Christopher Golden - A Winter of Ghosts

They all studied her closely,but she could tell that it wasn't because the question had upset them; theywere troubled because none of them had an answer. Sakura and Miho glanced atKara's father, but he and Captain Nobunaga were now looking at Miss Aritomo.

"The stories are ancient,"she said, pushing a lock of jet black hair away from her eyes with a delicatehand. "In the tale I spoke of, Yuki-Onna inhabited a corpse. Thissituation is different, but — "

Mr. Yamato sat up a bitstraighter, eyes focused on the policeman. "The simple fact that we arediscussing the possibility of Yuki-Onna entering our world and killing peopleon Takigami Mountain means we must be prepared to accept all manner of thingsthat would seem outrageous at first. It may be her, or it may be some otherdemon, or it may be nothing supernatural at all."

"I don't think that's true,"Kara said.

The principal gave her a sharplook and she quickly inclined her head in a short bow.

"With all due respect,Yamato-sensei, I think every single person in this room believes the supernaturalis at work here. If it isn't Yuki-Onna, okay. But it's something unnatural. And given the power — the magic — that we have witnessedalready, I can honestly say I would not be at all surprised to learn that ademon spirit might be able to. ." she searched for a word.". .to construct a body out of human remains. The fact that Miss Reizei diedduring the first snow of winter is unsettling. It matches the legend too well. Ihope it's. . well, I hope we're wrong."

"As do I," CaptainNobunaga said.

Mr. Yamato nodded at Kara to lether know her brusque tone had been forgiven. Her father put an arm around her.

"Yamato-san," herfather said, "what are you going to do about school tomorrow?"

The principal frowned, his eyesstormy. "I have a responsibility to educate these children. We need toreturn them to their routine as quickly as possible. We have had far too manydisruptions over the past year. If the boys are found today, classes willresume tomorrow."

"And if not?" MissAritomo asked.

Kara felt sick. If not? What wasshe saying? Of course Ren and Hachiro would be found. They had found Sora andhe had been dead, incapable of searching for rescue. Ren and Hachiro. . Hachirowould be working on getting back to school, back to her. Even if they didnothing but walk in one direction, eventually they would come to the edge ofthe mountain and find a way down, and then they could circle around its baseuntil the found a road or Takigami Park. They would be back today, she feltsure.

Unless they weren't capable oflooking for a way home.

"That is a conversation forlater," Mr. Yamato said firmly.

Miss Aritomo inclined her head. Itseemed to Kara that their worry and grief had made them all seek comfort informality.

Captain Nobunaga's phone buzzed.

"Nobunaga," he said ashe answered.

They all watched him, readinghis body language. His gaze fell and he put a hand to his forehead. Hisexpression fell, his eyes darting from side to side as though searching thefloor for answers. Kara thought he looked a little frightened. By the time heclosed his phone, she suspected they all knew what he was going to say.

"The Reizei grave has beenvandalized."

Silence fell amongst them. Nearlyone hundred percent of deaths in Japan resulted in cremation, with the deceased'sashes buried in a haka , or family grave. But the dead woman's haka hadbeen disturbed.

"Etsoku's urn was broken. Herashes are gone."

"This is too much to be acoincidence," Miss Aritomo said.

"Agreed," Mr. Yamatoreplied. "Until we learn something further, we must assume that the spiritwe face is Yuki-Onna. With these ghosts some of you have seen, she may not bealone, or this might be only one aspect of a demon who can appear in manydifferent guises. It is impossible to know — "

"Not impossible,"Sakura interrupted. "It's just information we don't have yet."

Mr. Yamato did not chide her forher breach of propriety. Instead he nodded slowly.

"We will need thatinformation," he said, glancing around at those gathered in the Harpers'dining room. "Finding those boys is our first priority, of course. Butthere are two other things we must do immediately. First, we must learn all wecan about the various incarnations of Yuki-Onna, but in particular the one towhich Miss Aritomo was referring."

"I will begin doingresearch immediately," Miss Aritomo said, a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"So will we!" Mihopiped up. She glanced at Sakura and then Kara. "There are so manydifferent sources that we should all work on it. If she's taken the boys — "

Kara blinked in surprise. "Taken?"

Miho nodded emphatically. "It'spossible. You can't just assume that she's. . that she's killed them. If shehad, with all those people on the mountain, wouldn't they have found Hachiroand Ren already, the way they did Sora?"

"That makes sense,"Miss Aritomo said, brows knitted in thought. "In several of the storiesabout her, Yuki-Onna is fascinated by handsome or beautiful boys, keeping themlike some kind of collector of precious art."

"Do you really think that'spossible?" Kara asked. "That she would keep them captive just for thecompany or whatever?"

Miss Aritomo gave her a grimlook. "Until she tires of them. Yes, if this is Yuki-Onna, that is part ofher legend."

"Then I pray you're right,"Professor Harper said, giving Kara's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Thatwould give the boys a chance."

Captain Nobunaga tapped on thetable. "I would not like to take officers away from the search parties onthe mountain, but if there is a connection to the curse of Kyuketsuki, the girlswill be in danger."

"We must presume this isall related," Mr. Yamato said. "But the search is of primaryimportance and your people are of most use in that task. It may be sheer luckthat the boys were taken and the girls escaped before Yuki-Onna could claimthem as well, or perhaps she was distracted by the presence of the boys, asMiss Aritomo suggests. Regardless, it was fortunate."

The principal looked at Kara'sfather. "We cannot risk them going anywhere near the mountain."

Professor Harper turned to staremeaningfully at Kara. "They won't."

Mr. Yamato nodded. "Good."

Captain Nobunaga spread hishands on the table, commanding the room with his presence. He looked at Mr.Yamato.

"You said there were twothings that had to be priorities."

Mr. Yamato nodded. "Thesecond is related. It is not enough to confirm that Yuki-Onna is the spirit weface, or how she came back into our world. We must find a way to defeat her."

"More than that," MissAritomo said, eyes narrowed in thought. She glanced up at Kara. "We areassuming that the demon cannot come down from the mountain, or away from thesnows. But we do not know that. It may not be enough for you to stay away fromthe mountain. We must discover some other way to protect you if she comes tofulfill the curse."

Sakura gave a soft, humorlesslaugh. "Yes, we've been so lucky with protecting ourselves so far."

"Actually," Mr. Yamatosaid, "you have been very lucky."

If Sora's death and theirunderstanding of this new danger had not sobered them enough, those wordsfilled them all with dread.

"We should tell Mai andWakana," Miho suggested. "They're not in any danger, but if Wakanasaw a ghost. ."

Kara nodded. "I agree. I'lltalk to them."

Captain Nobunaga's cell phonebuzzed again. They all turned to him, holding their breath, wondering what newsthis call might bring.

The policeman answered,listening intently. Kara saw the way his shoulders seemed to relax and she letherself believe the call brought good news. Nobunaga thanked his subordinateand ended the call, but even as he closed his phone he stood up from the table.