“That’s impossible.”
“At night, we could sleep in the clinic.”
“What would we eat?”
“Leftover school lunches.”
“If they never come for us? We’d just live at school forever?”
“We could get jobs. Like delivering papers or something.”
“We’re kids. No one’s going to hire us.”
“We’ll lie about our age. We’ll say we’re in junior high.” Their reflections hovered in the big mirror over the landing on the main staircase. Souhei looked at himself. “Do we look like we’re in junior high?”
Yuki looked in the mirror, too, and saw a thin, helpless child staring back. No way would she pass for a kid in junior high. “…Nope.”
“Really?”
Souhei craned his neck at his reflection. Yuki disentangled her finger from a lock of hair and mumbled at her own despondent reflection.
“…I wish I could hurry up and become an adult.”
Souhei looked at her, then turned back to himself.
“Me too.”
“Hff…pff…hff…”
Dozens of leaves clung to Hana’s raincoat.
“Hff…pff…hff…”
The path was a minefield of puddles sucking at her feet. She leaned against the slope, its rocks and mud laid bare by the pelting rain, just managing to stay upright.
“Hff…pff…hff…”
The path was too narrow to even call it a hiking trail, hardly wide enough for one person to scale the steep slope. The earth had been washed away, leaving roots exposed. The birch trees grew densely all the way to the base of the bluff, and their twisted brown trunks reminded her of the bones of a deformed animal. She had heard they were the first trees to grow in the highlands after some great cataclysm—which meant this place where she stood now had been wiped out once in the past, too.
She must have climbed quite high. She had been roaming the mountain for a long time, searching without luck for Ame, and she realized she was lost.
She had no idea where she was walking. Her vision was so blurred she could hardly see in front of her. And she was cold.
“Hff…pff…hff…”
Ame…
Where was he?
Ame…
Just then, her foot slipped on the slick root of a birch tree.
“—?!”
She snapped out of her daze and looked down the steep bluff. But as she did…
Bambambambam!
She began sliding helplessly toward the ravine bottom.
She clawed desperately at the dirt, but she couldn’t stop. She stretched her hands out frantically.
Slap!
They hit something—a birch sapling, and she just barely managed to grab on to one of its branches. As the branch bent, its leaves sent a shower of raindrops onto Hana’s muddy face.
“Hff…pff…hff…”
She was panting hard. If she slipped any farther, she wouldn’t be able to get back up. She gathered all her strength and reached out her other hand.
“Ooof…! …Urgh!”
By stretching as far as she possibly could, she managed to curl her fingers around the branch.
“Hff…pff…hff…”
She wrung the last ounce of strength from her body to crawl upward.
She could hear the birch creaking as it bent under her, and she could feel her hand beginning to slip. She clenched it as hard as she could.
“Urgh…uffff…!!”
The next instant, the tension was gone under her hands.
“?!”
The birch sapling supporting all her weight had been uprooted.
After that, everything happened very quickly. She tumbled head over heels down the drenched slope, her body slamming against bushes and small trees, her skin tearing against the branches. But nothing stopped her descent.
The branches snapped noisily.
Bambambambambam…!!!!
Eventually, the sound died away. All that remained was the pounding of the rain.
“…Ah…ugh…”
Hana groaned weakly at the bottom of the cliff, hidden by trees. Her whole body throbbed with a peculiar feeling somewhere between pain and numbness. She tried to move her hand and realized she couldn’t. Again, she tried, with all her effort, but she managed only the slightest twitch of her fingers.
The effort drained the last of her energy as the rain picked up again. The world grew hazy, till she could no longer make out shapes, and suddenly everything was very cold. Her lips quivered from the chill. From within her delirium, she thought of Ame.
“…Ame…are you shivering…somewhere…? Are you crying…because you can’t go home…?”
When she thought about it, she realized just how many things had frightened him since he was small. He was a crybaby, such a fragile child, and sickly and stubborn, too. And despite all that, a mama’s boy…
I’m all he has.
“…I have to…protect…him…”
The raindrops beat against her body mercilessly.
“…I have to…protect…”
Those were her last words before she lost consciousness.
The janitor was checking the door of each classroom to make sure it was locked.
His flashlight lit up the landing of the main staircase. No one was there. The door to the sixth-grade classroom opened with a bang.
“Anyone in here?”
His voice echoed through the darkness, but only silence answered him. The beam swung across the classroom, and soon after, the door banged shut. His squeaky footsteps receded down the hall.
Souhei poked his head out from under the desk where he had been hiding, then jumped out into the dark.
“…He’s gone,” he whispered.
Yuki peeked out from beneath another desk. She stood up and looked toward the door, her hands pressed to her chest.
“…My heart’s still pounding…” She peered at Souhei. “Hey, why did we hide?”
He was kneeling on a desk to look out the window. He didn’t reply.
“Souhei?”
“—”
He still didn’t answer. Yuki gave up and looked out the window. Water covered the whole playground. The wind carved across its surface, sending out sets of ripples.
Like the ocean, Yuki thought.
She felt like the deep blue might swallow her up. The rain blurred the far side of the playground, as if the storm had swept away the whole school and now they really were floating at sea. Countless raindrops slid slowly down the windowpane. She felt as though she was standing miles and miles and miles from home. If that was the case…
“Maybe we really will live here forever, in secret.”
“If our parents don’t come, we won’t have a choice.”
“What do you mean? I’m sure your mom will come.” Yuki pictured his mother, remembering how fiercely she had attacked Hana that day at school.
“No, she won’t.”
“Why not? I mean—” Yuki caught her breath midsentence. The rumor she’d heard came suddenly back to her.
As if he could read her mind, Souhei answered evenly, still fixated on the window. “My mom got married. She’s pregnant now. She said once the baby comes, she won’t need me anymore.”
Yuki was speechless. Was that even possible?
“…But she was so worried about you back then…!”
“I don’t actually care.”
“—”
“I’m gonna run away and become a soccer player or a wrestler. I’ll be a lone wolf.” He climbed down from the desk. “Whaddaya think? Think I’ll make it?”
Yuki didn’t know how to respond to his half-serious, half-joking question. She barely managed a wry half smile. “…You wouldn’t last five minutes. You’re so skinny!”
“I’ll work out. I’ll get buff and live by myself.”
He looked out the window again. Yuki’s smile faded.
“—”
Souhei slowly brought his ste
ely eyes back to her. Then suddenly, he laughed, flashing his white teeth.
“Hee-hee-hee!”
He seemed to be telling her it was their little secret.
Yuki’s chest tightened.
“…!!”
She was so miserable she could hardly stand it. She lowered her head and pressed a hand to her chest—the reason for her pain. Something had budded in her heart, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what it was.
“…Souhei…I wish I was like you. I wish I could tell the truth and keep on smiling.”
Really, she was talking to herself.
She made up her mind.
The next instant, she reached out and opened the aluminum window.
Whooooosh!!
A gust of wind blew into the classroom, billowing under the lace curtain.
“—?”
As Souhei looked up, Yuki closed her eyes and let the raindrops blow against her whole body.
“—”
She slowly raised her head to face Souhei through the rolling waves of the curtain.
“Souhei…”
He looked back in astonishment. The wind had whipped Yuki’s long hair into a beautiful tangle.
“…Back then, the wolf that hurt you was me.”
Ever so quietly, she made her confession, and then she showed him her real self. A wolf.
Wolf Yuki.
“…It was me.”
Souhei stared at her. She bit her lip before continuing to speak, still in wolf form.
“This whole time, I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
He kept watching her as she returned to her human form and spoke again, now an ordinary girl.
“…It’s been so hard.” The blowing raindrops looked like tears on her face.
Suddenly, Souhei said, “…I knew. I knew the whole time.”
The calm reply startled Yuki. “…?!”
He lifted his face and closed his eyes. “I haven’t told anyone your secret. I won’t tell anyone.” He opened them and met Yuki’s. “So…don’t cry.”
“—!”
As soon as she heard those words, her eyes welled and overflowed. Everything she had kept inside, all the weight she had borne, everything she had hidden—it was all coming to the surface. She didn’t know how to stop the tears, so she smiled as big as she could and shook her head. She didn’t want him to see her like this.
“…Ha-ha…I’m not crying. These are just raindrops…”
Tears mixed with rain and rolled down her cheeks. She hid behind the billowing curtain and wiped her face, but they just kept coming. As she wiped them away, she realized she had to tell him one more thing. Two words.
She turned her tear-stained face straight toward him.
Souhei—
“Thank you.”
FSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH…!!
The rain beat down on the soaked playground harder than ever.
How much time had passed?
Rain poured softly onto the birch trees. In the darkness, thousands of ripples quietly spread outward and disappeared, and in the center of them lay Hana’s body.
Leaves and branches and mud clung to her torn raincoat. Fresh cuts and bruises covered her face and hands. Her eyes had remained closed since she lost consciousness.
Splash…splash…
Something was coming closer.
Splash…!
Reflected in a pool of water, the form bent low over Hana’s face. She did not wake from her sleep.
Hana was dreaming.
In the soft sunlight, flowers swayed in a gentle breeze.
“Ame…where did you go…? Ame…?”
Wearing her blue dress of so long ago, Hana searched calmly for Ame. When she turned around, she saw a form on the far side of the hill.
“…?”
It was Ame, his back to her, buffeted by the wind.
“Ame…!” Hana stepped toward him, her skirt billowing. “…I was looking for you. Let’s hurry and get Yuki—”
As the wind blew softly between them, Hana realized something. The faraway form turning toward her…
It was him.
“…Hana,” he said in his kind voice.
“…!”
Unable to believe what was happening, she stood staring, but there was no mistake. It was him.
“…!!” She broke into a wide grin, bounded toward him like a fawn, and leaped into his arms. “…I’ve wanted to be with you again for so long…!!”
He drew her softly to him. His familiar smell surrounded her, and his body was so warm. In his low voice, he said, “You’ve been through so much because of me… I’m sorry.”
“…No.” She shook her head, brushing her face against his chest. He bent down to match her height.
“…I’ve been watching you the whole time.”
“I know.”
Tears of happiness spilled from her eyes. He nuzzled his forehead against hers.
“You’ve raised the children well,” he said, caressing her hair. How long had it been since someone did that?
“No, I haven’t. I’ve made so many mistakes.” She shook her head, her forehead still pressed against his. He peered into her eyes.
“I mean it. Yuki and Ame have both grown up beautifully.”
“But…” Hana opened her eyes, realizing something midsentence. “Ame… Ame’s gone.”
She slowly stepped away from him and walked over the hill, looking around and calling aimlessly.
“Ame!”
“Ame will be fine.”
“But…” She looked at him, still worried.
He smiled gently in the soft breeze. “He’s fine. He’s an adult now.”
She turned toward him, astonished. “…An adult?”
She had not fully digested the meaning of the words.
His eyes were kind as the wind blew between them again.
“He’s found his own world.”
Swish…swish…swish…
Still unconscious, Hana was carried through the misty morning forest in a pair of strong arms. No human could have found her where she was on the mountain, and yet she had been rescued. By the time she reached the village, the storm had let up entirely.
Morning was dawning when her body was laid gently in a parking lot at the base of the mountain. Her rescuer turned and headed back toward the mountain.
“…Ngh…owww.”
Hana awoke with a start. At first, she couldn’t open her eyes, but she groaned and sat up. All of her joints ached terribly. Finally, her groggy vision registered a blurry image.
In the distance, a figure was walking toward the mountain.
“Ame…”
It was definitely him. Now fully awake, she widened her eyes.
“Ame!” she called, trying to stop him.
He stopped and looked toward her.
“—”
It was the biggest wolf she had ever seen. Ame. Wolf Ame.
She couldn’t stop herself from asking. “…You’re really going?”
“—”
Wolf Ame stared back at his mother with an unwavering gaze. Tears pooled in Hana’s eyes. “But…I still haven’t done anything for you.”
“…!”
As if in response, wolf Ame turned fully toward Hana. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I haven’t done anything…and still…”
“?!”
Wolf Ame gazed at Hana, as if he couldn’t stand seeing her in such a state. The wind ruffled his mane as if to express the emotion. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something.
“—”
But then, he closed it again slowly, and his eyes regained their calm.
The wind died away. As if that were his signal, wolf Ame swiftly turned around.
Whoosh!
Before Hana could say a word, he had raced across the parking lot and bounded over the fence.
“!”
For the first time, Hana looked up at the soaring cliff in front of her. Snowmel
t thundered straight down from the summit of the rugged mass of stone, carved by a glacier, perhaps a mile wide and half a mile high. It seemed to announce that the land was not meant for human trespass. Indeed, even its nickname was “The Demon’s Castle.”
Wolf Ame raced up this awesome precipice with lightning speed.
“Wait…!! Ame!!”
She stood up unsteadily, but a sharp pain shot through her leg and sent her to her knees. Although she could follow him only with her eyes, she stretched her arms toward him.
Wolf Ame doubled back along the cliff face, scaling the rock with powerful strides. He slipped past the huge trees and leaped across the waterfall. In the blink of an eye, Hana lost sight of him.
“…Ame!!”
She screamed and screamed his name, reaching upward with all her strength. Of course, she couldn’t reach the cliff towering far above the clouds, but still her battered hand reached upward.
“Ame…!”
Her fingers strained to grab hold of the sky.
“…!!”
Suddenly, the strength drained from her body, and she slumped on the ground. The pain of loss stabbed deep into her heart. Ame was already beyond her reach. He would probably never return to his human form again. She could do no more for him—nothing at all.
“Ame… Ame…”
A sob escaped her chest. The cliff looked coldly down on her. And then, at its summit, Ame the Wolf appeared. He stood at the stony origin of the waterfall, lifted his head toward the heavens, and howled with such force the air itself trembled.
AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
“Ah!”
Startled, Hana looked up. The morning sun was rising from behind the eastern mountains as if the great howl had called it forth.
AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
It shone on Ame the Wolf as he faced the wind and howled mightily. His fur glistened brilliantly in the sunlight.
“…”
Hana was completely lost in this vision, this blessing. The pain of loss faded, and in its place, a wonderful strength surged through her whole body.
AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Tears spilled from her eyes as memories of her boy came flooding back to her.
The sound of rain in early spring.
The shrine where she held him as he cried through the night.
The field of reed grass where he hung his head and sobbed.
The day when she desperately tried to warm his icy body by the side of the river, their first snow…
Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki Page 13