Kubo stood in the way. Yuki-Onna'sfingers touched him and frost covered his chest, but the old monk smiled sadly,as though with pity.
"What's happening?" Miho yelled beside Kara. "It's supposed to be over! The curse is gone."
Kara's heart clenched with afresh dose of fear. Miho was right. Kubo had told them that if the ritual worked,the power that had summoned Yuki-Onna would be erased, and without that as ananchor, the Woman in White could not remain in this world. But he had also saidno one had ever driven Yuki-Onna away before. Had he been wrong about theritual?
Yuki-Onna lifted Kubo off theground, pulled him to her, and sank those rows of shark teeth into his fleshyet again. Ice crystals formed on his flesh as the witch drank his blood, andKara felt sure she was grinning all along. Kubo had been half-drained already,his vitality gone, withered away, and now his blood ran down the white flesh ofYuki-Onna's chin and throat.
"No!" Kara screamed,and she ran at the witch.
Hachiro shouted her name,reached out to stop her, but only managed to snag her jacket before she broke freeof him.
The ghosts darted about,grasping at Yuki-Onna, but they were not working in concert, now, their effortsin disarray, and the witch drove them off one and two at a time. If the spiritsdid not work together, they would not be able to restrain her again.
As Kara rushed toward Yuki-Onna,she saw Mr. Yamato doing the same from the other side. The old monk was theonly living connection between the principal and his dead father. Mr. Yamatohad deep respect and love for Kubo, and it showed on his face as he reached outtoward the Woman in White. Kara saw his hands take up fistfuls of the materialof Yuki-Onna's kimono and for a second it looked like he might get a grip onher, but then the fabric turned to snow.
Kara tried to grab the witch buther hands, too, passed right through, plunging instead into icy snow and air socold that she screamed in pain. But when she tried to pull her hands away, shecould not. They were freezing in place, inside Yuki-Onna.
The witch tossed Kubo away, theold monk little more than skin and bones where he landed in the snow. ThenYuki-Onna grabbed Mr. Yamato by the hair and turned to stare down at Kara, thewitch's black, bottomless eyes locked on hers.
"The monk's power is gone,"the Woman in White said with a bloodstained grin. "I can see you now."
The ghosts tore at Yuki-Onna'sface and hair and kimono. They existed in this world and the next, likeYuki-Onna, and so they could touch her. But Kara could not. Hachiro and Mihowere behind her now, trying to pull her away. Miss Aritomo and Ren were doingthe same with Mr. Yamato. Ume knelt in the snow by Kubo's still, unmoving bodyand wept, while Mai and Wakana screamed to the spirits of their dead loved onesto do something.
Then, Kara could move her hands.She could barely feel them, but she could move them.
"The storm is dying!" Miho shouted.
And it was. The wind's howlbegan to quiet. The snow lightened. Hachiro and Miho pulled hard and Kara'shands came free, the three of them tumbling to the ground together. Her handsand forearms were red and raw and bloody, and she couldn't feel them, but shecould move her fingers.
The ritual had worked. Yuki-Onna'spower was fading.
The witch spun around, staringin horror at the dying storm, the rest of them forgotten.
"No!"
She began to change, almost toshrink down upon herself. Her fingers became delicate and beautiful again, andher face followed suit. The wind danced around Yuki-Onna, her hair and herkimono flowing with it. As her power diminished her elegance and quiet, surrealloveliness returned.
Kara wondered if this was theface of Yuki-Onna, or the face of Etsoku Reizei, the girl who had died on themountain during the winter's first snow and whose ashes had been used to helpcreate a body for Yuki-Onna in this world.
The ghosts left her alone, then,standing by to watch as the winter witch glared at them all with eyes full ofhate.
"I still have the powerto kill you all," Yuki-Onna said, her voice like the wind, caressingthem, gusting around them.
"But you won't," Sakurasaid, stepping forward.
They all stared at her, thisgrim, hard-edged girl with her bandages, most of her face hidden by the jaggedveil of her hair. Kara did not know if the others could see it, but to her eyesthere were still two of Sakura, Akane's ghost blurred beside her, half joinedto her.
And then Sakura spoke in anothervoice.
"We won't let you,"said the ghost of Akane Murakami.
And she left her sister, theintangible spirit only a silhouette against the snow as she rushed towardYuki-Onna. The Woman in White staggered backward in confusion but could donothing to stop it. Akane's ghost entered her, vanished inside of her.
Yuki-Onna cried out, but itsounded more like anguish than pain. The witch doubled over, and for the firsttime, Kara saw that she had left footprints in the snow.
Then she straightened up, andher eyes had changed.
They were no longer eclipsedwith bottomless black. Instead, they were a soft, gentle brown, and they werefilled with a quiet melancholy.
Sakura started toward her. Mihoseemed about to try to stop her, but Kara held up a hand to forestall anyinterference.
"Akane?" Sakura asked.
The snow woman shook her head. No.This wasn't Akane. But it wasn't really Yuki-Onna, either. Not the creature whohad longed to drink life and to kill with the cruelty of winter's darkest days.Perhaps it was that girl who'd died in the first storm of the season, or somecombination of the spirits inside Yuki-Onna now.
But Sakura smiled as though shedidn't believe it, like she was sure her sister was there. "I love you,"she said.
The wind, weaker than it was butstill strong, gusted powerfully once more. Snow picked up from the ground,swirling around Yuki-Onna, creating a churning maelstrom that lasted onlyseconds before it subsided into nothing.
A final gust, and then the windbecame an ordinary breeze, and the snow tapered to flurries, and Yuki-Onna wasgone.
And so were the ghosts.
"Master Kubo!" Mr.Yamato called, running over to drop to the snow beside Ume, who had beentending to the Unsui.
Kara walked slowly toward themwith Hachiro at her side. He was rubbing her hands, trying to get the bloodflowing well, to get some warmth back into them. Mai and Wakana appeared fromthe trees, helping a limping, bleeding Ren. Miss Aritomo and Miho approached aswell, until all but Sakura were gathered around the prone, unmoving body of theold monk whose kindness and wisdom had saved them all.
The Unsui, it appeared, wouldwander the clouds no longer. Or, perhaps, Kara thought, he willwander them forever, now.
But then Mr. Yamato looked up."He's still breathing. We need an ambulance."
Miss Aritomo pulled out herphone. Ume started snapping orders at Mai and Wakana, talking about her carbeing not far, just a couple hundred yards down the mountain.
Kara felt afraid to hope, butcould not stop herself. It felt nice. Hope and love were the things that wouldwarm her. She turned to Hachiro, stood on her toes, and kissed him. When thekiss was through their eyes met but neither of them spoke. There would be timeenough for words later. Instead, she lay her cheek against his chest and justrelished the feeling of him there, where he belonged.
"Look," Miho whisperedto her.
Kara glanced over and saw thatSakura had not joined them. She stood gazing up the mountain toward the placewhere Yuki-Onna had vanished.
"Give us a moment?" she said to Hachiro.
He nodded. "Of course. Whateveryou need."
Kara and Miho went over to joinSakura, standing on either side of her.
"Are you all right?" Miho asked.
"I will be, I think,"Sakura said. "But more importantly, I think Akane will be."
"I'm not sure I understandwhat happened," Kara admitted. "Is she Yuki-Onna now, the way theother girl was?"
Sakura nodded. "A part ofher, at least. When she was inside of me, I could feel what she felt and I knewwhat she knew. It was. . it was what I needed. It was wonderful. Now sh
ewill be a part of Yuki-Onna, and none of us will have anything to fear from theWoman in White again. And Akane has put her own anger and bitterness behindher. In the spring, when winter is through, her spirit will finally go on tothe peace she has always deserved. And the rest of the ghosts will as well."
Kara reached out and took Sakura'shand, squeezed it in her own. On the other side of her, Miho did the same.
"Then we can allhave peace," Kara said.
"And a new beginning,"Miho added.
Sakura nodded, then turned toher friends with a wistful smile.
"Let's go home."
Epilogue
Shortly after ten o'clock thenext morning, Sakura stood outside the hospital smoking her last cigarette.
She had taken up the habit outof nervousness and a careful cultivation of rebellion. Or at least theappearance of rebellion. Smoking cigarettes had given her an excuse to besolitary, to find places to hide and think. Miho's friendship had been her onlysalvation at first, and then Kara had come along and surprised them all, thisgaijin girl who had become like a sister to both Miho and Sakura.
A sister.
Sakura would miss Akane for aslong as she lived, but she felt a peace now that she had only thought she hadachieved before. This was different. She and Akane had had a glimpse into eachother's hearts in a way that she had never imagined possible, and they hadrecognized a kinship that went beyond being sisters. They shared anger.
But now Akane had found peace. Sakurafelt a terrible loss at the thought that they were parted from one another,now, but she had made her peace with that as well. She wanted to live a lifethat would make her sister proud, to strive and succeed and find happiness thatwould have been enough for both of them.
With a smile, she glanced at thecigarette in her hand — only half-smoked, she flicked it to the walkwayand ground it under her heel. It reminded her of a girl she no longer wanted tobe.
A door whooshed open behind herand she turned to see Mai coming out of the hospital. The girls regarded oneanother for a few seconds, and then Mai smiled.
"Is this the smokingsection?"
Sakura gestured to the deadcigarette on the ground. "I just quit."
"Can you spare one, then? Ithought I saw you headed out here."
Sakura handed her the half-emptypacket. "Take them. I won't need them anymore."
"Wow. You're serious. Goodfor you. I would like to quit, but not today," Mai said.
She lit a cigarette, took adrag, and blew out a plume of smoke. Sakura felt tempted to go back inside, butinstead she wrapped her scarf more tightly around her neck and plunged herhands into her pockets.
"How is Wakana?" Sakura asked.
Mai nodded. "She is doingwell, thank you. I believe they will let her go home this afternoon, ortomorrow at the latest."
"Mr. Harper is beingreleased today," Sakura said. "But they're keeping Ren another day. Mihois with him now."
Mai turned to her. "AndKubo?"
"He is alive," Sakurasaid. "The doctors say they must watch him closely, but they believe hewill recover. A feat of pure will, they say."
Mai smiled, watching the smokerise from the tip of her cigarette. "I am so happy to hear that."
Again Sakura felt tempted to goin, but she could not escape the feeling that Mai had come out specifically tospeak with her, that she was working on something she wanted to say, so shewaited.
A minute passed. And thenanother.
"Ume confessed," Maisaid at length.
Sakura blinked in surprise, butsaid nothing.
"She also named all of thegirls who were there. She told the police which were only witnesses and whichtook part in beating Akane," Mai said, without looking at Sakura. "IncludingEmi and Kaori."
The pain in her voice when shegave those names was obvious.
"Your friends," Sakurasaid.
Mai took a long drag and blewout the smoke. Her expression had turned hard.
"Not any more," shesaid.
Sakura looked at her. "I'msorry."
Mai glanced up in obvioussurprise. "You're sorry? Why? I would think you would have been happy."
"Happy that Ume confessed,and the truth has come out at last? Yes. But happy that your friends turned outto be. . something other than what you thought they were? No."
Mai nodded. "Thank you forthat."
"Fortunately you have otherfriends," Sakura said. "Wakana. Reiko."
With another puff of hercigarette, Mai studied her. "You. Miho. Kara."
Sakura arched an eyebrow. "Arewe friends?"
"Believe me," Mai saidwith a smile, "I'm as surprised as you are."
Kara woke in her own bed, awash insunshine that poured in through the window. She blinked at the brightness ofit, realizing how late she must have slept. The events of the previous day — the previous week — came flooding back to her, and she lay there for amoment relishing the warmth of her bed. She would have loved a day to indulgeherself, to stay in bed and read or, considering how sunny it was for January,to wander Miyazu City and take photographs.
She threw back the covers andbounced out of bed, grabbing a thick black sweater and tugging it over herhead. The repercussions of the previous day needed attending to, and she hadalready slept too late. Her father was still in the hospital and she wanted toget down there as early as possible to see him, and to see Master Kubo as well.The Unsui had astounded them all by living long enough to get to Ume's car, andthen astonished them further by surviving all the way to the hospital. Kara hadto know if he had amazed the doctors just as thoroughly.
A glance at the clock told herit was nearly ten a.m. and she frowned deeply. Why hadn't anyone called? Sakura.Miho. Hachiro. They couldn't all be sleeping.
Troubled, she tugged on a cleanpair of blue jeans — she had taken a hot shower the night before andwashed her hair, and now that she was running so late she didn't want to takethe time. She went to her desk and scooped up her keys and what little moneyshe'd had in her pockets the day before, but her cell phone was missing. Thecharger was plugged into the wall, but the cord ended in nothing.
Frowning in confusion, shebrushed her hair in front of the mirror and tied it back with an elastic. Sheplopped back onto the bed and pulled on her boots, trying to solve the mysteryof her missing cell phone. Now that she was fully awake, it took only seconds. Withher father in the hospital, it would not have been appropriate for a teenagedgirl to be alone in the house, so Miss Aritomo had spent the night.
She must have taken the phoneto let me sleep, Kara thought. Which was all right, actually. If anythingvital happened, Miss Aritomo would have woken her.
They had all gone to thehospital the previous afternoon. Ume had driven Kubo out as far as the mainroad to wait for the ambulance. When it had arrived, the EMTs had insisted thatRen go along with them as well. He had been having trouble breathing because ofsharp pain in his chest and they suspected broken ribs, which turned out to betrue — three of them.
Mr. Yamato had ridden to thehospital with Ren and Kubo, while Ume drove the rest of them back to MissAritomo's car. The principal would have to get his own car today, but theprevious afternoon he had not wanted to be parted from Kubo's side. At thehospital, they had all been checked for frostbite. Several of Kara's fingershad turned a soft, eggshell blue, but the doctors managed to get the bloodflowing properly again.
Another hour or two and thismight have been a very different story, a young, handsome doctor had toldher. And, in truth, as her hands warmed up and the blood started to flowproperly again, it had hurt like hell.
Kara's stomach grumbled, but sheignored it. A quick glass of juice would be enough to keep her until she couldget some lunch with her father at the hospital. They were supposed to let himgo home today, and she wanted to be with him when he was discharged.
She left her bedroom, steppingout into the short hallway and heading for the bathroom. Three steps away, sheheard voices in the living room. With a frown, she changed direction, walkingdown the hall. Even as she stepped int
o the room, she recognized the voice, andthen she saw him.
Hachiro sat at the table withMiss Aritomo. As Kara entered, they both looked up. Miss Aritomo saidsomething, but Kara did not hear a word of it. She grinned so wide that it hurther face and she rushed to him, a giddy feeling fluttering in her chest. Whilehe had been missing she had been so full of fear that now, to be without it,made her feel light as air. Yesterday they had both been exhausted and in shockand overwhelmed, surrounded by people. At the hospital they had held each otherand, when no one was looking, had shared half a dozen tender kisses.
But that had been the aftermath.Even then, the sky had been gray and snow had been falling lightly.
Today, though. . today was anew day, bright with promise.
"Good morning,"Hachiro said.
"Good morning to you,"Kara replied, still grinning, knowing she must look foolish but unable to stopherself. "What are you doing here?"
Hachiro laughed, and it was themost wonderful sound she had ever heard. Kara had been so afraid that she wouldnever hear him laugh again, never hold his hands or feel his kiss.
"I knew you would be goingto the hospital. I thought I would come along. Miss Aritomo said it would beall right."
He nodded to the art teacher andMiss Aritomo nodded back.
Kara looked at Miss Aritomo, whosmiled as well.
"Your father asked me tomake sure you were able to get plenty of sleep," Miss Aritomo said, almostapologetically, as she handed over Kara's cell phone. "I am afraid I havemade Hachiro wait for nearly half an hour."
"I didn't mind,"Hachiro insisted.
Kara grinned at him again, thensighed and forced herself to stop. She knew she should say something, butfeared the idiot babbling that she knew would result. Instead, she looked atMiss Aritomo.
"Thank you."
Miss Aritomo nodded her head."Whenever you two are ready, I will drive us to the hospital."
Kara could not stop looking atHachiro, wanting to touch him to reassure herself that he was actually there. Shewas about to say she was ready to leave right then, but then she felt the slickgriminess of her teeth and realized that she had not brushed them.
A Winter of Ghosts Page 20
