There's More That Meets the Eye - Chapter 1: Sorrow
A/N: Took some weeks to conjure up a proper introduction and here it is. The beginning of a adventurous journey of writing and the wonders of said hobby. I'm not sure how many chapters this will be so bare with me on that.
CW: Blood ✻ Explicit Language (As you see below) ✻ Children being eaten ✻ Sexism ✻ Hitting
“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO NOT STEAL FROM ME!!!”
A large foot had connected to your stomach as you curled over in agony. Bile simultaneously traveling out your mouth as you heaved in pain. Caught once again.
“I HAD GIVEN YOU MANY WARNINGS AND EACH TIME THOSE WERE GIVEN, YOU HAVE DECEIVED ME. IF I CATCH YOU AGAIN IN MY SHOP I WILL PERSONALLY GO TO THE VILLAGE CHIEF AND HAVE YOU HANGED!!!!”
The shop owner who you had stolen from had kicked a large amount of dirt into your face, forcing you to fall back on your backside and spit out the awful contents. Bile, dirt, and your own saliva had now covered half of your face. Your hair sticking to the top of your forehead from the amount of stress you have endured for the last 20 minutes.
Your vision was blurry, and tears were flowing down your cheeks relentlessly as you held back another breath fearing that you would empty your stomach once more.
You hadn’t noticed that the enraged man had stormed off, shoving past a growing crowd.
Your senses had started to slowly come back together, you began to slowly raise your head upon now hearing the hushed whispers of the people that they belonged to. Your eyes then settle on the many eyes that have fixed themselves on you.
Women, men, children, had all gathered around the young girl who had just been beaten from the store owner earlier. There were looks of pity, shame, and anger upon seeing this young child. After a while, the crowd then started to disperse, going back to minding their businesses and continuing on with their lives.
The child sat there a while longer with her head hanged low. The crowds of people now walking past her. She rose to her full height and had started walking towards the direction of her home.
Arakawa-San won’t be pleased about this, just as this was the young girl's second time of thievery this would also be Arakawa-San’s second time seeing the child beaten up. The older woman had also been slapped once by the owners that the young girl had stolen from. It really is a miracle that you weren’t killed off yet along with your guardian. Any other village would've disposed of the 2 individuals, this village though was considered kind.
After walking for about 20 minutes, the young girl had then arrived at a house covered by thick bushes and herbs. Before going in, she tried her best to look more put together. Although her efforts were futile, for the older adult was a smart one and deception was spotted easily on anybody to the woman. She then walked up to the wooden door, slightly limping. At first, it seemed like no one was currently in the house, but her assumption was quickly wiped away when she heard the voice of an older woman.
“Where have you been? It’s past noon and you're usually back before this time.”
A woman with a brown kimono had emerged from the room on the left, a towel in hand. She must’ve just finished cleaning.
“I was out exploring the village.”
“Why? Did you bring back anything useful, I could use some more spices. Our seasoning is at its lowest…Why are you dirty?” The woman then discarded the towel onto the floor, now walking up to the young child.
“(Y/N), why are you dirty?” Arakawa begins to run her fingers through the child's hair, an indirect way of telling her that it's okay.
“I…I was exploring the east district…I then stumbled upon some children my age playing, so I decided to join them. We played for a while and we wrestled in some dirt.” The child spoke but as she was speaking she kept her head down low. Not wanting the older woman to spot the huge red mark across her right cheek.
“Why do I feel as if you’re lying to me? And the whole time you had spoken, you never looked me in the face…Your story also seems misleading, you are very introverted and rarely speak to strangers outright…Your face seems flushed as well.” The woman then firmly brings the child's head up and to her horror, the young girl's face was inflamed red.
“W-what happened? How rough were you and the children playing, and why do you smell funny?!” Arakawa then dragged the girl to the kitchen where she was cleaning earlier. Rummaging through the cabinets and hastily grabbing a box full of herbs. She then grabbed the rock within and started mashing some herbs together.
“Tell me what happened, now!”
The young girl had then began to fidget with her fingers, worry and panic now filling her whole person.
She hesitated again but she soon had sighed, dropping both her hands at her sides in defeat.
“I stole…from the man that sells fish. He had tons of the fish that you liked and desired so I thought-”
“NO!” The young girl had flinched from the sudden booming voice.
“I have told you time and time again not to steal. It is frowned upon and you can get killed for it! A lot of people here do not take kindly to that no matter if you are a small child – boy or girl! You mustn't do that!” The woman was now panting, out of breath from screaming at the girl. Strands of hair falling in front of her face from her neat bun.
“Listen, I understand that you want to help – believe me I do. But, this isn’t the way I want you to go about it. You know what the punishment is especially for a young girl like yourself. These people have no problem hanging anybody in the middle of the village and setting an example out of them. Or worse, you are tied to a stake to be sacrificed to the wandering demons that roam at nightfall…”
The woman had both of her hands clasped onto the girl's cheek, holding her head firmly so she won’t look anywhere else. The young girl had a look of disturbance and shock on her face from the close proximity that the two currently had. The older woman eventually released her face and went back to mashing the herbs together.
“What did that man tell you?”
“That the next time he finds me doing it again, he will tell the village chief and I will be hanged…”
The woman stiffened. This isn’t the first time that was said but it's really a miracle that nothing was done sooner. The village is currently suffering at the moment because of the ongoing war. The lord that owns this part of the region that they walk on is trying to expand it, but is running into some problems.
For starters, there’s not enough men to do the expanding for him. Usually in this territory it is quite hard to find suitable men. Four years ago, a devastating disease swiped through all of the lands and many men, women, and children had died from it. This territory had never quite recovered from it. Second, it has been unusually hot, making it harder to walk throughout the day in long hours. There have been individuals who have died from heat stroke, their bodies left sprawled throughout various places. Finally, the men go into hiding when it's around the time for scouting out suitable young men for future wars. Who can blame them though? If one feels that an impending death would come with a certain future, wouldn’t you try to at least prevent it?
After adding some water to the mashed herbs the woman then began to spread the concoction on the young girl's cheek. A hissing sound coming from the girl upon the cooling feeling on her cheek.
“He also had kicked me in my stomach as well…and it still hurts from the impact…I threw up too…”
Arakawa had grabbed the towel that she had discarded earlier to wipe her hands free of the concoction. She stared daggers at the young girl who in return shifted her head downwards in shame.
“You are to stay with me until further notice. I will not allow you to endanger yourself again, I have given you many chances and each time they were given you have broken them. Eventually you’ll get yourself killed, (Y/N). This is for your safety.” A more saddened tone engulfed the woman as she spoke. She rose to her full height and began to wash out the bowl she had used to make the paste.
“Go to our room and make your futon, I’m sure you are exhausted. In the meantime, I will make dinner for the both of us.”
The young girl nodded and she did exactly as she was told.
“(Y/N).” A hand had gently patted the shoulder of the slumbering girl and she moved slightly from the contact.
“(Y/N), wake up. It’s time for dinner.” The hand had patted more firmly and the young girl had slowly risen rubbing at her eyes and yawning during the process. Arakawa then stepped up walking back towards the kitchen awaiting the young girl. Pushing the cover off of her, the girl had also stepped up laying her hair down in the process before leaving the small room.
When she arrived in the kitchen Arakawa was patiently waiting, her eyes closed as if contemplating. She was sitting in a seiza position and once she heard the girl sit across from her she opened one of her eyes to look.
Arakawa then opened her other eye and looked at the young girl across from her. Both their eyes met and before eating their meals they clasped both of their hands together saying their prayers and an “Itadakimasu” followed after.
Afterwards, they then both picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
It was almost midnight when (Y/N) woke up to the sound of footsteps. She looked to her left to see if Arakawa had woken from her slumber.
The young girl looked up toward the ceiling, pondering for a moment. She slowly raised her upper body up, pushing the cover below her waist. Each and every movement she made she proceeded with caution. Not wanting whoever was out there to sense she was aware of their presence.
Sweat started to coat her forehead caused by the tension and humid air.
More footsteps were heard outside, it sounded as if this stranger was circling their home. Almost as if conjuring up a nefarious plan while it circled its prey.
Her nerves got the best of her as she slowly raised her hand to reach for Arakawa. When her hand rested on the woman’s shoulder, she then began to gently shake her. Her eyes fluttered open as a result.
Before the older woman could question the young child a small hand quickly made its way to her mouth. The girl’s finger coming to her own lips, she whispered.
“There is someone outside”, she gestured towards the wooden cover of the window.
“I woke up to footsteps circling around our home. They sound to be of a man,” the girl continued to whisper. Arakawa steadily raised herself and removed the child’s hand from her mouth. Confusion etched all throughout her face. She was about to whisper back until she heard the faintest sound of nails scratching on wood.
Quickly whipping her head to their only window in the room she stared it down. This caught the attention of the young girl and she too glared at the window.
The scratching continued, it seemed like forever that it went on and on until it abruptly stopped. Both of the individuals looked around to notice anything different inside the room. Arkawa took the young girls hand in hers and whispered, -
“We need to find a knife– I sense that this isn’t an ordinary man but something far more threatening.”
(Y/N’s) eyes grew wider as she listened to the older women speak. Fear starting to show on her young features.
Could this be the creature that Arakawa was talking about when she scolded the young girl hours ago? Demons? The bloodthirsty creatures that roamed the night in search of their next meal night after night. While traversing through the village she has heard of such stories from the elders. Their faces showed distastefulness and animosity every time they spoke of said creatures. There would always be groups of people gathered to tell the tale of misfortune that would fall when these monsters struck.
These tales were always filled with bloodshed, nothing but despair and devastation hearing the wretched stories of those who brutally lost their lives…The worst part about hearing these tales was that not even children were spared. Babies were also devoured along with those the demons had gotten their claws on.
Arakawa was the first to start action. She tossed her thick cover in front of her feet and began to maneuver her body towards the small kitchen. She glanced at the child and made a hand signal for her to follow as well. The child hesitated before also tossing her cover and following her guardian.
Before, there were the noises of frogs and crickets but now it seemed unnaturally quiet. Like almost as if something definitely wasn’t supposed to be here. The pit in the girl's stomach continued to grow heavier and heavier as each minute went by. Something was definitely going to go wrong…the girl could just feel it.
The woman swiftly grabs the knife that was layered under an assortment of towels, her hand shaking slightly from her nervousness. She turned towards the girl, looking back and forth between the inanimate object and her.
Arakawa was about to speak when abruptly the front door to their home was pummeled to the ground. The small home had shaked violently from the sudden blow leading to the other smaller objects moving in its wake, some toppling over. Both Arakawa and the young girl quickly dashed back to their shared room hoping to at least devise a plan in order to escape the predicament they were in.
“I SMELL A WOMAN AND A YOUNG GIRL IN THIS SORRY EXCUSE OF A HOME! IF THE BOTH OF YOU SURRENDER TO MY HANDS, THEN YOUR DEATH SHALL BE QUICK AND PAINLESS!!” The demon bellowed from the front of their home.
The demon stood at an intimidating height of 7’5”, bulky and full of muscle. Instead of having 2 pairs of eyes it had a second set beneath the first. Its sclera a pitch black color instead of the pristine white a normal human would have. Its skin a pale white with black markings littering its skin – And to top it off, the demon had razor sharp fingernails that could sever someone in half without much effort. The demon's only source of wardrobe was its half torn burgundy hakamata pants.
It threaded through the home with an evil aura around it. Gleaming at the fact that tonight was like any other night for him. He’ll hunt, kill, and eat to fulfill his bloodthirsty desires. Rinse, wash, repeat. It was the same every night, but nothing could ever compare to the terrified screams that came from his helpless victims. Humans to demons were nothing but cattle. Waiting to be killed and devoured with no such thing as a thought.
Humans were pathetic creatures.
As the demon toyed with his meal, the humans had barricaded their bedroom door with heavy crates so that they could allocate more time to potentially escape.
“(Y/N), you must escape now. Your life is much more important than mine. I will hold off the demon so that gives you plenty of time to run and find safety.” The woman said as she opened the wooden door to their window. She gestured towards the trees and bushes that surrounded their home. The moonlight flowing in and hitting both the humans' faces.
Through Arakawa’s words the girl sat there dumbfounded at what Arakawa just uttered. What does she mean she’ll hold back the demon? There’s no possible way that this slender woman of average height could hold off a demon. A tall and bulky one at that.
“What do you mean you’ll hold the demon back? You know you won’t be able to stop it. Come with me, we’ll both escape together and move some place else–”
“(Y/N). You know that the both of us can not make it out alive together. Demons will not stop at nothing to get what they have set on and this demon has us on its platter.” At this the young girl started to tear up. A distressed expression covered her face.
“A-Arakawa-san I-I can’t just leave you here by yourself. You’ll die!” The young girl practically shouted at the women. Tears falling from her eyes.
“I-I don’t know how I’ll be able to get by without you.”
As the girl started to wail, Arakawa had captured the young girl's head into her arms, gently patting at the girl's head. The child started to sob even more into the woman’s hold.
“It’ll be okay, I believe in you. The gods above will look over you in my place.”
It took everything in Arakawa to not break down and not weep in fear and trepidation. She had to look strong and unbothered for the young girl's emotions. If not, it will only worsen the emotional state she was already in.
A loud crash was heard through the home as the demon began to wreck havoc through the home. It’s deep loud voice heard as it voiced its frustration.
This isn't a game anymore.
“GO. You must leave now or else the both of us won’t make it out alive.” Arakawa broke free from their embrace and ushered the girl out of the window.
When the girl was finally out of the window she turned her body towards the older woman, tears flowing down her cheeks relentlessly. Sticks of all sizes poked at her barefoot from the weight of her body. The moonlight cascading down her small figure illuminating her and casting an outstretched shadow beneath her feet.
Arakawa had a small smile on her face as her long, beautiful black hair spread all over her shoulders. She mouthed the word “GO” before turning towards the door that had collapsed onto the soiled ground.
The child ran as fast as she could so that she couldn't hear the screams of Arakawa and the demon roaring in excitement. The forest around her became nothing but a distant blur as she sprinted and tripped. Her tears being caught in the wind around her, light briefly flickering from each tear shedded.
The girl continued to bustle through the woods just as Arakawa said.
Her life from there on taking a sudden twist of events. Nothing after this will ever be the same, nothing coming will ever be too easy to languidly overstep. For she was on a rushing train full of many railroads to take and tread carefully through.
Arakawa was the reader's adoptive mother, she found her lying helplessly on a dirt road in a small town. Covered in soot and grime the small infant cried out for someone to come through and care for it.
Arakawa was 45 years old and was a widow. Her husband passed when she used to live further north of Japan where wars constantly spewed. He died by the hands of a samurai during a raid.
She was infertile so Arakawa wasn’t able to conceive her own children. (Y/N) was her happiness when she found her.
(Y/N) at the time of the demon attack was 10
Author Speaks 2: First chapter down and many to go. I hope this is decent enough as I’m still learning how to write and formulate a proper story. First chapter was a little hard to write since I needed to come up with a sad background for the character. Her life as a young adult woman begins in the next chapter, stay tuned!
(Also, as far as updating there isn’t a proper schedule and I don’t think there ever will be. I’ll just post when I have completed and edited the chapters to my liking. I procrastinate too much to follow up on a schedule in the real world anyways.)
