Brave Story - Miyuki Miyabe [101]
That instant something large and black rushed before Wataru’s eyes with all the energy of a tsunami wave. He didn’t realize it was his mother until he saw her collide with Rikako. The two women tumbled into the open-air hallway.
Wataru’s mother swung her fists at Rikako’s face and upper body. The other woman desperately tried to defend herself. Grunting and snarling, their screams echoed down the hall.
Before Wataru could run out, there came a shout of surprise from the neighboring apartment unit and the sound of running feet approaching. He heard voices. “Ma’am, Ma’am, what’s the matter? Please, stop! Oh no, someone call the police!”
Wataru whirled around and fled into his own room. I can’t run away. This is no time to hide. I have to stand up to her, to all of them. I have to be on my mother’s side, I have to protect her… His brain was screaming at him to do something, but his body wouldn’t listen.
Slamming the door behind him, he dove under his bed. But he couldn’t escape the commotion in the hallway. A woman sobbing. The old lady from next door shouting something.
Wataru covered his ears. He began reciting every spell he knew from Saga II—the damaging, offensive spells—one after the other. He knew nothing would happen. He did it so he wouldn’t have to think, wouldn’t have to feel.
“Wataru, you can come out now.” Uncle Lou lay with his body pressed flat against the floor, looking in at him. “It’s all over.”
Wataru was curled in a ball under his bed. He had no idea how much time had passed. It could’ve been an hour. It could’ve been half a day.
His uncle’s eyes looked red and tired, like he’d been crying. Wataru wondered whether Uncle Lou was sad about what had happened, or whether he was sad to see him under the bed.
“Where’s Mom?” Wataru asked in a small voice.
“Asleep. Sedatives. She’s out like a light.”
So she was home. That was good.
“Did the cops come?”
“The cops? Of course not.”
“The lady who lives next door was saying to call the police. I thought I heard sirens…”
Uncle Lou sighed as he lay pressed uncomfortably to the floor. “That was an ambulance. They had to take that Rikako lady to the hospital.”
“Was she hurt?”
“Just some scratches on her face was all I could see. But she made a big deal out of it.”
“Do you know about her?”
“What about her?”
“She’s pregnant.”
Uncle Lou blinked. With one of his eyes pressed to the floor, it came across as a wink. The effect was bizarrely comical.
“When did you get here? Did Mom call you?”
“No. I was supposed to come here today. Your mom knew…she hadn’t told you?”
“Nope.”
“Huh. I came to pick you up. I figured there’s no need to wait for August, you could come to Chiba now. A bit of sea air would do you good. I heard the shouts when I got in the elevator on the ground floor.”
“Umm…what time is it?”
“It’s night already. Past nine thirty.”
Wataru lay under the bed awhile, staring silently at the dust bunnies. How does dust gather in places like this, Wataru wondered. His mom vacuumed every day. Yet it still builds up, when no one’s looking. Even if they don’t see it, it’s there, making the room dirty.
“Are they going to take Mom away?”
“Why would they do that?”
“She hit that lady.”
“I don’t think they’re going to arrest her for that.”
“But what if her baby died? It would be Mom’s fault, wouldn’t it? And there’s no way she would be quiet about it. She’s going to go to the police and tell them to put Mom away, I know it.”
Uncle Lou inched closer. It looked like he was trying to hide under the bed along with Wataru.
“I’m sure the kid’s fine.” His muttered voice didn’t sound terribly confident.
“Mom would never hit me. She’s not abusing me.”
His uncle lifted a curious eyebrow.
“That’s what she said—that lady. She said that I got my scratches from Mom hitting me. She said if my