Saburou just looked, eyes almost falling off their sockets, at the crabs as they formed a red and maroon mound as tall as himself. They were still climbing, clinging and cantillating. Saburou’s legs gave way under him and he fell on his buttocks. Now, the mound towered over him and he was totally absorbed in the chanting that went on.
“Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Mindful should young Saburou be,
Ehhossa!
When he crosses the black currents,
Ehhossa!
Look out for the large flying squid shoal
Making their way northward,
Mindful should young Saburou be,
Ehhossa!”
As they continued their chant, the crabs began metamorphosing. It was as though their chitin bodies were liquifying and the molten material stiffened around a new shape.
“Jirou!” Saburou exclaimed. The crabs had taken the shape of his dead friend.
“Where have you been? I thought you were dead and gone, now you come back to me in the form of crabs? What kind of joke is this?” Unaware of his wet cheeks, Saburou pressed his friend with questions. He had millions of them to ask but the other man’s expression didn’t change. His eyes had no glow and the chant continued, now from his mouth, as though Saburou had not uttered a word.
“Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Look for a gorgeous, golden one,
Ehhossa!
Among the turtles moving north,
Ehhossa!
He shall show you the way till here,
Down to the Ryūjin’s lair.
Look for a gorgeous, golden one,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Set out before the sun’s ray’s out,
Ehhossa!
The day after one morn and night,
Ehhossa!
The time to set out will be ripe,
The weather, — clear and fine.
Set out before the sun’s ray’s out,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Seek a calling seagull above,
Ehhossa!
Trace the plunge where sky meets the sea,
Ehhossa!
Follow the birds trail of bubbles
Down to the silent depths.
Seek a calling seagull above,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Chase it past the rocky bottoms,
Ehhossa!
Through the blue veil of clear water,
Ehhossa!
Do not fear breathing in water,
You’ll soon remember how.
Chase it past the rocky bottoms,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
There comes a point where darkness reigns,
Ehhossa!
You’ll lose the sense of up from down,
Ehhossa!
Left and right will vanish from sight
Where time and space unwind as one.
There comes a point where darkness reigns,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Yet still the seagull swims on true,
Ehhossa!
And deep below a golden line,
Ehhossa!
Marks the parade of ocean souls,
That leads to rebirth beyond all seas.
Yet still the seagull swims on true,
Ehhossa!
Ehhossa!
Trust its path to Ryūgū’s gate,
Ehhossa!
Follow wings through the silent flood,
Ehhossa!
And when you reach the palace grand,
Where sea and spirit intertwine,
Trust its path to Ryūgū’s gate,
Ehhossa!
Mesmerised, Saburou took a step towards the form of his friend, unsure whether to approach him. He felt like if he got any closer, his friend might disappear somewhere.
“This is too good to be true. Snap out of it, Yozaburou!” He thought to himself and yet, he caught himself taking another step. Saburou blinked several times to stop the tears from clouding his vision. Even when he could clearly see, Jirou looked as true as living flesh. His chest rose and fell, his moving lips were moist, his stubbles had grown and he was even wearing the yellow kimono that Saburou had so often seen on his friend, the worn out and repeatedly repaired piece of clothing with faded shibori patterns that Saburou had subconsciously observed suddenly stood out to him. Everything about the figure was unmistakably Jirou. Except for the eyes. They did not blink and instead stared at a distance, right through Saburou while he was trying desperately to meet them with his.
“Jirou! Why aren’t you looking at me? I’m right here!” Saburou choked as he spoke. He extended a trembling hand but his fingertips hovered beside Jirou’s arm. He couldn’t bring himself to touch his friend he had believed had died a day ago.
Before he knew it, Saburou’s finger brushed against Jirou’s skin and the form wasn’t human anymore. Jirou’s skin began to flake and revealed underneath, the maroon chitin of the mitten crabs. The column of crustaceans fell to the ground like a bamboo watchtower on fire and Saburou watched as they dispersed in all directions. He fell on his knees and sat on the moist ground. He couldn’t make heads or tails as to why these crabs had to show him this performance.
“Jirou, is it you sending me a message from the sea?” He mumbled, partly to himself and partly hoping that Jirou was listening somewhere out there.
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