'Demon Slayer' Slayer

Chapter 1: Kyuuko

"Kyuuko! The rice is boiling over! What the hell are you doing?" My brother, Takuya, shouted across the house. I hurried over to the kitchen, finding that the rice I was supposed to be cooking was, in fact, boiling over.

"Dude, sorry," I muttered halfheartedly, taking the pot off the stove to cool it off. I had been reading a book about demons, and I'd completely forgotten the rice. According to the book, demons were powerful creatures who predated humans. They could only be killed one of two ways- decapitation with a special sword or exposure to sunlight. They could regenerate any other wound, and they had incredible physical abilities and sometimes supernatural powers called blood demon arts. It was kind of terrifying to read, but I needed to know what I was getting into.

There was an organization that fought demons, called the Demon Slayer Corps, and Takuya was currently training to join it. I often watched him train, absorbing the knowledge and remembering everything he did. I wasn't allowed to train, because my 'traditional' parents preferred that I cook rice and scrub floors.

Suck it, then. Tonight I'll be gone. I want to be a demon slayer. I set the rice back on the stove, glaring at Takuya. "Go swing your damn sword. You don't have to look over my shoulder."

"Yes, I do. I have to make sure you don't leave again. What were you even doing?"

"You're not privileged to know that," I retorted.

"Okay then. I'll get the parents," Takuya threatened.

Screw it. "Go the fuck ahead. You have no proof that I was doing anything wrong."

"Except the smell of burnt rice? The water splashed on the floor? Hey-" As he opened his mouth to yell something, I spun and hit him on the head with my wooden spoon. I didn't realize how hard I'd hit him until he fell to the floor, unconscious. Great. Now I need to get the hell out of here right now.

I took the rice off the stove, then sprinted up the stairs. My mother was doing laundry outside, and my father was currently training with his katana. I would need to be long gone by the time they found out what I'd done to Takuya.

Upstairs, I had a small storage of weapons. I opened one of my floorboards with a creak, setting it aside and pulling out a dagger and my own katana. I wasn't supposed to have these, but I wasn't above stealing to get what I wanted. And if I ran into a demon during the coming night, I wouldn't stand a chance without this sword.

I tucked the weapons into my belt and surveyed my options. I could just leave through the front door, but my mother was there. She would never let me leave. And my father was in the back. I decided to go through the front door and just make a run for it, but I unsheathed my dagger, just in case.

Finally. I can finally get the hell out of here. I don't think I could cook and clean for another day before I lose my mind. I left my room, slamming the door shut with a final bang. I scrambled down the stairs and started sprinting as soon as I'd closed the front door behind me. My mother shouted, "Come back! What do you think you're doing, Kyuuko?!" I ignored her, continuing to run down the streets of the village.

I planned to climb the mountain that the Kamado family lived on. From there, I would try to find the Demon Slayer Corps so that I could finally have something interesting to do with my life.

It took me a while to leave the village. As soon as I'd reached the mountain, I slowed to a walk, gasping for breath. I did it. I finally did it! I got out of there. Now, as long as I don't become a wuss and come back, I'm free as a bird.

The mountain wasn't too steep, so the climb was almost relaxing. Once I caught my breath, I was able to enjoy my surroundings. Dead leaves crackled under my feet, falling from the trees around me. The September sun filtered through the branches, casting a beautiful pattern of light and shadow on the forest floor. The sun was setting, but it didn't worry me. I was sure to reach the Kamado house in time.