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Treasure Chest

Page 13

by Adam Bennett


  “Are they still following us?" asked Kazuki.

  “Yes," replied the rabbit.

  “Are you hurt?" he then asked, noticing the dark patches on the rabbit’s fur again.

  “I’ll be fine," answered the rabbit.

  The Kappas appeared in the clearing and Kazuki backed away from the middle of the clearing. The Kappas wasted no time and set upon the rabbit immediately. Kazuki watched as they simultaneously attacked the weakened rabbit, biting with their beaks and tearing with their claws. The rabbit fought hard, but now it could not topple either Kappa. No matter how hard the rabbit tried, the Kappas managed to stay on their feet and return to the fight. Soon the rabbit lay motionless on the ground, the Kappas standing over it triumphantly.

  Then they turned towards Kazuki. Kazuki had hidden in the bushes on the edge of the clearing, but they knew where he was.

  “And now to catch the main course," laughed one Kappa.

  “What a great idea it was to come to this little town," said the other. “Hunting is good here.”

  They started towards Kazuki. As they closed on him, the moon came out from behind the clouds, illuminating the whole clearing. The moonlight shimmered on the wet skin of the Kappas, as well as the bloodied fur of the rabbit, still lying where it had fallen. Kazuki could see the faces of the Kappas clearly now, as they leered at him on their advance. He was frozen with fear, he could no longer run. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate. Suddenly, the clearing became filled with a brilliant golden light and the Kappas stopped in their tracks. Even through his closed eyes, Kazuki could see the light. He opened them to see the rabbit, its fur no longer bloody and rough, now a beautiful golden colour, reflecting the light of the moon into the golden light that now lit the mountain clearing.

  The rabbit had now grown to tower above the Kappas. The rabbit poised itself to attack and Kazuki shuddered with fear. Whatever presence he had felt from the rabbit earlier was nothing compared to what he felt now. He knew the Kappas felt that fear too, a hopelessness in the presence of unrivalled greatness. They too were rooted to the spot. With lightning speed, the rabbit pounced towards the Kappas and for a brief moment, Kazuki pitied them. Kazuki looked on as the Moon God flung the Kappas into the air, their heads emptying of water and their bodies crashing to the ground with two sickening crunches. The golden rabbit repeated this several times with great speed until the Kappas bodies lay before it, bloody and broken.

  Kazuki continued to watch as the golden rabbit then calmly picked up each Kappa in its mouth and tossed it high into the upper branches of a tall tree that stood on the edge of the clearing. Once both Kappas swayed silently in the branches of the tree, the moon disappeared behind the clouds again and the golden light faded immediately. Kazuki couldn’t see a thing now, his night vision temporarily gone from the golden light. He shivered in the darkness, now unable to see the fearsome golden rabbit, the Moon God which his mother had left carrots for at the Moon Shrine every time she visited it. He heard a footstep just in front of him.

  “Are you alright Kazu-kun?" asked the rabbit.

  “Yes," managed Kazuki. “Are you?”

  “I’m fine," replied the rabbit. “Come on, let’s get you home.” Kazuki felt the rabbit’s paw take his hand and realised the rabbit was now back to its original, but still unusually large size again. He followed the rabbit back down the mountain in silence. They used the path to get all the way to the bottom this time. Once back on the street and under the blue lamplight, Kazuki could see the rabbit properly again. It looked just like it did when he had first met it at the Moon Shrine, its wounds now gone as if they had never existed. Although he felt less uneasy around the rabbit now, there was still something strange about it that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Kazuki put this down to the rabbit being a god, but a god he was grateful to, for it had saved his life. As they neared the Hashimoto residence, something occurred to Kazuki.

  “How do you know my name?"

  “You are Kazuki Hashimoto, son of Namie Hashimoto," the rabbit replied. “Your mother has been a friend to Arashima and to me since she was about your age. When all her friends moved away to marry or to work in the cities, she stayed in Arashima to tend the crops with her father. Crops that grow in the soil of land that I have protected for centuries from the harsh winds that once battered Arashima.” The rabbit stopped and turned to face Kazuki. Kazuki was sure that the rabbit was smiling at him. “And she brings me carrots.”

  Kazuki smiled back at the rabbit.

  “Why?" asked Kazuki.

  “When your mother was about your age, she had the attention of a rather unpleasant man who decided one night to follow her home from an evening class to take what didn’t belong to him," replied the rabbit. “They pulled his body from the river two towns away. People assumed he was drunk and fell in the river and drowned, his wounds from hungry animals along the way. Only your mother, and now you, know the truth of his fate. I was not merciful.” The rabbit turned away and continued towards the Hashimoto residence. Kazuki followed, dumbfounded. They reached the gateway to the front garden of the Hashimoto residence.

  “Goodnight Kazu-kun," said the rabbit. “It’s been a pleasure, though I hope you never need my assistance again. I doubt there are any other Kappa around here now. Those Kappas must have travelled down the rivers during the high waters from other parts. But Kappas are not the only dangers to a boy of your age. So, I’ll say to you what I said to your mother all those years ago. Enjoy your life, but be wary. You may never see me again, but as long as you live in Arashima, know that I will be watching. In return for your life tonight, I ask that you stay and put these fertile lands to use, though I’ll understand if circumstance forces you to leave. Live well Kazukun, and farewell.” And with that, the rabbit hopped away into the darkness.

  When the sun came up the next morning, Kazuki slept in his bed, exhausted from the night before. Namie Hashimoto was surprised to find him in his bed, but whilst trying to wake him, Kazuki muttered something about a rabbit and then turned over and went back to sleep. She smiled and let him continue sleeping, suspecting it had been a tiring night. Meanwhile, up on Rabbit Mountain, the rays of the rising sun dried out the empty heads of the two Kappas stuck in the upper branches of the tree. They would have screamed in agony, but they were paralysed. By mid-morning, they were dead. The Sun God had finished what the Moon God had started.

  Moon Shrine was first published in FULL METAL HORROR: A Monstrous Anthology along with 34 other fantastic stories. You can find it on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

  Gums

  Daniel Craig Roche

  When I was a drunk, I kept to myself, often drinking alone while watching the world move around me. It was peaceful back then, because people avoided me. But now that I’ve sobered up, I’ve become a part of that ever-moving world, and I’ve hated my life ever since.

  There’s a liquor store down the street from my work. I go inside every day and buy two nips on my way home. They’re not for me, though.

  There’s this guy I call Gums. He hasn’t got a single tooth in his mouth, and he sits on his big sheet of cardboard without saying a word. The skin surrounding his eyes could be tanned, or it could be filth. It’s tough to tell. Either way, it’s reminds me of leather. I adore this man because he’s got the world by the balls. Always a half smile on his face, even when it’s raining. People run past him, avoiding the puddles in the sidewalks. They have their pocket-books and briefcases over their heads, protecting themselves from the rain as they hurry off to their meaningless existences. Not Gums. He just sits there with his half smiling face aimed straight at the sky. I’ve watched him. He hums to himself, enjoying each individual drop as it lands on his closed eye lids.

  Gums is so cool. He doesn’t even bother rattling his change cup, and when someone does drop something inside, he never mutters the words, thank you, and he never condemns people by saying, God bless you. He just sits and watches, the way I used to.

  On
my way into work this morning, I saw him sitting in his usual spot. Some people passed him while chatting on their phones, and some passed him while sipping their morning coffee. No one looked his way, however. Not even the ones who threw change at him.

  He’s watching though. Through those dazed eyes of his, he sees all.

  His mouth cracks into a yellow grin the second my shadow blocks his view of the sun. We’ve never spoken before, and I intend to keep it that way. Our bond is too special for words. I hand him one of the two nips I bought, and he accepts it without praise. No thank you, no condemning God bless you. Just a nod of the head while he twists the cap free, then he downs the small bottle in one long gulp,

  It’s a beautiful thing to witness. I swear, my own belly grows warmer just watching it.

  How wonderful it would be to crawl back into the bottle and return to those bittersweet days of an alcoholic daze. I might be sitting next to Gums right now. Happy. In the moment.

  But I have to go to work. There’s a box waiting for me, with a seat, a computer, and a phone. There’s people living inside that computer, and living inside that phone, as well. People just like me, who are all a part of this ever-moving world, putting grease on its gears, oiling up that machine.

  There’s another nip in my pocket, though. If I were smart, I’d drink it, but I probably won’t. Instead I’ll give it to Gums, that peaceful man waiting on his sheet of cardboard, watching the world move around him. And as I watch him drink it, I’ll remember the way it used to be. Back when I was like him.

  Back when I was happy.

  Gums was first published in FLASH FICTION ADDICTION: 101 Short Short Stories along with 100 other fantastic stories. You can find it on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

  Dude, Where’s My Dong?

  Laurel Bucholz

  Their passports arrived a day before departure complete with their entry visas to Vietnam, just in time for the Chinese New Year holiday. It was 2009. Dana and Lisa, two twenty something expats suffering from wanderlust, decided last minute to get away from the monotony of teaching English to children in Taiwan. Both were looking forward to a nice holiday in a new, exciting foreign land. This vacation would be their only major break for the entire year, resulting in high hopes and expectations.

  The pair got high on some hash before jumping in a taxi to the airport. Their flight landed and they were on their way to get their passports stamped at customs, when Dana happened to reach into her pocket to find a giant hardened ball of hash she thought she had lost at a party two weeks ago. She had torn her house apart looking for it. Miraculously, it hadn’t been detected at security in Taiwan. The girls looked at each other in disbelief, fully aware of their fate if it had been detected in a country that issues the death penalty for drugs. After a moment of stunned silence, they busted out laughing at their dumb luck.

  They discussed the idea of just throwing out the giant ball, worth about $150, or just take their chances. “Hmmm, we’ve made it this far… why not keep it?” suggested Dana. Lisa shrugged in agreement.

  Nervously, they approached the Vietnamese customs counter with Dana going first, while Lisa waited behind the line, attempting to look casual and nonchalant. The officer stamped her American passport with no questions asked. Lisa stepped up to the high counter, more relaxed now that Dana was clear. The large, surly officer flipped through her passport, pausing to look at a page here and there, then looked up at her from his black rimmed glasses. She suddenly felt a sense of guilt for wanting to visit a country that her own country had brutally savaged, despite having nothing to do with the war. The guilt must have been written on her face.

  “You want to see Vietnam?” he asked in a brusque manner.

  “Um, yes sir. I’m excited to see your beautiful country.” She forced a pretty smile.

  Gruffly, the man stamped her passport. “OK, Vietnam.” He handed it back without looking at her while motioning for the next person in line. The girls giggled over the man’s odd response, as well as the crime they had just pulled off.

  Next, they stopped to exchange their Taiwan dollars into Vietnamese đồng. The girls each exchanged $500 US for over nine million Vietnamese đồng, making them both instant millionaires.

  “How much đồng did you get Dana? I hope enough to satisfy your needs,” giggled Lisa.

  “Oh, you know me, I can never have too much đồng!” The girls laughed at their clichéd, adolescent jokes. Hash and đồng—the trip was off to a great start.

  They hailed a taxi to take them into Ho Chi Minh City. Tan coloured with clouds of dust, the city was a hot depressing mess, filled with rundown tailor shops, masses scurrying around like rats, and loud motorcycles weaving zig zags through chaotic traffic. Lisa wondered how the hell an accident didn’t occur every minute. To avoid her fear of dying in a foreign country, she stuck her nose into their guidebook.

  The taxi dropped them off across from Dam Sen Cultural Park, where later that night they would go to watch the fireworks for the Tet Offensive Celebration. Vietnam wasn’t a popular destination for Chinese New Year at the time, which made finding a hotel easy. They plopped their things down in their shoebox of a room, and headed off to get some lunch.

  About half a block from their hotel they were stopped in the streets by two tall, solidly built, Nigerian men.

  “Hello, beautiful ladies. You look like fun. Come have a drink with us. Let’s have some fun together.”

  Uncomfortable with the attention, Lisa smiled politely. “No, we’re ok. Thanks.”

  “But you are so beautiful and it will make us sad if you don’t have a beer with us. Come, come. We will buy for you.” They were becoming more aggressive by the second.

  Dana seconded Lisa's motion. “Yeah—we’re good.”

  “Oh, you are going to break my friend’s heart.” The one said, throwing his arm over his buddy’s shoulder. The buddy put on a sad pout.

  Girls everywhere are taught to be ‘nice’ in situations like these. Lisa made a courteous excuse. “Ah, yeah. We have plans. Sorry.”

  “You’ll have fun with us. You like cocaine? We have cocaine. Free for you, pretty ladies,” persuaded one of the men, as both stood next to each other blocking the girls’ path. “Nope, we’re good. Could you step aside?” asked Lisa. The men became more forceful, attempting to grab the girls by their arms to drag them off to a secluded alleyway.

  “NO!” Dana shouted at the men, bolting between them while pulling Lisa by her arm.

  “COME ON, LISA! RUN!”

  The girls blitzed half a block away, ducking into a DVD stand selling ripped copies of Hollywood hits. Lisa stood staring at a poster of The Dark Knight wishing Christian Bale would drop out of the sky and beat the shit out of their harassers.

  “I’m freaking starving,” complained Lisa. “Do you wanna get some Pho?”

  “You want boiling soup? In this heat?” Dana asked incredulously.

  “Consuming hot things actually keeps your temperature steady. Your stomach is like a heater when its working, but only when the food is cold, cuz it has to heat it to body temperature before it can digest. Eating the hot soup actually keeps you cooler. So yeah, I’m down for some boiling soup. Besides, you can’t tell me we’re not gonna try a Vietnamese staple while in Vietnam.” Lisa looked at Dana like she was a total deviant.

  “You nerd, Lisa! I’ve always wondered how the hell Southeast Asians could handle hot stuff in this climate!”

  After a few more minutes with no sign of anyone following them, the two sat down to have their first bowl of Pho at a bustling makeshift restaurant on the street. The broth’s complexity, the French bread, the smell of the fresh basil, and the sweat inducing chillies made them forgot about any lurking scumbags.

  Lisa wiped the sweat from her face using her t-shirt. “This definitely isn’t cooling me down, but it’s fucking delicious.”

  Halfway through slurping their rice noodles, Dana noticed the Nigerians sitting across the street eyeing them as t
hey casually puffed cigarettes. She turned and whispered seriously to Lisa, “I’ve had experiences with guys like these before—when I was in Beirut. They're known for trafficking women by luring them in with drugs and alcohol. We need to get away from them, like, now.”

  The food orgasm on Lisa’s face vanished. She put down her hunk of baguette and turned to look at the Nigerians, now waving at them. Dana threw 60,000 đồng on the table as the two hurried down the closest side alley, which luckily popped out on a touristy street.

  A few meters away, Lisa spotted a shop advertising tours around Vietnam in its window.

  “Dana, it’s hotter than balls, and I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t planning on spending my holiday getting chased by Nigerian traffickers. Why don’t we book an excursion out of Ho Chi Minh Sucky?”

  “Ha! I was just thinking the same thing. Fuck Ho Chi Minh Sucky!” The city would keep its affectionate new name for the remainder of the trip.

  “Hi, can we book a bus to Hanoi for tomorrow?” inquired Dana.

  The petite woman squinted at the girls, “Sorry, Hanoi all booked up. You go Nha Trang. Nha Trang better. Very beautiful. Island hopping. You like beach? You like very much.”

  Unable to go where they wanted, they settled for a boat tour on the Mekong Delta the following day at 6am, and island hopping to the north in Nha Trang for the two days after. They paid and stood off to the side rechecking their itinerary, while the three Australian surfers dudes behind them requested tickets to Hanoi for tomorrow.

 

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