Legend of the River Serpent

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hoshi

  Something was wrong, terribly wrong.   I first noticed it when I went to find Ichiro, after laying Riku in on his mat.  

  I followed into his room, which was right beside ours.   He was walking like he was dizzy, stumbling around some.

  “Ichiro?” 

  He didn’t respond.  He just stared blankly ahead.  His mat was only a couple feet away, but he stared straight ahead.   Suddenly he started to stumble.

  “Ichiro!”  I exclaimed.  He regained his balance a little, I looked at his eyes, they were glazed over.

  “Ichiro?!”   

  What was wrong with him?  I saw as his hand went to his belt, grasping at something.   Suddenly he started to stumble forward.  I rushed in front of him, his eyes fluttered, and closed.

   I felt a scream well up inside of me, but refused to let it out.  He started to fall, I grabbed his arm, guiding him to the mat.  I could feel as he went limp, his weight going downwards.   I tried to keep him up somewhat, so he wouldn’t hit the mat so hard.

  As soon as he was laying, I ran to check on Riku.  He was sound asleep.  I raced back to Ichiro’s room, he hadn’t moved.  I knew a little about medicine, but not much.

  Crouching down beside him, I razed one eyelid.  His brown eyes where glazed over, almost making him look blind.

  “Ichiro,” I whispered.  A low groan came from his throat, I placed my hand about an inch from his nose.   His breathing was very slow.  What was wrong with him?

   I heard footsteps, and jumped up and went to the doorway to see who it was.    It was the Inn keeper.  He had a worried expression on his face.

  “Is everything all right?”  He asked.

   “It’s.. it’s,” I didn’t know if should tell him, but what could I do?  I had no idea where we were.  And he seemed kind enough from what I could tell.

  “It’s Ichiro,” I choked out.

  “Your brother?”  He asked.

  I nodded, “Something’s wrong.”

  The Inn keeper rushed forward, and into the room.  “What happened to him?”  He asked.

  “I- I don’t know, he was fine until a few minutes ago.”

  The Inn keeper nodded, “He was acting strange when he paid me,” he said.

  “Do you know what’s wrong?”  I asked.

  The Inn keeper crouched over Ichiro, examining him.   I walked closer and sank to my knees, I watched as the man checked his eyes, and something on his neck.  I noticed as he reached down and pulled something from Ichiro’s belt.  It was a dart.

  “Do you know where this came from?”  He asked.

  “No.”

  “This may be very bad,” he said.

  “What is it?”  I asked.

  “Just wait a moment,” the Inn keeper got up and walked to the doorway.  “KAI!!”  He yelled.   A few seconds later, Kai came running in.

  “What is it?”  He asked.

  “Get some cold wet rags,” the man told him.  “I’m going to run down to the herbalist’s shop.”  Kai took one look at Ichiro, and raced off.