I ran through the rain soaking my hair and seeping through my kimono, making it near impossible to run. I ran through the many dormant cherry blossom trees that laced the pathways like a typical rich street. I managed to make it out of the cemetery exit without getting lost. I made my run for it when all the adult’s eyes were closed during the final prayers, this bought me some time until one of the adults, most likely Jyukaji-sensei would come running after me.
I managed to run down an alley parallel to a butcher’s shop. I found solitude behind a giant blue dumpster. As soon as I sat down on the rough bitumen I broke down crying. I recited the memories of what I said in my eulogy farewelling my parents; the camping trips, holidays and guitar lessons from dad.
Pain struck, I had not realised just how far I had ran, I wasn’t unfit but as my curriculum activity was guitar and not any sports or track I wasn’t exactly a picture of cardiovascular health either. My chest had started to hurt, my legs numb and my hands bleeding from knocking on a brick wall somewhere in- between this alley and the cemetery. I wish I had brought my umbrella; I was wet cold and shivering.
The reality of the last two weeks had penetrated what was left of my sanity, I started to cry even more and this time I knew it wasn’t the rain rolling down my cheeks. I was going to be sick I could feel the rage, despair, melancholy and sadness battle it out in my soul, and this wasn’t going to be a fair fight.
I managed to steady myself up and walk a few metres but fell onto the hard ground; my kimono had ripped, causing my bare leg to be revealed. I got myself up and managed to walk a little bit more. And as before, I fell this time cutting my leg causing blood to mix with a nearby puddle.
I couldn’t handle it anymore, this time I steadied myself and ran towards the blue dumpster. I pulled myself up onto a milk crate and heaved myself over the top of the dumpster, I opened my mouth and the mix of emotions, stomach bile and my small breakfast of a fried egg and an apple released itself onto the pile of rotting meat. The smell was putrid, this lead me to vomit again, this time just bile.
I needed some water; my mouth was dry, lips cracked and a headache coming on.
I walked into the butcher’s store, and got one of the most intricate greetings to date.
“Yes how may I help-” I realised why he stopped midsentence I was dripping wet, eyes red and possibly some vomit on my kimono. He looked at me for a while mouth open.
“What have I told you homeless kids, beat it the economy is bad for everyone I can’t help you now go before I call the cops.”
“Please sir, I am not homeless can I please just have a glass of water, please.”
“If you are not homeless than where are your parents?”
“…They died two weeks ago please let me have some water.” I had no time to go over details, I was too thirsty and my head started to hurt.
I saw the remorse wash over his face. “I am sorry kid, come here, I will get you your water.” He unlocked the door that led to the fresh meats and his backroom full of knives, saws, mincers and some other utensils that looked like they belonged in a horror movie.
He reached under the cupboard below the sink and pulled out a small water bottle that was three quarters full.
“Sorry I don’t really keep any cups around here but you can have some of my water, fresh from the river in a nearby park.”
“Thank you very much” I twisted the little knob at the top and let the water release into my mouth; it wasn’t coming out fast enough. I unscrewed the cap dropped it at my feet and put it up to my mouth and drank, and drank and drank. The water was all gone but I wasn’t satisfied.
“Excuse me, can I please have more.”
“Wow kid you drink like a fish.” He said laughing to himself, that was the first time I had heard someone laugh in the past two weeks, it made me feel a little bit better. He walked over to the tap, filled it up to the brink and handed it to me. I couldn’t finish the whole bottle but drank more than I ever had in one sitting.
“Hey kid, since your parents are…gone” He chose his words carefully “Who’s looking after you.”
“My teacher Jyukaji-sensei.”
“Is he going to be adopting you? You know become your new fath-”
“I don’t need another father, I need a friend.” I said quite harshly.
“Sorry kid, so where is he now? I can’t just become the new child care centre that’s half a block away.”
“Do you have anything I can eat?”
He let out a small laugh, “Kid, I work as a butcher of course I have got something for you to eat.”
He walked off into his store and pulled out an extremely small steak, and started to cook it. 15 minutes later, and a few stops to the front of the store to serve customers, my steak was ready. It wasn’t that good without being spiced but with the state I was in anything would do.
I finished my meal, I walked around, had some more water from the bottle absently left on the sink and took some time to sit under a dodgy little heater to warm up and dry my kimono.
The butcher ended up coming to visit me in the back whenever he had a spare minute or two. I looked towards the clock 4:46pm I’ve been away from Jyukaji-sensei for 3 hours. The butcher came in this time taking off his bloody apron and informing me that he is closing in 15 minutes once he was finished taking down sales.
“What am I supposed to do once you go?”
“I can give you a lift to your teacher’s house if you want?”
“Thank you.”
he sat on a little table located in the middle of the backroom where I have been staying for 2 hours.
There was a bang on the door.
“Sorry buddy, I’m done for today the meat is all covered should have come earlier.” He screamed out to the potential customer.
The banging continued
“Look buddy I said we were closed”
The banging continued this was making the butcher furious. He walked to the door with his sleeves rolled up.
I stayed were I was, I was over violence for this lifetime.
“Look asshole, I said we were closed can’t you see that!” He must have pointed to the sign that said closed. “Can’t you read it, it says closed now piss off”
The door opened, and the butcher came in.
