The sounds of water running woke Katie up from her deep sleep, throwing the cover aside she got up and walked sleepily into the bathroom. Her long brown hair looked a bit ruffled, her pink pajamas looked loose and the shirt was only buttoned halfway. Letting out a long yawning, she reached for the doorknob and opened the door to the bathroom. Standing before Katie was another person with short messy hair washing her face, the other girl stopped short as she glanced over at Katie.

"You're finally awake," the girl said in a monotone of voice and went back to washing her face. Her short black hair actually isn't that short, her lightly tanned complexion, dressing in short and t-shirt with a small chest really made her looked a lot less like a girl.

"With you running the water? I doubt it," Katie replied and yawn yet again. "If you get up earlier, you wouldn't have to listen to me running the water." the other girl retorted. She proceed to turn the water off before drying her face with a white towel, and with the towel away from her face showing the glowing skin and thick brows of a natural girl that you don't see often.

"Why do you have to be so cruel?" Katie said dramatically. "If you say so," the other girl replied as she walked out and leave Katie there. She took her turn and washed her face, then she went to changed her clothes of a more casual one before coming into the kitchen.

"Kym, what's for breakfast?" Katie called to the other girl before she even reached the kitchen. "Katie, eggs and toast." Kym replied in the same tone her friend asked. Kym brought the foods over to the table and place a dish in front of Katie, then she goes to pour two glasses of orange juice and handed one to Katie.

"You need to clean up your room, otherwise your boyfriend might die of a heartattack. He's like a neat freak," Kym said munching on her toasts. "Yes mother," Katie rolled her eyes. "Why is it that you seem to know more about Shawn than I do?" Katie looked at her friend suspiciously. "Because we've been best friend since third grade?" Kym answered.

Just as they finished with breakfast, the doorbell rang and Katie was quick on her feet to answered it. Standing there was a young man in his early twenties, dressing in casual clothes with a backpack on his back, his fair skin tone, short blonde hair. He smiled sweetly at her, and she jumped at him and planned a kiss on his cheek.

"I see your girlfriend found you," Kym said uninterestingly as she grabbed the set of keys. "Dude, don't be mean to her like that. You're roommates after all," he laughed at her lightly. "I will when she stop turning this place into a war zone," Kym said dryly as she walked pass them.

"Have a good day at school and work man," the guy pushed Katie away and give Kym a hug. "Aye, have a good day at school you two." Kym smiled and pushed him away quickly. She didn't want Katie to get the wrong idea and get all over them about things that she thinks happened.

"Why is it that you always hugs her?" Katie said with her hands on her hips. "Sweety, there's nothing between us. I'm just used to do that to her since we're young," the guy replied smiling at his girlfriend still. "Don't lie to me Shawn, I know what you're thinking about her." Katie said with her brows knitted together.

A/N: sorry to put this in english, but i'm having a hard time trying to translate this. so please bare with me, this was done in english as a story in progress. much thanks

"Hey, sorry I come in late." Shawn said as he went to change his clothes. "Hurry up if you know you're late," Kym said coldly. She was so busy with serving foods to the waiting customers that she needn't to be nice to her friend, it was pretty much his fault that she has to helped out with serving foods. She usually works behind the bar and fill the drinks order only, but now she was carrying a tray full of foods running back and forth.

By midnight, Katie decided to go and pick both her boyfriend and roommate up from work. She find it to be uncomfortable that those two worked together and having some classes together as well, even though she met Shawn through Kym yet she still suspicious that there's something going on between them. She drove over in the old Camary her parents give her, it is really only two years old but she made it seemed like ancient.

"What the?" Katie gasped as she come up to the door of the restaurant. Inside she saw Shawn's back against her, it seemed that her intuition might be right after all. 'They were making out?!' her face turned red at the thought. 'No wonder why she has been coming late lately.' Unattentively, she raised her hand up and pounded against the thick glass door.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Katie shouted storming into the place. Her boyfriend turned around and looked at her with a confused look on his face, his hands still hold onto a bottle of antiseptic and some cottons. Katie seemed taken aback a bit by the things in his hands, so she glanced over at Kym who sit quietly looking at her with those brown eyes.

"I've had enough for one night, and I don't need another jealousy fight from you." Kym spoke calmly as the blood dripped down her right cheek. She looked distraught with the wide gash on her right cheek and the nicely wrapped up right hand. Her expressions were simply none, just cold and maybe a bit of anger in her eyes.

"Okay, just let me wrap this up and you can go home, I'll finish cleaning up," Shawn said as he bandages up the cut on his friend's cheek. "Thanks, but it's my turn to close up tonight. You should go back with her before she says that I come between you two," Kym said dryly.

Katie felt ashame and a bit emberassed by her words, she could only looked down at the floor and said nothing. Shawn reluctantly aggreed and left with Katie, although he was quite upset that his girlfriend would think so poorly of his best friend and his love for her.

When morning comes, Kym was already up and studying since it was the weekend. Katie sluggishly entered the living room, yawning as she sits down on the couch across from Kym. Just then the phone ring, before Katie could answered it Kym has already grabbed the phone and answered in a calm and polite manner as though she was expecting the call.

"Who was it?" Katie asked as soon as Kym hung up the phone. "The result to my interview last week," Kym said dryly. "Look, I'm sorry about last night." Katie said looking down at her hands. "For what?" Kym asked looking up at her friend with her book in her lap. "For being suspicious of you two," Katie's voice turned into a whisper. "Oh, I don't care." Kym shrugged her shoulders coldly.

"Anyway, what happened to you last night?" Katie changed the topic. "Well, man was having an affair with one of the waitress. His wife come to confront her and she's off last night, and she thought I was that waitress and I ended up with these." Kym explained as though it was nothing. While Katie's expression changed from confusion to disgust and finally surprising.

"You don't have to worry about me and Shawn anymore," Kym said as she turned her attention back to the book on her lap. "Hm?" Katie look confused at her friend's sudden remark. "I'm starting on my new job this coming Monday, and I'm having today and tomorrow off from work. Not that I can work with my hand all wrapped up like this," Kym laughed holding up her right hand. "Did you tell him about it?" Katie asked. "Why? He's not my brother or my dad," Kym said with furrowed brows.

"I know, but shouldn't you at least let him know since you've been friends forever." Katie replied. "What's with you girl?" Kym paused. "One moment, you're all jealous of our friendship and another you think I'm being unfair to your man. Can't you just make up your mind?" Kym laughed as she combed her hair with her left hand. "I'm not jealous," Katie protested. "Uh, sure..." Kym said with an impish expression on her face. "It's just that nice guy are hard to find," the girl murmured.

"I guess Spring put people on the edge about everything," Kym said thoughtfully. "Like a Spring fever?" Katie said with an innocent look on her face. "Your case is just the time to be bitchy," Kym laughed and got up. "Hey!" Katie called after her friend as the other girl left. "Well, I'm going home to visit my family." Kym said coming out moments later in jeans and t-shirt. "Can I come? I just love the Vietnamese spring roll and noodles," Katie jumped on her feet with joy. "If you want, but call Shawn so he won't come over. I don't know if my family making noodles or not," Kym shrugged. "I don't care, Vietnamese foods are awesome." the girl said before she scurried away to get change.

"Mom's making egg-drop soup today," a young man said to Kym as she entered the living room with Katie right behind her. "Hey Peter," Kym said as she gives the young man a hug. "Hey sis," he replied padding her back. "So you find a job yet?" she asked looking at her brother. "Yeah, I'm working at a hospital nearby. And what the hell happened to you?" he finally noticed a bandage on her cheek.

"Don't tell me you got in fight in school," he said with his brows knit together. "Nah, just the glass dropped from top cabinet on the counter." Kym said waving her hand like it was nothing. "Hey! Don't ignore me," Katie said poking her head out from behind Kym. "Oh yeah, sup girl?" Peter grinned at the other girl.

"Kym, you're home." a woman exclaimed as she entered the living room from the kitchen. "Hi mom," Kym quickly walked over to the woman and give her a hug also. "Honey, Kymmy is home!" the woman called facing the stairs hidden behind the tall glass cabinet. Displaying within it were figurines and dolls of all colors and sizes, most were gifts from Kym and Peter on their parents' birthdays.

"You cut yourself again?" her mother said as she attend her daughter's hand. "I tried to caught a fallen knife," Kym said scratching her head like a child. "You no do that again, you hear me?" her mom said in broken English with a thick Vietnemese accent. She wanted to learn the language, and Kym never really learned to speak Vietnamese either.

"Hey, the little brat is home. How's your boyfriend? Oh wait, you don't have one," another man said entering the house. His skinny stature and long mane along with his pale complexion made him quite a standout among his siblings. "Oh look, it's the college dropout and jobless fool." Kym mocked him for what he said to her earlier. "Quit it you two," a man in his golden age raised his voice. "Calvin, don't go teasing your sister when you should be worry about getting a job. I'm tire of having a lazy son in my house," the man said.

"Yeah, even Son got a job so I'm sure you can get one too." Kym said in a subtle voice. By far, Katie said nothing by only observe, it is a family affair that she doesn't want to get herself into. It almost always happened everytime she comes to visit with Kym, though it seemed quite natural to the others Katie still cring once in a while by the way this family talk.

"Speaking of Son, how was he?" Kym finally remembered that she forgot about her oldest brother. "Sonny is out with his girlfriend today," Peter answered in a smooth and calming voice. "Weren't she pregnant?" Kym asked trying to recall how it all started. "Yeah, she due in few months." her father nodded his head slightly.

Both of her parents had a grim look on their face, since Sonny dropped out of High School, Calvin dropped out of College, while Peter finished college as Kym has yet to done anything rash as the two older boys had. to make matters worse, Sonny went and got his girlfriend pregnant then refused to marry her. While Calvin spent his days leeching off of them, Peter moved out and live on his own but come home every weekend.

"You know? No matter how many times I visit your family, I'm always surprised whenever you guys talk." Katie said on the ride back to their apartment. "Is that a compliment or an insult?" Kym said without taking her eyes off the road in front of them. "Compliment," Katie smiled. "Geez thanks," Kym replied in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Hey I have to go home," Katie said as she comes into the living room. Kym turned around to look at her friend all dressed up, and nodded her head without saying anything. Katie smiled and skipped out of the door, outside Kym could hear the sound of car engine roaring and chattering between Shawn and Katie.

About an hour later, the doorbell rung and Kym got up and answered the door. Standing in front of her was her Speech professor, dressing in casual clothes with a pair thick glasses. Kym was a bit confused but she invited her teacher inside and made some tea for them anyway. It was more of an awkward moment for Kym than it is for her teacher, though who could blame her.

"So what bring you here, Porfessor Robinson?" Kym said carefully. "I know that you've took some psychology classes, and you're majoring in Social Work also." Robinson said with a nervous look on her slightly wrinkled face. "What do you want to talk about?" Kym asked catching on quickly as usual. "I caught my husband cheating on me," the other woman said quietly looking down at her hands. "What did you do when you caught him?" Kym sounded calm and soft.

"I really wanted to grab the knife in the kitchen and killed them," Robinson answered looking up at Kym with flame in her hazel eyes. "But you left instead," Kym said looking into those hazel eyes without showing any emotions. "I remembered about you and come to ask for some advices," she shifted her eyes from Kym's piercing gaze.

Kym said nothing as she stood up and left the room, only return after a few minutes with a pen and papers. "Here, write down what you really feel when you saw the event. Express all your anger, hatred, fear, sadness, etc. into it," Kym said handing her teacher the items. "That's it?" Robinson took it with a confused look on her face. "Yes, writing is the best way to express your emotions without actually hurting people physically. Or would you rather going out and commit crimes?" Kym said coldly.

Robinson couldn't really argue with Kym, because her answer actually made sense in a strange way. It may not be what she wanted to hear, but it really hit the target of her emotions and really soothed her pain. The teacher nodded at Kym's words and started writing as Kym sit across from the woman and looked on with calming expression. And once she finished, Kym went on to told her to read it out loud and then shred the papers until nothing was left.

"Feeling better?" Kym asked her teacher. "Quite a bit," Robinson said with her hand on her chest looking relief. "I'm going to file for divorce," she continued as she stood up. "If you see fit," Kym said as she got up also. "Thanks for helping me with my problem," Robinson said with a weak smile on her face. "You're welcome, I guess." Kym said in a confused tone of voice. "You're a good kid, I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you." Robinson smiled and left the place.

Even adults get hurt sometimes, and Robinson was one of them and she knew just who to turn to. Kym was a meek student in her class, a quiet one that stood out no matter where she goes. She may be young, but her understanding of people's emotions has put her in the spotlight around campus. She worked as a counselor on her Intern course last semester, and one of Robinson's students met Kym when she was going through some tough times. It was how Robinson comes to learn about the girl's career choice.

"Kym, I love you. Would you go out with me?" a young man said to Kym as they stood outside the market. "I'm sorry but I have to decline, because I don't feel that way about you." Kym replied softly. "Why?" he asked. "Because I hardly know you," she answered. "But I know you," the guy said. He looks shorter than Kym and have the features of Vietnamese origin. "What is that suppose to mean?" Kym said as her eyes twitches slightly at the guy's words. "You can get to know me better if we go out," he said confidently.

"Dude, get the hell away from her." Shawn said as he approached them. "You ain't her boyfriend," the Asian guy glared at Shawn. "Okay, okay." Kym said noticing people are staring at them. "I don't know you, so go away. And you, what are you doing here?" Kym said trying not to show any anger. "I won't until you give me an answer," the other guy said. "No! That's my answer," Kym raised her voice a little. "I'm just here to get some stuff for dinner," Shawn replied.

"Come on, you're not dating. So why not be my girlfriend?" the guy remain persistent still. "Hey, f*ck off! She already said no, so leave her alone ass." Shawn said pulling the guy away from Kym. "Ugh, what a nightmare..." Kym said rubbing her forehead. She then turned and went into the market leaving the two guys to duke it out between them, Shawn chased after her leaving the other guy embarrassed with the crowds whispering around him.

"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?" Kym said as she broswed the vegetables section. "She's at my house, and we're short on some ingredients." Shawn replied following her. "Well, go get it and go home. I have to make dinner, so I'll be on my way soon anyway." Kym stop and turn to face him. "I'm afraid to let you go home alone," Shawn said scratching his head.

Kym reached up and gently tapped on his forehead, "I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself, thank you very much. We're not kids anymore, so I don't need you to look out for me." Her words might seem harsh, but she only speaks the truth and it made Shawn smiled. "Yeah, I guess." "We have our own lives, so focus on yours instead of mine hm?" Kym smiled faintly at her friend. "Yeah, so I'll see you tomorrow in class okay?" Shawn said turning away. "Okay," Kym waved to him while smiling still.

Just as Kym placed the groceries on the counter top, a strange feeling washed over her. The wound on her cheek throbbed, causing her to lean on the counter to keep her balance. The feeling stayed for a few minutes and the pain on the cut went away as the strange feeling went away. Kym was confused at the suddenness, though she had a bad feeling that it is a sign of something bad is coming.

The next day, Kym attend class like normal but Shawn didn't show up. Suddenly there was some knocking at the door, the professor stop talking and went to open it. The two man in police uniform looked around and asked the professor in a quiet tone of voice before they were led over to where Kym was siting.

"Kym Le?" one of the men asked and Kym looked up at them. "Yes?" she didn't look surprised but somewhat confused. "We would like to have a few words with you," the other man said to her. "Okay," she nodded understandingly and took her things and follow them outside.

"What was the last time you saw Mrs. Robinson?" the first man proceed on asking the question as they headed down the hall. "Yesterday afternoon," she replied calmly as the bad feeling comes back to her. "Do you remember what time it is?" the man pressed on as the second man took notes of Kym's reply. "I would say around two thirty or three," Kym answered with a thoughtful look on her face.

"What time did she leave?" "Around four, because I went out to the market at four thirty. Why? What happened?" she stopped walking and look at them. "Mrs. Robinson was kill at four twenty-five yesterday, someone broke in. A robbery perhaps," the first man answered. "So I'm a suspect since I was the last person that saw her alive," Kym said solemnly. "No, we just want to ask you some questions regarding to her relationship with her husband." "Then shouldn't you be asking her husband instead?" she looked at them sternly.

"We haven't been able to reach him," the second man replied. "Then why do you think I would know anything about her private life?" she sounds emptied somehow. "Because we learned that you've been counseling her many times before her sudden death," the first man said. "I want to see the crime scene," Kym murmured. "We can't," the second man said. "Then there's nothing to talk about," Kym turned and walk back to class.

“Wait,” the first man called to her. “You can try to negotiate with the Chief,” he said as Kym stopped midway. Then together they took her to the Police Station for further questioning, though Kym remain vague on things as long as they refuse to let her see the crime scene. Her calm demeanor and monotone voice surprised even the people that questioned her; no feelings were detected throughout the whole session.

“Be honest kid, you do not want to go to jail for obstructing justice. So don’t lead us in circle,” an older man in civilian said to Kym. His scruffy unshaved face and messy hair that made him looked like he hasn’t been sleeping for a few days. Dark circles under his eyes, making his dark blue eyes stood out even more.

“I told you everything I know, but if you want to frame me. There’s nothing more I can do,” Kym replied dryly with her arms crossed. “Don’t test my patient little girl,” he murmured as he leaned towards her. “Is that a threat officer?” she leaned in asking him with a smug on her face. “I will not tell you about what we’re talking about yesterday unless I see the crime scene, so put me in jail and never solve the case then.” Kym said in a snotty tone of voice.

“You guys leave, there’s something I like to ask her in private. And turn off the camera and microphone,” the man said to his subordinates. “Okay,” they replied and left the room without any further objections. Kym eyed him as he paced himself and removed his jacket, rubbing his head then his chin before sitting down across from her.

“Tell me why you insisting on seeing the crime scene?” he asked in a low tone of voice. “I wanted to see what really happened to her,” Kym answered but her eyes looked so sad suddenly. “What do you mean by that?” he asked with his brows knitted together. “You wouldn’t understand,” she let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve been in the force for thirty years, nothing surprise me anymore. So cough it out kid,” he said in a relax tone of voice.

“Detective Gent, isn’t it?” Kym asked looking straight into his eyes. “Have you ever had a sudden feeling that something bad happened but you don’t know what it is?” Kym said in a low voice. He said nothing and just nodded his head in reply to her question, and silent befall between them. “Well, when I come home from the market yesterday around five ’til five. My wound suddenly throbbed and this eerie feeling washed over me, it made it feel as though something ominous is about to happen or already did.”

“You mean to tell me that you have psychic power?” he interrupted her with a mocking smile on his face. “No,” Kym said crisply. “If I do, I would be able to tell you who killed her instead of sitting here telling you things you think is garbage to begin with.” Kym continued as she stood up. “I’m not surprise why your wife and kids left you, such a close-minded fool.” Kym said as she opened the door and left him there alone with her words echoing in his mind.

“Miss Le. May I have a word with you?” an older man said to her as she comes out of the room. “Sure,” she nodded her head and followed the old man down the hall. Everyone stops to look at her with curious eyes, but she doesn’t seem to be effected by it. She has too many things running through her mind right now to worry about prying eyes.

“Have a seat,” he said in a gentle tone of voice. “Thank you,” she replied as she sits down in front of the desk. “I understand that Mrs. Robinson was your former teacher,” he said sitting down himself with a thick folder in front of him. “We talk from time-to-time since I counsel at school sometimes,” she nodded in acknowledgement. “Was yesterday a counseling session also?” he pressed on. “More or less,” she shrugged her shoulders.

“Was those cuts from work?” he asked. “Yes, mistaken identity.” Kym answered shaking her head slightly. “I was there having dinner with my family,” he smiled understandingly at her. “That’s embarrassing,” Kym smiled shyly. “Back to the case, if I take you there…” he paused for a moment. “Will you tell me of the conversation between you and her?” he looks at her with firm gaze. “All of them or just the one from yesterday?” Kym asked cautiously. “Just yesterday,” he replied. “Deal,” she said extending her hand out and they shook hands.

By afternoon, Kym was finally let go and she meets the old man just outside the Police Station. He smiled as he waved to her, and she approached him slowly and cautiously. She gets in and he drove off, the car was an old Ford but it seemed that the old man kept the car well maintained. When the car stopped, they got out and looked at the large house in front of them with yellow tapes in front the door.

The door click open, and a sudden strange feeling returned and the wound on her cheek throbbed again. Kym leaned against the doorway to keep her balance. The old man noticed and placed his hand on her shoulder to assure her of his presence; together they looked on at the messy living room. Thing were turned over and there’s dark stain on the carpet in the middle of all the scattered things.

The pain worsen causing Kym to placed her right hand over the bandage on her cheek with her fingers covered over her eye. For a moment, the images of a man brutally beating up a woman with his bare hands before grabbing the shotgun by the chair and shot her. Blood spatter on the beige carpet as the body twitches for a minute or two before going limp, and the man calmly pushed everything over to make it looked like a robbery gone wrong before leaving the house.

“You have a pair of gloves?” Kym asked breathlessly. “Yeah, but why?” the old man asked her. “Can I borrow it? There’s something I want to check out,” she said looking at him. He could see that she turns pale for some reason and a bit out of breath, but he said nothing and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and handed it to her. “Thanks,” Kym murmured taking the gloves with her shaky hands and put it on.

She reached out and turned the lights on for better view of everything, and she made her way over to the chair that was knocked over on its back. The old man followed right behind her but kept his distant, just as Kym slipped her hands under the chair and lifts it back on its feet. Revealing an empty shell underneath it, Kym picked it up and examine it under the lights. She then holds onto it and took the glove off to keep the shell in the glove as evidence.

“He beaten her down, grabbed the shotgun and shot her from this angle.” Kym said as she stood in a position of a person holding a gun aiming at the floor. “The shell ejected, he kicked it here and pushed the chair over to cover it.” Kym explained walking over behind the chair holding onto the shell within the glove still. “He then proceed to knocks everything over to make it like a robbery,” she moves fluidly around all the objects on the floor.

“How could you tell?” the old man asked in a calm tone of voice. “Let’s just say I have a sixth sense,” Kym smiled faintly at him. “Your new evidence,” she smiled and handed him the shell covered by the glove. “She came to see me because she caught her husband cheating on her earlier on that day. Then she left to go home and file divorce with him,” she said as they lock up the place again.

It was near two in the morning, and Katie heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. She rubs her eyes sitting up trying to adjust to the darkness, getting out of bed she made her way to the door leading to the bathroom. She then opened the door, and in front of her was Kym splashing water to her face nonstop. Silently she tiptoed up behind her friend, it is when she truly noticed blood tainted the sink and mixed with the water.

Katie reached out to pull Kym back to look into her eyes, and to her horror Kym’s face were merely a mass of muscles without skin on. “What’s the matter?” the skinless girl asked her friend. Katie recoiled in fear and bolted away from the skeleton hand reaching out to touches her, screaming at the top of her lungs as Kym turned into a skeleton lunging at her with shrill laughter.

“Katie!” Kym called just as Katie sit straight up screaming still. “What is your problem?” Kym asked in a very calming tone of voice. Panting heavily, Katie quickly reached out and turned on the nightlight to make sure that Kym’s face isn’t just a mass of flesh. “Your hands,” Katie said breathlessly. “Huh?” Kym looked at her friend with a confused look on her face. “Let me see your hands,” Katie said as cold sweats rolled down her pale face. “Okay…” Kym said reluctantly as she shows Katie both of her hands.

“What’s wrong?” Kym said again in a calm voice still. “You were washing your face, and there’s blood all over the sink. When you turned around, there was no skin on your face and your hands are only bones.” Katie sounded frightened. “It’s just a nightmare, now go back to bed. I need to get some sleep for school tomorrow too,” Kym assured her friend before she stood up.

“She must be drinking too much last night,” Kym murmured as she left and headed for the bathroom. Like a bad omen, Kym removed the bandage on her right cheek and stared at herself in the mirror. The wound looked red and a single line of blood trickled down her pale cheek, with pain in her eyes Kym gritted her teeth and splashes her face with cold water. Afterward, she cleaned up the blood and put a brand new bandage on it before she cleans up the bloody looking sink.

“Kym, I’m sorry to burden you so…” a soft gentle voice echoed in the air. Kym found herself standing at the beach, a place of no familiarity to her whatsoever. “Professor Robinson?” Kym asked looking around the empty beach. The sand glows white under her feet, yet there’s neither sun nor moon above to reflect against the sand. “You have a strong soul Kym,” Kym’s teacher appeared in front of her from thin air. “So you were calling out to me both times?” Kym asked calmly like this always happened to her.

“Yes, you are the link between this world and the living world.” Professor Robinson replied pointing into the distant. Suddenly, the sand turned into charred earth as the sky turned red with flashes of lightning roaring nonstop in front of their eyes. It is like a barren of wasteland, with a skeleton of a tree in the distant where the crows perched upon squawking at the sounds of lightning.

“What do you want from me?” Kym asked feeling her throat drying from the sight. “Don’t let him near the kids,” the teacher said faintly. “How am I supposed to do that when I have school and work?” Kym looked at the frail looking woman in front of her. She never realized how frail her professor look until now; only after her death did she noticed such tiny detail of the woman. “Please help me…” was her last request before her spirit glows pure white and disappeared just as she comes.

“Ahh!” Kym screamed herself awake. “I hate having a light soul,”* she said feeling the sweats on her forehead. “I know her kids, but this is ridiculous.” Kym said getting out of bed and turned the computer on. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk as the computer in her room boot up, sitting down in the dark Kym clicked on the icon to access the Internet. Staring at the pale blue screen, she started typing and email and sends it to two separate email addresses at two different universities. (*Light soul is a Vietnamese saying to someone who actually encountered ghosts/spirits, something similar to having a sixth sense.)
Just as Kym tried to go back to sleep, her cell phone vibrated violently on her computer desk. Sleepily, she reached out and grabbed the phone, “Hello?” She wasn’t surprised of the voice on the other line, but she didn’t expected to get a call just an hour after sending off the emails. “You sure?” Kym sounded groggy and tired. “Okay, I’ll pick you guys up at the airport this afternoon then.”

By the morning, Katie come out and no foods on the table. “Kym?” Katie called to the quiet kitchen. Katie strolled quietly to the closed room at the end of the hall; her friend was still sleeping with the cover pulled over her head. “You still sleeping?” Katie whispered peeking into the dark room. Silent was the only answer in the room, so Katie stepped in and reached for the light switch and turned on the lights.

It turned out that Kym was sitting on the bed with her back leaning against the wall, with a blank stares from her brown eyes and the bandage on her cheek turned red for a while already. Panicked, Katie dragged her already dress up friend out of bed and into her car, droving as fast as she could to the nearby hospital. There the doctor stitched up the cut and told Katie that Kym was probable suffering from lack of sleep or some kind of shock that caused her to faint with her eyes opens still.

“Seriously, I don’t know how you faint with your eyes open.” Katie complained as she drove home with Kym in the passenger seat. Kym remained quiet and just stared at her hands, there was no expression whatsoever on her face like she was deep in thought. “Are you even listening to me?” Katie asked glancing over at her friend. Kym was silent still; seemingly she didn’t hear anything Katie said to her. “Kym?” Katie started to worry a bit. Kym was too lost in her own thought to hear let alone reply.

“Kym, Kym!” Katie parked the car and grabbed Kym by the shoulder. “Huh? What?” Kym looked up and a confused look shown in her eyes. “We’re home, go get some rest. I need to grab my stuff and head to class.” Katie said before she got out of her car and Kym follows. “Yeah, thanks by the way.” Kym said quietly as they went their way to their room. “Sure, no problem.” Katie waved her hand in the air.

Things calmed down when the murderer of Kym’s former professor was caught, and as in her vision it was the husband. Fearing that half of his fortune loses to her if they divorce, he killed her in a moment of heated argument. The man truly loved his money more than his family; sadly the kids have to gone through such trauma. Not so bad since they both are around Kym’s age and mature enough to cope with it, though they still leaned on Kym for moral support since they’ve known her when all three of them attended at the same high school a few years back.

“Hey, haven’t seen you in a while. What happened?” Shawn asked Kym after class. “Nothing just got a lot of things to do lately.” Kym brushed him aside. “So why did you quit working?” he tailed her still. “Because I got another job,” she replied dryly. “But why?” he becomes persistent. “Because I can’t deal with you and Katie everyday,” Kym turned to face him with a cold expression on her face. Her words cut him like it never done before, he just couldn’t understand why she would say such a thing like that because the Kym he known never say such harsh words.

“Satisfy? I have to go to work now, so I’ll see you around.” Kym lowered her tone of voice and walked pass him. “You’ve changed,” he murmured as she passes him by. “I’ve grown up, maybe you should do the same.” Kym replied. Her words ring the truth to his denial self, Shawn has refused to believe that they both become young adults and walking different paths now. Kym has finally outgrown him, and he didn’t want to see it because she has always been walking behind him. Though she has long passed him by a few years ago, he’s just denying it because he himself didn’t notice that his feelings for her changed throughout the years.

School is finally over at last, Kym graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Social Work and an Associate in Photography. Shawn and Katie graduated with an Associate in Civil Engineering for Katie and Programming for Shawn. Kym left to went home over the weekend, and Katie didn’t come along because she invited Shawn over to have some alone time with him.

“Ah, you come home.” Kym’s mother said gently as she opened the door. “For the weekend, I still have to work on Monday and all that.” Kym smiled as she comes in. “So you see anything on your way home?” her mother asked as they sit down on the couch. “Like what?” Kym look at her mother confusingly. “Oh, spirits or something like that…” “You see those things?” Kym cut her mother’s off. “From time to time, since my old eyes aren’t as sharp as it used to be.” Her mother said looking at her face feeling the scar on her cheek.

“So what is happening to me?” Kym paused. “I’m starting to see them more frequent than before,” Kym furrowed her brows. “When I was your age, I was starting to lose my ability to exorcist spirits. You is different, you got strong at this age. You really is strong girl,” her mother smiled kindly at her still. “What do you mean?” Kym asked keeping her voice low and soft. “Me see your hand,” her mother said taking Kym’s right hand and unwrapped the bandages slowly.

She then turned the hand upward so the palm is shown, and within the palm of her hand were a mark of the Buddha’s symbol. The symbol of the Circle of Life from ancient temple in Tibet, it looked as though it has been tattooed long ago that the color seem faded away. Kym just stared at the symbol in disbelief, because she was so shock from the mark on her palm to even say anything except for gawking at it with her mouth wide open.

“Is there something I should know about this strange event?” Kym finally said. “You come from long lineage of Shaman, it a curse from our ancestor during ancient time in China. The curse that only female descendent inherit the power of Shamanism, along with unfortunate death and lost of memories.” Kym’s mother let out a heavy sigh. “I barely remember my parents when I was a teen until I married your father,” she continued as her accents thicken.

“Okay, this is getting way too confusing for me to comprehend.” Kym said. “In time my daughter, tomorrow I show you some records I still have about our family history.” Her mother smiled kindly at her. Suddenly her heart beaten loudly in her ears, and a feeling of sadness washed over her. Her mother saw her face turning pale, and her eyes turned blank as though she’s in a trance.

Tomorrow never come as the sound of engine roaring into the living room where the mother and daughter sit, the car rammed the couch and broke it in half. Kym was pushed against the glass table that shattered as she hits it, and the splinter piece of wood from the table pierce her mother’s heart. To make matter worse, the couch itself pinned Kym underneath as other debris falling down on top of her knocking her unconscious. Blood trickled out from the corner of her left eye, even though she’s a Shaman nothing could save her now.

***
End
To be continue… in ‘Summer Rain’

*a/n: Thank you TT, it's not really magical because Shamanism really do exist. Just like with people with a sixth sense and exorcist and things like that. But I'm glad you enjoy it.