The man was still angry. Shintaro could feel it, just under the surface of the skin-- like a bad hit that ran jagged through the veins until you wanted to tear them out. Though he told the driver to be careful, she didn't look as if she even heard him before she drove off, skittering gravel over his shoes. He regretted being hard on her.
Shintaro clutched the dagger even tighter as the man told him to put it away. He wouldn't need it now. He wanted to keep it out. He wanted to look at it and for everyone to see it. But it might scare them if he did and there were enough people scared. Maybe they already were scared because no one was outside but Shintaro saw pale faces watching from high up windows. He put the dagger away carefully in his book bag and then hurried to catch up with the man, having to almost run since the man's legs were so long he could probably walk to Japan in a few hours.
He slowed again as they got to the car, twisting the straps between his hands. It was a dusty car. It would take him to his next job. And this man...he had dark eyes too, but there was always something behind them...this man would be taking him. They should be going the other way. He wanted to yell at the man to take him away. Or maybe run away. Run as far as he could.
But the other kids would suffer. Takani might not kill them cuz he still wanted them but that didn't mean they wouldn't wish they were dead. (Which is good cuz you don't dig graves any more) Shintaro squinched up his nose at the thought. They were starting to come more and more now. He shook his head and went toward the car before the man dragged him in. He should sit in the back. He always sat in the back. That's what kids did but--
Shintaro straightened his shoulders, swung his book bag off and sat in the front, right next to the man. He felt small sitting here, even smaller than usual and tugged on his seat belt before hugging the bag to his chest so he could feel the dagger and the little white box underneath the fabric.
"How long will it take to get there?" Shintaro asked, wanting to be brave but his voice was very quiet.
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Shintaro clutched the dagger even tighter as the man told him to put it away. He wouldn't need it now. He wanted to keep it out. He wanted to look at it and for everyone to see it. But it might scare them if he did and there were enough people scared. Maybe they already were scared because no one was outside but Shintaro saw pale faces watching from high up windows. He put the dagger away carefully in his book bag and then hurried to catch up with the man, having to almost run since the man's legs were so long he could probably walk to Japan in a few hours.
He slowed again as they got to the car, twisting the straps between his hands. It was a dusty car. It would take him to his next job. And this man...he had dark eyes too, but there was always something behind them...this man would be taking him. They should be going the other way. He wanted to yell at the man to take him away. Or maybe run away. Run as far as he could.
But the other kids would suffer. Takani might not kill them cuz he still wanted them but that didn't mean they wouldn't wish they were dead. (Which is good cuz you don't dig graves any more) Shintaro squinched up his nose at the thought. They were starting to come more and more now. He shook his head and went toward the car before the man dragged him in. He should sit in the back. He always sat in the back. That's what kids did but--
Shintaro straightened his shoulders, swung his book bag off and sat in the front, right next to the man. He felt small sitting here, even smaller than usual and tugged on his seat belt before hugging the bag to his chest so he could feel the dagger and the little white box underneath the fabric.
"How long will it take to get there?" Shintaro asked, wanting to be brave but his voice was very quiet.