Michael A. Chase wrote:

"Nabiki! Don't move!" her mommy shouted.

Why do they say that?  The kid always moves immediately.

Reflex. Sort of like the 'Don't look behind you!" and they always do.

Nabiki woke up, drenched in sweat and holding her shoulder. There was no
lingering trace of pain, like there had been just a moment before. It

took

second for her higher brain functions to kick in and remember that it

had

been a dream, one she hadn't experienced in over five years. That was

not a

complaint on her part. She hadn't wanted to remember what was easily one

of

her most traumatic childhood memories. It reminded her of what it meant

to

be helpless, and at the mercy of others. She would never be that way

again.

I'd have thought losing her dog would have been.  Especially after the
family received the phone bill.

Nah. Nearly dying was the worst.

"Mine has tape on it," Nabiki observed.

"It was hard getting those messages in there," Kachiko explained.

Duct tape?

Nah. Sctoch.

"What's that?" Nabiki asked, then caught sight of the heading on it. 'C.
Fodder Military Academy, Where We Make Boys Into Men, And The Women As
Well.'

Subtle name.

Thank you. Subtlty is my middle name, as evidenced by my other works.

"A movie about evil homicidal lawn gnomes? Don't be ridiculous," Nabiki
snorted. "I'm thinking of something smaller. Ideally, something that

will

convince an unwanted person to go away and never come back."

Evil homicidal lawn gnomes is too normal, nobody would notice.

Think there were at least a couple of awful 90's horror flicks based on Lawn
Gnomes. 'Jack Frost' the killer styrofome snowman was possibly the worst,
though.

The proprietor seemed to reconsider things. "Maybe I shouldn't sell it.

It

is potentially dangerous. No, I couldn't sell it to you if you hit me in

the

head with a wad of cash."

"How about if I place fifteen thousand yen in your hand?"

So she's not into Kunou impressions?

Nope. Got more class than that.

"AHHH!" Nabiki screamed at the top of her lungs, holding the phone away

from

her, as though it was a dangerous viper that had sank its fangs into her
cheek and its poison now traveled through her bloodstream. Her ears

pounded

with the jackhammering of her heart and made her deaf to the world

around

her for a split second.

I'm a little surprised she didn't throw it across the street.  That
would have made her conversation with Ryonami a bit difficult though.

Yep. Needed to lull her into a false sense of serenity.

"I said I was thinking of an American picture, one with that funny Pauly
Shore guy."

I thought it was supposed to be funny.

Shows Ryonami's bad taste. Nabby would probably be better off dying than
watching a PS movie. :P

"AHHHH!" Nabiki screamed at the top of her lungs and drew back.

"AHHHH!" the shrouded figure screamed at the top of his lungs and drew

back.

Shin phone home?

Heh

When it became obvious Nabiki was just going to stand there, Kachiko

reached

down and grabbed the item by one of the wooden grips. She tried pulling

it

away from Nabiki, but the girl refused to let go. Kachiko tried tugging,

but

Nabiki tightened her grip and tried pulling it the other way.

Which is actually the fastest way to get Kachiko to snatch it.

True.

Kachiko nodded her head sagely. "A smart person knows when to admit

they're

wrong. It's nice to see you're learning."

That's the Kachi that let Kasumi cut her finger.

Yep. Not that it keeps her from cutting her finger as well. :)

Kachiko sighed dramatically. "However, since you did buy it for me, it
really is mine, not yours, so give me." She reached down and tried

pulling

the hourglass away from Nabiki's grasp.

But I suspect she was watching Kasumi much more closely than Kasumi
realized.

Probably, though Kasumi was too young to know.

only take you the moment you run out of time. If you've already run out
before I came along, I don't really have the authority to take you

anywhere.

Our job is to usher the living, not the already dead. It would be kind

of

silly to do the same work twice. That is unless you want to go?" he

asked

hopefully.

I guess Nabiki has to clean up the floor.

Nah. She won't be up to it shortly.

The sound of paper tearing was followed up, "What the hell am I going to

use

a sweeper for?"

"To sweep, Mother. Now open my cooking utensils. Oops. I gave it away,"
Kasumi's voice finally joined in.

"This is my worst birthday ever!"

Were they cursed too? :}b

No. Maybe next chapter. :)

Thanks for the help. It was appreciated.

DB Sommer

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