Blind

Chapter One: Leaving for Something Better

My family pleaded for me not to go to Australia; well it was just my Mother who didn't want me to go. My Father doesn't really mind and my sister, Risako, didn't give a damn in the world where I am. I walk around the airport but stay within the area of my plane with my mother trailing along in tears.

"Oh, Shinobu! I'm going to miss you so much!" she cries

Out of all my family, my mother is the only one who really cares about me. I think that is what makes Risako jealous and hate me ever since I was born. I hate her as well and glad I am not going to see her ugly pathetic face for the next three years and possibly more if I want to go to a University there. My mother on the other hand I'll admit, I will miss her.

'All passengers traveling on 284 to Melbourne please immediately make their way to gate 14'

The announcements repeated once more. I turn to my mother and gave her a quick hug promising her that I will call her once I land in Australia. My mother would not let go and is messing up my dress shirt by rubbing her snot with her face all over my chest. The announcements rang again about the flight leaving and I had to let go of my mother and make a run for it. I made it in time but I accidentally bump into someone in front of me. A tall handsome man with thin jet black hair,well groom, wearing a black business suit turn his face and took a good look at me. He wasn't smiling at all. At first I thought he was angry but when I look closer to this man's dark blue eyes; he looks sad. The tall man turns to the ticket lady and gave her his ticket; disappears in the plane. I am next in line and gave the ticket to the lady. She rips it in half and points to me where I should go happily. I enter the plane looking for my assign seat. It turns out I have to seat next to the gloomy tall man; not that I really mind. I squeeze myself through the man's long legs to get to my seat which is beside the window. The man tries to make room for me to go through by that just made it worse. He told me to go back which I did and the man stood up and made a hand signal to enter. I finally got seated and express thanks the man.

"What's there to thank about. I just stood up to make room." The man said in a raspy deep voice.

I turn to look at the window without saying anything more. Time passes by and the announcements call out to put on our seat belts. I did as they said and the plane soon takes off. It is going to be about an eleven hour flight and I'm going to be bored out of my mind. Better make the most of it and make a friend here. I turn to the man sitting next to me and look into his eyes. They seem to be lightening up a bit more than earlier. Maybe he's not sad anymore? I think of something to say but in the end I unwarily just make a complete fool of myself when he notices I was staring at him. He wasn't smiling at all but I could see it in his dark sapphire eyes. They are starting to look more indigo the longer I stare at it. He spoke to me in almost like whisper but it was loud enough for me to hear without trying.

"I see you took a quite liking to me."

My face felt like it is scorching in embarrassment which it is. Unlike a lot of people whose blushes only tint on their cheeks; mine went tomato red all over my face and a bit to my neck.

"Ah-h… I uh... Sorry. I didn't me-e-mean to…" I stutter

His eyes went from my dull grey eyes to the dull grey newspaper. I didn't want to bother him so I just turn back to window and stare out in the cotton candy soft blue sky. I soon fell asleep.

...~...

When I woke up I rub my eyes to get rid of eye junk and wipe my mouth in case I drool. I hear soft snores next to me and see that the man is asleep as well. My eyes glaze at him until I realize that I need to go to the restroom, badly. I thought about waking the man up so he can stand up letting me pass like earlier but that is rude. So I try my best to squeeze my way out but it didn't work. I look around noticing everyone is asleep. I devise my perfect plan on jumping over the man since that was my only option. I got on top of my seat squatting down low; crawling on top of the arm of the seat between us. I thought of a way to get over without touching him while in a spider man position on the arm rest. Jumping is too risky since I might land on his legs and hurt him. An idea came to me and I am willing go for it. My two hands held onto the arm rest for support as I stretch my left leg over the man's body to the over arm rest. Then with my left hand I glide it to where my left foot is resting. For sure I thought I am going to make it. As I glide my right hand to the other end my right foot lost support and I lost balance. Thus I fell half of my body onto the man causing him to wake up. Our eyes met each other for one second right before I jolt and ran to the restroom without a word.

I never felt so embarrass in my life but at the same time I felt a bit of happiness. I am not sure why I feel this way but I just cope with it. I lock the restroom door, pull down my pants and took a long piss. Flushing the toilet while pulling up my pants; I look at the mirror behind me. There was a red mark on the left side of my cheek that looks to be the print of my knuckles. I rub it off and the mark seems to be going away. I wash my hands and scrub my face clean. Once I'm all down I think of something else for me to stay in the bathroom longer. I fix my hair, stare at my face pores, masturbated, and wash my hands again and just sat on the toilet seat thinking. I didn't want to exit this tiny bathroom and face the embarrassment with the man. Minutes went by and soon there came a knock on the restroom door. I ignore it thinking it was my imagination but the knocking kept going. I heard a woman's voice calling out to me. She asks if anybody was there and that was my trigger to finally exit the bathroom. I stood up while accidentally hitting my knee under the sink and curse softly. I open the door and smile apologetically to the woman and head back to my seat. Everyone is still asleep; all except that man. He is on his silver laptop delicately typing to what it looks to be an email. I slowly walk towards my seat and stood silently in front of the man. I try to figure out what to say. Should I say 'Excuse me' and act like nothing happen or should I be more honest and tell him why I was on top of him. The man notice I was standing mutely and he close his laptop and got up without a word. I mutter 'thank you' and sat on my seat. I hope he goes back to his laptop and forget about the whole incident but instead he put his laptop away and spoke to me.

"Why the hurry?" he question

I rub the back of my head nervously; trying to figure out what to say. It's not like I did anything bad. I just need to go to the bathroom badly earlier and I didn't want to wake him up. Should I just say that?

"I need to go to the bathroom" I reply softly

He didn't leave it at that. Instead he question further then what I hope for.

"Took a long time in there buddy, everything went okay?" the man said

I nod without looking at him. If I look at his eyes I might just die of embarrassment. I could feel him staring at me with his intense dark sapphire eyes. They look so deep and mysterious; if I stare long enough I might just sink into his black hole and never come out.

"I'm Miyagi Yō. What's your name?"

My face did not go into blazing red like earlier instead I felt a bit of heat on my cheeks. That was the mysterious man's name. Miyagi Yō; it sounds a nice name to call out to. I said his name over and over in my head.

Miyagi Yō

He asks me again about my name and that is when I snap back into reality.

"Takatsuki Shinobu sir." I whisper

"Excuse me? State your name again but with more confidence." Miyagi demand

"Takatsuki Shinobu." I half scream and half spoke.

Miyagi smiles kindly at me but I still hint a bit of sadness in his eyes. I smile back as well in show of politeness.

"What brings you to Australia" he ask

"School, and you sir?" I reply

"Vacation" He said happily

I wonder where he's going for vacation; is he staying in the city or going to the outback and experience the true nature of what Australia gives you.

"Where are you heading for vacation?" I ask

"I have a house out in the desert." He reply

So he's been to Australia before? That is very fascinating. I ask him many more questions and he replies to them all honestly. I learn many things from him that night. He is a Literature Professor back in Japan working for my father and he has been to Australia many times in his life since he was five years old. He also learns many things from me. He learns that I am going to attend an all-boys school for the foreign exchange program, my dreams and plans for my future and so on.

"It's still summer break. You're not going to school for one more month. How would you like to experience Australia's wildlife?"

My eyes widen with happiness. I immediately said yes to this offer. What do I have to lose; I have no friends in Australia and it is going to be undoubtedly lonely all month. We chat nonstop throughout the rest of the plane ride. We talk about many things like our family, friends and hobbies. The announcements call out to put on our seat belts again and the plane finally land. The hour 11 hour trip isn't so bad. I made a new friend and found a place to spend for the rest of the summer. Miyagi and I got our luggage; head to a coffee shop and order coffee. I went to the bathroom while Miyagi held my luggage. I wash my face and hands; fix my hair and return to were Miyagi is seating. He hand my cup of coffee I ordered.

I smell the coffee and it was not the same odor as I usually drink.

"What's the problem?" Miyagi ask while taking a sip of his coffee.

I sip my coffee as well and fine a bit of a bitter taste than usual. I grab a pink packet of sugar; tear it open and pour it all in my drink. I stir and taste the red thin straw. It now tastes normal like always but I still can't help but notice the strange smell.

"Nothing, it just smells funny than usual." I reply

"It's normal. Mine doesn't smell like back at Japan either; different countries, different odor." He said

Miyagi must be right. It was probably because I am in a different country so the scent on something simple like coffee would obviously be different. I continue drinking my coffee while chatting with Miyagi. My head suddenly felt a bit dizzy. I stop drinking my coffee and try to regain conscious. I see many colors, pretty bright colors spinning around me like if you were on a merry go round sitting in the spinning giant tea cup. I hear voices but I could not understand it. It is all foreign to me. I hear Miyagi's worrisome voice. It sounds so angelic but for some reason I feel something bad about him. I do not know why? My head throb in pain as if you had a migraine. It feels like my head is raining rocks and it's a never ending storm. My eyes close just for one moment and for that moment I black out.

...~...

I feel my body is on top of something firm but soft at the same time. My eyes open to a dawdling moving dusty greenish brown fan that sounds a bit squeaky. I turn to the left and see a dusty white stain lamp that is off on top of a dark brown wood end table; medicine bottle which seems to be aspirins and a glass of earthy water.

I turn to the right and see the same end table but the items on it are some old tea stain envelopes, a dark navy blue pocket knife, glass vase of dying red flowers and a lime green box of tissues. It is dark and the door is shut. I rub my eyes and got out of bed. I notice something, I have no underwear and I am wearing an oversize dirty white t-shirt.

Was I raped? My face fuse in bright red at what I image might happen. I feel normal and I check my privet parts. It is still there; a sign of relief is for me. What happen, where am I, why am I here? I do not remember one single thing from yesterday. Was it yesterday? For all I know I might be in a dream. I pitch myself to make sure I was not in a dream and for sure I am not. All I remember before this happen was the airport with my mother. After that everything went hazy. There was a man in the airplane with me and he has the most mysterious eyes. Then there was coffee and that is all I remember. I look around the dark room and saw a fresh pair of clothes on top of a light brown wood chair near by the curtain window. I grab it and put it on the hoary light grey oversize shirt; light blue checkerboard boxers and rip navy jeans which strangely end up fitting me perfectly.

I took the navy blue pocket knife and hid it in my left pocket. I look in the drawers to see if there was any weapon I could use. I check the left end table drawers and there were just Japanese literature books. I check the right end table and there are more envelopes and books. I went to the closet and found just ancient dreadful clothes. I crawl under the bed only finding cob webs and a dead cockroach. There was nothing else in this room that might be helpful. I put my left hand in my left pocket where the knife is and open the door slowly and carefully. I see a well-lighted hallway which leads to the kitchen. Carefully I walk slowly to the kitchen passing by three other doors. The floor squeak with each step I took. My heart race as I walk closer and closer to the kitchen. I hid behind the corner at the end of the hallway and peek out to what I found an empty kitchen. The kitchen look dirty and unkempt; the sink is fill with mud and grass which looks very disgusting and the counters is overflow with dead or expire food. I want to vomit at this site. I look to the floor and see a muddy trail leading to the porch outside. I look at the other side of the room and see the living room. Compare to the gross kitchen; the living room actually looks neat and nice. It looks like it needs a bit of sweeping but other than that it looks actually livable. I follow the muddy trail and look out behind the window which goes to the porch. I see a tall man in black stain green t-shirt with dark grey rip dirty knee length shorts working on his red pickup truck.

The man stood up and wipes his forehead with a red bandanna. I squeeze my eyes to look closer and realize who it is. It was Miyagi. That man from the airport. I open the door and walk up to him bare footed. The red dirt is scorching hot and I feel it burning my feet but I didn't care. He notice and turn to me with a smile.

"Hey, you finally awake." He exclaim.

I tighten my fist and look at him in the eye deadly; ready to kill.

"Where the hell am I?" I demand

He wipes his forehead with the red bandanna once again and sluggishly puts it in his back right pocket. He took out a box of cigarettes from his left back pocket along with a lighter that says Las Vegas with poker ships print on it which is fading away. He lit one in his mouth and put the items back in his right back pocket. Took a huge inhale of the smoke and exhale it out slowly making rings of smoke. The cinnamon sent smoke hit my nostrils and it smells disgusting. I hate the smell of cigarettes, it smells like cancer.

He finally decides to answer my question.

"Australia" he replies calmly and took another inhale of the cigarette.

I look around in this vacant country. I see dead decaying plants, the soft blue sky, red mountains and the red dirt; lots of red dirt. It seems there isn't a city miles away. I felt a large warm rough hand took hold of my upper right arm. I turn immediately at Miyagi; took out my pocket knife and rashly cut across his face. He let go when I kick him in the stomach and I ran away from him. I ran and ran as far as I could from this sick man. I heard him calling my name. The more I ran the less I heard him calling my name. Soon I didn't hear him anymore. I slow down and begin walking. I didn't stop due to my fear of him catchy up to me. My heart race is immensely and the sun blaze down on, me cooking me till death. My feet, they burn so bad. The pain is so revolting and excruciating that I want to drop down and cry. I didn't and kept going; hoping that I will find help. I never did, instead I got so tired I just faint in the middle of the red searing ground. I wonder if I am going to die right here and now?

...~...