The Bridge To Nihon (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 9 - A Tale of Nihon

Back at home, Sofia showed the lantern to Aunt Sybil and Uncle Tomas.

"He never brings back anything useful," Aunt Sybil said.

"Sofia likes it. That's what counts," Uncle Tomas said.

"Yes, I guess that's right." Aunt Sybil looked absent-minded. There was a grayness on her face that made her look as if she had spontaneously aged during the meeting with the Assessors.

"Are you alright, Aunt Sybil?" Sofia asked.

"Yes, yes, child. Don't worry. I'll go to bed, and tomorrow, I'll be as good as new."

But she didn't sound as if she believed it. Even Uncle Tomas shot her a concerned look.

"You do that, Sybil," he said. "I'll clean the kitchen and keep Sofia company."

Aunt Sybil nodded. She didn't even comment on Uncle Tomas' usual inability to finish any task he embarked on. Sofia decided to do it for him so that they wouldn't fight in the morning.

When they were alone, Sofia was quiet. When she had been smaller, she had used to play with Uncle Tomas. His gaiety had always inspired fun games, but over the years, he had turned more and more inwards, and Sofia had developed a tendency to keep him at bay.

He cleared his throat, visibly forcing himself to remain seated. He kept looking at the door, outside of which lay the little amount of freedom he required.

"What a beautiful piece," he repeated for the third time.

"There are six figures," Sofia said. "They can be moved. See?"

She carefully pulled one rod after the other, and the figures shifted.

"He's a hunter, and he has a dog. The dog is crouching, but if you pull, he rounds his back and lifts his tail. Maybe he can move forward too, but I haven't dared to pull any harder." Sofia looked conflicted. "Not yet, anyway."

She pointed at the shapes of a man and a woman.

"They are a couple. See how they are turned towards each other?"

She pulled the two rods, and they moved closer to each other, then back again, as if they were dancing.

The other two silhouettes were a woman on a throne, and a young man, almost a boy. The woman could be moved around, but she remained attached to the throne. The boy was completely mobile, he could go anywhere. He was quickly becoming Sofia's favorite, but she wanted to hear Orì's opinion before deciding.

"Very nice," Uncle Tomas said. "You know, Sofia, I'll just head out for a little moment. Really, I'll be back before you know it."

"Sure," Sofia replied. She didn't see the point in telling him that she didn't believe him. If she was honest, she was relieved to see him go. It meant that she could stop waiting for his impending departure.

*

The next morning, Sofia walked quietly through the dark house, carrying the lantern with her breath held in. She was horribly afraid to damage it before she could show it to Orì.

She went to a spot that wasn't visible from the house and sat down. She placed the lantern behind her back so that Orì wouldn't notice it right away. To pass the time, she built little stone towers, piling them up to precarious heights. Orì let her wait this morning, but sometimes she was already there without showing herself. Sofia didn't want to appear impatient or nervous. In her mind, she was playing through all the faults Orì might find with her lantern, and how she could reject them.