Asami

by Richard James

her teeth were missing.

  “Give. It. To. Me.” Asami could feel the tension in the air. She took a step towards the drum. Masako’s dilated eyes found hers.

  “I…I…bbb,” bubbles of frothy saliva gathered at the corners of Masako’s lips as she tried to speak. “I…I knew…I knew you…”

  “Give it to me.” The assassin took an aggressive step forward, his foot crunching in the gravel.

  “Give it to him.” Taiyo’s command hissed from her rear.

  “I…I love…”

  Asami stepped forward so she was just centimetres from Masako. With some last remaining effort Masako raised her head and stared imploringly at Asami.

  “I love you.” Asami leant in and kissed her deeply.

  She heard desperate footsteps crunching behind her.

  The blood in Masako’s mouth was like bitter rust.

  She drew the sword back.

  Masako opened her eyes wide and Asami saw a strange peace in them. Peace coupled with determination. Not fear. Not doubt.

  She was aware of the shadow beside her lurching forward.

  She was aware of Taiyo’s bulk closing from behind.

  The mist around them seemed to disappear.

  The very trees of the forest appeared to back away.

  She pulled her mouth from Masako’s but their eyes remained locked together.

  A thin trail of saliva still connected them glistening in the moonlight.

  “NooooOoOoooOOooo!”

  Taiyo’s scream pierced the air as the skin of the drum burst open behind Masako’s ribs. Her eyes stared empty now and Asami stared back as she was tackled to the ground by the contact. She felt no pain as they crashed into the gravel.

  The burst drum played a deadened beat as Masako’s body shuddered against it.

  Blood pooled beneath her. Black in the night.

  The crash of metal. Something was attacking the grille of the cage. Taiyo ran towards it in a frenzy.

  Asami tried to raise herself up.

  The moon was reflected in the puddle of blood.

  Taiyo made it to the cage too late. The grille burst outwards.

  Hundreds of green fireflies swarmed in to the night.

  Fresh drops rippled the image.

  About the Author:

  Richard James was born in Scotland and has spent most of the last decade travelling. He has lived and worked in Poland, Moscow and Beijing. In 2012 he circumnavigated the globe with the Japanese NGO Peace Boat.

  His serialized work Into this World She Woke can be found for free on Jukepop.com.

  He is currently based in Tokyo.