The Slit-Mouthed Woman by Janae Snell (ebook and pdf reader TXT) 📕

The moon was shining bright and pretty, it was lovely although dad went out for a drive he said he needed to clear up his mind. I told him it was okay to leave me home alone with Sachiko. He smiled at me and took his keys I could hear his truck starting and backing out of the drive way and silence. I went to my room and went to sleep. I started to think about what I saw in dad’s eye before he left, I thought I seen a tear well up in his eyes but I thought I was just seeing things so I ignored it and slowly closed my eyes.

My two older sisters sat in front of two pictures of my parents. Mom and dad. Dad died last night the night I told him it was okay to leave me and Sachiko home alone, I should have said no to him and made me stay here with us. If I hadn’t said yes he would be here with us right now and not gone along with mom.

I sat outside on the swing set thinking about what happened was all my fault, I want dad here I need him here with us. I could hear Sachiko and Yukie talking about dad and us.

“It’s just us now” Sachiko said to Yukie

“Yeah” Yukie replied back

“Dad had life insurance? Sachiko asked

“ Yes”

“His will said to pay off the debts and the employees salaries… I’m sorry”

“Why should you be sorry?”

“It’s all my fault really… if I hadn’t broken up with that man...mom…and Mayumi…and dad…”

“It’s not your fault”

Then I heard footsteps

“I’m moving back home”

“What...but your job it’s so important to you”

“I can commute from home”

“We’ll have a lot to deal with there’ll be more rumors…”

“Don’t worry, I’m pretty thick-skinned”

They stopped talking then I just swinged there thinking about how we lost the two most important people to us. They gave us life and showed us the way but now I’m lost and need help.

I was just sitting there then I turned my head and seen the same woman I seen yesterday, I stood up scanning the area for any sight of her but she is always so fast that I can’t ever see her. I walked back in inside freaked out.  

We ate in silence with out dad and mom. Yukie spoke up breaking the silence “How’s school? Are you still writing to that guy?” She asked me smiling a little bit “Yeah. What about you?” I asked her “How’s work?” I asked her. “Great I’m practically managing the shop now, the owners really good to me” she said smiling “That’s nice” Sachiko said nodding her head “I’m thinking of getting a job too” she said “I can’t expect you to support us” she said to Yukie “I already applied for a part-time job at the supermarket” she said smiling at us “What about Kenji?” Yukie asked Sachiko. She laughed a little then sighed, “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said taking a bite of her rice “Are you getting a divorce?” I asked her and her smile went away then she smiled again “You guys don’t need to worry about it anyways…we have to stick together, right?” she said nodded at us “You’re right” Yukie said smiling at me. Then we all went back to our food.

The next day, Sachiko was at her new job at the supermarket where we get our food. I wonder how she’s doing even though the rumors are still going around, I don’t know if we could survive this horrible moment we’re having right now.

I heard some women talking about Sachiko’s job and seeing her working it’s like we’re famous to them but they continue to make rumors and names about me.

I returned to school, I didn’t want to do anything so I just walked straight to class but was distracted by the board that had my name “Mutant Girl” on the chalkboard and some how a picture of me with spikey teeth and a cut all the way to the ear. I walked to the board and started to slide my hand across it and caught everyone’s attention, the room grew quiet for a little bit. I sat down to a desk in front of the class and waited on Rienon and Junko when they entered the room, they looked at me then board. I looked at them with disappointment, Rienon grabbed Junko’s arm and walked away from me. I felt so alone; they ignored me after my dad died and after a bully scene.

It was after school almost, so I decided to take a little walk outside cause my class got to go outside and study the natural sky how blue it is. I thought it was boring so I sneaked away from them and went to visit the track team but didn’t want anyone seeing me. I seen Rienon and Junko talking to the new girl at our school now.

“I heard she on the track team” the new girl said “Was she really the fastest in the high school?” she asked Junko and Rienon. “Yeah, she was” Junko said. I had seen that they became captains wearing the pink suits and directing the runners.

“I heard a rumor… that her sister’s “ex” poured acid all over her face,” she said

“Yeah that’s the story” Rienon said “That must have been horrible!” she said gabbing her face “What does she look like underneath the mask?” she asked the girls “Don’t talk about stuff like that” Rienon snapped at her “I heard she had a boyfriend who went away to college in Tokyo” she said, that track suit looked big on her “I don’t think it was that serious” Junko said “Do they still keep in touch?” the girl asked one of them “Has he seen her face underneath the mask” this girl sure does talk a lot “Ask her yourself” Rienon said “I thought you guys were really close” she said rubbing her arm “I heard you guys were best friends”

“I wouldn’t say best friends, would you?” Rienon said to Junko, Junko sighed and said “You talk too much, you know?” she said and they turned back to directing the track runners.

I put my head down and started to walk away from them, I didn’t know why they were doing this to me. I walked away from the people who used to be my friends. I fell asleep well not really I was thinking a lot, how both my parents died and my friends turning their backs against me, Me having problems at school and anyone not helping me out with these problems.

Later I wrote back to Captain…

Dear Captain,

How are you? My sister Yukie moved back home recently. My sisters and I are all living together again. How did you like the cushions I sent you? I’ve joined sewing club and getting pretty good at it. I’ve made new friends in the club and we compete to see who sews the best. I can even make clothes now I am working on an outfit for you, I’ll send it soon. Change makes life more interesting. Do you feel the same way too? I’m discovering another side of myself. I hope to hear from you soon.

Mayumi.

Sachiko went to take a visit with her fiancé at a restaurant so they can talk about their wedding and marriage. I don’t think they’re going to work with all this going on but we’ll have to wait and see…

Everything is really really different since things happened here at the house and dad committing suicide and mom getting murdered in a horrible way and me feeling the worst pain I have ever experienced. Acid being poured all over my face, not the thing I enjoyed.

I sat there in my room brushing my hair looking at myself in the mirror until I seen the woman again in my room. I turned around quickly but she wasn’t there, I wonder why she is so fast. I called Yukie seeing if she’s off work yet and that she should get home fast.

“Yukie, I’m scared I keep…seeing things and I just need you here Yukie!” I was crying now “Uh Mayumi hold on I’ll be there in a minute where’s Sachiko?” she asked me “She’s going to be late…that’s why” I said, “Okay I’ll be there just wait,” she said hanging up quickly.

I ran into the kitchen trying to open this door that was leading outside, I heard noise in the living I started to whimper and the footsteps came closer and closer, now I know that the woman was in the same room as me. I screamed as loud as I can but I noticed that it was Sachiko that came she looked at me worried “What is it?” she asked me running up to me and I tried not to cry. “What happened? Mayumi!” she said touching my hair. I started to calm and went to my room while Yukie was taking a shower and Sachiko drinking tea in the kitchen.

I think Sachiko is starting to notice something different about me and what’s going on at school. I don’t know maybe not.

We ate breakfast in the morning and the news came on. The newsman was talking about something two girls dying.

“Yesterday in Japan, Gifu two high school girls were stabbed to death by a woman wielding a pair of scissors. The woman is currently at large… the police are treating this as a homicide and a manhunt is underway. At about 5pm yesterday, in Gifu

Junko Muraoka and Rienon Yamamoto (17) were attacked on the way home from school by a woman wielding a pair of scissors the victims were rushed to the hospital, but died an hour later the woman was wearing a red dress”

“Mayumi, these girls went to your school” Yukie said to me but I ignored her

The next day I went to Junko and Rienon’s funeral service, I loved them even though they ignored me and turned their backs against me. They didn’t deserve this at all. Everyone was there the whole school.

I started to cry so I walked away but when I lifted up my head I seen captain standing there looking at me I began to wipe away my tears. This was his first time seeing me with my mask over my face he looked shock like he was speechless. I wanted to know what he thinks of me know.

“Are you Ok?” he asked me I nodded my head in response “Who would have thought... your letters sorry I haven’t written back” he said to me “I have heard you been through a lot with your dad and all” he said to me. I wasn’t barely talking to him he was the one that was talking. “How is…college?” I asked him finally speaking to him “Pretty good…I guess” he said, “When are you going back to Tokyo?” I asked him he looked at me with those enchanting eyes of his “Tomorrow, around noon” he said it got quiet for a little bit “Can I see you…tomorrow morning?” I asked him “I’d like to see that view again I’ve been through so much lately…it would help me to see that view with you” I said putting some power into my voice. He looked up at me “Ok” he said I looked down at my feet.

I walked