Читать книгу The Stone of Kuromori - Jason Rohan - Страница 9

The twin-propeller airliner touched down with a bump at the tiny Yonaguni Airport at 13:15 the next day. Compared to other airports Kenny had seen, it hardly merited the name, being little more than a 2000-metre runway with a flat, single-storey white building to one side that served as the terminal.

Stepping out of the Ryukyu Air Commuter plane, Kenny felt like he was walking into an oven. After the chill air conditioning of the pressurised cabin, the warm tropical breeze was a wonderful welcome to the island.

‘I hope you packed your deodorant,’ Kiyomi said, skipping down the steps. ‘It’s nearly thirty degrees here.’

‘That’s because the latitude is not dissimilar to Hawaii,’ Charles added, bringing up the rear. He shielded his eyes from the dazzling sunshine and looked out over the sapphire sea to the north.

‘Is that where we have to go?’ Kenny asked, following his gaze.

‘No. The coordinates you were given are to the south of the island. Let’s get settled first before we discuss that. Follow me.’

Kenny’s father led the way through the baggage-claim area and out into the arrivals lobby where they were met by a white-gloved taxi driver holding a placard. He escorted them to a waiting car and they all piled in.

‘Lucky I booked ahead,’ Charles said, once the taxi started moving. ‘There are only three taxis on the whole island and I didn’t fancy walking.’ The narrow grey ribbon of road followed the coastline, bordered by parched fields of yellowing grass.

Looking out of the window, Kenny noted the island was relatively flat, with some steep hills and outcrops rumpling the wooded interior. There were few tall trees – testament to the scouring power of the typhoons that wound their way through during the summer months.

‘Oh, look,’ Kiyomi said with delight, her nose pressed against the window. ‘Cute little horses.’

The taxi slowed to allow them a better look at a small herd of chestnut ponies grazing by the road, each about a metre tall at the withers.

‘They’re like Shetland ponies,’ Kenny said, ‘only not as hairy.’

‘Yonaguni horses,’ Charles said. ‘They’re a native breed, found only on this island.’

The road curved to the left and skirted the tops of steep black cliffs before descending to the little port of Kubura.

‘This is us,’ Charles announced as the taxi pulled up outside a white-walled, seafront bungalow property.

Stepping out, Kenny paused to sound out the Japanese writing above the entrance. ‘Ta . . . ka . . .’

‘Takahashi Minshuku,’ Kiyomi read for him. ‘Looks cosy.’

Charles shrugged. ‘We’re on a budget. This will be fine. We’ll be ready to set out first thing and it means we can keep a low profile.’

Kenny raised his eyebrows. ‘That’ll be a first.’

The minshuku was a bright, cheery bed and breakfast and it took minutes to check in, stow luggage and grab a table outside on the terrace shaded by ornamental palms.

‘This isn’t so bad, is it?’ Kenny said to Kiyomi, looking up at the sunlight sparkling through the palm fronds. ‘I mean, compared to our usual sewers or quarries.’

‘No,’ Kiyomi agreed. ‘It could be worse.’

Charles returned with a tray of cold drinks. ‘We’re in luck,’ he said. ‘Takahashi-san, the owner, knows a good diving school that can take us out to the south side tomorrow morning.’

‘Diving school?’ Kenny asked.

‘This jewel you’re looking for – isn’t it on the seabed? How else did you expect to reach it?’ Charles took a long glug of ice-cold beer and closed his eyes in satisfaction.

‘Are you guys heading out to the ruins tomorrow?’ A male voice resounded across the decking.

Kenny turned to see a pair of bronzed torsos. Two muscular men in swimming shorts, with closely-cropped hair and several Celtic tattoos, had approached their table. Charles reached over to shake hands and the new arrivals pulled up seats.

‘I’m Matt and this is Dwayne,’ the first one said, flashing a gleaming set of pearly white teeth.

Kiyomi edged closer to the newcomers and ran her hand through her hair.

‘We’re US Navy,’ Dwayne added in a rumbling baritone. ‘On R & R from Okinawa. What brings you guys down here?’

‘Uh, my son’s learning to scuba-dive,’ Charles said, thinking quickly.

‘I’m his instructor,’ Kiyomi added with a wink.

‘What? No, you’re – OWW!’ Kenny rubbed his ankle as Kiyomi caught him with her boot.

‘Did I hear you say something about ruins?’ Charles said, ignoring Kenny’s outburst.

‘Yeah, I thought that’s why everyone came down here,’ Dwayne said.

‘They’re something special, man,’ Matt said. ‘You know these islands, right? They’re all part of the Ryukyu Island chain. Well, I googled all this stuff on Ryukyu, yeah, and you know what? Ryu means “precious stone”, as in archipelago of jewels. That’s what Ryukyu means.’

‘That’s a fair interpretation,’ Charles conceded.

‘But you know what ryu also means?’

Charles slipped into professor mode. ‘There are a number of meanings, depending on the kanji and the context in which –’

‘It means “dragon”,’ Matt interrupted. ‘The original name for these islands is Ryugu-jo – “Palace of the Dragon God”. Isn’t that nuts?’

‘Nuts I’d agree with,’ Charles said, sipping his beer and wondering how much the sailors had drunk already.

‘And this is where the ruins come in,’ Dwayne said, leaning closer. ‘There’s like this whole underwater city out there, bro, with walls, stairs, doorways, statues, temples – totally crazy. Some folks say it’s Atlantis, but I don’t buy that. It’s more like some kind of ancient civilisation that got swallowed up by the waves. Isn’t that, like, totally awesome?’

Charles sat back, his fingers linked behind his head. ‘I do seem to recall reading something . . .’

‘Dad, are you serious?’ Kenny said. ‘This has to be some kind of scam. How can you believe this stuff ?’

‘Because we’ve seen it,’ Dwayne said, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. ‘Me and Matt here have dived the site over fifty times.’

‘You don’t strike me as amateur archaeologists,’ Charles said, scrutinising them closely. ‘What’s so interesting about these ruins?’

‘Ah, that would be telling,’ Matt said, finishing his beer. ‘Heard you guys are going out tomorrow, right? Maybe we could hitch a ride in your boat – if you don’t mind, that is.’

‘And why would we agree to that?’

‘On account of we know the site. It’s about thirty metres down, which is no good for a beginner.’

‘There are dangerous currents too,’ Dwayne said. ‘It’s all open water with no reefs.’

‘And did we mention the sharks?’ Matt said. ‘Thousands of hammerheads at this time of year. Breeding season.’

‘Well,’ Charles said, draining his glass, ‘that’s a very generous offer and I thank you for the warnings. I’ll tell you what. Let me go have a chat with some people and, depending on what they say, we’ll see if we can work something out.’

‘Da-ad! ’ Kenny said, stretching it to two syllables. ‘How do you know we can even –?’

‘Sweet,’ Matt said, crushing Charles’s hand in his as he stood up. ‘Sounds like a plan to me.’

Kenny followed his father out to the lobby before he realised Kiyomi was still on the terrace. He strode back, hooked an arm through her elbow and tugged her away.

‘Did you see the arms on that Dwayne dude?’ she said, looking back. ‘I swear his bicep is bigger than my thigh.’

‘Who cares?’ Kenny grumbled. ‘It’s probably all steroids anyway.’

‘I have an idea,’ Charles said, when they caught up with him at the entrance. ‘Why don’t you two go burn off some steam with a hike up to Cape Irizaki, while I go talk to the guys at the diving shop?’ He pointed uphill, across the bay. ‘It’s only a kilometre. It marks the westernmost point of Japan, like Land’s End does back in England. You can use that lighthouse as a marker.’

‘OK,’ Kenny said, eager to put some distance between himself and the Americans. He stomped off, heading up the road.

Kiyomi caught up with him and grabbed his hand. ‘Ken-chan, you don’t have to be jealous of those meatheads.’

Kenny reddened. ‘Why would I be jealous of them?’

‘Exactly. There’s a big difference between admiring a nice set of pecs and liking the owner. Do you think either of those two would pull someone out of a burning building? Or suffocate a shark? Or bargain with a god?’

‘No . . . I guess . . . not if you put it like that.’ Kenny looked at Kiyomi’s smile and felt his annoyance melt away.

‘Or save millions of lives, including mine?’ Kiyomi took both his hands in hers and pulled him closer.

Kenny smiled and his pulse quickened. He brought his lips closer to hers, when THWAPPP! Something cold and heavy walloped the side of his head, knocking him to one knee.

‘Uh-uh, big fella. Stay right where ye are, if ye knows what’s good for ye,’ commanded a squeaky voice.

Peering round as he rubbed his head, Kenny saw five child-sized humanoids emerging from the tall grass. Naked, apart from grass skirts, they had shocks of bright red, waist-length hair and long pointed ears. Two carried short spears, two had arrows nocked against bowstrings and one was absently plucking the eye from a large fish.

‘Ken-chan, it’s OK, don’t hurt them,’ Kiyomi said, raising her hands and backing away. ‘Kijimunaa are harmless.’

Kenny stood up and almost tripped on a gleaming sea bream at his feet. ‘Did you just hit me with a fish?’ he accused the nearest creature.

‘We’s got no quarrels with ye, boy, but it’s the girly’s got to go,’ said the fish-thrower. He popped the freshly extracted eyeball into his mouth and chewed.

Kiyomi took another step back from the advancing creatures and felt the soil slip away from under her heel; she was at the cliff edge.

‘What’s she done?’ Kenny said, weighing his options.

‘Girly’s not clean,’ the kijimunaa said. ‘No oni on this island. Must get off – now !’

At this, the grass parted at Kiyomi’s side and two more creatures sprang up. One flung a length of rope with a stone tied at each end, while the other leapt into the air.

Kenny watched in horror as the cord spiralled round Kiyomi’s legs, ensnaring her long enough for the second creature to land a drop kick, launching her head first over the side of the cliff and down towards the rocks far below.