Black Tattoo

Prologue

I keep on running. Even with the burning pain in my right shoulder. I have to go get help. The forest is big and a tree root makes me almost trip.

I feel the explosion before I hear it. I turn around and see my house burning in flames. My parents are still inside! The forest looks creepy with the red light from the flames.

I drop to the ground crying.

"WHY!" I yell to the sky even though I know nobody will answer me.

The pain is still there in my right shoulder.

I pass out.

•••••

I wake up on the ground still covered in ashes. The memories from last night hit me like a wave about to cave in. I start crying again not being able to make my tears stop.

Why did he do it? Is he going to come and get me? Was he going to hurt me and my brother?

My brother...

Where is he? Is he safe? Is he still at his friends house? Hopefully.

I have to find him.

I try to stand up, but stop when I see it, a tattoo on my right shoulder as black as night. It is 4 inches long and 4 inches wide. It is a swirl of complicated lines. I remember thinking it's beautiful and laugh, to think, that in a horrible night like that something beautiful as this happened.

The tattoo and how it got there has me asking questions but that is not my biggest problem right now.

I wipe my face and stand up. I have to find my brother.

I just know they are coming back. It's more like a feeling. But next time I promise I will be ready! I couldn't help my parents because I am too weak. And now they're gone because of it.

I have to become stronger...

••••• 4 years later •••••

I wake up because of the sound of footsteps coming, outside my door. I reach for my knife and step in a corner hiding my presence.

The man opens the door and steps in. He is covered in robes, has white , bit of gray, hair and dark eyes. In his eyes you can see he is strong, kind and that he has gone through a lot of hardships. By his eyes you can tell he is Asian. We are in Japan after all.

He looks to one side of the room then the other looking for me.

He smiles and says "You have gotten strong, Kara, but I can still see you. You must practice more."

"Yes, Sensei." I step out of the shadows. It doesn't bother me what he said I already knew a was good I just needed to be better.

This is the man that has been training me the past year. He helped me out when I was in trouble even though I was a stranger to him. He realized I had some potential in Martial Arts so took me in as his disciple.

"Please do join us for breakfast." He turns to leave "and Kara...do me the honor of taking a shower first." I nod. He left always wanting to have the last word.

I go into the bathroom and I look into the mirror. I can see my long black hair that reaches my chest and my dark brown eyes.I take my shirt off and there it is still black as night, my tattoo. It is a constant reminder of the day my parents were killed.

"Something is going on with me today" I tell myself. Today I am thinking way to much about my past.

I jump in the shower...

•••••  

"Good morning." I say while sitting in front of Sensei's grandson, who is also training to become stronger, for reasons of his own.

"Good morning." He answers looking up from his food. You can tell the resemblance he has with Sensei. He has messy dark hair and dark eyes like his grandfather. But he smiles less.

"Eat up. Grandpa says he's gonna push us today." Still looking at his food. I personally know how hard Sensei's training is.

"Sokaku, do have in mind that I push both of you harder every day." He says looking at his grandson. "and Kara I have to speak to you alone after breakfast." He doesn't smile, it must be serious.

After breakfast I follow him into the woods.

"He really likes the woods." I think to myself. We usually train in the woods. He finally stops and looks up at the sunrise. He always comes to see the sunrise.

"I am aware that you have a brother." Sensei starts off. He is talking in Japanese, whenever he speaks Japanese with me meant he's serious. But he is still talking about my brother, it made my body tense. "and I have been keeping watch on him." My brother doesn't know Sensei existed and I want to keep it that way.

"Kara I am afraid that your brother is getting into trouble. I believe that has to do with him having troubles with the family he  is staying with." He says now looking at me.

"How much trouble?" I ask, hating myself for not knowing this.

"He has gotten in a couple of fights at school and has gotten a lot of warnings from the school." He says while slightly shaking his head.

"So the mother doesn't want him there anymore?" I ask already dreading the answer.

"No, he can still stay but he will be kicked out of school if he continues like this." He answers. "Kara... you know all to well what could happen. Think about what you are going to do. It is your decision to make." He leaves me alone in the woods with my thoughts.

"What am I going to do?" I ask myself.

I can't just go back, just like that. Can I?