Chapter 1: Benjamin

As long as I've remembered , the Yokai have always been here .

They're always taking lives and I want to be the one who exterminates them all.

Right here in the heart of Dallas, survivors have taken refuge from the yokai popping up all over the world. Dallas is still prone to some Yakai attacks , due to overpopulation.

My dad, along with other survivors, fends off the yokai while I take the other survivors to safety.

"Hey Benjamin, aren't you coming to class" ?

" Yeah, sure thing". I Said as I was staring at the sky.

Morgan and I have been friends since we were in junior high. Even though we're seniors now, she's still the same. Sometimes she's rude, but she is straight forward. But one of the unique things about her is her hair. It's naturally half black and half red. She doesn't know... but I love that part the most, when it comes to her uniqueness.

Dallas High, the only place that seems normal and safe from the yokai that wanders the street sometimes.

"So why were you just looking at the sky earlier"?

With curiosity while staring in space, I replied, "Don't you ever just wonder"?

"Wonder what" ?

"Where do the yokai come from and why, why do they have to attack humans"

Morgan grinned, but her response eased my mind a little . "You know my friend, you ask the most unthinkable questions. Let's just have a smooth school day ok."

City officials decided to end school around noon, since yokai activities start to develop more as the day draws near to the end.

Morgan instantly grabs my hand as I'm still caught up on the origins of the yokai in my head .

"Come on , let's head to class"

And just like that we we're headed to class

"Alright class, today we'll be going over the yokai anatomy"

"Can't we just talk about anything else besides the yokai" ?

This was a typical response from the other students as our teacher, Ms. Nyugen, always talks about the same thing.

"Yeah, something normal".

"Now-Now students, this can benefit you just in case you encounter one". Of course you can expect a response like that from her.

Ms. Nyugen is middle aged and with her glasses and her hair bun with a pin holding it up, it's the typical response you'd get from a middle aged teacher.

As usual, everyone sighs "Yes Ms. Nyugen".

"Alright, as we know, the yokais' blood-

And just like that I dozed off to sleep.

"HEY...HEY JACKASS, WAKE UP"!

"Oh hey, what... what did I miss" ? I said. As I nervously woke up from the sudden yell from Morgan.

"You slept most of the period. Luckily I did your work, while you were sleeping; you can thank me later." She shook her head and afterwards grabbed my hand.

"Come on, we have to go to our last period".

It was the last period of the day, meaning, it was already noon.

"Hey Morgan, it's the last period of the day, when school is over with I'll walk you home". I said as I insisted on accompanying her.

"You know my house is pretty far from here and by the time you'll make it back to your place,Yokai will probably be out roaming the streets".

"I'll be fine and besides, I know the back streets. I don't really see any Yokai roaming the back streets, so I'll be ok." I said as I tried to ease Morgan's concerns.

"Fine, but we have to hurry so you can make it back to your place in time".

"Yeah, I'll take the back streets to central Ave., that will take me straight to my place and besides, your brother would never forgive me if I were to let something happen to you".

I've only spoken to Morgan's brother, Tyrone Bell, once and he sure as hell doesn't play when it comes to family.

After Morgan and I discussed our plans and finished our work for our last period, the dismissal bell rings.

"Come on, it's already 12:30, we need to leave". Morgan said as she was putting her stuff in her bag.

I was trying my best to keep up with her but I had so much stuff to put back in my bag and my desk was a mess. "Yeah-yeah, I'm coming" . I said as I was making haste.

We finally left school after I was done cleaning and packing my things up. It took us a while just to get to the halfway "threshold" to her place, by then it was 2:00.

Morgan has so much energy and passion to get home, I don't see how she does it when she lives pretty far from my place.

"We're almost here"

"Damn, I don't see how you can do this everyday".I said as I was talking out of breath.

She suddenly starts to laugh.

"You're a guy, you can handle this"

I made a face at her after she said that.

"The hell does that supposed to mean"?

"I'm just saying; How do you let a girl out do you"? She said as she was still laughing.

I started to become irritated. "Oh shut up". I said as I turned my head sharply, while having my eyes closed .

But in a split second, I instantly felt a sensation, as we continued walking.

"WAIT"! As I shouted.

Morgan paused. "What is it"?

"Doesn't it feel like we're being watched or followed" ?

Morgan continued walking and just said, "Nah I think it's just you".

But I seriously felt something was wrong.

"No, seriously -

After that I heard Morgan's voice trembling, "Um... Benjamin..."

"Yeah what's wrong" ? I said. As I turned around and saw a Yokai.

"Whatever you do don't move, it's a seeker yokai" . That's what I told Morgan, so she won't panic and cause us to be spotted. However, she was confused.

"What now"?

Seeker yokai are yokai that seek out younger people, in order to gain more power. The more younger people it consumes, the bigger and more powerful it becomes.

"Then what should we do?'' she asked.

"Since it hasn't noticed our presence, we can keep our distance until it passes, then, we'll keep moving forward till we reach your place. On my signal, we move. Until then let's hide."

Ten minutes pass by and the thing won't move, even Morgan is starting to get irritated.

"We've been out here for a while, just waiting. The bastard won't move."

"We must be patient, also, it's usual for it to be sitting there. It's like it's waiting for someone or something". I said , trying to calm Morgan down.

"Well we have to do something, it's getting later and later. More yokai will appear."

"You're right , we'll figure something out". I said, trying to be optimistic. Just as we were about to plan our strategy of escape, Morgan's phone rings.

"RING... RING" ...

After that She starts to panic while trying to shut it off.

" SHIT, SHIT, SHIT , COME ON TURN OFF STUPID THING".

As her phone was still ringing, the yokai turned towards us and made eye contact in her direction. As soon as it made eye contact in her direction, we started to run.

"Of all times to have it on...dammit". I said as we kept running away.

As we kept running, a random thought popped in my head, as I started to say it out loud.

"Now since I think about it, I haven't seen a single soul, What's the deal"?

"You sure do pick a fine time to ask. Since I stay on the North side of Dallas, my family and I are the last few survivors of the Northside, after the yokai came and killed the rest of the survivors up north. It's just me and my siblings now". Morgan said as she replied quickly.

I instantly regretted asking her that,after finding out what happened.

"Wow, I had no idea. I'm so sorry".

But she wasn't phased at all.

"No need for the apologies while we're getting chased by this yokai". She implied.

I turned around afterwards to see if the yokai was still pursuing us. But it was gone.

"Hey, look it's gone".

Morgan comes to a stop and turns around as well.

"Good, that thing is gone. It was so ugly. It was grey and short, also, it had sharp nails with long black hair. The face ... gosh... it looked so starved like". Morgan's description of the foul thing was priceless.

"Hmmm, that's odd. If it were a normal yokai, it would've kept pursuing us, However, this one stopped pursuing us and I bet if we got to that same route again, it'll come after us but probably in a different approach. Therefore, this one shows intelligence". I said, as I was accessing our situation.

But as the hot head that Morgan is, she responded with, "look at you sounding all professional. If you haven't noticed, it's 3:00,We've spent too much time out here".

But I agreed with her despite her sarcasm.

" yeah you're right, but let's take the same way" .

As expected she yelled , "ARE YOU CRAZY"?

However I was determined to get us out of here." I have a plan".

"Well it better be a good one , because there's no way in hell I'm about to be Yokai food". She said as she started listening.