They passed a quiet night; Ron enjoyed the new surroundings and being out of the cold of the mountains. He enjoyed the sounds of the frame house settling and then of the family they were staying with beginning to rise to start in on their morning routine. He looked over at the girls sleeping and shook his head, "They came to rescue me…Now that's funny…I guess it's the thought that counts." He mused to himself.
He got up off the floor and kicked Kim's foot and then Monique's foot, and in a very bad Japanese accent told them it was time to get up, "Fat American girls, it is time to get up…You sleep like Yaks." He told them as he started to chuckle.
Monique was up on all fours, "Not funny Ron…Once I'm on my feet, I'll slap you silly." She said in a sleepy voice.
Kim looked up from her sleeping bag, "Fat American girls….He must be talking about Monique." She said as she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
Monique shook her head and took one of her dirty socks and waived it under Kim's nose, Kim jumped up, "Trash fire, no one panic…Monique…ewwww." She scrunched up her nose looking at her friend.
They ate the morning meal with the kind family and then they got their things together and started to walk towards Sendai. They were walking down one of the few roads in the area, Ron smiled, and pointed it out to the girls, "Do you know how long it's been since I've seen pavement…Booyah."
Kim laughed and shook her head, "Only you would get excited to see blacktop."
Ron smiled and explained his whole thought pattern on the sitch, "Kim its blacktop, then its cars, then its cities, then its fast food, I'm going home, I'm finally going home."
Kim nodded, "Then you can deal with your parents, the police, school, those colleges, Smarty Mart, and then Rufus." She reminded him dryly.
Ron quit smiling, and his shoulders slumped, "I forgot about that…I forgot about that…Maybe…I should stay?" he said quietly.
Monique put an arm around him, "Ron…we're here for you…We'll help things return to normal for you." She said to the nervous teen quietly.
Kim watched Monique comfort Ron and it tweaked her, then she put it to the back of her mind, "Ron is her boyfriend…leave it alone…I just want to go home too." She thought sadly.
Ron walked along for a bit and then he stopped, he turned and looked at his friends, "Do you hear that?" he asked them.
Monique and Kim looked at each other and shook their heads, "I don't hear anything." Monique volunteered.
Ron looked around, "Something's wrong…I don't hear any birds…we set off from the village and there were birds chirping…Now there is nothing." He told them.
Kim shook her head, "Ron just because…."
Ron held up a finger, as he heard a rumbling sound. Then he turned and looked back towards the village, and then he saw something that he'd never forget as long as he lived. The ground swayed and rolled, it looked as if a giant wave of land had rolled through and demolished every single building in the village.
Ron heard Monique scream as he was still trying to comprehend what was happening; the wave of land was headed right towards them. If it was an ocean wave it would have been about a 10 foot wave, but this was on land. It came closer and closer and then it picked the three of them up and tossed them in the air like rag dolls and they landed back on the ground with a thud..
Ron clung to the ground and he could feel it shake, it was as if he were a child in his mother's womb and she was shivering from the cold. He closed his eyes and prayed it would stop soon because this was the most terrifying natural phenomena he'd ever witnessed.
When the shaking stopped, the three teens stood up and looked at each other, and then Ron pointed to the village, "We have to go back…They might need help." Once he had told the girls he took off at a run and was heading back to the village. The girls looked at each other and started running after Ron.
The village was smashed, the frame houses were scattered around like match sticks. Ron could hear people starting cry, moan, and yell for help in a language he could not understand.
Ron pointed at a house where a woman was trying to crawl out from under a collapsed roof. He pointed and the two girls followed him. They helped the lady from under the roof, Ron was trying to find out if anyone else was in the house, the lady shook her head no. Ron nodded and had Monique stay with her as he and Kim looked for more survivors.
They went back to the house where they spent the night and found the older couple was ok, they had made it out of their destroyed home. He could see other people starting to emerge from shattered houses, "Anyone speak English?" Ron yelled.
No one that he could see did, there was a man waving for help, Kim, Ron and some other men ran over and started to dig through the man's house. They found the body of his wife and helped remove it from the destroyed house. Ron was sick but he put it out of his mind as he grabbed Kim and went with another man.
The man was screaming suku-ru, Ron's eyes got large and he looked at Kim, "School" he told her and then they both started running towards the flattened building that was once a school.
There were other people starting to show up, "Parents, these must be parents…Oh man." Ron thought as his stomach sank.
It was a small school for a small village but the size of school does not matter if it's destroyed and flattened and your child is inside. They could hear screams and cries for help coming from under the ruble, they joined a party of parents working on one side of the building sifting through the wood and steel sheets from the roof.
They found one child, Ron guessed the age to be about 10 years old, who was hurt and pulled to safety. Ron and Kim started working in an area where they thought they could hear movement. They made it down about three feet into the ruble when Ron found an arm. Then the body it belonged to, he pulled the girl out and Ron could tell she was no longer alive. He passed the body out and closed his eyes.
They struggled for the better part of the day to remove victims, some were lucky and were only slightly injured, and some were not so lucky, badly injured or dead. After they finished at the school they tried to help where they could, then after a while they just started to mill around with the other survivors.
After great disasters there is terrible shock that follows in the aftermath, and the villagers and the three teens were beginning to suffer from the emotional trauma. Ron's mind was functioning but he didn't know what to do. They were in a rural area, no communications, no real transportation available, no food, no drinkable water, and in the winter time they lacked the most important thing necessary for survival, heat.
Ron was staying close to Kim and Monique and he could feel the temperature start to drop, "Look at this Kim." He told her pointing at the steam that was coming out of his mouth because of the temperature drop.
Kim shook her head, "What?"
Ron breathed out and pointed again, "You can see my breath now, it's getting cold."
Monique nodded, "It is getting colder." She added.
Ron looked around, "We're going to need heat and soon…Or there is a good chance we're all going to freeze to death."
Monique looked at him and shook her head, "What are we going to do?"
Ron put his hands on top of his head, "We have to get wood, and anything that will burn…We have to build a fire." He told them.
Kim nodded, "Ok, how are we going to start this fire?"
Ron looked at her, "You let me worry about that, we'll build the fire over by the injured, they can't move….Monique start looking around and see if you can start coming up with blankets…It'll be night soon." He told them looking at the sky.
The ground started to shake again, Ron looked around, the shaking wasn't as bad as the actual quake. Ron nodded and looked at the girls, "After shock….We better get moving."
Ron walked around and from person to person he tried his best to explain what he was going to do. Some nodded and help and some just kept milling around their shattered houses. Ron shook his head, "Sendai must have been flattened otherwise they would be sending help…Or because we can't call out, they might not know of our situation. We can't worry about that now…heat…survive…I hope Yori is ok." He thought as he picked up wood and anything that he thought would burn.
They gathered enough debris for a good sized fire; Ron found a small can of gas and dumped in on the wood pile. Next he held his hand over the pile and just as Yori had taught him at Yamanouchi, and with a flick of the wrist, he released a small fire ball from the palm of his hand and started the fire.
Kim and Monique saw what Ron did as well as the villagers, Kim over heard them muttering ninja, ninja and they were nodding. Monique looked at him, "Ron, how'd you do that?" she asked in amazement.
Ron shrugged and looked back towards the mountain, "Ninja trick, Yori taught me." He said quietly.
Kim followed his gaze up the mountain, "Ron, I'm sure everyone up there is ok…" she said weakly.
Ron nodded, "Yea…I…I'll check in a few minutes, you doing ok?"
Kim smiled, "I'm ok…Just used to fighting bad guys not earth quakes." She said wearily.
Ron smiled, "I don't think I ever quite thanked you for rescuing me."
Kim laughed, "Some rescue…I missed you…I mean…Your not around and it's like half my brain is shutoff…I don't know..."
Ron smiled, "We're just used to each other I guess."
He finally sat down next to Kim; and she looked at him and smiled, "There is something I have to know."
Ron looked at her and shook his head, "What?"
Kim tilted Ron's head over so she could look at his head in the setting sunlight, "Monique says you have a birth mark just behind…You do…Ok." She said sadly.
Ron looked at his friend, "I have a birthmark?"
Kim nodded, "Yes, Monique knew and I didn't…I guess she knows more about you than I do." She said sadly.
Ron chuckled, "Ohhhhh sure, I've known you for…what fourteen years, and I've known Monique for what…two years. Kim…You know a lot more about then she does and you always will." Ron punctuated his last statement by poking his index finger into Kim's nose.
Kim giggled, "Yea…I guess…I just…wish…things would have went differently." She said sadly.
Ron nodded, "Yea"
Monique walked up and sat down on the other side of Ron, "Kim trying to get you to dump me?"
Ron looked at Kim and winked, "Well she said she'd give me $5.00 to put you on the curb, but I told her I'd need at least ten."
Monique laughed, "Ohhhhhh at least…From what I can tell…there's still some people missing." She said sadly.
Kim closed her eyes, "If they're buried, maybe the debris will keep them from getting cold…I don't know." She said shaking her head sadly.
Ron shrugged his shoulders, "I guess…I don't know…I'll be back in a few minutes…I've got to use the little ninja room." He said with a smile.
Kim smiled and shook her head, "I'll alert the media…or at least the English speaking media."
Ron walked away from the fire and where people were congregating. He found a nice quiet spot nearby and then he sat down cross legged on the ground and began to meditate. He was able to reach Yori and found out that they had been shaken but things weren't too bad. He asked her to see if any of the ninja graduates could call some one, any one that could help the villagers. She said she would try, Ron didn't know the name of the village only that it was within a days walk to Yamanouchi.
Ron felt better as he returned to the fire, and sat down next to Monique, "You doing ok?"
Monique nodded her head, "I'm ok…tired…I'm ready to go home."
Ron nodded, "Where'd Kim go?"
Monique shrugged, "Little ninja room or to check on the injured, I'm not sure…So we still a couple when we get back?"
Ron looked at her, "And why wouldn't we be?"
Monique shrugged, "Well…Kim loves you a lot…and I know you love her to death…You know…Maybe…I should move out of the way."
Ron shook his head, "I know she loves me…and I do love her, Monique…this is true…We come close and then…something happens…I think Kim might be right about us being better friends than a couple…Besides right now I like you a lot and I'm content with that." Ron said with a smile.
Monique nodded, "Ok…Then there is the Yori question. Ron, what really is the sitch between you and Yori?" She asked shyly.
Ron's mood changed and in a very tweaked voice replied, "What happened between me and Yori is strictly between me and Yori."
Monique nodded and smiled a queasy smile, "Ok"
Ron sighed, "Sorry Monique…I just don't want to talk about it."
Kim returned with more wood for the fire, "Let me guess, you guys are gossiping behind my back." She said with a tired grin.
Ron smiled, "No Kim we were just talking if Josh Mankey falls through, we're going to try and hook you up with Brick."
Kim wrinkled her nose, "Brick…ewwwww, If Josh and me don't work out, I'll just…give up for a while." She said sadly.
Ron winced, "Come on Kim, you got star quarter back style charisma…Star quarter backs are better then mentally unstable cross country runners." He said with a smile.
Kim chuckled and shook her head, "No they aren't…Does Monique help you to forget about me?" she asked shyly.
Ron shook his head, "No"
Monique smiled, "I think I'll go find the little ninja room." Then she got up from the ground and walked out of earshot.
Kim smiled, "Nice of Monique to leave us alone for a few minutes."
Ron nodded, "Yea"
Kim smiled, "So…You and Yori became pretty…good friends."
Ron shot her a look, "Yea"
Kim nodded uncomfortably, "Yea…I would have liked us to become…good friends…like that too…I…I'm …I just…not ready for that…and all."
Ron shook his head and in a quiet voice, "Kim…it's ok…I don't think I could have…become good friends like that either…We've known each other inside and out for so long…"
Kim laughed and nodded, "Yea…it would have been…awkweird."
Ron laughed, "Not a word, but yes."
Then they both laughed for a while and then the conversation turned serious again, "Ron…I do love you…but…You were always so weird…and now you've like totally gone the other way…Which Ron is the real you?"
Ron shrugged, "I guess that we are the sum total of our experiences…So with all that's happened to me…now I'm afraid this is the me that I have to live with now." He said sadly.
Kim nodded, "Well this you is not that bad either." She said chuckling.
Ron smiled and shook his head, "I'll have to wear it around a little while and see how it works out…Have to pass the Rufus test, don't you know."
Kim smiled and nodded, "You and Rufus…I was surprised you left without him."
Ron shook his head, "I didn't really plan on this happening…it just sort of did." He told her quietly.
Kim looked out at the fire, "So what do we do now?"
Ron smiled, "I guess just go back home and restart our lives…I'm going to keep dating Monique…if she wants too…I guess."
Kim looked at Ron with a suspicious look, "Why?"
Ron shook his head, "I have my reasons…Part of the reason are…I don't think I'll be staying in Middleton very much longer…it…it would be easier to say goodbye to Monique than it would be…to you." He told her sadly.
Kim nodded her head and tried to say something but couldn't find the words, "Ummm…I guess that's a compliment…"
Ron shook his head, "No…it's a fact."
Kim nodded, "Ron…Why do you want to leave so badly?"
Ron closed his eyes, "I…I just don't think my future is in Middleton…When I meditate, I don't see visions of Middleton…I see Israel…I'm going to immigrate there…I feel that is where my future is." He told her softly.
Kim shook her head, she was starting to become angry, "That's so far away and you don't have any money…How are you going to pull this one off?"
Ron shrugged, "Sell the car, the motorcycle anything that I have of value…and just…go."
Kim was becoming agitated, "Ron…I don't want you to leave." She said quietly.
Ron nodded, "I know…but if I stay…You'll be happy, but I won't be happy."
Monique came back to the fire not quite knowing what to expect, "Is it all right if I sit down or do you two needs some more time?"
Kim shook her head, "No…Ron's just talking about leaving after high school again…Do you know anything about what he's planning on doing?" She asked Monique in a tweaked voice.
Ron looked at her, "Kim…"
Monique looked at Ron, "I know he's planning to go somewhere Kim…I…just hope he's happy where ever he decides to go." She told her quietly.
Kim's shoulders drooped, "You knew?"
Monique shrugged, "Well not all the nuts and bolts but its plain to see he feels the need to move on…He can't stay your sidekick forever girl." She told her.
Kim's face turned red, and then she got up off the ground and walked away from the fire. Monique watched her leave, "She really don't want you to leave does she?"
Ron shook his head, "I don't think it's necessarily me…She's top of the food chain now…Once school's over and it's time to move on to college…She'll have to start all over again…I think I'm little more than a security blanket…" Ron said sadly.
Monique shook her head, "I half expected to come back over here and be short a boyfriend."
Ron chuckled, "Disappointed?"
Monique made a face, "NO…I think I'll go try and talk to her." She told him as she got off the ground and went in pursuit of Kim.
Ron nodded and looked at an old man near by, "And so they left me, me a psychologically disturbed loner with mystical monkey power, and so here I sit by myself…with you…a man who can't understand a word I'm saying….and I'm ok with this….really." He told the man with a smile.
The old man gestured and said something in Japanese and Ron nodded, "Right on, Women…You can't live with em'…and go to jail if you kill em'."
Monique caught up with Kim wondering around the wreckage of the village, "So..what's really the sitch with you?"
Kim shook her head, "I don't want Ron to leave…It's always supposed to be Kim and Ron, Ron and Kim…Now it's Monique and Ron, then in June…It'll be goodbye Ron." She said angrily.
Monique nodded, "Kim after high school everyone is going their own way…I'm going to go to Upperton University and stay at Club Banana…They're going to pay for my college…Ron is going somewhere…Why don't you go with Ron?" She suggested to her friend.
Kim shook her head, "Monique he wants to go to Israel…That's the other side of the planet…I couldn't go there…It's so far away." She said sadly.
Monique lifted an eyebrow, "Oh and Japan is so much closer."
Kim laughed, "Yea…I see your point…I just wish I was a little clearer on what I want to do…I'm thinking about doing a couple of years at Upperton to get my general education classes out of the way…Then maybe I'll know what I want to do."
Monique smiled, "Now that is the closest thing to an after high school plan I ever heard you come up with."
Kim giggled, "Yea…I guess it is…Now I just wish I had a plan for Ron."
Monique chuckled, "Hey now, no plans on my boyfriend or I'll call Yori on you."
Kim smiled, "Fat American girls have to whoop up on her butt."
Monique nodded, "Yea, let's go find Ron."
They found Ron still talking to the elderly Japanese man, "So I says to the red headed girl, time for what? Then she says you'll see and before you know it we're back at this dance…So anyway I look at her and I say hey baby…wanna dance…and she says UH Huh and we're dancing away and then she plants one right here." He told the man pointing at his lips.
Kim leaned over him, "Right where?"
Ron jumped up, "Uhhhhhh…KP…I was just telling…uhhhhh this guy about my long standing troubles with red heads…Not that I was talking about you in particular." Ron said grinning.
Kim shook her head, "Go to sleep Ron."
Ron shook his head, "I don't know he seemed pretty intent on hearing about belly shots at a certain club."
Monique leaned over him, "Oh no I don't think we want to be talking to him about that…Go to bed Ron."
Ron looked at the old man, "So then they told me to go to bed…They were probably right…I'm pretty tired, struggle for survival begins a new in the morning, hopefully we'll get rescued tomorrow by the Red Cross…So…tell me about yourself then?" Ron asked the old man as he lay on the ground and prepared to go to sleep.