Jack leapt the line of hay bales. Having seen what Akuma and his henchmen were capable of, he couldn’t leave the old woman to such a fate. He ordered two of the farmers to help him carry the wooden board used to cross the moat during construction.

‘NO, Jack!’ Miyuki cried. ‘You’ll never make it back in time.’

Jack bounded over the wooden board, crossing the thorn-filled ditch in a few strides.

‘Wait!’ called Junichi, running after him. ‘My mother will never listen to you.’

‘She doesn’t listen to you either!’

‘Then you’ll need my help to carry her out. She won’t go any other way.’

Jack didn’t have time to argue and they both sprinted down the road towards the bridge.

45 The Bridge

45

THE BRIDGE

On the plain, Akuma and his bandits rode ever nearer.

The snow crunched under Jack’s feet as he urged himself to go faster. He flew on to the bridge and almost slipped upon its icy surface. Panting heavily, Junichi struggled to keep up. By the time he reached the river, Jack was already across.

The bandits were now close enough that Jack could make out Akuma by the distinctive red hachimaki on his head.

Hammering on the door, Jack cried, ‘Natsuko! Open up!’

‘Coming,’ croaked a voice from within.

The old woman seemed to take an age, while with every second the thunder of horses’ hooves grew louder. Jack was about to kick in the door, when there was a wooden clunk and it slid open. Natsuko’s wrinkled face appeared.

‘It’s about time you paid me a visit,’ she said, turning back inside before Jack could grab her. ‘Come in, breakfast’s almost ready.’

Jack chased after her. ‘We’ve got to go now,’ he urged, grabbing hold of her arm.

‘But we’ve not even had sencha,’ she said, appalled at Jack’s apparent rudeness.

Junichi ran up to the doorway, breathless. ‘Mother, Akuma is coming!’

She sighed heavily. ‘I told you before, son, I’m too old to be scared any more.’

‘We don’t have time for this,’ despaired Junichi, glancing over his shoulder. ‘He’s almost at your door!’

‘Let him in then,’ she said, brandishing her walking-stick. ‘I’ll give him a black moon he won’t forget!’

‘Please, Mother, don’t argue –’

A distant crack of a musket preceded the gruesome thud of a lead shot. Junichi was thrown against the door frame, blood spewing from his mouth. He weakly clutched at his chest as he slid helpless to the floor. Jack ran to him, but Junichi was fading fast, his tattered kimono soaked red with blood. Natsuko tottered over and fell to her knees.

‘I told you to leave me be!’ she sobbed, cradling her dying son in her arms.