Childhood

ONE YEAR LATER

Miji ran through the field. The cornstalks beside her swayed as she touched them.

She heard a voice and stopped to hide.

Voice: “Miji, come out. This isn’t funny.”

Miji covered her mouth to stop her giggle. She ducked down, running farther into the field.

Miji: “Come find me Rowan!”
She heard an exasperated sigh. She kept running through the field.

She looked back to see Rowan barreling toward her.

She yelled and jumped to the row of corn beside her.

She commentated in between breaths.

Miji: “Now the diver stands toe to toe with the fearsome monster. He peeks his head out from behind the cover. But it was too late, for the fearsome diver had already anticipated his next move!”

Miji ducked between the rows of corn. She expertly weaved around until she found herself right behind Rowan.

He had stopped to catch his breath.

Rowan: “If you don’t come out, I’m going to tell Mom— Woah!”

Rowan felt a shove in his back.

The ground came crashing up to him.

Miji pumped her fist in the air.

Miji: “The diver is victorious!”

Rowan pulled himself back to his feet.

Rowan: “Who said you get to be the diver?”

Miji blinked.

Miji: “Uh, I did.”

Rowan: “Well, then I get to be the mask!”

He charged at her.

She turned and ran away, laughing.

The two continued to play in the field.

For the moment, neither one had any care in the world.

TWO YEARS LATER

Miji stood in the middle of her room. A mirror had been placed in front of her.

Miji held up her arms as her mother fitted her in the dress.

Miji: “Do I really have to wear this?”

Her mother pulled the strings on the back.

Mother: “Yes. Now stay still!”

Her mother tied the back of the dress and walked away, satisfied.

Miji looked at herself in the mirror. Her upper lip curled.

Miji: “Is that me?”

Her mother chuckled.

Mother: “Yes it is. And you look very nice.”
Miji touched her face. Then she stuck out her tongue at the reflection.

Miji: “Hey mom, when are the divers coming back?”

Her mother sighed.

Mother: “Considering they just left yesterday, it could be a month. Maybe more.”

Miji counted her fingers. Then she groaned.

Miji: “That’s so long!”

Her mother walked in front of her and bent down.

Mother: “Look, Miji. You have to get this idea out of your head. Women aren’t allowed to be divers. Your job is to become the best wife that you can be.”

Miji looked at the mirror. She stared at the blue dress that covered her body.

She clenched the side of the dress with her hand. She stared back into her own eyes. She furrowed her brow.

THREE YEARS LATER

Miji sat in the school house. Her head rested on her hand and a line of drool went down her chin.

The school house was small, with just about twenty seats total and a teacher up front. The small clay building was indistinguishable from any of the other buildings in the area, and it was located right in the center of town.

The teacher spoke loudly as Miji stared out the window, counting the people that walked by.

Teacher: “Does anyone know the answer?”

Rowan raised his hand.

Rowan: “It’s five.”

The teacher clapped.

Teacher: “Very nicely done, Rowan!”
Miji glanced up at him. He was sitting upright in his seat, trying to hold back his grin. She turned back to the window.

She mouthed to herself.

Miji: “Two more years…”

Miji leaned back in her chair.

She pulled out the cards that she had made from her pocket. They were crude depictions of men in black uniforms. Below their names were a bunch of numbers associated with different creature names.

She set them on the desk in front of her.

She stared at each of the cards with intent. She paused on one. It just had the name “Bane.”

She stared at it for a moment more.

Teacher: “Miss Miji, would you like to join us.”

Miji stiffened. She hastily put the cards back into her pocket.

Miji: “Sorry.”

The kids around her laughed.

Miji turned red. She looked back out the window.

Another person walked by.

Miji sighed.

FOUR YEARS LATER

Miji: “Hey stop that!”

Miji ran in front of the woman who had just been slapped. She spread out her arms and glared at the man who had done it.

He blinked.

Man: “What are you doing?”

Miji glared at him.

Miji: “Why would you hit her?”

Miji looked around. A small crowd had started to form around the three. She had noticed the situation and acted without thinking.

The man frowned. He looked around at the crowd.

Man: “Hey, listen kid. Why don’t you mind your own business?”

Miji furrowed her brow.

Miji: “Mind my own busin…”

She stopped.

The crowd that had formed was getting larger.

Miji swallowed. Her mouth went dry.

The woman behind her stood up and walked over next to the man.

Miji pursed her lips.

Miji: “What are you doing? He just hit you!”

The woman cocked her head. She turned to look at the man.

The man sighed.

He looked around at the crowd. They were all whispering to each other.

The man spread out his arms.

Man: “Look, girl. You don’t understand how the world works yet, so I’m going to give you a pass. But don’t go getting into other people’s business, you hear?”

The man turned and walked away. The woman glanced one more time at Miji before following him.

Miji balled her fist. She stepped forward. The crowd slowly started to dissipate.

Miji: “Does no one else care?”

No one looked at her. They just kept going about their lives.

Miji sighed. She relaxed her fists.

She put her hands in her pockets and kept walking.

FIVE YEARS LATER

The inn was deafening as Miji rushed from table to table. The dimly lit interior made for a serious mood, but the customers spoke nevertheless.

The innkeeper stood up from behind the counter. He was a large, burly man with a long beard and plain shirt. He glanced up from the drink that he was pouring to see Miji holding a tray of drinks while she made her way through the swarm of customers.

Innkeeper: “Hey Miji! Be careful with that!”

Miji turned back to him.

Miji: “What’d you say?”

The quick motion caused her to lose her balance. The drinks fell from her tray, landing on a customer in front of her.

Miji’s eyes widened. She rushed over to him.

Miji: “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

The man sighed. He grabbed a towel and started wiping off the drink’s contents.

The innkeeper rushed over.

Innkeeper: “I’m so sorry, sir. Please excuse my daughter. I’ll get you whatever you want, on the house.”

The man looked up at the innkeeper. He seemed to be in his late-teens or maybe early twenties. His eyes were piercing, and he was wearing some kind of black overcoat.

The innkeeper’s jaw dropped.

Innkeeper: “Wait a minute, I know you. You’re that—

Miji cut him off.

Miji: “Bane? You’re Bane, right?”

She leaned closer.

A bit too close.
The man stood up. He backed up, picking a glass shard out of his hair.

Man: “Sorry, I think you have the wrong guy.”

He glanced at Miji.

She stiffened.

Man: “I was just coming to check on something.”

He picked up his glass and downed the rest of his drink.

Man: “Thanks for the drink.”

He turned and walked out of the room without another word.

Miji and her father both watched as he left.

Miji’s father sighed.

He turned to her. She was mumbling under her breath.

Miji: “86 lizards, 54 spiders, 126 goblins, 58 skeletons…”

He rubbed his face.

Miji’s father: “Look, Miji. I think it might be better for you to go back home and stay with your mother.”

Miji didn’t look at him. She was still staring at the door.

Miji: “22 zombies, 44 tri-pedals, 10 clowns, 55 giants.”

Miji’s father: “I know how you feel about that, but you have to understand I just want the best for you.”

Miji: “20 tanks, 34 apes, 40—”

Her father grabbed her shoulders.

Miji’s father: “Will you listen when I’m talking to you?”

Miji stopped mumbling. She turned to him.

Miji: “I’m listening.”

Her father exhaled.

Miji’s father: “You see, this is the kind of stuff I’m talking about. You are never going to find a husband if you keep being like…”

Miji blinked.

Miji: “Like what?”

Her father took a step back.

Miji’s father: “Look, this obsession with the divers and the monsters has to stop. It’s time to face reality: you are never going to be a diver. You can’t be one.”

Miji swallowed. She rubbed her arm.

Miji’s father: “You’re almost nineteen now, anyways. It’s time to move on with your life.”

Miji clenched her skirt.

Her father patted her back.

Miji’s father: “It’s okay, Miji. You’ll be fine. All you need to do is find a husband and let him take care of you.”

Miji squeezed her eyes shut.

Miji’s father: “Why don’t you go home and help your mother with supper. I’ll just have Rowan take over for you.”

Miji looked up at him to say something. Then she stopped herself. Her whole body relaxed.

Miji: “Okay.”

She turned and walked out the door.

It closed behind her with a ding.