BooksBarbecue
Back The Ring of Wind Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

Saburo stared at her in bewilderment, but she forced the jug into his mouth, making him take several gulps. Saburo immediately vomited at her feet.

‘What are you doing?’ exclaimed Jack, rushing to support his friend.

‘More!’ ordered Miyuki, tipping the jug up. ‘If we can flush his stomach of the poison, there’s a chance he may survive.’

Saburo heaved again, and this time small slivers of half-digested translucent fish splattered across the deck.

In the corner, the captain was sobbing loudly. ‘I don’t want … to die … don’t want to …’

‘Stick your fingers down your throat,’ instructed Miyuki, but the captain was too absorbed in his own self-pity to follow her advice.

Saburo was becoming drowsy. Jack and Yori eased him to the floor. They lay their friend on his side along the rear of the cage, Yori rolling his pilgrim stole into a makeshift pillow. Miyuki hunted through the folds of her clothes, pulling out a small pouch that the Wind Demons hadn’t discovered on her. She rifled inside it and took out a twist of paper containing a black tablet.

‘Hold his head steady,’ she told Jack and Yori.

Saburo’s breathing was laboured and he felt like a dead weight in Jack’s hands. All of a sudden, Saburo went into spasm.

‘By the love of Buddha, stay with us,’ pleaded Yori, tears running down his cheeks.

Saburo’s convulsion eased and he turned weakly to Yori. ‘Not … going … anywhere … my friend.’

‘Eat this,’ Miyuki ordered, shoving the black square into Saburo’s mouth.

‘It tastes … disgusting,’ lisped Saburo.

‘Of course it does, it’s charcoal. It’ll bind with the toxin inside you and prevent further absorption. Now swallow it, before your body can’t even do that.’

Saburo crunched down on the tablet. On the other side of the cage, there was a heavy thump as the captain keeled over, clutching his chest.

Jack and Yori gently lay Saburo back on his pillow. His lips twitched into a sad smile.

‘Wish … I was … seasick … now …’ he wheezed.

Kneeling by his side, Yori put his hands together and began to murmur incantations.

Jack turned to Miyuki. ‘Is there nothing more we can do for him? It’s a ninja poison – don’t you have an antidote?’

Miyuki gravely shook her head. ‘There’s no known antidote to fugu. But Saburo’s strong. All we can do now is wait and pray.’

18

Image Missing
Pirate Boy

Saburo gazed up into Jack’s face. He looked almost peaceful. But Jack knew that was the effect of the fugu. Miyuki had explained that the fish’s toxin slowly paralysed the muscles, leaving the victim fully conscious until the lungs gave out and the person died from suffocation. That’s what made it such an effective poison for ninja assassinations.

‘Can you still breathe?’ asked Jack.

Saburo blinked his eyes twice. Yes.

‘Wriggle your toes.’

Jack glanced towards Saburo’s feet, but nothing moved.