The Uninvited Guest at the Wake
–Evening of December 10th–
Spurred into action by the events of the past few days, the terrified frontier folk began preparations to evacuate to a safe zone several kilometers downstream.
Into this arrived Tsuneo’s birth family from Rikibiru, the neighboring village. The solemn vigil for Mayu and Tsuneo began at nightfall. Those visiting were Tsuneo’s parents and an acquaintance, Saitō Shin’nosuke, also come from Rikibiru. And representing the frontier were Nakagawa Nagaichi, Matsumura Chōsuke, and Ikeda Kamejirō. Horiguchi Kiyosaku and two others spoke for the outskirts of the village. All together they were nine in number. As the frontier folk and the farmers of Sankebetsu had been told since they were children that “bears won’t go far once they have food,” they were too overwhelmed with terror to approach the Ōta house.
Tani Kihachi, returning from a full day of tracking the giant bear, stopped by the Ōta house. “At least they went out together,” he said callously. “Everybody gets to mourn together. Mark my words, he’s gonna show his face round about nine tonight.” Tani’s speech was base and he spoke without forethought, but also as the village’s best matagi hunter and an exceedingly helpful character, he was well-liked by all. “And an attack tomorrow, too!” And with that, Tani departed the Ōta house in haste.
The sad vigil came to an end. Ōta, the patriarch, wept over the unrecognizable bodies, and the parents of the young boy, voices failing them, were in a state of shock.
Tsuneo’s mother, Chise, her shoulders slumped, regardless poured liquor, and the second time she tried to top off the second person’s glass, the wall of the bedroom in which the bodies had been place crumbled with a thundering sound, a great black mass reared up. All present felt as though the souls of those killed had departed.
Despite everything, Tsuneo’s mother, Chise, continued to make an effort to pour drinks for all those in attendance. As she made to top off one visitor’s glass, the wall of the bedroom in which the bodies had been place crumbled with a thundering sound and great black mass reared up. It was as though the souls of the departed had taken their leave.
But then the lamp went out, and the bodies of Mayu and Tsuneo, uprooted from their caskets, were cast onto the floor. A strange stink made its way through the room.
“BEAR!”
Tani’s prediction was only half an hour off. The bear had come back to finish its meal.
“IT’S THE BEAR! RUN!” Saitō Shin’nosuke, realizing what had happened, cried out.
Dumbfounded at this sudden turn of events, the mourners fell into a panic, running about and crying out. Each of them felt as though they might be in the bear’s sights. The ‘house,’ which was really little more than a horse shed with a central support, left no place to which to flee. Some went for the rafters; others for the toilet. Nakagawa Nagaichi, the first to make it outside, banged on an oil drum, screaming. This incensed those still inside, and the panicked screams turned to outraged roars. Then, Horiguchi Kiyosaku, a veteran of the Russo-Japanese War, brandished his gun. Just before he fired, the bear leapt out of the house and vanished into the darkness, as it had so skillfully done before. Two or three people who had made it out of the house spied the dark figure a few meters in front of them, fleeing down a small path.
Once they had come to their senses, the mourners heard the shouts of the rescue party nearby. “Hey! Hey!”
“We’re alright!”
Fortunately for the visitors to the Ōta house, the rescue party was at that time gathered at the house of Nakagawa Magoichi, three hundred meters downstream, where they had been taking a cautious meal. They arrived only ten minutes later.
They next gave assistance to the two people running around in a panic outside, the few clinging to the rafters, and the three in the toilet. Saitō Shin’nosuke had an extremely close call. The giant bear had appeared right in front of him. He had fallen and been unable to get up. In a rush to right himself, Saitō pulled up the thick mat upon which he was sitting. However, the rescue party heard his panting as he pulled up the heavy mat and saw the bearlike shape of his squatting silhouette. They almost shot him.
Saitō was extraordinarily friendly, and when drunk he would pull out his beaten shamisen and sing whatever came to him. He had acquired the nickname “The Singing Sawyer.” He had made the long journey from Rikibiru for the wake. They said that the events had sapped the joy from him.
In the midst of the attack, Horiguchi Kiyosaku was the first to step into the room, earning the admiration of his fellows. But one among them lost face that day. When the bear had first appeared, Hasumi Kahichi, husband of Chise, had used his wife as a stepping stone to reach the rafters, knocking her to the floor in the process. She was rescued by Horiguchi, who lifted her to the rafters. From that day on, Kahichi was never again the equal of Chise. At least, that is how Chise tells it.