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River Sand FishAuthor: Hayashi Fumiko
| Original Title | 河沙魚 |
|---|---|
| Author | 林 芙美子 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Female Author |
| Summary | Under storm-laden skies along a desolate riverbank, Chiho navigates a tempest of guilt and desperation. Trapped in a forbidden bond with her father-in-law Yobei during her husband Ryūkichi’s prolonged wartime absence, she grapples with the consequences: an unwanted infant rejected for its frail, unsettling appearance. As winds howl and waters churn, their fragile existence teeters between shame and survival. Chiho’s days blur into a haze of futile negotiations with adopters and silent dread of Ryūkichi’s imminent return—a reckoning that threatens to expose their transgression. Yobei, weathered by regret, seeks solace in the river’s depths, while Chiho oscillates between maternal pity and self-loathing. Amidst decaying reeds and creaking bridges, their secret festers like the algae-tinged air, each moment heavy with the unspoken fear of collapse. Will the river’s cold embrace offer escape, or will the storm inside consume them before Ryūkichi’s shadow falls? |
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