Come Back to Me

Chapter 20

The professor gave the mirror to Doumeki. He had seen it before. On the windowsill in Watanuki's room. It was beautiful then, but now? It had a feeling of gloom around it. It did not shine but seemed to absorb what little light there was. The eye of the mirror was clouded and baleful, like a blinded eye. 

 Doumeki did not share all Soboro's concerns. He did not fully trust his old professor. But he did agree on one thing:

"This mirror is cursed. It must be purified."

Soboro nodded. "Yes, yes. I am so glad I called you. I knew you would know just what to do." He turned and picked up a bundle. "I have everything I need for the Harae. You can be my assistant."

The racing thought fled across the young man's mind. He almost caught it. But something was coming back to him. "No. You will be my assistant."

Soboro's mouth formed an o. Doumeki did not have time to explain. Nor did he know how to explain. Doumeki took the bundle from the professor's outstretched arms.

He spread everything on the floor. Haraigashi, small wooden human and horse effigies and coins, and chinowa. Soboro had brought everything but the kitchen sink.

They put on reisō vestements that were in the bundle.

////

"Mother! Watch me!" Watanuki ran along the top of a fence. He took three shiny apples out of his pockets and juggled them, all while still maintaining his balance.

Yuko watched him from under her white head kerchief. "Oh, my, be careful! I just mended that fence!"

Watanuki just smiled. He kept juggling and balancing on the fence, to his mother's consternation.

Clow came out of the field and up behind his son. Clow plucked an apple from the air.

"Hey!" said the boy. "I was using that!"

Clow tossed one apple to Yuuko and took a big juicy bite out of another one.

"Help your mother." The boy jumped off the fence and took an armful of millet sheaves from her. When the sheaves were propped up to dry, the sun was setting.

The little family stood together. Yuuko wrapped an arm around her husband's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Don't," said the man, "I stink." He pointed to his soaked underarms.

"Stinky! Daddy's stinky!" Watanuki rolled his eyes in back of his head and pretended to pass out.

"Let's all have a bath," said Yuuko.

"In the creek?" said Watanuki excitedly.

"No, silly. In the basin."

A large basin held water which represented buckets and buckets carried on aching shoulders. This was the fourth day of use, but it couldn't be helped. It was country life. Far different then living in a mansion. But Yuuko wouldn't trade it for the world.

They all slipped in together, relaxing and washing each other. When they were clean they got out and dried off.

Yuuko prepared a simple dinner and they ate hungrily.

"How would you like to go into town next Saturday?" said the father.

Watanuki smiled from ear to ear. "You mean it? You really mean it?"

Clow ruffled his hair. "I do." He looked at his wife. "If it's okay with your mother, that is."

"Please, mom? Please?"

All her bliss and sleepiness was dashed away by a stab of fear. She was speechless.

Normally Clow would have been amused at the sight of his garrulous wife with nothing to say. But he only watched her with grave quietness.

She looked at her son's hopeful face and beseeching eyes. She nodded. "Mmm-hmm. If it doesn't rain."

Watanuki nodded enthusiastically back. He ran to his mat and lay down for the night.

Her husband came up to her. "Thank you. I won't let anything happen to him."

Yuuko couldn't sleep. She went outside and looked over her shoulder. Furtively, she created a purple butterfly and let it fly away. Just one can't hurt. As it flew away she imagined it taking her fears and anxieties away, one with each slow flap. It had been so long since they had used magic. After they had Watanuki, becoming "king and queen" among the interdimensional sorcerer set had lost its appeal. They wanted him to have a normal life. With friends, the joys of exploring nature, exploring the world rather than creating one.

But the world was full of perils. Yuuko and Clow kept him safe on their little patch of land. But going out, into town, anything could happen. There were bound to be bandits on the road.

Clow was right when he pointed out that in order to experience a normal human life she had to expect the unexpected in regards to Watanuki. They as his mother and father could not control other humans and events.

Yuuko returned to the tatami she shared with Clow and went to sleep with visions of a purple butterfly winging its way across the surface of the moon.

The next morning the family set off for town, pulling the cart laden with grain. The roads weren't very good, they were rutted from many wheel marks. But the family persisted and soon they saw the roofs of the town.

"Hi! Hello!" A friendly family with not many teeth came and pulled their wagon the rest of the way. It was a relief to let go of the handles. Yuuko and Clow flexed their fingers; they could feel blisters coming.

"Hi, my name is Jun," said a boy.

"Hi! I'm Watanuki!"

Jun laughed. It was an infectious, joyful noise. "That's a funny name. Any brothers or sisters?"

"It's just me."

"You're lucky! I have three super-annoying older sisters. Thank gosh they are off with their friends getting ready for the festival."

"Festival?"

"Yeah! It's going to be great! There will be lots of sweets and cool stuff!" The boys ran around and around each other.

The mother was wrinkled and weather-beaten. But she had a kind face and sparkling eyes. "You should come," she said to Yuuko. You would be beautiful as the festival maiden."

"Oh, I couldn't," said Yuuko.

"Come, come. I'll teach you the dance."

"Hold your horses," said the father. "He has to sell his grain first. I'll take you to the merchant."

The day passed wonderfully. Yuuko and Clow left laden with gifts from their new friends in exchange for a promise to come to the festival.

/////

Doumeki and Soboro has been working over the mirror for hours. At first they were hopeful because their attention had drawn a thick miasma out of it. But the miasma just got bigger while the object itself stayed cursed.

Doumeki swayed. Salt from sweat stung his eyes and coated his upper lip. His water bottle was empty. The miasma glowed pink with a black center. It seemed to mock his efforts.

"Time out." He mopped his neck. Why was it so hot? He looked. Soboro had fired up the boilers. The backup plan.

"Did you hear something?" said Soboro.

"No."

Soboro looked into the dark corridors. He gasped. "Someone is in here with us."

TO BE CONTINUED

Glossary:

Harae – purification ceremony in the Shinto religion. 

Chinowa - a ring woven out of grass and used as a ring of purification during harae.

reisō - Ritual robes worn by male Shinto priests during rituals and ceremonies.