In an attempt to escape the dream, a sole drop absconds into the depths of a cup steadied by two small youthful, but worn hands.
Having sheltered from the impending rain, a group of unkempt, young girls huddle beneath an old and battered hinoki tree. Sitting in the middle of two other bodies is the oldest girl, who appears to be barely twelve. Oddly, she has the smallest figure of the group with commonly encountered, jet-black hair. With a cool demeanor, situated to her right is a much taller girl with golden-white hair. Sitting to her left, rests another tall girl who is slightly shorter than the golden haired girl. Imposingly, her hair is an otherworldly fiery, reddish-orange. Both lanky girls' voluminous hair drapes past their waist. Quite strikingly, their child-like faces contrast their stature.
Gently, the rain begins its descent. Huddling closer together, the girls attempt to avoid the impending rain.
As forecasted, the rain picks up blanketing the whole hillside.
An arm with an outstretched hand extends; rain drops patter against the hand; a smile blossoms forth; a reddish strand was in the wind.
About an hour passes and then the rain abruptly stops.
Briefly, the black-haired girl looks up at where the clouds once were then stands up.
"Time to harvest, girls"
The red-haired girl scampers off while the golden-haired moseys off.
"Stay where I can see you, Aki-chan, Ki-chan"
After a short distance, Akiko halts in front of a tree. Leisurely, she looks down examining the base of the tree. Her golden locks glimmer in the sun. A hand plucks a white stubby mushroom; another hand folds clothes making a temporary pouch; the mushroom drops to its new home.
Further out from the camp, Kirara abruptly stops. Quickly, she swoops down and clenches a white-stemmed, red-top mushroom with white specks peppered all over it.
Red hair flows in the wind; a hand holds up a suspicious looking mushroom; a mouth readies to gobble up its prey; out of the blue, a hand seizes the wrist; the questionable mushroom flops on the ground.
A stern whisper emanates from behind, "Remember to check with me before eating anything, Kirara-chan".
Hesitantly acknowledging, "Yes, Chizue-sama...."
On this beautiful day, the songs of the birds come alive.
Chizue spots some eggs nestled in an abandoned nest. Chizue attempts to reach for it, however, it is much too high for her.
Chizue cups her hands and shouts out, "Aki-chan, come over here please."
Clouds briefly block out the sun. Off in the distance, Kirara is half-way up a tree trying to "play" with the wild life. A few minutes pass and Akiko finally appears. Chizue motions with her finger. Gently, Akiko bends the branch downwards, then Chizue grabs the eggs from the abandoned nest.
The sun has lowered in the sky and the girls bring their bounty before Chizue who begins to scrutinize. Reluctantly, Chizue starts with Kirara's haul. Confidently, Kirara looks at her spoils and notices its considerably larger than Akiko's. Like stepping through a minefield, Chizue tosses one mushroom after the other. Afterwards, Chizue moves on to Akiko's batch. After all is done, ten percent of Akiko's bounty was discarded compared to less than half of Kirara's remains. Despondently, Kirara hangs her head, "not fair".
Having finished the sorting, Chizue takes some of the product and puts it in a cloth bag.
"Stay here girls, I'll be back soon"
"Akiko look after your Kirara. Make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble", reminds Chizue.
"Yes, Chizue-sama" says Akiko in a youthful voice.
Chizue looks to Kirara. Instinctively, Kirara averts her eyes.
"Hmm", Chizue.
Steadily, Chizue travels through the forest and down the hillside. She enters a poor, but somewhat sizeable village. One after the other, as they call out to her, Chizue greats the townspeople. Effortlessly, Chizue sells to three different townspeople; she receives some small coins which she drops in to her cloth coin sack.
"You didn't bring along your cute sisters, Chizue-chan?" a voice unexpectedly jolts Chizue.
Noticing who it is, Chizue stays silent, lowers her head slightly, and walks past.
"You should really bring them next time. I've got something for them." unabashedly continues the old man.
As the sun begins its final descent, Chizue returns to the clearing.
Skillfully, Chizue begins to prepare the food they gathered.
An old worn knife carves up the ingredients; a soup boils within a battered samurai helmet; the girls gather; quickly, the girls gobble up their food.
It is a clear and tranquil night. Comfortably, the three sit by fire. Periodically, they look down at the heart of the valley where the village lies surrounded by the forest.
"Aki-chan, Ki-chan, it's time to sleep", informs Chizue while yawning.
"I have to go pee", says Kirara.
"Don't wander off too far. Remember there is yokai out there" warns Chizue.
Time turns back to when Chizue was 6 years-old.
Its a simple home with a cooking pot set up in the middle. A particular odor permeates the home where dried fish suspends on a rope.
"Did you know that they still can't find Tomoko and Yui?" tells a woman, Okimi, in her mid twenties to a man in his mid twenties.
"That's a real shame." responds the man, Makoto.
"How long has it been?"
"I feel bad for Hiroe and Kenji."
"Maybe we should bring them something to make them feel better."
"Sounds great, how about some of the dried f-" Okimi.
"Can I have more to eat?" asks a younger Chizue.
Makoto looks at the Okimi and says "Maybe some pickled vegetables instead?"
Under her breath, "May be you're right"
"Here have some of Mommy's" says the woman to Chizue while pouring some soup from her bowl into Chizue's.
The man slightly drops his head and sighs.
The sun has set and the wild life slowly comes alive. A figure like that of a small girls sneaks out.
Admiringly, the figure looks up drawn by the radiance of the moon; noises approach; swiftly, the small figure is seized.
Jolted awake, Chizue spots a large mouth with razor sharp teeth about to strike.
In the distance Chizue's parents desperately call out, "Chizue where have you gone?"
"Where are you?"
From the fear, Chizue tries to say something, but cannot.
At the last second, an overwhelming force severs the arm that is holding her. Instantaneously, Chizue falls to the ground with thud. Gut wrenching groans of pain can be heard coming from her captor. Unnervingly, Chizue trembles still paralyzed. Abruptly, the groans stop. Silence despotically reigns. Chizue's beating heart and nervous echo within the darkness. Fiercely, a beast-like hand pierces the darkness covering Chizue's mouth. Futilely, Chizue fights to breathe, flails her legs, and fruitlessly struggles with both hands to peel off the hand over her mouth. In a wink, all goes black.
At dawn, the parents finally see a small figure.
Both in tandem, "Is that our Chizue?"
As they approach, Chizue lays propped up against a tree. Her clothes is in tatters. Jarring is the spattered blood all round the bushes, trees, and forest floor.
Upon realization, Okimi falls her knees cupping her face with her hands; begins to weakly cry; the crying grows in intensity, then turning into a wail.
Ever cautiously, Chizue's father continues his approach oblivious to his wife's reaction. As he nears, his hands begin trembling. Unnaturally, Chizue's figure stirs. Fearfully, she widely opens her eyes; tears burst from her eyes, then in helpless longing "Papa-".
Abruptly, Chizue's father falls down hugging her as tears streak down his face.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
