A Winter of Ghosts

Chapter Ten

Boredom was bad for Mai. Overthe past year, whenever she had grown restless or distracted, she had tended toget herself into trouble. One of the favorite punishments meted out by theteachers at Monju-no-Chie school was to make the offender sit on her knees inthe hall for long stretches of time. Not only did it hurt after a while but itwas probably the most interminably boring thing Mai had ever experienced. Soshe tried to control herself in school even though the temptation to talk orwrite notes to friends or draw horribly insulting sketches of teachers in hernotebooks was often too much to resist.

It was a vicious circle, really.Boredom led to misbehavior, which led to punishment, which led back to boredom.

Outside of school, it wasn't sobad. The teachers gave plenty of homework, which kept her mind busy. Mai hadalways managed good grades — she was smart and happy to work and studyhard — and when she wasn't doing homework she could always go shopping inthe city or play soccer with her friends.

Winter created problems for her.The soccer club could still play in the school gym, but they never felt likereal games to her. Snow was the hated enemy of soccer players everywhere. Andthough most days the weather wasn't so cold or stormy that she would beprevented from going into Miyazu City to go shopping, the gray skies weren'texactly inviting. They didn't make a girl want to link arms with her bestfriend and wander from shop to shop trying on new outfits.

Which probably explained why shewas dancing to awful J-pop in the middle of her dorm room in short-shorts and atiny tank top, filming herself on her laptop's webcam. She tried to sing alongto the song — some silliness about boys on motorcycles by a girl groupcalled Kuza — but kept laughing at her own ridiculousness instead. She'dput her hair up in pigtails and wore bright, sparkly red lipstick, and theentire effect was to make her look like the happiest prostitute on Earth, butlooking at herself in the mirror had made her giggle at her own ridiculousness.

Boredom.

From the other side of the smalldormitory room, Wakana shouted at her. Mai glanced at her. The words had beendrowned out by the music, but she got the gist. Wakana was working on theresearch paper that Harper-sensei had assigned for his American Studies class,which seemed entirely pointless to Mai, considering that classes were currentlysuspended.

Wakana shouted again.

Grinning, Mai broke off from herhip gyrating dance to race over to the bed and grab Wakana by the wrists.

"Stop it!" Wakanasaid, brow furrowed in a deep frown. "No, Mai. I'm trying to — "

Mai hauled her off the bed andpulled her into view of the webcam. Wakana wore pajama pants and a faded pinkt-shirt that she often slept in, a clip holding her hair out of her face. Shelooked very cute, but Mai knew it was the last outfit in the world she wouldwant anyone to see her in. Soon enough they would have to go downstairs fordinner and they would both get changed, but Wakana's eyes flared with alarm atthe thought of being on camera. She tried to pull away but Mai gave her a poutylook and tugged her back, raising her arms and dancing like she was in anightclub in some sexy movie scene.

Then she made silly faces andWakana laughed.

"Come on!" Maipleaded.

Wakana thrust out a hip,shifting into a dance pose. Mai clapped her hands in glee, and seconds later,they were dancing side by side. Wakana strung a few moves together by sheerinstinct — for a shy girl, she knew how to move — and Mai mimickedher. They shimmied up and down against each other in mockery of boys' obsessionwith girls who kissed other girls — though none of the boys they knewwould likely have noticed the irony — and then collapsed together in fitsof embarrassed giggles. Mai pulled Wakana out of view of the camera just as thesong came to a close.

They fell onto their beds, flushwith exertion, and only then did they hear the banging on the door.

The two girls cast anxiousglances at each other.

"Who is it?" Maicalled, as the next song began.

Wakana jumped up and spun thevolume down as Mai closed the laptop and started for the door. As she reachedfor the knob she remembered what she looked like. It would take too long to doanything about her hair, but she darted back across the room and grabbed a pinkrobe, tugging it on even as Wakana handed her a tissue, with which she wipedher lips.

There was another round of bangingon the door, but now Mai had grown irritated. She stormed to the door andunlocked it.

"What is the crisis?" she demanded as she pulled it open.

The sight of the schoolprincipal standing grim-faced in the corridor actually made her flinch and backup a step.

"Yamato-sensei?" sheasked. "What are you. . what's wrong?"

Mai had barely taken note of thepresence of Miss Aritomo and Mr. Harper, but now she noticed the two teachersin the corridor behind the principal. Despite the tight, angry expression onMr. Yamato's face, she knew that he had not come to discipline her. She andWakana were not in trouble. This combination of Monju-no-Chie's teachers couldhave only one purpose for visiting them.

Mr. Yamato arched a disapprovingeyebrow at her pigtails and what she could only assume was a smear of sparklylipstick left on her mouth.

"Your music was very loud,"he said.

Mai gave him a tiny nod ofapology. "I am sorry. I did not realize — "

"May we come in?" MissAritomo interrupted.

Mai stepped back to clear theway, thinking that it would be cramped with all five of them in the small room,and wondering what could be so important as to prompt them to visit her andWakana here in the middle of a snowy afternoon. With the loud banging on thedoor, the other girls at this end of the hall would already be gossiping abouthow much trouble she must be in; they'd never assume Wakana was the one introuble. The rest of the students would assume that Mr. Yamato had brought theother teachers as witnesses or something.

As Mr. Yamato and Mr. Harperentered the room, Miss Aritomo hung back in the hall a moment. She shot asidelong glance at someone else, one of Mai and Wakana's nosy neighborspresumably.

"Go back into your room. Thisdoesn't concern you," the art teacher said, as sharply as Mai had everheard her speak to anyone.

Then Miss Aritomo entered andclosed the door behind them.

Wakana looked like she wishedshe could climb under her bedsheets and hide.

"This will take only amoment," Mr. Yamato said, shifting his gaze from Mai to Wakana and backagain. He lowered his voice before continuing. "There may be a way tobreak the curse of Kyuketsuki."

"Why would we — "Mai began, then cut herself off. "My apologies again, Yamato-sensei."

"You can ask the question,"Mr. Harper said. "Why would you care? Is that what you were going to say? Youdon't like my daughter and her friends, Maiko. I understand that — "

"Harper-san." Mr.Yamato gave the American teacher a grave look.

"Mai," Miss Aritomosaid, "many people have died because of the curse of Kyuketsuki, some ofthem your friends." She glanced meaningfully at Wakana and then looked atMai again. "Do you mean to tell us that you are not willing to helpprevent more of your friends from dying?"

Mai swallowed. Her embarrassmentand discomfort at their sudden arrival fled. She had carefully crafted apersona of arrogance and confidence around other students, and she had greatambitions for her future that she thought that persona would serve. But whenshe was alone with Wakana, she always let that mask slip to reveal her trueself. Now she discarded it willingly.

"Of course not," shesaid. "If there's a way that I can help you break the curse — "

"We," Wakana said."If we can help."

Mai nodded. "We'll dowhatever you need."

Mr. Yamato nodded withsatisfaction and approval. "Excellent. You are still in contact with UmeChosokabe?"

An icy knot formed in the pit ofher stomach. "Yes."

"Can you reach her bytelephone?"

"I'm not sure," Maisaid. "If not, she is usually online at night. I could e-mail her, orinstant message her later. But Ume's been gone since last spring. What couldany of this have to do with her?"

The moment she asked thequestion, she felt like a fool. She knew the answer. Everything that hadhappened — the curse, all of it — stemmed from the murder of AkaneMurakami.

But Miss Aritomo surprised her.

"The ritual that couldbreak the curse requires the participation of all of those present at the timeof Kyuketsuki's defeat," the art teacher said.

"You've got to get Ume tocome back to Miyazu City immediately," Mr. Yamato said.

Wakana shook her head. "Withrespect, sir, wasn't she expelled?"

"She could come to visitthe friends she left behind," Mr. Harper said.

"But she's in school,"Mai argued. "Wouldn't it be better to contact her parents? She would needtheir permission."

Mr. Yamato sighed, shaking hishead. "Mai, listen to me. I cannot contact her parents. How would Iexplain a request for Ume to return to Monju-no-Chie school, and in such ahurry? Tell her that she is needed here, that she must come immediately."

"But how will sheexplain, sensei?" Wakana asked.

Miss Aritomo knitted her brows. Prettyas she was, the expression made her look anything but. "Ume has alreadyproven her cunning by managing to get away with murder. She'll have to figuresomething out."

Mai blinked in astonishment atthe teacher's uncharacteristic directness. Adults so often talked around thingsthat were awkward or unpleasant that the words had shocked her.

"What if she doesn't wantto come?"

"If she doesn't want toprevent people from dying?" Mr. Yamato said. "Then tell her a memberof the Miyazu City police will be happy to go and retrieve her, and she canexplain that to her parents."

The dormitory at Monju-no-Chieschool was separated by a wide stairwell that divided it evenly into two sides,with the girls on one side and the boys on the other. Each floor had a commonarea near the stairs, but the one on the first floor was the largest, with theexception of the cafeteria. All of that common space was meant as consolationto the students for the strict rules governing gender relations in theirdormitory rooms. Boys were not allowed in girls' rooms with the door closed,and vice versa. After nine p.m., they weren't even allowed in the oppositewings.

As Kara strode along the secondfloor corridor toward Ren's room with Miho and Sakura in tow, she thought aboutthe absurdity of the rule, especially when it came to Ren. He was gay. Thoughhe claimed not to be interested in any of the boys on his floor — most ofthem didn't know about his sexual orientation — she was still sure he wasmore than content to be trapped after dark with a few dozen other guys.

Or not. That's a prettyignorant thought, she realized. As long as she'd known him, Ren had alwaysseemed to get along much better with girls than other guys, Hachiro being thelone exception.

A sickly feeling rippled throughher gut as she passed the door to Hachiro's room. No light shone beneath thedoor. It felt still and empty, as though it had been abandoned and waited for anew resident to give it life again. Even just a quick glance at the door madeher want to shout with frustration and anticipatory grief. But she refused togive up on Hachiro yet.

Ren's room was three doors downon the left. She rapped several times in quick succession, her knucklesstinging.

"What if his parents arestill here?" Miho whispered.

"Then we tell them,"Sakura said. "We're running out of time to do this quietly."

"Hachiro's running out oftime," Kara corrected.

The door remained closed, buthere there was light underneath the door. Kara could practically feel thepresence of someone inside. She knocked again, harder this time.

"Ren, it's us," shecalled. "Kara, and Sakura, and Miho."

"We need to talk to you,"Sakura added.

Still nothing. Kara felt heranger ramping up. She made fists of her hands and rocked on the balls of herfeet, needing to let out the maelstrom of emotions that were storming aroundinside of her.

Miho must have seen it coming. Sheput a hand on Kara's shoulder. "No. Let me," she said. And then shestepped up to Ren's door and knocked much more softly than Kara had. "It'sMiho. I know you're hurting. Maybe you're scared or embarrassed or mad, ormaybe it's all of those things. I know you're afraid for Hachiro. But we'reyour friends and we need you."

Sakura and Ren had a greatcamaraderie. They were buddies, fond of giving each other a hard time. But eversince Miho had revealed her feelings for Ren and discovered that he had noromantic interest in girls, the two of them had developed a gentle intimacythat had nothing to do with sex. If he would listen to anyone, it would be her.

"Ren, please?" Mihoadded.

Several seconds went by. Karabegan to grow frantic. What would they do if they couldn't get Ren to talk tothem? She glanced at Sakura, then Miho, and she thought about trying to kickthe door in but knew she didn't dare. They'd have to get Mr. Yamato down hereinstead.

Just as she was about to give upand go away, Ren spoke at last.

"I don't remember anything,"he said.

They all looked at one another. Karagestured for Miho to speak.

"Please, Ren," Mihosaid. "We need to talk to you."

A few more seconds passed as hecontemplated that, and then at last he opened the door. Kara blinked insurprise and felt all the anger drain out of her. Normally, Ren was strikinglygood-looking, with his long, spiky bronze hair and copper eyes and amischievous smile that seemed to work on nearly everyone. So often she hadthought how much he reminded her of a fox in appearance.

That Ren had vanished and beenreplaced by a pale, thin, unsmiling creature. His hair was clean but hungstraight and dull, and he wore a white shirt and tan pants that gave him analmost monastic look. Silhouetted against the early winter darkness outside hiswindow, he might have been Kubo's sickly grandson.

"Ren?" Miho said,putting all of her anguish at his appearance into that single syllable. Shehurried into the room and embraced him, leaving Kara and Sakura to watch.

Ren seemed awkward with the hug,and when Miho stepped back, neither of the other girls attempted the samegreeting. As they had agreed before paying this visit, Sakura stayed at thedoor, halfway in and halfway out. They weren't supposed to close it, but theydid not want to be troubled by the kind of gossip that eavesdroppers mightinspire.

Kara leaned against Ren's desk."Your parents left?"

"For now," Ren said."They wanted me to go home with them, but I told them I would be allright."

"Will you?" Miho asked,perching on the end of his bed. Behind her glasses, her eyes were wide withsympathy.

Ren sank down beside her,seeming almost grateful not to have to stand. "I don't know."

Kara glanced at Sakura and sawhesitation and regret in the other girl's eyes. She felt the same emotionscreeping up on her and shoved them away. Hachiro's life hung in the balance;they couldn't afford any more hesitation.

"You know why we're here,"Kara said.

Miho shot her an admonishinglook. "Don't be so cold."

"Ironic choice of words."Kara kept her focus on Ren. "Listen, I know you don't want to talk aboutthis — "

"I would if I couldremember," Ren snapped, but he couldn't meet her gaze for more than asecond, glancing down at the floor.

Kara nodded, took a deep breath,and forged on. "Okay, I get that you don't remember exactly what happened.But I'm sorry, Ren. I just can't believe there isn't anything, not a singledetail, lodged in your brain that would help us. Hachiro's been up there twonights now. This'll be the third. Unless you tell me he's dead — "

"I don't know," Rensaid, voice full of despair.

" — then I have tobelieve he's alive. And that means we can find him. But you're the only personwho can help us with that and you say you don't remember anything." Sheheld up a hand to forestall any more arguments or denials. "There's moregoing on here than you know."

As she told him what theythought they knew about Yuki-Onna, his eyes grew wide. She could see fear inthem, but also hope, and she knew he wanted to talk to her.

"What aren't you tellingus, Ren?"

Even Miho looked at himdifferently. She reached for his hand but he edged away from her on the bed.

"Does that make youremember something? Did you see her?" Miho asked.

Ren pressed his lips togetherlike a child and shook his head. Kara truly cared for him — he was herfriend — but she couldn't take it anymore.

"Damn it, Ren!" sheshouted in English.

"Sssshhhh!" Sakurasaid from the door, frowning.

Kara took a calming breath butit only succeeded in quieting her anger. Her eyes began to fill but she refusedto cry, wiping the moisture away.

"He's going to die!" she said, biting off each word as she returned to Japanese. "I love him. He'syour friend. And he's going to die. You say you don't remember, well I think you'relying. I don't know why, but you are. And I'll tell you something else. Otherpeople are going to die, too."

Kara fingered the round stonethat hung on a leather thong around her neck and noticed Miho doing the same. Sherubbed it between her thumb and forefinger.

"We're protected for now,but Yuki-Onna is looking for us. Sora's dead. And she'll keep killing until thewinter snows are gone, all because you won't tell us where Hachiro is. If he'sdead, that's on you. And everyone else who dies. . well, you'll have theirblood on your hands, too."

"Kara, that's not — "Miho began.

"Stop it!" Renshouted. "I can't!"

"Can't what?" Karademanded.

Ren buried his face in hishands.

"We can stop it, Ren, butwe need Hachiro to do that. We need everyone who was there when Kyuketsuki putthe curse on us. Mr. Yamato is getting Ume here, but all of it's for nothing ifwe can't find Hachiro, alive, and get him down off of that mountain."

He looked up through spreadfingers. "How? How can you stop it?"

Miho spoke up, telling him aboutKubo, the cloud wanderer, and the promises the monk had made to them.

Ren looked sick. He shook hishead.

"Maybe he really doesn'tknow," Sakura said, though she didn't sound convinced.

Kara stared at Ren. "Heknows."

As handsome — beautiful,really — as Ren was, at that moment he looked like a broken angel,tarnished with misery. He seemed about to speak and she saw the truth in hiseyes, but it never made the journey to his lips. Slowly, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry."

The tragedy in his voice did herin. Kara raised a shaking hand to cover her mouth to stop her from screaming athim. Her eyes filled with tears that began to slide down her cheeks and sheturned away, headed for the door, trying to find some way to accept the factthat Hachiro would die if he hadn't already, and that the curse on her and herfriends would never be lifted.

Sakura stopped her at the door,pulled Kara into her arms, and all Kara could do was try not to make any noisewhile she cried. A moment later Miho joined them without another word to Ren. Theystarted to file out into the corridor.

Over the internal roar of herown despair, Kara barely heard Ren's voice.

"She let me go," hesaid.

Miho grabbed Kara's wrist andstopped her. It was a moment before it all registered, and Kara turned backinto the room to face him. Ren sat on the bed, seeming to have shrunk in size. Hewiped away tears.

"She?" Kara said.

"You mean Yuki-Onna?" Sakura asked in a hushed whisper of disbelief.

When Ren nodded and stared,shamefaced, at the floor, Sakura reached out and closed the door. Miho openedher mouth to protest but Kara shook her head and the girl said nothing. Thiswasn't a time for rules.

"Tell us, please,"Kara said, swiping at her own tears with the back of her hand.

Ren shuddered. "If I do,she'll. ." He paused, and then a determined look came into his eyes andhe looked up, meeting Kara's gaze fully for the first time. "The storiesdo not do her justice. She is awful. The cold isn't just in your skin or yourbones, it's down inside you, in your thoughts.

"She killed Sora rightaway. Hachiro and I saw it. But we had looked into her eyes and we couldn'tmove. Frozen, but not. . not the way she froze Sora. Then she took us awayin the storm, in the wind, tossed us in the air like we were puppets, and for atime I don't think we were anywhere except in the storm. It felt as if thestorm wasn't even a part of this world."

He held his hands up as if insurrender and gave a strained laugh.

"I know how that sounds."His smile was something awful. "But it's true. She said Sora's life — his death, I mean — made her strong. It was as if somehow she hadsatisfied some hunger through killing him. But with us. . it was like wewere pets or. . or toys. She said she would take us, too, eventually if shegrew hungry enough or bored enough."

His voice cracked on those lastwords and he took a deep breath, looking as though he might be sick.

"I shouldn't be doing this,"he said. "Shouldn't be talking about it."

Confused, Kara went and knelt infront of him, taking his hands in her own.

"You got away, Ren,"she said, searching his eyes. "Was Hachiro still alive when you escaped?"

"Yes. But you are notlistening. I'm trying to tell you that I did not escape. Yuki-Onna let me go."

Kara sat back on her haunches,staring at him.

"She what?" Sakurasaid.

"Why would she do that?" Miho asked.

Ren stared at his hands as if hewere so ashamed he could not even lift his eyes. "She said I was toobeautiful to kill," he said bitterly. "That eventually she would betoo tempted and she would devour my spirit, and I would be dead and she wouldregret that. So she let me go."

"But she kept Hachiro,"Kara whispered.

Ren nodded. "She made mepromise not to speak of her, or to tell anyone what happened on TakigamiMountain."

A chill raced up Kara's spineand along her arms.

"But you just told us,"Sakura said.

"Did she say what wouldhappen if you did tell?" Miho asked.

Ren looked up. "She saidshe would come for me again and I would be in the storm forever."

The chill in the room was notKara's imagination. Gooseflesh formed on her arms and as she exhaled, herbreath fogged the air.