Cruelty
Nezuko was somewhere very cold and wet. She felt disjointed, as if she’d been tossed off a high cliff and fell, with only the wind rushing through her hair. Oddly, she wasn’t scared, only curious about the whispery voices surrounding her. She could barely make out their words, as if they were speaking through water, but a germinating sense of urgency was growing inside, as if there was something she was supposed to be doing, but…she was so…so tired, why isn’t Mom here? So…cold, and wet, where, where, is she?
Ne…Zu…wake…now...
Mom? Where…are…you? Why…am... I…. here?
Big…sis…wake…please…. Please!
Takeo? Where…is…everyone? Why…what…is…happening?
Then a voice broke through the mass of confusing murmurs, forceful enough that Nezuko could hear it loud and clear.
NEZUKO, TANJIRO NEEDS YOU.
Her eyes flew open.
“TANJIRO!”
Nezuko sat up, then winced. Her body felt sore and wet, as if she’d been running and carrying something heavy on her back and slipped in the snow. Still heaving, she tried to stand up, then almost slipped in the jagged patches of ice that was surrounding her, along with the thick and heavy snow. Her puffy eyes flickered around, taking in the scenic view of the snowy picturesque mountain, the smoke from her home deep in the woods, and the white clouds covering the sun, snowing gently.
She would’ve enjoyed the view if she even knew how the heck she even got here.
What happened here?
She took slow, ragged breaths, the frigid air burning her lungs, as she fingered her torn kimono and then felt her neck, almost crying out when she felt the bruises that she could see were in the shape of hands.
Did someone…tried to choke me?
This makes utterly no sense at all to her, as her family lives up on the mountain. Rarely anyone came up here: the closest house is the Mazaki’s, and even they lived near the bottom, favoring the bustle of a town.
Nezuko stood up carefully, then quickly examined herself. Her kimono was torn, not in a way that suggests tree branches tangling, but as if someone dragged nails across it, ripping the fabric carelessly. Her body was battered up, with bruises all over. Feeling the cold wind wailing mercilessly, she grabbed her haori, then froze when she saw the red stains on it.
Blood. Big, smeared patches of them all over the haori.
Human blood.
Her mind was stuck somewhere between crippling fear and horror, only easing slightly when she realized that the blood wasn’t hers. It was then that she realized: the snow all around her was trampled on and rolled over, like the scene of a struggle. And when she looked at it again, there was a distinct path of footprints that led away from her.
So, I really did get robbed after all?
Her body seems to confirm it. Her head felt sore and fuzzy, along with a slight headache. Her back ached and her feet and arms were in pain. And when Nezuko checked her boots, they were soaking wet, like she’d been running in the snow, away from something. As she checked herself and tried to regain feeling in her legs, a small and crumpled piece of paper fell out, straight into her palm. She nearly fell down again when she realized what it was.
It was Tanjiro’s hanafuda earring.
As she stared at the earring on her palm with her increasing dread, everything came rushing back, filling her in on what had happened in the day prior and today, making Nezuko feeling sick, nearly collapsing in the snow…
Delivering the charcoal…
Staying at the Mazaki’s…
Returning home to scarlet blood…
Finding her brother…
Brother…
TANJIRO!
At that moment, a loud inhuman screech echoed right through the dense forest. Nezuko’s head snapped towards it, which conveniently also happens to be the direction the footprints lead away from her. Never had she heard a voice so agonizing, so terrified and anguished that not even the most cutting mountain wind could muffle it.
She knew that voice.
“Tanjiro?” she whispered. Then, summoning her voice, she yelled “TANJIRO!”, running around wildly, eyes scanning the land for her brother. “Tanjiro! Where are you?” she called desperately, straining her ears for his voice again. She couldn’t lose him, not after…
Please, gods, whomever is listening, please don’t let Tanjiro die! Not like all the others, please!
Running at her full speed, fueled on by panic and fear, Nezuko’s gut clenches when she hears him scream one more time, the chilling sound cutting right down to the bone. Her body felt sore and stiff, but she plowed on, desperation evident in her jagged breaths. She tripped and slipped over countless ice patches, but she didn’t care. Her heart felt as if it was going to freeze of dread along with the coils of guilt twining tightly in her gut. Her mind was barely comprehending any of her surroundings, instead devoting all of it to one singular mission: to find Tanjiro.
She barely noticed the snow fluttering softly around her, or the chill that was seeping from her feet to the rest of her body. She didn’t even flinch as an icicle fell right in front of her, only skidding around and turning abruptly.
She simply didn’t care. She had to find him.
Before he hurt himself.
Before he hurt someone…
Please, anyone, whoever is listening, help Tanjiro! He didn’t do anything wrong! PLEASE!
There was a familiar clearing up ahead. Nezuko willed her tired legs to run faster, hearing noise. Someone was there.
PLEASE, don’t take him too!
Nezuko can see his green-and-black checkered haori. She could see his red hair. His scar. And most prominently of all, she could see the shine of something sharp pointing at him.
Help him, please!
He fell to his knees, looking up towards the cloudy sky. Extending his arms in a sitting position, as if he was repenting to a crime and begging for forgiveness. Nezuko’s mind went straight to hysteria as she saw clearly, for the first time ever, someone pointing the sharp thing at Tanjiro.
He was pointing a sword at Tanjiro’s neck.
DON’T LET HIM DIE!
She lunged at the person trying to harm Tanjiro with nearly inhuman speed. She saw his eyes widening, Tanjiro trying to reach her, and the light catching on the sword’s edge.
Then the world exploded into a strange white nothingness.
One Day Ago…
“Big sis! Big sis, come quick!”
Nezuko paused her work with the laundry to her siblings’ calls. She could see Hanako running towards her, looking very distressed. Shigeru followed her, with an evident expression of worry on his face and looking very distressed. Hanako immediately grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her in the direction they just came from, while Shigeru stopped and caught his breath.
“It’s big brother!” Hanako said, in a tizzy. Her eyes were wide with anxiety. “He fell when he was about to take the charcoal to town!”
“Mom…*huff*…said…*wheeze*…to bring you back.” Shigeru panted, clearly tired from running in the woods. Hanako nodded and started to pull on Nezuko’s kimono harder, a sense of urgency written on her face.
Nezuko’s eyes widened, now understanding and allowed herself to be led by Hanako into the forest, with her newest sibling squirming slightly where he was tied to her back. Because their mother was so busy, Nezuko usually took it upon herself to rock him to sleep and take him out with her when she did her chores. As they walked down the familiar path of the mountain, he began to fuss as she almost tripped over a tree root that crisscrossed the whole way down.
The trees suddenly cleared into a little space, empty of the usual tangle of wildlife that wound itself around everything on the mountain, alive or not. And in the center, she could see their mother, Kie, kneeling next to Tanjiro. Takeo was picking up the spilled pieces of charcoal carefully, putting them back in the basket and occasionally glancing at his mom with growing uneasiness. As Nezuko and the others approached them, Takeo suddenly noticed and cried out frantically, waving his arms. “Wait, stop!”
They stopped, and noticed a few jagged patches of ice, hidden by the snow. If it weren’t for the layer of charcoal dust settling in over it, Nezuko wouldn’t have even noticed. She could see how Tanjiro, her sharp-nosed brother, had slipped and fell like this.
“Is Tanjiro okay?” Nezuko asked her mother, guiding the two gently around the ice and letting them dash to her mom, while she walked slowly behind and kneeled at her side.
“It looks like it’s just a sprain. He’ll be alright with a couple days of resting and not straining it.” Kie replied, bandaging his leg. Nezuko could only glimpse a bit of redness, swollen before it disappeared into the clean white cloth. But Tanjiro didn’t look happy at the news.
“But what about the charcoal? We still have to sell it today.” He glanced hesitantly at the now full basket, clearly feeling guilty for not being able to do it himself. “We have to for New Year’s Eve, Mom.”
Kie shook her head gently. “You’re not walking on that foot, Tanjiro. The weather is only going to get even worse, and who knows how many more of those ice patches are on the pathway. It’s just not safe.”
Tanjiro frowned, and Nezuko could see the dark waves of disappointment and guilt radiating off of him. Ever since he took up being the man of the family, he had been tasked with getting money and keeping the family fed, which their late father had done and now entrusted that duty to Tanjiro, along with the hanafuda earrings. Her brother had been adamant about selling enough charcoal so that the whole family could have a comfortable New Year, blessing the house with good fortune up until the next eve. Waiting too long to sell would be bad, especially when the weather looks particularly dangerous and frequently unpredictable.
BUT…she could perhaps still help him…
“I’ll go sell it for him.” She announced, untying the cloth holding Rokuta and handing him to Shigeru, causing everyone to look at her in surprise. “I’ve been on the trail before, Mom. I helped Tanjiro sell charcoal in the spring too, remember? I know the trail well and you know I can run even faster than Tanjiro! I can do it, Mom.”
Kie hesitated, then nodded. She picked up the basket and gently bundled her up with what Nezuko knew was her favorite haori, given by their father. “Always stay on the trail, and if you see anything dangerous, head back immediately, okay? We can’t have you injured and stuck in the snow, too.” She warned her, but Nezuko knew deep inside that her mother had approved of her decision.
Suddenly, Takeo stuck up his hand. “If big sis is going, then I’m going to protect her!” he chimed in, excited at the possibility of helping the family.
“Hey, if you’re going, then I’m going too! We two brothers have to protect our sisters!” Shigeru exclaimed, looking excited at the opportunity to go to town.
“And me, too! Don’t forget me!” Hanako declared boldly, only to be met with questioning looks from all of her brothers, including Tanjiro. She crossed her arms and glowered at them “Hey, I CAN help, you know! I’ve been to town in spring, and besides, big sis needs all the help she can get!”
“Hold on a minute, all of you.” Kie spoke over her children, her soft gaze now turning quite stern. “Didn’t you hear me warn Nezuko? The trail will be very icy and extremely dangerous, and I don’t want any of you to travel there at night.” She looked pointedly at Hanak and Shigeru. “I know you two always get tired coming up the mountain, and Tanjiro won’t be here to pull you both back up with the wagon.”
The two kids groaned, disappointed, but they both knew their mother had made several valid points. Then Kie looked over at Takeo, making him jump. “Takeo, we need more firewood for tonight, since we ran out already. Wasn’t that your chore?”
His eyes widened and he facepalmed, looking embarrassed that he’d forgotten. “Ah, you’re right, Mom. Sorry for that.” He said, looking apologetic.
“But I can still go.” Nezuko finished untying the cloth that held a sleepy Rokuta inside. Kie looked Nezuko over, still concerned. “Mom, I’ve walked in the cold with Tanjiro before. I’ll be super careful, and I’ll come stay at the Mazaki’s if the weather turns worse. I’ll be fine, Mom.”
Kie sighed, then allowed her gaze to soften. “If you’re sure, then I’ll allow it. But seriously, Nezuko. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. We don’t need anyone in the family getting injured too.”
Nezuko nodded, proud. “I promise, Mom! Besides,” she said, side-eyeing her dejected siblings, “you could help Tanjiro out and hang with him!”
Instantly, their faces lit up like little suns, and Hanako began talking about what she could do to Tanjiro’s hair (Nezuko hoped it wouldn’t come to that), and Shigeru started chattering away about the stories that he had heard from kids at the village. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tanjiro’s soft smile at their sibling’s excitement (even if Hanako’s statement about hair sounded downright concerning). But she could still see her brother’s guilt coming off of him…
“I’ll take him inside and get ready to go.” Nezuko picked up her snow boots in one hand, helping Tanjiro up and hobbling back to the house. “We’ll be right back.”
“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Nezuko?”
“I’m confident, Tanjiro.” Nezuko swivels back to her brother, pulling up her father’s brown haori, very useful in the biting cold. “It’s time I start doing this anyway. What if you or Takeo got sick?”
“I suppose you’re right.” Tanjiro sighed, looking troubled. “I just really hate that I couldn’t do this so everyone can have a nice New Year.”
And there was the source of his guilt, hidden under all the layers of subtext and creative wording.
“Tanjiro.”
He looked up, startled. But Nezuko held her hand up, effectively shushing him as she continued. “I know that you have been really pressured since Father’s passing to take care of the family. I know how hard it is, with you being the new man of the family. You’re everyone’s role model, and we all would follow your lead everywhere you go. But I know that you’re struggling with Father’s passing too, and I don’t want anyone suffering that alone.”
Nezuko tightened her grip on Tanjiro’s shoulder, and carried on with her speech. “I don’t want you to carry this on alone, Tanjiro. And I know the last thing you want to do is replace him. So let us help, too. Mom and I are willing, and Takeo’s shown that he can handle some things all on his own. So let us help, too. You really don’t have to feel bad about taking a step back once in a while.”
Tanjiro stared at her for a moment, and Nezuko panicked, wondering if she’d gone too far. She hadn’t meant for that whole speech to come out, it was all bottled up everyday and now eventually let out in a rush, messily spilling over the sides. Then tears gathered over his eyes, making him wipe them away messily and letting out a watery laugh. “When did you become so grown up?” he said, laughing over his tears, bittersweet nostalgia creeping in at the edges.
Nezuko shrugged. “I have a brother who is extremely good at comforting me when I’m down. I picked up quite a few valuable tricks.” She said, winking.
Tanjiro laughed again, causing his earrings to sway lightly, the sun shining over the edges. Then he suddenly got serious again.
“Nezuko.”
She turned around just in time to catch the blue scarf he tossed at her. It was the very one he had been wearing earlier. Tanjiro, now looking much better and relaxed, smiled at her. “Thanks, Nezuko. I really needed that. I know you’re going to do great things one day, too. I’m here for you too, wherever you decide to go and whatever you decide to do. Promise.”
Nezuko nodded back, then wrapped the scarf around her neck, checking her long hair one last time before sliding the door open, letting the light shine in. The boys have started a snowball fight, with Hanako in between and angrily yelling at them, at the same time throwing her snowballs with deadly accuracy, hitting poor Shigeru right on the head. Kie was off to the side, trying to stop the fight while holding an oddly calm Rokuta (she swears he loves getting rocked violently) in place.
“I’m leaving now!” Nezuko called out. And voila, all of her siblings surrounded her in a mishmash of excited chatter as she reassured them that, yes, she’ll be careful, and yes, she’ll bring back some desserts and would of course bring some flowers back home. Kie ruffled her hair up, smiling at her. As she walked down the familiar path, with the goodbyes still fresh in her ears, she noticed Tanjiro sticking his head out and waved. She waved back, smiling brightly.
She couldn’t wait to see them again.
“Oh, Nezuko!” Mrs. Hashimoto, a middle-aged lady who owned the town inn, exclaimed when she saw her approaching. “Don’t you Kamados ever stop working? You could catch a cold easily with this kind of weather!”
Nezuko smiled. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Hashimoto. It’s not that bad. Do you need a refill on coal by any chance?”
“Kami-chan, who is it?” A voice sounded from inside the spacious inn. Nezuko recognizes it as Mr. Hashimoto’s. “It’s Nezuko, dear. She came to sell charcoal.” She answered him, broom in hand. Mr. Hashimoto came out, looking concerned.
“Where is Tanjiro, dear?” He questioned her, puzzled. She hesitated for a moment, answering slowly. “He’s…sprained his ankle a bit, Mr. Hashimoto. So, I’m filling in for him today. He’ll be fine, though.’ She answered hastily, not sure why she was nervous.
He hummed, looking concerned. “Poor boy, I hope he’ll heal up soon. Please do give him my regards.” He said, nodding to Nezuko. “Oh, yes, we’ll be taking some coal from you today, thank you. The winter can be very cold, so it’s essential to stock up!”
“I’ll take some, too. Thank you, Nezuko.” Mr. Satomi nodded to her, walking out from his shop.
“I need some charcoal too, sweetie!” Ms. Adachi called out to her, waving excitedly.
Nezuko felt a little giddy. She’d only ever helped handing out the charcoal, while their siblings and Tanjiro sell it on the front. This felt exciting, especially when she was doing it on her own, without any help.
She couldn’t wait to tell Tanjiro about all of it.
Nezuko was about to respond to the requests when the door from the bakery slammed open. A boy she recognized as Taro ran out, looking utterly terrified before the bakery’s owner, Ms. Nishiwaki, grabbed his ear and twisted it an amazing 180 degrees, making him wince in pain. He looked wildly around before he spotted Nezuko. “Nezuko! Where’s Tanjiro?! I need help-YEOWWW!!”
Nezuko set down her basket and hurried over to his side, as his said ear was getting creatively tormented in Ms. Nishiwaki’s wrath. “He injured his foot today. Can I help you?”
“This idiot broke one of my heirloom plates, and he’s lying to me about breaking it!” Ms. Nishiwaki let him fall forward, having let him go, and crossed her arms with an irate look. “Just admit it, you’re guilty!”
“B-But I didn’t!” Taro opened the cloth he was holding, revealing the broken pieces of an expensive-looking plate. “Can’t people in your family tell if something smells off?! Help me, please!” He looked at Nezuko desperately, as she was clearly his only hope.
“I’m sorry, but my brother and father were the only ones able to do that.” Nezuko frowned slightly, contemplating the problem. Taro looked as if he was going to be doomed forever (he wasn’t far off the mark). Then her face lit up, and she took the cloth from his hand. “I can tell if he’s telling the truth, though.”
“You could?” Ms. Nishiwaki’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Please don’t cover for him, Nezuko. That boy has blown his chances countless times. He doesn’t need this one.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Nezuko took both of his hands (and fervently ignored his now red face with expert reflex). “Taro, answer me honestly: did you break her plate?”
He looked at her, bewildered, before stammering out. “N-No I DIDN’T! I swear on my life!!”
Nezuko could see and sense the waves of fear and nervousness from his pulse, a straight connection from his very soul. And despite the chaotic mess of nerves that was coming from him, the feeling was warm and constant.
And warmth meant truth.
“Taro’s telling the truth, Ms. Nishiwaki.” Nezuko smiled at him, and his face broke into one of immense relief as he massaged his sore ears. “He’s not giving off any vibes of lies, so he can’t be lying.” At this, she tutted and sighed, clearly still puzzled about something. “You may be right, Nezuko. But how on Earth did it break without anyone tipping it over? It doesn’t make sense.”
Nezuko hummed, thinking it over. Then an idea struck, and she tentatively removed one of the pieces out and examined it briefly, before handing it over to the distressed bakery owner. “Look, Ms. Nishiwaki. There’s a little fur on here. Do you think that stray who’d been wandering around here got in and tipped it over?” And lo and behold, there was indeed a small piece of white fur stuck to the side of the plate.
“Well, I’ll be. I can’t believe that goddamned cat had finally broken in! Thank you, Nezuko.” Ms. Nishiwaki said, taking her plate (pieces of it) into her arms. Taro, on the other hand, looked as if he had escaped death and won the lottery.
“Y’see, it was a cat! I’m innocent!” He said happily, then proceeded to turn to Nezuko and give her several deep bows. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou Nezuko!!! I’m so glad your whole family has weird powers!”
“Taro! Don’t insult her!”
“What?! It wasn’t an insult, it’s a compliment! Don’t hit me!!”
Nezuko chuckled. “It’s alright.” She stared at a plate a little longer, noting how large and even the pieces are. “You know, if we have a little glue, I bet we can fix this good as new.” The older woman perked at this. “Really, Nezuko? Can you help me with it?”
They were, indeed, able to fix it, and both of them thanked her profusely for stepping in (things probably would’ve devolved even further if she didn’t). As thanks, Ms. Nishiwaki bought some of her charcoal, and Taro ended up helping her cart some luggage for Mrs. Namiko when she thought that Tanjiro was in town. In the same fashion, it was how Nezuko spent the majority of the day. Selling charcoal and helping other people, with them helping her in return. Usually Tanjiro did the heavy lifting, while Nezuko and the others handle the business on the front. But doing everything herself gave her a sense of satisfaction she’d never known before.
The whole endeavor reminded her of her father’s principles, to help others when they needed help, even if they didn’t realize they needed it. Doing something as small as carrying luggage to big things as fixing a broken door, even a smile and a good morning would spread kindness around like rainfall after a drought. For her, the simple feeling of it and the smiles of the ones whom she had helped was enough of a reward in itself, and so she made sure to carry her father’s legacy close to her heart.
It was one of the few gifts he’d left with the family, and the Kamados made sure to carry on his legacy to keep his memories alive.
Eventually, night arrived and Nezuko walked back, humming happily. She could hardly believe that she’d sold out all the charcoal, now they’ll have enough money for a nice New Year! She’d even bought a doll for Hanako and some toys for Takeo and Shigeru. Thrilled with her luck, she even skipped on her way and almost missed the pathway up the mountain. The snow sparkled softly around her feet, like a giant white carpet. For a childish moment, Nezuko was tempted to kick it up and run around like a toddler, but remembering her mother’s warning, she walked carefully and avoided slippery patches of ice, continuously moving forward.
It wasn’t until she was 5 minutes up the mountain when she stopped. As a sense of dread courses over her body, she stops, trying to discern what had got her so alarmed. It made her shiver in a way that not even ice could compare, and pins and needles pinched her spine, making her tremble. Her heart raced in such a way that Nezuko suddenly understood how prey felt when they sensed a predator upon them.
What was causing this?
SNAP.
Nezuko whirled around with a gasp, and stared at the direction of the noise. All she could see for miles was the shadowed trees, with the inky night cloaking everything in a layer of seeming coal dust. But just for a moment, she’d seen something unnatural, lurking in the shadows. Beautiful lilac eyes and slitted pupils, looking down on her as if she was a tasty piece of easy meat. She, belatedly, remembered that she has no weapons or anything whatsoever to defend herself. Her only hope was to outrun whatever was chasing her.
It was a good thing she was faster than her whole family combined.
Thankfully, whatever’s been staring at her left, and the cold knot of fear in her gut lessens. It was probably just her stupid oversuspicious brain talking again. She frowned, as the feeling of fear had not gone completely, instead settling in the pit of her stomach like a heavy rock. She DID NOT want to be walking in the pitch-black darkness for much longer, especially if there was some sort of predator on the prowl (Father encountered a bear once, and he barely escaped with his life). Plus, she couldn’t even see the ice patches at night, and she won’t be able to call for help if she fell. Then a literal lightbulb goes off on her head as she remembered something her father had told her: Old Man Saburo! He’d told her that whenever she needed a favor, he'd help her and her family, no questions asked. She snapped her neck so fast she’d had whiplash and most definitely regret it later, but sure enough, the light was on in his house.
Maybe she should ask him if she could stay the night.
She practically charged towards his house and knocked on the door, hoping that he would take her in. The door opened a tiny crack as Mr. Saburo’s face peered out. “Nezuko!” he exclaimed, opening the door fully, letting her inside. “What are you doing alone at night? It’s dangerous!”
Nezuko stepped inside the house, the warm fire slowly melting the chill out of her body. “I was going to go back up, but it got too dark, so I hope I can stay with you for the night, Mr. Saburo.”
“Why didn’t you say so? You should come in and stay! Besides…” his face hardened. “There could be demons around.”
Demons?
Nezuko didn’t have time to contemplate this, so she gratefully warmed herself and took off her shoes, leaving them to dry near the fire. “Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Saburo.”
“Eh, that’s no problem.” He waved his hand dismissively. “At least some of you Kamados actually have some sense to not go climb up the mountain in total darkness. Literally.” This unfortunately true statement made her chuckle (as her father and Tanjiro had both tried to scale the mountain in the night, ending up with her mother scolding them both to death).
They sat in blissful silence as Nezuko relished her cup of tea, sipping it politely. Her body relaxes, deeming her completely safe. And yet, something nagged at her. The cold shiver in the woods. The way his face had hardened when he said that word. And the presence that she’d sense…
The feeling of being pinned down on the spot, helpless and frozen with fright as those lilac eyes stared her down.
Mr. Saburo’s words from earlier.
“Excuse me, Mr. Saburo.” She finally spoke, setting down her cup, “What are demons?”
He went over to her, carrying a dish for his smoke and his pipe, a stony look in his eyes as he talked. “There have always been man-eating demons roaming in the night. Barbaric creatures that wouldn’t hesitate to attack and consume humans. That’s why it’s extremely dangerous to be out at night.” He took the dish and dumped the powder into his pipe, nodding at her. “Time for bed. You can leave at daybreak.”
“Do they live in the woods?” she asked, undoing her hair and neatly combing them back up. She already had her futon out and was already in the blanket, due to the freezing winter cold.
“They can exist anywhere. Some of them appeared and live in the most extraordinary of places.” Saburo shook his head, then leaned down and blew from his pipe slowly, the smoke curling up towards the roof.
Nezuko let her hair down, the strands drifting in her face. Her gaze was fixed to the ribbons she had used to tie them, lying in her hand. “Are they able to come into your house?”
He stared at the wall, facing away from Nezuko. The smoke was curling underneath his mustache and slowly fading as they were inhaled. After a prolonged pause, he replied, “Yes, they could.”
Nezuko’s hand closed tightly, squeezing the ribbons to the point where they almost ripped. “Then… wouldn’t they just… eat everyone?”
Another tense pause ensued. Saburo hummed, then turned back to her. “The Demon Slayers protect us by killing as many demons as they can. They always have.” And with that, he put out his pipe and got up. “Now go to bed, Nezuko. It’s late.”
As Nezuko lay down in her futon and the light was extinguished, she couldn’t help but sympathize with him. She vaguely remembered her father telling her and Tanjiro about how he’d lost his entire family one winter night, and has been alone ever since. She couldn’t imagine going through something like that. Experiencing loneliness and anxiety every day, with no end to it, following you like a distinct smell.
I’ll ask Tanjiro if we can bring everyone to visit him someday, she decided. He’ll appreciate the company. Breathing out softly, she snuggled under the blankets, reassuring herself. There’s no need to worry. There’re no such things as demons. No reason at all to be terrified.
…
…
Although…
The stab of pure fear…
The thing in the woods…
That moment of icy dread, coiled tight in her gut…
Didn’tgrandma used to say the exact same thing before she died?
Even as she fell asleep, Nezuko didn’t realize that she still had her ribbons in a death grip.
“You should be very careful now.” Mr. Saburo called out to her once she had her shoes on. She nodded back at him and smiled, already thanking him. Yelling a goodbye, she turned back and skipped to the path, feeling more lighthearted now that it was daylight, with zero super scary things in the dark trying to eat her. She looked up at the sky, where fluffy white clouds were snowing heavily, reminding herself of the hidden ice patches. She picked up her pace, planning to get back home as soon as possible, lest the snowstorm gets even heavier (Gods knows what she’ll do then).
As she trekked tiredly towards the familiar path, something odd caught her eye. She squinted, the bright glare of the white sun magnified by the reflective ice making it hard to see. Nezuko could just make out something black-and-white with strings blowing in the wind. The snow around it looked stirred up, as if a struggle had taken place earlier. Nezuko knelt down slowly, picking up the small thing in the snow that looked like-
WAIT.
It was an earring. But not just any earring.
TANJIRO’S HANAFUDA EARRING.
“Oh no.” Nezuko whispered, dread gripping her like a vise. She saw the trail of trampled snow leading on further away, with something on the ground as a petrified Nezuko realized that it was the other earring. She crawled shakily toward it, finding it crumpled and stepped on, splattered with water and half-melted snow. The earrings were both nearly ruined by whoever had destroyed them like this.
They were family heirlooms. There was no way Tanjiro would allow any harm to happen to them.
Something has happened.
And it happened when she wasn’t there for their family.
But Nezuko had an idea, and she was praying with all her might that she was wrong.
“Tanjiro?” Nezuko calls out desperately, hoping for a reply. “Tanjiro?! Where are you?!” She bunched up the earrings and dashed madly up the path, following it back to their home. “Tanjiro! Anyone?! Please, Tanji-
Nezuko froze. The trail had stopped, cut off abruptly by something.
Whenever joy is shattered…
Or someone.
It is always accompanied by…
Tanjiro laid there, broken.
The presence of…
Surrounded by a sticky pool of…
Blood.
“TANJIRO!”
Nezuko dashed straight to him, horrified. He was surrounded by a crimson pool of blood, staining his hair and sleepwear. The very sight brought Nezuko to her knees, feeling sick and faint. She had literally no idea what to do, her mind tossed into chaos at the very sight. Nezuko brought her hands shakily in front of him, fearing that if she touched him, she would only make it worse. Her throat felt tight and she choked on her own words, unable to form even a coherent sentence.
“Tanjiro…*huff* I…*choke* what happened?” She whispered, hysteria and panic evident in her voice, but she didn’t even notice. “W-W-What’s going on? Who did this? How- What…”
Nezuko finally raised her head, registering the trail of blood that Tanjiro had left behind, dragging straight to…straight to…
The destroyed front door of their house.
Nezuko’s entire mind goes blank as she puts what happened piece by piece.
Her entire family had been attacked.
Nezuko didn’t even remember anything after she figured it out. It had all blurred out the moment she saw the red red blood.
Calling for her mother as she staggered towards her house.
Feeling her face drain of color as she reaches the doorway and glimpses inside.
Crashing to her knees and puking as she saw how the walls were painted red red red.
Choking and retching and bawling as she saw the corpses of her mother’s, brother’s, sister’s, the image forever branded into her memory, irrevocable.
She only remembered one thing. Letting out an ear splitting scream as her tears fall down uselessly, her throat burning with hatred.
Mom was dead.
Takeo was dead.
Shigeru was dead.
Hanako was dead.
Rokuta was dead.
They’re all dead…
But Tanjiro’s still alive.
That was what she repeated to herself, over and over again as she stumbled down the mountain, Tanjiro’s limp body draped over her back.
When she finally had run out of tears, she had checked the bodies (allof them), Tanjiro’s was the only one with a pulse. She nearly burst into tears all over again, but she knew that he was losing too much blood and needed help. Steeling herself, Nezuko had managed to get him on her back, covering him with his checkered haori. Even though she didn’t get a chance to check his injuries, she knew that the time she took to get him help now could mean the difference between saving and losing her last blood relative.
She had dashed down the path, panting and, at one point, practically dragging his unresponsive body with her.
Her best and only hope is to get him to a doctor in town and hope that he is still salvageable.
Mom’s dead, Shigeru’s dead…
“It’ll be alright!” she yelled, not sure if it was for her or her brother. Her brother was much heavier than the charcoal basket, so she struggled immensely even just to walk with him on her back. She put on a burst of speed, fearing that he was too far gone and would be unsavable. Her mind immediately screamed in panic, so far gone was her rationality to care.
Hanako’s dead, Rokuta’s dead…
Nezuko took a step, about to start sprinting when she slipped suddenly on something hidden beneath the fresh snow. Her lungs ached from the chilling air, and the wind cut straight through her coat like tiny knives. The stupid snow was already rapidly covering the cleared trail, disguising the ice patches on the way. The weather was almost fairy-tale pretty, with the light snowflakes fluttering around along with the wind.
Her siblings would’ve liked to mess around in the snow.
But all of them are dead. Her whole family is dead…
The thought spiraled in her mind, causing her to gag. A stupid part of her wished that this was just a dream, that she would wake up in Mr. Saburo’s house and it’ll be fine. That her family was still here, eagerly waiting for her to come back. That they weren’t dead.
But Tanjiro’s still alive.
She focused on this thought, clearing her mental fog. She pulled him up gently, shouldering him to a comfortable position. She knew without asking that she wouldn’t be able to carry him down, not to mention the ice patches hidden by the snow. So Old Man Saburo was her best bet of saving him and getting help. She could run faster alone and manage to get him to look after Tanjiro while she fetches a doctor.
With new resolve, she lifted him up and got him settled in the rocky hillside. “Don’t worry, Tanjiro.” she whispered. “I’ll go get us help, just please, hang on!” she desperately hoped that he could, rubbing his arm comfortingly.
Then she got up and started to dash down the mountain. But she didn’t even get three steps when she stopped, skidding.
Because at that moment, she heard a groan from him.
Nezuko nearly fell again by surprise, she stood there waiting as the wind blew mockingly, whistling, not sure if she was getting tricked by her confused mind or the soft breath of the air. She turned around, not knowing what exactly to be expecting, but what she did see gave her the first bit of hope in hours. Tanjiro had fallen forward, but he was moving, and most importantly, alive.
He’s alive!
“Tanjiro! Hold on, let me help you!”
Nezuko ran back to her brother, propping him up. Although he was struggling to even stand, his pulse rang out loudly. But she saw his body shaking slightly, as if he was going through muscle spasm, his hands twitching. He almost slipped until she helped him up carefully.
“It’s okay! You’re okay!” she said to him, relieved. His body was as cold as ice, his hair undone from where he usually kept them up neatly. He was also making weird groans that sounded like whining. And yet at the sound of her voice, he froze and became death silent.
“Tanjiro, what’s wrong?” she cupped his face and spoke to him, cautious. “Come on, what’s-?
She froze.
This wasn’t her brother.
His eyes, normally a maroon-red color, had transformed into a sickly pinkish-red, like the inside of a watermelon with slitted black pupils. His hair had grown longer, spilling out from his hood as he growled. His teeth grew slightly, until she could see two sharp fangs growing from his gums. His forehead had grown, the mark he got from protecting Shigeru reaching out from his temple and sharpening into a flame-like shape.
Right then, the warnings of Old Man Saburo and her grandma echoed in her head ominously. This wasn’t her brother.
This was a demon.
Tanjiro roared and lunged at Nezuko, and both siblings fell down, down, down in an orchestra of howls and screams.