We've been staying in this village a while and, while the people are nice, there's something wrong. I can't tell what, but I know there is.
I look at the mirror image walking next to me. My Aniki, my reflection. People usually can't tell us apart, we look exactly the same. But there are subtle differences that most won't notice. He's slimmer than me for one thing, it's because when ever there's just enough food for one he gives it to me and says he's already eaten. And there are dark circles under his eyes from staying awake to watch over me. He's the oldest and he thinks it's his job to protect me, so he pushes himself to the limit, allowing me to have all the fun.
He thinks I don't notice. But he's wrong and someday, I'll be able to look after him as well as he looks after me.
"Aniki?" I say finally, breaking the companionable silence we've been walking in. He turns to me. I take a deep breath and blurt out what has been bothering me for over a week. "Are we going to leave here soon?"
He smiles a little and then nods, "Yes, maybe in a couple of months or so. It's nice here, but we have to move on. Aoko-san and Shinju-san are going to tire of have to feed us after a while." That feeling shot through me again. The cold tingly one of skeletal hands running up my spine, causing the hair on my neck to stand on end.
"Can't we leave now?" I'm being selfish, but I've had this feeling before, just before Kassan and Tousan died. Aniki gives me a strange look and then his eyes widen for a moment, apparently he feels it too. He swallows slowly and then nods. "H-hai. We'll leave tomorrow."
The people we're staying with, Aoko-san and Shinju-san, are sister and
brother. Their parents died, but they left a decent amount of money for
them. When Aniki and I came here, they took us in and gave us shelter.
We did odd jobs for them or any of the other villagers and were paid. We've
been saving that money, only using it when we desperately need to. Aoko-san
is the sweetest woman I've ever met, but Shinju-san...he scares me. He
goes out drinking and gambling with his friends a lot, and the way he looks
at Aniki and I sometimes makes my skin crawl.
Heh. How's that for a teaser? I'll finish it!!