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Absolution: Chapter 2 - A Road Less Travelled

by Sakusha

There were two days where I could hardly get a “Hai” or “Lie” out of him but well into the third Youji was nothing short of a chatterbox. I just knew he would be and I was glad for it. It felt good to have someone to talk to. There were long monologues where all he talked about was how he was going to be a captain on a merchant ship. His dream. A precious thing it is for a child to dream such things and so I listened in earnest. I spoke very little of myself, my life being something that would give most people nightmares, so when the topic of family came up, I just said that all my family was dead. Elaborating any further would have sent the child running for the hills I’m sure. Youji for his part talked very little of his family as well. His mother died at birth, which was not at all uncommon. He talked briefly of his father and brother who had died in some sort of fight over a shrine. That happened a couple years ago. From then on he had been sent to live with his aunt. Something about the battle involving his father didn’t sit right, but who was I to question, Youji wished to talk no further on it and he was entitled to his privacy after all. His aunt had recently decided that he was old enough to work and was sending him to Niigata where an uncle of his owned a shipyard. I did think to ask why he was traveling alone though. Youji had simply stated that his aunt did not want to make the trip, and could not spare the money for a servant to accompany him. Though he didn’t say it, it seemed that his short life had been hard, but he was defiantly optimistic about what was to come.

We were making good time. Talking seemed to make the miles go faster under our feet. As we walked I heard a familiar rush just beyond the next bend.

“ Do you hear that.”? I asked

“ Sounds like water.”

“Rivers just ahead. That means we got about a day,day and a half to town, and you need a bath.”

“ Me! You’re that one who looks like a homeless sheep herder.” Youji said as he stuck out his tongue.

I laughed, he was right. I had let me appearance go quite a bit. Shishio would never approve. He always insisted that anyone around him would be clean and impeccably dressed. I never really understood that considering the man was dressed in a big bandage. After, I hadn’t really given much thought to my appearance. However, I was going to need to clean up if I didn’t want to mistaken for a beggar.

“Race you!” I said.

“ Kay!” And he went off running.

As a child I never had a moment like that. Running for the sheer enjoyment of it. I began to see why children can be seen dancing through fields, running, giggling and smiling all at the same time.

Youji let out a sharp yelp behind me as we plunged into ice water. The day was sunny and warm, but the ice had just recently melted. Both of us were quick to clean up and changed. We laid out our clothes on the nearby rocks to dry while we had lunch. I made tea while Youji returned to the water to fill the canteens.

It was then that I noticed. My eyes wide with recognition. From the top of Youji’s shoulders to the back of his knees, he was covered in welts. It looked like he had been beaten on a daily basis. I averted my eyes as he came back so that he would not know that I had been stairing. I now understood why Youji chose this path and not the main road for travel, and the real reason he was alone. He did not leave his aunt he had run away.

I wanted to say something, but I found that I could not and bit my tongue. My body had once held the same scars, and though now my scars were very much different, I knew he would not want my pity. I did however mentally commend him. Unlike me, he had chosen to leave an abusive home. Suddenly I felt a need to protect him. If someone had been there to look after me, someone who truly cared that is, my life would have turned out drastically different. Maybe I can help somehow.