Fall Of The Shogun

• Ryan Penn, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2015

The stars glistened and sparkled in the night sky above the sleeping village of Hakuro. Outside the walls I Kiro Hasama lay, gazing up into the cloudless night sky admiring the stars that shone so bright that the light spread out across the land as far as ones eye could see. Here I lay on the soft grass, my crystal green eyes looking afar and my light brown hair resting on the soft pillow of grass beneath my head. The moon was high in the sky, new day was almost upon us, the day of my ninth birthday.
The wind blew gently past my unmarked face. Although the night was silent and peaceful, there was something amidst. I couldn’t quite grasp it but there was definitely something wrong. I averted my gaze to the village below. The lanterns that hang off the freshly painted pillars gave of a radiant but eerie glow around the village streets. The wind round its way through the village rustling the leaves of the rose cherry blossoms which lined the vacant streets of Hakuro. I directed my glaring to the majestic temple that towered over the village. A few areas where lit up around the temple as the residents were sleeping. Somewhere within that twisting maze of corridors and doors was my father, Hiyaki Hasama the most powerful ruler of japan, ‘The Shogun’.
I was turning my head as a sudden burst of light erupted from the corner of my eye. What I saw made me spring up on to my feet and bolt towards the walls of the village. I ran a fast as I could tripping over twigs and dodging underneath branches that threatened to wack me in the face. I rapidly made it to the wall that now loomed over me, I soon began running the length of the wall searching for the small crack that will assure me a way into the village. The hole was in view and I sped towards it and squeezed right through to the other side. I dashed downs the streets, the cherry blossoms blurred past me. The horrific scene just coming into view as I turned the sharp corner.
Flames had already engulfed the entirety of the temple. People where spilling out of the gates all coughing and grasping for air. I scrambled for the blazing inferno, people tried to grab for me but I shook them of and continued on my path. I made my way through the crumbling front entrance and weaved my way through corridors and doors. I was running out of time, I was losing air and my father was nowhere to be seen. I was just about to start moving when I made out a large creaking noise above my head, this was it this was how I was going to die…