A Pale View of Hills

We searched the playing areas and walked around each of the apartment blocks. Soon we found ourselves back where we had started. Then I spotted two women talking by the main entrance to one of the apartment blocks.

“Perhaps those ladies over there could help us,” I said. Sachiko did not move. She looked over towards the two women, then said: “I doubt it.”

“But they may have seen her. They may have seen your daughter.”

Sachiko continued to look at the women. Then she gave a short laugh and shrugged. “Very well,” she said. “Let’s give them something to gossip about. It’s no concern of mine.”

We walked over to them and Sachiko politely and calmly made her enquiries. The women exchanged concerned looks, but neither had seen the little girl. Sachiko assured them there was no cause for alarm, and we our leave.

“I’m sure that made their day,” she said to me. ‘Now they’ll have something to talk about.”

“I’m sure they had no malicious thoughts whatsoever. They both seemed genuinely concerned.”

“You’re so kind, Etsuko, but there’s really no need to convince me of such things. You see, it’s never been any concern to me what people like that thought, and [care even less now.”

We stopped walking. I threw a glance around me, and up at the apartment windows. “Where else could she be?’ I said.

“You see, Etsuko, there’s nothing I’m ashamed of. There’s nothing I want to hide from you. Or from those women, for that matter.”

“Do you think we should search by the river?”

“The river? Oh, I’ve looked along there.”

‘What about the other side? Perhaps she’s over on the other side.”

“I doubt it, Etsuko. In fact, if I know my daughter she’ll be back at the cottage at this very moment. Probably rather pleased with herself to have caused this fuss.”

“Well, let’s go and see.”

n:: When we came back to the edge of the wasteground, the sun was disappearing behind the river, silhouetting the 4: willow trees along the bank.

“There’s no need for you to come with me,” Sachiko said. “I’ll find her in good time.”

“It’s all right. I’ll come with you.”

“Very well then. Come with me.”

We began walking towards the cottage. I was wearing sandals and found it hard going on the uneven earth.

“How long were you out?” I asked. Sachiko was a pace or two ahead of me; she did not reply at first, and I thought possibly she had not heard me. “How long were you out?” I repeated.

“Oh, not long.”

“How long? Half an hour? Longer?” -

“About three or four hours, I suppose.’

“1 see.”

We continued our way across the muddy ground, doing our best to avoid any puddles. As we approached the cottage, I said: “Perhaps we should look over on the other side, just in case.”

“The woods? My daughter wouldn’t be over there. Let’s go and look in the cottage. There’s no need to look so worried, Etsuko.” She laughed again, but I thought her voice wobbled a little as she did so.

The cottage, having no electricity, was in darkness. I waited in the entryway while Sachiko stepped up to the tatami. She called her daughter’s name and slid back the partitions to the two smaller rooms that adjoined the main one. I stood listening to her moving around in the darkness, then she came back to the entryway.

“Perhaps you’re right,’ she said. “Wed better look on the other bank.”

Along the river the air was full of insects. We walked in silence, towards the small wooden bridge further downstream. Beyond it, on the opposite bank, were the woods Sachiko had mentioned earlier.

We were crossing the bridge, when Sachiko turned tome and said rapidly: “We went to a bar in the end. We were going to go to the cinema, to a film with Gary Cooper, but there was a tong queue. The town was very crowded and a lot of people were drunk. We went to a bar in the end and they gave usa little room to ourselves.’

“I see.”

“1 suppose you don’t go to bars, do you, Etsuko?”

“No, I don’t.’’

That was the first time I had crossed to the far side of the river. The ground felt soft, almost marshy under my feet. Perhaps it is just my fancy that I felt a cold touch of unease there on that bank, a feeling not unlike premonition, which caused me to walk with renewed urgency towards the darkness of the trees before us.

Sachiko stopped me, grasping my arm. Following her gaze, I could see a short way along the bank something like a bundle lying on the grass, close to the river’s edge. It was just discernible in the gloom, a few shades darker than the ground around it. My first impulse was to run towards it, but then I realized Sachiko was standing quite still, gazing towards the object.

“What is it?” I said, rather stupidly.

“It’s Mariko,” she said, quietly. And when she turned to me there was a strange look in her eyes.

Chapter Three