Kitsune in the Shadows

Chapter 5 – My Reality

It’s been a month…

I’ve put up with everything for a month…

But now…

“I’m free…”

Just hearing those words come from my lips filled me with hope.

“I’m finally free… to just live my life.”

I pulled myself up off the floor and wiped away my tears with my sleeve.

This is where I start over.

There is just one thing that I want to do first.

I want to go back to where it started and do things properly this time.

Before I had the chance to think about it anymore, I was already sprinting through the back alleys, heading to the street where it started.

The exit to the alley was in front of me before I knew it, but before actually making it out into the street, my legs froze up, almost tripping me up.

Should I-

“Yes!” I interrupted myself before my thoughts could start to spiral out of control, “This is your chance to do it over. Do it properly.”

Forcing down any doubts, I took a step out into this new world once again.

…

What I saw in front of me was the same bustling shopping district lined with decorative storefronts.

The same intricate timber-framed buildings. The same extravagant boutique. The same small bakery. The same tailor. The same jeweller.

It was all… the same…

But it didn’t feel the same…

While trying to figure out what was wrong, my eyes instinctively moved to the people walking down the street. Most just ignored me, and the few who didn’t did little more than glance my way before continuing on their way.

Nobody is chasing me away, so what’s wrong?

This is exactly what I wanted…

This was supposed to be my second chance, but something was off. It was like all of the colour had been taken from the world around me.

Why don’t I feel anything?…

What’s different?…

After asking that question in my mind, my lips started to move on their own, as if the answer was all too obvious, “Me…”

However, I was cut off before I could continue down that line of thought by a man shouting at the top of his lungs, “There!!”

My eyes and ears instinctively turned towards the source of the noise, but what they ended up finding made my blood run cold.

There were three knights walking behind a large man. A large man with a familiar face, who was wearing a familiar poorly sized three-piece suit. It was the same bulbous pig from my first day, but his skin had gained a sickly yellow tint, and what little hair he still had was sticking out of his head haphazardly like it had a mind of its own.

“That’s the little heretic that cursed me!” he belted out while pointing directly at me.

“My Lord, that child has black hair,” One of the knights chimed in, “I thought we were looking for a white-haired heretic?”

“I don’t care if it has black hair now! It has that face! I would recognise that pathetic damn face anywhere!”

The knights glanced at each other, almost as if they were trying to make sure that they were all hearing the same thing, although none of them chose to speak up.

“What are you waiting for?! Go kill that thing! I don’t care what punishment Casgolau faces for this! This place has already betrayed me!”

The three knights sighed, then replied in unison, “Yes, my Lord.”

I just stood there, stunned, trying to comprehend what I just heard.

Kill?… That can’t be right…

I know that everyone hates me… but nobody would go that far…

Right?…

However, once I saw the knights unsheathe their swords, a prickling sensation ran through my body, making my tail puff up as if my body instinctively knew it was in danger.

My little legs took action immediately, carrying me back into the alley.

All I could hear behind me was the knights’ armour clanking against itself as they started to run. Even though they were wearing heavy armour, it would only be a matter of time before they caught up to me and my tiny legs.

Loose stones were digging into my feet with every step, but I could ignore the pain. It’s nothing I haven’t felt before.

At least, that’s what I thought.

As I was approaching a turn in the alley, a particularly sharp stone sliced into the sole of my foot, tripping me up.

I was able to brace myself against the fall, with my forearm taking the brunt of the impact and getting small cuts along it in the process.

“It’s fallen, go get it!” The knight in the front yelled, “I want to get this over with quickly.”

Come on, get up!

Hearing the sound of metal clanking together, I tried to get up as quickly as possible, but right as I got back on my feet, a sharp pain travelled from my right shoulder diagonally down my back, sending me back down to my knees.

It burns!

The clanking sound stopped as all the knights had caught up with me.

“Well, it shouldn’t be moving after that.” One of the knights said as he wiped off his sword.

“So, what are we supposed to do now?” The second knight asked.

“Just kill it; I’m tired of hearing the Baron complain about this curse,” the third knight answered as he raised his sword.

The first knight grabbed his wrist, stopping the third knight from swinging, “Wait, let’s just take the kid to the Baron. It’s probably not the right one, he was after one with white hair. And I’d rather not kill some innocent kid.”

If you feel so bad about it, why did you swing at me?!

“Why bother? I know you’re just as sick of the Baron as I am.”

Just like that, the knights continued to squabble amongst themselves about what they should do with me.

The argument seemed to quickly heat up to the point of becoming physical, and the third knight ended up knocking the first knight down to the floor, prompting the other knight to get between them.

Seeing this as my only opportunity, I summoned up whatever strength I had left to force myself to my feet before immediately sprinting around the corner just ahead of me.

“Now look what you’ve done. It’s getting away!”

I didn’t know which knight that was, but it didn’t matter; I needed to get away.

Frantically scanning the alley in front of me, I saw that there was a small alcove on my right, so I threw myself into it, scraping my already injured forearm against the cobblestones again.

Please don’t find me.

As if responding to my thoughts, the shadows in my hair started to move, snaking across my body until I was completely covered.

“I swear, if you made us lose her just because you felt sorry for some kid on the streets!”

The clanking came up right behind me again, and I held my breath with my hands clasped to my mouth.

The clanking suddenly stopped…

“Where did that damn thing go!”

“How am I supposed to know?!”

“Just keep going. She couldn’t have gotten far with that injury.”

The knights took off running again, the clanking sound slowly getting quieter. I just lay in the alcove, completely still, breathing as little as possible.

…

The sun eventually set, covering the alley in darkness.

They must be gone now…

…

Right?…

Cautiously, I peeked out from the alcove, checking that there wasn’t anyone waiting for me to come out. Once I was sure nobody was around anymore, I got up and shuffled back to the black stone temple.

Propping myself against the temple wall, I could finally feel my body start to relax and, along with it, the pain from my injuries.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who was relaxing as the shadows melted out of my hair and tail, returning them to their natural pure white.

“What did I do wrong?”

Tears started streaming down my face, and just like that first day, my tail waved in front of me, knowing what came next.

“Is there just nothing I can do?”

I pushed my face deep into my tail, hoping that, just maybe, I could see that fox from my dream again.

At least you listened to me…

I lay myself down on the ground and closed my eyes.

Is this just… my reality?

…