Christopher Golden - A Winter of Ghosts

"Wait, Kara. You cannot — "the teacher said, holding her arm.

"Yuuka," Kara said,more sharply than she'd intended. "I need to see her. I want to see myfather, talk to him. And then. . Sakura."

Just the thought that her friendmight never wake up sapped the strength from her, but Kara refused to sit backdown.

"I'll take you," Mihosaid.

"We should summon a nurse,"Miss Aritomo warned.

"I'm fine," Kara toldher.

She pulled on the hospital robeand followed Miho out into the hall. Her feet were bare and the tiles were verycold underfoot. The loose hospital clothes flapped around her, but she ignoredit all. Miss Aritomo followed, only pausing to explain their destination asthey passed the nurses' station. A grumbling nurse pursued them but seemed moreinterested in keeping an eye on Kara than on forcing her back to bed.

"It is this way," MissAritomo said, guiding them along a corridor that branched off to the left.

When they reached Kara's father'sroom, Miss Aritomo stood back to let her pass, and Kara preceded her throughthe door with Miho following close behind. There were two beds in the room, oneof them empty and awaiting Kara's arrival, except that the old monk, Kubo, satperched on the edge of the bed with the air of a little boy waiting patientlyuntil he could depart.

Kara glanced in surprise at themonk and then turned to her father, barely noticing the presence of the thirdman in the room, Mr. Yamato, who stood near the window, looking out at the grayskies — perhaps watching for any sign of snow.

"Honey, what are you doingwalking around?" her father asked, frowning. He glanced at Miss Aritomo.

"Don't blame Yuuka,"Kara said quickly. "She tried to get me to rest. But you know me betterthan that, Dad. I'm all right. And time is running out. It's. . it mayalready have run out."

Her voice cracked and sheclenched her jaws together a moment, refusing to cry.

"Last night was Hachiro'sthird night on Takigami Mountain. And she's got Ren again. Sakura is pretty badoff, I'm told. We've got to put a stop to this."

Kubo perked up, eyebrows archingas though he had something to say, but he glanced at Mr. Yamato and then atKara's father, awaiting some signal of approval that did not seem to beforthcoming. The old monk cocked his head to one side and continued his patientvigil.

"Kara. ." herfather began again.

She stared at him a moment,taking in the bandaged left hand, knowing when the bandages were removed hewould have one less finger. She couldn't see his feet, and perhaps that was forthe best.

He tried to sit up, and she wentto him.

"No, Dad. Your ribs,"she said, touching him gently on the shoulder, keeping him down.

"With respect, Harper-san,"Mr. Yamato said, "Kara is right. It might be better if she rested, but youare under strict instructions. Your ribs will not heal properly if you do notobey them."

Kara saw the frustration in herfather's eyes and she understood it. He was furious at being so powerless. Butshe also saw his eyelids droop with exhaustion and wondered how tired thepainkillers might be making him.

"Are you all right?" she asked, unable to erase the little girl she'd once been from her voice.

"I will be," herfather replied, gaze fixed upon her eyes. "As long as you are."

"I'm not," Kara saidquickly, turning to Mr. Yamato and Kubo. She gestured to Miho. "None of usare until this curse is over. It's killed so many people already. How many diedlast night?"

"Kara — " MissAritomo chided her.

"Four," Mr. Yamatoreplied grimly. "Seventeen were injured, some of them badly. Your friendWakana fell on the stairs. She broke her arm and suffered a concussion."

"I did not know that,"Miho said.

Miss Aritomo gave her asympathetic look. "You've been with Kara and Sakura all night."

Kara took a deep breath, glancedaround the room, and then looked at the old monk. "Ren was supposed tolead us to Yuki-Onna. Now she has him again. Is there any other way to findthem? To find her?"

Kubo steepled his hands in frontof him, almost as if he were praying. "If we go to Takigami Mountain, Imay be able to find her. Such power as hers leaves echoes in its wake."

"But what will we do then,Unsui?" Mr. Yamato asked. "Yuki-Onna will never let us take the boys."

"If I can find her, andthem, someone will have to lure her away to another part of the mountain. Iwill have wards for both boys. It will be difficult for her reclaim them if shecannot see them."

"How do we lure her away?" Miho asked.

Miss Aritomo shook her head."Not you, girls."?"Who better?" Kara asked, reachingup to finger the smooth stone that hung from the thong around her neck. "Shecan't see us. So, how do we lure her?"?Kubo nodded thoughtfully. Asyouthful as he often seemed, in that moment his eyes seemed very ancientindeed.

"There is a summoningspell. Though if she realizes that you are one of the cursed ones she seeks,you would be in terrible danger."

"I'll do it," Karasaid instantly.

"Kara, no!" her fathersaid, trying to sit up. He hissed in pain and Miss Aritomo helped lower himback to the mattress. Kara thought that his ribs must be pretty badly bustedup, and whatever the doctors were giving him, it wasn't enough.

"Dad, what choice do wehave?" Kara asked. "It's me or Miho. Unless Master Kubo has enough ofthese perfect stones to protect a bunch of police officers, too."

In his eyes she saw that heunderstood the logic, and that he hated it.

"The search on the mountainhas been suspended for the day," Mr. Yamato said. "Captain Nobunagahas most of his officers at the school, or talking to the parents of thestudents who were injured or. . or killed."

They all hesitated at thosewords, but only for a moment.

"I'll keep her safe, Rob,"Miss Aritomo said, clutching his uninjured hand.

Miho cleared her throat. "Withapologies, I believe we have forgotten an important element. I understand thatwe want to rescue Hachiro and Ren no matter what might happen after that, butif Kubo is to lift Kyuketsuki's curse, we will still need to persuade Ume tocome back to Miyazu City."

Kara let out a breath, wearinesscatching up to her. She had forgotten about Ume for a time.

Mr. Yamato turned to gaze outthe window. "Not to worry. Ume should be here shortly. She decided thatshe would rather come by choice than in police custody."

Mai sat on the tatami mat floorin her dorm room, leaning against her bed, and stared at Wakana's desk. Thegirl kept everything perfectly neat. Even the pen on the desk had been laiddown in a vertical line parallel to the edge of the desk.

Why did you try to help? she thought.

Moments after Mr. Harper hadleft the room in search of Kara, Wakana had insisted on following him. They hadall worked together to save each other from the Hannya, and she said she wouldnever forgive herself if she stayed safe in her room when something was out therehunting their friends.

Part of Mai wanted to argue thatthey were not friends with those girls, but she knew what Wakana meant. Theyshared a bond with Kara and the others; it might not be friendship in theday-to-day definition, but it meant something. Wakana had opened the door. Evenwith Miss Aritomo arguing with her that the best thing they could do foreveryone was to stay safe, Wakana had insisted, and so Mai and Miss Aritomo hadgone along with her.

The storm had buffeted them onthe stairs as they descended, and then Wakana had lost her footing. Now, alonein the room that they shared, Mai stared at her hand. She had reached out tograb Wakana, but her fingertips had just grazed the girl's sleeve. Even overthe roar of the wind, she had heard the crack of bone as Wakana's arm broke. ThenWakana had reached the landing between floors and hit her head.

Moments later, the storm hadsimply ended, wind dying, temperature in the building rising despite theshattered windows. But Wakana had not moved.