my lecture." Someone said beside her.

Aki was so startled that she almost fell out of her chair.

A man stood behind her. "This will be essential for the test. You'd better listen!"

"Y-yes, Mr. Sohta!" She stammered as she saluted. "I-I'm sorry." As the teacher nodded and returned to the blackboard, Aki blushed fiercely as the class giggled under their breath.

After class ended, Aki's best friend stood by her desk, blabbering on.

"Mr. Sohta has a new suit! Like, whoa! Super suave!" She said cheerfully.

Aki sighed. "Ayaka! You've been talking him up all morning! Don't you ever get tired of blabbing?"

Ayaka smiled. "But he's such a ladies' man! He's so nice, and smart, and the best!" Ayaka snapped her fingers before bringing out a bottle of hand cream. She sung a random song as she rubbed her hands. "Did you hear? I did! There's a rumor that Mr. Sohta has a hand fetish! So, if I clean my hands constantly, he'll like me more!"

Aki stared at Ayaka in slight disgust, but then sighed. "I don't really care, Ayaka."

Ayaka widened her eyes. "Doesn't care, she says! Ha! You've got no eye for men, Aki!"

Aki rolled her eyes as Ayaka paused.

"Seriously! I don't know what you see in a seducer like Tohma?"

Aki blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "W-Wait! I didn't say I liked anyone!..I-I just think he's cool…that's all!"

"Oh really?" Ayaka giggled.

Aki blushed and began to shake her head.

"There's been some spooky paranormal activity going on at this school…I'm getting a little freaked." A girl said, not too far away.

"Paranormal, my ass!" A boy retorted.

Aki turned her head and saw a group of people whom she knew, but wasn't close friends with.

"I'm for real! IT'S for real! The other day, a kid in another other class got dragged away in the bathroom!" The girl said, giving dramatic hand gestures to the people she was talking to.

"There was also the glass in the third floor hallway being broken from inside." Another boy said, nodding.

The first girl slammed her hands down on the desk they were crowded around. "It's gotta be ghosts!"

Another girl who was with them shrieked. "I-I'm scared, Tohma!" She said running towards him.

Tohma hugged her before replying. "Ghosts, huh?" He asked. "Dumbass! Those ain't exist." He sat down, the girl sitting on his lap. He suddenly got serious. "Wait…what if…this is Misao's curse?"

Everyone, including Aki, were shocked.

The other boy quickly spun in his chair to look at Tohma. "Look! This is no time for jokes!" He said angerly.

"Geez, Kudoh. It was kind of a joke."

Kudoh frowned.

The first girl stepped in. "But, couldn't it be possible? It's been three months since she vanished! Then this stuff starts to happen!"

Tohma smiled suddenly. "Well, if these event're "Misao's Curse", then Yoshino'll be cursed sooner or later."

The first girl jumped. "W-Whatever did I do?!"

The other boy's expression became dark. "Yoshino…you did bully Misao a lot…"

Yoshino exaggerated her gestures again. "Bullying?! I never! Why, I was just poking a little fun at her!" She slammed her hands on Tohma's desk again. "Besides, Tohma always screwed with Misao! He's the one who'll get cursed!" She practically screamed, pointing dramatically at Tohma.

Tohma smiled again. "Me? Nah. Misao looked up to me!" He said calmly.

The girl sitting in Tohma's lap shivered. "Tohmaaa! I'm scared! I mean, I'm your girlfriend! Misao might have a grudge..."

Tohma wrapped his arms around the girl. "Don't sweat it, Otome (Saotome)! I'll protect you!"

She smiled and kissed his on his cheek. "Aww! Thank you, Tohma!"

Yoshino turned her back on the group. "Pah!" She spat. "Do what you like, lovebirds!"

Tohma pushed Saotome off his lap and got down on the floor on his knees. "Misaooooooo. Please don't curse usss! The rest are fair gaaaaaame, thooooooough!" He said loudly, bowing dramatically.

He began to laugh and fell on his back, Saotome plopped on his chest and sat there, looking adorably angry.

"Opps! Did I say that out loud?" He chuckled.

Suddenly the whole room began to shake, causing desks and chairs to scrap on the floor, books to fall off bookcases, and students to fall into one another.

"An earthquake?!" Yoshino shouted, barely audible above all the other students.

The room fell into an extremely dim light that was practically darkness and everyone became deathly quiet, until Tohma broke the silence.

"Wha?! It got dark right quick. What the heck is going on?!" He said, his voice quivering a bit.

"Maybe…it really is Misao's curse?" Yoshino said, sounding like she was on the brink on tears.

"Sh-Shut up! What the hell! I was just kiddin' about all that curse crap!" He shouted.

Aki, having stood up due to the earthquake, suddenly felt extremely light headed and collapsed onto the floor.

Ayaka began to freak out. "Aki?! Was that you? Aki?!"

"I-I'm fine..just a little light hea-" Aki suddenly heard a familiar voice in her head.

HELP…

"Misao?" Aki asked aloud, startling everyone in the classroom. She stood up shakily on her feet as she began to scream. "Misao! Where are you?!"

She felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders and shake her violently. "What the fuck are you talkin' about, Aki?!"

"Tohma…" She said quietly.

Tohma let go. "Shut it! I don't hear her damn voice!" He screamed, hunching over and covering his ears. He looked up at Aki, tears running down his face. "Please tell me you're joking! That you're talking crazy talk!"

Aki looked him in the eye. "I'm not talki- "

FIND ME…

"Mi…sa..o…"

Suddenly, a blood curdling scream was heard by everyone, making them all cover their ears and close their eyes.

The scream stopped, but was soon replaced by everyone else's in the room as the floor suddenly disappeared from under them, causing everyone to fall into complete darkness and pass out.