The Last Geisha

The last Geisha







Kiko opened her eyes and felt pain everywhere. Feeling the weight of the wood on her arm she rolled over to push the beam off. She could see that nothing was left of the Geisha house except the logs that had held it up broken like toothpicks. The stones that had lined the great room fire place landscape, and the tattered remains of the painted panels that decorated the walls now where a muddy tangled mess. The earthquake hit hours ago then the wall of water. All was gone. The whole village of Aiko was just a place of broken homes and mud as far as the eye could see. “Please is there anyone out there?”She stood and looked out as far as the horizon. Kiko's slender body shaking from the enormity of the destruction. Kiko began to dig through the house for anything she could wear. She had been taking a bath when the Earthquake hit. She did not remember the water. Even so, mud covered her from head to toe. The wind was cold, and she shivered as she dug through the debris. She must cover her nakedness it would be shameful if someone saw her like this, a hand appeared in the rubble. It was Mama- San’s; she touched it, but it was as cold as the wind. Tears fell as she continued to search the rubble. "Somewhere around here," she thought was her room. Yes, there she could see her dressing table or what was left of it. As she pushed aside pieces of the dressing table so she could find some things. A towel to wipe off the mud and dirt, a pair of American jeans, a t-shirt with her favorite band on it from a recent concert. She remembered when the three of them attended it on February 20th, 2011. Finally, she found some dainties and canvas shoes. She looked around to make sure there was no one because she was shy and there was no shelter to cover herself as she dressed. She tied her long black hair now a dirty mess in a ponytail. She realized that a ghostly silence had fallen over the remains of her home. She knew that there was no way to call her family in Toyko.

She was fourteen when she came here to Aiko to become a Geisha. Her Mother had sent her because the family could not afford three children, two of them girls. Since she was the youngest her parents sent her to Aiko. Mama-san was her Aunt. Mama-san had been sent here when she was a child too. She had risen thru the ranks to be the head of the Geisha house Kiko lived there with Mitsu, the oldest who had been asleep, Sumi her cousin, who was going to the village to shop, and Tamiko; her best friend was getting ready for a trip to see her family. Just last night they had been sitting watching American Idol reruns. Laughing themselves to tears as the narrator talked in Japanese but the Idolists sang in English with subtitles. Kiko Rummaged through the rubble and mud filled rooms. She could see that there was no chance for them to be alive. She called for them anyway. Only the sound of the wind whipping around the ruined Geisha house called back. The sun started to move to its high place. Kiko decided that she needed to find someone, anyone. Maybe someone was still alive in the village. She bowed to the rubble as to say she was sorry that she had to leave them. However, finding help seemed more important. Kiko wandered towards the Village looking for survivors. She was amazed at the change brought by the Quake. The Nakamura's beautiful home a bright green and yellow trimmed house was now flat and all the bonsia trees that Mr. Ito; the gardener had worked on were buried in the broken wood and mud. She moved through the remains and found a jacket. "Please forgive me Mr. Ito, but I am cold." Again, she bowed deeply in respect. Putting it on, she continued walking towards the village. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. The entire village looked like Godzilla had stomped through it and left nothing standing. Mud was everywhere, and the colorful signs of the shops were broken and mangled so badly that you could not tell where they belonged. This had been the busiest place in the whole village now it was a ghost town. As she stumbled around she found the Tailor shop.

"Hello?" she began looking for anyone who might be buried here but still alive. All she found were the husband and wife dead. Feeling defeated she turned to leave; a dirty red and gold item caught her attention. As she wiped it off. "Oh my It's my Dance Kimono!" Tears filled her eyes once again as she smiled. The red and gold kimono was for her first dance as a true Geisha. With the wig that Mr. Kusumi was making. She was going to be the featured Geisha for the celebration of SHUNBUNNOHI( the Vernal Equinox). Opening the bag, she found the wig was also inside a little worse for wear. It was black and the hair was fine like silk. Mr. Kusumi had placed each hair just so. The gold dangles were still attached to the ornate combs. They seemed to shimmer in the light. She touched them as she inspected the workmenship. Her fingers stroked the fine red silk and golden brocade now caked with mud. Then she closed the bag so as not to get it any more soiled. Standing up she tied it around her waist. "I Will Dance." She vowed. Wandering through the rest of the village Kiko found the Kissaten (cafe). Her stomach started to growl. She realized that she had not eaten since the last night's meal. She began to search with earnest for food. Finding rice still in a pouch, she put it in a sack with some bottled water lying nearby along with a small pot and utensils she found. Taking one last look around Kiko started walking out of the village towards the only city, she knew Tokyo. She followed the road out of Aiko. Stopping at the top of the last hill she turned towards what had been her home for so many years she bowed every so elegantly. She opened the bag with her Kimono. It took a while to put it on without help then the wig. When she was satisfied that she looked like a Geisha she began to dance. Moving slowly and gracefully moving her hands, as though she held beautiful fans. She performed her solo. "I will return dear friends, and all will be well. I will not let you lie there alone. You will have peace. And I will dance again for you this is a promise!" She carefully folded her Kimono and placed it back in the bag along with the wig. Then she took a stone and scratched SANGATSU (March) 2011 on a smooth rock. Turning Kiko faced the sun and set her feet on the road to Toyko. Perhaps there she will find someone to remember her village of Aiko and the End of her world.