MORATORIUM MIYAMOTO

Nothing is on television. The last few years, you could always rely on year-end television to offer some comfort to a loser. Downtown's No Laughing Game wasn't on for another two weeks. Kamen Rider Ghost and Ninninger have both been underwhelming. It's such a drag.

Miyamoto sets her television remote down on the table in the middle of the room, full of 7-Eleven pre-made foods and Sapporo. Besides, her purpose for living right now is just that. Being able to live. Ever since her parents income was cut, she has to do something, lest she ends up homeless or dead. Or both.

As she gets out of her tattered white shirt, her mobile starts ringing.

Fuck.

It's the landlord.

She gets into a nicer fitting green patterned sweater, and answers her phone.

"H...hello...?", she said in a hoarse voice. She hasn't spoken in days.

"Miyamoto-san, I've been checking your records. Your last rent payment is over two weeks due. Is there any reason for this? I don't want this to become more of a habit than it already is."

"I'm... *cough*.. really sorry, Tachikawa-san. I promise I'll get it to you soon. I've been really low on funds recently, the job really hasn't been paying enough for me, but I promise promise promise that I'll get it to you this week. Please, just give me a few more days of leeway."

"You've said this multiple times. I really implore you to look for better opportunities whether it's at your current place of employment or elsewhere. This is the final warning, Miyamoto-san."

"Y...yes...," Miyamoto sighed in a defeated tone. She's fucked. "I'll try my best, please don't worry."

Miyamoto hangs up and throws her phone on her bed. Why the fuck did I say that? I can't pay this on time, FUCK!!

Miyamoto stomped up and down, holding her head in annoyance. Regardless, she has a place to be in 24 minutes. There's no choice to reel over this. Taking her equally tattered boxers off and dressing in nicely cut blue jeans, she brushes her hair downwards in an aggressive motion. She's going to get split ends if she keeps doing this.

She takes her messenger bag, mobile phone, iPod and earphones out and slams the door behind her. Putting her earphones in and blasting Ojamajo Carnival, anison from her childhood, she paces down the stairs of her residence and heads forward towards the convenience store.

On the path she takes, she notices that it's been blocked off. God damn it. There's police cars everywhere, she'll have to take a detour. Veering off to the rightmost street, she bumps into a woman dressed in a perfectly-cut suit. There was something unsettling about her eyes. The way they felt so hollow and dark.

There's no time to think, she's going to be late at this pace. She breaks into a faster sprint than before, she hasn't run this fast since high school. Maybe she hasn't ever ran since high school. Taking another left on this street, then going forward, she reaches the convenience store.

Out of breath and shaky, she opens the glass door and bows at a 60 degree angle. "I'm really sorry for being late!! The road I take is blocked off and I had to take the long way!"

Her manager, Yumiko, an elderly woman from the Showa era, just gives a warm smile. "Don't be, Miyamoto-san. We didn't see this happening, either."

Adjusting herself from her bow, she tilts her head and glances at Yumiko. "Do you know what's going on over there?"

Yumiko stares out of the glass door then back at Miyamoto with that same friendly smile.

"I don't know, but I'm sure the police have it under control."

Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 9:49am

Business in the store has been quieter than usual, probably because of whatever the hell is happening out there. I hope it's ok. She glances at her phone behind the cashier counter and checks her SNS. Shirogumi won AKB48's Kohaku Utagassen yesterday.

Stomp.

It should've been Akagumi, man. Ayano-sama alone is a god compared to the rest of those girls.

Stomp.

What I would do to meet her...

Stomp.

It's not Umeda, it's Ume-

At a speed faster than Miyamoto could process, the front of the store was gone, glass shattered everywhere. In front of her was an 8 foot tall bony pile of flesh. What do you do in this scenario? What can you do in this scenario?

I'm going to die here.

I'm going to die here, aren't I?

I'm not gonna be able to pay my rent, will I, Tachikawa? I'm sorry that I didn't clean before I left.

The monster tore the building to shreds before heading into the backroom for it's next victim. Sweaty and shaking, Miyamoto felt fear. This is what it feels like to be alive.

I miss my mommy.

She closed her eyes, and imagined a song from her childhood for comfort before she was a number in a statistic.

"Back when I was a child, I put a lot of treasures in my pocket. Even now, sometimes I peek back in.

Could that, maybe, be Pikachu?

The children of the past and the children of the present are always filling their pockets, whether a boy or a girl, inside their pocket is a fantasy."

Why am I not dead?

It should have killed me already.

Still shaking and trying to open her eyes, she saw the creature standing directly in front of her.

"FUCK!!!" Miyamoto screamed as loud as possible. She's next. "JUST HURRY UP AND KILL ME!!"

The creature was enamored. Truthfully, Miyamoto didn't entirely know what she was saying. What filter was there left in her mind?

"Interesting."

The monster could speak. Why are you sparing me? What are you doing?