上田鏡花
*** Ueda Kyoka (Shiomi POV) ***
“I’m Ueda Kyoka,” the ghost said from the doorway.
Ueda didn’t appear immediately threatening, so I tore my eyes away from him to check on Ume. She’d collapsed after helping dispel Kashima, leaving me terrified she’d relapsed. My fear receded slightly when I found she was breathing normally, despite her ghastly pallor.
Reluctantly, my attention returned to the ghostly figure wearing a white funeral kimono. At first glance, he looked like a living person with a narrow, pox-marked face; graying, close-cropped hair; and round, wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. However, his kimono, tied like a corpse, betraying his ghostly nature. He continued watching me calmly from the doorway. He had even congratulated me on our handling of Kashima-san. These were hopeful signs he bore us no malice. His piercing gaze gave me pause, though.
“I see you’re afraid of me,” he said. “I’m harmless. The Manor has adopted me.”
Curiosity overcame my fear, and I said, “The house adopted you?”
“I was the last person living here and am bound to it. It’s a small price to pay for The Manor’s hospitality. — May I ask who you are and your intentions?”
“I’m Shiomi Shiori, and my friend is Ume Fumiko. She’s sick. Can you help her?” I took a moment to check Ume as I spoke and was relieved to find color returning to her cheeks.
“That was only half my question. The less important part. What’s your story and intentions?”
“I hope to stay here and serve Ume.” Ume would have scolded me for that, but it was true. I wanted to serve her. A desire that had grown as I grew to know her, filling the void left by my failure as an idol.
“So, she’s your lady,” Ueda said.
“Yes, can you help her? I don’t know what to do.” Desperation crept into my tone. I took one of Ume’s cold, limp hands. I couldn’t lose her.
“You have cared well for her. I’d happily help, provided you do me two favors.”
“I’ll do anything!”
“Be careful what you promise. Many of us who haven’t passed over have loathsome desires. But your faithfulness is commendable, and I won’t abuse it. First, I want to hear your story. I was an esoteric writer. So, I would be delighted to hear your tale.”
“Second,” he continued, “unfortunately, I died alone here in The Manor and had no one to perform my last rites. I need you to place me in my tomb and recite the sutras. A priest would be better, but you’ll do. I’ll provide the correct sutras. That part should be alright.”
When I didn’t answer, he resumed, “Are we agreed? Tell your story, and I’ll help you tend your lady. You can complete the rest when she’s able. The nature of the house prevents me from harming you, but if you renege, I’ll delightedly read you my horror stories when you would rather sleep. A weak threat granted, but the best I can do.”
“I agree. Just help Ume.” I clutched her hand tighter. What I wouldn’t have given for her to squeeze it back.
“Start with your first supernatural experience and continue from there. Take your time; we have plenty of it,” Ueda said, moving to sit in a chair, an action so natural it would have been easy to forget he was a spirit.
I was in a hurry, so I started with, “When I was younger, I wandered into Kakuriyo and met a kudan. It prophesied I’d return to Kakuriyo, where I’d meet the ghost of my future lover, Mikawa. Soon after that…” I was speeding through my story, wanting Ume to get healed as soon as possible.
Ueda held up his hand. “Slow down and start over. You said you wanted to remain in The Manor, so we have all the time in the world.”
“But Ume…”
“She’s through the first crisis and should sleep fine now. We have time.”
There wasn’t any help for it, so I restarted with the kudan and continued with everything that had happened since Mikawa’s death. I couldn’t believe how much had occurred: the kudan, being rescued from the cemetery, the attempted trip to my aunt’s, Numata cafe, Sen no Taki, the tengu ambush, Himekawa Hospital, and now the Mayoiga. Ume had gone through so much for me. She’d stood by me even when I’d been a total bitch.
While telling my story, I slyly snuck in Kashima-san’s legend, but just as I was congratulating myself, Ueda said, “Brilliant,” and politely clapped. “Passing Kashima’s curse on to me. Good thing I’m dead, so I won’t worry about her cutting off my limbs.”
When the story was done, Ueda silently applauded, saying, “Excellent. I can tell why you follow your lady. Too bad I’ll never know the end of your adventure, but it’s time I crossed over. I have been waiting a long time.”
“Ueda-san, I’ve kept my side of the bargain. Please help Ume.”
“It’s almost dawn, so there isn’t time. I’ll teach you everything you need to know tomorrow night. In the meantime, take your lady to the Medicine Buddha’s shrine downstairs. Then get some sleep. You have been awake since yesterday morning, and tomorrow you’ll be up all night. Yakushi Nyorai will watch over your lady while you rest and eat. If you can’t sleep, recite the following mantra to Yakushi-sama: ‘On korokoro sendari matōgi sowaka.’”
Ueda faded from view, preventing me from asking, “But how do I get Ume downstairs?”
Having no other option, I roused Ume. She looked dazed and muttered, “I dreamed I was reading internet stories about Kashima Reiko and was teaching you a chant to dispel her, but when I tried telling you the last lines, I couldn’t speak…”
I interrupted, saying, “We dispelled her. She won’t come again.”
“Oh, and what about Nurse Uguisa?” She continued in a dazed voice.
“She isn’t here. Please don’t listen to her. — Can you walk?”
She nodded.
I helped her move to Yakushi’s shrine and made her a bed at the foot of the statue.
My memory of the rest of the day was foggy. I ate and left rice for the Buddha. Then I sat next to Ume, reciting Yakushi’s mantra and sprinkling Ume with sake when she muttered about “the end of suffering,” or Uguisa. When Ume’s fever returned, I did my best to cool her down. Eventually, fatigue won out over my desire to protect Ume, and I fell into a fitful sleep.
I dreamed I was standing in a palace, and dim cow-headed shapes circled me. Each held an incense censer spilling thick, camphor-smelling smoke. A woman was chanting an incantation of dreadful import in the background. Her words swirled in the incense smoke, turning into frogs that rained down on me. When I ran, clouds of moths billowed up with each step I took across a sandy floor.
I awoke not knowing where I was. The smoky air still smelled of camphor, and a voice was reciting something.
“…the Bodhisattva Manjusri, Prince of the Dharma, receiving the exceptional spiritual power of the Buddha…”
My heart slowed its frantic beating as I recognized Ueda-san’s voice and gradually remembered I was in Yakushi Nyorai’s shrine. Then I remembered Ume and abruptly sat up, looking for her. She was lying next to me, breathing evenly. Relief washed over me, and the last of the nightmare-induced hangover departed.
Now that I knew Ume’s condition hadn’t worsened, I looked toward the voice. Ueda-san sat in the lotus position, reading from a manuscript. Without missing a beat, he touched a parchment lying at his feet.
It took a moment to realize he wanted me to pick it up, but when I complied, I found a mantra written on it. Ueda nodded encouragingly as I began reading it out loud.
“Namu baguate baishajya guru bairoko shinnō nyorai, tatagata arakate sanmyaku sambokai. On baishajye baishajye baishajya samudgate sowaka.”
As the hours passed, my headache returned, and my voice grew so hoarse I could barely whisper. Ueda stopped reading the sutras once to tell me to eat. I refused. How could I eat when Ume needed me?
It wasn’t till dawn that Ueda closed his text and spoke. “We’ve done what we can. Eat and then sleep. Your mistress should wake before next evening. She’ll be weak but should have enough strength to help you fulfill your end of the bargain. My room will be unlocked. Carry me to my tomb and read the sutras you’ll find with my body. The Manor will take care of the rest.”
“Can’t that wait till she’s recovered?”
“I am in a hurry to leave.”
“You’re the one who said we have lots of time.”
“Call me a hypocrite, but I’m impatient to earn entry to the Pure Land.”
There didn’t seem to be a point in arguing. He was right; I owed him. I wouldn’t have been able to save Ume alone. So I resigned myself and nodded in agreement.
“After that,” Ueda continued, “The Manor is yours. It thrives on company and will ensure your life is pleasant here. As a small reward for your story, I’ll leave a clue to the Kudan’s location in case you decide to finish your quest. It’s cryptic, but hopefully useful.”
After speaking, Ueda-san faded from view.
Ume slept deeply until late afternoon. Her fever had departed by the time she awoke, but she still looked weak. While she ate rice porridge, I explained what had occurred. I ventured after my explanation to say, “Even if Ueda is in a hurry, I’m sure we can wait. My promise didn’t include making you sick again.”
“I can manage,” Ume said. “I’ve had my fill of nightmares. A ghost telling me horror stories would be too much.”
I was still unsure when we went to Ueda’s room. Ume’s gait was unsteady, and she panted on the stairs. But since she insisted, I didn’t protest again.
Inside the room, Ueda’s mummified body was neatly laid out on his bed, hands crossed over parchment sutra scrolls. “At least he’s light,” Ume said as he lifted one end of the body. I took the other half, and we carried the body downstairs, through the kitchen, and out the backdoor into the moonlit garden.
“Careful,” I said as Ume staggered down the garden steps. Dropping Ueda’s fragile body would’ve been a disaster.
Once on the ground, the moon made the way easy. Ahead, grave monuments stood ghostly white in the moonlight. Flickering blue paper lanterns lined a path leading to an open tomb featuring a tall monument where a solitary, ghostly figure stood. Ueda’s resemblance to a living person had evaporated under the moonlight. There was a transitory aura to him I couldn’t describe.
Ueda looked weary, but a smile played around his lips. Other than that, he gave no sign of seeing us until we carefully lowered his body into his tomb, at which point he recited:
Winds through the gate,
Whispering among branches,
Mayoiga fades.
I, a dream-touched traveler,
Tread shadows toward Pure Lands.
Finished, Ueda faded, leaving us to read the sutras and depart.
Ume leaned heavily on me as we returned to the manor. I examined her when we got inside. “You look terrible,” I said. “Come on, I’ll put you to bed and bring you something to eat and drink.”
I deeply regretted letting Ueda and Ume convince me to hold the funeral so soon. Ume literally collapsed into bed. I had plenty of time to kick myself over the next three days as she slowly grew stronger. On the last day, she was restless, but I insisted she remain in bed. That day, I finally asked her, “I want to stay here; can we?”
“For a while,” she said, “I just wish Tomo was here.”
I didn’t, but I hoped he and Kan-chan were doing well.
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Story by Nara Moore
Twitter/X:@nara_moore
Mastodon: sakurajima.moe
WordPress: Josei Yuri and Paranormal Romance
Art by Mai-sensei
Twitter: @Maiisheree
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