E-Books (english-e-reader), Fugu (2)

Fugu (2)

Taro looked at his wife. There were tears in his eyes. He shook his head.

'No, they want me to eat this, so I must eat.'

Taro placed the food into his mouth. He chewed and then swallowed. He had eaten the fugu. He shut his eyes and opened them again. Nothing happened. The two big men looked as though they had hoped something would happen.

'I've heard the poison works quite slowly,' said Half-Finger. 'Let's wait a bit longer.'

So they waited and watched as Taro sat quietly eating some vegetables. They watched him for ten minutes, maybe longer.

Then suddenly, Taro started breathing quickly. He put his hands to his throat and fell to the floor. His body shook violently for a few seconds and then he lay still.

Anzu was silent, her eyes open wide.

Iku cried, 'He's dead! You've killed him!'

Half-Finger laughed. 'If he's dead, he's killed himself. But I want to make sure first!'

He nodded to the other gangster. The big man bent down and looked closely at Taro's eyes. He turned to Half-Finger and nodded.

'The old man is dead,' said Half-Finger. 'My friend has seen enough dead guys to know that. No need to waste any more of our time. He's useless to us now. We'll tell our boss that his chef wasn't as good as he thought he was.'

Both of the Yakuza men laughed. Half-Finger touched his short finger again. He was hoping his boss would agree with him.

Iku felt his mouth go dry. He looked at Taro as he lay on the floor and tears started falling from his eyes. Anzu began crying loudly as she bent over the still body of her husband.

'We're going now. Please don't call the police or tell anyone about this meeting. Or there will be problems for you and your families. Do you understand?'

Iku nodded.

The two men left and shut the door.

A few moments passed and then Iku asked, 'Should I call the police, Auntie?'

Anzu lifted up her head and, to Iku's surprise, she was smiling.

'No, Iku. We've got rid of them at last. Now help me carry Taro to a bed. Then we'll call the hospital and wait.'

'Wait?' Iku cried. 'What do you mean?'

'I know my husband very well,' Anzu said. 'He knew exactly what he was doing. Taro is still the best - the very best. We wait...'

- THE END -

Fugu (2) Fugu (2) Fugu (2) Фугу (2)

Taro looked at his wife. There were tears in his eyes. He shook his head.

'No, they want me to eat this, so I must eat.'

Taro placed the food into his mouth. 太郎は食べ物を口に入れました。 He chewed and then swallowed. |kaute|||schluckte 彼は噛んだ後、飲み込んだ。 He had eaten the fugu. He shut his eyes and opened them again. 彼は目を閉じて再び開いた。 Nothing happened. The two big men looked as though they had hoped something would happen. 二人の大男は何かが起こることを望んでいたように見えた。

'I've heard the poison works quite slowly,' said Half-Finger. 'Let's wait a bit longer.'

So they waited and watched as Taro sat quietly eating some vegetables. それで、太郎が静かに野菜を食べているのを待って見ました。 They watched him for ten minutes, maybe longer.

Then suddenly, Taro started breathing quickly. すると突然、太郎はすぐに呼吸を始めました。 He put his hands to his throat and fell to the floor. His body shook violently for a few seconds and then he lay still. 彼の体は数秒間激しく揺れ、それから彼はじっと横になった。

Anzu was silent, her eyes open wide.

Iku cried, 'He's dead! You've killed him!'

Half-Finger laughed. 'If he's dead, he's killed himself. But I want to make sure first!' しかし、私は最初に確認したいです！」 Але я хочу спочатку переконатися!

He nodded to the other gangster. |||||Gangster The big man bent down and looked closely at Taro's eyes. He turned to Half-Finger and nodded. 彼はハーフフィンガーの方を向いてうなずいた。

'The old man is dead,' said Half-Finger. 'My friend has seen enough dead guys to know that. 「私の友人はそれを知るのに十分な死んだ男を見てきました。 No need to waste any more of our time. これ以上時間を無駄にする必要はありません。 He's useless to us now. 彼は今私たちには役に立たない。 We'll tell our boss that his chef wasn't as good as he thought he was.' 上司に、彼のシェフは思っていたほど上手ではなかったと伝えます。」 Ми скажемо нашому босу, що його шеф-кухар був не такий хороший, як він думав".

Both of the Yakuza men laughed. Half-Finger touched his short finger again. He was hoping his boss would agree with him. 彼は上司が彼に同意することを望んでいた。

Iku felt his mouth go dry. イクは口が乾くのを感じた。 Іку відчув, як у нього пересохло в роті. He looked at Taro as he lay on the floor and tears started falling from his eyes. 床に横になって太郎を見ると、目から涙がこぼれ始めた。 Anzu began crying loudly as she bent over the still body of her husband. 夫の静止した体をかがめると、あんずは大声で泣き始めた。

'We're going now. Please don't call the police or tell anyone about this meeting. Or there will be problems for you and your families. またはあなたとあなたの家族に問題があります。 Do you understand?'