LUKI
It's dark and cold here. The ground is lumpy, cold and damp, and I can feel small stones sticking into my side.
How did I get like this? I don't remember clearly what happened. All I do remember are teeth. Big...long...teeth. And fear, yeah I remember that. Fear and teeth.
A shiver runs down my body. My hands search for injuries in the darkness. I can't see anything but I can feel wetness on my stomach. Further down--my God--I'm naked.
What's happened?
Noises--I can hear noises. Someone was moving about. A hand touches my shoulder. I don't scream but I want to.
Danny, I tell myself, you're a man, grin and handle it.
The Hand moves to my eyes now. They're open, the feeler knows this. The voice whispers to me but the words make no sense.
Pain. I don't suffer any pain. Even fear of my location has lost its strength. I breathe deeply of the dank, moist air. There's a foul taste to it. Yet, I like it, something about the foulness is invigorating.
Luki. My love.
I remember our last night together in New Zealand. You were extra loving. It is my greatest pleasure making love to you. Your slender frame riding me, your tits perfect in size and nipples erect. I sat up, you screamed. Close to climax, I didn't want to finish I wanted to drink my full of you so I pulled out. You put your finger in your mouth and gave me that look. You remember? I do, so sexy, so innocent, so fuckin' wanton. You were the devil that night and I was the plaything. The next morning you're at the airport...
“Danny-san, my visa has expired,” you said.
“Fuck the visa, we can work something out.”
“Come to Japan one day, Danny-san,” oh the lovely smile of yours encased in a sea of long black hair. “Let's enjoy Japan together.” And with that you walked off, no kiss goodbye, no 'I'll miss you,' hugs. Nothing. Just your sweet ass swaying side to side as you walked towards the entry gate and away from me.
Heart broken? Not me. Still, I came to Japan and found you three weeks later by chance. Both of us stood in line at Starbucks, both of us with Latte on the mind.
It was me who noticed you first. You were standing in line, a thousand yen note in your hand, waiting for the person in front of you to finish their order, but she was taking a long time deciding on what drink and cake she wanted, huh? I pushed through the line and said, “Let's go somewhere else.” Startled, you turned and your face brightened seeing me. Seeing the smile, seeing you again confirmed what I thought about back home. We are meant to be together. Nothing could hold us back.
Nothing.
I was wrong.
Oh, how wrong I was. Who's touching me? Is it you Luki? No, I don't think so. I'm cold, wet, naked and in a dark place. Time to get out.
I push the hand away...
Bright lights.
I remember bright lights.
Kanji-styled neon flashing madly against darkened glass. No stars in the sky, it's too bright down here to see them. You're laughing at my side, holding my arm like old couples in the movies.
Gangsters on the corner, loud music blearing from big speakers in their trunks. They stand around, showing off their shit. One called out to you. I don't understand what he said, but I understand the anger in your reply. I can deal with that wanker. “No,” you say. “They have guns.” You pull me away down a dark alley. Small bars line each side.
A voice moans as if in sleep. I turn to face the sleeper, can't see who it is. Female, I'm sure of that but it's not you, is it Luki? Have I been a bad boy? Did I...no, that sort of thing isn't in my blood.
Getting to my feet hurts. Sharp pain rips through my ribs, nearly winding me. Automatically I clamp my hands to the area causing pain.
There's a light, thank God. I'm in a room with thick curtains but a light is filtering through the dark gaps between the door and the frame.
My back is sore; I know that comes from sleeping on the floor. I opened the door. Light screams in, filling the room. The lady on the thin futon pulls a blanket over her head, denying me a sight of her face. There are a bunch of magazines scattered on the floor. I was sleeping on them. Christ, I'd thought they were stones. This room is messy and that foul stench has faded. But not gone.
Squinting against the bright sunlight, I make my way into the kitchen. It's a standard Japanese apartment, small and cramped, a kitchen and dining room combined, two small rooms shut off by sliding doors. A toilet and shower were next to the kitchen.
Standing and walking sure has helped the pain. My body is still stiff. I don't think the lady will mind me taking a shower. Hell, I'm already naked. I have no idea where my clothes are. Strangely, that does not bother me.
On the wall next to the bathroom is a towel rack with two towels, one fluffy and the other threadbare. They are both pink and have the 'Hello Kitty' image printed on them. Above is the gas control for the shower. I set it at forty-two degrees. Nice and hot should do wonders.
And I am not mistaken. It's wonderful.
The shower door opens. The woman is standing there, oval eyes puffed from sleep. She looks nothing like Luki. Her hair is bleached yellow, she's a little chubby with light bulb shaped breasts. Her face is what captures my interest. It's whiter than most Japanese. And the eyes--they are blue. At least they aren't yellow...
Yellow...
From the end of the alley, the yellow eyes watched us. I see them first don't I Luki? I told you but you saw nothing. They were gone when you looked.
We're nearing the end of the alley now, and the rough gangster talk echoes behind us. He's followed. You hurry pulling hard at my arm. I'm not afraid and maybe that is stupid. I don't want to run. I have never turned tail before in my life.
A growl freezes us. The sound was at our backs. I have to turn. I have to see. Dogs! I hate the unpredictable fuckers.
It wasn't any kind of dog I'd seen before, though. The gangster is running away. He's halfway down the alley.
The thing's yellow eyes stare at me as if sizing me up.
Luki, please stop screaming, you'll scare it.
The thing turns its head and watches the gangster run, he trips over something. A small bar door slides open, people look at the commotion. Seeing the beast the door slides shut quickly.
Luki pulls me. This is our chance.
The beast charges the screaming people.
We run; I have no qualms about this now.
I look back. The beast has the gangster's legs in its mouth. Only the leg, the rest of him is lying in shock watching the events. The beast swipes a large claw, slicing the neck. Cracking bones echo in the alley. The head rolls sideways.
Police sirens scream through packed city streets.
Luki pulls me to the connecting street but I want to see more...
She steps into the shower. Hot water lashes her face, soaks her hair. “How do you feel?” she asks.
“A bit sore, but otherwise okay.”
“Good.” She starts soaping herself. She turns and starts soaping me, little circles on my chest. Her hand moves down, the soap falls to the floor as she reaches my manhood. She tugs at it, pulling harder than I like.
“Where's Luki?” I ask.
The woman sinks to her knees. “You don't remember?”
No need for me to answer. She's licking it now. I'm hard although I don't want to be. I'm also confused, have no idea where I am or who the woman is. She sure as hell knows me though.
“Ookami otoko,” she smiles at me.
I have no idea what she just said. Her hot mouth is on me, sucking hard. Angered I push her away. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Danny-san?” She's on her ass now, legs spread wide. “Are you hungry?”
“Hungry!” I scream. “What the fuck!”
I throw the shower door open and storm out. My clothes are on the short sofa in front of the television. I dress without drying and the clothes stick to me. The woman hasn't come out of the shower yet. I feel like shit for treating her the way I did. Snap shots of last night is all I can remember, bundles of images igniting my brain. My shoes are near the door, I put them on.
I can hear the shower running. Briefly, I consider apologizing but second thoughts push me through the door.
Bright sunlight stings my eyes.
Signposts bring a flash of memory. A brief glimpse only, multicolored in the center, a black circle surrounding it. Wandering aimlessly, vans, cars speed by, each one another glimpse of the past. I'm dizzy; coldness has wrapped my body. It feels like my blood is ice. Yet, my head is hot with a fever dancing below my skull.
Across the street, a supermarket I know is doing good business. People rushing in and out. In a haze, I cross over. A newspaper stand. Papers with pictures of a wolf stuff each basket. No English newspapers here so I can't read about the thing I saw with Luki.
People are giving me strange looks. Nothing unusual there. What is weird is how everyone moves out of my direction. I can hear the whispers loud in my ears. I turn searching for the talkers. It's like there's a hundred people all staring at me.
I move on. I have no idea what they see, but fuck 'em all. Let the old ladies gossip to their black hearts content. I couldn't care less. I'm going to find Luki again and then we are moving, leaving this shit hole and going to my country. One month here is long enough for me.
Around the corner I stumble upon the alley...
Cops have their guns out. They are shouting. We're crossing the street now, aren't we Luki. Where are you taking me? “Home,” you say. “We're going home.”
The park is dark.
Gunshots from the alley. More people scream. Luki is running. I hurry to catch up, but she's fast, damn fast and scared. I feel the fear also. We're running across Osaka Castle Park. Cherry Blossom trees, branches bare in the winter, wave in the cold breeze like skeletons pointing the way.
More gun shots. An animal howls in pain.
Luki is well ahead of me. I know I'm not fit and I'm running as fast as I can. Fuck it. My chest feels like it's about to explode, I gotta stop, gotta rest.
I watch Luki running, she's saying something over her shoulder. Doesn't know I'm not there.
Now she has stopped. Turned, looking at me. Her eyes widen in horror. She's pointing behind me, screaming in Japanese. Why can't she just use--
The low rumbling growl grabs my attention, steels my thoughts. I can hear some Japanese men yelling. With little choice, I face the beast.
It's covered in blood. One eye gone, a mushy socket dribbling. The nose has holes, as do the front shoulders. The snarl is vicious, torn lips curled back exposed large teeth with dangling flesh. It crouched, ready to pounce.
Behind it, Japanese police are yelling at me. I can't run. I know that. They can scream as much as they like. But I'm a man, I face my fuckin' problems head on, I ain't gonna back down. I have never backed down. And besides I can barely hear them, they look a million miles away. Only one is close enough to help.
In a flash it's on me. Teeth ripping my neck, my hands trying to push it off. More gunshots. Doesn't faze the beast. Luki screams. The power of her terror reaches me, charges me. I struggle, loss of blood affecting my sight. I twist and the beast loses balance. Claws rip my chest, cutting through my thick winter jacket easily.
The beast turns, attacks a policeman. Shaking from pain I crawl to the fallen gun. My bloody fingers touch the cold steel. The beast turns, attention drawn back to me. It leaps. The gun fires, pounds against my ripped arms. The bullet explodes its only eye, slams into its brain. The force of the bullet throws the large bulky head back. It flips in the air, lands on its side.
It's breathing heavy and fast. Not dead.
A police car pulls up, driving on the frozen ground. A man jumps out. He doesn't have a uniform. His eyes are cold like a man who has seen too much of the dark side.
He opens the trunk and pulls out a large axe and a white sheet. One swing takes off the animal's head. Something happens to the body but he covers it with the sheet too fast for me to see.
To me, he says, “The one who bit you is dead. You're free. A lucky man.” With that, he climbs back into the police car and races away as more cops show up on the scene.
Luki is with me now, she hugging me. Although in pain, I feel fine. My eyesight as cleared and with Luki's help we manage to flee the scene. I don't remember getting home, but Luki is with me, tending to the injuries the best she can. Says I must go to the hospital. I tell her I'll think about and fall asleep.
The morning comes...
A truck horn blears breaking me from my memories. I've walked onto the road. The truck just misses me as I jump back. The curb clips my foot and I fall hard.
The summer sun burns hot in the mid morning light.
Osaka Castle is far behind me. I've walked a long way. I'm almost home. I can see the top of my apartment complex a block away. Luki is there. I know it, and start to worry about the night's actions. How do I explain waking up naked at another woman's apartment?
I slow my pace giving time to think, thinking up some lies that might work. Hell, don't need to tell the truth, right? She'll never know if I'm lucky.
I round the block and my large apartment complex comes into full view. I look up to the seventh floor. The sliding door is open and the white net curtain is flapping in the wind.
The elevator takes me to the seventh floor too fast for my liking, but putting it off doesn't work either. Time to be a man and face the problem head on. Like always.
A quick search of my pockets doesn't produce a key. I try the door and thankfully, it's unlocked. Not removing my shoes, I enter quietly. The television is on at a low volume.
In the kitchen, a newspaper sits folded on the table. Everything is spotless, the counter shining. Making my way to the bedroom, I open the door finding it also empty. The bed is made. A small dresser with a mirror has a lot of make-up products scattered on it.
“Luki?” I call.
No answer.
A sound in the living room. Someone walking on the wooden floor. High heels. The television set is turned off.
Luki's home! Joy fills my heart.
I leave the bedroom at a fast pace and enter the living room. The woman looking at me is not Luki. I remember her name now, Kazuka. Half American and half Japanese, which explains the blue eyes, and the perfect English.
“Eight months,” Kazuka says. “Do we have to do this every time?”
I look at her dumbfounded.
“It's in the freezer where you left it.”
Not knowing what she's talking about I nevertheless went to the freezer. Inside is a frozen plastic bag containing what appeared to be a heart...
Luki's yelling.
The animal's back. That's why she's screaming, that's why she's bleeding.
I stare at the animal. It's cold, hard yellow eyes stare at me. I can see the hatred burning inside it, like hunger. I guess that cop was wrong. What I saw was maybe only a hallucination. He had no axe, no white sheet.
I won't run. I didn't the first time, and I won't now.
It moved in time me with, side to side.
A moment later, I realized I was looking in the mirror.
The beast is me.
The beast is hungry...
“Eat her heart and finish it,” Kazuka said.
I put it back in the freezer. “I can't.” The pain of truth hurts.
She looks at me with resignation in her eyes.
“I'm sorry,” I say. And I am. I am sorry for doing this to her every full moon. I am sorry for putting her through the heartache and guilt I feel for killing Luki.
And I'll forever be sorry until it ends.
Until the man with the axe finally traces me.
I will forever be sorry.
Especially to Luki.
My sweet innocent Asian princess.
This native New Zealander lives to write. He is the author of several speculative fiction novels, short stories and chapbooks. He is currently an active member of AHWA, SpecFicNZ and SFFANZ and lives in Wellington, NZ.
Lee does reviews for HarperCollins and Hachette via SFFANZ and also runs a review blog for privately purchased books and dvds.
Lee also created and runs the Masters of Horror Community, Also he is an avid Twitterer.