Sand and Blood

Chapter 9: Blood and Bone

Actions made in a moment of unconscious reaction are worth more than a thousand lectures of note.

—Yunujyoraze Byomími

For a long moment, no one said anything. A few rocks bounced off the Wind's Tooth and hit the ground with heavy smacks. One of them, slightly larger than Rutejìmo's fist, struck Pidòhu in the back. The meaty thud only brought a shudder before it rolled off into the sand. It left a blood-flecked wake behind, before it stopped a few inches away. The wind had quieted, and nothing obscured the sound of Pidòhu's groans.

Rutejìmo stared at Pidòhu's limp body. He had never seen someone seriously hurt before. He kept replaying the sight of his body plummeting to the ground and the sound of impact. He tried to step back, to run away, but his legs refused to move. A whimper rose up, and he realized it came from him. Helpless, he glanced over to Tsubàyo in hopes that the older boy would do something Rutejìmo could follow.

Tsubàyo had a look of stunned shock on his face. Sweat glistened on his brow and his dull green eyes were shimmering. He started to turn away, but his gaze never wavered from Pidòhu's body.

Pidòhu moaned, a broken, wet noise. "H-Help...?"

Rutejìmo choked back sobs. He didn't know what to do. He knew he should rush over to Pidòhu, should have already done it, but he was afraid Karawàbi would stop him or berate him. Silently, he prayed Tsubàyo would step forward, turn around, or even give a command.

Pidòhu reached up from the shadows of the rock. His hand was bloody, and bits of sand and rock clung to his lacerated palm. "H-Help me..."

Rutejìmo looked back at Tsubàyo and then to Karawàbi.

Karawàbi seemed unfazed by Pidòhu's fall. Instead of shock or horror, the corner of his mouth had curled up in a smirk. He turned to see Rutejìmo looking at him and took a step toward him. "What? You have a problem?"

Whimpering, Rutejìmo stepped back. The sand swallowed his foot, and he almost lost his balance. He stumbled back, his eyes locked on Karawàbi, but the larger teenage boy didn't come any closer.

"I can see bone," sobbed Pidòhu, "and there's blood everywhere. Please, help?" His voice was ragged and gasping.

Rutejìmo felt sick to his stomach. He clutched his belly as he looked at Tsubàyo hopefully.

Tsubàyo spun on his heels and sprinted away from the accident.

Karawàbi chuckled dryly and dug his hands into his pockets. "Come on, Rutejìmo, it's time to go." And then he strolled after Tsubàyo while whistling cheerfully.

Rutejìmo turned back to Pidòhu but he couldn't force his legs to move. His mind screamed to run way with Tsubàyo, but something held him in place.

"Jìmo?" Pidòhu sobbed as he lifted his head. "Please help me."

Rutejìmo couldn't move.

"Where did Bàyo and Wàbi run to, Jìmo?" Chimípu's voice drifted through the wind behind him. She didn't seem concerned or worried; she must not have seen Pidòhu.

The urge to run away doubled, and Rutejìmo managed to get a foot out of the sand before setting it down heavily. He looked guilty at Chimípu as she walked up.

A few strands of her dark hair whipped in the wind that stirred the sands around her. A small plume of dust was dissipating behind her as if she had been running.

"Mípu?" called out Pidòhu.

In a flash, Chimípu's curiosity turned to concern and then to anger. She rushed forward. Rutejìmo was in the way, but she shoved him hard to the side. "Where is he!?"