Steampunk Fairy Tales (13 page)

A black Lexus,
sleek as a gymnast, pulled into the driveway. Riko jumped out of
the Toyota and dashed across the road, slipping between Lexus and
gate. The driver, a man in a dark hat and suit, hit the horn and
inched the car forward.

Riko stood her
ground. “I need to speak to Ikeda-sama.”

The driver
pulled on the handbrake before winding the window down. “What are
you doing?” he called.

“
I need to speak to Ikeda-sama. It’s important.”

He stepped out of the car, leaving it running. “He doesn’t
take visitors. Best if you get out of the way, young
lady.”

“
Please.”

He shook his
head, then looked over his shoulder. “Shachō?”

A back door opened and a short man exited. Of an age with
her father, his hair matched the jet black frames of his glasses. A
blue tie sat bright against the grey of his suit. “Konda? What is
this?”

“
This lady here wants to talk to you. She won’t move, I’m
sorry.”

Riko gave a
bow. “Ikeda-sama. I wanted to speak to you about your son.”

The man’s
expression morphed from annoyance to suspicion. His narrowed eyes
tracked her as she stepped closer. Konda too, kept a close
watch.

“
How does this regard Yuuki?” Ikeda’s posture would have
brought a coat rack to tears.

“
I taught at –”

“
Enough.” He held up a hand. “You are Riko-san?”

“
Yes. And I came to swear to you that I never acted in an
inappropriate manner with Yuuki.”

Konda
whistled, but looked down when Ikeda glared at him. To Riko, Ikeda
said, “This is a poor apology.”

“
It must be hard to believe, but I’m telling the truth. Maybe
the pressure on him was –”

He shook his
head. “You do not hail from Japan originally, do you? I hear a
slight accent. English? No, Australian perhaps?”

She frowned.
“My parents are from Hokaido, but they moved to Melbourne before I
was born.”

He nodded,
showing no pleasure at his guesswork, skilful as it was. “Then you
are here on a work permit.”

“
Yes, but that doesn’t have anything to do with what
happened.”

He smiled. “Do
you think so? My son is not a liar. Should you wish to remain here
in Fuji-Yoshida, in Japan for that matter, you will keep away from
my family and my home.”

Remain in
Japan? Could he actually get her deported? “But –”

“
Understand, Riko-san, that I will not have this disgrace fall
upon the Ikeda name. Consider yourself fortunate that you were only
dismissed.”

“
That’s not –”

Ikeda pointed
at her. “Not another word.” He climbed back into the Lexus and
snapped an order. The gates rattled open and Konda returned to the
driver’s seat, giving her a look. A warning? Part sympathy – it was
so fleeting she couldn’t be sure.

Riko stepped
aside and the car lurched forward.

And that was
that.

Read More here:

http://www.amazon.com/Whisper-Leaves-Paranormal-Novella-ebook/dp/B00X8TKZ4Q

Daniel Lind

Daniel is a teacher living in the United
Kingdom with wife and two children. He was born and raised in
Sweden but emigrated in 2007. He’s previously had short stories
published in magazines such as Pidgeonholes and Zetetic and a
zombie western is forthcoming in Flash Fiction Press.

Links:

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/lindhoffen

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lindhoffen

Excerpt from upcoming
sci-fi story
The Givers – a
novella
:

The steel door shut behind me as I entered
the cramped room. Two teenage girls sulked at a desk. One had
piercings all over her face, and her long hair shimmered green and
blue. The other wore make-up that would turn any member of Kiss
green of envy. Both wore torn black jeans and smelled old
clothes.

I sat on a chair in front of the girls and
nodded. “Does it hurt?”

The pierced girl glanced at me with utter
disgust. “Wha’?”

“
The stuff in your face,”
I said. “Does it hurt?”

She scowled. “The fuck d’you care?”

I shook my head. “Sorry. I’m Nathan.
Apparently, you two were in my store last night. I’d like to know
why.”

The girl in make-up lifted her head from the
desk. “We didn’t—”

Her friend shushed her. “Is that what your
alien buddies told you?”

“
My apologies, I didn’t
catch your name.” I extended my arm.

“
Alice,” said the girl
with piercings. “And she’s Charlotte.”

“
Can’t your friend speak
for herself?”

“
No.”

“
All right.” I scratched
my head. “You claim you didn’t trash my store. Why were you there
then?”

“
You’re no blueberry, and
no lawyer.” If her voice carried poison, I’d be dead now. “So why
don’t you piss off?”

Feisty teenager—exactly what I didn’t need.
I cleared my throat. “We’re gonna be here a while, d’you girls want
anything to drink?”

Alice reclined in the chair and showed her
middle finger with a grin. Charlotte had her head on the desk and
didn’t move.

“
My surveillance outside
the store recorded you two breaking in. That’s a criminal
offence.”

Alice sighed. “Like I told the other geezer,
we were asked to go and get something. The back door was open!”

I lost my train of thought for a moment.
“You were asked? By who?”

“
One of your alien
buddies. Jack, Joshua, or somethin’.”

Joseph.

I leaned forwards. “What did he want you to
take?”

“
Cameras.”

Why would the Givers take my cheap cameras?
If they needed them they could’ve done it themselves—no need using
teenagers as bait.