Chapter Text
It was a stormy and humid June night, when a stranger entered Willow Wands after hiding and running from people for nearly a year. He anxiously tugged at the hood of his dark blue sweater, taking a few looks over his shoulder to assure himself nobody had seen him. He grimaced at the distant thunder, his eyes barely illuminated by the lightning miles away and the side of his hoodie lightly illuminated by the neon sign welcoming visitors into the small city.
He touched his scarred hand to the sign, and hunched his head down behind it, once again taking a double take. He heard a rustling in the trees nearby, and ran. He clenched his fists and he sped down the hills, feeling as the wind brushed against his face and threatened to pull down his hood. He hadn’t felt this free in months. He felt like a young boy again. It was like being safe. Like playing with his older sister in the playground on the edge of town. He heard another rustling and gasped. He leapt backwards into the cool grass, relaxing himself beneath the dark gray sky. His eyes focused to the half-moon in the sky, taking comfort in its doting light. He turned his head to his right, staring to the nearby town ahead. Lights running down the road, cars occasionally speeding past.
“よし、キオ(Okay, Kio)…” He whispered to himself, “やっと来たな。さて、何をすればいい(You’ve made it, now what to do)?” He stood up and continued walking. He sped through the lights of the city, before dread took a hold of him. His chest twisted as he barreled to the cement, his trembling hand clasping his chest tightly. Tears welled in his eyes as he desperately tried to contain himself. He tried to take his mind off of his mistake. The cars speeding down the street nearby were muted to his ears, as he pressed himself against the bricks of one of the buildings.
Then someone grabbed his hood and yanked it off.