Writing Prompts & Short Stories

Burning Bridges... #SakuraBlossoms

It all happened so fast. As soon as I felt threatened, my fighting instincts kicked in...

Before I knew it, I was far away from the palace with only the clothes on my back and my handy weapon. Since I wasn't expecting to have to flee so suddenly, I didn't pack anything. No water, no food. I even left the diary that I've had since I was a teenage girl. I had nothing but myself and my thoughts. But I have no regrets. 

Of course, this isn't the most ideal situation for me or for the village to be without an Empire... but perhaps the city will be better without him.

They'll have to be.

In the meantime, I'll be halfway across the state border before anyone can ever find me. Not many people would venture out this far, especially if they didn't know where they were going. Call me bold. I usually don't make rash decisions like this too often, but this was a serious situation that called for quick action. I did the right thing... I saved the village from dishonor, disappointment, financial woes, and more.

I'm not... a murderer. I'm a hero.

...

I came to a stop before the bridge, bending over and gripping my knees as I tried to catch my breath from the hours of intense cardio I'd just engaged in. I loosened the belt of my kimono to help me breathe a little easier then stood up straight. The river beneath the old wooden bridge flowed from the right to the left. My eyes scanned the grassy bank for any signs of danger or enemies: there were none. Then, my eyes scanned higher up the unfamiliar landscape, which is when I noticed the river bank was surrounded by rows of light pink cherry blossom trees, their branches dancing in the wind and leaving behind delicate gifts of sakura petals onto the water below.

"So pretty..."

The cherry blossoms aligned the bank on the other side of the bridge as well, which looked to be a mirror image of our village's vast, luscious green forest. A forest behind and a forest ahead. These cherry blossoms added some much-needed color to my journey. From the right, a strong gust of wind almost blew me off of my feet and carried dozens of sakura petals through the air. As I glanced up at the sky, I noticed an increase in dark clouds; the incoming smell of rain filled my nose and the air. Seems like a storm was brewing. That was my cue to continue my journey. I'd stopped for long enough. I needed to find a place to call shelter very soon.

I checked my surroundings once more and with a determined huff, I stepped onto the wooden bridge and grabbed a hold of the railing made of vines. I quickly ran across the bridge--

"Hey, you! Don't take one step further or that's your head."

My breath got caught in my throat and my body grew tense as I became like a statue, weary of going against the orders of the unknown stranger. The raspy, deep male voice surprised me because I didn't see any signs of any humans just seconds ago. Where could this stranger have come from? Were they hiding in a tree too high up for me to see? Do they live around this part of the state? Do they own parts of this land or something? Or maybe they're running away like me. Are they an enemy or a potential ally? It's best not to make any assumptions... everyone is an enemy until they can prove themself. I better be careful.

With my hands above my head in a sign of surrender, I slowly turned my head to the right and glanced over my shoulder. "Who are you?" I asked.

"You don't get to ask the questions, I do," the strong voice barked from several feet behind me. "Turn around and walk toward me. Now."

The mysterious voice didn't sound friendly at all. I didn't want to upset them, but I didn't want them to think that I'm some weak woman who'll do whatever they say either. I glanced towards the other side of the bank ahead... I was so close to freedom, only a few more steps. I could make a dash for it, but I'm unsure if the stranger had a weapon or not. If he's smart, he did.