Watching Troy’s every movement through Sam’s eyes, the knives observe his patterns of behaviour, likes and dislikes and in particular, his insistence on night-time walks alone. This piques their curiosity.
The knives urge her to go with him. Troy is resistant to Sam’s begging and discourages her at every turn.
One evening Troy slips out for his walk. A murmured order raises Sam from the couch. She drifts into the kitchen, the drawer already open. Her hands fold around the carved handles of the blades as she tucks each one of them into her clothing. The longest one into the waist-band of her trousers.
Painting a scene of feudal Japan over the urban landscape, the knives are now ready.
Stepping out into the night, Sam stands under a streetlight. But when she looks up, she sees a full moon. Around her are the low thatched roofs of a small village and rice paddies glinting under the clear sky.
Guiding her expertly through the winding paths of the village, the blades keep Troy just in sight. He skulks down a narrow lane-way, and ducks into a house with a low doorway. Sam steps into the shadowed lane-way. Driven by the focus of the blade she slips silently towards the door. Changing their strategy, the blade direct her to lay in wait in the shadows of a set of stairs.
The moon rises, peeping over the top of the low buildings. Its light spilling into the space between the houses. The knives watch the light crawl across the cobbled surface, edging towards their hiding place.
They consider breaking cover when the cold hard light is about to reveal them when the sound of feet on stones pushes them into the diminishing shadow. Troy appears through the low door. He stands adjusting his clothing. A disheveled woman follows him into the street. Her clothes are wrapped loosely around her. Troy slides his hand inside the woman’s clothing and squeezes one of her breasts before walking off. The woman quickly disappears inside.
The knives curl Sam’s body into a coil, tensing every muscle in her crouched frame ready to launch upon their prey.
Troy strides past.
The knives count two paces, then unleash the power of their wrath upon the unsuspecting man.
Satisfied, the blades guide her home.
Following their instructions, she ritually cleanses each knife, and lays them to rest in the drawer.
As it closes, they fall silent.
Their murmuring fades from Sam’s ears and she sleeps a deep dreamless sleep.
