Instead of using the bridge to cross the river, he went under and slowly glided against the current to avoid making a noise.
Once he reached the other side, he tiptoed up the ridge until the back of the town hall loomed. He quietly crept to the edge of the building to get a glimpse of the village.
What Ryosuke saw shocked him. There were no burning houses or dead bodies. Everything was normal. There was no invasion.
A mix of embarrassment, disappointment, and relief washed over him as he retreated back into the darkness of the forest. When he reached the safe house, he heard noises from inside.
His grandfather was mumbling again, but his words were clearer than usual. He skulked toward the door to figure out what his grandfather was doing and eavesdrop on his monologue.
"I won't let you leap. I won't let you leap. I won't let you leap," Genjiro said repeatedly while gently rocking his body. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor and still tightly clutching the wooden box.
Ryosuke watched him for a while until the rocking stopped. He was becoming more and more curious about the box and its content. He also wanted to know what his grandfather meant by not letting someone leap.
Suddenly, the rocking stopped. Genjiro seemed to have felt his grandson's presence. Not wanting to make his grandfather worry, Ryosuke decided to announce his presence.
"Ojiisan, I'm back," he said, pretending to have just arrived. As he had expected, his grandfather remained silent.
But after hearing those words, he wondered if his grandfather was really confused and unable to speak properly. Or, maybe something had happened in the past that reduced him to his current condition.
"We need to go back. The town is fine. I think the bell was a false alarm," Ryosuke explained as he packed up their stuff.
He tried to take the box from his grandfather to put it in his backpack but failed. His grandfather wouldn't let go of it. They headed back to the village, using the improvised candle to light their way.
"Ryo sensei, we have to do something about Noboru-san," Yukimura suggested, enveloping the room in silence.
Ryo paused for thought, hand on chin.
"I know. I was about to ask Hozumi-san for assistance, but I didn't want to cause panic," Ryo reasoned.
"What do you mean, sensei?" Yukimura asked.
"I want to make sure people in this village know what we're dealing with. If they aren't aware of the dangers beyond the river, we might cause panic.
I'll talk to Hozumi about it tomorrow. Let's all rest for now," Ryo continued. Yukimura assented quietly.
As Yukimura looked away, he saw light coming from the forest behind their hut through the open window. He watched it for some time and concluded that it was nearing the village.
He was curious because the fire was a lot smaller than what a torch would create. As the light ascended the slope from the river, he decided to go outside to meet whoever was carrying it.
YOU ARE READING
Saving Touma
Mystery / ThrillerWhen the past and the future collide, chaos follows. Lives from different worlds intertwine and dance in a perpetual loop. The victim? An innocent child whose future would remain uncertain and cost many lives to retrieve. The key to all of this is a...
