'Shiki, wake up. '

The words filter through the heavy fog of sleep clouding her mind without really registering, for a moment. But only for a moment.

' ' Satoru-niichan? ' There 's no mistaking it. The faint silhouette of a young man leaning over her, blue eyes shining brightly even through the nighttime darkness 'that 's Satoru-niichan. Her cousin 's hand is on her shoulder, shaking her gently. Gently, but no less

insistently,

and that alone is enough to draw her fully into wakefulness.

Shiki sits up from her futon, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

Her surroundings are dark. It 's the middle of the night, still, and she has no idea why her cousin has woken her up like this.

But it certainly wouldn 't have been for

nothing.

'Time to get up and start moving, little sleepyhead. ' Once more, her cousin 's hand tugs at her. And this time, Shiki gets a sense of

urgency