White River Night Boat

Author: (Japanese) Banana Yoshimoto
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Sleep Trilogy
White River Night Boat—She specializes in "sleeping companionship," accompanying exhausted individuals to sleep on luxurious beds. Over time, the darkness within her guests seeps into her heart, and eventually, even the hanging hammock in mid-air cannot shake off her accumulated burdens, leaving her no choice but to head to the "world of rest."
Night and the Traveler of Nights—A lover dies in a car accident on the way to meet her, causing her to fall into a state between waking and sleeping. In her dreams, she chases after her lover, often wandering around at midnight like a sleepwalking spirit.
A Kind of Experience—Whenever she drinks herself into oblivion before sleep, the same melody lingers beside her pillow. After realizing it might be a summons from a deceased loved one, she meets with a medium, resolving the lingering bitterness in their hearts caused by a triangular love affair. At first, I thought it was the pillow singing. Because I felt that the pillow, which always gently cradled my cheek at any time, could somehow produce such a clear sound. However, this sound was only audible when my eyes were closed, so I wondered if it was a pleasant dream. The sound was deep and sweet, with a lingering resonance, as if gently massaging away the hardest bitterness in my heart. I heard this sound again tonight. It was a more sensual, more real, and ethereal song than the voice of an angel. I wanted to capture the melody of this song, straining my remaining bits of consciousness to listen intently. But drowsiness enveloped me, blending this joyful melody with my dreams.