A Cat's Tale (The Secret Desires of Hotaru Nyanko)

Sixteen: 私に頭を下げて (Bow Down To Me)

I quickly became aware that my eyes were open and saw very unfamiliar things.

I stared at the boy. He appeared to be physically weak from the way his head moved.

I wonder how he had slept, and for how long? Were there any voices and if so; how did the voices sound like? And the ups and downs, like the sound of breaking waves on pebbles? I watched him as he stretched out a clumsy hand to get his bread from his pocket where he always kept it and touched something slick and hard, perhaps glass. He was very surprised by this because it was so unexpected. He suddenly rolled over, gave me a brief momentary gaze, and then fought to sit up. I see that he was surprised by how challenging the effort was, which made him thrilled, weak, and dizzy.

I helped him stand up as he rubbed his eyes. The puzzle of our surroundings was confusing to both of us but his mind was very clear, it was obvious that his sleep had helped him. He was not in a bed at all and I guess he will never know what a bed is-as he understood how their upbringing was, but lying naked on a very soft and yielding soil, underneath the large oak tree became his huge satisfaction.

We stopped by a man selling wool and cotton, and they seem like they knew each other. The boy handed him two pieces of silver coins, and the man gave us a bottle of water.

When we had somewhat recovered from exhaustion and stopped for a while, he drank the water that was still in the bottle, which was transparent but was not water and had the characteristics of instant comfort and stimulation. He set the container down and turned to look around.

The archway he saw was connected to a set of steps that descended without the aid of a door and led to a wide diagonal hallway. This passageway was framed by polished pillars that were made of a deep wine-colored material with white speckles. We immediately heard sounds of voices, and human movements and a deep, constant humming could be heard along the tunnel. He sat there, completely awake now, listening intently as he forgot about the snacks that were given to us.

I nibbled the wheat cracker for quite some time, but I am still hungry.

He then realized that he was barefoot, and as he looked about for some sandals, he noticed some leather footwear that had been placed on one of the carriers next to him. He encircled himself in this and sat down once more while shaking.

His confusion was still surging through his mind. He had napped and had been taken away while dozing.

“Are you alright?” I asked him.

I pointed to my back as if to say that I can help him out. I knew that his feet were already weak so I helped him get up and get on top of my back.

Where was this located? —this area, which to his senses appeared to be slightly trembling as if it were alive? When he turned to face the clear, beautiful, and ornament-free shape of the houses, he noticed that the roof had a spot where a circular beam of light had broken through. As he watched, a continuous, sweeping shadow covered the light, blocked it, and then came back and went by. In the quiet uproar that filled the air, that sweeping shadow's call to "beat, beat" took on a sound of its own.

He attempted to yell, but only a faint sound emerged from his throat. He then got to his feet and walked toward the archway with the shaky steps of a drunk. He stumbled as he descended the stairs, tripped over a black cloak corner he had wrapped around himself, and caught himself against one of the blue pillars to avoid falling.

The passageway descended a cool purple and orange view before coming to an abrupt end in a balcony-like space with railings that projected into a hazy area that seemed like the interior of a huge skyscraper. This area was brightly lit. There were enormous, hazy architectural structures in the distance. The noise of voices grew louder and clearer and he noticed three persons on the balcony facing him, gesturing and seeming to be engaged in animated conversation. They were richly clothed in free-flowing clothing with soft, vivid colors. The roar of a large crowd rose above the balcony, and it appeared that once a banner's top passed. Additionally, once, a vividly colored object, such as a light blue cap or outfit, was tossed into the air.

We kept walking until the evening came, and the wind kept surging ahead.

The mountains of the west are incredibly beautiful and vast.

The crisp of the evening came to appear against us, our feet sore from walking.

In the distance, we can hear the sounds of crickets and the howling of dogs. The humming of the birds is also heard from the skies above.

I could hear my stomach rumbling and churning from hunger.

He turned to look at me and smiled weakly.

"What's your name?"

I asked him.

I pointed to myself.

"Me, Ho... ta...ru."

I slowly verbalized my name with my lips drawing the words.

He stood silent for a while like he was thinking hard.

"Gu...bi...mu."

So, his name is Gubimu all along.

It's funny how he imitated how I spoke a while ago to introduce myself.

Now that I know his name, I gripped his little hand slightly tighter to know he was safe with me, even though I don't know where he is taking us.

We climbed the top of the mountains and I saw people in the woods mostly women everywhere.

Some of them were holding water buckets, and some light up a fire from rocks, with the same white robes except they were nicely cut in so many ways. like the types of dresses I see in magazines which they were wearing the last time, I saw them.

I almost freaked out from these mountain people, chanting traditional songs and dancing to the moon, while I see a group of women encircling a fire; entangling their hands together and slowly rounding about with their voices singing up in the air and their hands raising and moving in rapid ways.

The boy brought me closer to them; and as if in a trance, they bowed down and knelt under our feet. One by one they fell to the ground, the fire close by.

One woman with marked tribal tattoos with silver in her dark auburn hair shouted her lungs out to the heavens above.

She began to sing and chant in vibrato tones I don't understand.

She wore animal bones as jewelry on her body and their hair was adorned with shells and stones. As she started, they all hummed along with her; clapping and thumping at the same time.

The other girl kept chanting and she stood up, her breasts dangling in the air. The other woman with a bald head came along with her, and they slapped each other while the others kept kneeling, dancing, and singing.

I was horrified.

Stop!

I screamed.

The boy held my hand tighter and stopped me when I nudged forward as if to say that I should stay behind.

The two women leaned on their heads towards each other, still forming a roundabout; like a merry-go-round while they bark and hiss at each other.

It looks like a game of battle, and they continued to fight while the boy and I watched together.

The bald girl ran to the auburn-haired woman and took a plunge on her, knocking her down. I guess it was some kind of ritual or something.

Suddenly, when she won and was praised by the other ones, she turned to me with her black eyes that seemed to dart my way. She then proceeded to go into the hut, and after a few minutes she took out a teenage girl who looks very angelic and beautiful, her skin light as alabaster and her makeup bright like the sun. Her cheeks are as pink as roses and her lips red like the bloody crimson.

I stared at her beauty in amazement.

As she got closer to me, the boy let go of me and ran to the woods somewhere else.

Wait!

I was supposed to run after him, but the girl stopped me feeling her soft breasts on my skin. She looked me up and down with her enchanted blue eyes, slowly touching my uniform.

But the boy, where is he?

I asked her, as she looked at me in awe.

She placed a finger on my mouth as if to say that I should hush.

Great.

The girl continued to caress my hair and stare at me with her doe eyes.

She carefully bowed and knelt before me.

I was shocked at what I am seeing.

I knelt beside her.

I guess because I look different, they may think I am some kind of a god that they can worship.

No!

"Don't bow down to me I am not a god or something," I told her, gesturing with my hands.

It took me a while to realize that I want her to understand what I am saying, they are like tribes who do not know anything about my language or even the modern world where I live in.

How the heck am I even in this place?

She became angry, and within a few seconds, she slapped my face.

My red cheeks were hot from fury, and I was surprised to slap her back.

She gripped her hands together and placed them on my neck.

She is going to strangle me!

Turning her head, she immediately dived to kiss me.

I... I don't know what to do.

I tried to push her away, but she continued to kiss me even harder.

Her lips were as soft as petals, and I couldn't get enough.

I kissed her back, breathing heavily.

Mmmm…

I did not know kissing felt as good as this.

She then spread her legs wider and jumped in my lap. Slowly, she kissed my neck and softly bit my ear.

Ughhh... That felt good.

I put pressure on her hips, as she grinds her buttocks on me.

She took my hands and slid them under her robe.

She whined and moaned, and I watched in astonishment.

Her nipples stood out from her clothing, drenched in sweat.

I didn't know it feels so good.

I was lost for a moment...

My senses feel like I am exploding, as she thrust deeper and deeper...

She pushed me as I fall and continued to kiss me lower and lower...

I could feel her hands wandering to my body, and her lips working their way to my breasts, sucking my nipples.

Hmmm…

That feels so good; I let out a tiny moan.

Stop!

Let go of her!

I was lost in my senses for a moment when we turned to look at an old hag who came out of a wooden hut nearby.

Reaching for my hand that was tightly clasped to the girl’s fingers, she opened her mouth to cast one of her horrible spells, and knowing there was no hope, I closed my eyes in despair to resist such force in the world of things.

I have no idea how I could get away. I tried to transmit my mind while in a trance by space and time instantly – something I have achieved only a few times ever so far.

I succeeded; with the echo of a voice, made myself believe that I left the fatal world.

I could hear a wicked chuckle in my ears, but I knew it wasn't finished yet.

I recently cheated on someone whose help I desperately needed, which is the boy who ran away.

I only hoped I hadn't made any errors as I went on as I kept on directing my conscience toward a very clear, most particular place...