It's slightly harder to carry around two people. To be fair, I have never done it before. When the kids wanted piggyback rides, they would be patient enough to line up and go one by one. With both Sayo and Kai, I have to shift them more often to keep them from slipping. It's good neither of them fell onto the ground, though.
We're not far from the doctor's. I would say five minutes. Sayo and Kai are still warm, and it seems like Kai's breath is starting to ebb against my shoulder. That's not bad, maybe he'll pull through. I didn't expect this to happen so fast. Perhaps Amida Buddha really is watching over us.
Hey look, even Sayo's breath is starting to pick up.
Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine.
Strangely a little too fine (should kids recover this quickly from injuries?), but anything's better than losing them.
Some noise behind me makes me stop, standing frozen. Is it seriously real?
"nnngh..."
There it is again, it's a tiny shadow of a whine against my nape. It's Sayo! Not only has she begun to breathe normally but she also managed to start using her voice. Could she really be waking up? I kneel down and gently prop Kaigaku against a tree.
Her tiny body is pounding with life in my arms. This is a miracle...
"Sayo? Can you hear me? How are you feeling? Are you alright?"
I don't want to scare her, even if I do want to shout with joy.
She moans again, slightly louder. If she can almost speak, she's probably coming to.
But just as I suspected, it's too good to be true.
It makes me want to retch as her her soft whines morph into louder noises, but not one of a child crying in pain. It's a noise that I've heard enough to know.
It's not human.
I think it's by pure instinct that I dodge her claws.
So not only am I a coward, but also an idiot for forgetting demons can also turn humans. The bite it inflicted on her bled much less than mine, so whatever demon blood got into it must have given her its sickness. I should have seen this coming! I should have!
She's lunging again. She'll use her teeth, because the growl is getting louder towards my face. Branch. Grab something! Where-Ok got one.
I just hope this won't break for heaven's sake.
Namu Amida Butsu, please protect me.
Her jaws lock on and she's pushing it onto me. How is she pushing at my height? Did she get bigger? Her head is higher than mine and she must have grown! Quick, the strength you used to kill that thing, where is it when you need it?
Attack her! Why are you only using your strength to push back the branch? Is it because she's your child? It's not Sayo anymore, and you know that so why are you holding back? You need to go on the attack and maybe you can grab Kai and then run.
If I could only find a wisteria grove, we might have a fighting chance. If Kai wasn't infected, that is.
Ok then. Tense your muscles. On the count of three, I'll push her off, then aim for her head on the ground. Ignore the sounds of her skull breaking, ignore the disgusting flesh getting on your hands. Do it until you get enough time to run. You have one chance.
I'm going to escape with Kaigaku, no matter what, even if she got hurt. I don't care anymore if Sayo is hurt, there's no saving her and everyone knows that. No reason to feel pity or sorrow or regret. On the count of three. Any time now.
One-two-
Why can't I move? Why can't I count to three? I feel like my muscles went slack just now, as if they're telling me "no".
I can't do it.
Why why why, why is this happening!? It's ridiculous. Here is a demon in front of me. I know the danger of these creatures, even before they took those seven children. They are the only ones I am truly afraid of. And yet I can't even bring myself to fight back even for survival.
Sayo is a demon. She is one of them. She is the thing that murdered my family.
She is also my kid.
She's a threat to be eliminated. She's also the one who would bring dandelions to me and the others "just because" and who would strut around proudly when I actually kept one of her formless mud sculptures and the one who would laugh like a little bell whenever I poked her on her stomach.
I can't snuff out the sound of that little bell.
Perhaps it would be better to let her eat me. I can't fight back. Maybe if she does, her appetite will be satiated and she won't go after Kai.
I can almost feel her breath on my face, but I'm not tensing up again.
Perhaps I couldn't have done anything about this in the first place.
A cry to my right? Kai...has he been taken by it, too? No...not you as well.
Do I truly have nothing left?
In that case, eat me then. We can be reincarnated together. Perhaps this life was simply not meant for us.
Wait.
He's shrieking, and there's a clang of metal. He's...struggling? Another demon?
I think there's a woman on the scene. She's got Kai, I can tell because his grunts and howls seem out of frustration and pain rather than hunting drive.
"Well, I see you're not afraid of being eaten. I've seen my fair share of humans but you're the first with such nonchalance." She performs what seems to be a tighter grip on Kai, who squeaks in pain and the sound of his struggles gets louder. "Don't worry, I'll take care of these real quick and maybe we can get you a psychotherapist. Kocho medicines has some good serotonin medication, I believe."
Wait, take care of them? Does that means she will-
All of a sudden the weight of Sayo on the branch has vanishes. I hear her sprinting towards that person who caught Kai. Perhaps...this is the legendary demon hunter the other monks talked about? If so, the woman will swing at her and perhaps end her misery and then dispatch Kai. It's how things are supposed to be.
Why don't I want to let it happen?
"SAYO!"
My sleeve got ripped off, and fortunately only my sleeve. I hear Sayo grunting as she thuds, so she must have been pushed out of the way. Good...
"Oh my god, don't tell me you're one of those people who still believes in those demonized. You're really annoying to work with, you know?" From the sound of it, I think the hunter has snagged Sayo underfoot. I can hear her writhing under the slayer's heel while Kai still attempts to twist free. "They're never coming back. The sooner you deal with this the faster you can move on from it."
Kai's shriek hurts my ears. Kai...no...has she stabbed him!? Blood...I can smell blood...bloo-Kai's blood...I need to to throw up again. What the-what the fuck is WRONG WITH THIS WOMAN!?
"Stop! Please stop hurting him!" Or I'll kill you-
Kill? Where did that come from? Why am I angry at her? She's only doing her job, not being a psychopath murderer. She's a human being like you. Handle this politely. Shut up.
"Hey, I'm a demon slayer can you guess what I do from my job description?"
"Yes I know you hunt demons and I know demons need to be killed! I-I saw one get killed today already-"
"-Then how in the world are you not fine with this? You're the weirdest guy I've ever met for sure-"
"-I don't know, ok!? I don't know! I'm just not!" Oh no. Tears are starting to drip down my face. This should be embarrassing, being a grown ass man (I'm 17 for god's sake) and crying like some child in front of this person, but I don't care. I don't want to stop it. She's not letting my kids go, she's going to kill them in front of me. "Th-they're my kids ok? I just-they're my k-kids and...and..." They're sweet and affectionate and loving, if only you could see them like that.
"...Really? Is your wife like, older or something? Hey man, I don't judge. As a demon slayer, I've seen worse.
I really want to tell her I was a monk and they were adopted, but all I can do is start hiccupping. It's getting harder to breath, and that shortness of breath is coming back. My last family's going to die.
Die...
I don't want them to die. I fought a demon to the death just to not let them die. There must be another way. If a demon's blood can turn a human, maybe there's a medicine that can heal the effects. An illness of the blood should be able to be cured by something, right? No one's every turned a demon back to a human before, and yet again I have never heard of a human defeating a demon barehanded until yesterday. What if that was a sign?
I'll make sure they aren't exposed to the sun. Maybe I can have them live in a closed room and feed them on animals or corpses from ditches and sewers. Whatever it takes to keep them well until a cure can be found.
This is crazy.
Every inch of my reason tells me, "We all know demons are impossible to tame. Sooner or later it will fail and they will eat you and others". But if I felt the impossible happen through my own hands, I might as well believe in it.
The first problem is how to escape this situation. Maybe coming off as a blubbering mess can be an advantage.
"Oh...ok...I s-suppose you'll have to do your job then. I just have one last request..."
"Yeah, and that's what? Make it quick." She did sound impatient.
"Th-th-they're my kids after all, so...before you go...c-could I possibly comfort them by stroking their heads before they p-pass?"
"Well...that's a weird request and it's very risky-"
"If they bite me, you c-can kill me on the spot."
There's a more relaxed sigh from her. "I suppose their heads are restrained enough. Just a second before I finish my job."
"Thank you..."
My muscles are tensed up to go but I can't let her know what I'm thinking. As I get nearer, I can hear their snarls increasing in volume. Finally, with careful guiding by sound, I can feel the first strands of Sayo's hair. When had I last felt it? Don't cry, stop sniffling like a sentimental fool. Get ready.
"Sayo-chan..." I slowly guide my hands to her diminutive head, but suddenly they veer off course and instead of her silky bob what's under my hand now is a surprisingly rock-solid woman's bicep.
"Huh? What are you-"
"I'm so sorry." My other hand grabs her left arm, as I lean my heads back before our will skulls collide in a flurry of searing nose pain and sore foreheads. Her grip on them is loosing! We can escape! Quick, grab Sayo's hand-what's clamping down on my wrist?
"You really thought about trying to take on a seasoned Kinoe, huh? Look, you might be a man but your body's as frail as a young girl."
I was never expecting such a strong grip for a woman. Then again, my wrists aren't not very large in the first place. It seemed on the verge of snapping under her hand like some dry twig.
"You are insane, trying to release two demons into the world!? Where they could kill hundreds!? I don't fucking care if they're your kids and I never should have listened to your stupid sentimental story. I'm not going to kill you because you're a human, but I will sure make you remember."
My god, there is a crack from my wrist. Is she really breaking it!? It hurts! I need to scream! Bite your teeth, no matter how painful you can't! You can't turn back now, you coward. Get her! I got her arm. Start squeezing, now!
It's coming back...that feeling when I fought that thing. I don't want to-KEEP ON HOLDING! This is for Sayo and Kai! Even if I want to vomit I won't let go until she releases them. Even as you cry, hold onto her, even as she breaks your arm. Don't lose this chance! Look, she's letting out a hissing sound. Is she in pain? Keep squeezing and she might let them go! Don't lose your chance you worthless idiot!
The hand on my wrist is loosening! Maybe I can really fight-
What was that? Wood? A weapon?
There was a crack to my head.
I can't-can't think...Sayo...Kai...I think...head empty-the rain is going away...the rain-
Where is the rain?
Someone was calling my name...who was it?
There was a hand on my head.
This was strange.
I do not remember the last time of being caressed by someone who was not a child.
or...perhaps...
I do not remember...
being...
...a child
Someone's drowning out the hands holding onto me. My brain's still a mess, but their voice does ring loud and clear from the awake world. It's that demon slayer...
What could she want?
Sayo and Kai must have been slain now. Perhaps condolences. Not that I will take them. I'll sit here and starve to death until I join them again. I have nothing.
"Well kid, I've met plenty of people as a slayer for 5 years but I guess I haven't seen just about everything yet. You'll find this "Kai" and "Sayo" of yours next to you."
Wait. Did she say...Kai and Sayo?
Kai and Sayo...are they alive? They must be if they are next to me. Otherwise they'd be dust like that one from today.
It's hard to get up. My head still hurts from that hit. Is something on my body? There are bandages on my head...and my wrist. Someone must have patched me up. I can't hear anything but I feel a third person has passed. Kai and Sayo...come on, grope for them. I need to feel them. Need to know they're there.
Ok...there are strands of a bobbed haircut (Sayo), then the scratchy spikes of Kai. Good. It's been some time since I touched those. It feels...nice. Why do I want to cry again? It's just hair. Silly Gyomei. It's their hair, though. And it's special to me because I can tell it's theirs. I think just for this moment, this day has been terrible. Just for this moment, everything feels better. I want my hands to rest there forever.
The slayer's kneeling on one knee next to me, as well as Kai and Sayo who I assume are still unconscious. "They shouldn't be able to bite if they got the rope in their mouths as a muzzle. And they're fodder at this time so a muzzle to prevent biting should be enough precaution. Now you should head to the Kuroya woods where you'll find a Hisaishi Suzue at the very Northern perimeter. Tell her Sarumei Hebiyama sent you. It's still rainy but be quick to get them to shade before the sun comes out."
And her footsteps echo away.
For some miraculous reason, the demon slayer had managed to restrain them and leave them alive. For some miraculous reason she made the choice to leave them alive, next to me, and present us with a possible solution to our problems.
Perhaps this believing in the impossible really is catching on.
