Major Tags: Death Other Tags: None Word Count: 423 words
***
One day, when Toudou was practicing his routes up into the mountain, he saw a boy. Boys in the mountain weren’t unusual but boys alone, especially this one? The boy looked about seven, a skinny, sickly-seeming thing dressed in white hospital clothes with the dull, flat hair of someone whose body was too exhausted to care about extremities.
There was absolutely no reason he should be up in the mountains, especially alone, so Toudou slowed his bike to a stop near him.
“Hello,” he said, voice gentle and cheerful so as not to scare the child. “I’m Toudou Jinpachi. Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know,” the boy said, looking around. His fingers plucked nervously at the hem of his top, thin spindly things with bruised-look nails.
“Should we look for them? Maybe if you try yelling, we can find them.” Toudou’s already considering if the child is strong enough to ride on the back of his bike. If he’s in hospital clothing, maybe getting him to a hospital should take priority over finding his parents.
“I don’t think so…” The boy’s voice trailed off as he looked at Toudou properly. “I don’t know how I got here.”
“What’s the last thing you do remember?” Now Toudou had to work to keep the alarm out of his voice. Had the boy been in an ambulance that had been in a crash?
“I couldn’t breathe. I was in the hospital bed and I couldn’t breathe.” A sudden smile split the boy’s face, bright and abrupt. “It hurt.”
“...” He had to be smiling because he’d remembered something, right? The soft hairs on Toudou’s arms prickled and he made a note he’d need to shave them later. Ignoring his moment of unease, he asked, “What hospital were you at?”
“Kanagawa Children's Medical Center.” The answer came promptly but another frown followed it. “I’d been there for an awfully long time…”
Kanagawa was around 70 kilometers from the mountain. Toudou swallowed, only now noticing that the leaves on the trees were fluttering in the breeze but the boy’s hair was still.
Oh no. Oh no. He’d heard the rumors about the mountain being haunted but he’d never believed them!
“I’ll see if I can find your parents for you,” he said, working hard to keep his voice from quivering. “Just -- wait here.”
He pedalled off, though hopefully not quickly enough to alert the ghost he had no intention of returning.
From behind him, he heard the boy call out, “Hurry back! I’m lonely!”
FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, T
Other Tags: None
Word Count: 423 words
***
One day, when Toudou was practicing his routes up into the mountain, he saw a boy. Boys in the mountain weren’t unusual but boys alone, especially this one? The boy looked about seven, a skinny, sickly-seeming thing dressed in white hospital clothes with the dull, flat hair of someone whose body was too exhausted to care about extremities.
There was absolutely no reason he should be up in the mountains, especially alone, so Toudou slowed his bike to a stop near him.
“Hello,” he said, voice gentle and cheerful so as not to scare the child. “I’m Toudou Jinpachi. Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know,” the boy said, looking around. His fingers plucked nervously at the hem of his top, thin spindly things with bruised-look nails.
“Should we look for them? Maybe if you try yelling, we can find them.” Toudou’s already considering if the child is strong enough to ride on the back of his bike. If he’s in hospital clothing, maybe getting him to a hospital should take priority over finding his parents.
“I don’t think so…” The boy’s voice trailed off as he looked at Toudou properly. “I don’t know how I got here.”
“What’s the last thing you do remember?” Now Toudou had to work to keep the alarm out of his voice. Had the boy been in an ambulance that had been in a crash?
“I couldn’t breathe. I was in the hospital bed and I couldn’t breathe.” A sudden smile split the boy’s face, bright and abrupt. “It hurt.”
“...” He had to be smiling because he’d remembered something, right? The soft hairs on Toudou’s arms prickled and he made a note he’d need to shave them later. Ignoring his moment of unease, he asked, “What hospital were you at?”
“Kanagawa Children's Medical Center.” The answer came promptly but another frown followed it. “I’d been there for an awfully long time…”
Kanagawa was around 70 kilometers from the mountain. Toudou swallowed, only now noticing that the leaves on the trees were fluttering in the breeze but the boy’s hair was still.
Oh no. Oh no. He’d heard the rumors about the mountain being haunted but he’d never believed them!
“I’ll see if I can find your parents for you,” he said, working hard to keep his voice from quivering. “Just -- wait here.”
He pedalled off, though hopefully not quickly enough to alert the ghost he had no intention of returning.
From behind him, he heard the boy call out, “Hurry back! I’m lonely!”
Toudou pedalled even faster.