Centipede Days

Chap.2

A loud crash interrupted us. A woman stood in the doorway, her gaze fixed on Kyei and I.

"Youkai! Youkai!" She screamed. Gonou bit his lip and tugged at my hand.

"C'mon, you two. I know a backway out of town."

We followed him towards a backdoor and down towards a dark hole.

"We have to jump in there!" I was incredulous.

"It's a tunned which lease to a cave nearby Crescent Lake, which I believe isn't too far from the Hyakuganmaoh castle." Gonou explained.

"Nn…you first, Kyei."

"Age before beauty."

"Youth before wisdom."

The townspeople were getting closer.

"You're the big brother! You first!"

"C'mon, you're the enthusiastic little brother, aren't you!"

"I saw you both go!" Gonou shoved us both down the hole.

The hole led to a half flooded tunnel. Its strong current carried us down the tunnel quickly.

"Careful! There are rocks that have fallen over the years!" Gonou's voice called. Rocks? My eyes widened as I saw a large rock, or a small boulder, came toward me and I splashed to the right. A grunt from behind me told me Gonou had not avoided the rock as well as I did.

This happened seven or eight times. Sometimes I avoided them, a couple times I didn't. Then we got tumbled into deep water. Though tired, I swam towards the surface and I popped my head above the water to see Gonou and Kyei swimming towards shore.

I laughed as I rang out my shirt.

"That was fun. We should do it again sometime."

"Yeah." Gonou smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow? We can do the slide."

"I hope." I waved and led Kyei back to the castle. We made a human friend. Dad couldn't be too mad about it.

After all, it's not like he'll be almost enraged beyond words…..right?

"I…I'm almost enraged beyond words!" Dad roared. I guess I was wrong.

"Dad, he was nice."

"Chin Yisou, you are my rpide and joy! Were those humans to of caught you…"

I sighed. I knew I was his favorite, but hearing the 'I-was-so-worreid-about-you-don't-do-it-again-even-though-it's-okay-for-your-brothers-to-do-kt' speech was really getting on my nerves.

"I'm simply concerned for your safety."

I'd heard that too many times.

"I can only imagine what your mother would say." I can't. I can't even imagine what she looks or sounds like.

I stormed off down the hall to my room, and stripped off my wet clothese. Living in a family of a thousand guys kinda makes you less shy to doing that.

Kyei hung his head in shame.

"Sorry. This is my fault."

"Naw. Remember, before noon…you're my little brother." I replied smoothly, falling down on my mat, asleep, even though I knew it wasn't late at all.

I think I'm going to take Gonou up on his offer to do the waterslide again tomorrow.