by Eiko Kadono
Kiki was nearly swept up by the woman’s momentum, but she flailed and said, “I will, I will. Just not right now. If I can have that toy, I’ll bring back a real black cat—a witch’s black cat! Then you can paint both of us.”
“Really?”
“For sure!” Kiki shouted with a nod. Once she had the stuffed toy in hand, she rushed off without looking back.
“It’s a promise, then!” the woman called after her.
* * *
By the time Kiki reached Buzzcut Buster’s house, it was completely dark outside. Kiki tiptoed up to each lit window and peeked inside.
Oh, there’s Jiji. He was in bed with Buzzcut Buster, who hugged him tightly.
Jiji was far from properly folded—he was crumpled. His face was turned toward his back, clamped down by the boy’s hand, and his stomach was being crushed by the boy’s arm. On his nose, he had a bandage that matched Buzzcut Buster’s.
Kiki quietly opened the window, stood on her toes, and pulled Jiji’s tail. Jiji didn’t move. He’d kept his promise and truly transformed into a stuffed animal. The back of Kiki’s nose stung as she held back tears of gratitude. What a precious friend he is!
“Jiji, Jiji,” she called in a low voice. He slowly opened one eye. Kiki set the toy on the boy’s stomach and whispered, “Hurry!”
Jiji slipped away from the boy and bounced like a ball into Kiki’s arms. She couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying, but he was purring deep in his throat.
* * *
“How wonderful it is to breathe freely, to be able to move!” Jiji looked around with renewed curiosity as he and Kiki flew through the sky.
“About that,” Kiki said without looking at him. “Sorry, but there’s something else I need your help with. This time you don’t have to pretend to be a stuffed animal, though. You can laugh, cry, whatever you like!”
“That’ll be a piece of cake, then.” Jiji nodded as if he understood everything perfectly.
But when the painter sat Kiki and Jiji down next to each other, she ordered, “Straighten up, Mr. Witch Cat. Curl your tail. And make a serious face. Okay, good, now hold your breath. Just like that, just like that—don’t move!”
Jiji bristled angrily.
That only made the painter shriek with delight.
“Oh, fantastic! That’s a witch’s cat for you! Just like that, just like that.”
As Kiki sat there prim and proper, she was thrilled. There’s another person who likes me!
* * *
That night, Kiki wrote her first letter to Okino and Kokiri.
I decided to live in a place called Koriko. It’s a big town near the sea. At first I thought it might be too big, but it’s turned out to be perfect for the type of work I started to do. I started my own business: Kiki’s Delivery Service.
She wrote about everything that had happened so far, leaving out the moments when she’d felt discouraged, of course. She ended her letter like this:
The seamstress said she would halve the length of my skirt, but I think I’m going to have her make a silver cushion for Jiji. Next time I’ll send a picture of his calm face.
We’re having fun, so please don’t worry. Take care, both of you. Bye for now.
Kiki opened the front door to her shop and instinctively shaded her eyes with her hand—It’s so bright!
When she’d first arrived in town, the sun had beamed down with a mild, playful glow. It wasn’t all that different from the sunlight in her small town back home with its many forests. But now it pounded down ruthlessly, as if taking aim and hurling itself.
“Summer by the sea is something else,” Kiki murmured. “It’s hard to breathe.” She undid one of the buttons at her collar to cool off, then stood up on her toes.
Oh my gosh, it’s not as if I’ll be able to see the sea on tiptoe. I must be thinking of Mom’s letter.
Back home, she would stand on tiptoe in her front garden, where she could see as far as the eastern peak of Mount Green. The note she received from Kokiri two days ago reminded her of the mountain and the little town she’d left.
Yesterday I was out, so I stopped by Mount Green on my way home. I remembered how when I would send you on an errand, you would stop off there and take forever to come back. The grass was almost up to my knees. I sat there for a while, looking up at the sky. And then what do you suppose happened? I fell asleep! The grass smelled so sweet, and the breeze was blowing so gently. I’m not sure how long I slept, but when I woke up, I rushed home. When your dad saw my face, he laughed. He said I looked just like you, with marks from the grass on my cheeks. I ended up laughing, too.
Kiki remembered playing on the fields of Mount Green under the blazing sun and walking the roads of her town. She missed it so much her heart ached.
“Okay,” she said, shaking off the sad feelings. “Let’s get the day started.”
Switching gears, Kiki decided to polish her broom with a soft cloth. Caring for her equipment was something she had done every morning since opening her delivery service.
“Oh, what a busy bee you are. At it today, too?” Osono came out of the bakery next door carrying her baby and spoke to Kiki through the open window. “No matter how much effort you put in, I don’t think you’ll get much work today. The town is empty. Well, there does seem to be one determined boy cleaning the alley. But otherwise, there’s almost no one around.”
Kiki looked up and peered out at the street. Sure enough, all she could see was the high contrast of dazzling sunlight and black shadow.
“Today is Sunday,” Osono explained. “Plus, it’s the middle of the summer. Everyone’s gone to the beach.”
“The beach? Why?”
“To go swimming, of course. Why don’t you take the day off and go, too?”
“But it’s so hot.”
“Oh, sheesh. That’s the whole reason to go, isn’t it? It’ll feel good. It’s rough living here in the summer if you don’t go to the beach.”
“But I’ve never been swimming before.”
“Even more reason to go. If you need a swimsuit, I’ll lend you one. I happen to have a black one from when I was younger. Witches have to wear black, right?”
“But you’re not going to come, Osono?”
“With the little one? I can’t. I’ll just have to suffer through the heat this year. You’re lucky you can easily fly over.”
“I’ll go with you, though. I can watch the baby.” Kiki reached through the open window and softly brushed the cheek of the child sleeping comfortably in Osono’s arms.
“I’m fine. You haven’t had any chance to relax since you got here. You’ve been getting more work little by little, so go take it easy for a change. You can simply lie on the sand. Wait just a minute and I’ll grab the suit for you. If you wear it under your dress, it’ll be easy to change when you get there.” Osono bustled back into her house.
“The beach, huh?” Kiki murmured before turning to Jiji. “Should we go check it out?”
Jiji was lying like a pat of melted butter, sprawled on the steps in a shady spot where the breeze was better. He answered in a nasally, irked voice. “You’re telling someone wearing a fur coat in this heat to move? How cruel!”
“But we’ll be flying into the sea breeze. I think it’ll feel much better than sitting at home. Plus, I need to take the broom out for a fun flight now and then.”
“Now and then, huh?” Jiji sniffed and sluggishly rose to his feet, flicking his tail.
Kiki bobbed her head with a smile and set about closing the shop’s windows.
When Osono brought the swimsuit, Kiki stretched it out first, then slipped it on. The fabric snapped back and clung to her skin like a rubber band.
“Is this how it’s supposed to fit?” Kiki asked Osono, shrinking in embarrassment.
“Yes, you look great! I’m jealous of how well that suit fits you.”
“It’s like my body is squished—it feels weird.”
“You’re fine just as you are. Plus, once you get there, everyone will be wearing the same sort of thing. All right, get going!”
Kiki put her dress on over the swimsuit, and with her broom and radio in hand, she went outside with Jiji. Then she hung a sign on the door that said CLOSED TODAY.
* * *
Kiki and Jiji sped across the blue sky. The radio was playing a cheery song, and Kiki swayed to the music. “This feels great!” She skillfully caught the wind and flew side to side in big weaving curves. “Flying really is fantastic. It’s no wonder Osono wanted to learn how.”
Kiki squinted down at Koriko. The town spread like two butterfly wings from either side of the big river. It seemed to be moving to the music, too.
Jiji tapped her back. “Hey, Kiki, there’s some kind of announcement on the radio.”
At some point, a weather forecast had interrupted the music.
“We repeat this important warning. The gusts known as Mischievous Marine Winds may blow today off the coast of Koriko. True to their name, during this time of year, these winds come whipping through without warning. Everyone who is out swimming, please be careful.”
“See, it’s saying the weather’s going to get bad,” said Jiji.
“What? But it’s so nice out!” Kiki wasn’t worried at all. “Look, we can see the beach. There are plenty of people playing. The forecast must be a mistake. You always expect the worst when we’re trying to have fun—it’s a bad habit!”
“Being too giddy isn’t a good habit, either.” Jiji bristled and turned away.
A moment later, Kiki angled the broomstick to descend. She landed softly on an isolated patch of sand. Kiki had never heard of a witch going to the beach, so she thought it would be better to avoid sticking out.
Kiki sent a sidelong glance at the more crowded area. Everyone was absorbed in their fun. Some people were having sandball fights, while others were buried in sand up to their necks. Some were sunning their backs, some chased waves at the water’s edge, and some swam in the ocean with big strokes. There were so many different things to do at the beach, and wherever she looked she found smiles and laughter.
The wind picked up and noisily whipped at the fabric of the beach umbrellas. The waves grew a little taller, too, and the shouts of the surfers grew more excited. Carrying the dress and shoes she had taken off, Kiki nervously hunched, hiding her body. It was her first time barefoot in sand, and though it wasn’t even noon yet, the sand was so hot it was impossible to move slowly. She hopped along shrieking, and Jiji hopped too, sensibly trying to stay in Kiki’s shadow. As they went, he grumbled, “We look ridiculous—like two beans in a frying pan. I wish we could show Kokiri.”
When they finally made it to the crowded section of the beach, Kiki imitated the others by digging a hole and lying down in it on her stomach. Here, the sand was as warm and comforting as a bath, and it felt wonderful. All sorts of people’s legs passed by. Kiki was relieved that everyone was too busy with their own fun to pay attention to anyone else. She propped her head up on her elbows and looked out at the sea. It was like a great, swelling creature in constant motion. People jumped in one after another, as if clinging to its back.
Kiki realized her mother hadn’t told her anything about the sea. Perhaps it was only natural, since Kokiri had never seen it.
“Maybe I’ll go in, too,” she said to herself.
“Kiki, witches might melt or something if they go in water. Don’t do it.” Jiji eyed her anxiously.
“Look how much fun everyone else is having! I don’t think there’s any reason it would be bad just for witches. I want to try dipping my feet in, at least.”
As Kiki sat up on the sand, she spied a mass of black clouds on the horizon that hadn’t been there before. Looking around, she watched little whirlwinds of sand spin by.
“Oh, maybe the weather forecast was right after all.”
But the sun was still shining brightly overhead, so she gazed enviously back at the people playing in the water.
A voice called out nearby: “Hey!”
When Kiki turned, she saw a woman lying nearby on her stomach, smiling at her. The woman slowly sat up and pointed to the broom.
“Did you bring that all the way here to play with at the beach? Are you planning on using it instead of floaties?”
Kiki found the idea so silly she couldn’t hold back her laughter.
The woman shrugged and laughed herself, then said, “I heard a witch came to town. I guess people are already copying her style—how cute! I’m so busy taking care of my son, I have no idea what the latest trends are. I saw a young man with one earlier, too.”
Kiki hurriedly hid behind her broom.
“Look, there he is over there.”
The woman pointed behind her. Kiki looked past the people playing in the sand and saw a boy carrying a bag and a broom, watching them.
“Oh, he’s probably cleaning up the beach.”
“Is that right? Are you a cleaner, too? I thought for sure…” As she spoke, she craned her neck and looked around. Then she suddenly shouted, “Hey! Hey, buddy, you can’t go so far away! Stay where I can see you. Th-that’s good, right there. You can splash in the water. Look, here comes a big wave.”
When the woman waved, a little boy sitting on an orange inflatable raft kicked his feet. The woman turned back to Kiki and heaved a sigh.
“Kids are cute but such a handful. Being a mom is rough.”
Then the woman looked away again and shrilly raised her voice. “Hey, don’t go out too deep! That’s right, sit right there! Good boy.” She turned back to Kiki with a smile. “I’d at least like to get some relaxation time in when we come to the beach. Oh, do you think your little kitty would play with my son? He looks so sweet. Then my boy won’t wander off.” The woman reached out to pet Jiji, trying to get on his good side.
“Go play with him, Jiji.” Kiki poked him in the tummy.
Jiji rose lazily and groaned from the pit of his stomach. “She called me—a full-grown cat—a ‘little kitty.’ Ugh,” he grumbled to himself as he walked toward the water’s edge, twitching his tail back and forth.
“What a smart kitty!” The woman watched with a smile until Jiji reached her son on the inflatable raft. Satisfied, she then lay back down on her stomach, humming.
Kiki decided to lie down, too. When she closed her eyes, she could hear the jumble of sounds around her more clearly. The sea’s salty smell, a mix of fishiness and seaweed, was pretty nice, too.
Without warning, she heard a roar, and a completely different sort of wind blew past. It was so intense it seemed as though it fell from the sky. Yelps and screams of surprise rose along the beach.
After blinking the sand out of her eyes, Kiki saw straw hats crisscrossing through the air and inflatable rings rolling around like wheels. She stood up with a start. The peaceful beach had completely transformed. Some people grabbed their kids under their arms and ran for the pine grove at the end of the beach. Others were chasing belongings that blew in the wind.
“Oh no!” The woman next to her screamed at the top of her lungs, frantically sprinting toward the water.
Kiki’s eyes followed the woman and she saw that the orange raft carrying the boy and Jiji was caught between two huge waves. The woman leaped into the water, but the raft, along with the boy and Jiji, was pulled into a strong whirlpool and dragged out to sea.
All Kiki could hear were piercing sobs. She ran toward the water and shouted to Jiji, “Hold on tight! I’m coming to save you!” Then she turned to the woman, who stood helplessly in the water. “Don’t worry. I can fly. I’ll save your boy.”
Someone nearby said, “That’s right. You’re the f
lying girl from Kiki’s Delivery Service, aren’t you?”
“Please hurry,” the woman urged. “Hurry!”
Kiki ran back to the sand to get her broom. But the moment she picked it up, she went pale. This wasn’t her broom. It was a cheap one, a copy that looked nearly identical to her mother’s.
How could this happen, especially at a time like this? Did someone swap my broom in the midst of this storm? Or was it while I was relaxing with my eyes closed? Kiki’s heart pounded. What do I do?
In any case, she didn’t have much time to think. Kiki mounted the unfamiliar broom in a hurry and took off. But the moment she was up, the broom took a nosedive, and she dipped into the water.
“Oh no!” everyone watching gasped.
Kiki pulled the handle up in a panic, but then the back bristles fell into the ocean with a sploosh. The broom grew heavier as it soaked up water, and drifted back toward the beach. Kiki tried everything she could to change direction, but the broom, unruly as a wild horse, kept pulling her backward and trying to throw her off. Meanwhile, the boy and Jiji drifted farther and farther away with each passing moment.
Still, Kiki desperately flew on. After being dunked and bucked along the way, she finally caught up to the raft. Then she stretched herself out on the broomstick and extended her hand. The boy was crying too hard to take it, so she finally managed to grab ahold of his trunks and lift him. Then she snatched Jiji by the tail. Right after she pulled them to safety, a huge wave crashed over the orange raft, sending it spinning and washing it away.
All the bystanders on the beach jumped up and cheered. When Kiki somehow made it back to shore, she handed the exhausted boy to his mother. Holding an equally exhausted Jiji, Kiki hurriedly pulled her dress on over her wet swimsuit. Then she grabbed her radio, hopped on the unsteady broom, and took off again.