Only in Dreams

It was a beautiful and sunny summer day. Perfect weather for a road trip. Kali and her best friend Mizuki had been planning this trip for almost a year. They had decided

on it a week after their high school graduation to be exact. That was the day that Kali had won the lottery. She hit all the numbers in the MEGAmillions. The jackpot was 200

million and after taxes the 18 year old still had most of it. Kali and Mizuki had always wanted to go to Japan due to a steady course of dreams Kali had that took place there. Even more

so now that Mizuki's older brother Kenji had moved to Tokyo for his job. Right before they had graduated they begged him to let them stay the summer. Though Kenji

complained that he would not be able to show them around the way he would like to for at least another year. Mizuki had a gift for making Kali do crazy things. All she

had to say was "Now we can go on the trip we've always wanted to!" and Kali agreed. 

Kali and Mizuki had met in elementary school. Neither one was very popular and had only a handful of associates. One day after school they bumped into each other in

the hall. They had a convo and ever since have been like sisters. They were always together. So much so that the two families had become more like one. Kali's parents

were both only children and had no relatives they were close to. So of course when Kali's parents died Mizuki's family adopted her. By this time the two girls had already

been to Tokyo and had stayed with Kenji for the whole month of may. The first thing they did when they arrived was have Kenji take them to buy a car. Kali had the money even though it was really expensive with all the taxes, insurance, and getting an international drivers license. After all that hassle though everything was fine.

Kali didn't even have problems with driving on the left side of the road. Though it did take Mizuki some practice to master it. They were now in Hyogo Prefecture in a

hotel. They had spent the night there, after many pleas over the phone from Kenji to take another break, before the rest of their drive. This wasn't the original plan. They

were supposed to just go back Tokyo after visiting Mi's Grandma in Osaka. But while there Mizuki got the crazy idea for them to go to the island of Shikoku. So that they

could see this beautiful shrine she had read about. So now here they were.

  Kali woke up kinda stiff from the uncomfortable hotel mattress. Her night was spent tossing, turning, and dreaming of the soft bed she had left behind at home. She had

a bad feeling this morning and didn't want to continue the trip. Even though it was sunny and looked non threatening when she looked out the open blinds. She had

thought maybe since it was in the beginning of the rainy season it would storm and she could convince Mi that they should go back to Kenji's. To her dismay there was

not a storm cloud in sight. She stretched and got out of bed. When out of no where she was falling back down onto it.

"Ohayoo Kali nee-chan." Mizuki said jumping on her and pinning her to the hard mattress yet again. Mi was very petite but had a lot of strength. She held Kali down their

light brown eyes level to each other.

"Oww! Mi-chan get the fuck off. And what is this onee-chan shit? you're older than me." Kali said pushing Mi off gently.

"Not at heart. I'm about a year younger than you when it comes to that." Mi said hopping up off the bed and pulling Kali up by her arm.

"I guess you could say that. I mean you do act like a 3 year old." Kali said smiling.

"Hey I'm at least 7 going on fucking 8." She giggled.

"Well anyways lets get something to eat from the hotel restaurant. I feel like I haven't eaten anything in days." Kali said grasping her tummy.

"HaHa! You're always hungry. You eat more than a small country. If you gave away half of the stuff you eat a year it could end world hunger." Mi could hardly finish. By

now her giggles had turned into a full-blown laugh attack. She laughed so hard that her eyes began to water.

"Are you finished?" said Kali. Mi just nodded yes and her laughter began to die down.

"Well come on Kali let's just grab some breakfast from Mickey D's before we hit the bridge. I'm sure they have one somewhere." Mi said pulling her bag out and stuffing

her things back into it.

"Yeah sure let's do that. I heard Shikoku was very rural so it may be a while before we see another one." Both the girls had a love for Mc Donald's breakfast. Kali

wouldn't touch a burger from there but she'd kill for a sausage, egg, with cheese McGriddle. No matter how much she ate she stayed the same shape. She had an

athletic build without all the athletics. Kenji often warned the two girls that they would get fat if they kept eating that fast food junk as he called it. To this they would reply,

"Who cares? We'll still be beautiful in the face." and then laugh. They threw their few remaining belongings in their bags and where out the door in no time. They hopped into the car, stopped to get food, and started their way across the bridge. As they crossed the Onaruto bridge they couldn't help but be in awe of the beautiful whirlpools

in the Naruto Strait. "Hey Kali I bet even you couldn't swim in there. Imagine if we feel in." Mi said staring at water with bigeyes.

"Don't worry Mi we won't fall in. I promise." Kali looked at her with a reassuring smile that put her at ease. Mi was deathly afraid of the water ever since she was 3 and

almost drowned in the family pool. On the other hand Kali was a fish when it came to swimming. They made it safely across the bridge and into the city of Naruto. While

there they grabbed some food, extra batteries for their flashlights, juice, gas, and a more up to date map than the old crumpled one Mi had acquired from god only knows

where. Kali was very cautious for this trip. She made sure the car had gps and she had spent extra money to get a satellite phone to put in their survival kit. She wanted

that map just to play it safe. Kali like to be extra prepared because she always seemed to have bad luck. The only good luck she had had was meeting Mi and winning

the lottery. Other than that her life seemed to be jinxed. Something bad didn't happen everyday but Kali learned it was better to be safe than sorry. More so on a day like

this that started off with her having a bad feeling. They put the new things in the back seat and pulled away from the city. It didn't take too long before they were on a long

stretch of road that would no doubt last for quite sometime. Mi had drunk way too much water and then fallen asleep. It wasn't too long before she woke up and had to

use it bad. To their luck Mi kept looking at the old map and they found a rest stop on it.

"Hmmm? That's funny this place is not on the newer map or gps." Kali said looking it over again with more scrutiny.

"Oh well let's just be happy it was here." Mi said going inside to use the restroom.

Kali walked around to the back of the building and gazed into the vast forest. She could swear she heard someone screaming in the distance. A frightened scream that

sounded like that of her own voice telling her to turn around, to 

run away. Then the screaming her faded and was replaced with a lulling sound beckoning her to come closer. Her first instinct was to run the other way but she couldn't move she was lost in her thoughts.

"Can I help you Miss?" Kali jumped to see a little old woman standing behind her. She had a very friendly smile on her face and looked like the kindly old ladies from movies, and tv. You know the kind that bake cookies and knits sweaters all day.

"Are you okay dear?" The old woman asked.

"Uh....... Yes sorry Granny you scared me a little." Kali said with a small smile, turning her gaze back to the forest, and then back to the old lady.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to. We don't get too many visitors around here. Ever since they put in that new Highway." She said glancing up at the highway just off in the distance.

"Yeah we wouldn't have found it if we didn't have an old map. We bought a newer one but alot of stuff that's on that old one isn't on this one." She pulled the map out of her pocket to take another look.

"Hmmmmm......Yes there are alot of little things that can get over looked if you aren't wise enough to see them." The little old lady said gazing into the woods and looking

around. Just then Mi came out of the restroom with the old map in hand.

"Hey Kali-chan look at this. It says their is a road about 20 miles down this one that has scenic views and will get us to the next town 2 hours faster." Mi didn't take her

eyes off the map but looked extra excited.

"Really? Well........." Kali was cut off.

"Where did you get that map?" The sweet old lady asked with a bit of surprise. Mi jumped due to the fact she hadn't known the granny was there.

"OMFJ!!! Where did you come from?"

"Sorry Mi this is........ UM?..... Well she never really said her name." Kali said looking to the old lady.

"Sorry how rude of me. My name is Watanabe Mayu. But you sweet young girls can call me Granny Mayu. And what if I may ask are your names?" She said with another

smile.

"Our names are Sato Mizuki and Clark Kali." Replied Mi.

"Now Mi-chan where did you get that map from? If you please." She said pointing at it this time with no smile but still a sweet voice.

"Um? I found it in my Grandma's attic when we visited her in Osaka." Mi said looking at the map once more.

"That's right I remember now it was in that box full of some pictures and things your Granfather took when he lived on this island. Right?" The other girl asked her bff.

"Right!" Mi answered.

"Hmmmm?....(*whispers*Sato)...... I don't think you girls should take that route. It's dangerous. That's why they took it off the map. People go down that road and some get

spirited away. Some are lost forever. Others lost for weeks with no memory of what happened while lost. I'd stick to the newer map. It's safer. Well I should get back

inside now. Nice meeting you girls and stop back by on your way home." She smiled one more time.

 The girls waved goodbye and got in their car. Only now Mi was driving. It was now starting to get dark and the uneasy feeling, along with sleepiness, had crept back

upon Kali.

"Wow that was weird as hell." Mi said buckling up her seatbelt.

"I agree. Funny how she was fine till she saw that map. I think we should get back on the main road though."

"Come one Kali this way is way faster. Plus we get to see all that nature stuff you like."

"I don't know Mi that old lady said it was dangerous."

"Come on please. I mean spirited away. Really? That's horse shit Kali. Pleaeeeeese! I have a good feeling about this." Mi said with a pout face.

"No! This time I will not agree. Sorry I have a bad feeling. And the thought of this unknown road just made it worse. Okay?" Kali tilted her head to the side and gazed at

her sister. This time it was Mi that gave in. "Okay, okay."

The entrance to the main road was a little ways down the one they were on now. Kali had fallen asleep before the got to the turn. Mi looked over and saw her fast

asleep. "I'll take that other road and we'll get there quicker. Kali will 

thank me later. Big sister's always know best." Mi thought to herself. When she got there she started to have second thoughts. The road had no lights and looked more

dirt than a road should to Mi. But something made her turn that way. Like something was calling to her. They had been on the road for an hour when Kali finally woke

back up. "Where are we? It's so dark." She looked around into the wall of darkness shrouding the car. "Um? Okay so don't get mad but I took that road." 

"What the fuck Mi! Why?" 

"Because........ Well..... I don't know. It seemed like a good idea."

"I should have never went to sleep." They sat there for 15 minutes in silence. Mi looked really sad that she had broke trust with Kali. Kali hated to see her like this. "Okay

I forgive you Mi." Kali said turning to her friend as they rounded a sharp turn.

Thank you I really feel good about..........................." SCREECH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the last thing Kali heard as the car slid off the road and into a tree.