2Promises

by Phil Armstrong

  “That quote is from Jim Bishop,” said Beth without thinking.

  “You are a smart little fox aren’t you?” said Sakura. “I can see why Anwar selected you,” she said smiling in a reassuring way.

  “Anwar didn’t know that his generosity was actually helping Rose, his daughter. It’s a coincidence that Rose worked at a center that he helped create. There are no coincidences,” thought Beth.

  Sakura continued, “I just thought you should know a little about the shoes you are trying to fill. I don’t mean that in a condescending way, he was a smart man to select you Beth. You do have massive shoes to fill. I will always love him and will miss him dearly. There are probably thousands of things this man has done throughout his life that we’ll never know about. He was one of a kind. Beth if you need advice or help you can always contact me and talk. I’ll be only too willing to help where I can,” Sakura held an Ivory colored business card between her two thumbs and gently positioned it for Beth to take.

  “Thank you,” said Beth graciously taking the card and slipping it into her jeans pocket.

  “Now, I would like to switch topics on you, if I may?” said Sakura looking more serious.

  “I’m listening,” said Beth.

  “When I was a girl I had a wonderful childhood. My family was moderately wealthy and I wanted for very little. I grew up in Yokohama and Toronto. My family had houses in both cities and we commuted, it was very exciting. In the Japanese culture Beth the women in the family are very close. They share a family bond and they talk about their history. I was very close to my Mother her name was Matsu Sato. Matsu means “Strong Pine” in Japanese and she lived a long life. She was a wise person, an old Pine,” Sakura spoke softly and fondly.

  “Kaigara’s painting; Old Pine, Arthur Lismer, group of seven, there are no coincidences,” thought Beth.

  Sakura continued after a sip of Gin and Tonic. “Matsu was a very clever woman. She taught me how to listen to my body, still my mind through meditation and focus on what I want. She also taught me that this world, including people, is all made from energy. She spent a long time teaching me how to read people’s energies. Is this sounding weird to you Beth?”

  “No, I’m starting to become aware of this myself,” said Beth feeling a little awkward.

  “I’m going to continue but stop me if you’ve heard enough. When I first saw you Beth you had an energy field that I have only ever seen once in my long life. Take a drink of your water and I will continue,” Sakura suggested as Beth looked at the untouched glass of Perrier.

  “No thanks,” said Beth, “please continue.”

  “I insist, just a little sip of water won’t hurt,” said Sakura.

  Beth was starting to get suspicious, “Please go on you have me curious, energy you say.”

  “When I saw you for the first time Beth you were emitting a strong energy pattern. You are now. My Mother Matsu taught me this skill over many years; Kaigara is not interested in the slightest. I can tell a great deal about a person from their aura,” explained Sakura keeping eye contact.

  “Interesting,” said Beth, “What colors do I have?”

  “Just one strong clean base color,” said Sakura. “You have a rare profile, a very rare profile. Beth, yours is Indigo, you are a solid vibrant Indigo. Do you know what that means?”

  “No idea,” offered Beth looking down to the left unable to meet Sakura’s stare.

  “It means you’re special,” Sakura said quietly. “You’re destined for great things. I’m not sure if Anwar could read auras but he knew you were special, different.”

  “Special means stupid where I come from,” said Beth.

  “Special means special where I come from. When I was a little girl I flew to Toronto with my parents one time. They were on edge and arguing. They never argued and I knew something was not right. When we got to Toronto a few days later an old lady visited our house. She made a fuss of me and stroked my hair. I was only young and I remember how old she looked. It was odd her skin was old, yellow and decaying. She emitted the strongest Indigo aura I’ve ever seen. I was trying to learn to read aura’s at that age but I didn’t need to concentrate on her she was that strong. She had a weird smell about her. I asked my Mother who she was and I was told she was my Aunt,” said Sakura rolling her eyes.

  Beth was enjoying the story but it was not getting her closer to the portal. “Why do you tell me this?” asked Beth.

  “Patience dear, it’s coming, I promise,” Sakura continued. “My Grand Mother was called Sata Yamamoto; she was a traditional Japanese woman, a proud woman. She worried about our family name and reputation and she married well. She traveled extensively between Tokyo, Yokohama and Toronto. Her Mother was called Otome Osanami she would be my Great Grandmother. She was born in Tokyo in 1863 a very different time than what we’re used to. Otome was a twin; she had a sister born immediately after her called Toshie. Toshie and Otome were inseparable; they played together, looked alike, grew up together and finished each other’s sentences. Another Gin and Tonic please,” said Sakura to the young woman as she walked by nodding. “These girls were like any other growing up in Tokyo at that time. They hoped to find a loving husband and raise a family. When they were 21 years of age Tokyo slept as a fierce lightning storm moved across the night sky. It’s rumored that Toshie suffered from sleepwalking and was often restrained by Otome. That night Toshie rose from her bed and walked out into the courtyard of her home. Otome slept and was not aware that Toshie had left her bed.”Sakura stopped to receive her next drink. She placed it by the empty glass. “Toshie stood in the rain and as the story goes she was struck by lightning.”

  Beth stared at Sakura; did she know what happened on Haworth Main Street? She did not register a change in expression.

  Sakura continued, “Toshie was found the next day cold and wet lying in the courtyard. She was in a coma for four days. She finally woke and the family was grateful. Otome was very relieved as she carried around with her a feeling of blame and guilt. Otome was pleased that her twin sister showed no signs of damage. After a week Otome noticed something strange about her sister. She watched her intensely and spent every second of the day with her to prove out her suspicions.”

  “Suspicions?” repeated Beth hooked on the story.

  “Otome realized that her sister was starving herself. She confronted Toshie and demanded that she ate or drank in front of her. Toshie at first denied that anything was different offering to take a small sip of water. The smallest of sips sent Toshie into convulsions and another week of bed-ridden coma. When Toshie recovered she went for a long walk with Otome and they both sat by a pond to talk.”

  Beth could feel her intensity rising but she told herself, “Remain calm, don’t give anything away.”

  Taking another large drink Sakura continued. “The twins found a secluded spot and Toshie confided in Otome. Otome was the only person that she could trust. Toshie told Otome that she’d been struck by something but it had not been lightening. It was a raw natural spirit power, bathed in the color Indigo. She felt that her body had been invaded, that was the word she used, invaded. She didn’t need to drink or eat; she was nourished by energy. Toshie told of a voice that visited her dreams at night. She described him as a warrior from another world, made from pure energy. He’d fallen in battle and sought refuge in Toshie. Toshie gave her captive warrior a name. She called him “Corom.” Time went by and Toshie seemed to grow apart from Otome, she seemed to form a bond with Corom.

  She didn’t eat or drink. She managed to conceal this fact with the help of Otome who was sworn to secrecy. Otome watched over Toshie carefully month after month. She didn’t eat or drink, yet she looked vibrant and full of energy.”

  “Didn’t she start to feel sick or tired?” asked Beth immediately regretting the question.

  “It’s coming. Toshie felt great for a while then she would struggle to wake up in the mornings. The walk up the old familiar hill started to take more out of her
. Signs were starting to show that she needed some kind of nourishment. What happened next is unclear. Toshie wouldn’t tell anyone how she managed to harness energy but she seemed to be able to do things that others couldn’t,” said Sakura picking at her fingernail nervously.

  “Say more,” said Beth impatiently.

  “Beth, do you know what Apport means?” asked Sakura spelling the word.

  “No, I don’t,” said Beth honestly.

  “The dictionary describes it as a paranormal transference of an article from one place to another, or an appearance of an article from an unknown source,” explained Sakura.

  “Wow,” said Beth quietly mouthing the word and leaning in.

  “Toshie only described it once to Otome. She said it was like entering the space between the space. That’s all she ever said on the matter. She could reach through time and space and make things appear. This took most of her energy and she only did this when she needed to. One hot day a close relative of the family was taken gravely ill. The infants Mother visited the courtyard distressed. Toshie asked if she could see the infant and was allowed to hold him. It was said that she managed to materialize water, with curing powers, sealed in a glass bottle from out of thin air. The infant drank the water and was cured instantly,” said Sakura.

  “Trouble,” said Beth.

  Sakura continued, “Trouble indeed, news spread around Tokyo and Toshie was now asked to perform similar feats for sick people with powerful families. It became known that Toshie could materialize Goshinsui or water of the gods, which had healing properties. She could make this water appear out of thin air sealed in glass bottles. Stories had emerged that Toshie was unable to eat or drink. People said that spirits possessed her. The spirits talked to her during her sleep. The authorities suspected a fraud and arrested Toshie in a blaze of publicity.”

  Beth was hooked waiting to hear the rest of the story. She glanced through the window as evening had given way to the darkness of night. People scurried around on the street outside. Beth glanced at the empty table in front of her; she had not noticed but the two men had left.

  “Demand for Goshinsui was overwhelming and the family didn’t welcome the attention Toshie was attracting. Upon her arrest the family disowned her but Otome stood by her side. In those days this was an act of great courage to defy her parents and family. Otome visited Toshie in the jail and pleaded with her to demonstrate her talents and tell the truth. Toshie knew that no one would believe her incredible story. Most likely she would be convicted of being mentally unstable and locked away.” Sakura adjusted her wedding ring, she looked nervous.

  “Go on, I believe you,” said Beth impatiently tapping her fingers.

  “It’s not a question of belief, my story now starts to get strange. Otome and Toshie sat before a group of esteemed judges. There were five judges on the panel. Three of the judges had family members already cured by Toshie. Otome was asked to sit to one side. She was not on trial and would not participate. Toshie asked quietly, “What am I on trial for?” The answer given by the head judge was, “Fraud.” Toshie asked the judges if she would be deemed fraudulent if she made Goshinsui appear in a sealed glass bottle. She offered to make the bottle appear in the center of the long table. The judges sat along one edge of the long table twelve feet away from Toshie.” Sakura rubbed her hands nervously. “The judges agreed if she could do this they would have no option than to deem her genuine and not a fraud. When the judge completed his statement instantly a sealed glass bottle of water materialized. An Indigo colored haze surrounded the bottle. It was sitting on the table in front of the head judge. Toshie just smiled,” said Sakura finishing her second Gin and Tonic in one large gulp.

  “What happened to Toshie?” asked Beth.

  “She was released but eventually committed to a mental institution where she sat alone haunted by the spirit that talked to her at night. She went from being a celebrity to a forgotten disowned woman. She didn’t eat or drink for years. She fell quite ill and decided to drink some Goshinsui, holy water. She often said that this kept her Spirit Warrior strong. I know that sounds a little weird but it’s supposedly true,” urged Sakura.

  “Let me get this straight, the thing inside her was dying and she kept it alive by feeding it holy water?” asked Beth.

  “Why so interested in the holy water?” asked Sakura knowingly.

  “Just trying to keep the facts of the story straight,” said Beth in a sly tone.

  “Shall I continue or am I boring you?” teased Sakura.

  “No, this is fascinating.”

  “You sure you’re not tired?” asked Sakura as if she were a cat playing with a mouse.

  “I’m good keep going,” said Beth getting irritated.

  “All right but here’s the part that I need you to stay open minded about. Toshie only had a one faithful visitor Otome. Otome had married a powerful businessman and she felt responsible for Toshie’s fate. If she’d stopped her sister sleep walking like she had countless times before this would never have happened. Otome and Toshie were now 44 years of age. Otome had a daughter and a son. Otome looked her age but Toshie who had not eaten in twenty years looked in her late twenties. She was aging much slower,” whispered Sakura.

  “So the daughter would be Sata,” said Beth beginning to struggle.

  “Yes, Sata Yamamoto,” said Sakura. “That’s good, you’re piecing this together. Although Toshie looked younger and healthier she died suddenly at the age of 44, that’s 1907 and was buried in Tokyo. The newspapers made a big thing of it dragging the family name through the mud again. Family reputation is an immensely important thing in Japan.”

  “She died 20 years after she was afflicted and she used holy water to keep Corom alive,” summarized Beth.

  Sakura let that message sink in before delivering the final shock. “Now, listen carefully. This is where it gets good if you can believe it. Toshie and Otome had been plotting an escape for years. They knew that if Toshie moved she’d be a freak and hounded by interested people for years to come. The family didn’t want any more speculation and interest. Otome had married a very successful businessman. He had interests in construction and saw an opportunity to build in Canada. He set up an office in Toronto. He refined his English skills learned in the ports of Tokyo,” Sakura made a slurping noise as she pulled melted ice through a straw. “Otome devised the plan, they faked Toshie’s death. One of the dead mental patients is now lying in a grave in Tokyo marked Toshie Osanami, 1863 - 1907. Toshie was smuggled out of Japan and arrived in Vancouver in 1907. The family moved to Toronto in 1910.”

  “So she died here?” questioned Beth?

  “Let me continue,” said Sakura taking a look around to see who was listening. Azure was emptying and Sakura waved away the attention of the young drinks lady. “Otome died when she was 87 years old, she was buried in Tokyo. Sata Yamamoto looked after Toshie for many years. She was a wonderful woman, my Grandmother. I remember her being kind and wise. She lived in a little house in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto. She had two boys and a girl. She lived to the ripe old age of 82. Hardy breed are the women of our family. My Mother was the only daughter, Matsu Sato the strong pine. Sata did not inform my Mother about the legend of Toshie until she’d just delivered her daughter, me.”

  “Wait!” interrupted Beth, “You forgot to tell me when Toshie died,” asked Beth?

  “I’m getting to that,” said Sakura clearly unpleased with the interruption. “Toshie was very old and set in her ways. Since being struck by lightning she constantly talked about a gate. First it was ramblings in her sleep in Tokyo with Otome then throughout her life she became obsessed with finding this gate. My Mother told me that one day she asked her outright while sitting on a park bench in High Park in Toronto. Why do you obsess about this gate? The answer she got stunned her. She was told that the gate would provide Toshie with additional powers and access to unseen realms. It was the true fountain of youth.”