Summertime of the Dead (25 page)

It was dark by the time I reached the Imperial Palace. I followed the moat around and taking a right I rode along the broad road that passed the Mitsubishi Building. I headed under the railway bridge and parked the bike in the darkest spot. I took off my helmet and put on a flu mask. Flu masks look like surgeons' masks, but a lot of people wear them when they get a cold, even in the summertime. And so I could hide my face without drawing attention to myself.

As I put the helmet under the seat I saw the sword. I'd put it in the nylon bag and it was dark under bridge. I don't think anybody could see it, let alone steal it, and so I put the helmet next to it and left it at that. I put the gun in my belt and headed down to the Mitsubishi Building. I could see people talking outside the convention centre on the other side of the road, and there were a few strolling couples. But apart from them there were only the passing cars to worry about. But that part of Ginza was a business section and so it was usually quiet at night.

When I reached the building it looked deserted. The lights were on but I couldn't see a single soul at the windows, and there must have been about twenty floors. It crossed my mind that I might have missed him, but I had to carry on as though he was there. I scanned the raised garden to see where to hide. Then, making sure no cars were coming, I jumped up on to the low wall and crouched in the bushes. I looked around to see if I could be seen, but I couldn't. And so I stood up and headed through the foliage. I stopped at the edge of the garden and scanned the lobby. It was brightly lit and deserted except for an old security guard. He was wearing a blue cap and a blue uniform and he was standing to attention, even though no one was there. To my left was the path that ran around the ponds, which were lit up now by underwater lights. And to my right was another path, that led to the street. Either way he went, I could kill him. And he'd be close too – even I couldn't miss from that range. I dropped the girls' claws on the ground and taking out the gun I got ready.

Ten long minutes went by but no one came. I was just starting to think that everyone had gone home when I saw the security guard bow. My view
was blocked by an interior wall and so I couldn't see who he'd bowed to. But then two middle-aged women came out from the main entrance. There were still people inside. Then more came. It was a group of younger men in suits. They were all laughing and joking and looked happy to be out of work. I watched them walk off down the street.

Suddenly I turned and saw people by the ponds! They must have come from the back of the building. There were three older businessmen and a girl in a green dress. One of the guys looked like the director. I scanned his face as he came closer. It was him! I took aim and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. I cocked the gun and tried again. There was a loud bang and a bullet hit one of the men in the shoulder. He dropped to his knees. I fired again. The girl covered her head and started to scream. But I don't think I hit her. The director shielded his face with his briefcase and started to run. I took aim and fired three times. One of the bullets hit the briefcase dead centre. He dropped the case and fell face first into the pond. I'd got him.

I ran off the raised garden, but tripping on the foliage I fell off the wall. I hit the pavement hard, and it really hurt, but I got up straight away. But
then someone grabbed me from behind and we both fell to the ground.

‘You're not going nowhere!' said the old security guard, getting me in a bear hug.

‘Let go, you old fool!'

‘No!' he shouted, and pulled down my flu mask.

I beat him around the head with the butt of the gun, but he wouldn't let go. I got on top and smashed his nose until it broke and blood came out. Then I went to run. But once again he grabbed me around the legs and I fell down. And they can't have been paying him that much! I kicked him in the face until he let go and then I got up and ran. Boy did I run!

‘Stop!'

I looked back to see two guys in suits chasing me. I sprinted across the street and under the bridge, and kick-starting the engine I rode away. I never even had time to put on my helmet. I pulled back hard on the throttle and shot down the pedestrian path that ran alongside the bridge. I whizzed past the bars and restaurants that were built into the arches, but it was OK. The path was deserted and the bars were empty. But suddenly a guy stepped out in front of me! I swerved to miss him and braked hard. But
I smashed into a wall and flew over the bike. My head cracked against the stone and I crashed on the pavement. Oh the pain! I felt like someone had hit me with a lump hammer. I held my head and got to my feet.

The guy staggered towards me. He looked a little drunk. ‘Are you OK?' he asked.

The bullet hit him in the head and he collapsed like a puppet without strings. It happened so fast I didn't realize I'd done it. But there he was on the ground. It was quiet then and he lay so still. I watched him for a second, to see whether he'd get up, but he didn't. And so I put the gun away and picked up the bike. But as I did a sharp pain shot through my left leg! I bit down hard and kick-started the engine, but it wouldn't start. I tried again but nothing happened.

‘Hey, you! Stop!'

I saw the two men in suits coming after me. I kick-started the engine again. It came to life and I looked back at them as I rode away. They came to a stop at the dead drunk's body.

As I pulled back on the throttle a loud noise came from the engine, and I saw that the handlebars were bent. I had to keep them at an angle in order to go straight. I came to the end of the pathway and
stopped so I could put on my helmet. I saw that the engine was leaking and that the sword had gone. But I was in too much pain to care. My head was throbbing and my hair was matted with blood. It ran down the side of my neck as I put on the helmet. And the inner padding pushed against the swelling on my face. I almost passed out with the pain, but I fought to stay conscious. I had to get home.

I rode out on to the main road, and merging with the traffic I headed up towards the House of Representatives. But the bike was straining to make it up the hill, and no matter how much I pulled back on the throttle it crawled along. But when the road levelled out, it picked up speed. ‘Please keep going!' When I looked down at my leg I saw a bone coming through my jeans. I swear I was in so much pain I wanted to scream. ‘You're a samurai!' I said. ‘Act like one!' But my voice was breaking up and the words seemed silly.

When I reached Omotesando the bike started to splutter and I saw smoke coming from the exhaust. Not much, but enough for a cop to pull me up. ‘Come on, you can make it!' The bike crawled up Omotesando like a dying dog, but when I reached the lights at Harajuku station it cut out altogether.
And there were so many people around! But then something worse happened. I started to feel dizzy and my sight went blurry. Bitting down I got off the bike and kick-started the engine. I was sure it wouldn't start but it started straight away. I was so grateful I felt like crying, but I didn't. I rode through the lights and headed home.

And then I was passing Yoyogi Park. I'd never been so glad to see it! It was a beautiful park and it belonged to us. It was mine and the Lump's and the twins'. The Lump. I hadn't called her yet. She'll think I don't care and I do. And the Lump liked ice cream. I'll have to send her some. I'll have to send the twins some as well … No, I can't send the twins anything. They're dead. That's how all this began, Yukio, remember?

I took a left after the bend and headed towards the tracks. Hiroshi was on the tracks. He shouldn't be there. ‘Hiroshi!' I shouted. ‘There's a train coming!' But he just stood there and smiled. I pulled back on the throttle and rode towards him. But I never went anywhere. I realized that the bike had come to a stop and that the engine was dead.

I got off and went to push it across the tracks, but the sharp pain in my leg didn't like that, and so I left
it at the side of the road. The helmet felt tight as I took it off, as though it had shrunk, and blood came down my face. I took the flu mask from around my neck and wiped my eyes, and then I went to limp away. But I stopped and looked back at the bike. I felt sad about leaving it. It had taken me away from danger so many times and now it was dead. I remembered the day I got it. I was so happy. And I remembered the Lump laughing on it. The Lump loved the bike as well. It wasn't just me.

‘I won't leave you there. I'll come back for you, I promise.'

I limped through the small park where we used to play as kids. It was dark and empty and it made me feel miserable, but then something beautiful happened. It was daylight and the sun was shining and Miko was standing by the slide!

‘I thought you were dead!'

She laughed a little. ‘No, we've been on vacation.'

‘We've been on vacation, Yukio,' shouted Hiroshi, running past.

But then the darkness came. ‘Don't be afraid, twins. I'll protect you!' I said. But my voice sounded strange. I think my jaw was broken. Then the world spun and I had to sit down on a bench. When I
looked up the park was empty and the sunshine had gone. But my head wouldn't stop spinning. ‘I'll rest for a minute. Just a minute.'

‘Up!' said the Lump. ‘Up!'

I shuddered and woke up. There were no lights on in the apartment blocks and no cars on the road. And I was cold. I'd never been so cold. And my head was pounding. ‘I have to get home.' I felt that sharp pain again as I got to my feet. But I gritted my teeth and limped through the park. And then with all the strength I could muster I forced myself up the hill. I was determined to get home, but then I collapsed on the pavement. It felt nice lying down, and if I stayed still my head didn't hurt. But then I was startled by a passing car.

‘Get up! And don't stop until you're home!'

I got up, and ignoring the pain I forced myself on. I just kept going and going and then suddenly I was there. I couldn't believe it. I opened the front door and went inside. I'd made it!

I went to climb the stairs but I collapsed halfway up. I lay there and rested my head. ‘Keep going,' I said. ‘You're almost there.' But I couldn't get up and I felt so sleepy. ‘A samurai would get up,' I whispered. I got up then and went to my bed. I rested my head
on the fluffy pillows and pulled the white duvet over me. ‘Yukio, it's us!' I could hear the twins calling me from the street below. ‘I'm going to get up now, Miko. As soon as I can open my eyes.' Suddenly the pain jarred me awake. I'd been dreaming and I was still on the stairs. Very slowly I started to crawl upwards. I used my hands and my good leg, dragging my bad leg behind me. When I reached the top I crawled along the landing. And then I crawled into my room and collapsed.

It was almost light when I came round, and as soon as I did I felt pain. My knee was in agony and my head was throbbing. And my face felt like it had something growing on the side of it. But at least I'd stopped hallucinating. And I was glad. I'd seen some terrible things. But then, to add to my woes, the ringing started up in my ears. As if things weren't bad enough! I got up and staggered to the window in the hope that it was a train going by. And that's when I saw them. And there were so many of them. They came down the street in two columns, one on the right side and one on the left. They stayed close to the houses and they communicated in hand signals. They looked like ninja. Small men dressed
in black body armour and wearing black helmets. But they weren't carrying swords. They were carrying long firearms, which they held in front of them. Following behind was a plainclothes policeman who I recognized as Maki. I saw more armed police climbing over the backs of the houses. And then, through my pain, I felt fear. Because I knew that this was it!

‘Yukio.'

I turned slowly, like an old man, and going out on the landing I looked down. Grandmother was putting the bolts on the front door. ‘They're here,' she said.

So she knew. She'd probably known all along. But when she saw my face she looked shocked. ‘My brave grandson, what have they done to you?' Her eyes closed tight for a second and then she opened them. ‘No matter. But now you have to do the right thing. Do you understand?'

‘Yes, Grandmother,' I said. But my voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

‘Good. I would not want you to dishonour the family name.' And then she did something she'd never done before. She bowed to me, and she bowed so low.

But I felt weak. ‘I'm sorry, Grandmother, I do not think I can bow back.'

‘That's OK, Yukio. Just remember this: I have always loved you, even though I never showed it.' Her face hardened but her eyes filled with tears. ‘Go now. Do it before they come.'

I returned to my room and took the short sword from the wardrobe. Then I took off my shirt and tried to kneel down, but my knee wouldn't bend. Biting down I forced it to bend and then I knelt on the tatami floor. ‘Do it quickly and the pain will end!' I faced the photograph of the twins and the statue of the Buddha and took the sword in both hands. But when I saw Hiroshi's face I realized something. I realized with absolute horror that he could never forgive me for killing his nun. And somehow it made what I had to do easier. I raised the sword and turned the blade towards me. Then, with all my remaining strength, I stabbed myself in the lower stomach. The agony! I pulled the blade up and across my stomach until it sliced open.

My eyes bulged and blood shot from my mouth. Blood and intestines splattered on the floor. Then everything went black and I fell.

I have to stand on a chair to look out the window, and when I do the cold wind blows in my eyes, but I'll do it for hours some days. There's not much to see, just the grounds and the high hospital walls, but if I pull up on the bars I can see Mount Shokanbetsu. Last night's sunset turned it a beautiful pink colour and today it's completely covered in snow. And it must have snowed down here last night because the ground looks a little frosted. The patients here are mostly women and they wave at me sometimes if they see me at the window. But I never get to meet them and there's no one out there today, it's way too cold. But it's February and we're seventy miles north of Sapporo, so cold weather is all you can expect.