Beauty and Monster

Chapter 2: Rain

           The creature sat rigid inside the cave. He opened his eyes when he felt that someone’s approaching.

            “I told you not to enter the cave.” His voice is sharp.

            “I-I’m sorry, I don’t mean to follow but it will start to rain outside.”

            “How can you say that? You are blind.”

            “I can smell it in the air.”

He closed his eyes again.

“Uh-uhm may I stay here until the rain stops.”

“No.” He answered flatly.

“Uh, uh, o-okay. Thank you so much!” And she leaved.

Minutes after their conversation, the rain started to fall. The creature wondered where that Komugi resided.

He went to the cave’s opening. The rain is too heavy. Where does she—

“What are you doing there?!” He cried in anger. Komugi was besides the cave’s opening, shaking in cold. “You’re wet and cold, why didn’t you come inside?”

“But you don’t want me there.” She answered shaking.

“Tch! Come here.”

“Ha-hai!” She stumbled from hurrying and get herself dirtier.

            “S-Sorry.” She said when she’s out of the rain.

            “You, idiot.” He told her then he started to walked away. “Are you just going to stand there?”

            “H-huh?”

            “Follow me.”

            “H-hai. Thank you sir!” He bumped into the cave wall as she didn’t know what direction to go to. She lost her cane and now she felt totally blind without it.

            Big, careful hand touched hers. “This way.” How careless is he to make a blind follow him.

            “Thank you.” She whispered.

* * *

            Komugi felt better as a bonfire was set inside the cave. The good mister also gave her blanket and it made her body warm.

            She felt that the mister sat in front of her. “Thank you so much for keeping me.”

            “I’m not keeping you. I just let you stay for a while. When the rain stops, you may leave.”

            “Hai!” She bowed again.

            The creature looked at her strange expression as she always bows for him whenever he says something. She’s too obedient. She followed everything that he will say; not making him repeat what he had already said.

            He leaned on the cave’s wall and closed his eyes.

            “Mister . . . are you living here alone?”

            “Yes.”

            “Where are your companions?”

            “I don’t have companions.”

            “Then why don’t you live in the town?

            Veins formed on the creature’s forehead “Quiet! I’m sleeping!”

            “Uh, I’m sorry.” She started to bows again. “I don’t know that you’re already sleeping. Forgive me mister.”

            He sighed. It had never been so noisy in the cave before because of a human’s prattle, and he had never been on this long conversation before, or even spared a life of a human. Their lives were always food for him.

            Well, it didn’t start to be that way. It just started when he accidentally bit a human flesh in defense, and killed the man. He tasted the pleasant taste of the human and started to eat everyone that were lost on his territory: beheading every person that will sit in front of those blue flowers, he considers his treasures, making them unable to scream.

            Their scream is the worst. It’s annoying when those people gaze at his small but muscular green appearance, with a hard shell on his head serves as a helmet, long antennae in front of her ears, and his long, dangerous tail; and they will scream to the top of their lungs as if his presence our already torturing them.

            He hated those humans!

            Grroooowwwwlll~

            Komugi’s stomach complained. “I’m sorry. T-that’s embarrassing. I haven’t eaten anything since I came at the foot of the mountain.” She instantly fretted and shook her hands in front of her. “Not that I’m asking some food from you. You been so kind to me to ask for more. I-I have food on my back pack and I think I can share some with you.”

            The creature just stared at her flustered expression while she released all of the food from her pack.

            He identified apples and fish from the girl’s food but he was not sure with the triangle shape objects with green and other stuffs in its middle, and white ones with a black like paper under it. Even the fish looks strange for him because it’s darker, as if it had touched the fire.

            “What are those triangle objects with leaves on the middle, and those white ones?” He inquired.

            “Do you mean the sandwiches and rice balls? They are good. Try it!” She offered a rice ball and the creature took it.

            He observed the white object intently. This is new to him. He didn’t know that this kind of food exists. Where did they get this? He had never seen a white object swimming in the water or hanging on the trees. Can this be found underground or is this human’s treasure?

            “Is it good?” Komugi interrupted his thoughts. “I made it myself.”

            “Y-you made this?”

            “Hai!” She answered happily.

            He was surprise. So humans are capable to make their own food?

            “So . . . is it good, Mister?”

            He looked again at the object then put it in his mouth wholly. The taste of it is different from the raw food he was eating, but it was delicious.

“It’s good.” He answered after swallowing it.

Komugi showed her grateful expression. “Please get some more if you like it.”

The creature didn’t hesitate and ate some of the rice balls. They both feasted on Komugi’s food, and it was the first time that he ate cooked food and the first time to eat with someone else. He felt happy.

Lightning and thunders roared outside the cave. The rain is too heavy.

“You have to stay here all night.” The creature spoke looking at the heavy rain pouring. He didn’t know why, but he felt a pleasant sensation with the thought of Komugi staying. “I’m sure the rain will be gone by the morning. You should rest now.”

“Hai! Thank you so much, Mister. You are so kind.”

Thunder roared and lightning flashes again. How he wished that this rain would not stop. Wait what? Why was he thinking that way? She was a human after all. He might spare her life because she’s good, but why does he want her to be with him longer?

He looked at Komugi’s figure lying on the floor.

He didn’t’ know the answer. Maybe tomorrow, when he woke up he will be able to find answers.

He closed his eyes and slept.