The Promise of Yuuko Asahino - Volume 1

Chapter 2 - A Place To Call Home

Part 1

"G-Guys! Wait for me! Please?!"

"Ohoioioioi, you'd better hurry up you slowpoke! I already climbed to the top!"

"Yeah! Hurry up or we'll leave you behind!"

He was going as fast as he could, but Yuuko's small legs were unaccustomed to climbing such uphill terrain. Every time he dug his heel in to move forward, the loose dirted molded around his shoe and created a miniature hole his foot sunk into. To make things worse, he couldn't properly grip any of the surrounding plants for support. The trees were much to thick, and the flowers were plucked from the ground at the slightest provocation.

He felt sad pulling them out of the ground, his mother likes flowers, especially gold ones that match her eyes. They went on a picnic last week, his father helped him pick some out for her— she looked so happy when he gave them to her.

Maybe he should bring some back to her today! His father would say it's a great ide—

*snap*

"Eh?"

*snapsnapsnap*

"That is....not!"

*snap*

"N-No— wait!"

But it was too late. He only had enough time to cover his head as he began rolling backwards down the hill. He had been so distracted that he hadn't noticed the small stem he held snapping at the roots.

His mind panicked. The sick feeling of falling backwards enveloped him and everything became a blur of blue, brown, and green. The sensations of dizziness mixed together with the soft dirt made it hard to tell where he was going, only that he was going very, very fast. A part of him realized he was hurting, but another screamed that something had to be done!

He extended his hands out in front of him, reaching for something!— anything!— that could help; and the smell of earth hit his nose while a warm mush surrounding his fingers.

Hands? Yes— his hands were in the dirt!

Feeling himself going slightly slower, he did the same thing with his feet, and sure enough, the malleable earth began piling beneath his sneakers as his roll turned into a slide, and his slide slowly descended to a stop.

Everything.....is spinning.....

The many shades of brown and green were still mingling together; and moreover, his stomach was doing sickening flips and churns, as if it hadn't realized he stopped.

Not wanting to throw up; he sat underneath the nearest tree, although it looked more as though he collapsed against the of it rather than peacefully sit down.

It took time, but eventually the brown and green separated into the ground and the trees. When the world became right, he closed his eyes, focusing on his stomach, and it too became calm.

*fuuuahhhhhhh*

He let out a long sigh and stood using the tree for support. He still felt dizzy, but that didn't bother him as much.

As the tension left him, the first thing he felt was the itchiness that covered his entire body. He looked down at his arms— red, but not bleeding. There was an uncomfortable pricking feeling inside his shoes, poking at his socks. When he scratched the top of his head, dirt fell out. The only thing left to check was—

"Ouuuuhhhhhhh.........."

Yes, his clothes were covered in stains. He could already feel the presence of his mother.