The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [69]
Jack waited, as he’d done every day for the past few weeks. In that time, the rice had turned from a vibrant green into a light brown, the fields had been drained and the seed heads had slowly drooped with the weight of their crop. They now shone like gold in the early morning sunshine.
Sighing, Jack reconciled himself to the fact that Akiko wasn’t coming. Maybe she hadn’t got his message, or hadn’t been able to work out the code, or else couldn’t follow his directions to the temple. If she didn’t appear in the next few days, Jack decided he would have to make the journey himself to tell her about Hanzo. He couldn’t leave Japan now without imparting this knowledge, which would mean so much to his closest friend. Although he didn’t like the idea of having to retrace his steps and pass through Shono again, there was no alternative.
‘You’ve been visiting the Buddha a lot recently.’
Jack looked up and was glad to see Miyuki. He’d been concerned it might be Shiro again, the boy having appeared unexpectedly on several other occasions. Each time he’d interrogated Jack about the samurai and their way of life. Try as he might, Jack didn’t warm to Shiro. But apparently the boy hadn’t mentioned to Momochi any suspicions regarding the note. And for that Jack was thankful.
Miyuki was dressed in a simple white yukata and held in her hands a round straw hat with a wide brim for keeping the sun off. Clearly, she wasn’t training today and would be working in the fields like everyone else.
‘I’ve been praying for my sister,’ replied Jack.
This was true, since each day he spent waiting for Akiko was another day Jess had to survive. He also took the time to call upon the spirits of his mother and father for their support in the journey ahead.
Miyuki nodded sympathetically and sat down next to him. ‘I pay my respects to my family here too,’ she revealed.
‘Is this where they’re buried?’ asked Jack, glancing over at the small graveyard.
‘No, but I put up a grave marker in honour of them.’
It was now Jack’s turn to nod sympathetically.
They both lapsed into silence and gazed pensively across the valley.
‘I miss … my family,’ whispered Miyuki, her voice small and choking with emotion.
Jack realized, despite the tough exterior she presented, Miyuki was vulnerable inside. He recognized the lonely emptiness she felt in her life. ‘I miss my parents too,’ he admitted.
Miyuki looked at him, her eyes wet with tears.
‘At least your father’s killer is dead. You’ve had revenge. I’ve had nothing,’ she said, clenching her fists in her lap. ‘But one day I’ll punish the samurai for what they did.’
Jack saw the flame of hatred reignite in her eyes. It wasn’t directed at him this time, but he knew the damage it could do to a person.
‘Revenge doesn’t solve anything. It’ll eat away at you until there’s nothing left,’ said Jack, remembering his Zen master’s words the time he’d announced his intention to avenge his father. ‘I didn’t kill Dragon Eye. My friend honourably sacrificed his life to do that. But Dragon Eye’s death brought me no comfort. I still grieve for my father every single day. You should focus on living, not killing.’
‘But how can I? When every night I go to sleep, I see my mother dying before my eyes …’ Miyuki once again lapsed into silence. She trembled as if wanting to speak, but was unable to.
‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’ Jack suggested, understanding Miyuki desperately needed to talk through her grief. Possibly she’d never spoken of it to the others, afraid they might think she was weak and unworthy of being a ninja.
Eventually she plucked up the courage.
‘I was eight at the time. It was summer. Jun, my brother, was playing outside with my father. I was in the house, helping my mother with the chores. The samurai attacked without warning. They rampaged through our village. Killing … killing everyone …’ Miyuki gave a shuddering breath as she relived her nightmare. ‘My father was shouting for us to run. My mother,