Samurai Awakening Page 7

  “Shh, it’s me. You two took forever, I already found lunch.” Takumi’s voice was dull, muffled by the very small space around them.

  Letting David go, Takumi opened up the hole covering just enough to signal Rie. She slid in next to him, and then checked the cover for any marks before shutting them in. The hole under the trunk burrowed back into the mountain for several feet.

  “I’ve been working on this hidey hole for years. I discovered it a while back, but it was too small so I started making trips to widen it out. I’ve never used it before, so I’m pretty sure neither Grandpa nor Dad will know about it. We probably won’t be able to use it again, but I figured now is when we will most need it. There’s water stashed in the back. Here’s lunch.”

  Takumi pulled out an assortment of raw fish and some wild mushrooms. In the darkness of the shelter, David could not be sure of what he was eating and was glad for the ignorance.

  “We have some dried meat but we need to save it in case we can’t find anything later. After all, we still have three more days to go and a fire would give us away immediately,” Takumi said.

  “You come up here a lot?” David asked between reluctantly convulsive gulps.

  “We all do,” Rie said from somewhere in the dark. “In order to prepare for this trip and to work on our other techniques, we all spend time in the mountains. Usually we go alone or in pairs.”

  “Rie especially likes coming out here to play with the bugs,” Takumi said. David heard a soft thump followed by a burst of air from Takumi. “I mean she likes coming out here to play with—” David heard another punch and this time a low groan from Takumi. “OK, sorry.”

  “For now, let’s sleep,” she said. “We can guard in shifts. David, take the first. We’re probably still safe.”

  “Yea, when you can’t stay awake anymore, wake Ms. Touchy up,” added Takumi. Soon all David could hear was the slight sounds of light breathing. David settled himself against the moist wall and stared at the entrance. As the minutes crept by, along with far too many bugs, his mind wandered.

  ‘Who would have thought I’d be hiding in a hole with two other teenagers while their parents tried to hunt us,’ he thought.

  David tried to remember the accident at the shrine. The memory of it was oily, slipping away as he tried to grasp it. So close to a dream, it was intensely difficult to think of it as reality, yet he could speak Japanese.

  With no external focus in the darkness of the hideaway, his memories slipped away, his mind playing scenes without his bidding. All his gaijin moments replayed themselves in the dark cave, the instances where cultures clashed and he had made the same mistakes so many foreigners make in Japan.

  He nearly laughed aloud remembering the first time he had entered the Matsumotos’ house and had almost stepped up to the wooden floor without first taking off his shoes. Grandpa had run at him babbling in incomprehensible Japanese, scaring him so much he had fallen back outside of the house. Helping him up, Rie had slowly shown him how to take his shoes off and place them in a little locker, and had even shown him his own pair of house slippers.

  Rie again helped him during his first meal, showing him how to use chopsticks. While some people had used them back home, he had never quite gotten the hang of them. Using hand gestures, she had shown him how not to pass food from chopstick to chopstick. To use the reverse end when eating from a communal plate, and to never stand his hashi in his food. Takumi seemed to enjoy showing David how not to use them, but only when Masao was not looking. As the memories played in his mind, David closed his eyes to the darkness. Drifting, David found himself slinking though a young forest. The perspective wrong, he crept with a curiously smooth and lithe step through low ferns, mere inches above the ground. His ears twitched. There was a scent ahead. Gliding forward, he caught just a hint of gray. Freezing, David crouched, slowing his heart, and waiting for the perfect moment…

  David came to pinned on his back, a knife to his throat and Rie’s hand over his mouth. She pressed against him, every inch of her body locking him into place.

  “Jeeze David! I thought you were Grandpa.” She pushed away from him in an instant. “You could have just tapped me on the shoulder. No need to jump me!” Takumi brushed past them as he cautiously checked the entrance.

  “It’s still light out, though it’s later than I thought it would be. David?” Takumi asked.

  “I guess I must have slipped off to sleep, sorry!” David said, his cheeks flaming red. He hoped they would not ask for more of an explanation.

  “It’s alright. Lie down and get a few hours of sleep. We have a long way to go tonight.” Takumi took the next watch as Rie laid back down. As he tried to find a soft bit of damp ground to lie on, David did his best to avoid thinking about the dream. Rie shifted beside him. Luckily, his utter exhaustion had him back asleep in minutes.

  David awoke hungry, tired, and sore, but soon they were back to sneaking through the forest. He was thrilled to be away from the cloying smell of moss and dirt that had built up with the three of them in such a small space. As they hiked, he struggled, but with the twin’s assistance, he kept up. Something about the forest seemed to invigorate him. He had more energy and felt motivated in a way he never had in the dusty desert.

  As they walked, Takumi asked him about his life in America. David told them of the hot summers and cold winters. How he had grown up with only his father and sister, and how his father, while brilliant, had the attention span of a two-year-old. They laughed when he described the popular TV show his father did for kids. He told them about how his sister had learned how to control and guide their father’s randomness from a young age, something he had never been able to do.

  “I probably would have been in something like the technology club here, but I was not really smart enough. Instead I touched many groups without really being a part of any of them,” he said, finishing. Takumi grunted as he cleared a fallen tree in one lithe movement.

  Later that evening, the trio began coming up against traps left so that Grandpa and Masao could track their progress. Whenever the trio stopped to rest David spent his watch carving a long stick into a makeshift sword. Although he was not convinced it would be useful, the twins had insisted he have something in case Grandpa or Masao found them. Whenever he slept, his mind seemed to run free, keeping him from getting rest. When he woke, the dreams slipped away. He was unsure why, but he soon developed a fear of sleeping, even though he was exhausted.

  The constant relocations and hard surfaces also hindered his attempts to recuperate. Nearly all of Monday disappeared in a haze of sleep deprivation. His only clear memory was the realization that while Takumi often led, this was not his element. Rie seemed to be the one most adept at slinking through the woods and detecting traps. While Takumi was proficient, it came to Rie naturally. Takumi seemed better at the blunt attacks and powering through the forest when they were hemmed in. David realized it was a lot like the badminton games he had seen Takumi play. While he could be sneaky when he had to, Takumi excelled at the straightforward attack.

  As Tuesday began, Takumi and Rie began to lead David back towards the Estate. They stopped again during the day, letting David recover somewhat. Waking him as the sun began to set, Rie slid next to David.

  “From now on will be the most dangerous,” she whispered. “We’ll have to pick one of the mountain passes, and will probably be attacked. Stay alert.”

  His mind clearer from the extra sleep, David nodded. As they moved towards the Estate, the twins detected many lures and traps. Takumi taught David to detect the faint discolorations of the plants and wood that marked them as having been manipulated, letting Rie keep them safe while he taught. The traps set for them were sometimes simple and obvious, to the twins at least. Twice they pointed out nets strung up in the trees with tripwire. Other times, the traps were cleverly hidden rocks set to develop into landsides, or branches set to fling at the heedless adventurer. After seeing so many of the traps, David realized
that all they were set to hinder approach to the Estate, but did not prevent anyone leaving it.

  As they moved down a hill, a soft flick was all the warning David had before a branch hit him in his face, knocking him back. Simultaneously, the ground beneath him gave way. The twins were just able to jump behind trees as David rolled by upon a bed of loose soil and stones. Exchanging a silent look, the twins hurried after.

  Dangerous Shadows

  May,

  Although, my world was alien, the memories were not. After the initial panic and pain they caused, I recognized them as glimpses into how things should be…

  The twins found David sprawled on top of a pile of stones, mud, and dead branches. Hearing them approach, David sat up, groaning from the pain of a hundred bruises. His clothes were covered in leaves and were ragged as if just sent through a blender.

  “You alright?” Rie asked in a hushed voice as soon as she saw him, her concern was evident even in the minimal light.

  “Yea, I think so,” David said, mimicking her. Fortunately, the pain from his cuts and bruises began to fade as he kicked a branch off his leg. “I ended up on top of all this, and it leveled out pretty quick.”

  “It was designed to not hurt you. This is Grandpa’s work. If you can walk, we need to go. Even if we had thrown them off, Grandpa and Dad will be here soon,” Takumi said, looking around as if expecting them to jump from the shadows at any instant. From the top of a large rock, Rie’s eyes hunted the depths of the night around them.

  Jumping from her perch, Rie helped David stand as he brushed the leaves from his tunic. Miraculously, David still gripped his makeshift sword. He checked himself for broken bones, and then gingerly walked forward, glad to find he was whole. He nodded to Takumi.

  “We need to move quickly,” Takumi whispered. “I’ll scout, you two follow.” Silently, he slipped off into the night.

  Rie rolled her eyes at her brother, and then glanced towards David. “You probably hurt, but I know from experience that you’ll be alright. I was caught in a similar trap two years ago.” David smiled, feeling a bit better about himself but his legs buckled when he tried to step forward. After a steadying hand from Rie, he took a few tentative steps.

  “We need to go much faster,” Rie said. She turned to him, and although he willed his legs forward, they moved only minimally. With a sigh, her hand slid down from his elbow and she took his hand. Before David could even register her grip, she was off, dragging him behind. He stumbled along, attempting to match her fluid movements, but failed horribly. A focused killer had replaced Rie. She stalked swiftly through the forest, letting nothing, not even David, slow her down.

  After an hour weaving through the forested mountain, David was extremely happy to have the last week of morning runs under his belt. The only rest he got was when Rie paused to listen and check for traps. David became used to the sudden stops so he was unsurprised when Rie jerked him behind a tall tree. His legs rubbery, David collapsed among the tree’s roots.

  “It’s nearly sunrise. Takumi should have checked in,” Rie hissed, her words full of venom. “We aren’t far from the Estate. Our goal is the shrine. The trip is over when at least one of us touches it. Grandpa, Dad, or both must be between us and the shrine.”

  Something in her voice made David eye her more closely. The way she fidgeted gave David a sinking feeling.

  “How many times have you made it back to the shrine?” David asked quietly.

  “Never,” she answered. “This is only our second time on our own. Before, mom would always go with us. Get your stick ready, and be very quiet. If something happens, do whatever it takes to get to the shrine. Don’t look for me or Takumi.” Rie lapsed into silence, watching the night around her. “If you see mom, ignore her too, she’s the referee.” She turned slowly, observing the entirety of her surroundings. David strained with all his being, willing himself to hear someone approach.

  As the first light of morning pierced the sky, David heard Rie yell. He was startled to realize she had left his side. He was far more surprised to find he was excited rather than scared. Just like capture the flag, all he had to do was make it past his enemies’ lines undetected. He was encouraged that the rest of the way was downhill. David heard the clash of wood on wood from the direction Rie’s voice had come. Hesitating only a second, David turned and hurried as best he could toward the sound.

  He emerged beneath a group of ferns just in time to see Rie fall behind a flurry of blows from a man dressed in the full armor of a traditional samurai warrior. As she fell, another taller man came out from the shadows of nearby trees. Takumi was draped across his back.

  “She must have left David to draw us off his course. They probably told him to head straight for the shrine,” the taller man said.

  “Hurry on and try to catch him. If you don’t find him, cover the other side. I’ll bring in these two and set them up as bait near the shrine in case he somehow makes it past you,” replied the shorter man.

  Though he could not see their faces, and their voices were barely audible, David recognized the way they moved. The taller man was Masao. Nominally the head of the house he still followed Grandpa’s instructions. That meant the shorter man, who had just knocked out Rie, was Grandpa.

  David watched as Masao ran off into the forest. A few seconds later, Grandpa revealed some of his strength by hefting both twins. With them secure in his arms, he headed for the Estate. Sliding forward, David tried to use everything he had learned over the last few days to stay quiet. Instead of simply following Grandpa, David strayed out and away from both him and Masao. Based on the rising sun, David figured he was north and a little east of the shrine. As they neared the Estate, David kept to the east.

  David finally left the mountains, abruptly entering the forests around the Matsumoto Estate. Turning west, he crept ahead, keeping his pace just slower than Grandpa. As the sun rose higher above him, David saw the Estate’s wall ahead. He ran along parallel to the Estate, staying in the tree line until he found the stream. David slid under the Estate’s wall where the water flowed through. Big as he was, he barely made it through the small outlet. Luckily, the water had carved into the ground enough so that he could shimmy through on his behind and keep his nose above the water. David poked his head slowly out of the opening. With no movement around him, he crept north through the trees as quietly as he could.

  “I could not find him,” Masao said, surprising David with how close his voice was.

  “He has to be along the western pass, behind the shrine. There was no sign of him along the way back on the east. String up the twins, maybe he will go for the bait,” Grandpa said.

  “I hope the twins didn’t tell him that only one of them needs to touch the shrine for all of them to win,” Masao said, unusually grumpy at his inability to locate David.

  “It’s no matter if they did. Either he will come, or we will have to go find him. Hopefully he did not injure himself. Though if he did… Make the twins look convincing. I will cover the west, he is sure to come from there.” Grandpa slid back into the forest.

  Masao took Takumi and Rie from where Grandpa had left them. Stringing them up by their hands, Masao began to jab at them with his wooden sword. From his few kendo practices, David was able to assure himself that it was all for show.

  David waited for Grandpa to head off into the forest again before creeping up towards the shrine. Finding a concealed spot, he waited and watched. Although Masao continued with his show, his eyes roamed the entire area. After his third pass, David noticed he spent slightly more time watching to the west. He followed the direction, peering into the forest, trying to catch a glimpse of Grandpa’s armor.

  Yukiko entered the clearing from the shrine path. As usual, she was arrayed in elegantly traditional clothes. She eyed Masao and the twins before taking a spot directly in front of the shrine.

  Finally, David caught a shadow move away from the shrine. Yukiko’s head twitched toward the west. Checking for Ma
sao in the clearing one last time, David surged forward with everything he had left. He ran, his muscles pumping acidic fire through his legs as ferns and branches threatened to claw him back.

  As David moved, Masao twirled away from the twins. A heavy projectile struck just where David had been waiting. From the west, David heard Grandpa hurrying back towards the clearing.

  David reached the steps, running up along the opposite side he had run during the shrine ceremony. Grandpa burst from the trees on the far side. David leapt. With his legs stretching back behind him, Grandpa tried one last desperate grab to catch him in midair. His arms flailing, David’s makeshift sword knocked into Grandpa’s head just as his hand brushed the stone shrine. His smile was cut short as he connected with the hard stone of the shrine’s base. David awoke with a start, his instincts honed to expect trouble at any second. A large quilt hampered his flight. Looking around, David realized he was once again waking up after having been knocked out. Unlike the last time, he was alone in the room. The outside sliding doors were open, showing the last rays of the dusky orange sunset. As David extricated himself from the blankets, Rie came in toweling of her hair. Seeing him awake, she abruptly stopped.

  “You’re awake! The bath is ready. You were still asleep so I went first… Spend some extra time cleaning up before you get in.” Rie hurried to her room.

  ‘So much for an explanation,’ thought David, slightly annoyed by Rie’s casual reaction to his waking up from being knocked out.

  Just as it was taking him time to get used to each of the Matsumotos, it was taking David awhile to get used to Japanese customs. Unlike back home, where he could just shower in the bathtub, in Japan he had to shower outside the tub. It had been an awkward conversation when he first arrived, first with Takumi, and then with Yukiko when gesturing did not work. One tub was used by the entire family, which saved water and heating fuel. Even with the warm spring air, David looked forward to soaking. Four and a half days had left him ragged.