A Warrior Made Of Dragon's Blood

Chapter 3

The forest dazzles me—so many new trees and animals. I even saw a gigantic cave, but I didn't have time to investigate farther. It's so late and I never made it to work today. My parents will be furious. When I do get back to the village, something seems off. It's deserted—no one in sight. And, no one was at the rice paddies.

"Hey! Anyone here?" I yell.

I'm greeted with silence. Entering my own house, I see that almost everything is gone. All the tatami mats have vanished and even the small dinner table is missing. I have no idea where everyone went and I begin to panic. I'll stay in the village tonight and look for people tomorrow. The night is full of sounds and my sleep is fitful. I awake in the morning, exhausted and feel a grumbling in my stomach. No food was in any of the houses when I searched yesterday so I'll have to find something in the forest. Thinking about it I only know how to set traps, but it will have to do. If worse comes to worse and I can't catch any animals I know what's safe and what's not to eat in the forest. I also know to some extent how to hunt and cook animals. I walk into the cherry blossom forest and pull down several branches weaving them together to make a slipknot. I walk to a clearing farther away, but still in seeing distance. I watch, waiting. My back is aching from crouching and being so still. Then, about one hour later, a rustling of leaves and I see two small ears peeking out. It's a rabbit and it springs my trap! I hurry over to finish the job. I've managed to make a fire and cook the rabbit. When it's well cooked I skin and devour it. My hunger is a little lessened, but I will need to hunt more tomorrow.

Now, it's time to search the village again. When I reach the village, I go house to house in hopes of finding someone. Nothing, but I do see a gigantic pile of something in the woods. What I come across is terrifying—a mound of rotting bodies. The stench it emits is the most disgusting smell you could imagine. I stagger backwards feeling lightheaded and dizzy. Stumbling over tree roots, I blindly head back to the village.