Snowfall

Early Reviews of Snowfall

Readers will… stick around to see whether Naomi and Rosa can stop the yuki-onna from claiming Kai…the atmospheric, snowy setting and creepy Japanese yuki-onna demon will keep readers turning the pages.

-Publisher’s Weekly

2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semi-finalist (YA Category)

Snowfall

Laura Martinelli

Copyright 2012 Laura Martinelli

Smashwords Edition

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Prologue

There once lived two woodcutters named Minokichi and Mosaku. My cousin Kai scooted closer to the space heater on the floor, blocking the warm air. The temperature in the little study dropped a few degrees, but I stayed where I was, in front of my grandfather’s blue recliner. One winter’s night, Grandpa continued, the woodcutters were returning home, but they were lost in a snowstorm. They eventually found a cottage and decided to take shelter for the night.

We both glanced toward the windows behind the recliner. Outside, fat white snowflakes tumbled and brushed against the glass. The wind picked up, and, as if on cue, a soft whistled echoed. I gulped, shivers running down my arms. Kai, move, I whined, I’m cold.

"I’m colder," he said, crossing his arms and not moving.

So? You’re taking all the heat. Move.

Make me.

Stupidhead!

Naomi! Grandpa glared at us from his chair. Kai, either move that thing or sit next to her. Kai silently slid over, giving me a dirty look as he did. Now, where were we? Grandpa continued as he pushed his wireframe glasses back into place.

They found the cottage, I piped up. Kai rolled his eyes.

Yes, right. Grandpa paused, and then started coughing. Sorry, he wheezed, coughed a few more times, and cleared his throat. The woodcutters took shelter in the cottage. As the night passed, Minokichi awoke, and saw a yuki-onna enter.

A what?

A yuki-onna, Grandpa repeated, his accent started to get thicker as he spoke. A lady who died in the snow, and is cursed to walk in winter, searching for the warmth of life. Kai and I both looked out the dark windows again. She wears a white kimono, that hides her in the snow. Some say that she has no feet, and does not walk on the ground. Others say that her feet were cut off, and she leaves trails of blood in her path. Kai jerked his head away, looking down at the floor. I kept watching the snow, trying to picture a woman standing there. After a lifetime of Grandpa’s stories—about demons and cursed ghosts wreaking vengeance on just about anyone—I almost expected to see something.

Grandpa continued the story. Minokichi watched as the yuki-onna took the life from Mosaku, but he did not cry out, for he was afraid. As old Mosaku died, the yuki-onna turned and saw Minokichi. But she did not attack him; instead she watched him closely.

I leaned forward. Does she kill him? Most of Grandpa’s stories did not end well.

I’m getting there.

Yeah, don’t spoil it, ‘Mi, Kai chimed in. I stuck my tongue out.

The yuki-onna stared at Minokichi for a long, long time. Finally, she spoke, ‘I thought that I should kill you as well. But, you are so young and beautiful and I cannot bring myself to do it. So I shall let you live.

"That’s it?"

‘But,’ Grandpa continued, imitating the yuki-onna’s voice, high and ghost-like, ‘Should you tell anyone of what happened this night, I will kill you. If you speak of our meeting, I will strike you dead.’ And with that warning, she disappeared into the storm.

So, when does he tell somebody? Kai said, "He has to screw up."

Kai, shut up.

You interrupted the story.

"Shut up."

No, you— Another glare from Grandpa shut us up.

"Minokichi returned to his village, but never spoke of the incident or why Mosaku had not returned. As the years passed, he grew very wealthy and married a beautiful woman called Oyuki. They lived happily with their children for many years. However, as Minokichi aged, Oyuki remained as young and beautiful as she did when they wed.

One cold winter’s evening, Minokichi turned to his wife and said, Whenever I look at you, I am reminded of an incident that happened to me on a night like this. Kai and I moved closer together. When I was young, I met a beautiful young woman much like you. I do not know if it was a dream or if the young woman I had met was a yuki-onna.’ When he finished his tale, his wife suddenly cried out—"

Toshi! Kai and I both jumped; Kai almost stumbling into the large mirror along the wall. Grandma Ume stood in the doorway to Grandpa’s study, Kai’s little sister Rena tugging at her skirt. What are you three so wrapped up in? I’ve been calling you for five minutes.

Stories, Grandpa said.

You know that your daughters don’t like that. Those stories give the kids nightmares.

They don’t scare me, I said.

Me neither!

See? Grandpa laughed, They don’t mind. Some stories are meant to be scary, so that we can learn to overcome our fears.

Grandma Ume clicked her tongue. I’ve got your dinner ready, so unless you want all the food to go to waste, I suggest that all of you come downstairs. We were spending the night at our grandparents’ house because Kai’s mom was in the hospital, having the baby. My mom went with Kai’s parents to the hospital, and dropped us off here. Grandpa corralled Kai and I in here so we wouldn’t bother Grandma while she was making dinner.

The reason my grandparents weren’t at the hospital was because their car never ran properly during the winter; not to mention, it would have been harder to get someone to watch all three of us kids for a day or more. Grandma and Grandpa were fine about missing the birth of Kai’s new baby brother or sister, though.

We watched her grab Rena, and leave the room. So, what happened? I said, looking up at Grandpa.

A little while later. He got out of his chair, stooping over as he stood up. Grandpa wasn’t a big man, and whenever he would walk, hunched over, it made him seem frail. Although he never really seemed frail to me. Let’s go, before your grandmother thinks I’ve frightened you out of dinner. And you two promised us that you would go to bed on time tonight.

Yeah, but what about Minoki—

Grandpa walked out of the room without answering Kai. We looked at each other. That story wasn’t scary, I said, crossing my arms, How come Grandma thought it was?

Kai scrambled up to his feet. Maybe she eats his intestines at the end. Him and his wife.

Ew, gross.

So, what? You’re scared of that?

I said I’m not scared, that’s just gross, I said, standing up.

Kai waved his arms in the air. Woooo, I’m a yuki-onna and I’ve come from the cold snow outside. I need warm blood! I shoved Kai and he fell backwards, hitting the mirror again. Ow! The mirror wobbled back and forth, as Kai grabbed the edges to straighten it out.

Naomi! Kai! Grandma yelled, Dinner!

You can’t be a yuki-onna, anyway, I said as we walked downstairs, Grandpa said she’s a girl, dummy.

It could look like girl.

Stupid.

Scaredy-cat.

Oh yeah? I’ll tell everyone at school about how you couldn’t go to the bathroom by yourself in kindergarten.

That’s not fair! My mom made me do that!

So that makes you a wussy.

Meanie.

We were still arguing when we came into the dining room. There’s no room for children who can’t be nice to each other, Grandma said, as she placed a pot of noodles on the table. Back then, any word or look of disapproval from our grandparents could easily send us into obedience.

That night, Grandma Ume made shrimp tempura. Rena splashed her sauce all over the white tablecloth, and some of it got on my white snowman sweatshirt. Kai said that he hoped that their little brother or sister wasn’t as messy. Grandpa just laughed and told us when he was young, in Japan, he and his brothers would try to dip everything in sauce, except they didn’t have good tablecloths to ruin.

We never finished the yuki-onna story, though. After we cleaned up from dinner, Kai wanted to play Monopoly. I almost forgot about wanting to know the ending of the story.

Why didn’t you want me and Kai to hear the end of that story? Grandma was helping Rena and I brush our teeth in the bathroom right before we went to bed.

What story?

The one about the yuki-onna.

Grandma dabbed Rena’s blue toothpaste-covered mouth. Some endings aren’t nice at all.

Do you know the story? How does it end? Does the yuki-onna come back and kill him?

"Naomi. Rena struggled in Grandma’s arms and repeated ’Mi!"

But I wanna know what happens!

Grandma sighed, and hoisted Rena up. After the woodcutter tells his wife the tale of the yuki-onna, she exclaims, ‘The woman you met that night was me! I promised that I would kill you, but I can’t bring myself to do it, because of our children.’

And?

That’s all. They live happily together for the rest of their lives, because he never really broke his promise.

I sat down on the toilet. How come you didn’t want me to hear that?

Grandma shrugged, Rena’s head resting on her shoulder. Your grandfather…has some other tales that deal with the yuki-onna. Not all of them end so happily. She patted my head with a free hand. Come now. Bedtime.

Kai was already lying down on the extra cot in the old bedroom when I came in, but he wasn’t asleep yet. I found out how the story ended! I said.

What story? The one about the yuki-onna?

Yeah. It’s kind of stupid. He propped himself up in the cot and looked over at me. The woman Minokichi marries is the yuki-onna, but she doesn’t kill him because he didn’t really tell anyone else about meeting her.

Kai frowned. "You’re right. That is stupid."

Yeah, I know. I climbed into the bed, sliding under the musty sheets.

How come Grandma didn’t want us to hear that?

I dunno. She said that sometimes the story doesn’t end like that.

So, she kills him?

I told you, I don’t know. Maybe we can ask Grandpa tomorrow. I laid my head down.

We were quiet for a few minutes. Hey, ‘Mi? Kai said.

Yeah?

Sorry I called you scaredy-cat.

Sorry I called you a wuss.

Have you ever been scared of anything Grandpa’s told us? he asked.

I stared at the dark ceiling. Not really. I don’t think anything could come here and really hurt me.

You think so?

Yeah. Kai, they’re not really real. You know that, right? He didn’t answer me. Right, Kai? I said, sitting up.

Kai didn’t look at me. Yeah, I know, he finally said. I was just wondering.

Okay. I lay back down. Well…night.

Naomi?

Yeah?

If something came for us tonight, what would you do?

Yell and scare it off. Go to sleep, Kai.

I couldn’t sleep, not because I was scared, but because I kept thinking about the story. Maybe Oyuki really did kill Minokichi at the end. Or she was grateful that he kept his promise and only told her the story because the snow reminded him of that night. I’d ask Grandpa the next day, and see what really happened.

The snow was still falling, fat flakes swirling downward between the trees. I watched them as I started drifting off to sleep. Tomorrow, we’d find out the end of the story and whether Kai had a new brother or sister to annoy us.

Before I fell asleep, I thought I saw someone walking in the snow. My eyes flew open as I sat up, the thin cot creaking under my shifting weight. The figure’s long, long black hair blew in the wind, but I couldn’t see what her face looked like. I thought she was a shadow at first, because all I could make out was her hair. She wore a white kimono, the obi sash fluttering around her, and she seemed to glide over the snow. My mouth hung open, but I couldn’t scream or move. In the cot next to mine, Kai turned over, and I broke my gaze away from the window. When I looked back, I couldn’t make anything out.

I laid down again, trying to put the image out of my head. It was just a story, I told myself, huddling under the thick blankets. Just a story.

That was the last time I ever thought about a yuki-onna, or any of the stories Grandpa told Kai and me. Then my world came crashing down three years later.

Chapter One

The heat seeped out of Kai’s car when I opened the door. Let me know if it’s too warm, he said as I climbed into the passenger seat.

It’s fine.

Kai eyed me from the driver’s seat. You sure? I mean, Rosa always complains that it gets too hot in here—

I said it’s fine, Kai.

He shrugged and the car pulled away from my front curb. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my chemistry notes. I wasn’t feeling spectacular this morning, seeing how I overslept a half hour. It turned out to be okay though, as my dad told me that school was delayed in the middle of my rushed shower, and Kai would be picking me up later.

We live on the same block, so the fact that he picks me up before school every morning is a little silly. I suppose it’s nice to do in the winter, but I really prefer to walk, which I normally do whenever Kai has basketball practice. I just prefer to be alone rather than dealing with people. Especially people from my school.

Hey, isn’t that for Woon’s class?

I looked up from my notes. Why do you need to know?

Rosa’s in that class with you.

And?

Well…she likes it. Kai shrugged. It’s not her best subject, but she thinks that Woon’s funny.

His lectures aren’t so boring, and I suppose the demos are cool.

Oh. We drove in silence, with Kai’s radio softly playing hip-hop. Look, ‘Mi. Can we talk?

Is this about me getting more involved in school?

Um…

Here we went again with this conversation. My mother already gave up on asking me why I don’t do more activities; I don’t know why Kai still insisted on trying to have it. I folded my notes, not looking at him. I’m involved in activities. I know that they don’t run with your crowd, but I do hang out with other people.

Do you? Aside from everyone who’s in NHS with you, and they’re required to be in the same room with you.

You’re not my father. Stop acting like it.

But I’m still family. Kai pulled into the student parking lot, overlooking the school’s football stadium. Naomi, I’m worried about you. All my friends think you’re some kind of stone cold bitch, and you should really—

What? I snapped, "Please your friends? Because I don’t worry about what they think."

He turned off the engine. ’Mi, come on. You haven’t had a real friend since, what? Seventh grade?

I hang out with people.

Manning the Food Drive table during lunch doesn’t count as hanging out.

I shoved my notes into my bag and I start to get out of the car. Tell your friends that I don’t care what they think, I said, slamming the door behind me. I barely heard Kai yelling my name over the wind.

Kai and I have gone through every single grade together. We’re both sophomores now. I don’t mind the fact that I’m in the same class as him. Sure, people give me a hard time about being related to him, seeing as how we’re so different. Kai plays varsity basketball, and he hangs out with a huge group of jocks and what’s considered the popular crowd at school. On the other hand, there’s me—I keep to myself. I don’t really do much outside of National Honor Society and studying. It’s easier for me that way. What I do mind is that Kai tries to make it his personal mission to try to enfold me into his group of friends.

Greensdale Senior High School is about fifteen minutes away from my house, if you walked; five minutes if you drive. Like I said, I normally don’t care that he drives me to and from school, although it’s a little easier in the winter. The school building is on the outskirts of town; the big woods that border ours and the neighboring township ring the back student parking lot. Some kids go hang out in the woods in the middle of the day—not that I’ve ever seen for myself.

This morning, it seemed different as I walked in. There weren’t huge groups of people standing outside of the school doors (regardless of the near-freezing temperature), biding their time until the first warning bell. Lurking around the pillars that lined the school entranceway, I noticed a few people looking around nervously. A flashing blue light caught my eye, and I looked over. Two cop cars were parked at the ends of the school entranceway, blue lights flashing rhythmically, as the officers leaned against the cars. My first thought was that somebody probably left some drugs or a pocketknife in their locker. Or worse, some idiot had finally decided to put in a bomb threat to the administration. In any case, the rest of us were probably going to have to deal with an endless day of teacher lectures and maybe an assembly about the dangers of drugs/bomb threats/school shootings and who to contact if you or someone you know is having problems with any of the above.

Joy.

As I walked inside, everyone was standing around in large groups, as they would have done. Most people lined up against the walls, leaning against the big metal radiators that barely cranked out enough heat. Although I’m sure that sitting against the vents didn’t help the heating situation either. I made a beeline for my locker. Despite the much more modern layout of the rest of Greensdale High School, in the main foyer, the school had a militaristic set-up of lockers; eight rows, alphabetical order. Mine was the first one in the fifth row. And like every morning, Andi was waiting for me at my locker, reading something on her phone as I walked up. I need to get in there, I said.

Andi looked up. "Hey. Did you see