Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers
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Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers - Briony Stewart
f all the things Tomodo has ever told me about the Shadow Catchers, it’s their book that interests me the most. He said their spells were written into its pages with ink made from the shadows of creatures that once roamed the earth. Strange creatures, magic creatures, creatures we have long forgotten. They once lived free as any wild things until their shadows were snatched and forced into the book. Forever bound by the spell of its cover, all other parts of the creatures disappeared as if they had never existed at all. There are traces that remain of these creatures. Tomodo says you can find them in old artworks and tapestries, and the stories we call folktales. He said that humans have lost their memories of what the world was once like, but it’s the most unbelievable stories of all that are probably the most true …
Chapter one
I make my way home beneath the full boughs of bursting cherry blossom. Others might describe this as beautiful, lovely and splendid. But I am in no mood for pretty words, not even at the end of the school day, not even at the beginning of spring. Only the weeping willow bows its head and understands. Most of the time I don’t mind having secrets like treasures hidden away where no one can find them. But today was one of those days when I wish people knew that I am not just any other girl. Of course, Mr Takahashi could not have known how I would feel about our new class project. When he asked me, ‘Kumiko, what do you know about dragons?’ I went quiet and blushed like an over-ripe plum.
I would like to have said that dragons live in the great white clouds that push across the sky, that they come in a million different colours, sizes and shapes, but all like their tummies scratched before they go to sleep. I would like to have seen their faces when I said that dragons have taught me the recipe for rain and the smell of clouds and the taste of starlight on an evening wind. Or that every night, a dragon called Tomodo sits outside my window and guards me from Shadow Catchers as I sleep. Everyone in my family has a guardian dragon, but it’s a secret that we’ve kept for over a thousand years, so I said nothing at all.
‘Pay more attention please, Kumiko,’ said Mr Takahashi. ‘What about you Hatsuo?’
Hatsuo had much more to say about dragons. Everyone looked at him as though he was very clever, but after today I think that Hatsuo is the least clever person I know. He said dragons are big, ugly lizards, and that they have been known throughout history to be powerful, evil and cunning. But that is wrong!
I couldn’t stop myself, I shouted, ‘You’re wrong, Hatsuo! Dragons are kind, magical creatures and lots of people think that they are lucky!’
Mr Takahashi told me off for interrupting, and Hatsuo scowled at me like he had eaten some of my obassan’s sour sauce. Later that day, Hatsuo caught a lizard outside and threw it onto my lap.