The baby-sitter sat down on the foot of the little girl's bed, exasperated by the little child's antics. The little girl was three years-old and refused to go to sleep, even though it was two hours past her bedtime.
Uncle Kei let's me stay up all night when he watches me while mommie and daddie are out, she pouted, jutting out her bottom lip in hopes that her guardian would relent.
I'm not your uncle, darling. Now please, won't you try to go to sleep? It'll make your mommie and daddie very happy if you're asleep when they come home, the older girl replied.
I'll go to sleep if you tell me a story. Uncle Kei tells me lots of stories. He writes books that people read. I'm learning how to read, but Uncle Kei uses big words in his stories, the three year-old returned.
And do you still enjoy his stories, even if you don't understand them?
Oh, I can't understand then ones in his books. He tells me ones from his head. Mommie and Daddie sometimes read stories when they don't know them already, but Uncle Kei knows everything.
The baby-sitter looked down at the three year-old. The older of the two knew as many stories as the girl's uncle, even more if truth be known. She smiled at her charge. She knew a story that Uncle Kei knew. And the she also knew that Uncle Kei was afraid to tell it to the girl. So were the girl's parents. She leaned forward and lay with her head on the child's pillow. Their eyes were level and their faces mere inches apart. The baby-sitter pulled up the edges of the pastel quilt to the child's chin. I know a story you've never heard before. There are only eight other people besides me who know the story, but they don't tell it because they're afraid of what might happen.
The little girl's eyes grew wide and in the soft bedroom lights glowed like a fox's. What could happen? she asked quietly.
No one knows. That's why they are afraid. There used to be more people who knew the story, but they all died.
Did they die because they told the story?
Well, I don't know.
Will you tell it to me?
Do you want me to?
The little girl faltered. She liked this baby-sitter. She didn't want her to die because she told the story. Will you promise me you won't die if you do?
I promise.
Cross your heart?
Cross my heart.
Stick a needle in your eye?
Stick a needle in my eye.
I believe you.
I'm glad. May I start?
The little girl nodded her head and snuggled close to her storyteller. The older of the two wrapped and arm around the younger's body and cleared her throat.
This is a Chinese story. It's thousands of years old, and since it was first told there has always been only a few to know what it is about.
Is that because it's Chinese? Uncle Kei speaks and reads chinese perfectly. He teaches it as well as writes about it. He probably knows this story, too.
The sitter smiled to herself. Well, for hundreds of years no body was able to read it. Then one day a Japanese man visited China and found the book. He liked Chinese stories, and had a daughter who liked to read. He bought the book, but when his daughter started to read it, he became angry. Before she could finish it he gave it to his friend. And his friend had a daughter, too.
Did she read the book?
Yes, she did.
Was she able to finish it?
Yes, she was. But the book made her very sad. After she finished it it was given to a library. It wasn't for several more decades that an other person would read it. Two friends started to read it, one of them knew how to read the ancient writing and the other didn't. The second quickly learned to love the characters, and she loved them as if they were real people. The first, however became angry at her friend. How could she consider the imaginary characters as real as humans? This girl became jealous of her friend's feelings, and tried to sway her friend from finding out how it ended. The book made the two enemies, one full of love, the other full of jealousy. They both finished it, but only one considered the ending happy.
Did the girls remain friends?
Oh yes, they became even closer to each other because of the book. The next person to read the book read it very quickly. She didn't like how it ended, and on a few empty pages at the end of the book, added her own ending. The two friends who read it before her found out, they each felt differently on what the girl was doing. The one who enjoyed the story wanted to help the new reader find happiness with the book, and helped her to write her ending. But the one who didn't enjoy the book tried everything within her power to stop the younger girl. She felt that the story should be thrown away, but her friend loved the book too much to let it be destroyed.
So what happened?
The two who were adding on filled the pages at the book's end. The three girls agreed that the book had finally finished, that there was nothing more that could be added, and lost track of the book. No one has seen it since.
But you know it's story? Even what was added? You know it by heart?
I do. It's my favorite story.
What's the name of it?
The Universe of the Four Gods.
There was a knock on the front door. The baby-sitter jumped up and rushed to the bedroom door. The front door opened.
Hello? Miaka? Taka? Any body home? It was male's voice.
It's Uncle Kei! the little girl shoved the blankets off of her and dashed out of her door. Maybe he does know the story! I'm going to ask him!
No, don't! the baby-sitter ran down the stairs after her charge. You can't be sure that it's your uncle! She stopped short halfway down the stairs to see a tall middle aged man holding the three year-old in his arms. The child's arm's were wrapped around his neck and her head was snuggled against his neck. Um, hello.
The man smiled at her and she slowly walked down the rest of the flight. m Keisuke Yuuki. Hikari's uncle.
Uncle Kei? Hikari asked.
Yes, Kari?
Do you know the story of the Universe of the Four Gods?
The question came out imploringly. It was followed by several moments of silence. Stunned, Keisuke pulled Hikari away from him and looked at her intently. Where did you hear that story?
Oh, I haven't heard it. My baby-sitter was just about to tell it to me. She knows it by heart, just like you know your stories! She said it's Chinese, so I thought you must know it. Don't you?
Keisuke stared at the baby-sitter. Something didn't seem right about her, he thought to himself. But he didn't know what to place his finger on. The sitter looked uncomfortable. Hikari, go on up to bed. He placed his niece on the ground and gave her a tap to go upstairs.
Do you, Uncle Kei?
There is no such story. You can't find it in any book. I'm going to talk with your baby-sitter about lying. Go on now, Keisuke sternly spoke. He was as curious as he had been in college when he first experienced the story. He knew everyone that knew it as well, and this female standing in front of him was not on that list. He turned to the coat rack and put a briefcase on the small table in the foyer by the front door. He turned around to start his inquisition, but the baby-sitter was no longer in the foyer. He checked the rest of the house, but as he examined more of the rooms, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He returned to the front door and shook his head. Something was very wrong, he said in his mind. He took hold of his brief case and went into the living room. He sat for a few minutes mulling over what had happened. How did that. . .that thing know about the book? He opened his brief case and started going through the papers he neatly stored in the leather case.
Most of the papers were yellowed with age. Some were photocopies, others were original documents. There were photographs scattered throughout the mix, of his family and friends as well as locations in Japan and China. He removed several newspaper photocopies and stared at the almost empty case. His mouth dropped open and he gasped. It had been nearly three years since anyone had seen what was now lying in his briefcase as if he had had it all along. What does it all mean? he whispered to the worn red cover of the book of the Universe of the Four Gods.
What did it mean was the only thought that haunted him for several minutes. He couldn't touch the book. He piled everything he had taken out of his briefcase over the book and locked the case. He placed it on the coffee table and sat in the center of the couch, staring at the brown leather briefcase his sister had bought him before he left for China. It had been two weeks ago. Now he sat waiting for his sister and brother-in-law to return from wherever they were. An hour went by and then finally, Taka opened the door and Miaka walked into the foyer. She saw Keisuke as her husband removed her coat for her since it was hard for her to move with her swelling stomach. Taka saw his brother-in-law and immediately knew something wasn't right. Miaka walked over to her brother and took him into a hug.
Keisuke, what a surprise! When did you get back? Miaka asked, her bubbly voice quiet as to not wake her daughter.
A few hours ago. I hope you don't mind that I came over, I just felt pulled here. I sent the baby-sitter home, I hope you don't mind, he lied.
Taka knew better. What's wrong, Keisuke?
Keisuke swallowed and motioned for his family to sit. I think you need to sit down before I tell you.
Miaka clasped her husband's hand. Is Hikari all right?
Yes, she's fine. What I have to talk to you about does concern her, though.
Miaka and Taka sat down on the couch Keisuke had occupied. He went to the opposite side of the table and opened the case. Please, take out everything in the case, he requested. Taka took everything out but stopped when he got to the copied newspapers that covered the book. He looked at Keisuke, his eyes telling his brother-in-law he knew something was amiss.
Taka? What's wrong? Miaka asked worriedly. She pushed his hands aside and removed the newspaper photocopies. She dropped the papers onto the floor, grabbed her husband's hand and looked questioningly at her older brother. Where did you get this? she whispered.
That's just it. It wasn't there when I landed in Tokyo. It was there when your baby-sitter left, though.
Do you think she had it? Taka asked quickly. He was fighting to hold back his anger. Everything he had fought for in the past five years seemed threatened by the book lying two feet away from him.
No, I don't think she had it, Keisuke started. Miaka and Taka relaxed visibly a little bit. Keisuke took a deep breath. I think she was the book.