Turning to Ashes

It was too late… The small military outpost we were going to invade was deserted… How could this be? We had planned carefully… And yet… We search and pillage the place. Nothing…
“Go search out back! Find their weapons… Artillery or anything we can use. We’ll get our freedom back!”
I shout at the others. We barely had any semblance of order so I took it upon myself of leading this small rebellion. A first step to restoring back what had been started by Hijikata and Enamoto in Ezo.
“Aomori will be freed! We shall live autonomously.” I edge them on. Glad to hear their cheers. Yet… Something is very wrong. Why is this place deserted? The men are cheering non-stop, we have what we want and yet…
“Inouehe-san! Inouehe-san! Come quick!”
I run quickly towards the back. Maybe they had found something we can re-build our lives with… Something useful… Money? Gun powder? Katanas? In the cold dark I see… A man tied like a roasting pig. Beaten to death like an animal. Turning him over, I realize this man… Our informant… I had thought he chickened out… That did not make sense before… My eyes widen in realization. A shot of fear travels from my hands up to my spine.
“Everyone get back to the village quickly! We’ve been found out!”
They stood there stupefied as if they didn’t hear me. “Morons! Get moving! This is either a trap… Or…” The village… Yaso.
Running faster and faster… Not looking back… I hear some of them following… And we are now suddenly faced with a number of soldiers of the Meiji government. I draw my katana swiftly slicing… cutting… weeding my way.
A loud blast from the distance. Bombs? Cannons? For a moment I am distracted and a discharge hits my right leg. Stumbling I look down and see the color of red. I must concentrate if I don’t want to die. Ripping a piece of my hakama I wrap it on the injured leg quickly.
Ashes… Smoke… I smell burning flesh… And of blood spilled from the men who followed behind me… From the soldiers in front. A haze… But this is nothing new, living through the turbulent period of the Bakumatsu, this is nothing compared to that. Maybe that it why it was so easy to kill those who blocked my path.
Pillage of wrath laid before my eyes. Just a blazing red light of houses and of fields. Did they intend to wipe out the whole reservation? Yes… Of course, it would be easier this way. No one wants to live out in the wilderness… Much less the Meiji dogs.
The smoke invades my eyes and it is hard to see. Which way? Where is my home? Did she leave in time? Running… Tripping over people’s carcases. I finally found myself back in our half-burning home. Breaking the door open I search for her. Providence… Shall it be on our side? Or will she be victim of the run of bad luck I carry? I cannot find her… She had promised to stay earlier. She is not the type to run away. But if she did, I can only thank Kami-sama for sparing her. If only I can be sure… I search for a body in the ruins fearing that I might find it. I should stop searching… But I must know… Right now.
Sparks fly in the darkness. My hands scorched and yet it is shivering with the cold. I am not weak… No… I refuse to succumb and yet I fall to the ground. A blunt blow… I feel it at the back of my head. Gripping my katana, turning awkwardly I flung the kunishige towards my assailant. Another soldier… Damn them! I hope my sword hits it’s mark.
(Note: Aomori is a real place where Saitou-san stayed. Although Yaso is actually a real person in his life, this isn’t exactly how things happened. LOL… This is just me being stupid trying to fill up the in-between years. ^_^ )