The water demon

Reaper - Chapter 2

When Suki's alarm clock sounds its monotonous beeping the next morning, for the first sleepy minutes she has the feeling that it was all just a dream and that this would be the beginning of a normal school day, just like countless days before. But at the latest when she has struggled out of her cozy mountain of pillows, the entire memory of yesterday's incidents can be clearly seen again in her mind's eye. On the one hand, she feels this uncomfortable fear deep in her stomach, where the reasonable part of her mind wishes that none of this had happened and she could just go on with her normal, peaceful life. On the other hand, she cannot deny that, despite the avoidable danger in which she is now floating, she is glad that she has met Sey, and that she can hardly wait to answer all the questions that she asked yesterday before going to sleep went through the head to ask. As she hops down the stairs, freshly showered and dressed in her favorite top, she notices that in the house, apart from the creaking of the steps under her feet, there is not a sound to be heard. At first she is sure that Sey still has to sleep, after all it is just 7 a.m., but this conviction is suddenly branded as false when she sees the empty couch in the living room. She listens briefly to see if something can be heard in the kitchen before she quickly walks into the hallway, hoping to find his jacket in the cloakroom. However, she is disappointed again. For a moment she doubts her own mind and is no longer so sure whether it wasn't maybe everything was a dream after all. But when she steps into the kitchen and discovers two freshly washed plates that have been neatly placed next to the sink to dry, her facial expression immediately brightens up again. So he was here, that much is clear. So he will surely show up again soon, she is sure of that now.As she turns to the refrigerator, accompanied by a considerable growl of stomach, she notices something shiny silver on the small, square kitchen table with the corner of her eye. It is a filigree silver necklace with a small snow-white stone hanging from it. The setting consists of fine, twisted silver threads that snake along the smooth surface of the stone and hold it in place. Suki takes the chain in her hand and lets the smooth silver ribbon slide through her fingers. On the table there is also a small, folded piece of paper which, as Suki remarks, comes from the pad that is always next to the phone on the small chest of drawers in the living room. She unfolds the piece of paper and reads the short, more poorly than rightly smeared text on it.

I have something important to do, but I'll be back soon. If you wear the necklace you don't have to worry about the Himitsu ... It won't stop you, but if you have any problems I can find you. But try not to take unnecessary risks.

Sey

Suki frowns, but decides to wear the necklace as a precaution, even if she has no idea how to help her in a situation like the night before. She can't really imagine that a tiny transmitter or something similar could be hidden in the pretty trailer, but she just can't think of any other way with which Sey could track her.
As usual, she gobbles her lavish breakfast and sets off to school as she does every morning. As she steps out the front door, she has to smile at the warm rays of the sun on her face and the cloudless blue sky. As she does every morning, she puts on her neon-green headphones and strolls down the street in her suburban neighborhood, which is gradually becoming livelier.
When Suki enters the large school yard a little later, she is immediately greeted by a scowling Tessa."Hey, Tess ... what's up?"
Tessa crosses her arms over her chest and looks at her reproachfully.
"You still ask? We had an appointment last night, remember? We wanted to see a movie and you just didn't show up! I must have called you five times, but you didn't even answer the phone!"
With all the excitement, Suki had of course not wasted a thought on her planned DVD evening, and since she was on the run until late at night, Tessa's calls to her home were also unheard ... Suki opens her mouth to shut something But telling her defense immediately realizes that there is nothing she could say to Tessa. She doesn't even want to imagine how Tessa reacts when she tells her that she spent the whole night with the "stalker" about whom she wanted to alert the police yesterday.
"Tessa, I, ... well yesterday I wasn't feeling so well, and then I lay down a bit, and ... well I fell asleep and just didn't hear the phone, ... I'm really sorry .. . I promise I'll make it up to you! "
Tessa throws her one last venomous look, but then lets it be good for now while the two stroll to their classroom.
The first hour goes by, it seems like in a flight, which is due to the fact that her thoughts are again elsewhere. As the second lesson, mathematics, draws to a close, Suki gradually wakes up from her trance and tries to keep at least a little of the subject matter. Tessa, too, sighs in frustration at the dry equations on the blackboard. When the long-awaited sound of the school bell announces the beginning of the break, a relieved murmur goes through the class while the students jostle their way out of the room. When Suki enters the courtyard and greedily inhales the fresh air, Tessa suddenly pokes her elbow in the side, causing her to cough."Hey, what's that supposed to mean ?! That hurt!"
A look along Tessa's outstretched arm, which points across the schoolyard, causes Suki's lower jaw to drop down. At the other end of the square, leaning casually against the closed entrance gate and with his hands in his jacket pockets, Sey stands bored and watches the hustle and bustle of the students around him. Shocked and angry at the same time, Suki walks quickly towards him, simply ignoring Tessa, who follows her confused. When Sey recognizes her, he seems relieved at first, but his expression changes suddenly when he recognizes the angry twinkle in her eyes.
"What are you doing here? What if one of the teachers sees you?"
In fact, she is only now realizing how out of place Sey seems with his tattered clothes and sullen look. In addition, most of the students seem to avoid him, because the school yard has been swept empty within a radius of about five meters around him, which Sey seems to see as a positive side effect. When he answers her, however, he doesn't seem in a good mood.
"I think that's my line, Suki! You should hold back and not put yourself in unnecessary danger ... I thought you were seriously aware of the situation ..!"
Before Suki can answer him, she feels how Tessa pulls her aside.
"Suki, do you know the guy? .... If you ask me we should just go back inside, the guy has something scary about him ...."
The discomfort in Tessa's whispering voice amazes Suki for a moment, as she was used to a rather tough mouth on the part of her friend. Sey takes a step towards her, pulling a small, golden Zippo out of one of the many pockets with one quick movement and snapping it open right in front of Tessa's face. She stares into the flame for a few seconds, but the next moment Sey pulls the lighter away again, snaps it back into place with a click and disappears into his jacket."Weren't you planning on going to the library during recess?"
Sey looks deeply at Tessa until she turns around wordlessly and sneaks away in the direction of the school building. Suki looks after her confused for a moment and then turns back to Sey, who acknowledges Tessa's departure with a crooked grin.
"What the hell did you do? I'm pretty sure Tessa would never voluntarily spend her break in the library!"
"Don't worry, I just tweaked your memory a bit ... it won't hurt her any further ..."
Suki is shocked at the composure with which Sey makes this confession and the seething anger inside her is about to vent with a few lewd words.
"All right, let's get out of here, you can go back to school once things with the Himitsu have calmed down ... for now we should - ..."
"What are you thinking of just showing up here and giving me instructions ?! If and when I go to school I still decide, and I really like going to school! And in case you haven't noticed, this is here a school and I am a student, unlike you, you have absolutely no business here! "
Some students watch the scene curiously, whereupon Suki's cheeks touch each other embarrassingly, turning slightly red before she continues in a lowered voice.
"And the next time you think it necessary to fool my classmates with this, ... that fire thing in the brain, please ask me beforehand, of course ...! Even if you are not a person, this is your address Keeping the rules, just like me. "
Sey stared at her for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and giving up in resignation.
"Fine as you like, go to school if you really want to ... but for some reason, I was in a hell of a lot of trouble when I saved your life yesterday, and I'm not going to let it be in vain just because you absolutely have to present yourself to the Himitsu as a living target! ""Oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it?"
"You will see!"
He turns around angrily and leaves Suki alone on the square, just as the school bell rings, signaling the end of the break. Suki feels guilty as she is carried back to her classroom in the stream of students. Sey was only concerned about her safety and she had acted like a bitch ... After school she would apologize to him ... if he hadn't changed his mind and didn't come back ... Im When she arrives at the classroom, she sighs and lets herself fall on her chair, throwing a brief glance at Tessa, who is already sitting in her seat right next to her and is busy reading a thick book. When the class is complete, her teacher, a cozy little blonde, finally comes in and slams her heavy bag onto the desk in front of the blackboard.
"Okay, please all