Yui’s eyelids flickered and shook before finally fluttering open. She groaned. Where was she? What had happened to her? Everything was such a blur, it was so confusing. She tried to sit up, but felt a sharp pain in her ribs, and flopped back down again. Looking around, Yui realised she was lying on top of her bed, back home and safely in her room. That was a relief. Because the last thing she had remembered was being back in ‘The Legend of the Four Gods’.
Yui had gone in search of Tamahome, through the crowded streets of the book’s world. Eventually she got lonely and scared, and wanted nothing more than to go home. But she didn’t know how to get home, and so had to continue looking for him…”Are you looking for Tamahome?” a rough looking man had asked. Yui was startled, but nodded slightly. The man grinned. “I’m his mate. I can take you to him, if ya want? Free of charge.” He grabbed Yui’s arm, but she pulled away. “Oh, thanks, but that’s okay. I was actually about to go home.” She started to walk away, but he caught up with her and planted his hand forcefully on her shoulder.
“Honestly, you shouldn’t be wandering around here aimlessly. There are dangerous people about, and you clearly have no clue. So come with me.” Yui hesitated for a minute, but nodded all the same. He was right; she stuck out as lost and naïve, this guy was her best bet. She followed him through the bustling town, his hand never letting go of hers. Yui was constantly looking around, mystified. This Japan couldn’t be any more unlike her Japan.
The man led Yui through the town and out the other side, and they walked along a dirt track for a while, before entering a thick wood. Yui looked up at the thick canopy above their heads, and noticed that very little light could reach them down here. She suddenly realised what a dangerous move this had been. “Are we…almost there?” she choked out, narrowly avoiding tripping over a protruding tree root.
The man turned around, grinning widely. Fear struck Yui, and she turned to run, but his grip on her hand was too tight. “You’re impatient, huh? Well then, we’ll just have to stay here,” he chuckled. Yui tugged at her hand, but it didn’t work. Instead she decided to fight, and flew at him, scratching, biting and kicking at him. He growled loudly, and threw her to the ground, putting one foot on her left wrist, pressing down with all his weight. Yui cried out in pain, and scrabbled uselessly at her trapped wrist with her free hand, but it had no effect. Finally, her bone snapped, and the bandit released the pressure.
Yui lay there, panting in pain and clutching her broken wrist. Meanwhile, the bandit straightened up, put two fingers in his mouth, and whistled loudly. Scurrying noises erupted in the trees around her, and seven or eight men jumped into the clearing. Her pulse raced ahead of her mind, which was digesting facts very slowly. There was nothing she could do now; she was heavily outnumbered. So she gave in to her impulse, and opened her mouth wide to scream.
A meaty hand was clapped over Yui’s mouth, and she felt herself being pulled around roughly. She struggled and fought, but they were just too strong, and she was helpless. It was so painful…so painful…
Yui woke with a start. She hadn’t even realised she had fallen asleep…It had only been a dream, but that didn’t stop the fact that it had really happened. Yui checked her left wrist; it was bandaged in white cloth. So her mum must know that something had happened. What surprised Yui more than anything was that her mother had cared enough to bandage her up. She stood up, wobbling a little, and rubbed her head dejectedly. “Miaka…” she whispered. But what could Miaka do to help? Nothing. This was her problem.
So Yui resolved herself to it. She took a few unsteady steps over to her desk, and rooted through her drawers until she found what she had been looking for. Yuki flicked the blade up out of the army knife, watching the sun’s rays skip over it and glint brightly, and then pressed it to her un-bandaged wrist, smiling sadistically as she increased the pressure. “Yui! Dinner!” Her mother’s voice pulled her back to reality, but she ignored the call all the same. She continued with the knife, but she heard a knock on the door. “Yui? I’m coming in now.” Yui panicked and dropped the knife, sending it skittering across the floor. “Dinner’s ready,” her mother said from the doorway, smiling softly.
Yui sighed, and followed her mother reluctantly. She would have to wait to finish what she had started…
