DARK RED [ITADORI Y.]

―XXX. ONE MORE

CHAPTER XXX. GIVE ME ONE MORE MINUTE

WARNING: EXPLICIT GORE, ANGST, GASLIGHTING

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When I was eleven years old, my family had decided to go on a week-long camping trip far away from the city. I remember leaving early on a Monday morning, packing into our family car with all of our luggage, and then drove for what felt like years. We sang road songs, passed snacks through the seats, and spilled juice on the floor. We stopped multiple times for bathroom breaks and for my Dad to stretch and took pictures in front of landmarks as we went.

By the time we'd reached the park we were staying in, night had fallen. The youngest of my siblings, Gia, Kinan, and I, were stuck holding flashlights while my two older siblings (my sister Makio and my brother Tamotsu) helped my parents set up all the tents. Gia and Kinan slept with our parents, and I slept with Makio and Tamotsu.

When morning had come, our adventures began. The first thing we all did was run around the campground, exploring the area around us. All of us loved being outdoors, so this was practically a hay day for us.

We ran through the surrounding trees, playing tag and hide and seek. We jumped from the docks into the lake, splashing each other and throwing rocks across the water. We were having so much fun. It was a break we didn't know we needed.

"Okaasan! I'm going to explore!" I called, gathering my small bag already heavy with rocks I'd collected.

"Don't go too far!" She called back. "Your father and I are going to be making dinner soon!"

"Okay!"

I trekked up the side of the hill, stepping over broken tree limbs and thorn bushes. I hummed a song I'd heard on the radio earlier, dancing to myself as I walked. I paused by certain places, picking up rocks to decide if they deserved to be in my collection or not.

I stopped when I heard something growl behind me. I turned around, searching the area around me. I grabbed the strap of my bag tighter, taking a step back. It was getting pretty dark, and while I was pretty adventurous, I didn't want to be out in the woods at night. So I decided to head back.

I, however, wasn't expecting to come face to face with what I thought was a wolf. It was huge—it had such huge teeth. My eyes went wide in fear as I took a step back. I swallowed hard as it stepped forward and I took another step back, dropping my bag.

I felt my heart drop into my chest when I lost my footing. I screamed in surprise as I slipped back, falling down the steep hill. I tumbled down the side, covering my head when I felt it hit a rock. The wolf chased after me, and I suddenly felt a sharp pain spread across my back. I screamed so loudly.