A Winter of Ghosts by Christopher Golden & Thomas Randall

Author:Christopher Golden & Thomas Randall [Golden Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_horror

Chapter Nine

Kara knew she had to breathe, tocalm down and sort out her thoughts, but she felt out of control in a way shenever had before. The mystery of the ghosts gnawed at her, even as she was tornin two directions, needing to talk to Ren, but wanting to be searching TakigamiMountain for Hachiro. Miho had put voice to her own feelings: with no way tostop Yuki-Onna, they were all pretty much dead soon. Now, nothing matteredexcept finding Hachiro. If they were going to die, she wanted to see him first,at least to say goodbye.

But she rode in silence in theback seat of her father's car, because she knew one thing above all. . ifHachiro was still alive, the only way to save him would be to also saveherself. Just because none of the ancient stories revealed a way to destroyYuki-Onna that did not meant it was impossible.

So, torn as she was, she triedto breathe, to stay calm and tell herself that this was exactly what she neededto be doing for Hachiro right now.

"I don't understand whothis man is supposed to be," she said. "'Cloud wanderer?' What doesthat mean?"

Miss Aritomo had ridden with them,while Miho and Sakura had gone with Mr. Yamato in his car, which her father nowfollowed, driving a curving road into the hills outside of Miyazu City.

Yuuka turned sideways in herseat to look back at Kara. "An 'unsui' is a kind of monk. It means 'cloudand water wanderer.' Normally it is applied to novice monks, often those whoare on a pilgrimage, searching from monastery to monastery for a master toteach them. But Kubo is often called the Unsui, because he has beenwandering for his entire life in search of the master he believes will teachhim true purity of spirit, but has never found such a teacher."

Kara listened in amazement,contemplating such a life.

"He must be so lonely."

Her father glanced back at her,concern etched into his face, and then looked at Miss Aritomo.

"How did you and Mr. Yamatofind this man if he is always wandering?" he asked.

Miss Aritomo smiled. "He isat least eighty years old. No one seems to know exactly how old. Though Kubo isstill the Unsui in the minds of the local people, and possibly in his own mindas well, he does not wander far these days. He has a small house in the hills. Hegrows his own vegetables and likes to fish. You might have seen him yourselves.He is constantly riding his bicycle around Miyazu City, still wandering alittle every day, but never so distant that he cannot sleep in his own bed atnight. It seems he will never find the master he sought."

"And you know him?" Kara asked.

Miss Aritomo shook her head."No. Mr. Yamato's grandfather played with him as a boy. Whenever The Unsuiwould wander through Miyazu City, he would stop at the Yamatos for tea and thenbe on his way, off to the far corners of Japan. When he reached seventy-fiveyears of age, he built his house."

"He built it himself? Atseventy-five?"

"So they say," the artteacher replied.

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