Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Our Courage, Chapter Five (part b)

The next day in the marketplace, Yamato approached the guard intently, without a moment’s hesitation. Unable to look at the suffering Kiichi, he’d spent the night wandering around Makuhara looking for medicine or alcohol. In the end he’d found nothing.
“Why haven’t you brought any medicine?”
Even though he’d asked only yesterday, the guard raised his gun at Yamato’s threatening attitude. But he wouldn’t back down. “Explain properly! why can’t we get medicine?”
“Give it up.”
“Give up? Why would you tell me that? You aren’t thinking of us at all! You don’t care about helping us.”
Suddenly, Takeru appeared and pulled at Yamato’s arm. “Enough, already.”
Unable to believe it, Yamato met Takeru’s eyes. They were red - Takeru also had spent the night searching for medicine. So he should understand why they needed to get some so badly...
“There’s no hope for Kiichi. Give up.”
Stricken, Yamato’s mouth opened in surprise. “Takeru...”
“Let’s just say thank you and take the food.”
“What are you saying!” Indignant, Yamato turned his back on the guard and shook off Takeru’s hand. Takeru started to pull him, protesting, into cover.
“It’s fine, come on!”
In a narrow space between piled-up containers, there was the guard from yesterday, slumped against one. He was dead. The picture of his family was still in his hand. The partly eaten apple rolled next to him.
Unable to speak, Yamato looked away. Takeru pulled at his earlobe, and said quickly, “I have a plan.”

No comments: