Trevor Whittemore
Baku
It was early April in Japan and the cherry blossoms had started to bloom. A young girl named Haru looked up at the trees outside of her house, admiring the pink hues of the flowers.
She lived with her mother Mayumi and her father Jin in the countryside of *Takayama in a very old style pit dwelling house that had been in Mayumi’s family for nearly six hundred years. It had been passed down to her by her parents and had been modernized since then, but it still had the original storage pit that ran under the house that now had a wooden hatch and stairs leading down into it where Mayumi stored food and water in case of a disaster. Mayumi always kept it locked and told Haru never to go down there. Jin never went down there either.
Jin was a farmer and he grew herbs, vegetables, and rice. He was also a sword maker when he wasn’t farming. He had forged hundreds of *Tamahagane swords using ancient clay tempering methods and the finest materials. People would pay anywhere from $5,000-$30,000 for one of his swords. As they were practically indestructible and sharper than any edged weapon on the planet. Each sword he forged could cut down an entire bamboo forest and afterwards you could shave with it.
In his spare time, he would train in *Bushido and cut bamboo. He was a very skilled swordsman, but he loved to drink lots of sake after a long days work.
Mayumi was a stay at home mom and she did all the cooking, cleaning, and shopping. She also made sure all the bills were paid on time.
Haru was eleven years old and very smart. She got straight A’s in school. She also loved to help Mayumi around the house; especially when it came time to prepare dinner. Mayumi had made Salmon and Yellowtail sashimi with rice, and miso soup for dinner and Haru helped her. Afterwards Haru cleaned up while Jin drank his Sake in the kitchen. When it was time for bed, Haru went to her bedroom while Jin continued to drink heavily as he did every night.
Haru then drifted off to sleep and in her dream she saw a horrible *Oni with horns long gray hair and glowing orange eyes. It had a huge mouth full of teeth with long tusk like fangs protruding from the sides of it. It was big and terrifying with long sharp claws on the ends of its hands.
The Oni picked up Haru opening it’s huge mouth ready to devour her then out of nowhere a strange creature appeared. It had glowing yellow eyes and a trunk with long tusks and huge paws with razor sharp claws on the ends of them. It was covered in fur and it had a bushy tail.
Haru quickly awoke frightened and when she did she heard the cries of Jin’s oxen followed by a loud roar that woke Mayumi.
“Jin!” cried Mayumi, but he was passed out drunk at the dinner table.
The cries continued as Haru held tightly onto her mom terrified.
“I’m scared mom,” said Haru.
Mayumi ran into the kitchen where Jin was passed out drunk snoring loudly at the table. She then filled a glass full of water and splashed it into Jin’s face.
“Shit! What’s going on?” said Jin.
“Wake up you idiot! Something is attacking your oxen,” said Mayumi.
Jin then ran into his room grabbing one of his* katanas he grabbed a flashlight and then he ran outside to the field where he kept his oxen.
“Haru, stay in the house and no matter what happens do not come outside, okay!” said Mayumi.
She grabbed the only other flashlight they had and she ran outside to the pen where Jin kept his oxen.
When she arrived, Jin was standing still wearing the look of shock upon his face. As she shined her light into the pen, both Oxen were dead and their entrails were strewn about the place. They had huge chunks of flesh torn out of them by something big. Large lacerations ran deep down the sides of the dead oxen. One of them was missing its head.
“Good god, what on earth could have done this,?” said Jin puzzled.
“I don’t know. maybe, oh nevermind,” said Mayumi shaking her head.
“Maybe what? Tell me!” demanded Jin.
“It’s nothing,” said Mayumi shaking her head.
Jin followed a blood trail that led out of the pen and into a field where he was growing turnips. He came across a huge hole in the ground and lying next to it was his Oxen’s severed head. Part of its face had been eaten away. Mayumi gasped as she put her hand over her mouth.
“What in gods name could have made this hole?” said Jin.
“Maybe *Higuma,” said Mayumi.
“I want you to go inside Mayumi while I fill this giant hole,” said Jin.
“But Jin--“ said Mayumi.
“Go now! It’s too dangerous for you out here, ” said Jin.
“Please be careful,” said Mayumi with worry in her eyes.
Jin then grabbed a nearby shovel and he started to fill the huge hole in with dirt.
When Mayumi went back inside, Haru was sitting on the floor crying.
“What’s wrong Haru?” asked Mayumi.
“Where’s father?” asked Haru.
“He is outside,” said Mayumi.
“Did the Oni hurt him?” asked Haru as she was worried about him.
“Oni? Why do you say that?” asked Mayumi curious as to what her daughter meant by that statement.
“I saw the Oni. It has glowing orange eyes a huge mouth full of ugly teeth and long claws and horns. Please don’t let it get me mom,” said Haru as she got up and hugged tightly onto Mayumi’s legs.
“I won’t, but you must tell me Haru, when did you see this Oni?” asked Mayumi in a serious tone.
“I saw it tonight,” said Haru.
“Where? Haru you must tell me where you saw the Oni was it outside?” asked Mayumi.
“No, it was in my dream and trying to eat me, but something saved me from it. Some strange fury creature with a long trunk and yellow eyes. It looked like it was part bear and part elephant or something,” said Haru.
“It was *Baku,” said Mayumi.
“What is Baku, mommy?” Haru asked.
“Wait here,” said Mayumi and she left the room.
When she came back, she handed Haru an ancient animal doll.
“What’s this, mom?” asked Haru.
“That’s Baku! He has been in this family longer than this house has. Baku is known as the dream eater, and he eats nightmares. Tonight he protected you from this Oni,” said Mayumi.
“What exactly is it?” asked Haru curious.
“After the gods finished creating all the animals on earth, Baku was created using the leftover parts of the animals. He has a bears body, an elephants nose, a tigers feet, and an oxen’s tail, ” said Mayumi.
“Is it good, mommy?” asked Haru.
“Yes, it is a guardian spirit that eats nightmares, so as long as you have this by your side you will have nothing to fear,” said Mayumi handing Haru the ancient doll.
“Thanks mom,” said Haru as she held onto the Baku doll.
“You’re welcome sweetie, but you must keep him safe and don’t ever leave the house with it. Keep him in your bed with you always even when you’re not at home leave him in your bed and he will always protect you,” said Mayumi.
“I will thanks, and mom?” asked Haru.
“What is it, Haru?” said Mayumi.
“Is the Oni I saw in my dream real?” asked Haru.
“No, it was just a bad dream. That’s all. Now try and get some sleep Haru. it’s late,” said Mayumi turning off the light.
Hours later, Jin had finished digging the hole, he then went back inside and he lied down next to his wife in their bed and within a minute he fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Jin looked over his dead oxen carefully and he took pictures of their wounds on his phone, he then burned his dead Oxen.
Jin went onto his computer and searched animal attacks in japan and right away he saw that numerous bear attacks had been a common occurrence in Japan.
However, the wounds on his Oxen looked different. He felt that something was off about the wounds. He knew Mayumi was keeping something from him as he knew she was a superstitious woman.
After they finished eating dinner, Jin pulled Mayumi aside to talk.
“I studied the bite wounds on my Oxen and it wasn’t a bear,” said Jin.
“What do you think it was then?” asked Mayumi.
“Actually, that is just the question. I wanted to ask you. Now, last night when I asked you what you thought it was you said “maybe” and then you hesitated to tell me, so I would appreciate it if you would tell me now. What do you think might have killed my oxen?” asked Jin.
“I believe it was an Oni,” said Mayumi.
“How is that even possible Mayumi?” asked Jin.
“When I was young, my grandmother told me about an Oni that lived underneath our house.”She told me that when she was a little girl her father my great grandfather used to bring meat into the cellar as an offering to the Oni.” said Mayumi.
Mayumi was a stay at home mom and she did all the cooking, cleaning, and shopping. She also made sure all the bills were paid on time.
Haru was eleven years old and very smart. She got straight A’s in school. She also loved to help Mayumi around the house; especially when it came time to prepare dinner. Mayumi had made Salmon and Yellowtail sashimi with rice, and miso soup for dinner and Haru helped her. Afterwards Haru cleaned up while Jin drank his Sake in the kitchen. When it was time for bed, Haru went to her bedroom while Jin continued to drink heavily as he did every night.
Haru then drifted off to sleep and in her dream she saw a horrible *Oni with horns long gray hair and glowing orange eyes. It had a huge mouth full of teeth with long tusk like fangs protruding from the sides of it. It was big and terrifying with long sharp claws on the ends of its hands.
The Oni picked up Haru opening it’s huge mouth ready to devour her then out of nowhere a strange creature appeared. It had glowing yellow eyes and a trunk with long tusks and huge paws with razor sharp claws on the ends of them. It was covered in fur and it had a bushy tail.
Haru quickly awoke frightened and when she did she heard the cries of Jin’s oxen followed by a loud roar that woke Mayumi.
“Jin!” cried Mayumi, but he was passed out drunk at the dinner table.
The cries continued as Haru held tightly onto her mom terrified.
“I’m scared mom,” said Haru.
Mayumi ran into the kitchen where Jin was passed out drunk snoring loudly at the table. She then filled a glass full of water and splashed it into Jin’s face.
“Shit! What’s going on?” said Jin.
“Wake up you idiot! Something is attacking your oxen,” said Mayumi.
Jin then ran into his room grabbing one of his* katanas he grabbed a flashlight and then he ran outside to the field where he kept his oxen.
“Haru, stay in the house and no matter what happens do not come outside, okay!” said Mayumi.
She grabbed the only other flashlight they had and she ran outside to the pen where Jin kept his oxen.
When she arrived, Jin was standing still wearing the look of shock upon his face. As she shined her light into the pen, both Oxen were dead and their entrails were strewn about the place. They had huge chunks of flesh torn out of them by something big. Large lacerations ran deep down the sides of the dead oxen. One of them was missing its head.
“Good god, what on earth could have done this,?” said Jin puzzled.
“I don’t know. maybe, oh nevermind,” said Mayumi shaking her head.
“Maybe what? Tell me!” demanded Jin.
“It’s nothing,” said Mayumi shaking her head.
Jin followed a blood trail that led out of the pen and into a field where he was growing turnips. He came across a huge hole in the ground and lying next to it was his Oxen’s severed head. Part of its face had been eaten away. Mayumi gasped as she put her hand over her mouth.
“What in gods name could have made this hole?” said Jin.
“Maybe *Higuma,” said Mayumi.
“I want you to go inside Mayumi while I fill this giant hole,” said Jin.
“But Jin--“ said Mayumi.
“Go now! It’s too dangerous for you out here, ” said Jin.
“Please be careful,” said Mayumi with worry in her eyes.
Jin then grabbed a nearby shovel and he started to fill the huge hole in with dirt.
When Mayumi went back inside, Haru was sitting on the floor crying.
“What’s wrong Haru?” asked Mayumi.
“Where’s father?” asked Haru.
“He is outside,” said Mayumi.
“Did the Oni hurt him?” asked Haru as she was worried about him.
“Oni? Why do you say that?” asked Mayumi curious as to what her daughter meant by that statement.
“I saw the Oni. It has glowing orange eyes a huge mouth full of ugly teeth and long claws and horns. Please don’t let it get me mom,” said Haru as she got up and hugged tightly onto Mayumi’s legs.
“I won’t, but you must tell me Haru, when did you see this Oni?” asked Mayumi in a serious tone.
“I saw it tonight,” said Haru.
“Where? Haru you must tell me where you saw the Oni was it outside?” asked Mayumi.
“No, it was in my dream and trying to eat me, but something saved me from it. Some strange fury creature with a long trunk and yellow eyes. It looked like it was part bear and part elephant or something,” said Haru.
“It was *Baku,” said Mayumi.
“What is Baku, mommy?” Haru asked.
“Wait here,” said Mayumi and she left the room.
When she came back, she handed Haru an ancient animal doll.
“What’s this, mom?” asked Haru.
“That’s Baku! He has been in this family longer than this house has. Baku is known as the dream eater, and he eats nightmares. Tonight he protected you from this Oni,” said Mayumi.
“What exactly is it?” asked Haru curious.
“After the gods finished creating all the animals on earth, Baku was created using the leftover parts of the animals. He has a bears body, an elephants nose, a tigers feet, and an oxen’s tail, ” said Mayumi.
“Is it good, mommy?” asked Haru.
“Yes, it is a guardian spirit that eats nightmares, so as long as you have this by your side you will have nothing to fear,” said Mayumi handing Haru the ancient doll.
“Thanks mom,” said Haru as she held onto the Baku doll.
“You’re welcome sweetie, but you must keep him safe and don’t ever leave the house with it. Keep him in your bed with you always even when you’re not at home leave him in your bed and he will always protect you,” said Mayumi.
“I will thanks, and mom?” asked Haru.
“What is it, Haru?” said Mayumi.
“Is the Oni I saw in my dream real?” asked Haru.
“No, it was just a bad dream. That’s all. Now try and get some sleep Haru. it’s late,” said Mayumi turning off the light.
Hours later, Jin had finished digging the hole, he then went back inside and he lied down next to his wife in their bed and within a minute he fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Jin looked over his dead oxen carefully and he took pictures of their wounds on his phone, he then burned his dead Oxen.
Jin went onto his computer and searched animal attacks in japan and right away he saw that numerous bear attacks had been a common occurrence in Japan.
However, the wounds on his Oxen looked different. He felt that something was off about the wounds. He knew Mayumi was keeping something from him as he knew she was a superstitious woman.
After they finished eating dinner, Jin pulled Mayumi aside to talk.
“I studied the bite wounds on my Oxen and it wasn’t a bear,” said Jin.
“What do you think it was then?” asked Mayumi.
“Actually, that is just the question. I wanted to ask you. Now, last night when I asked you what you thought it was you said “maybe” and then you hesitated to tell me, so I would appreciate it if you would tell me now. What do you think might have killed my oxen?” asked Jin.
“I believe it was an Oni,” said Mayumi.
“How is that even possible Mayumi?” asked Jin.
“When I was young, my grandmother told me about an Oni that lived underneath our house.”She told me that when she was a little girl her father my great grandfather used to bring meat into the cellar as an offering to the Oni.” said Mayumi.
Jin kept silent as Mayumi continued her story.
“I remember her saying that once every hundred years the Oni would awake from its slumber and eat anything that came into sight. When she was little, she had nightmares about an evil Oni. She told me that she thought it was just that, a bad dream. Until one night she saw my great grandfather going into the hole under our house carrying a dead goat. So curious as to why he was carrying a dead goat into the cellar she decided to follow him. And he lit two candles on the wall in the cellar and that’s when she saw the Oni. She said it cut his head clean off in one swipe with its long razor sharp claws and then it ate him as she watched from the shadows too afraid to move. After it killed her father, it came up through the hole and it ate her little brother who tried to protect her. She said after it took her brother Baku came and chased the demon back into its cave. It never returned but now I think it’s back,” said Mayumi.
Jin started to laugh so hard he nearly wet himself as he drank his sake.
“That’s why I didn’t tell you before you drunken fool,” said Mayumi as she started to walk away.
“Wait Mayumi, I am sorry!” said Jin.
“That’s why I didn’t tell you before you drunken fool,” said Mayumi as she started to walk away.
“Wait Mayumi, I am sorry!” said Jin.
“I think the same Oni that killed my great grandfather and his son is after Haru now,” said Mayumi.
“That’s a lie. Oni’s don’t exist your grandma was always a bit wacky and you know that Mayumi?” said Jin.
“She didn’t make this up, Jin. This Oni was real.” said Mitsu convincingly.
“Well, if it’s real and it comes after Haru, I will cut the bastards head of with my katana,” said Jin taking another swig from his sake bottle. Mayumi said goodnight to Jin and she went into her room to lie down.
“That’s a lie. Oni’s don’t exist your grandma was always a bit wacky and you know that Mayumi?” said Jin.
“She didn’t make this up, Jin. This Oni was real.” said Mitsu convincingly.
“Well, if it’s real and it comes after Haru, I will cut the bastards head of with my katana,” said Jin taking another swig from his sake bottle. Mayumi said goodnight to Jin and she went into her room to lie down.
“An Oni after Haru now you are starting to sound as crazy as your grandmother,” said Jin as he continued to drink his sake. He had nearly finished the entire bottle of sake when he heard a loud crash that came from the cellar. Jin grabbed one of his Katanas from off of the sword stand that was next to him and he unsheathed it.
He carefully and quietly walked towards the locked cellar door and in one swing of his sword he chopped the lock off the trap door leading into the cellar. He then threw open the trap door and walked down some stairs leading into the cellar it was dark and smelled horrible down there and so he flicked on the light and he saw that a large shelf had been knocked over and cans of food were scattered all over the floor.
He noticed a big tunnel behind the shelf. Jin moved the large shelf out of the way and he carefully walked back into the huge tunnel with his Katana drawn. He then heard an ungodly roar and then he saw two orange glowing eyes fast approaching him. The Oni swung its long clawed arm at Jin as he swung his sword at the Oni. He then heard the demons claws clash with his sword as it made a loud CLANG waking up Mayumi and Haru. When he looked at his sword, he saw that it had broken in two. He then felt the worse pain ever and as he looked down his intestines were hanging out as blood poured from his belly. He dropped his broken sword turned around and slowly walked back to the cellar as he started to shake from the shock of what just happened.
“Jin!” yelled Mayumi as she saw her husband holding his entrails.
“Jin!” yelled Mayumi as she saw her husband holding his entrails.
“Mayumi,” muttered Jin as blood poured from his mouth. Then Thwack the Oni severed of his head in one swipe. Mayumi screamed out at the top of her lungs as the Oni approached her about to attack when suddenly a large animal came crashing through the frame of Haru’s room.
It was Baku and it charged at the Oni impaling it with its long tusks. The Oni roared out in pain as it pushed itself off of Baku’s tusks. The Oni then slashed Baku’s face cutting deep into it as it howled in pain. The Oni then charged at Baku knocking it through the door frame out into the moonlit night. Baku circled the Oni as Haru and Mayumi watched.
“Get him Baku!” yelled Haru and The Baku slashed at the Oni with its clawed foot tearing half its face off as the Oni roared out in pain. Baku then reared up and charged the Oni head on impaling it with its tusks and slamming it hard against the cherry blossom tree. Pink petals fell gently from the tree landing on the dying Oni then Baku reared up on its hind legs and it started to absorb the Oni through its trunk until it completely disappeared. Haru then approached the magnificent beast and she put her arms around it giving him a big hug.
“Thanks Baku for saving me and my mommy!” said Haru.
“Get him Baku!” yelled Haru and The Baku slashed at the Oni with its clawed foot tearing half its face off as the Oni roared out in pain. Baku then reared up and charged the Oni head on impaling it with its tusks and slamming it hard against the cherry blossom tree. Pink petals fell gently from the tree landing on the dying Oni then Baku reared up on its hind legs and it started to absorb the Oni through its trunk until it completely disappeared. Haru then approached the magnificent beast and she put her arms around it giving him a big hug.
“Thanks Baku for saving me and my mommy!” said Haru.
when she opened her eyes she was hugging the same ancient doll that Mayumi gave her.
“Thank you Baku!” said Mayumi as she held onto Haru’s hand and walked back into the house .
“Thank you Baku!” said Mayumi as she held onto Haru’s hand and walked back into the house .
Cherry blossom petals continued to fall lit up by the light of the full moon.
End
***Footnote***
*Takayama---A city in Japan's mountainous Gifu Prefecture.
*Bushido---The code of honor and morals developed by the Japanese samurai.
*Oni---Demon. (Wikipedia about Oni)
*Katana---Sword.
*Tamahagane---A type of steel made in Japan.
*Higuma---Brown bear
*Baku---The dream eater. (Wikipedia about Baku)
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