Antuki: A Little Boy's Story

Chapter 1: The Open Window

"Akio-chan!" scolded Mrs. Sakai. "I've told you a million times to be careful when pouring tea."

"Sorry, Mother," apologised little Akio. In his eagerness, he'd accidentally caused Father's china cup to overflow. Anxiously, Mother hurried to the kitchen for a cloth to wipe away the spilt beverage.

Being an only child, Akio was fascinated by the grown-up world of his parents. Each day, Father would come home with news about the war.

"I'm telling you, darling," he heard him say to Mother, "it won't be long before those Yankee soldiers show up here, pointing their loaded guns in our faces. Our leaders are idiots – they'd rather sacrifice our lives than swallow their pride and surrender!"

"Hush!" Mother told him fearfully. "Not so loud! If the neighbours heard you, they could report you for speaking badly of the war effort!"

"I don't care," huffed Father. "Either those brainless Army heads will lead us to our deaths, or we'll be had by the American bombers. I must confess, dear, I don't have high hopes for our survival."

"But what about our son?" asked Mother pointedly. "We prayed so long and hard for little Akio, then the heavens heard our cry and gave us our miracle baby. Is he only going to die a child?"

"I hope not," replied Father grimly. "The God whom we serve is greater than all other gods in this land – He'll preserve our son's life in His own way."

Mother glanced at the crucifix hanging on their living room wall. As devout Catholics, the Sakais were a minority in the city of Hiroshima. In fact, Mother herself was a descendant of the Kakure Kirishitan – 'Hidden Christians' who practiced their faith for hundreds of years. While they weren't facing such severe persecution now, being a Christian in Japan was still considered strange. And Nippon being at war with 'Christian' America didn't help matters.

Gazing at the image of Christ, Mother got down on her knees and whispered the Hail Mary. "Hail, highly-favoured one, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."

Akio knelt next to his mother and recited the rest of the prayer with her. "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen."

"Amen," said Mother, as she wrapped her arms around her little son. Planting a kiss on his head, she continued, "Oh God, Father of all, preserve the life of this child You've given us. If Kichijiro and I were both to perish, send someone to take care of him till he's grown up. Lord, protect him."

Hearing these words, little Akio was struck with a sense of dread. "You aren't going to die, are you, Mother?" he asked her worriedly.

"Of course not, Akio-chan," replied Mother firmly. "And neither is Father. No matter what happens, we'll always be here for you."

***

Akio was up early the next morning to help prepare breakfast. Looking out an open window, he saw children like him skipping on their way to school.

"Mother!" he asked her indignantly. "How come those kids get to go to school and I don't?"

"You're not old enough yet, Akio-chan," she told him patiently. "You'll need to wait eight more months before you can go."

Akio pouted. It was just his luck that his birthday was in September. If only he'd been born in January, February, or March 1939, those laughing faces he saw might have been his classmates. Instead, he was stuck at home, watching the whole world go by.

"Good morning, you two!" he heard Father greet them, as he finally emerged from the bedroom. He looked splendid – all dressed up and ready for work. Mother gave him a kiss on the cheek as he sat down at the table. Hungrily, Akio settled down beside them and prepared to say the prayer of thanksgiving.

They'd barely spoken the first words when the room lit up with a blinding flash. There was a sudden mighty roar which shook the house to its very foundations. The next thing Akio knew, he was lying beneath splintered wood amid falling ash and rubble.

"Where am I?" he cried out in confusion. "Mother? Father!" he shouted, desperately looking for his parents. To his horror, he found their motionless forms half-buried beneath fallen wood and brick. He shook them repeatedly, begging them to wake up, but to no avail.

Looking at the fires around him, Akio wondered if this was the Hell his parents and priest had warned him about. Could Jesus Christ have sent them all there as punishment for their sins? Suddenly recalling Mother's prayer, he wondered if God had kept him awake so he could witness everything that was going on.

"Am I dead?" he wondered aloud, just as he heard a hearty chuckle behind him.

"No, Akio-chan," said the cocky voice, "you're not dead, though you very nearly did. I can't say the same for your father and mother, though."

Akio turned to see who'd spoken and was astonished at the sight that greeted him. The speaker was a boy of maybe ten, clad in skeleton leaves and accompanied by a light no larger than a human fist. Though he'd never laid eyes on him, the Japanese lad knew him well from his dreams.

"Who are you?" he asked the stranger.

"Peter Pan," replied the boy, matter-of-factly.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Akio excitedly. "I knew you were that Peter Pan! Why are you here, and what have you done to Mother and Father?" he demanded.

Peter seemed stung by this outburst. "I've done nothing to your parents, Akio-chan," he retorted. "It's the grown-ups of your world who've killed them, and they very nearly killed you too. I've been sent to pick you up. Now, you can either come with me to Never Neverland, or stay here for the rest of your life. Which shall it be, Jap?"

Akio knew he should really be offended by that last remark, but his thoughts dwelt on his parents. He had to say goodbye to them before leaving this place with Peter.

"Very well, Peter-san," he told him at last, "I'll go to Never Neverland with you. But first I've got to give Father and Mother a kiss."

"Ay," answered Peter, half-crowing with satisfaction, "I've got one right here if you need it!" Reaching into his pocket (which Wendy Darling had made for him), he pulled out her famous thimble and offered it.

The little boy was too polite to correct him, so he merely bowed courteously and approached the silent forms of his parents. Planting a kiss on each of their foreheads, he bid them sayonara and promised to be a good boy from now on.

Turning around, he followed Peter towards the open window. As Tinker Bell showered him with fairy dust, Akio closed his eyes and thought about his new future. Life for him would never be the same.