CHAPTER 7

Sensei

I woke up realizing that I must tell Sensei about Mom and Yuki. I look around the room. Mom and Yuki are asleep on the futon. I slowly stand on my feet. I know I have to be quiet. If any racket wakes up Mom and Yuki I will have no chance to tell Sensei.

I move my right foot toward the door. I have to walk very slowly. The slowness is agonizing. I don't want Sensei to think that I'm gonna stay with Mom and Yuki. Not gonna lie, I love my family. It's just that I don't like being treated the way they treat me.

I take another step. I look back every so often to see if Mom or Yuki are awake. Yuki turns over on her other side. I freeze, waiting to see if she will wake up. Please, please don't wake up, Yuki!, I think. It could all be over if she wakes up.

She doesn't wake up. PHEW, I think. I'm safe for now. I take another 2 steps. I look back. Nothing. I keep walking. This time, I took 12 steps. This is very risky. They could wake at any second! I need to hurry!

I look back. Nothing. I take another step. Suddenly, Mom asks me: "Ame, where are you going?,".

"Bathroom.,"I say.

"But the bathroom is the other way.,"Mom says. Mom points in the other direction. Oh no!, I think.

"Oh, oops. Wrong way.,"I say. I try to sound convincing and confused as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if Mom saw straight through it. Yuki wakes up.

"Huh, what's going on, Mom? I can't sleep.,"Yuki says.

"Ame said that he was going to the bathroom, but the bathroom is the other way.,"Mom says.

"What, Ame? Are you planning something?,"Yuki asks.

"Uh…uh, no! No, I'm not.,"I said.

"Are you sure?,"Mom asks.

"Yes, I'm sure. You guys don't have to worry so much.,"I say. I hope that fools them. If it doesn't, I'm sure as heck that Mom or Yuki will find out what I am up to.

"Okay. Go to the bathroom. NO WHERE ELSE.,"Mom says. She really is thinking that I'm planning something. I've got to hide it. I just need to wait in the bathroom until they are asleep again. I hope that doesn't take long. It might, depending on how suspicious Mom and Yuki feel.

"Okay. I won't."I say. I change directions and walk toward the bathroom. I shut the door. I really hope that Mom and Yuki fall asleep soon. They do not need to know about my plan with Sensei. This could all be blown if I make one false move.

I slowly open the door. I pause and prick my ears. Waiting for the slightest sound of breathing. But, instead of breathing, I hear talking. "Mom, I think Ame is planning something against us.,"Yuki says.

"I know.,"Mom says.

"What will we do?,"Yuki asks.

"I know.,"Mom says.

"What is it?,"Yuki asks.

"I'll be fake sleeping. You will fake sleep with me until Ame leaves wherever it is that he is going. You will get up and follow him. You will surprise him and struck him unconscious and bring him to me.,"Mom says.

"Okay. Let's do it.,"Yuki says.

"Okay, It's decided,"Mom says.

"Right.,"Yuki says. So, I stand here, dumbfounded. I should have known that Mom and Yuki would plan something! Now I'll have to think of another way to go to Sensei. I knew that I couldn't go tonight. Not with Mom and Yuki knowing.

It'd be too dangerous. But, I decided to go anyway. Okay, I'll go, I tell myself. This is a dumb idea and I knew it. Why do I do these things, only heaven knows. I slowly creep toward the corner of the wall.

I look left, then right. Then, when there's no movement from Mom or Yuki, I bolt toward the door. I open the door as fast as I can. I run, without looking back. I hear footsteps behind me. I knew who it was, I didn't even have to look back to know that it was Yuki.

So, Mom actually meant her plan, huh? Well, I'm ready for an adventure! I run, even faster now, toward the mountains. I have to run and hide if I don't want Yuki to catch me. I keep running.

"Ame, come back!,"Yuki screamed, obviously breathless.

"No! You'll have to do better than that if you want to catch me!,"I yelled.

"Ame, why?! Why do you do this to me and Mom?!,"Yuki screamed.

"Because!,"I scream back. I look to my left as I run up the mountain. I know what I have to do.

"Because, that doesn't answer my question! WHY?!,"Yuki screams.

"Because…I've had enough!,"I scream.

"Enough, Ame, what do you-,"Yuki said, when I cut her off by taking an abrupt turn.

"NO ONE CARES FOR MEEEEEEE!,"I scream as I'm in the air. My voice is going down, with me. I slam on the ground.

"AAAAAAAMMMMMEEEEEEE!,"Yuki screams. I get up, stumbling then collapsing. I get up, in spite of the pain and limp. Limp to where, I don't know. I just knew that I had to keep going.

I look back. Yuki is on her way down. I pick up speed and limp as fast as I can. I didn't check my leg to see if it was bleeding or bruised. I just kept running. I limp past our house and onto the next place, wherever it may be.

"Ame, come here!,"Yuki screams.

"N…never!,"I scream.

"Why?,"Yuki asks.

"Because of what you and Mom have done to me all of my life!,"I scream.

"Ame!,"Yuki screams.

"No!,"I scream back. Yuki runs inside of our house.

"Mom! Get up, it's Ame!,"Yuki said.

"What?! Where is he?,"Mom asks.

"He's…he's gone.,"Yuki says.

"Gone? Yuki, what do you mean?,"Mom asks.

"Exactly what I said. Ame is gone!,"Yuki screams.

"Okay, do you know where he went?,"Mom asks. I keep walking.

"No…I…,"Yuki doesn't finish her sentence. Even if she did, by now I am too far down the dirt path to our house to hear. I keep walking. I see a silver Nissan coming up the road. I slide over to the grassy side of the dirt path.

The person rolls down their window. I quickly walk away. Limp away, actually. The person looks at me strangely for a second. Then he rolls up his window and keeps driving. I keep walking for I don't know how long. I hope I see a sign of civilization soon.

Then, I see something that looks like a village. I wonder where this place is, I thought. It must be the place Mom goes to to go and get her vegetables and food seeds. I look around as I enter the village. I hope there's a doctor somewhere around here.

I sit down on the pavement. I came looking for Sensei. Sensei, where are you?, I thought.