Sakura's Vision

 Sakura’s Vision

By Dreamstar

Mist shrouds the minka that line either side of the river, like mystery around an answer. The river that divides has turned clear blue ice under a pre-dawn sky.

A girl is running, little cherry blossoms unfurling on the frost behind her, wavy dark hair bouncing. Though her golden eyes are clouded by darkness, she knows where she is going. Keep on going, don’t stop now.

Ahead of her, there is a tree. A tree unlike any other that has ever broken the surface of the earth. It is as thick as a giant’s leg, glows a dim crystal sea-green, and has runes engraved into its trunk. 

Everyone’s waiting. Sakura’s feet meet the bright blue grass at the end of the river. Though she cannot see it, the sky is tinged with pale orange. She must hurry. If the tree dies, so does the hope of bringing back life itself. 

She crouches at the edge of the tree’s roots, and takes out a small leather pouch. “Tears of the Lonely Moon,” she murmurs, taking out a tiny glass bottle containing a few drops of silvery-white liquid. “You will guide an elder’s soul through suffering.”

She reaches inside her cloak and draws out a wooden hirigata. While pouring the liquid into the bowl, Sakura removes a pinch of fine bright blue powder. “Crushed Bark of Kindness, you will revive your ancestor.” 

She sprinkles it into the Moon Tears. The potion immediately turns sunshine yellow. Now a corked bottle full of pink gas is extracted from the pouch. “Final Words of a Tortured Soul, you will protect an ancient being from following your path.”

Sakura empties the bottle over the churning, swirling bowl. It takes the shape of a fox with narrowed, empty eyes that meet Sakura’s blind ones before leaping into the mixture, which turns lavender. 

Sakura takes a deep breath, then removes a silver knife from the now empty pouch. “Blood of the Healer, you will give a dying spirit hope.” She raises the knife, and brings it down quickly. Blood pours down her cut hand and into the potion, which is now crimson. 

Sakura wraps her scarf around her hand and picks up the bowl with her left hand. Almost done. She pours the contents of the bowl at the base of the tree. It seeps and spreads around the tree until it looks like it is bleeding. 

The inner glow of the trunk is almost gone. Then suddenly, the miracle begins.

The three engraved runes abruptly fill with light, shining on the draining potion. Now the top of a sleepy sun emerges over the horizon. The tree is ablaze with dazzling brightness, and a voice rings out over the Japanese houses. “Sakura!”

“Sakura wa doko?

“Sakura! Le ni kaere!” Other voices quickly join her family’s, exclaiming in Japanese, wondering what had happened, complaining about burning food.

Sakura smiled up at the tree. Though she had not seen its revival, she sensed its renewed kind warmth. Her vision was now fulfilled. Everyone had come back, thanks to the Tree of Life, and the journey of Sakura Hisako, the Healer of Time.

I am actually really proud of this one, and love Japanese culture and traditions!

Bye,

--Dreamstar