Summertime of the Dead

by Gregory Hughes

  ‘Mikazuki!’ he said, and gave me a dirty look. But when I took off the wrapper his face lit up. He held out both hands, and then he pushed it into his mouth. He was as happy as the Lump when he had something to eat.

  I didn’t like to think about the job then. It didn’t seem right in front of the baby. But I have to admit that the thought of doing it excited me. But just then that clanging sound came back! I looked at the bridge but there was no train going by. It had to be in my head! I covered my ears and tried to get it to stop but it rang louder. I swear it was so upsetting it was driving me insane!

  ‘Are you OK?’

  I looked up to see a middle-aged woman looking down at me. She looked concerned.

  ‘Just a headache,’ I said, but I could feel my face cringing.

  ‘You’re very young to be having headaches.’

  ‘It’s gone now,’ I said. And just as I said it, the ringing stopped.

  ‘Well, as long as you’re feeling better.’

  She smiled and walked away and I sat there feeling bad. I’d heard about people who had ringing in their ears, but this was ridiculous. I turned to the baby to make sure he wasn’t upset. But you’ve never seen a happier kid.

  ‘You’re very selfish, you know that?’ But he didn’t care. He just smiled as he ate his ice cream.

  When the train stopped at Yoyogi I took the escalator to the top. I ran across the road, and cutting through the small park I pushed the buggy up the hill. When I entered the grounds of the shrine I saw Natsuko sitting in the shade of a tree. She even had the tea ready as though she was expecting me. But she was staring down at the ground like she was worried. And she was startled when she saw me.

  ‘Yukio! You caught me daydreaming. Please, have a seat.’

  I bowed before taking a seat and she poured me some tea. The worry lines left her forehead when she saw the baby and she smiled. ‘Oh, he’s such an angel!’ She seemed to relax then and she sat back.

  ‘Yoshe said you wanted to see me.’

  ‘Yes, we’re moving into the temple next week. The work’s almost finished. Can we call on you to help?’

  ‘Of course. I’m not back at school for a few weeks.’

  We were quiet then and I felt a little uncomfortable. It was like we couldn’t think of anything to say. I mean, I’d known Natsuko for years, but every time we’d had tea together the twins were with us, and I was sure she was thinking about them. The worry lines returned to her forehead. She went to speak, but she hesitated and reached for her tea. Then she looked more determined and put the cup down. ‘I really wanted to talk to you about the twins. Is that OK?’

  ‘Of course,’ I said.

  ‘A Detective Maki came to see me a while back.’

  Just to hear his name was like an unexpected body blow.

  ‘I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want to upset you. He asked me if I knew why the twins did what they did, and I said no. Then he asked me about you. I said that you were a kind and decent young man.’ She blushed a little. ‘I even told him that I would trust you with my life. He seemed satisfied with that and he went away. I thought he was investigating the twins’ death. But just the other day the head priest told me that he was a homicide detective investigating the Psycho Killer murders. Have you heard about them?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve heard something.’

  Natsuko frowned. ‘I don’t understand why he was asking me about you and the twins. I can’t see any connection between their deaths and those murders. Not unless this Psycho Killer was in some way responsible. But the twins never mixed with any bad characters. They had few friends besides you. Yukio, is there anything you can tell me about their deaths?’ Her face filled with pain. ‘Because they were always the happiest of children!’

  All of a sudden I felt bad. ‘I don’t know anything,’ I said. But I looked away.

  Natsuko sensed something and sat forward. And she had those large eyes that you couldn’t get away from. ‘I understand, Yukio,’ she said in a delicate way, ‘but I think something bad must have happened to the twins to make them do what they did. And somebody must be responsible. Maybe this Psycho Killer is to blame. And that’s why the detective came to see me. Yukio … do you know who he is?’

  Suddenly I had this urge to confess.

  She came closer. ‘Yukio, you’re like a brother to me. If you know who he is, you can tell me!’

  I almost broke, I really did. But then I felt a coldness towards her.

  ‘I don’t know anything, Natsuko. And I have to get the baby home.’

  I stood up and taking the buggy I pushed him away. Then I realized what an idiot I’d been. I’d spoken to her in a harsh tone and I’d never done that before. I turned quickly and smiled. ‘Just let me know when you’re moving. I’ll be glad to help.’ But my voice sounded phoney even to me.

  ‘I will,’ she said, and raised her hand in farewell.

  I was seething as I pushed the buggy back down the hill! What an idiot I was! All I’d had to do was stay calm and everything would have been fine. But I panicked and then I got angry. And what was that look on her face as she waved goodbye? She was hurt … Yes, that was it. She must have been hurt because of the way I spoke to her … But there was something else in that look. What it was I did not know.

  All the way home I kept seeing her face as she waved goodbye. I replayed that image in my mind until I worked out what that look was. It was a look of horror. I understood then that I’d finally given myself away. Natsuko knew. And what would she do now? I imagined her calling the police. And my mind filled with hate. But I could never harm Natsuko. Not really.

  16

  I watched an ant crawl up the trunk of a tree. I don’t ever remember seeing an ant at night before, but it wasn’t quite night, not yet. Through the treetops I could see that the sky was still blue and that the moon was just starting to become visible. I brushed the ant off the tree and it fell to the ground where it really was dark. I didn’t want to think about the ant. The ant reminded me of the Lump, and if I thought about the Lump I couldn’t do what I had to do. And that was going to be hard enough. I didn’t want to do it, I really didn’t. But there I was standing in the shadows with the sword.

  After a while a few stars appeared and the moon became bright. The sky was still pale but, because of the tall trees, the shrine grounds were almost dark. Dark enough anyway. I made my way under the Shinto gate and walked as quietly as I could along the stone path. But I froze when I heard voices. They were coming from the street below, but I waited for them to fade away before moving on. I passed the temple and headed to the house where the nuns lived, but something caught my eye. Through the temple doors I saw candles burning and a silhouette kneeling at the altar. I looked around, to make sure that no one was there, and then kicking off my sneakers I slipped inside.

  I moved silently towards a pillar and stood behind it. Then I peered around the side to see Natsuko. I couldn’t see her face, because she had her back to me, but I could hear her quick, desperate whispers. What she was praying for I don’t know, but she sounded confused, and she must have been. She was a Buddhist nun praying in a Shinto Temple. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, but I didn’t want to feel sorry for her! ‘Be strong, Yukio! Kill her quick!’ I took the sword in my right hand and stepped out from behind the pillar. If she turned around now she’d see me, but she didn’t. And so moving in slow motion I put one foot in front of the other. But my foot creaked on a floorboard. Suddenly her head rose. ‘Yukio, is that you?’ she asked. But she never turned around.

  How could she know? Part of me wanted to run, but I kept moving towards her. Then I saw the side of her face in the candlelight. She looked distraught.

  ‘Have you come for me?’ Her voice was quivering and her head went down. ‘I don’t understand … anything! The twins are dead and you have become what killed them!’

  I took the sword in both hands and raised it like a dagger. But she turned and looked up at me. ‘My bea
utiful Yukio!’

  I froze with sorrow and shame. Then I stabbed her. I pushed the sword down into her good heart and then I pulled it out. She fell back on to the wooden floor and looked up at me. ‘Yukio,’ she whispered.

  She wouldn’t have felt much pain. I probably felt more pain killing her. And the shame was still to come. But I’d had to do it. It wasn’t that I was scared of being caught or going to prison. But what I was doing was more important than what she did, whatever that was. Make tea, and be nice, and give off warmth. It was nothing really. I mean, I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy her warmth; I did. But being nice never changed anything. It didn’t save the twins. And it didn’t punish the people who hurt them. Besides, I felt that there was a part of her that wanted me to do it. She was too delicate for this world.

  I knelt beside her, and taking her hand I held it. I waited with her until she passed, and then closing her eyes I touched her beautiful face. I’d always wanted to touch it. I even thought about kissing her on the forehead, but that would have been disrespectful.

  ‘You’re with the twins now, Natsuko. They’ll look after you.’

  I went to the temple doors and checked the grounds. Then I turned and bowed to Natsuko’s body before stepping outside. I put on my sneakers, retied the laces and walked down the slope to the bike.

  I felt miserable as I rode to Ginza. But I thought about what I’d said and I hoped it was true. I hoped she was with the twins and I hoped she was happy. She always taught us that death was nothing to be afraid of because, as Buddhists, we’re reborn again. And if that was the case then it makes no difference when we die. And so it makes no difference that I killed her. I wasn’t just saying that because I felt bad. I was saying it because I believed it was true. But I had to put Natsuko out of my mind now. Otherwise I’d end up dead myself.

  It was dark by the time I reached the Imperial Palace. I followed the moat around and taking a right I rode along the broad road that passed the Mitsubishi Building. I headed under the railway bridge and parked the bike in the darkest spot. I took off my helmet and put on a flu mask. Flu masks look like surgeons’ masks, but a lot of people wear them when they get a cold, even in the summertime. And so I could hide my face without drawing attention to myself.

  As I put the helmet under the seat I saw the sword. I’d put it in the nylon bag and it was dark under bridge. I don’t think anybody could see it, let alone steal it, and so I put the helmet next to it and left it at that. I put the gun in my belt and headed down to the Mitsubishi Building. I could see people talking outside the convention centre on the other side of the road, and there were a few strolling couples. But apart from them there were only the passing cars to worry about. But that part of Ginza was a business section and so it was usually quiet at night.

  When I reached the building it looked deserted. The lights were on but I couldn’t see a single soul at the windows, and there must have been about twenty floors. It crossed my mind that I might have missed him, but I had to carry on as though he was there. I scanned the raised garden to see where to hide. Then, making sure no cars were coming, I jumped up on to the low wall and crouched in the bushes. I looked around to see if I could be seen, but I couldn’t. And so I stood up and headed through the foliage. I stopped at the edge of the garden and scanned the lobby. It was brightly lit and deserted except for an old security guard. He was wearing a blue cap and a blue uniform and he was standing to attention, even though no one was there. To my left was the path that ran around the ponds, which were lit up now by underwater lights. And to my right was another path, that led to the street. Either way he went, I could kill him. And he’d be close too – even I couldn’t miss from that range. I dropped the girls’ claws on the ground and taking out the gun I got ready.

  Ten long minutes went by but no one came. I was just starting to think that everyone had gone home when I saw the security guard bow. My view was blocked by an interior wall and so I couldn’t see who he’d bowed to. But then two middle-aged women came out from the main entrance. There were still people inside. Then more came. It was a group of younger men in suits. They were all laughing and joking and looked happy to be out of work. I watched them walk off down the street.

  Suddenly I turned and saw people by the ponds! They must have come from the back of the building. There were three older businessmen and a girl in a green dress. One of the guys looked like the director. I scanned his face as he came closer. It was him! I took aim and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. I cocked the gun and tried again. There was a loud bang and a bullet hit one of the men in the shoulder. He dropped to his knees. I fired again. The girl covered her head and started to scream. But I don’t think I hit her. The director shielded his face with his briefcase and started to run. I took aim and fired three times. One of the bullets hit the briefcase dead centre. He dropped the case and fell face first into the pond. I’d got him.

  I ran off the raised garden, but tripping on the foliage I fell off the wall. I hit the pavement hard, and it really hurt, but I got up straight away. But then someone grabbed me from behind and we both fell to the ground.

  ‘You’re not going nowhere!’ said the old security guard, getting me in a bear hug.

  ‘Let go, you old fool!’

  ‘No!’ he shouted, and pulled down my flu mask.

  I beat him around the head with the butt of the gun, but he wouldn’t let go. I got on top and smashed his nose until it broke and blood came out. Then I went to run. But once again he grabbed me around the legs and I fell down. And they can’t have been paying him that much! I kicked him in the face until he let go and then I got up and ran. Boy did I run!

  ‘Stop!’

  I looked back to see two guys in suits chasing me. I sprinted across the street and under the bridge, and kick-starting the engine I rode away. I never even had time to put on my helmet. I pulled back hard on the throttle and shot down the pedestrian path that ran alongside the bridge. I whizzed past the bars and restaurants that were built into the arches, but it was OK. The path was deserted and the bars were empty. But suddenly a guy stepped out in front of me! I swerved to miss him and braked hard. But I smashed into a wall and flew over the bike. My head cracked against the stone and I crashed on the pavement. Oh the pain! I felt like someone had hit me with a lump hammer. I held my head and got to my feet.

  The guy staggered towards me. He looked a little drunk. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked.

  The bullet hit him in the head and he collapsed like a puppet without strings. It happened so fast I didn’t realize I’d done it. But there he was on the ground. It was quiet then and he lay so still. I watched him for a second, to see whether he’d get up, but he didn’t. And so I put the gun away and picked up the bike. But as I did a sharp pain shot through my left leg! I bit down hard and kick-started the engine, but it wouldn’t start. I tried again but nothing happened.

  ‘Hey, you! Stop!’

  I saw the two men in suits coming after me. I kick-started the engine again. It came to life and I looked back at them as I rode away. They came to a stop at the dead drunk’s body.

  As I pulled back on the throttle a loud noise came from the engine, and I saw that the handlebars were bent. I had to keep them at an angle in order to go straight. I came to the end of the pathway and stopped so I could put on my helmet. I saw that the engine was leaking and that the sword had gone. But I was in too much pain to care. My head was throbbing and my hair was matted with blood. It ran down the side of my neck as I put on the helmet. And the inner padding pushed against the swelling on my face. I almost passed out with the pain, but I fought to stay conscious. I had to get home.

  I rode out on to the main road, and merging with the traffic I headed up towards the House of Representatives. But the bike was straining to make it up the hill, and no matter how much I pulled back on the throttle it crawled along. But when the road levelled out, it picked up speed. ‘Please keep going!’ When I looked down at my leg I saw a bone coming through my
jeans. I swear I was in so much pain I wanted to scream. ‘You’re a samurai!’ I said. ‘Act like one!’ But my voice was breaking up and the words seemed silly.

  When I reached Omotesando the bike started to splutter and I saw smoke coming from the exhaust. Not much, but enough for a cop to pull me up. ‘Come on, you can make it!’ The bike crawled up Omotesando like a dying dog, but when I reached the lights at Harajuku station it cut out altogether. And there were so many people around! But then something worse happened. I started to feel dizzy and my sight went blurry. Bitting down I got off the bike and kick-started the engine. I was sure it wouldn’t start but it started straight away. I was so grateful I felt like crying, but I didn’t. I rode through the lights and headed home.

  And then I was passing Yoyogi Park. I’d never been so glad to see it! It was a beautiful park and it belonged to us. It was mine and the Lump’s and the twins’. The Lump. I hadn’t called her yet. She’ll think I don’t care and I do. And the Lump liked ice cream. I’ll have to send her some. I’ll have to send the twins some as well … No, I can’t send the twins anything. They’re dead. That’s how all this began, Yukio, remember?

  I took a left after the bend and headed towards the tracks. Hiroshi was on the tracks. He shouldn’t be there. ‘Hiroshi!’ I shouted. ‘There’s a train coming!’ But he just stood there and smiled. I pulled back on the throttle and rode towards him. But I never went anywhere. I realized that the bike had come to a stop and that the engine was dead.

  I got off and went to push it across the tracks, but the sharp pain in my leg didn’t like that, and so I left it at the side of the road. The helmet felt tight as I took it off, as though it had shrunk, and blood came down my face. I took the flu mask from around my neck and wiped my eyes, and then I went to limp away. But I stopped and looked back at the bike. I felt sad about leaving it. It had taken me away from danger so many times and now it was dead. I remembered the day I got it. I was so happy. And I remembered the Lump laughing on it. The Lump loved the bike as well. It wasn’t just me.