The Journey Prize Stories 22 by Various

Author:Various [Malla, Pasha, Thomas, Joan, York, Alissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7710-4345-1
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Published: 2010-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

They walked to the train station in silence. The wind was cold and Toshiyuki turned up his collar and dug his hands deep into his pockets. He glanced at Yumiko from time to time, but she gave no indication that she felt like talking or that she even noticed him looking at her. She had pulled her scarf up to cover her cheeks and mouth, so all he could see was half her face. Bending her head, she sliced into the wind with brisk, determined strides. The clicking of her heels on the cold pavement echoed inside his head, a steady tap tap tap that made his thoughts bounce like hard, loose beads. He considered what words of encouragement he should offer. The evening had not been good, but maybe they could sign up for another session or go to a different company. He thought about saying these things aloud to Yumiko, but decided in the end that silence was better.

As soon as they reached the entrance to the station, they were surrounded by people again. Toshiyuki slowed his pace as they headed for the ticket turnstiles, and reached into his pocket for his commuter pass. Yumiko would have to purchase a ticket. They stopped and faced each other.

“We shouldn’t have come,” Yumiko said quietly. She was looking past his shoulder, not at him.

“We can try again,” he said.

“No,” she repeated firmly. “We shouldn’t have come. We should never have come.” Then without waiting for a reply, she walked over to the automated ticket machine and took her place in a long line behind a young couple. The boy, who was tall and skinny, held his girlfriend in a tight embrace and every so often he would tickle her under the arms and make her giggle. “Stop it!” the girl said, squirming excitedly. Although the couple bumped into Yumiko several times, she didn’t step back or even flinch. Toshiyuki could feel the stiffness in her short thick back.

As expected for this hour of the night, their commuter train was packed, and they had to stand for the first several stops before a seat finally opened up. Yumiko sat down and Toshiyuki stood in front of her, hanging on to the overhead strap with both hands. She closed her eyes and let her head hang forward heavily. Soon her body was swaying rhythmically to the steady motion of the train. Toshiyuki envied her. He didn’t know if she was asleep or only pretending to sleep, but he admired her ability – her determination – to shut out the rest of the world.

The brown leather bag containing Mitsuo’s photographs was on the floor under Yumiko’s seat, tucked between her legs, held firmly upright by her muscular calves. Even at rest, it seemed to Toshiyuki, she protected the bag’s contents.

He looked down at Yumiko’s head, and located the whorl near the back of her crown, a slightly flattened spot the size of a small coin. Unlike the rest of her hair, which she

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