Simple Things: Extract 2
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Kirono sat by the kitchen window. The sweet tinkling sound of her wind chime rang throughout the house. It had been given by Father last year on her 10th birthday.
"Windchimes signify good luck in Africa. May the blessings of peace and prosperity be upon you." The warm voice said. Father had always given Kirono good luck charms from around the world. Just to name a few: a handmade dreamcatcher from the States that was hung around her bedpost; a Maneki Neko, which is a ceramic figurine of a beckoning cat that was carefully positioned on her desk.
"Oh thank you Father!" Wrapped in her father's embrace, Kirono was quite so sure that this peace would last. Without hesitation, she ran to the kitchen with the chime and hung it by the kitchen window. "You're not going to hang that in yourbedroom?" Father questioned, with eyebrows raised in surprise. "No, I have more than enough good luck; this is for our whole entire family." "Ah very well! That's nice of you." Father exchanged a sad glance with Mother. For a moment, a sad atmosphere came over the house. "Let's start preparing dinner together!" Kirono's chirpy voice lifted the gloom. "Ok ok. Let's begin." Mother replied, for Father seemed to have been struck dumb.
Kirono now understood why. He had been called to war. He had claimed that it was the will of the gods, that he must fight for his country as a samurai. As a supportive wife, Mother had aided him in his preparation for leave.
A year had passed. Kirono's 11th birthday. Mother was hunched over the dining table, reading the letter that had been so briefly written by Father. Its contents did not seem to be any bit of good news to Mother. She shook her head sadly and released her grip on the letter. It was supposed to drop on the tabletop, but a strong cold wind blew it out of the kitchen into the living room.
I'm feeling very tired now. I shall stop here for the moment. Comments please? This ought to go to the front of my story.
"Windchimes signify good luck in Africa. May the blessings of peace and prosperity be upon you." The warm voice said. Father had always given Kirono good luck charms from around the world. Just to name a few: a handmade dreamcatcher from the States that was hung around her bedpost; a Maneki Neko, which is a ceramic figurine of a beckoning cat that was carefully positioned on her desk.
"Oh thank you Father!" Wrapped in her father's embrace, Kirono was quite so sure that this peace would last. Without hesitation, she ran to the kitchen with the chime and hung it by the kitchen window. "You're not going to hang that in yourbedroom?" Father questioned, with eyebrows raised in surprise. "No, I have more than enough good luck; this is for our whole entire family." "Ah very well! That's nice of you." Father exchanged a sad glance with Mother. For a moment, a sad atmosphere came over the house. "Let's start preparing dinner together!" Kirono's chirpy voice lifted the gloom. "Ok ok. Let's begin." Mother replied, for Father seemed to have been struck dumb.
Kirono now understood why. He had been called to war. He had claimed that it was the will of the gods, that he must fight for his country as a samurai. As a supportive wife, Mother had aided him in his preparation for leave.
A year had passed. Kirono's 11th birthday. Mother was hunched over the dining table, reading the letter that had been so briefly written by Father. Its contents did not seem to be any bit of good news to Mother. She shook her head sadly and released her grip on the letter. It was supposed to drop on the tabletop, but a strong cold wind blew it out of the kitchen into the living room.
I'm feeling very tired now. I shall stop here for the moment. Comments please? This ought to go to the front of my story.
