Test of Courage
A ten year old boy walked down the street, his brown eyes staring at a book and his spiky brown hair being ruffled by the wind. He was reading book titled, Daigacugaon's Guide to Making Friends. "Making friends is effortless once you learn the power of the casual approach," he read aloud. "Come on, what does that even mean? Is there any useful advice in this book?"
"Hey it's weak knees," a voice said behind him.
The boy turned around to two boys, one with pointed ears, black hair and black eyes and one with brown hair and black eyes. "It's Kenichi," the brown eyed boy said. "Just once can you call me by my name."
"I'll think about it," the black haired boy said.
"Niijima, unlike Daimonji there you have no right to talk," Kenichi said. "You're no braver than me."
"Yes but the difference between you and me is that I have influence. Therefore my strength by association gives me the right to bully whoever I want." Niijima let out a evil laugh.
"Yeah," Daimonji said slowly," that being said we're planning a test of courage tonight but we only have three guys and we want at least four. I think you should come."
A look of confusion covered Kenichi's face. "Are you asking me to hang out?"
"Only for the test of courage. I figure you'll be get compony for it. Cowardly and easily scared, sure fire for last place."
Kenichi thought this over for a few seconds. If he didn't go, nothing would change, he'd just be viewed as the coward, weak knees Kenichi and if he did go, he probably would be first to run. But that still meant nothing would change. It was just a huge waste of time. However a thought crossed Kenichi's mind. "If I go, will you stop calling me weak knees?"
"If you survive the night I'll even let you hang out with me."
"Fine, as long as my parents say it's okay."
"Meet us at the base of Mt. Ebott after dark. If you're not there by eight we're leaving without you. Oh, and it's over night so tell your parents you going camping with some friends or something."
Daimonji waited at the base of Mt. Ebott with Niijima when two other boys showed up. One with black hair and blue eyes and one with brown hair and black eyes. "About time you two showed up," Daimonji said. "You bring the stuff?"
"Sure did," the brown haired boy said.
"Good job Shimayama," Daimonji said. "Go ahead and set up. Tanaka, wait here with us."
"Okay," said Shimayama, the brown haired boy.
"This is going to be priceless," said Tanaka, the black haired boy.
Shimayama headed up the mountain and the rest of the group waited a little while before Kenichi showed up. "Sorry I took so long. My parents took some convincing and the made me over pack," Kenichi said. "Tanaka? Where's Shimayama?"
"He couldn't make it so it's just the four of us," Tanaka said. Kenichi gave a quizative look but didn't pursue the matter any further.
"Okay," Daimonji said, "now that you're here we're heading up the mountain. Keep up or we're leaving you behind."
"Yeah yeah," Kenichi said and followed the three up the mountain. After some time Kenichi began to tire from the hike. "This is more like a test of endurance than courage."
"Oh, are your weak knees giving out on you?" Daimonji said. "Don't collapse on us just let. We're almost there." The group soon reached the top of the mountain and put down there things.
"So why are we here?" Kenichi asked.
"You don't you know?" Niijima responded. "Legend has it that there are monsters living under this very mountain, trapped here by humans after an ancient war. As revenge, no human who ever stayed on this mountain over night has been seen again. It is said that the monsters drag them underground to steal their souls." Niijima let out a demonic laugh as Kenichi shivered.
"That's this mountain?" Kenichi said with his teeth chattering.
"Come on you're not going to chicken out already, are you?" Tanaka said condescendingly. "We just got here."
"No I just didn't know that was here. That all." It was well after dark and the only light was coming from a camp fire they started when a figure jumped out of the shadows and let out a roar. Kenichi jumped straight off the ground and began to run off. "Strategic withdraw!" he screamed as the other boys burst out laughing.
"That was great," Tanaka said as Kenichi screaming faded away.
"Shimayama, you got that on tape, right?" Daimonji asked.
"Sure did," said Shimayama dressed up as a monster.
"That's was great and all," Niijima said, "But we should probably find weak knees before he goes missing. His father has shotguns."
"Good point," Tanaka said. "Hey weak knees! You can come out now! The monster's gone!" He took out a flashlight and shined it in the direction that Kenichi ran off in. "Weak knees?" Suddenly he saw footprints and followed them to a giant hole in the ground. He shined the light down but was unable to see the bottom. "We are in so much trouble."
To Be Continued...