Second Son of the Sun: Taiyouji Jiro

[Sol]

He sneaked a look back over his shoulder to the big house one last time. There was a river of tears silently running down on his cheek alike the calm river he was paddling on. Towards the shore, to the other side, where he'd be free.

The sky looked darker that night; the stars were a lot less brighter compared to the last night when he was with his brother. Joking around and laughing together, warming next to a big fire. He missed that fire, it was cold now.

He tried to forget the cold that kept on shaking his whole body forcefully, he fought it back and looked forward. The city was before him with all its shine, crowd and noise. Surely, he'd be warmed there, and would never feel lonely.

The boat thunked on to the shore. The boy shrugged and stepped out of it on to the ground that was foreign and unknown. He stepped forwards still, sniffling and drying his tears off his cheeks, ignoring the reality of the home he left behind on the other side of the river. He'd never look back again, he'd always step forwards, he'd remain free. He did not need them, and they did not want him. He was not one of them.

Frowning with angry thoughts, hoping they'll scare off his sadness, he walked on as fast as he could. He stepped without an aim with the river of people, where ever his feet dragged him. His thoughts were taken over by the city. There was so much noise, so much clamor mixing up and creating confusion. Shining lights from every direction, attractions he had never seen before, faces he never looked at before. He felt free at last, with so many people around him, he'd never need 'them'.

He fell in love with what he saw; he was trying to look at every direction at the same time. An old couple was drinking something together in a shop by the street, holding hands and smiling to each others while they spoke in hushed tones. The shop smelled so nicely, he could not help but be drawn towards it. He came upon a street performer performing by the shop, throwing so many shiny objects into the air and catching them with a skill of hand, spitting fire from his mouth, dancing and jumping around like a funny monkey while doing it all. The people crowded around him with wonder and kept a rhythm with their clapping. He forgot how long he stood there and watched the performer with a wide smile on his lips.

But as the time went on, he started to be drawn more and more by the smells around him, rather than his eyes. Behind the performer was a restaurant full of people, eating merrily with their loved ones. The boy felt the growl in his stomach. How much he'd want to take a bite from the tasty beef that'd be cooked at his home around this time by their old cook. Served to them on their plates by their many servants, with many desserts and sweet drinks, on a table that looked like a funfair rather than a dinner.

He frowned again and shook his head to each side rapidly. He shook the thoughts out of his head. No. He'd not be weak, like he was told he's by that woman he thought is his mother, who kept on telling that he is a weakling and how much better his elder brother is. He'd not look back from his shoulder again... even though the home was no longer behind his shoulder.

He looked back behind his shoulder. There were only big people with unknown faces, living their own lives without even taking any attention of him. He was in a foreign ground, lost in a loud city, without a way to go, place to eat, or a bed to sleep in.

It was cold again. The music and the dance of the performer no longer entertained him. It looked lifeless and fake. He walked away from the crowd. Seeking a bit of darkness, loneliness, away from all this confusion, all that clamour and fake extravagance which revoltingly oppressed him, scared him and made him feel even lonelier.

He took a byway and entered into a dark alley, walking slowly, at a loss with what to do... Could he really manage to be free? He started to doubt it now. His anger had no meaning any more, and it was only the taste of defeat he could feel along with how hungry he is. He had to get back to home... But which way he should go?

He was trying to look at every direction at the same time again. This time not with love, but with immense fear. The shadows elongated dangerously at every corner where there was even a bit of light, the darkness took him over suddenly without he could realize it. He looked up, the tall buildings covered upon him like a dungeon, even the stars could not be seen any more.

Something rustled behind him in the darkness, skipped closer to him lightly, and rapidly. He turned to look at what it is, to his horror. Two eyes, brightly and dangerously shining at him, a cold murderous stare. It stepped closer, forcing the boy to take a step backwards. Three more couples of stares appeared quickly behind it, and looked at him silently for a while. The boy's knees felt weaker and weaker, he fell on to the ground as he tried to take another step back.

From under the eyes appeared long and sharp teeth, as if it was not enough to scare the boy already. The boy had not heard such a dangerous sound before ever in his life. His eyes opened wide with the growls, unable to take his eyes of those teeth and murderous eyes. It was so cold, freezing his body and sneaking into his thoughts, he could not even drag himself backwards as he was forced to look back at these monsters emptily.

They looked at each others that way for half a minute, maybe longer, until the monster in the front finally let out a loud bark. The boy was so overcome with fear that moment, he did not know when he stood up, and when he started to run with all his strength towards the opposite side of those eyes. Crying as hard and loud as he can, holding his head in between his arms, blocking his ears, his eyes barely able to see ahead from the blur of his tears.

He ran and ran, without aiming for a direction, losing himself in the city further. He sometimes tumbled on to big people and other things, fell down on to the hard ground, bruised his legs, wounded his arms and hands. His clothes dirtied in the mud and dust, tore up at his knees and shoulders.

Breathless, bleeding, and covered in dust all over, he ended up at the edge of a somewhat calm street. Under a street light, with no people or scary monsters around. He still scanned around himself every ten seconds to make sure as much as the tears in his eyes would allow. He'd keep on running forever, but his feet could not take him anywhere further than this. The shake of his knees got more dangerous, his head was also buzzing. His stomach aching, without any energy and anything to eat, his world started to blur around further...

He let himself down, hiccuping uncontrollably. He dragged his hurting body towards a corner that looked somewhat like a shelter, and pulled some boxes of carton over himself. He was so tired, he was starting to forget his hunger and fear. He tried to imagine that it's warm, he's in his safe home, his belly full, in his comfortable bed inside blankets. His tears were running down on to the cold floor still. He gave up.