Sometime during the night shewoke more fully, aware of a terrible weight on her, and she looked down to seethe heavy blanket over her. She still felt cold, but her skin was clammy and itpanicked her a little to be constricted like that. Still, she moved the partsof her body slowly, testing out her feet and ankles, her hands and wrists, herneck and even her spine. She ached all over and there were apparently stitchesin her arm where flying glass had cut her, but otherwise she seemed all right,certainly well enough to move.
As she sat up, turning theblanket down, a slender figure blocked much of the light from the hallway.
"Oh," the nurse saidin a small voice. She hurried into the room, which was lit with a gloomy yellowthat Kara understood was some kind of hospital nightlight. In the semi-dark,Kara could barely make out a stream of blue in the woman's shoulder-lengthhair, and still half-asleep she let out a small laugh.
"You are awake andlaughing?" the nurse said. "The doctor will be very happy."
Kara couldn't say anything. Ifshe did, she feared she would blurt out the source of her amusement, which wasthe streak of blue in the attractive young woman's hair. It had made her thinkof Nurse Joy on all of the old Pokemon episodes she and her friends had watchedwhen they were little. Or was it Officer Jenny with the blue hair? Not that itmattered.
"I'm cold," she toldthe nurse.
Immediately the woman nodded andtried to pull the blanket back up, but Kara shook her head.
"Not that, please? I'm coldinside more than out. Is there any way I could have some tea?"
The nurse looked doubtful. Sheglanced at the clock and only now did Kara see that it was almost two o'clockin the morning.
"Maybe something from thenurses' station?" Kara asked. "Anything hot, really."
The blue-streaked nurse pickedup her chart from the end of the bed and cocked it so that she could read it inthe light coming in from the hall. Apparently satisfied, she set it back down.
"I will see if there isanything that the doctor would not object to."
Kara gave a nod of her head, atiny bow, and the nurse retreated from the room. Only after she left did Kararemember the hundred questions she should have asked upon waking. Where wereher father and her friends? Were they all okay? How many people had died at theschool? She needed to see someone, talk to someone who could tell her what hadhappened.
But with the nurse gone, she layon her side and brought her knees up beneath her, trying to warm herself. Bitsand pieces of memory began to surface. The image seared across her mind was ofthose shark teeth plunged into her father's throat, but others warred for spacein her mind. Yuki-Onna's bottomless black eclipse eyes. Sakura hitting thewall, then slamming down on top of a cafeteria table. Ren being sucked out theshattered caf windows.
Kara shuddered, alone in thedark. She had to know they were all right. If she'd had some kind of telepathicpowers she could have reached out for them, found them with her thoughts andher worries.
Be all right, Dad. Be allright, Sakura, she thought. And then, Hachiro, are you out there?
But of course she received noanswer. She was no telepath, just an ordinary girl dragged through a hell ofextraordinary circumstances. Still she kept reaching out for them with herthoughts, and it occurred to her that she was praying.
By the time the nurse returned,she had slipped back into dreams.
. . Wake up. .
Something jostled her. Kara cameawake slowly, her eyes not quite open but still aware of activity in the roomaround her. Daylight filtered through her slitted eyelids and she heardfamiliar voices.
". . would want to bewoken," Miho was saying. "The doctor said she'd be okay."
"But he did not say weshould wake her," Miss Aritomo replied. "We have all been through aterrible ordeal. We are fortunate to be alive. You and I might be just fine,but the doctor said that Kara needs her rest."
"Aritomo-sensei, pleaselisten," Miho said, her patience obviously wearing thin. "Kara is oneof my best friends. I know her. Decisions are going to be made this morningthat concern her, and she would not want to sleep through them. She would wanta voice."
A flicker of a smile touchedKara's lips as she finally shed the groggy remnants of sleep. Both Yuuka andMiho were so concerned about her, she could not help but appreciate theirconcern. But Miho's pleas had her worried.
Miss Aritomo was notsurrendering. "Miho, Kara's father has made his wishes clear. She needssleep."
Kara tried to speak but hervoice came out in a rasp. As she cleared her throat, they both turned to lookat her, first in surprise and then delight.
"You're awake!" Mihosaid hopefully.
Miss Aritomo shot her afrustrated look, obviously blaming Miho for waking Kara, but then herexpression changed. Yuuka shifted from art teacher to her father's girlfriend,just happy to see Kara awake and apparently well.
"I think I've slept enough,"Kara said, sitting up and reaching for a pitcher of water on the tray table besidethe bed. She fumbled a moment before realizing that the fingers of her righthand were bandaged.
"I'll get that," Mihosaid, hurrying around the bed to pour her a glass of water.
They both studied her curiously,even eagerly, as she drank. When she had put the glass down and cleared herthroat again, she threw back the covers and looked down at her body.
"I'm all in one piece,right?" she asked.
Miss Aritomo nodded. "Youhave — " and she said a word Kara didn't know.
"What's that?" Karainterrupted.
Miho and Miss Aritomo looked atone another.
"When your skin or theflesh is frozen and dies?" Miho ventured.
Kara shivered, a wave of nauseapassing through her. "Frostbite?" she said in English. Then sherepeated the word Miss Aritomo had used for it in Japanese. "Frostbite. Ihave frostbite?"
"Just in your right hand,"Miho said quickly. "And the doctor says it isn't bad. They got the bloodmoving again. You're going to be all right."
A darkness closed around Kara'sheart as she flexed the fingers of her right hand and remembered holding on toRen's wrist, trying to keep Yuki-Onna from taking him away. She could still seethe fear in his eyes as the witch flew out into the snowy night, carrying himalong in the embrace of the storm.
"But Ren's gone," Karasaid.
"Yes," Miss Aritomoagreed. "Ren's gone."
"And without him we can'tfind Hachiro, or break the curse, and. . poor Ren."
"You don't know any of thatfor certain," Miho said.
Kara frowned. "Don't I?" She shook her head and then, remembering the melee in the dormitory, looked upat Miss Aritomo. "What about everyone else? Is my father all right? AndSakura? Are they all right?"
Ever since she had woken in themiddle of the night, a grim suspicion had weighed upon her but she had barelyrecognized its presence. The tone in Miss Aritomo's and Miho's voices duringtheir conversation had been full of dreadful acceptance, the tone of people whohad already suffered tragedy and simply did not want any more of it. All ofthis occurred to her only now, as they both hesitated to answer the question.
"Tell me," Kara said,crossing her hands over her chest and laying her head back on the pillow."Don't do this to me, Miho. Yuuka. Don't do this. Just tell me. Is myfather dead?"
The shock and alarm in MissAritomo's eyes made Kara sigh in relief even before the woman spoke.
"No, no, Kara. Your fatheris here as well. His room is at the other end of this corridor. The doctorintended to move you into his room today, once you were awake and feeling alittle better."
"And he's all right?"
Yuuka brushed a lock of hairaway from her delicate, pretty face. "He had frostbite as well. Worse thanyours. The doctors had to remove two of his toes and the little finger of hisleft hand. He has several broken ribs. Otherwise he is going to be all right. He'sbeen asking for you, but the doctor won't let him get out of bed. He's on painmedication and his ribs are much too tender."
Kara nodded slowly, taking thatin. Awful, but her father would survive. They would be all right.
>
"What about Sakura?"
Miss Aritomo glanced at Miho,who wore a thin smile, her face partially veiled by her long hair. Miho tookoff her glasses and opened her mouth to speak, and then her smile shattered. Herlower lip quivered and she began to cry.
"Oh, no," Kara said."Miho, come on. Don't. ." She looked at Miss Aritomo. "What'swrong with Sakura?"
Miss Aritomo put her arm aroundMiho for a moment, then broke away and came to sit on the edge of Kara's bed. Shetook Kara's undamaged hand in her own.
"Sakura is stillunconscious," the art teacher said. Her smile was kind, but Kara barelyregistered it. "Miho tells us that Sakura was thrown into a wall. Her headmust have hit the wall. There is damage to her skull and she had a number ofinternal injuries. The doctors have not. . they are not willing to makepredictions about Sakura's condition for at least another twenty-four hours,unless she wakes up before then."
Kara held Miss Aritomo's hand,but she threw her legs over the side of the bed and forced herself to stand.
"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.
Mai had feared the worst. Fortunately,Wakana would be all right, but the same could not be said of Sora, or of thefour students who had died last night. In her walk to the bathroom to shower,Mai had heard weeping coming from behind many doors. She would have gone overto the hospital already this morning to be with Wakana, except that she waswaiting.
She dug her cell phone out ofher pocket and checked the time. Her anger, which had been simmering allmorning, began to rise. Waiting didn't suit her, but there was nothing shecould do about it.
Twenty minutes later, just asher patience was about to reach its end, a knock came upon the door. Mai jumpedup and ran to open it, swung the door inward, and there she was, standing inthe corridor, awaiting an invitation like some movie vampire.
"Ume," Mai said,unsmiling.
The girl had lost none of herpoise. She was tall and slender, her long hair perfect, her face like that of aporcelain doll. With a toss of her hair, she lifted her chin with her typicalsuperior air, and smiled as falsely as ever.
A Winter of Ghosts Page 15
