Mr. Sugihara turned to Darren and Yuki.
“We better step into the den.” Mr. Sugihara said, “We shouldn’t wake the children.”
Darren and Yuki followed Mr. Sugihara into a small room off to the side of the living room. The room had a small desk with a computer on it.
Mr. Sugihara lit a small oil lamp.
“My wife is a nurse.” Mr. Sugihara said, “She’ll get you cleaned up.”
“You are too kind.” Yuki said, “But we don’t wish to impose on you. We can stay in the garage until tomorrow night and then we can be on our way.”
“Shut up.” Mrs. Sugihara said from behind them, “You, little missy, aren’t going anywhere.”
Mrs. Sugihara was an older lady who stooped when she walked. She did carry an air of superiority around with her. She was dressed in simple street clothes. Darren noticed that she probably wasn’t wearing a bra, but pretended not to notice. Her speech came out as a hoarse whisper, her attempts to quiet her voice were hampered by the need to chastise youngsters.
“I’m sorry…” Darren began.
“You can shut up too.” Mrs. Sugihara snapped, “It’s four in the morning. What in the world are you two teenagers doing riding around at this hour at night.”
Anger seethed up through his teeth.
Yuki put her hand on Darren’s arm.
“Oh, the Gaijin wants to speak angry words to his betters. Lets hear the American try and defend himself in proper Japanese, not that dirty foul English. Let’s hear it. Why were you criminals riding around at night after the curfew? The army could arrest you for being out after dark.”
Darren breathed deeply and calmed his fried nerves.
“I see that the Gaijin can’t speak.” Mrs. Sugihara said, “If these two criminals can’t defend themselves, then they can leave.”
“Woman.” Mr. Sugihara said, “You’re being unreasonable and rude. Calling this man a Gaijin. Not seeing these youngsters for who they are and not for…”
Darren put his hand on Mr. Sugihara’s shoulder.
“We are sorry to bother you.” Darren said in Japanese, “We will leave.”
“No.” Mr. Sugihara said, “You two are too injured to go back out.”
“And we aren’t going to receive any help from a judgmental harpy.” Darren said, “I’ll leave and trust my injuries to Yuki.”
A cold hush sprang around the room as Darren walked towards the door.
“What did you call me?” Mrs. Sugihara said.
“A judgmentally harpy,” Darren said.
“I am not…” Mrs. Sugihara said, before being interrupted by Darren.
“Shut up.” Darren said, “I don’t care about you or your feelings. I don’t care about your customs or your etiquette. I am not Japanese, and I don’t care. Your customs and etiquette almost got Yuki raped and killed not two kilometers from your house. You want to know why we ride out in the dark? Cause the fucking Yellowstone volcano erupted and blew up. Tsunamis and earthquakes ravage the globe and don’t seem to be getting better. And now the people have gone mad. If you walk down the street in most parts of what’s left of Tokyo, you’ll be killed just in case you have a granola bar in your pocket. Some people are eating people. Think about that. Let that roll around in your tiny little judgmental brain. You want to know why we ride at night? So we will live another day. Riding in the day might get us killed. Now if we’re done, and we aren’t going to receive any help, then I withdraw my acceptance to receiving help from you and will excuse myself from your presence. I’ll go bleed on the streets where my criminal ass belongs.”
“No.” Mrs. Sugihara said, “I’m sorry. I forgot that there’re others that need help too.”
“What was that all about Mr. Sugihara.” Yuki turned to her old teacher.
“My wife gets cranky when she gets woken up at four in the morning by a war.” Mr. Sugihara said, “Especially when I run out into the night and bring back people who need our help.”
Mrs. Sugihara turned to her husband.
“Go to bed. I’ll patch these two up the best I can.” She said and then she turned to Darren, “I’ll need you to step outside and wait until I have looked at this girl.”
Mr. Sugihara turned and left the room.
Yuki turned to Mrs. Sugihara, “No. He can stay.”
“Excuse me.” Mrs. Sugihara, her voice rose up.
“You know nothing about us.” Yuki said, “He has been the one person that has been there for me no matter what. He has saved my life many times. He can stay and if he sees me naked, then so be it. These are not the times for modesty.”
Mrs. Sugihara glared at Yuki, “So be it.”
Chapter 33
Yuki stripped down as Mrs. Sugihara examined her beaten body for injuries. Darren was done last. The old lady barely looked at him. It wasn’t until Yuki had pulled off the makeshift bandage that was wrapped around Darren’s head that she looked at him.
She stomped off out of the room after she finished.
Mr. Sugihara walked back into the room.
“I apologize for my wife.” Mr. Sugihara said, “Losing her son has been hard on her.”
“No excuse,” Yuki said.
“I know.” Mr. Sugihara said, “Stay for a few days. Let me make it up to you two.”
“No,” Yuki said.
Mr. Sagihara looked at her, shocked.
“You have nowhere to go, and the sun is rising.” Mr. Sugihara said, “Once you get out of this community, the lawlessness of the outside will get you. You have to stay until at least nightfall.”
“No,” Yuki said, “I know of a place not too far from here that we could probably hide out until dark.”
Darren and Yuki entered the garage. Hunched over an open child carrier, was Mr. Sugihara’s son. He rummaged through the supplies.
Darren had his handgun out a moment later.
“Get away from our stuff,” Darren said.
“Boy.” Mr. Sugihara said, “There better be a good reason for it.”
“Mother told me to.” He said, “They have lots of food in there. And there isn’t enough to go around. The army didn’t distribute any yesterday.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Mr. Sugihara said, “It all better be here.”
“It is.” The boy said as he ran away.
“I’ll help you pack.” Mr. Sugihara said.
“Leave us alone.” Yuki said, “You’re a nice man who thought to help us through a difficult time, but your family is crazy, and your son almost got killed.”
“You would have killed him?”
“You have no idea what is happening in Tokyo.” Darren said, “The entire population is stuck there, no help arrives, no food. They are killing each other for a snack bar.”
“What do you mean?” Mr. Sugihara asked.
“Here,” Darren said, “There are distributing supplies. Pulling people out of wrecks. Taking them to camps and helping people.”
“I know.” Mt Sugihara said, “It’s just a larger event than that tsunami years ago.”
“Yes.” Darren said, “But they aren’t doing that in Tokyo.”
“The army must be blockading Tokyo.”
“They built a wall around it and shoot people that try to leave.”
“No wonder they hunted you.” Mr. Sugihara said.
“Probably still hunting us,” Yuki said.
“Leave us alone. We’ll leave and be on our way.” Darren said.
“If you excuse me,” Mr. Sugihara said with a small bow, “I am going to yell at my wife and son. I apologize again for their behavior.”
Mr. Sugihara left the garage. Darren could hear the echoes of Mr. Sugihara’s raised voice from the house. He didn’t care. He packed the scattered supplies and put it all back in the child carriers. The handgun was still in it’s hiding place. Darren took off his sword and pistol. He put it in the child carrier.