It was around 10pm, Renka and her husband, Kei, were in his car. They were on the highway driving home after a long day of hanging out and enjoying each other's company, even Kei, who wouldn't admit it, enjoyed being with his wife. They were quietly sitting and staring at the road while Kei drove. The lights of the passing cars and street lamps lighting up their faces.
"Kei, should we get another doll for Yuki?" Renka asked out of the blue.
"How did you come up with that topic from this gloomy scenery?" Kei chuckled, still focused on the road.
"I'm a writer and a painter, it's practically my job to find random questions and objects from anything."
"How poetic, yet so casual."
"We're all just random souls looking for a whole, aren't we?"
"What's got you in a philosophical mood tonight? An epiphany?" he joked.
"You know what I just realised."
"Do tell."
"I have no personality"
"Oh? None, not even a single layer?"
"Nope not one," Kei frowned, "All I do is match other people's personalities. Like matching paint colours."
"Why?" They stopped at a red light.
"It's like how a traffic light changes from red to green. The colour people want. I change to the way people want. I conform."
"Do you still do it?" Kei tightened his grip on the steering wheel, "Do you even love me and Yuki?"
Renka put her pale hand on his, "Of course, I love you both, and I've stopped. I stopped for you."
Kei sighed and loosened his grip, "Good and never fall into that habit again, and if you do, tell me."
"Of course," Renka leaned over and kissed Kei on the cheek and the light turned green. Yuki woke up and Renka looked back at her. Their matching iris coloured eyes meeting each other, Yuki was holding her teddy bear and yawning. "I think Yuki doesn't need another doll, she looks perfectly fine with her teddy bear. I don't even know why I asked." Kei smiled at this. Renka ran her hand through her ink black hair, "Kei look at her," he turned around and took his crimson eyes off the road for a few seconds. There was a thud and a bump. Kei immediately slammed on the brakes. He turned to Renka, who had a look of horror on her face.
"What was that?" Renka thought aloud.
"Probably a deer or some animal," Kei turned back to the road and began driving again.
"What if it wasn't an animal?" Kei didn't reply, "Stop driving and answer me!"
"Renka, stop distracting me and stop yelling. You'll scare Yuki," not a hint of emotion was in Kei's voice. He sighed, "Just let it go Renka, we're almost home."
"But what if it was a person?"
"Stop talking about it!" Renka looked back at Yuki, she was asleep, "Can't you see they won't be able to connect the crime to us. They could've been killed anywhere at any time, if it was a person. I don't believe those donut munchers are smart enough to or skilled enough to find us or any evidence we did it. So shut up about it."
"Yes," the rest of the car ride home was quiet, but something was eating away at Renka.
After they got home, Yuki took a bath and Kei took a shower and both went to bed. When Renka was taking her shower she felt as if something was watching her. Studying her. Renka looked down at the drain watching the water spiral down it, and then she felt a pair of hands on her back. Pushing her forward. She put her hands out in front of her to prevent her from falling.
"Kei, was that you?" she got no response, "Kei it isn't funny," the hands started pushing harder, "Stop it!" The hands stopped. Renka hurried out of the shower and got dried off and dressed. She looked into her bedroom to find her husband dead asleep. Cautiously she walked back into the bathroom and began brushing her teeth. As she brushed her teeth she played some music to calm her nerves. Due to the music she didn't notice nor hear her husband's sink running. After she finished brushing her teeth, she put her toothbrush back in its place next to her sink. When she was about to leave the bathroom and turn off the light, she noticed her husband's sink was full of water. She walked over to the porcelain sink and stared into the crystal water. She saw a face. It wasn't hers but one of a monster. So twisted and the eyes were two of hatred and anger. Renka felt something push her into the water, she tried to scream but water filled her lungs. She began banging her fist against the counter in an attempt to wake her husband. Her body began to grow weak, but just as she thought she was about to die the force let go. She brought her head up and gasped for air, she coughed up some water, and held onto the counter for support. Frightened, she made her way to the door. Her legs were shaking as she clung to the doorway, her eyes wandered to her sleeping husband. A figure loomed over his husband's sleeping form, it had glowing blood red eyes and drools as well as blood dripping from its sharp fangs. Renka froze in fear as the creature came closer and closer to her husband.
"Kei!" she cried, "Wake up or it'll get you!" Kei's eyes flew open and he shot up.
"Renka?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Renka pointed to the figure, "The figure!" she cried, "It's right there!It's gonna kill you! Like it tried to kill me!"
Kei launched out of the bed and looked around. He found nothing. "Dear, what are you talking about? Nothing is there. I think you need some rest." he grabbed her hand and guided her into the bed, "I think that ride has you shaken up. It probably wasn't a person but an animal. Maybe a raccoon or a deer, but not a person."
"How would you know? Neither of us were looking at the road."
"I just do," he laid her down on the bed, "Now let's forget about it and the 'creature' you think you saw. You're probably just seeing things." Renka laid her head down on her pillow and Kei went to his side of the bed and went back to sleep. Renka didn't go back to sleep, she just laid there. The creature wasn't gone, it just moved to the corner of the room. The silence was killing her, she wanted to get up and scream. She was fed up. In a quick movement she shot up and started pointing at the 'creature' in the corner.
"I can't take it anymore!" she screeched, waking her husband and child. She began throwing random objects at the 'creature', "Die and go to hell!"
Kei grabbed Renka to restrain her, "Stop it! Nothing is there!" he started shushing her, "Shhhh, it's ok. You're gonna be ok. Nothing is there, It can't hurt you," Renko began to slowly calm down. They both fell back onto the bed. Yuki came rushing into the room crying for Renka.
"Mama!" Yuki jumped onto the bed and into the covers.
Renka hugged Yuki, "It's ok. It'll be ok." Kei gave Renka a look. A look that said they needed to talked, without Yuki, "Yuki, I'll take you back to your room so-"
Yuki nuzzled into Renka, "No."
Renka frowned, "Why not?"
"Too scary," Renka knew when Yuki got like this she wouldn't go back to her room and there was no use trying to get her to go back.
"Yuki, me and your dad have to talk for a second. Wait here." Yuki let go of Renka and Kei and Renka walked into the hallway.
"Renka, what has been going on with you?"
"I swear I saw something. It was the-"
Kei slapped Renka in the face, "Stop it! What the hell is wrong with you?!" The slap left a mark on Renka's cheek. Renka put a shaky hand on the mark, "You're insane! Why can't you be normal?" he grabbed the collar of her shirt, "Why did I marry you? You need help."
"Yes, I'll get some help," she began walking back into the bedroom.
Kei pulled Renka back, "I mean now. Get ready."
"But what about Yuki? We can't leave her here alone,"
Kei sighed, "Fine, we'll go in the morning." They both walked back into the bedroom and went to bed, Yuki snuggled up in between them.
In the morning, Kei was getting ready to take Renka to a mental hospital or something. "Renka, are you done making breakfast?"
"No, but can you please turn on the TV?" Renka reached for an egg.
"Sure," Kei turned on the TV and the news was playing. Kei walked into the bedroom. Yuki's eyes wandered from her mother to the TV screen.
"Today a body has been found on the highway." the reporter said on the screen. Renka dropped an egg," It was a young teenager by the name of Nagiko Sugawara," a picture of a teenage girl with long silky black hair, rosy cheeks, and bright red eyes. Like the eyes of the creature Renka saw. The reporter continued, "The police are still looking for the murderers but witnesses say they saw a navy blue car leaving the crime scene with the plate number ******." Renka ran to the remote and paused the TV on the plate numbers.
"Yuki, go pack your daycare bag," Yuki nodded and ran to her room to start packing her daycare bag, "Kei, will you come in here?" Kei came over to Renka.
"What do you need?"
"Look at the Tv screen," Kei turned to the TV, "Those are our plate numbers. I think we should go to the police station and explain everything."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Do you want to go to jail?"
"No."
"Then keep your mouth shut," Kei threatened.
"Fine," Renka unpaused the TV and the report continued, "Breakfast is ready."
"I'm going to go get Yuki," Renka began walking up the stairs. She walked down the hallway and past Yuki's room. She walked over to the phone and called the police. The phone rang. The other end picked up.
"Hello?" answered the other side.
"Yes, hello," Renka sounded relieved.
"Who is this and what do you need?"
"I'm Renka Morikawa and I know who killed that teenager on the highway."
"Who ma'am?"
"It was-" Kei ran up to Renka and slapped her, knocking her to the ground. Kei grabbed the phone.
"Ma'am, are you still there?"
Kei answered, "I'm sorry, who is this?"
"We're the Yokohama police. Sir, who are you?"
"I'm Kei Morikawa."
Is Renka Morikawa your wife?"
"Yes"
"May I speak to her?"
Kei looked at Renka, who was crawling towards the bathroom, "She had to go deal with our daughter."
"Ok sir"
"I'll have her call you back later."
"But-" Kei hung up the phone and looked over to Renka, who was reaching for something on the bathroom counter. Kei stormed over and grabbed Renka by her long hair and dragged her down the stairs. He dragged her all the way to the kitchen.
Renka pointed to the gas stove. It was leaking out gas, "Kei, look," she then opened her hand to reveal a lighter. "The real monster I must've seen was you," she lit the lighter.
The whole house exploded, killing her and her family.