The route was long and the wagon was pretty empty..As Sakura was sleeping next to him he was figuring their next move. They passed by small suburbs while heading towards the big city's downtown. He found everything indifferent.. Some hours later the central station started to show in the distance. He slowly moved away from Sakuras side and woke her up.
''Get ready we are almost there.And be prepared..This is going to be a long day.''
She looked around while yawning and picked up her luggage.They disembarged and found themselves surrounded by alot of people that looked to be in a hurry.Sakura held on tightly to Noroi.
''And now what..?'' she asked him worried. He made a sign to her to wait and walked towards the information stand.She saw him talking to the clerk for some time and noticed that he was writting something down.
''And now we got ourselves a location!'' he said while pulling her by the hand through the crowd.
They boarded a bus heading to an area Sakura knew she had heard off. It sounded really familiar generally to her but she was pretty sure she had not ever been there. The bus drove through traffic packed streets before they turned to an abandonded looking area filled with trash,dirt and empty looking buildings.
''This is the last stop.'',the driver announced. They stepped off the bus and started looking for the address on the file.After an hour of wandering on the streets they finally found it.
They stood in front of a decent looking house with a yard,surrounded by a metal fence. The front door was opened so they slowly walked in.
''Who's there?!'' they heard a female voice shouting from deep inside the house.It was a two story well kept building.It certainly didnt house poor people. A woman around her mid thirties jumped right in front of them holding a hammer. Sakura stepped back surprised.
''I'm sorry madam we didnt mean to startle you,we dont mean any harm..'' Noroi told her with a frank tone. ''If you are Suzu Kareta,could we go somewhere we can talk?'' he asked.
The woman led them into the living room.She had black hair and blue eyes like Sakura but was dressed pretty randomly despite the good look of her house.The living room was dusty and filled with family pictures and Noroi was sure the lady lived alone for a long time.
''So tell me what are you here to talk about? Because im a not giving any money to no charity any more.'' she said slightly annoyed.
Sakura stood up and picked a photograph that had drawn her attention from the moment they walked in.
''The woman in the white dress..May i please ask?What is she to you?''she said.
The woman suddenly sgot up from the couch and started yelling.
''What does it have to do with you??Bringing her up like that..She destroyed us that whore...She ruined what was left of my family!!! Get out of my house right away!'' She was clearly upset almost crying but then she kept still.
Noroi had his eyes on her and started speaking.'' I dont want to do something i dont have to,so would you be kind enough to listen to what she has to day and answer?''he said with a soft smile,absolutely calm.
She sat back on the couch without denyal.
''That's my sister.She left home after my father passed away.It drove my mother crazy.She came by all the time begging for money and we could see what she had become.
My mother was desperate to get her back but she would not listen to anything.She dived deeper and deeper in shit.Everytime she came she looked worse.Then we found out she had started selling her body when we would'nt give her any more money. My mother killed herself not long after that..I started hating my sister for it.I wish she would die too.
And some years after she did..How ironic..And then the social services came by and insisted to talk to me about something but i drove them away.I did not want any relation to her and i didnt want to hear anything about her either.
The damage she had done was never going to be mended anyway..So what about her?After all this time what do you want to know?''she was starting to ease up after telling her story to them and stared right into Sakura's eyes.
''She was my mother..And i found out shortly ago that you might be my only living relative..'' Sakura said.
''She has done much harm to me too,if you hate her that makes two of us.I am sorry if i am not wanted here but i just wanted to find out at least who you were.
And thank you for sharing my mother's and your past with me..I am sure i would have never found out about it if it wasnt for you..''
The woman observed Sakura from head to toe,she could see the resemblance clearly now.
She once again stood up and walked to Sakura's side..She streched her arms,no emotion on her face.
Noroi got up right away,alarmed, ready to stop her if necessary.
But then,the woman wrapped her hands around her and began to cry..
( to be continued..)
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