Well, for an assignment in Honors English, we have to write a 5+ Paragraph Short Story, and it must invoke suspense. Me, being the kind of guy I am, had to go for the actiony-ancient-Japan feel.
Also, Blademan, if you read this, know that I'm probably gonna use the name "Kaze" in a bunch of my future stories.
Anyway...
The Showdown
Kaze stood, his back against the thick, ancient tree, and waited. He had been on the run, and had now lost his adversary in the woods. Good for him? Perhaps. Only if the other was found first.
* * *
Kenji stood in the middle of the forest. He had lost sight of his target: Kaze, the bandit. The trees around him moaned in the wind, as if trying to reveal what he had sought. But it didn’t matter to Kenji. When the night faded to dawn, there would be one Kaze, dead on the forest floor.
* * *
Kaze started. He could hear footsteps approaching from his right. His hand gripped tighter on his dagger’s handle, the blade cold as the arctic plain, his resolve hard as rock. To him, there would be one dead samurai and one escaped bandit by morning’s light.
* * *
Kenji stopped. He heard the shuffling of feet, hidden beneath the sound of crunching leaves. He drew his katana, the blade the color of the night sky. Only the full moon above revealed the blade’s edge. Now all he had to do was find his opponent, before he himself was found.
* * *
Kaze glanced out from behind his tree, and found Kenji staring back at him. Kenji watched as Kaze stepped out from his hiding spot, dagger in hand. Kaze brandished his weapon, the metal shining in the moonlight. Kenji readied his katana, the blade hiding in the darkness. They faced each other, Kenji emotionless, Kaze’s eyes screaming defiance, before charging, each knowing only one will be left standing when the sun rose.
Or would there?
C&C are appreciated.
