The Last Bamboo Stalk

["Chapter 6: An Old Tale Aki rose. She was ready to return to the forest. Her final words sounded like a warning, drifting through the air and settling on the cousins. \u201cTakeo, you must believe in yourself. Akury\u014d has returned because your grandfather has passed. You and Kokoro are needed now more than ever to protect Shozoku Village.\u201d \u201cBut what if we need help, Kami Aki?\u201d He was pleading now, but she was moving away. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do!\u201d \u201cYou will know, Takeo,\u201d the spirit soothed. She turned, still with the book in her arms, and glided back towards the pathway, her emerald kimono dissolving into the deep green of the bamboo stalks. 93","Chapter Seven An Impending Challenge Takeo\u2019s parents were sitting on the front deck of the house enjoying the morning sun when he and Kokoro arrived back. The view down to the waterfront was clear. The sunlight hit the sea in shimmering crests as the waves gently swayed. A large sea eagle hovered in the distance, calmly searching for some leftover scraps that the fishers purposely dropped on the ground. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to see you two getting along,\u201d Takeo\u2019s uncle said, pushing his way out of the front door with a tray laden with food. He gave the cousins a smile and passed a warm bowl full of noodles, fish and vegetables to each of them, then returned inside. The pair sat on the mat outside with Takeo\u2019s parents. They ate their food hungrily. Distracted by the reality of the present moment, Kami Aki 94","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge and the story of Kaiy\u014d and Yama were pushed to the back of their minds. \u201cThis is so yummy,\u201d Takeo said, pausing to stare at the food as if by studying it, he\u2019d know what ingredients were used. \u201cDon\u2019t you have ramen in Australia?\u201d Kokoro asked with a hesitant chuckle. \u201cYeah, of course we do,\u201d he replied playfully, \u201cbut it tastes a bit different here. It\u2019s delicious.\u201d Takeo\u2019s father had been gazing off watching the eagle, which, not content with the fishers\u2019 scraps, swooped towards the water. Its enormous outstretched wings flapped wildly as it rose with a fish in its talons. 95","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cWe must be leaving here soon, Takeo. It is nearly time for us to return home,\u201d he said, watching the bird make its way to the shore and devour its prey. Takeo stopped eating and slowly lifted his eyes towards his dad, taking in the unexpected announcement. He hadn\u2019t even thought about returning to Australia. There had been too much to think about here. But he was sure that he did not want to leave. Not yet, at least. \u201cBut Dad, Kokoro and I just\u2026\u201d Kokoro shook her head from side to side, opening her eyes wide and raising her eyebrows. Takeo hesitated. \u201cWell\u2026 we\u2026 just became guardians of this cool bamboo forest and we\u2019d like to explore it a bit more.\u201d Kokoro let out a sigh of relief. His father glanced sideways at his mother with a quizzical look on his face, then shook his head as if to dispel an unwelcome thought. He turned back to Takeo. \u201cWell, I need to get back to work and you need to get back to school,\u201d 96","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge was his father\u2019s direct reply. Takeo lowered his head, suddenly losing his appetite. \u201cI don\u2019t want to leave,\u201d he said impulsively and with more force looking down at his food than if he had met his father\u2019s gaze. Kokoro looked from one back to the other. \u201cDon\u2019t you want to see your friends? Rosesh?\u201d his mum said. He looked up, replying to his mum\u2019s heartfelt question, while still avoiding catching his father\u2019s glare. \u201cYes, but I need to stay here. I am not ready to go yet.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re leaving the day after tomorrow,\u201d his father said authoritatively. \u201cBut Dad...\u201d Takeo began. \u201cNo,\u201d his dad replied sharply, then looked away to where the eagle had been feasting on its catch, but the bird had gone. The conversation was now closed. 97","The Last Bamboo Stalk Takeo knew he had been disrespectful, but he couldn\u2019t stop himself. He got up and moved inside with Kokoro sheepishly following behind him. After all that Kami Aki had said, the story of Yama, Kaiy\u014d and akury\u014d, it looked like the bamboo and the sparrow wouldn\u2019t be together for much longer. They set about tidying their space, picking up clothes and making their beds. \u201cHey, can you help me fold this?\u201d Kokoro threw the end of her cover towards him. He grabbed it without a word and drew the corners together, matching his cousin\u2019s movements. \u201cI don\u2019t want to go,\u201d he declared finally, placing the neatly folded cover at the end of the bed. Kokoro\u2019s response was sympathetic but practical. \u201cI know, but we have the rest of today and the next,\u201d she raised her voice excitedly, trying to muster some enthusiasm in him. \u201cC\u2019mon, let\u2019s head back out after we\u2019ve washed up.\u201d Takeo gave his cousin a gloomy nod. \u201cOK,\u201d was all he could manage. 98","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge The pair finished their chores and were about to head straight back out when Takeo\u2019s mum appeared. \u201cHere\u2019s something to keep you going on your adventures,\u201d she said warmly, handing Kokoro a food pack. \u201cOh, thanks, Oba,\u201d said Kokoro. \u201cI mean Aunty.\u201d \u201cThanks, Mum,\u201d Takeo joined in with a weak smile. He was trying hard not to show his disappointment. *** For the first time since they had met, Takeo had very little to say and it was Kokoro\u2019s turn to ask the questions. \u201cSo, what\u2019s Australia like anyway?\u201d \u201cUmm, well, it\u2019s pretty cool,\u201d was his short answer. They had decided to take a different route that seemed to be heading towards the eastern part of the forest. He was thinking about how this trail was narrower and more 99","The Last Bamboo Stalk uneven than the others. So much so that they had to walk single file, perhaps suggesting that it wasn\u2019t used as often. \u201cDon\u2019t you have really dangerous animals there, like snakes and spiders?\u201d Takeo seized the opportunity to tease his cousin. \u201cYeah, sure! I saw a spider as big as my hand on my bedroom wall. They can jump, you know.\u201d He turned for a moment and held up outstretched fingers as if they were ready to pounce. \u201cYou just need to learn how to dodge them.\u201d \u201cYuck! Who\u2019d want to live there!\u201d Takeo smirked. \u201cBut you\u2019d like my friend, Rosesh. He\u2019s always goofing off and telling funny stories.\u201d \u201cOK, well, Rosesh sounds cool. I can see why you feel you don\u2019t belong there with those awful creatures.\u201d She shuddered, then pulled one of the brightly coloured packets out from the food pack and threw it forward over his head. He caught it automatically. 100","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge \u201cIt\u2019s not the animals,\u201d he said after a moment. \u201cWell, what is it then?\u201d she asked and Takeo heard the sincerity in her voice. She really did want to know, so he tried to answer her. \u201cIt\u2019s lots of little things. Other kids say stuff or people assume things.\u201d They were approaching the uppermost eastern edge of the forest. \u201cLike what?\u201d She seemed genuinely interested, so he continued. \u201cWell, I suppose they think because I look Japanese, that is all I am. I can\u2019t be Australian as well.\u201d \u201cOh, I get it. Then you come here and you are not really Japanese either.\u201d It sounded harsh, but she continued, \u201cSo that is why you say you\u2019re from Nowhere Land.\u201d They had nearly reached the end of the pathway. \u201cYeah, I guess. You sort of forget you don\u2019t fit in too,\u201d he added. 101","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cBut isn\u2019t that a good thing? Doesn\u2019t that mean you do fit in if you forget that you don\u2019t?\u201d \u201cPerhaps, but then when someone says, \u2018Hey, that\u2019s different!\u2019 you\u2019re even more surprised and you\u2019re reminded that you are different all over again.\u201d Takeo stopped suddenly. He felt like he had stepped from a warm, humid room into an icy cavern. A bitterly cold veil passed over him. Kokoro couldn\u2019t stop herself from running straight into his back. \u201cCareful!\u201d he cried. The pathway had ended abruptly at the top of a ridge. Below was a steep cliff face, and just beyond the ravine, the mountain loomed. Takeo now knew why the path was barely worn. \u201cIt\u2019s suddenly so cold,\u201d Kokoro exclaimed, surprised. The temperature had dropped so much. Takeo shivered. From where the cousins stood, they could see back along the edge of the forest. 102","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge \u201cLook! The bamboo!\u201d Kokoro shouted, her words echoing into the gorge. The stalks closest to the ravine were black. \u201cIs it sick, Takeo?\u201d she asked, looking towards her cousin while pulling her hoodie up around her neck for warmth. \u201cPerhaps take hold of the one closest to you.\u201d He did as she suggested, grabbing a stalk and expecting to feel the bamboo\u2019s energy flow through his body. He thought he could heal the forest as he had done at the monument, but, instead, despair ran through the roots of the bamboo up the blackened stalk and into Takeo. He dropped to his knees while the bamboo turned to ash in his hand. \u201cIt\u2019s dead!\u201d he said, despairingly. \u201cI can\u2019t help it!\u201d Kokoro grabbed Takeo\u2019s shoulder unexpectedly from behind. He instinctively swivelled to see her swaying, her eyes fixed on the ground. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d he asked, standing up. She leaned towards him and he thought they might both fall into the ravine. \u201cWhoa,\u201d he said, pulling her away from the edge. 103","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cI\u2019m so cold,\u201d she mumbled, her teeth clenched together. She laced her arms across her chest and hunched her shoulders. She was lowering herself onto the ground when Takeo grasped one of her arms, pulling it around his neck. \u201cI think we better get you back.\u201d He carefully turned them around to face the direction they had come from and took one last look over his shoulder towards the imposing mountain before beginning the return trip to the village. He shuffled slowly along the narrow pathway with Kokoro propped up at his side. She grew heavier as they went along and he laboured to hold her up. By the time they finally arrived at the house, she was relying entirely on him to guide her. All the adults were out visiting villagers. No doubt they were trying to see everyone they could before both families returned to Sydney and Tokyo. 104","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge Takeo steered Kokoro to her bed. She laid down with a groan. \u201cWater, please,\u201d she said, her voice barely audible. \u201cI\u2019m so thirsty.\u201d He helped her take a few sips, then she curled up in a ball with her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. He stayed with her, alert and listening for voices that would signal the return of their parents. 105","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cWhere are they?\u201d he muttered worryingly, glancing down at his cousin, who was becoming restless. Finally, he heard footsteps crunching on the gravel and animated voices growing louder. He ran out onto the deck. \u201cAunt, Uncle, Kokoro is sick,\u201d he announced to stunned faces. \u201cI think she has a fever.\u201d He stood back as they entered the room, feeling both relieved that the adults were there to take on this responsibility and anxious for his cousin\u2019s situation. Her parents took matters into their own hands, tending to their daughter with cool cloths and, as she became worse in the evening, taking her into their bed and calling Shozoku\u2019s doctor. Takeo sat quietly on the back step of the house, staring off towards the forest as evening approached. Every so often, he heard his parents, aunt and uncle talking in a sort of broken conversation, stopping and then starting again. He could hear their concern, not so much in words, but in the disjointed way in which they 106","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge spoke to each other. If only I knew what to do to help Kokoro, he thought, rising. He wandered down the stone steps towards the bamboo forest. The light was fading and the evening stars were appearing high up in the night sky. Distracted by his cousin\u2019s illness, Takeo absent-mindedly reached out for a bamboo stalk on the edge of the pathway. His hand tingled where he held the smooth outer layer of the perfectly round stalk, and a comforting rush of whispers brushed his cheek. A vision formed in his mind: a three-dimensional map. He could see, above the ground, how the bamboo forest stretched from the village side to the mountainside, from east to west. He could see the stone monument in the clearing - it was whispering to him, beckoning him. But he could also see beneath the surface, the roots of the bamboo, stretching and moving in the earth, finding new connections. Takeo stiffened. There was a darkness in the vision too. It was akury\u014d pressing relentlessly against the bamboo forest on the mountainside. 107","The Last Bamboo Stalk He could feel the pressure as if the skin of the bamboo stalks was his own, and a strange hollowness weighed against him. Then the pressure dissolved as the first layer of bamboo disintegrated and disappeared. I can\u2019t help the forest and I can\u2019t help Kokoro, he thought, suddenly feeling very alone. Still holding the stalk, Takeo pulled out his amulet from underneath his T-shirt. The amulet glowed and pulsed like it had a heartbeat. \u201cThink, think!\u201d he said to himself. The last time Kokoro was unwell, near the monument, I had recited the family\u2019s proverb, driving akury\u014d away, and Kokoro had said she thought I had healed her, too. \u201cI have to try,\u201d he whispered. He spoke the proverb quietly but clearly, adding an urgent summons at the end to the spirit who had promised him her help. \u201cPlease, please, Kami Aki. What should I do?\u201d 108","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge A moment of quiet passed before he heard a familiar rustle not too far away. \u201cTakeo,\u201d Kami Aki said as she emerged from the pathway, moving more quickly than before. He jumped up and ran to her, so pleased to see someone who may be able to help, then remembered himself, stopped and bowed. \u201cTakeo, sit with me,\u201d Kami Aki said. \u201cThere\u2019s not much time.\u201d 109","The Last Bamboo Stalk The house lanterns threw only a dim light down towards the forest edge. The evening had turned into night and the area was cloaked in inky darkness. The glow that surrounded the spirit created a small illuminated sphere around them. Takeo sat cross-legged opposite her. She opened the ancient book, turning to the last page. \u201cAsk what you seek, my child,\u201d she said encouragingly. \u201cUmm,\u201d he hesitated. \u201cHow can I help Kokoro\u2026 and the bamboo forest?\u201d She waved her hand over the page and Takeo could see the ambient glow of his amulet radiate from against his chest. Before his eyes, Japanese words appeared on the page: Saishoni anata niwa kachi ga aru hitsuy\u014d ga arimasu. Tsugini futatsu no shinro ga sh\u014dtotsushimasu. Sanjini yamino nakade danketsu shimasu. 110","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge Takeo looked at the page and then at Kami Aki for guidance. She spoke slowly, \u201cFirst, you must be worthy. Second, dual paths collide. Third, unite in the darkness.\u201d Takeo repeated the words. Then the riddle faded into the page as quickly as it had been revealed. \u201cBut what does it mean?\u201d he asked, frowning and shaking his head in confusion. \u201cThe book reveals the answer only to you, Takeo, and as such, it is only for you to understand.\u201d \u201cUmm, well, first, I must be worthy?\u201d he asked. \u201cBut I\u2026\u201d He looked down. He didn\u2019t know how to put into words that he never thought of himself as worthy of anything. Kami Aki nodded, seeming to understand his thoughts without him speaking. 111","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cWhen we don\u2019t feel worthy, our external world matches how we feel. You will need to accept who you are, Takeo, then the warm glow of belonging will surround you.\u201d He looked up into her kind face. \u201cWill you face the impending challenge?\u201d Takeo slowly nodded. Kami Aki closed the book. Rising, she gave him a gentle smile, then raised her eyebrows and inclined her head towards the bamboo. Takeo understood the hint. He reached out and wrapped his hand once more around a stalk. A vision formed in his mind. \u201cI think I need to go to the monument,\u201d he said hesitantly, not entirely confident in his own conclusion. Kami Aki smiled. \u201cTakeo, remember who you are,\u201d she said before turning back towards the pathway with the large book still nestled in her arms. 112","Chapter 7: An Impending Challenge He stared after her, only for a moment. If I\u2019m going to try, I\u2019ll need one of those lanterns, he thought determinedly, before rising too. 113","Chapter Eight A Name Has Power Takeo stood at the opening of the pathway into the dark bamboo forest, hoping to still see Kami Aki. But the spirit had vanished. He was alone. He glanced back towards the house, to where his parents, aunt and uncle were tending to Kokoro. At least, they are safe where they are, he thought, looking forward once more. When he had asked the ancient book how he could help Kokoro and the bamboo forest, it had revealed a riddle. The first line stated that he needed to be worthy. Although he didn\u2019t quite know what that meant, he had a feeling he needed to get to the monument. The opening in front of him resembled a vast 114","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power abyss and a moment of panic arose in Takeo at the idea of walking into the pitch-black forest alone. He felt that stepping off into the darkness must be like stepping into deep space or even floating in the depths of the ocean, with nothing around you to get your bearings or orientate yourself. A nervous heat flared up and ripped through Takeo\u2019s body at the idea of being alone and adrift. Steeling himself, he held up the lantern and squinted into the darkness. With his other hand, he wrapped his fingers gently around a bamboo stalk. The smooth outer layer fluttered and Takeo felt connected to it, as if he was one of the stalks rooted into the ground - a part of the network of the bamboo forest. He closed his eyes and reflected, perhaps I am not so alone after all. The three-dimensional map reappeared in his mind. It showed the direction he needed to take \u2013 the winding path leading from the back of the house to the clearing where the stone monument lay. Letting go of the stalk, he tried to imprint the image of the map firmly in his mind, and then he tentatively stepped forward. 115","The Last Bamboo Stalk The forest was eerily silent, as if waiting, like an innocent bystander watching a looming disaster about to occur and being powerless to stop it. A white mist wafted at the base of the bamboo stalks, illuminated by the light thrown from the lantern. Takeo could only see a short distance in front of him, so he wrapped his fingers tighter around the lantern handle and held it further out in front, peering ahead. Treading warily so as not to stumble, he slowly put one foot in front of the other. The pathway wound downwards for what seemed like forever, but then it curled around to what Takeo thought was a westerly direction before making a steep incline. As he went deeper and deeper into the forest, the air became heavier. Takeo was grateful for the light breeze, gently sweeping over him now and again, coming from somewhere high above. He stopped and looked up, hoping to see something other than the short confining distance around him, and caught glimpses of the starry night sky through silvery bamboo leaves, lit by the moon. The image was comforting, but the feeling didn\u2019t last long. The swish-swish sound of the breeze 116","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power through the leaves grew into a familiar whisper, but this time it sounded more like a warning. He looked back towards his chosen path with a shudder. The journey seemed to take forever. Takeo put down the lantern for just a moment and rubbed his tired arm. He thought back to the first time he had found the monument. Daylight had helped to make that adventure much quicker. He picked up the lantern once more, using his other arm, and continued. The pathway split several times. The minor trails that led off in other directions were harder to distinguish in the dark. Each time Takeo stopped, closing his eyes and recalling the vision of the map to check he was heading the right way or, if needed, he would hold a nearby stalk and the three-dimensional image would reappear. The track ended abruptly. Takeo recognised the place, where entry to the clearing was granted to those who spoke the family\u2019s proverb. The bamboo gently swayed left and right at Takeo\u2019s softly spoken words creating a gap large 117","The Last Bamboo Stalk enough for him to clamber through. He stood just inside the entrance with the lantern held out in front of him. Not sure what to do next, he broke the silence with a quiet question. \u201cOK, so now what?\u201d But nobody answered. It felt strange to be in this open space on his own and in the dark so he quickly crossed the clearing towards the safety of the towering stone monument. Drawing the lantern closer, he peered at the characters engraved into the smooth granite, forming long vertical lines on its face. He ran his fingers down the uneven indentations coming to the last line. Kokoro had said that this one was their grandfather\u2019s name - Takechiyo Sakamoto. Akury\u014d has returned because my grandfather is gone, Takeo thought, sincerely wishing the man could be with him now. He\u2019d know what to do. But that moment of relief faded into an image of his cousin\u2019s restless fits of fever. How was Kokoro? Had she improved? he wondered, without the hope of knowing. 118","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power Takeo circled the monument, running his fingers against its exterior before sitting down and propping himself securely against the stone. The lantern sat to one side throwing some light, but he could feel the weight of the darkness that lay beyond, so he pressed himself back harder as if the monument would offer him protection. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do,\u201d he whispered helplessly, drawing his knees up towards his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around them. First, you must be worthy. The riddle\u2019s words formed in his mind and he softly muttered the first line. The amulet stirred, drawing his attention to the warmth of the object against his chest. He closed his eyes and placed his hands flat on top of the grassy floor on either side of him. He could feel into the earth and through the grains of dirt. The circular clearing had no bamboo growing in it, but something unusual was moving under the ground. 119","The Last Bamboo Stalk Stretching out like a multitude of intertwined threads were the roots of the bamboo. They covered the whole space beneath the sacred monument. Takeo knew it was the bamboo\u2019s roots like he knew that when a tree\u2019s leaves swayed it was the breeze. He could feel the pressure as they pushed the dirt out of the way. The roots were moving towards his hands like waves at the beach, rippling through an underground world. \u201cTakeo.\u201d The word was like a tremor rising through his palms and into his forearms, the vibration transferring the thought of his name into his mind. Startled, he withdrew his hands quickly, looking around the darkness for some sort of explanation, but nothing came. Hesitantly, he put his hands back on the ground. \u201cTakeo.\u201d He felt it again. It passed silently from the stalks through the roots and earth and into him, like a flurry of feelings and thoughts. This time it 120","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power wanted an answer. Yes? he thought, responding without speaking the words. \u201cYou are here to claim your worth.\u201d Takeo could not hear this statement, he could only feel it. But he was confused. \u201cUmmm, I am here to help Kokoro and the forest.\u201d He hesitated. \u201cAnd stop akury\u014d.\u201d A sliver of doubt crept in. It had sounded like a good plan at the house, but now it seemed like an impossible task. After all, he was just a boy. \u201cFirst, you must be worthy,\u201d responded the tremor. \u201cYou will need to look within yourself.\u201d \u201cBut, it is not about me,\u201d he responded, more abruptly than he meant to. \u201cI need to help Kokoro, but I don\u2019t know how.\u201d Takeo tensed. Something else was there \u2013 a darkness ebbing its way forward. 121","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cYou must claim who you are, Takeo,\u201d the tremor returned. The earth beneath Takeo\u2019s hands rose a little more, the pressure growing like waves in a storm. \u201cClaim your name.\u201d Takeo\u2019s response rushed from the depths of his heart unexpectedly and burst forth silently into the earth. \u201cBut I am no one,\u201d he replied, clenching his teeth. Something was moving off in the distance. A coil of dark mist was snaking its way through the forest floor. Takeo felt it move in between the far-off stalks, ruthlessly cutting into the bamboo\u2019s outer layers. 122","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power It was akury\u014d. He could feel a faint weeping as the mist wound its way forward, but he didn\u2019t care, he just felt so angry. A ghost-like vision of Ancestor Yama rose in his mind. I am like him, Takeo thought. I do not belong either. The dark mist was rushing forward now, advancing faster and faster. \u201cNames have power. Yours is stronger than you think, but you will not own it.\u201d The rumbling earth widened its area. The ground beneath the monument now began to surge. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand. I don\u2019t belong here!\u201d Takeo shot back fiercely. He dug his fingers further into the ground. He was thinking of all the people who assumed things about him, or thought of him in a certain way, or expected him to be something he wasn\u2019t, and a fit of uncontrollable anger engulfed him. \u201cAnd they don\u2019t understand.\u201d \u201cYou have to let yourself be understood,\u201d was 123","The Last Bamboo Stalk the reply. The whole circular clearing was now a stormy sea of surging waves. \u201cWhy won\u2019t you claim it?\u201d \u201cNo!\u201d Takeo yelled angrily. \u201cI am\u2026 no one!\u201d The dark mist had gathered momentum. Takeo sensed he was pulling it towards himself, drawing it forward; as his anger increased, so did the strength of akury\u014d. The weeping grew louder. \u201cSonoatode subete ga ushinawaremasu.\u201d Takeo felt the tremor\u2019s weakening response through his hands, but understood the plea in English as it rippled through his heart. It said \u201cthen all is lost\u201d. The waves were dying away. With one final soft vibration, the tremor sent its final appeal. \u201cYou must claim your name and allow yourself to belong.\u201d Takeo\u2019s whole body shook at these unspoken words. Akury\u014d was moving forward above the ground. It was blackening everything in its path. At the same time, the bamboo\u2019s underground 124","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power web of connection was recoiling from his touch and he became saddened. \u201cNo! Don\u2019t go!\u201d Takeo pleaded, clutching the ground in desperation, the earth beneath his fingers becoming calm again. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be alone.\u201d But akury\u014d was rushing towards him now, making its way through the forest. Its cold tentacle-like threads of dark mist were searching for the source of the anger. Faintly, the last words of the tremor echoed from the ground, \u201cTakeo, you were named after your grandfather. Your name means: strong as bamboo.\u201d Takeo felt the words fade away, like a thought drifting out of view. Had the bamboo forest left him now to face akury\u014d by himself? With no time to ponder this question, he stood up quickly, grabbing his amulet and closing his eyes in preparation to meet the darkness alone, but it was a vision of Kokoro that he saw. Her connection to the spirit of the bamboo meant that she was suffering as the forest was. 125","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cNo!\u201d he yelled again, but this time he turned towards the monument, raising his free hand. He spread his fingers wide and took a deep breath. \u201cI am Takeo Sakamoto, grandson to Takechiyo and guardian of the bamboo forest.\u201d A resounding pulse exploded out in all directions from the sacred stone, like a shockwave blasting through the air. It swept through the forest. Takeo felt the bamboo surge, its strength intensifying, the stalks growing taller and the roots deeper and broader, like a citadel fortifying its ground. 126","Chapter 8: A Name Has Power The granite beneath Takeo\u2019s fingers slid away. He took a step back and saw the kanji letters of his name sink into the stone next to his grandfather\u2019s. An overwhelming sense of gratitude swept through him. \u201cKokoro!\u201d he said out loud, his attention turning back towards his cousin. His amulet glowed brightly as Takeo held it in his hand. The vision of Kokoro reappeared. He could see her distress was diminishing. She was becoming calm. She\u2019s going to make it through the night, he thought, relieved. His body relaxed and he suddenly felt exhausted. He looked towards his name, now carved deep into the granite. \u201cI am Takeo Sakamoto, grandson to Takechiyo and guardian of the bamboo forest,\u201d he whispered once more as tears welled in his eyes. Takeo could sense that akury\u014d had withdrawn. It was returning to the mountain, but it was rising too, like he\u2019d seen in his vision back in Australia. It was forming a huge, black wall. 127","The Last Bamboo Stalk He reached his fingers out to touch his name as the next line of the riddle formed in his mind. Second, dual paths collide. It is not over yet, he thought, closing his eyes. 128","Chapter Nine A Choice to Make Takeo\u2019s fingers hovered over his name, now engraved on the monument. Although he felt weary from the first challenge, the vision of akury\u014d rising near the ridge instilled a sense of urgency so he continued to repeat the next line of the riddle, desperate for a sign that would tell him what to do next. Second, dual paths collide. When he finally opened his eyes, he knew where he needed to go; high up on the ridge, the easternmost part of the forest. It made sense. That was where Kokoro had become sick and where they had seen the dead bamboo. That was where akury\u014d was rising now. His stomach churned. It was one thing to know what to do and something completely different to actually do it, but he was determined to continue. 129","The Last Bamboo Stalk He moved towards a lower path, taking a moment to glance back at the towering stone monument. He could just make out the etching of his name in kanji letters next to his grandfather\u2019s. \u2018Strong as bamboo\u2019, the tremor had said. That\u2019s what his name meant, yet as he turned to take his first step on the path towards the ridge, a cool breeze brushed against him and he shivered, reminded that he was alone in the dark. Grasping his amulet for reassurance and shaking off the doubt, Takeo took a step forward, leaving the clearing behind and heading back into the bamboo forest. It wasn\u2019t until he had travelled quite a distance that he realised he had left the lantern behind, but did he need it any more? Since overcoming the first challenge, something had shifted, like he understood the forest map on a deeper level and could now move quickly, even in the dark. Walking forward, he thought about the uncontrollable anger he\u2019d felt. It had surprised him by its intensity. He thought of Ancestor Yama and the pain he must have gone through, not feeling like he belonged, to produce such anger that was akury\u014d. He never knew that he 130","Chapter 9: A Choice to Make had such anger inside of him, too, although it had not grown to be so ferocious yet. But by claiming his name, Takeo thought he knew himself and the bamboo forest a little better now and, in doing so, felt a sense of calm. Perhaps he had known this place his whole life, grown up playing along its shady trails and hiding in its mysterious corners. He meditated on this strange but comforting dreamy image for a brief moment, then brought his attention back to the journey he was on now. Setting his sights towards the easternmost part of the forest, away from the monument and the house, Takeo felt the sense of urgency return, so he started to run. He leaned forward and raised his knees higher, stretching his legs further out in front. Fresh air rushed into his lungs. Blood flowed to his limbs as he picked up speed and a warmth spread throughout his body. The path narrowed to a single file, but it didn\u2019t matter; he was now confident his footfall would hit the mark. Confidence aside, he was unsure what he would find at the top of the ridge. 131","The Last Bamboo Stalk Kokoro arose in his mind and immediately his amulet, bouncing against his chest, glowed, showing a vision of her lying unwell in her bed. The fits of fever had stopped, but she was still ill. I just need to get to the top of the ridge, he thought, moving faster. The bamboo seemed to urge him on with its encouraging whispers through the leaves somewhere high up in the canopy, pushing him forward in desperation to stop akury\u014d. As he made his way up the hill towards the top of the ridge he slowed his pace. He was approaching the end of the track and remembered he\u2019d nearly toppled over the cliff face with Kokoro close behind him the previous day. Running powerfully through the forest had been a brief relief from the heavy feeling of foreboding that increased as he moved closer to akury\u014d. The last few steps towards the edge were becoming harder and harder. His feet felt like lead. Then he stopped completely, a familiar prickly terror gripping his body. 132","Chapter 9: A Choice to Make What stood in front of him was immense. A massive wall of black cloud ran the length of the ravine. It was higher than the bamboo\u2019s ten storeys, stretching far up into the dark blue night sky. It roared and swirled. Akury\u014d. Intimidated by its sheer size and feeling as if an invisible being was rushing straight towards him, Takeo took a step backwards. He stood motionless on the edge of the forest, flanked either side by towering bamboo. They stood like brave soldiers in the squally blasts of wind; strong, but outnumbered by an almighty foe. A fleeting memory of his vision on the volleyball court from what seemed like a lifetime ago now flickered, then was gone. Wasn\u2019t that what was happening now? he thought, trying frantically to remember it, certain that it held a clue as to how he was supposed to stop this massive vacuum of destruction. But then he felt it; that lack of hope, that lack of happiness. It flew on the wind and wrapped itself around him like 133","The Last Bamboo Stalk a heavy cloak weighing him down. He stood unable to move, aware that this had happened before, in another time, in another place... Akury\u014d started to move, slowly inching its way forward. Loud cracking and crushing sounds came from the ravine as the mammoth wall rolled over its surface, ripping and destroying, swirling the debris back up into the void. A swelling pressure pushed on Takeo\u2019s chest as the heavy cloak wrapped tighter and tighter. Akury\u014d churned forward. Unable to move, Takeo opened his mouth in what felt like a yell into the blasts of wind. \u201cNo! Stop!\u201d But it sounded so small and, like the debris, flew up into the darkness and disappeared. 134","Chapter 9: A Choice to Make Who am I to stop this? Takeo thought, as feelings of self-doubt crept slowly back with each passing moment that akury\u014d inched closer. A swirling mass of air to his left was forming into something. It looked\u2026 It looked like\u2026 Was it Kokoro? Takeo stared wide-eyed and in shock at the weirdly distorted face of his cousin. Her eyes were dark and angry. They were fixed on him. She seemed to be whispering something, but he could not hear her. Then, on his right, another figure, tall and slim, morphed from the debris. Takeo tried to back away, but he could not lift his legs. Was that the volleyball player from school? Ben? Like the vision of Kokoro, Ben\u2019s mouth was moving, but Takeo could only hear a faint threatening hiss. 135","","","The Last Bamboo Stalk Desperately, he pulled his amulet out from under his shirt in an attempt to ward off the menacing figures. Closing his eyes, he held it up, ready to recite the family\u2019s proverb, but the wind blustered around him and a thin dark tentacle lashed out, ripping the amulet from his hand. Takeo turned to see it fly through the air and land back down the pathway. The distorted figures floated on the surface of the dark wall on either side of Takeo. They had a frightening glow around them and they were frowning at him, sneering at him. They grew larger as akury\u014d inched forward. Their words became louder too, growing in intensity and volume as they moved closer. Takeo could hear them now. He gazed at them transfixed, forced to endure their taunting calls. \u201cYou are a gaijin!\u201d Kokoro\u2019s distorted figure mocked. Then Ben jeered, \u201cYou are different.\u201d The heaviness from their taunts became too much to bear. They are right. I\u2019m an outsider and I don\u2019t 138","Chapter 9: A Choice to Make fit in, Takeo thought. His breathing quickened and he tried to cry out, but no words came. Over and over, they said the same thing, the words building in intensity and speed, becoming mingled together into a cacophony of noise until only two audible words echoed through the cavernous space - \u201cNowhere Land! Nowhere Land!\u201d they chanted, joining as one voice in a thunderous rage as the threatening wall moved slowly forward. Takeo\u2019s face filled with anguish. He could not take it any more. He covered his ears and closed his eyes, aware that akury\u014d was now only inches away. What was the point? It would be easier to give in and surrender to the darkness. Everything felt wrong and would never be right. \u201cTasukete, Takeo.\u201d Someone was crying out for his help. He held his breath. Could it be the forest? 139","The Last Bamboo Stalk \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered in reply. His eyes welled with tears. \u201cI\u2019m not strong enough to fight akury\u014d. I cannot help you.\u201d Time seemed to slow down. Takeo lowered his head. The menacing wall was only inches away from his toes. It hit the outer edges of the bamboo. Amidst distant cries from the forest, the stalks on either side of him turned black and dissolved into dust. He saw them drift down towards his feet... \u2026but someone else was calling him too. He heard a familiar voice. It was Rosesh. Is he part of my vision? Takeo thought. Or just a memory? \u201cTakeo\u2026 hey, Takeo.\u201d He could hear his friend calling him with concern. Then a series of mental images cycled through his mind. He saw Rosesh joking as he narrated his story, waving his hands about and using exaggerated expressions. He saw Kokoro spontaneously throw her head back in laughter at him, miming catching a Kami with a butterfly net. She then said the words, \u2018our Kami\u2019, and the familiar feeling of a full heart expanded in his chest. The mental images raced on; Mr Gray 140","Chapter 9: A Choice to Make handing him his amulet, the burnt wooden image of his family\u2019s Kamon - the bamboo and the sparrow, his father\u2019s chin raised in pride at the giant bamboo, the torii gate and his name next to his grandfather\u2019s on the sacred monument. The hopeful images flashed through his mind and, as Takeo\u2019s heart filled with a tender warmth, he felt the dark, cold grip of akury\u014d loosen. He was brought back to the present moment and an awareness of what was about to happen. Time resumed its normal pace once again. Takeo raised his head and turned. The next thing he knew, he was hurling himself back down the path, sweeping up the amulet that lay on the trail in front of him. He moved one foot after the other, not thinking or hearing or feeling, just moving desperately to get away from the mass of nothingness that was now driving forward, crushing everything, including the bamboo forest, in its path. There were cries from the bamboo, but Takeo could only take a moment to realise his failure to save the forest with a sorrowful sob. Then fear overtook all other emotions. He leapt forward once more, moving through the labyrinth-like 141","The Last Bamboo Stalk pathways, desperate to outrun the darkness and get back to the safety of the torii gate. Akury\u014d roared louder, gathering momentum as it crashed through the stalks, demolishing the bamboo as it went and swirling it high up into the sky. The sound was deafening, but Takeo was sure he could hear his heart pounding over the thunderous noise as he sprinted away. An image of the sea hawk flickered through his mind as he willed his legs to move faster. He imagined it high in the sky, watching this strange race where a tiny figure thought it could scramble away from the enormous void on its tail, but perhaps the hawk would have been caught up in the wind itself, disappearing into the nothingness. And there, ahead of him, after what seemed like forever, was the torii gate. He turned to see akury\u014d bearing down on him, then tripped and fell, flying forward. He reached out in an attempt to grab something solid to pull himself to safety. 142"]