Raw Cement Bench

They sat quietly in the shade of the mountain catching their breath. The firm cement bench provided little comfort. Carved ridges giving it a semblance of design crumbled. The culvert’s shrine was much older than the stair laden walking path to the dorm buildings.

Yuki scratched a line in the dirt with her feet.

Asami, thinking to herself, wondered how anyone made it up here to build this shrine.

“People were a lot more determined back then,” Yuki said, “Zeep zerp.”

Asami leaned back, “Determined about what?”

“I’m sure the villagers constructed a path. It may have been small, and they may have used ropes, but they reached this clearing and were able to bring supplies in small packets. The statue was most likely carved from a solid boulder, judging by its appearance.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You were wondering about how this shrine was built before the stairs were constructed.”

“I didn’t say that out loud!”

Yuki tilted her head, “You didn’t?”

“No, I didn’t. Don’t do that again. That’s creepy.”

“I didn’t do it intentionally.”

Asami’s squatted on the bench to examine Yuki from the side. Her palm braced. Cement scratched her knees. A peak under the hat revealed the horns grew an inch longer since the restroom. They curved toward the back of Yuki’s head, and it looked like they were raising higher, curling. A blue gemstone luster laced with speckles of gold decorated the carved stone aesthetic, like a gargoyle. The gem centered on Yuki’s forehead manifested the coloring of an eye with an emerald iris. It scanned and darted as if from inside a screen.

The hat went back down, though more stretched than before as Asami arranged it over Yuki’s new features, “I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t know what’s happening to you.”

“You sound calm.”

“I’m trying to be calm on the outside, but I’m freaking out on the inside. I- I don’t have any idea what to do next. I don’t know who to ask for help.”

Yuki put her head down, “Yeah. I know. And I want Calpis but I left my change purse at school. And I bet you did too, the way we ran out of there.”

“I can run back and get it,” Asami stretched her calves, “Wait for me here, I’ll get our bags.”

A tug on her arm kept her from running, “No, don’t leave me. If you go, I go. I don’t know. I feel like if you leave me. We’ll never find each other ever again.”

The uniform that fit so spectacularly this morning looked like drapery. The hat only stretched because those ram horns kept getting larger despite her shrinking. Their outline pressed against the tan fabric.

“Fine, I guess its mountain water till we get back to the dorms. I should have some change lying around the apartment. But it’s pretty bad that we left our wallets and our identifications at school, especially with you looking stranger by the hour.”

“Zeep zerp!” Yuki shouted.

“What? Don’t shout. Do you want us found?”

“I’m sorry, I was frustrated. It’s the only thing I can think to say,” she picked up a fleck of cement and popped it between her sharpened teeth without thinking. Cylindrical cones like steel ground it. Saliva dissolved cement into slurry that flowed down her throat. Yuki winced at the disgusting taste. The bench crumbled where she picked it with her fingers. An even bigger cement chunk mixed with small stones went in her mouth like it was a snack, “Blech!”

“Are you putting random things in your mouth again!?”

“No! … yes?”

“Drop it!”

“I’m not a dog! Down’t tweat me wike a dowg!”

“I will if you act like one,” Asami leaned over the shrinking Yuki, who obviously crunched on something, “Did you eat a bug! Gross!”

“No, I’m eating the bench,” Yuki smiled a toothy grin. When she opened her mouth, the lump of cement infused with slate and limestone chunks sat steaming on her tongue. Sharp teeth crunched it. She returned to chewing with her mouth closed until it formed a cement paste in her mouth.

Asami pointed while taking large steps back, “Yuki this is not acceptable behavior. You’re freaking me out.”

Yuki frowned with a disgusted expression, the tips of her fingers under her nails turned blue, “Ugghh, not acceptable is right. It tastes like grey goo mixed with sand. But it feels fine in my stomach. Do you want to try it?”

“I’m not turning into some weird alien creature who eats cement benches. I’ll die if I eat that. Do you still at least drink water?”

“Let’s see,” Yuki knelt by the stream to cup water in her palms, she took deep sips. The trace mineral elements gave it an incredible flavor; pupils dilated as her stomach rumbled, “Yes, I do. It’s refreshing.”

The ropes at the edge of the cliff strained against the back of Asami’s knees. Loafers slipped on wet grass. Asami reached but failed to balance. Before she fell backwards, Yuki grabbed her rear to push them back into the clearing. They leaned against each other, embraced so firmly their chests pressed. Asami realized she was on her knees while Yuki stood, yet they could stare into each other’s eyes.

“You should be more careful. Zeep zerp. If you got hurt, I would be beside myself.”

Grass grew around Asami’s knees as she looked down, “I’m sorry. This is scaring me too much. I didn’t think I could handle it. I almost fell because I was afraid.”

Yuki stared into her friend, “This is strange. I shouldn’t be greedy. If you want to leave, you should. I’ll figure it out on my own. Somehow.”

Gentle fingers brushed Yuki’s cheek, “Darn it. This doesn’t make any sense. And your teeth look terrifying. If you could see yourself right now, you’d be over it.”

“Are they that sharp,” A finger pressed against the tip of conical front teeth, “Owww!”

Pink blood oozed from the tip of a punctured index finger. Yuki pressed it against her lips. The fluid tasted mineralized. A hole burned through her dress, just over her thigh, where she wiped her puncture wound. A fist pressed against Yuki’s mouth, “Maybe I’m going to become dangerous. Maybe it would be better if we part ways. I’m leaving.”

Asami reached out, “Wait!”

“Ha ha! Ho ho! Hee hee!”

The laughing old man met Yuki at the edge of the cliff. She fell on her butt, sitting right next to Asami, “Hey! It’s you again.”

The bald portion of his head shone from the sun breaking through the canopy. Liver spots dotted his wrinkled face. His lips were big and dark. He gave a chuckling belly laugh. Withered fingers clenched together behind his back. Manic cackling bounced over the sitting Jizo. Yuki and Asami screeched as they held each other.

He outstretched his arms and darted at them.