Small Towns

White Sands, Chapter 1

"Have you ever wondered what would happen if the ocean just... dried up?" Yori looked over at his brother. Only to see his judging eyes staring back at him.

"What rock did you knock your head on again?" He snarks and Yori hits his arm.

"Don't be a jerk, Osamu! I just asked a question!" Yori retorted and pulled his legs to his chest. He looked at the white sand under his feet and wiggled his toes, smiling peacefully.

"Oh what are you gonna do? You can't do anything with those arms! Ya know you could win all the ladies with a nice set of muscles!" Osamu looked at the ocean and then back to his brother.

Yori didn't look up from the sand and stopped playing in it. His smile was gone.

"Yori?" His brother bumped Yori's shoulder with his own. "Aw come on Yori. You know I was kidding!" He sees Yori slowly pick up a tiny hermit crab. "...Yori? What are you doing?"

Yori suddenly throws the crab at him and quickly flees from his brother's screams of terror as the crab snapped and snipped at him. Yori started to laugh and run along the beach.

Osamu got the crab off and chased after him. "Yori! Get back here! When I catch you you'll end up sleeping with the sea urchins!"

Yori quickened his pace and smiled wide, laughing harder. He doesn't turn back. Just keeps running and running.

The sun was gently resting on the horizon and the guls souring high above. A soft breeze blew the flags on the fishing docks.

When the sun was almost fully gone, they headed back home to their small house in Tokyo. Their parents were out on a boating trip with their friends and left Osamu to take care of Yori for a little while. Yori and Osamu call them every night to check up on them and make sure their parents know that they're still breathing.

Yori just got into his pajamas and headed to his living room to watch his favorite show while his brother went to bed early. He switched on 'Went. Swam. Concurred.' and snuggled up in a blanket.

But suddenly...

There were sirens and the channel quickly changed to the news.

"... Extreme winds!..."

"...Raging waves reaching over 50 feet..."

Yori's breath hitched and he quickly ran and got his brother, dragging him to the TV.

Osamu rubbed his eyes. "Yori... It's late... What's wrong?"

"Look!" Yori yelled.

The screen showed the remains of hundreds of fishing boats. Some just off the coast of Tokyo. They saw a familiar boat in the water. It was smashed in half and no sign of life was present.

Osamu was fully awake now and he was holding onto Yori's arm tightly. His eyes dark and cold.

Yori didn't know what to think. He just burst into tears and fell to his knees.

Osamu quickly embraces his brother and holds him, his own tears falling.

Yori sobs and wails. His body shaking as he holds onto his brother for dear life. "T-They're g-gone..."

Osamu nods and doesn't say anything. He turns off the TV and they sit and mourn in complete darkness.

And everything changed after that day...