Читать книгу A Hero's Heart - Joseph David Hightower - Страница 5

With the windows darkly tented and no knowledge of where he was or where he was going Kokoru started thinking that this could very well be his last night on earth. “My mother will contact the authorities when I do not return home.” Kokoru said almost to himself.

“Not to worry young one,” Mr. Haru said with a smile, “Your mother is not one to worry, and besides she is aware of the situation. This is your 19^th birthday after all and it is time for you to learn who you are and why you are and what you are. This is a journey that your father would have taken you on himself had circumstances been different, but alas, we cannot change what was but only what is to be. So, I am given the privilege of standing in for your father.”

The car came to a gradual stop at an old abandoned, rundown, ramshackle building. The doors opened and Kokoru stepped from the car with Mr. Haru. Together they ascended the steps to a large iron door. Mr. Haru knocked three times, each knock seemed to echo and bounce off each other until it seemed that there was a musical cadence in the abandoned lot. With three very loud and clear snaps the door swung open with not a sound. After all the noise of the knocks and their echoes, the quiet was almost deafening. A short portly man stood in the door and with a small wave beckoned them inside. Once inside Kokoru took a quick glance around, it seemed that he had walked into another world altogether. Mr. Haru cleared his throat getting Kokoru’s attention. “This is Mr. Hotoshi Kisame, and he is the keeper of this place and the head chef as well. I believe that he has prepared a room and some dry clothes for you if you wish to get out of those wet clothes.” Mr. Haru instructed Kokoru.

After changing his clothes and eating a filling meal Kokoru looked to the men, one small the other large, and thought to himself, “What have I gotten myself into this time?”

As if reading his mind, Mr. Haru spoke up, “It is time to begin.” The reason that you are here is to learn of yourself and of your heritage. You are from the Hanabashita clan and on this day, your 19^th birthday; it is time for you to learn what that means. We will walk you down the corridors and into the Hanabashita vault where you will read of your ancestor Heru Hanabashita. Once this journey begins you will not be able to leave until it is complete.”

Kokoru’s head snapped up at this pronouncement. He had classes and responsibilities; he could not just remain here, wherever here was, indefinitely. He looked between the two men and asked, “What if I change my mind and wish to go home? What if I do not want to partake of this journey, I could honestly care less about some guy that has been dead for centuries. I just want to go home and make things right with my mom.”

Mr. Kisame spoke up for the first time that night, “It doesn’t really matter at this point what you want to do. This is what you are doing, we have already cleared it with both your school and your mother, they are aware of where you are and what you are doing. This is a journey that every man in the Hanabashita family must take. The very fact that you seem not to care makes this journey even more important.”

Mr. Kisame walked over to a large bookshelf and pulled out an old English Bible. When he removed the Bible, the bookshelf slid off to the right it revealed a long tunnel. The only light that could be found was that of strategically placed lit torches. Kokoru was surprised at the just how bright it was. There seemed to be light in even the smallest corner. Mr. Kisame gave Kokoru a small push urging him further into the tunnel. Kokoru looked back only once and it was to find that the shelf had already closed behind them and he could not make out the difference between wall and shelf. So, with a slight shrug of his shoulders he took a deep breath and began the long trek into the winding tunnel. It seemed that they would never reach the end when after about 20 minutes, the tunnel opened into a large open room. The only thing in the vast room was a large decrepit looking baby grand piano. It was so covered in dust that it seemed that the dust was the only thing holding it together. Much to Kokoru’s surprise, Mr. Haru sat down to play. When he touched the first key, a single solitary note rang out loud, clear and crisp. It sounded as if it had just come from a newly fashioned instrument, not one that had been sitting for ages. When Kokoru made mention of this fact, Mr. Haru threw his head back and let out a deep booming laugh. “It’s not what you play young man, but how you play it”, he said with a smile still on his face.

Mr. Kisame reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out some sheet music that he had brought with him. When he placed it on the piano, he and Mr. Haru started to sing in a stunningly beautiful harmony. While singing the chorus of How Great Thou Art, their voices continued to echo around the cavernous room. When the last sound finally died down, a large door opened into an even larger and much older library type of room. The interior of the library was almost completely taken up with floor to ceiling bookshelves filled to over flowing with thick volumes of books; each volume had a number on its spine. There were over eight hundred of these gigantic books, each one seemed larger than the one before it. The only other item in the room was an ancient Japanese carved table and matching chair sitting majestically in the center.

Mr. Haru motioned for Kokoru to take a seat at the table. Once Kokoru was settled at the table Mr. Kisame placed the first volume on the table in front of Kokoru. When he dropped it, it made a loud thunk and released a cloud of dust. Kokoru looked up at the two men with wide eyes, “You expect me to read every word in this book and all the others? You guys are crazy!” Kokoru said in a hushed voice.

Mr. Haru smiled and shook his head, “No, we don’t expect you to read all of this.” he replied in a kind and patient voice. “Only the first bookshelf is yours to read, the others are the histories of the family. If you wish to read them later you are free to do so, but for now, you must concentrate only on these first volumes. These are the ones that contain your ancestor, Heru’s story. You, however, may skip the first 50 pages because up to that point both you and Heru share the same story.” Mr. Haru reached out and opened the book.

Kokoru sat with a stunned expression on his face. “You expect me to read all of these before I’m allowed out? What am I to do if I need something to eat or drink? What about going to the bathroom? I can’t just remain in here until I read these books! That’s just craziness! It’ll take forever!” he said in exasperation.

The two older men looked at each other and then they both turned as one a spoke in unison, “The restroom is over there to your left, and we will bring you food three times a day until you are finished. If you need a drink you have a fully loaded refrigerator filled with all your favorite drinks and snacks. To the issue of you staying in here until you are finished, that young man is not up for discussion. As we told you to begin with, this is a journey that you must take.”

Mr. Kisame went over and removed a bottle of water and placed in on the table and patted Kokoru on the shoulder. “It will be a wonderful adventure.”

They took a step back and smiled gently at Kokoru, “Do not fret, it will be alright, you will see. It is time for us to leave you to your reading; one of us will be back in few hours with your dinner. Find your ancestor Heru and enjoy your journey with him.”

As they left the room, Kokoru just sat for a few moments in stunned amazement at his surroundings. He could hear the clicks of several locks as they made their way back down that long tunnel. He looked down at the book in front of him. Taking a deep stabilizing breath, he reached out and moved the book closer and thought, “Well, let’s get things started. Just who are you Heru that makes you so very special that I must spend so much time locked in a room filled with old words and stale air?”