Dragon Island by Berryhill Shane

Author:Berryhill, Shane [Berryhill, Shane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Action & Adventure
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Published: 2012-07-19T04:07:01+00:00

Chapter 22

The dragon’s triangle once again lived up to its reputation during the Pacific War. Many of the losses recorded by both sides of the conflict are now being reevaluated within the context of the strange occurrences that have plagued the area throughout recorded history...

—Excerpt from The Dragon’s Triangle, by James Clayton (2009)

“Quit jerking so hard, you...you jerk!”

My luck continues to improve the longer I stay on KaijuIsland.

And yes, I’m being sarcastic.

Since being marooned on this not-so-fabled island, I’ve been chased by dragons, attacked by monsters, and imprisoned by robots. But that has all just been a build up to my current situation.

I now have the auspicious pleasure of being inescapably tethered at the wrist to Ishiro, the teenage warrior, and thus be forced to come along with him on some stupid quest right out of King Arthur to retrieve a magic, golden flower that will supposedly heal the local priestesses and save the day.

Not exactly a good week in the life of Raymond Nakajima, to say the least!

“If you would keep up, I would not have to, Outsider!” Ishiro says as he drags me toward a reed and bamboo house located along the village’s perimeter. It’s second in size only to the long house serving as the Toho seat of government.

“I’m trying,” I bark. “But with this backpack weighing me down and you yanking me around every which way, it ain’t exactly easy.”

Ishiro smiles at this.

“Ah, yes. Your pack of peaches.”

Despite the otherwise inhospitable treatment I’ve received since coming to the village of the Toho, they have served me a number of delicious foods. By far, my favorite Toho goodie is a white-skinned peach they serve as a desert.

The taste is phenomenal!

After my early experiences on KaijuIsland, there was no way I was forging off into the woods again without food in abundance.

Ishiro can probably hunt for his food. But, my yojimbo or not, I can’t count on him to share with me. So I decided to come prepared.

Last night, after returning from the volcano home of the shobijin, I used materials lying around inside my hut to create a makeshift pack for carrying the pale-skinned delicacies. It’s heavy as heck, but I know I will be glad for it later.

“Little peach boy,” Ishiro laughs. “Little Momotaro!”

Just keep it up, stink-face! You have got to sleep sometime! Then you’re mine!

The entire village has come out to see us off on this sunny, late-summer day. But, their conduct isn’t like the cheering mobs one might expect to see gathered for such an occasion back in the States. The Toho are positioned in orderly formations on either side of us. They sing and move in unison as they perform ritual dances.

Only the Toho elders don’t participate. They stand apart at our destination’s door, patiently awaiting us.

I glance back at the crowd, looking for Kitsune’s face. She is nowhere to be seen.

I make a last ditch effort to remove the rope tied around my wrist. But my attempts are in vain. Whatever

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