Demon Days, Angel Nights

Demon Days, Angel Nights

Kate sat back on her stuffy green couch in her living room and sighed. The coffee table before her was littered with newspapers. Five days and no luck with finding a new job. Kate was laid off from her last job as a grade-school teaching assistant due to budget cuts in Okinawa. Every ad for an offering had been circled red. Either the jobs were taken, or she was over-qualified. Even McDonald’s wouldn’t take her. Kate sighed as she looked up at the ceiling.

Since when did Japan become difficult for a Yankee girl like me?, she thought. Her attention snapped back to life when she heard the front door opening. She looked up to see her roommate, Thomas, walking in. He set his styling supplies kit in the chair by the door.

“Helloooo!” he cheered. Kate groaned and rolled her tired blue eyes. The glow from Thomas’ face dimmed.

“Still job-hunting?” he asked. Kate groaned again.

“No luck?” her roommate asked. She flopped her head back against the couch.

“What am I going to do?” she complained. “Five days and nothing. Plus, my share of the rent is due!”

“You know that you can get the money when you can,” Thomas pointed out. “Manny and I won’t mind.” Kate shook her head.

“That’s not it,” she said. “I moved to Japan to teach kids English. That made me feel like I was useful. But because the school is running out of money, I’m just a tool left out to rust.” Thomas smiled at her in pity.

“Oh come on, you’re not useless,” he said, “There has to be something in here.” The roommate sat down next to her and looked through the scattered pile.

“There’s nothing there,” Kate grumbled. “I already checked.”

“Doesn’t hurt to have a second look, does it?” he asked. Thomas picked up one of the newspapers and looked through it. Kate sighed as her eyes traveled over to the kitchen.

“Won’t do you any good,” she mumbled. Her roommate didn’t listen. He kept on reading through the papers. Suddenly, he paused.

“Ah, here’s one!” Thomas said. Kate looked on with him.

“Hm?” she asked. The stylist was pointing to an uncircled ad above the red ink. Kate read along with him. A puzzled look washed over her face.

“Delivery service?” she asked. “Are you sure about that?” Thomas gave her a little shrug.

“Hey, a job is job,” he said. “Take it or leave it.” Kate went quiet for a moment.

“Fine, give me the phone,” she said.

“Good choice,” her roommate replied. Then, he picked up the phone and handed it to her. Kate dialed the number in the ad. The other line rang. Thomas waited in silence.

“Hello?” a heavy female voice asked. Kate quickly sat up.

“Uh yes, I’m calling about the job offer in today’s paper!” she said. There was a pause on the phone. The woman’s heart began to head south.

Please don’t be filled! Please don’t be filled! Please don’t be filled!, she thought over and over again.

“We have one opening left,” the other woman said on the line.

Kate’s eyes lit up wide. “Really? You do?”

“How early can you come in for an interview tomorrow?” the woman asked.

“The morning if you like!” Kate said. There was another pause.

“Very well,” the woman said. “Come in for an interview at eight tomorrow morning. Anything else?”

Kate quickly shook her head. “No, no!”

“Very well, I’ll see you at eight tomorrow,” the woman said.

“Thank you ma’am,” Kate said. They both hung up. Thomas looked on at her.

“Well?” he asked. His roommate turned to him, grinning.

“I’ve got an interview tomorrow!” she said. The man smiled and clapped.

“Great!” he cheered. “I knew you would find a job!”

Kate sat back and breathed. “Oh boy,” she said, happily. “Things are finally starting to get better.”

The next morning, Kate took the subway to the address of the building that was in the ad. Thomas and Manny helped her get dressed for the interview. Kate looked down at her black dress suit.

“Are you sure I should look nice for a delivery job interview?” she asked. “I just feel so overdressed for this.”

“Nonsense!” Manny replied.

“You have to make the perfect first impression!” Thomas said.

“Yeah, but this is for a delivery job…” Kate mumbled.

“Even so,” Manny said. “You still have to look nice.” The roommate sighed.

“Fine, fine,” she replied. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck!” Thomas and Manny said. So now, Kate was on her way to her first job interview since she first came to Japan. She looked up from the newspaper she had just purchased before she boarded the train. Two little kids were eyeing her as if looking at a new exhibit in a museum. Kate gave them a little smile.

“Hey kids,” she said in Japanese. The children stared on at her in silence. Kate felt the glow toning down.

I guess they haven’t seen an American in person before or something, she thought. Okay…

The woman buried her nose back into her paper. She suspected that the children were still staring at her.

So awkward… she thought.

Boy, she was happy to get off at her stop. The sun shone brightly in the sky and Kate tried to block out the light with her hand. The woman couldn’t help but to smile.

It’s a new day, she thought. Let’s hope I don’t screw this up! Kate reached into her pocket and pulled out the address.

“127 Black Weasel Street,” she read to herself. She looked up into the busy street.

“Alright,” Kate said to herself. The woman drew in a breath and began her walk. The trip on foot took about twenty minutes. She finally came to the location. Shocked confusion washed over her face.

What the hell is this?!? Kate thought as she observed the building. Black like a cat. Cracks ran up and down the walls. Even a window was busted. *Sweat drop on Kate’s head*

Is this the right place? she thought. She checked the paper again. This is the right place. Somehow… Still, a job was a job.

Too late to turn back now, Kate thought. She walked up to the front door. Suddenly, a college student came running out as if being chased by the cops. Kate held out her hand to stop him. The man looked at her with bewildered, wild eyes.

“Excuse me,” Kate said. “But what is the problem?” Her teacher-mode still didn’t leave her after all of this time. The student panted at her. He roughly grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Run!” he cried. “She is a crazy bitch! Run away as fast you can! She’ll eat you alive! Run! Just run away, man!” Kate raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “What are you talking about?” The guy screamed and took off running. Kate looked at him in an odd way as he disappeared out of view.

Okay… she thought. That was weird. She turned back to the building. It couldn’t be that bad, could it?
Curry and exotic spices hit her nose as soon as she first walked in. It almost knocked her straight down to the ground. She blinked through her watering eyes as she pushed the door open wider and wider. Kate had to take in deep breaths just to go inside.

“Hello?” she asked. “I’m here for the job interview! I called you yesterday! Anyone here?”

“Enter!” a female voice croaked. Kate drew in a deeper breath and walked into the building. Smoke swirled all around her head. The inside looked just as dark as the building itself. The only source of light came from a dimly lit overhead hanging lamp. The dark walls looked so barren. Thick, heavy dark, colored curtains blocked out the sunlight. The woman looked all around her.

What kind of place is this? she thought.

“I’m back here!” the voice croaked again. The former teaching assistant snapped back into attention.

“Huh?” she asked. “Oh, I’m coming. Hang on.” Kate made her way to the narrow hallway.

“Shoes!” the other woman croaked.

“Oh,” Kate mumbled. She took off her shoes at the entry and went inside. The woman pushed aside the deep red beaded curtain. The office looked just as dark as the lobby. The only light available was from the end of a cigarette, followed by a pair of glowing gold eyes. Kate nearly jumped at the sight of them. A Cheshire grin followed that reaction.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” the croaking voice asked. Kate quickly shook her head.

“No, no!” she said. “You… you have nice eyes!” The grin softened. Its owner flicked out her cigarette in the skull ashtray on her desk.

“Thank you, dear,” the voice croaked. Kate looked on at her.

“Is this… the right place?” she asked.

“What do you think?”

Kate chuckled a bit. “Of course!”

“Take a seat.”

The hopeful employee complied. The other woman took another breath of her cigarette.

Interview Starts Now:

“So, talk to me. Tell me about yourself. State your name.”

“Kate Nighthill.”

“Oh, American, I see.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why do you want this job?”

Kate toughened up before speaking. “I don’t want to feel useless anymore. I have been feeling like that after I got laid off from my previous job.”

“Why were you laid off?”

“Budget cuts. The school I was working at let me go.”

“What was your last job?”

“I was a teaching assistant at a small grade school.”

“What are your skills?”

“I am good with teaching and Japanese. I have my master’s degree in both. I have worked eight years.”

“Hmm…”

There was a pause. Kate’s face dropped.

Oh no, I’m going to be rejected because I’m over qualified, she thought. The woman leaned close. Kate now got a good look at her. She had never seen such a pale face before in her life. She looked like a corpse. No, this woman looked past dead. She was a ghost, a ghost with black make-up and equally black kimono and pinned back hair. Kate blinked at her in silence. The woman noticed her face.

“What is the matter Nighthill-san?” she asked.

Kate quickly shook her head.  “N-Nothing!” she blurted out.

There was another pause. The woman gave her a little smile. “You seem overqualified,” she said at last. “But, I will give you a test just for the day.”

Kate looked at her with big eyes.  “No way…” she said in a gasp.

The other woman nodded at her.  “I want you to deliver a package to this address here,” she said. “The box is already loaded into the back of the truck and waiting.” She handed Kate the address. The hopeful employee looked at the paper. A puzzled look came onto her face.

“Where is this?” she asked. “I’ve never heard of Crow Bell Apartments.” The boss smiled at her.

“Oh, they cater to special needs,” she replied. “Are you up for the job?” Kate nodded without thinking.

“Yes!” she said. “I can do it, san!” The boss gave her a little smile.

“Call me, Megumi,” she replied.

“Okay Megumi-san,” Kate said back.

End of Interview

Megumi gave the hopeful employee the keys to the delivery truck. Kate looked at the big black and grey truck in the isolated back parking lot.

“Is this all you have?” she asked. Megumi gave her a little smile.

“Usually, deliveries are on foot,” she said. “But this is a special case.”

“Okay…” the hopeful employee replied. Megumi patted her on the back.

“Do a good job and you’re hired,” she said. Kate’s ambition shot up again.

“I’m on it!” she said. Then, she walked over to the truck and unlocked the door. Megumi smiled as she watched the younger woman give her the thumbs up before pulling away. Kate left the parking lot and stopped in the entrance.
Megumi-san wrote the directions down clearly and all! she thought. Whoa, the boss is thorough! Kate’s hands tightened on the wheel.

Okay, the woman thought. I can do this! She drove out of the parking lot to do her test.

She turned on the radio as she got back into the street. The news flooded the inside of the truck.

“Two more victims were found in Hibiya Koen, Tokyo. Due to the burns on their wrists, police believe that they are victims of the Eda-Kimoto clan. They refuse to reveal any more details to the public until further notice,” the DJ announced. Kate flipped the station for some pop music for the drive.

This should be so easy, she thought. That kid must have been paranoid or something.

Halfway through the trip, Kate happened to notice her surroundings. The city seemed to have disappeared. Nothing looked familiar to her. No buildings, no people, and no traffic in sight. She was just on a dirt road surrounded by dead trees and a silent horror film-style night backdrop. It seemed as if the truck had driven through another dimension all of a sudden and Kate didn’t notice a thing. The bleakness just came along and swallowed everything whole in one gulp. She blinked many times to see if she was not hallucinating.

Where did I just go? the woman thought. Did I take a wrong turn or something? Kate checked the instructions again. No, this was the right place. The woman felt her stomach turn. She had two options now: turn back and admit defeat or keep on in unknown territory. Kate weighed in her options for a moment. She really needed this job to pay the rent and bills, no! This was to not feel useless anymore. Kate was tired of sitting on that couch looking through newspaper after newspaper for a new job to replace the one that she was cut loose from. She was going to get this job even if that meant disappearing into creepy places at random. Hell, she needed to serve a purpose again! Besides, too late to turn back now; she might as well keep going. The woman slowed down on the isolated road.

Kate kept her eyes moving around to spot the apartment complex in question.

Look out for a one-story white pagoda surrounded by cherry trees, she thought. Her face began to look grim again as her eyes scanned the deserted background.

“Really?” she asked. “Is this some elaborate prank that Megumi-san’s pulling on me?” She could almost hear the boss laughing at her now. But, Kate kept on driving on the isolated back roads.

This is just dumb, she thought. However, a flash of pink in the distance caught her eye. Kate blinked.

Cherry blossoms? she thought. But it’s the middle of summer. As she pulled in close, the pagoda appeared into view as if it was rising up from the ground. The hopeful employee felt a smile spreading on her face.

“Bingo!” she cheered. Kate sped up along the dirt road. She parked right in front of her destination. Once she turned off the truck, Kate slid out and walked around to the back. Armed with the package in hand, Kate made her way to the door. She rang the bell.

“Coming,” a sing-songy voice floated through the air. The door slid open. A pretty-looking angel-like woman peeked out. She looked dressed for bed in a thin, white nightie and long teal robe. The woman gave Kate a funny look.

“What do you want?” she asked. The potential delivery woman stood up straight with the big, brown box in her hands.

“Uh… I have come with a package from Koneko Shiroi Delivery Service,” she addressed. “I have a package for a Sakuma-san. Are you she?” The woman at the door paused for a moment before jumping up and down, clapping with a happy squeal.

“Yay! My package finally came!” she said. Sakuma-san forced herself to calm down long enough to talk. She cleared her throat.

“You have just made my night,” the woman said. “I have waited fifteen weeks for this package to arrive. You have no idea!”

Kate chuckled a bit. “I can assume why,” she mumbled as she handed the woman the form and pen. “Please sign here.”

“Gladly!” Sakuma-san replied. She took the pen and signed her signature. “I was getting so worried there for a moment,” she went on, “I called for eight weeks asking about this package.”

“Well, Megumi-san’s a bit understaffed,” Kate lied.

“I guess so,” Sakuma-san replied. She handed the clipboard and pen back to the younger woman. Kate gave her a little smile.

“Have a nice night,” she said as she was getting back into the truck.

“You too!” Sakuma-san said with the box in her hands. Kate drove off into the night with cherry blossom petals trailing behind.

“I’m back!” Kate called when she made it back to Koneko Shiroi Headquarters.

“Shoes, please!” Megumi-san told her. Kate quickly took them off in the doorway. She nearly jumped when she saw a pair of golden, glowing eyes staring at her in the blackened lobby. Megumi took a sip of red wine as she smiled and shook her head.

“You’re so jumpy,” she said. “Just relax, okay?” Kate quickly nodded.

“Y-Yes san!” she replied.

“Anyway,” Megumi said. “Did you deliver the package?” The other woman gave her a huge grin.

“Yes san!” she said with a salute.

“Show me the paperwork,” the boss commanded. Kate stepped forward with the clipboard in hand. Megumi took it and examined it. Hold here for a tense second. The boss looked up at her with a smile on her face.

“Very good,” she replied. “You are hired.” Kate looked like she would fly away to the high skies above them.

“Seriously?” she asked. Megumi gave her a little nod.

“See you at seven tomorrow morning,” she said. “Now go home and get some rest.” Kate had to force herself to calm down in order to listen. She nodded once the message sank in.

“Yes san!” she said with a bow. The younger woman turned to get her shoes and leave. But as she started to open the door, another thought roused in her head. Kate slowly looked behind her.

“Megumi-san,” she spoke up.

“Yes, dear?” the older woman asked over her wine. The new employee fully turned her body around to the boss with a little smile on her face.

“How many employees did you have here exactly, in total I mean?” Kate asked, boldly.

Megumi just smiled over her wine. “Only you, dear. Only you.”

These Demon Days are so Cold Inside