The footsteps running behind me are getting closer and closer. Under the pitch dark sky, I wasn't able to see where I was going. But that's a good thing because they can't either.
I felt gravel under my shoes and that I'm running up a slope. The surrounding area was still thick and covered up the sky. I'm probably somewhere up in the woods.
In all my life, I've always imagined this scene. Me as a great bandit or a remarkable assassin being chased by pursuers, hot on my tail as I run with adrenaline. Right after I robbed a wealthy daimyo or killed an infamous samurai, the entire capital of Kyoto would erupt in the middle of the night. I would try to escape from my pursuers deep into the woods. Maybe stop for a minute just for them to catch up, pose in a very classy manner with my katana, strike down a couple men, my legendary sword flashing in the moonlight, and then begin chasing again.
Yes, that was my dream.
Today, however, I was being chased by some men into the woods. It is not because I robbed a wealthy daimyo or because I assassinated an infamous samurai. It was because I threw a rock and killed someone's chicken. I'm a street thug.
"Stop right there! Stop running!"
My legs are starting to get heavier and heavier. A sweat on my eyelid fell into my eyes and burned like hell. I wiped my eyes with a fist.
"I told you, it was on accident!"
My voice was hoarse from all that running and no matter how much I wanted to remain cool and calm, I was starting to panic. I came out of the woods when the star lit sky was seen above me. After a few more steps, I immediately halted to a complete stop. Panting with my chest rising and hair pieces stuck to my perspiring face, I stared down at the 40 meter drop in front of me.
Damn! Dead end.
In that moment, four men came into view with their lousy high pitched nagging and finger pointing. Through each panting breath, they jerk forward but seemed to notice the cliff as well.
I quickly took out the talisman that Touma gave me from my breast pocket. An orange piece of paper with unreadable red strokes. This is the ultimate plan to escape in case all fails.
The other day, Touma and I went to the temple and met a wandering monk who gave us each a talisman. He was rumored to have extraordinary power and his talisman is real. Not the fake kinds they sell at the stands on the streets me and Touma wasted tons of money on. This time, we only had enough money to buy one of each, and we didn't know the meaning behind its mysterious writing until it was randomly handed to us. Mine was a teleporting talisman and Touman's was a spirit calling talisman.
I thought that this could be the savior of me, maybe take me back to my house, or the front door would be fine. The talisman was folded and wrinkled so I put it behind my back and straightened it out neatly. Have I ever used a talisman before? No. So how do I use it? I'll have to figure that out in the next minute. My life depends on it.
"You filthy brat! Don't think you can get away with this," a scrawny elder man said. His neck was the size of my wrist. His teeth, yellow and crooked. He was crouching with his chest exposed, his knees bent and his head lower than his shoulders. All the elders in my town have their heads shaved on top with hairs around the back, so you can imagine how grotesque his image is.
"Back off, or I'm taking one of you with me." My face was suddenly serious. To exhibit the authority of the situation, I abruptly picked up a fist of gravel from the ground and scattered it so it could cloud their vision.
This pissed them off even more and they took the chance to lurch forward, absolutely closing all of my options at the moment.
I couldn't help it but turn to the talisman. Touma and I would joke by putting the paper between our fore finger and middle finger, doing an amatuer half tiger seal. We never knew the correct way to open the talisman. It was more like horseplaying around and imagining it all in our heads. Plus, we never really took the chance to really learn or research the proper way.
As the four men closed in, I turned to face the cliff and placed the paper between my fingers. Am I supposed to chant something? What am I supposed to chant? I can see the dude with the ugly teeth reaching a hand across to try and grab me.
By instinct, since this is a teleporting talisman, I began whispering frantically, "Teleport, teleport, teleport, teleport!"
Why is it not working!?
Crooked Teeth reached me all of a sudden so I screamed as loud as I could. That seemed to startle him and the others. They took a step back.
"Whoever touches me will be burned to ashes!"
I turned around with the talisman held up so they could see it. Each of them took a quick glance. They understood that I was bluffing the paper in my hand could magically set them on fire. None of them took the bait and even tried to snatch it from me. I took the chance their guards were down to kick one on the balls, punched one in the face and pushed the other two. We had a quick brawl right there on the edge of the cliff for a dangerously quick amount of time.
One of them was able to get a hold of both of my arms and tried to pull me away from the edge. I should go along and take a couple of steps forward. Instead, I overestimated the amount of space I have behind me and yanked my arms. I saw the horror on their faces but didn't understand what they were so surprised about until I fell further but my back didn't reach the ground. I had gone off the cliff. With my arms in front of me, I peered into the yellow paper closely and realized something.
Touma had switched my teleporting talisman with his spirit calling talisman. Of all the times he'd played me, this must be the worst one yet. When I came to my senses and saw the stars below my feet, my last words to the world was, "Screw you, Touma!"