Chieko
grinned to herself and bounced a few times in her bed. Sunshine was streaming
all over her room, and over the tops of nearby buildings she could see a patch
of cloudless sky. She loved this kind of day. One of the best parts was the
process of waking up- the day stretched out before her, filled with plans and
possibilities. She shivered with excitement.
As she sat up and stretched, she recalled a strange happening from the
previous night. She’d been playing soccer in the park (her favorite pastime),
and had been the last of her friends to leave. She could’ve stayed in the park
all night; so calm was the air, full of soothing insect sounds. Alas, it was
against the rules to be there after dark, and she was late enough already to be
pushing her luck with the guards. But there was something that made her want to
stay. She felt as though she was waiting for someone who at any moment would
appear.
Chieko always felt a little strange around the temple that stood a little
ways off from the sports grounds. She wasn’t a religious person, yet she often
felt the urge to ascend the stairs and enter the place. Once, she’d even gone
so far as to walk up to the entrance. She’d thought she was going to faint
from the burning pain she’d felt. It was awful. She never went back, but every
time she ventured near the temple, she felt strange- an odd pins and needles
feeling down to the tips of her fingers.
She felt it again last night, though she hadn’t been near the temple,
really. It was in the parking lot that the discomfort crept over her. Again, she
imagined that she was waiting for someone- someone who was about to some
crashing through the brush at any moment. She suddenly realized how strange she
was being, standing there in the dark. She hopped on her motorcycle and tore
through the Parks on her way home. However, it had been hard to shake the
feeling that something awaited her- something that would change things
forever.
Not that Chieko longed for change. She’d been blessed with a happy,
easy life- and she knew it. As of a week ago, her University years were behind
her, and the future loomed ahead. She’d done well, and her father’s firm- a
large financial institution- had offered her a job. She hadn’t quite decided
how excited she should feel about this. Being a GelbFaust, she had little choice
as to her future employment.
In
truth, she often questioned the social system of her homeland. It seemed
strange, having one’s friends, employment opportunities, and status within the
community relegated to birth within the boundaries of a certain Clan. It seemed
to her that individual merits meant nothing in the eyes of society. This
frustrated her greatly. She realized she was lucky, one of the Upper Clans, a
“have” in a world of “have-nots”. Chieko couldn’t help but feel a bit
guilty. After all, she’d done nothing to deserve what she had, other than to
be born in a good place. Many others claimed that birth within an Upper Clan
showed evidence of a meritous former life. She wasn’t so sure.
At any rate, she told herself that this was neither the time nor the
place for such hefty thoughts. The day spread out ahead, and what a wonderful
day it would be. She’d leave today for the mountains, where she’d stay with
her friends for several weeks. Tonight, she’d take the train out to the
countryside, where she’d be met by a chauffer. She was traveling to her
family’s cabin earlier than her friends. It would need to be aired out,
cleaned up, and readied for weeks of summer fun.
Chieko grinned to herself. She could almost smell the moss and pines,
almost see the blue and shimmering lake. The mountain cabin was one of two
vacation homes her father owned. The other was a beach house in the south,
complete with docks and a yacht. Her father gave her free reign in her use of
the properties.
Some might say that he was a lax parent, one who’d rather not be
bothered with discipline. However, Chieko knew the truth. She and her older
brother had been well behaved as children, much of this due to their trust in
their dad. He never scolded them flippantly, nor because he was tired or angry
with someone else. When he did reprimand the two, they knew it was for a good
reason. The trust between the members of the little family made for a
comfortable life at home.
