Hitotsu Hōkai: The Girl On The Run

Chapter 2

Shivering against the cold flame, my entire body is frozen to the bone. I've been sitting here for hours. I can't leave. That would be preposterous, let alone idiotic. A soft glow coming from the west heightens my senses. The morning has arrived, I can head back home. Putting out the fire, I slowly get up. Wait. Where am I? Breath coming out in short bursts, adrenaline shoots through my body. Nothing is familiar. I decide to go toward the sun. West. Hopefully, there is a town nearby. The seriousness of my situation soon dawns on me. Completely unpacked, unprepared, unready for anything. I am alone, even if animals count. I have no food, no supplies, no weapons... Except for the measly bow my father had. But I don't have any arrows. The eerie stillness of the forest keeps me on alert.

Finally, the dense trees start to thin out. A small clearing comes into view, a long burnt-out campfire in the middle. Other than that, no signs of human life are around. Nature's noises become clearer, louder. I can now hear and distinguish the rustling of the trees, and a bird's beautiful song. I sit down next to the pile of wood and ash, enjoying the beautiful simpleness of nature. Once relaxed, my mind becomes clear, not so alert. I form some simple thoughts.

A sharp, clear sound bursts through my mind. It sounds like a woman, singing. I immediately run for the woods, hoping for some shelter. Just in time, I duck behind a bush as the stunningly beautiful girl comes out into the clearing. She looks about eighteen, a fragile, pale thing, with beautiful dark brown hair, wrapped up by a wondrously weaved sunhat. She's humming some sort of tune, obviously oblivious to the dangers of the woods. Her wavy hair falls effortlessly over her sundress, and she's holding a golden weaved basket, full of dark berries. She can't be a danger to me. So many things could be a danger to her, though. I ponder over whether I should help her or not. Finally, I slowly walk out from behind the bush, to be greeted by a shriek. She halfheartedly throws the basket at me, running away, and trips over her own feet, falling face first on the ground. I suppress a laugh. Sitting back up, she shyly hides behind her hat, trembling.

"Don't worry-- I'm just a lost traveler, and was hoping for some shelter. I was wondering if you can help me?" I smile kindly. Slowly, the young woman approaches me, holding out her hand cautiously. I take hold of it.

"My-My name is Furawa Shinrai [fur-AH-wah shin-RYE]..." Her eyes fall to the ground, and her hand trembles in my grip. She bends down to pick up the berries, mostly smashed and scattered on the  ground. "I'm terribly sorry I threw the basket at you. I just, reacted, before thinking. So sorry... What is your name?" Furawa stammers, dropping berries left and right. I smile and bend down to help her.
"My name is Hitotsu, nice to meet you. What are you doing out here? It seems dangerous."

"Oh..." Furawa tenses. "I'm just... Well, I'm lost." She nervously giggles, staring at the floor. "Since we're lost together--would-could you-we travel together?" Furawa shifts her feet, blushing.

"Sure! That'll be safer, too. Watashitachiha issho ni sutekina jikan o motte iru koto o nozomimasu. [I hope we have a nice time together]"

"Watashitachiha issho ni sutekina jikan o motte iru koto o nozomimasu." She swiftly nods, curtsying. We smile at each other and sit by the fire, sharpening a few sticks into spears. "What are you doing?" Furawa queries, knotting her eyebrows. I respond and she steps back. "Well, I'm a vegetarian. I don't like killing things. I have thantaphobia and necrophobia. But, you know, I could--"

"No! No, It's fine." I shrug, tossing the unfinished spear behind me. "I've been on a vegetarian diet before. I'll be fine, we don't have to eat meat." Furawa smiles softly at me, a forgiving look in her eyes. I dig in my boot, taking out a small paper pamphlet. "This is a book my mom made, it tells what plants do what." I flip to the berry section and find the ones Furawa was collecting. "Yeah-these are blueberries. Awesome with smoked fi-" I stop myself, flinching. Furawa hasn't noticed, and is collecting berries from the bush. I smile and join her.

After we fill the basket, I sit and stretch my arms. Furawa sets up the campfire and gets a few paper plates. We sit, eat, and exchange stories as the sun sets. Furawa came from a wealthy family of nine, and was therefore kicked out for 'taking up to many resources'. I suggest we sleep.

My sleep comes to me much faster, and stays until morning.