Kashii

I stood there and heard his words as he said them, but I was not sure if I heard them ccorrectly. My eyes searched his face for any sign letting me know if he meant those words. If he did mean those words, did he think that I was someone else? Was he not able to recognize my face through the bruises and swollen eyes? Did he honestly believe that I was a long lost son of his that had somehow drifted back to his doorstep? Why was I here? Why did my feet bring me to Nakagana, a man that I had only known as a neighbor, a person that waived his hand to everyone that passed his yard? My mind was racing, making those boulders roll around some more and make the inside of my skull bruise and throb all over again. I moved my lips to make the word, "What?"

"I said welcome home son," he smiled as he said it, his arms raised in an open hug, waiting for me to lean on him and hug him back. When I saw him raise his arms I instinctively flinched, I saw his arms lowere slightly, but not all the way. I saw the smile fade from his face and become a look of concern, and then sadness filled his eyes. I let the shame of my fear leave me and then I raised my arms back to give him a hug. He patted my back softly and then realeased me, he looked at me and smiled. "You are now home, you are now safe, you are now welcome."

I had never had a feeling of such warmth spread through me, I was dumbstruck. I did not know what to say or do. My legs felt rubbery, my knees wanted to fold up and let me fall to the floor. Nakagana had noticed this and just let me rest on his shoulder and cry. My eyes were opened up and the hurt and sorrow was pouring out of them straight from my soul and onto his shoulder. I do not know how long I cried on his shoulder, but eventually I was led to the couch and sat down on the unbelieveably comfortable cushions. I tilted my head back and let it rest on the pillow behind it and closed my eyes. It was not long before sleep came to me that evening, when I opened my eyes the room was filled with sunshine and warmth.

For a minute I thought that I had dreamed all of the events that I had just written about, however when I blinked my eyes I could tell that I had not because the boulders were still there, and they were rolling yet again. I closed my eyes and tried to let the boulders not get the best of me, however the constant drunning sound in my ears and the throbbing pressure inside of my skull became too great. I turned my head, getting ready to find the bathroom, instead saw a bowl on the floor next to me. I could not hold it anymore and I vomited in the bowl. Before passing back out I was able to notice that there was not any blood in the bowl with the vomit, this was a good sign. I fell back asleep and woke up with the room a little more dark and the sounds of people in the other room. The first voice I heard was Nakagana's, he was talking to someone, it seemed that they may have been arguing about something. "I stand by my decision. He is staying here, he will not go back to that hell. He does not deserve that, no one does."

The next voice that I heard was a woman's voice, worried yet warm. "Nakagana, please hear me. I am just concerned that he could do something to our home. I agree that no one deserves that, but we also deserve to be safe, don't we?" I could understand her concern and I could see her point. Who really wants to welcome a stranger into their home?

"Kashii, I hear what you are saying, and I know what you feel. He is not a danger to us, nor to you. He has respect and kindness in him. I saw that in his eyes, what I could see of them. I could sense it in him as well. He has no where else to go. He needs us."

"What guarantee can you give me that he will not be a danger?"

"If he makes one false move, I will rectify it and he will be gone. No arguments."

"Naka, know that I am not follish. I know that you will do everything you can to make sure it is safe for me, what if his being here becomes a danger to us? How do we know that the people that did that to him are not looking for him right now?"

"The people that did that to him I moved off of our fence earlier today, and his family is who he ran away from. They have thrown him into the street, they do not care about anymore. I cannot go to sleep knowing that I did nothing to help this lost soul when I had the chance to do so."

"One move that I do not like and he is gone. Now answer me one more thing if you will," I could hear the smile on her face, " What is his name and what does he like to eat?"

I had stood up and was standing around the corner from them listening to the whole situation and the concern of his wife Kashii, all of it understandable and expected. I cleared my throat so they k new that I was there, I did not want to frighten or scare them. Nakagana stood and walked around the corner and grabbed my elbow gently and led me towards the table to Kashii.

In the chair in front of me was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen in my life. She had skin that was flawless and smooth, an olive-ish tint to it. Her smile was wide and welcoming, full of genuine warmth and concern, her eyes were deep pools of thought. I could feel myself smiling at her, and thought of how hideous I must look to her. She stood and held her hand out to me, I grasped it gently and shook it softly, keeping my eyes on her. "I am Yojiro. I am honored to be welcome in your home. I will not be a danger to you, and if I do make any threatening move, please tell me and I will leave on my own."

Kashii smiled her beautiful, peaceful, wondrful smile at me and asked, "How do I know that you are not telling me a lie? Do you have something that I can hold on to for a guarantee?"

I kneeled down in front of her and held her hand in my two hands, I looked upinto her eyes and let her stare deep down into my soul. I showed her the entire extent of what my heart and soul held, she did not flinch or look away, she took it all in. "I swear to you that I will not do anything to take this feeling of home away from you, Nakagana, or for the first time in my life, me. This is my promise to you Kashii."