The 5th Horseman

Chapter 33

KEIKO CASTELLANO HAD never been more frightened in her life. She felt the prick of a needle in the back of her hand.

Then she heard a rhythmic beeping sound — then the whoosh of machines.

Voices mumbled around her, but they were not her concern.

She had a flash of understanding. She was in the hospital. She’d had a serious incident of some kind — there was a pressure in her head, jamming her thoughts.

She remembered being a young girl at the Dontaku Festival, the street full of people in bright-colored costumes playing samisen and beating drums.

Thousands of paper lanterns floated on the water. Kites with tails of red ribbons danced overhead, and fireworks burst open the sky.

Keiko felt more pressure building inside her head, a thunderstorm. Dark and cold and terribly threatening. The noise of the storm was a loud rumble, drowning out all other sound.

Was she passing now?

She did not want to go!

Keiko was inside this darkness that was not sleep, when suddenly Yuki’s voice, close but distant, broke through the numbness.

Yuki was speaking to her. Yuki was there.

“Mommy. It’s me. I’m here. Hold on, Mommy. I love you.”

She tried to call out, Itsumademo ai shiteru, Yuki. I love you forever, my daughter.

But a large tube filled her mouth, and she could not speak.

And then Keiko drifted farther into the darkness.

But she came back — she was fighting the storm.

Someone was inside her room. Someone here to help?

She heard footsteps around her, felt a pull at the IV line in the back of her hand.

Her heartbeat sped up!

This was not a dream.

Something was wrong. This person hadn’t come to help.

An explosion of pain bloomed inside Keiko’s head.

She couldn’t see. She couldn’t hear. Keiko screamed out in fear, but nothing came out of her mouth.

She understood what was happening now — she was being murdered; then her thoughts melted as she slipped into the void.

Keiko never felt the cold, metallic touch of a coin, first on one eyelid, then on the other.

She didn’t hear the whispered words in her ear.

“These coins are your transfers, Keiko. Good night, princess.”