R11:CO1 09.txt

時刻は午後１０時をまわった。%K%P
It was around 10 PM.

黛は大量の毛布を引きずるようにして２段ベッドの上によじのぼった。%K%P
A large heap of blankets in hand, Mayuzumi climbed up onto the top bunk.

こちらに背中を向けて横たわる彼女……。%K%P
Now there was a woman lying with her back toward us in more ways than one....

俗に言う『ふて寝』というやつだろうか。%K%P
The kind of person that would stay in bed just to show everyone how much she detested their company.

実際に眠っているのかどうかはわからない。ただ目を閉じているだけかも知れない。%K%P
I wasn't sure if she was really sleeping or not. She may have just had her eyes closed.

いずれにせよ、彼女は『ごめんなさい』とも『おやすみなさい』とも言わずに自分の世界に閉じこもってしまった。%K%P
In any case, without so much as a "sorry" or a "good night," this woman shut herself away in her own little world.

そんな彼女に向かって声をかけてあげる者もまたいなかった。%K%P
Naturally, there wasn't anyone who bothered to ask her what she was up to.

正直に言えば、私は厄介な人物が床に就いてくれたことで少々ほっとしていた。%K%P
To tell the truth, I myself was a little relieved that the troublesome one had decided to settle down.

黄泉木「それじゃあ、始めようか」%K%P
Well then, shall we begin?

タイミングを見計らっていたかのように、黄泉木がひっそりとくちを開いた。%K%P
As if prudently choosing his timing, Yomogi quietly opened his mouth.

黄泉木「その前に、言っておきたいことがある」%K%P
There's something I'd like to say before I begin.

黄泉木「どうか気を落とさないでくれ」%K%P
Please, don't lose heart.

黄泉木「僕らはまだ、望みを失ったわけじゃないんだから」%K%P
There's still hope.

彼は慎重に言葉を選びながら、厳かに語り始めた。%K%P
He carefully chose his words, as he continued solemnly.

黄泉木「ＨＡＬ１８便――」%K%P
Flight HAL18――

黄泉木「それが僕らの乗っていた小型旅客機の正式名称だ」%K%P
That was the name of the small passenger aircraft we boarded.

黄泉木「飛行機は乗員乗客３１名をのせ、一路日本列島の最北端、稚内を目指していた」%K%P
The plane was carrying a total of 31 passengers and crew members on a non-stop journey to Wakkanai, one of a chain of islands in the north of Japan.

黄泉木「順調に飛行を続けていれば、午後５時には空港へと到着しているはずだった」%K%P
If flight conditions were favorable, we should have arrived at the airport at 5 PM.

黄泉木「しかし……」%K%P
But...

%N%N%N%N
%FS%LC２０１１年１月１１日午後４時８分。%FE%T60%N
January 11, 2011, 4:08 PM

%FS%LCＨＡＬ１８便は雪深い山中に墜落した。%FE%K%P
Flight HAL18 crashed, deep in the snowy mountains.

引き裂かれた機内で意識を取り戻した僕は、生存者の捜索と救出を開始した。%K%N
I, who had regained consciousness after being thrown out of the plane, began my search and rescue efforts for survivors.

%N
あたりは荒れ狂うような猛吹雪……。%K%N
A snowstorm was raging all around....

日没が近づいていることもあって、周囲の視界は最悪の状態だった。%K%N
Sunset was drawing near, and I could barely see past my nose.

%N
それでも僕はあきらめなかった。%K%P
Still, I didn't give up.

自分が助かったということは、他にも誰か生存者がいるに違いない、そう思った。%K%N
The fact that I was all right meant that there had to be other survivors as well, I thought.

このとき僕を駆り立てていたものは、義務感や正義感というよりも本能に近い衝動だったのではないかと思う。%K%N
It was not a feeling of obligation or a sense of justice, which kept me going. I was spurred on by some unexplainable instinct.

%N
やがて僕は、散乱した瓦礫の中から２人の女性を発見した。%K%P
Before long, I found two women among the scattered rubble.

黛鈴と、きみだ。%K%N
Mayuzumi Lin, and you.

%N
墜落の衝撃によって気を失っていたきみは、崩れ落ちた天井の下でぐったりとうなだれていた。%K%N
Having lost consciousness from the shock of the crash, you were laying beneath the caved-in ceiling, your head hanging limp.

肩を揺すっても、頬をたたいても、目を覚ます気配はなかった。%K%P
Even when I shook you by the shoulders and slapped your cheeks, you showed no sign of coming to.

一方、黛のほうは意識があった。%K%N
Mayuzumi, on the other hand, was conscious.

%N
彼女は自らの力で立ち上がると、うわごとのような言葉を繰り返し、ふらふらとよろめくようにして降りしきる雪の中を歩き始めた。%K%N
She'd stood up on her own, mumbling something deliriously, and started aimlessly walking into the downpour of snow on her unsteady feet.

恐らく、このときの彼女は正気を失っていたのだろう。%K%N
The girl had most likely lost at least some of her sanity to the shock of the crash.

呼び止める僕の声さえ、彼女の耳には届いていないようだった。%K%P
Even when I called for her to stop, my voice didn't seem to reach her ears.

黄泉木「どうにか彼女を捕まえた僕は、とにかく風だけでも防げる場所はないかと思い探し始めた」%K%P
Somehow I was able to catch her, and my very next thought was that I should find some shelter from the wind.

黄泉木「見つかったのは、前後が切断された機体の一部だった」%K%P
What I found was a section of the airframe, severed at the front and back.

黄泉木「黒く焼けただれた外壁……無様に露出した骨組み……」%K%P
The outer wall burned black... unshapely exposed framework...

黄泉木「その姿はまるで、朽ち果てた怪物の屍のように見えた」%K%P
It resembled the decaying corpse of a monster.

黄泉木「僕は黛の手を引き、きみを背中に担いで屍の中へと逃げ込んだ」%K%P
Pulling Mayuzumi by the hand and carrying you over my shoulder, I entered the carcass seeking refuge.

内部は異様な臭気に満ちていた。%K%N
Inside, a foul stench filled the air.

焼け焦げた肉の臭いだと気づくまでには、そう時間はかからなかった。%K%N
I suddenly realized that the smell was that of burning meat.

しっかりと床に固定された座席の上に、炭化した肉の塊がいくつかこびりついていた。%K%N
There were chunks of charred flesh stuck firmly to the seats which had been fixed to the floor.

前の背もたれに頭部をめり込ませている死体や、シートベルトの位置を境にして下半身を失った死体も中には転がっていた。%K%N
Dead bodies were still seated with their heads against the backs of the seats in front of them; some of the bodies were missing everything from the seatbelt down.

窓には血痕や肉片や臓物の切れ端が、おびただしく飛び散っていた。%K%P
There were bloodstains, scraps of flesh, and entrails splattered against the windows.

一体だけ無傷のまま残っていた亡骸もあったが、その身体は石膏で固められた彫刻のように凍りついていた。%K%N
There was one corpse that seemed comparatively unharmed, but it stayed motionless, frozen solid like a plaster sculpture.

%N
地獄などという言葉ではとても表現し切れないほどの惨状だった。%K%N
The only word that could describe the disastrous scene was "hell."

その光景を前にして、黛は放心状態に陥り、茫然とその場に立ち尽くしていた。%K%N
Having taken it all in, Mayuzumi looked absentminded and dazed.

きみはなおも意識を失ったまま、一切の反応を示さなかった。%K%N
You were still unconscious, so you didn't react at all.

ただ、唇からもれるその吐息は、時の経過とともに次第にかぼそくなっていくように感じられた。%K%P
However, a single sigh escaped your lips, which made me believe you'd surely get better with time.

このとき、きみの体温はすでに、生命維持の臨界点を遥かに下まわっていたのだ。%K%N
Your body temperature, however, was nearly that of a corpse.

当然と言えば当然のことだった。%K%N
That made sense.

きみの服装は、あの機内にいたときのままだったのだから。%K%N
You were wearing the same clothes you'd boarded the plane in.

もちろん、これはきみだけの問題ではなく、黛についても同じことが言えた。%K%N
Of course, you weren't the only with this problem; Mayuzumi was the same.

彼女はスーツにハイヒールという出で立ちで、スカートから覗いていた２本の足は薄手のストッキングに覆われているだけだった。%K%P
She was wearing a suit and high heels, and her legs were only covered with a thin pair of stockings.

このままでは２人とも死んでしまう。%K%N
Left like that, the two of you would have surely died.

%N
そう思った僕は、熱でドロドロに溶けた天井の荷物入れを片っ端からこじ開けていった。%K%N
With this in mind, I looked through the melted baggage compartments in the ceiling of the plane in hopes of finding something useful amongst the luggage.

役に立ちそうなものは手当たりしだいに引きずり出した。%K%N
I grabbed the bags that looked like they might have something helpful inside and pulled them down.

ダウンジャケットや皮のコート、羊毛のセーター、マフラーや手袋も見つけ出すことができた。%K%N
I found a down jacket and a fur coat, a wool sweater, a muffler, and some gloves.

僕はそれらを何枚も重ねて、きみ達ふたりに着せてやった。%K%N
I got together as many clothes like that that I could find and dressed you two in them.

すべてが終わった頃には、日はすっかりと沈んでしまっていた。%K%P
By the time I'd finished, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon.

黄泉木「月の光も星の光も届かない完全な暗闇……」%K%P
With the light from the moon and the stars eaten up by the clouds and the snow, near-perfect darkness enveloped us.

黄泉木「フライトアテンダントの座席のそばから懐中電灯を探り当てた」%K%P
I found a flashlight near the flight attendant's seat.

黄泉木「僕はスイッチを入れた。一条の光が闇の中を照らし出した」%K%P
I turned it on and a streak of light pierced the darkness.

これからすべきことは、次のふたつに限られていた。%K%N
There were only two things to be done next.

%N
ひとつめは、%T30%N輪切りになった機体の前後を塞ぎ、シェルターを構築すること。%K%N
First, I had to make a shelter by closing off the open ends of the shorn airframe.

%N
ふたつめは、%T30%Nどうにかして通信手段を見つけ出すこと、だった。%K%N
Second, I had to find some means of communication to send out a distress signal.

%N
それ以外の選択肢は考えられなかった。%K%P
I didn't spare a thought for anything else.

もしかしたらこの雪原のどこかに、まだ息のある者が残っているかも知れない。%K%N
There might have been people still alive somewhere in the snowfield.

けれど、粉々に砕け散った残骸は広範囲に拡散しており、これ以上の捜索は困難だ。%K%N
However, the small pieces of wreckage had been scattered over a large area, which would have made further searching nearly impossible.

%N
では、強行に下山を試みるというのはどうか……？%K%N
And what about making our way down the mountain...?

%N
それはこの状況に於いては何よりもやってはならないことだった。%K%P
In this state of affairs, that took precedence over anything else.

僕は登山家という職業柄、雪山の恐ろしさを誰よりもよく知っている。%K%N
As a mountaineer, I knew how terrifying and treacherous the snowy mountains could be.

吹雪の中、やみくもに行軍を始めるのは無謀以外のなにものでもない。%K%N
To start marching randomly inside a snowstorm is reckless at best.

そもそも、ここがどこなのかさえ見当もつかないのだ。%K%N
I didn't have a clue as to where we were.

麓の方角もわからないというのに、どうして下山なんて真似ができよう。%K%N
I didn't even know which way it was to the base, so I couldn't even think about descending the mountain.

僕らにできることは限られていた。%K%P
Our options were very limited.

ここにひと晩%TS005ビバーク%TEし、あとは天候が回復するのをひたすら待ち続けるしかない。%K%N
We spent all night in %TS005bivouac%TE, with nothing else to do but wait for the weather conditions to improve.
//the spacing is funny with some of the 'linked' term words, so I'm adding extra spaces in front.

天気さえ良くなれば、自衛隊や山岳救助隊のヘリコプターがすぐに僕らを見つけ出してくれるだろう。%K%N
If they got better, a military or a rescue helicopter would have no trouble finding us.

無論、それまでに、僕ら３人が命を失ってしまってはどうにもならない。%K%N
Of course, that'd be pointless if the three of us lost our lives before they arrived.

%N
だから――生き延びること――。%K%N
That's why――to live――

%N
目下、それが僕らにとっての最優先事項だった。%K%P
That was the highest priority for us.

黄泉木「僕はさっそく作業に取りかかった」%K%P
I immediately got to work.

黄泉木「機体にぽっかりとあいた大きな穴を、かき集めた荷物やブランケットで塞いでいく」%K%P
I used the gathered luggage and blankets and such to stuff up the gaping holes in the airframe.

黄泉木「日が暮れてしまったことによって、あたりの気温はみるみるうちに下がっていった」%K%P
The day had come to an end, and the temperature started falling.

黄泉木「吐き出した息がたちまち凍りつくような温度……」%K%P
It felt like it'd soon get so cold that your breath would freeze instantly...

黄泉木「指先の感覚はとうに失っていたが、それでも僕は黙々と作業を続けたのだった」%K%P
I had lost all feeling in my fingers, yet I continued working silently.

黄泉木「ところが……」%K%P
However...

黄泉木「ひとつめの穴を半分ばかり埋め終えた頃、僕はあることに気がついた」%K%P
As I was covering up one of the holes, I noticed something.

黄泉木「黛がいない……」%K%P
Mayuzumi was gone...

黄泉木「どこを見渡してみても彼女の姿がなかった」%K%P
No matter where I looked, she was nowhere to be seen.

あわてて表に飛び出すと、待ちかまえていたかのように、冷たい雪のカケラが群れをなして襲いかかってきた。%K%N
I rushed outside. Thick snowflakes began to fall and cling to me in layers, as if they had been eagerly waiting for their chance.

僕は身を屈めてそれらの攻撃をよけ、フードをまぶかに被って闇の中を探った。%K%N
I bent double to avoid this attack, pulling my hood close over my eyes, and began searching in the darkness.
//what does 'bent double' mean?
//'bent double' is bent over at a severe angle, like Yomogi here

周囲の積雪は計り知れぬほど深かった。%K%N
The piled-up snow beneath my feet was immeasurably deep.

だがそのお陰で、黛が%TS006ラッセル%TEした痕跡を見つけることができた。%K%N
But thanks to that, I could see the trail broken by Mayuzumi's %TS006russelling%TE through.

手元の明かりを、痕跡の続く彼方へと向けた。%K%P
With the torch in hand, I turned to find more traces.

なにも見えない。%K%N
I could barely see a thing.

この吹雪と闇の中では、懐中電灯の細々とした明かりなど何の役にも立たなかった。%K%N
In the middle of a snowstorm at night, the light of a pocket flashlight was almost useless.

大声を張り上げて呼びかけてみても、強風の奏でる轟音に、それはたちまちかき消されてしまった。%K%N
And if I tried calling out at the top of my lungs, the roaring of the wind would effortlessly drown out my voice.

一刻も早く彼女を見つけ出さないと、残された痕跡は雪の中に埋もれてしまうだろう。%K%N
I couldn't waste another moment if I wanted to find her, as the traces that she had left behind were quickly being filled with snow.

僕は雪の中へと飛び込んでいった。%K%N
I jumped into the snow.

思うよりも先に身体が動き出していた。%K%P
My body began to move without a second thought.

積雪をかき分けて突き進む。%K%N
I pushed on, parting the fallen snow before me.

たたきつける無数の雪片をかいくぐりながら、ひたすら彼女の姿を追い求めた。%K%N
Blinded by a myriad of snowflakes, I single-mindedly continued to pursue her trail.

%N
行軍を続けること数十分――。%K%N
After marching on for about ten minutes――

ようやく彼女の姿を捉えた。%K%P
I finally caught a glimpse of her.

彼女は広大な雪原の真っ只中で、うつ伏せになって倒れていた。%K%N
She had collapsed face-down in the middle of a large snowfield.

どうして、何の為に、何を目指して彼女が歩き続けていたのかはわからない。%K%N
I had no idea why she would do something so foolish.

理性を失ってパニックに陥り、どこでもいいからとにかく遠くへ逃げ出したかったのかも知れない。%K%N
Losing her cool and giving in to panic, she may have thought "It doesn't matter where I go; I just need to get away."

いずれにせよ、彼女はこの地点までやって来て力尽きてしまった。%K%N
Anyway, she had made her way here and probably collapsed from exhaustion.

口元に耳を近づけると、かろうじて息をしていることがわかった。%K%N
I brought my ear closer to her mouth. I could hear her breathing, just barely.

僕は素早く彼女を背負い、来た道を引き返した。%K%P
I quickly put her on my back and started making my way along the path I had made coming here.

黄泉木「いくら体重の軽い女性とは言え、人ひとりを背負ってのラッセルは想像を超えて過酷だった」%K%P
Even if it was only the body of a single light woman, trying to russell through while carrying a person on my back was unthinkably difficult.

黄泉木「腰まで埋まるほどの深雪が、僕らの行く手を阻んでいた」%K%P
Our path was hindered by the now hip-deep snow.

黄泉木「ひと足を踏み出すことさえ至難の業だった」%K%P
It had become virtually impossible to take another step forward.

黄泉木「そうしている間にも、吹きつける地吹雪は容赦なく体温を奪っていった」%K%P
And when we stood still, the snow blowing up at us from the ground was mercilessly robbing us of our body heat.

黄泉木「四肢の感覚は完全に麻痺し、指先は太い針金のように凝固していた」%K%P
My limbs had become completely numb. My fingertips, if I could feel them, would probably feel like pieces of thick, solid wire.

黄泉木「進めども進めども、周囲の景色は一向に変わる気配を見せなかった」%K%P
We pushed on and on, but the surrounding landscape didn't show any signs of change.

黄泉木「どこまで行っても、呪われたように黒濁した空間が広がっているだけだった」%K%P
No matter where we went, the darkness spread endlessly through the space around us like a curse.

やがて僕は、道を失った。%K%N
Before long, I lost sight of the path.

自分が残してきたはずの痕跡は、雪に埋もれて見分けがつかなくなっていた。%K%N
The markers I had left behind had become buried by the snow and were indiscernible.

僕の足は止まった。もはや一歩たりとも動くことはできない。%K%P
My legs had become completely stuck. I couldn't take a single step further.

黄泉木「ここまでか……」%K%P
So this is it...

雪の上にひざまずいた。%K%N
I knelt down on the snow.

初めから、こうなることはわかっていた。%K%N
I knew that this would happen from the moment I set out.

吹雪の中を歩き続ければ、道を失うのは当然のことだ。%K%N
If you walk out into a snowstorm, then it's only natural for you to lose your way.

にもかかわらず、僕は引き返そうとはしなかった。%K%N
But even then, I never once thought of turning back.

なぜか……？%K%N
Why is that...?

黛を連れ戻すというのは口実で、本当は自らここで果てることを望んでいたからなのかも知れない。%K%P
It might have been that bringing back Mayuzumi was just an excuse, when in reality, I wanted to meet my end here.

黄泉木「遅すぎたのさ……何もかも……」%K%P
It's too late... too late...

荒涼たる不毛の平原は、どこを見渡してみても死の彩りに染まっていた。%K%N
No matter where I looked, the desolate, barren plain was dyed the color of death.

絶望と虚無に支配された世界は、ここに命あることを拒み、息のあることを罪と見なした。%K%N
This world ruled by despair and emptiness was rejecting my life, and the act of breathing was regarded by it as a sin.

全身を貫くように駆けめぐる激痛は、そのことに対する戒めの徴だった。%K%N
The sharp pain running through my entire body was a sure testament to that.

僕は彼女を背中に負ったまま、雪原の中へと崩れ落ちた。%K%P
With Mayuzumi still on my back, I collapsed in the middle of the snowfield.

黄泉木「待たせてすまなかったな……」%K%P
Sorry for the long wait...

黄泉木「これでやっと……おまえのところに……」%K%P
Now... I can finally join you...

%N%N%N%N%N
%LC「（お父さん……お父さん……）」%K%P
Dad... Dad...

そのときふと、声を聞いたような気がした。%K%N
Right then, I thought I heard a voice.

もう二度と耳にすることはないと思っていた懐かしい呼び声だった。%K%P
A voice I'd heard so often, but now thought I'd never hear again.

%N%N%N%N%N
%LC「（お父さん……お父さん……）」%K%P
Dad... Dad...

幻だということはわかっていた。%K%N
I knew it had to be an illusion.

死に臨んで意識は朦朧とし、あやかしの声を聞いているのだと思った。%K%N
Faced with death, my consciousness was breaking down; it felt like it was a voice of a spirit come to haunt me.

だがそれでもやはり確かめずにはいられなかった。%K%N
However, I couldn't help but try to confirm it.

僕は最後の力を振り絞り、凍りついた身体をよろよろと起こした。%K%P
Having gathered the remainder of my strength, I strained my throat and raised my nearly frozen body to its unsteady feet.

黄泉木「潤一、潤一なのか……？」%K%P
Junichi! Junichi, is that you...?

%N%N%N%N%N
%LC「（お父さん！　こっち！　こっちだよ！）」%K%P
Dad! Here! Here!

%N%N%N%N%N
%LC「（こっちに山小屋があるんだ！　見つけたんだよ！）」%K%P
There's a mountain cabin here! I found it!

気がつくと、僕の前にはひとりの少年が立っていた。%K%P
When I snapped out of it, I saw a boy standing in front of me.

あの機内で一瞬だけ見かけた丸いメガネの男の子だった。%K%P
It was the boy I happened to catch a glimpse of on the plane.

ゆに「ぼくについて来て！」%K%P
Follow me!

少年はひと言だけ告げると、踵を返し歩き始めた。%K%P
Saying this, the boy started walking.

僕は大きく頭を振って、乖離しつつあったおぼろげな意識をどうにか現実へと繋ぎとめた。%K%P
I gave my head a good shake, which somehow brought my straying consciousness back into focus.

少年は僕の息子ではなかった。%K%P
The boy wasn't my son.

だからと言って妄想や幻影の類でもなく、確かな本質を伴なった形ある実体だということがわかった。%K%P
That's how I was sure it wasn't just my delusion or some mysterious phantom, but a definite, real entity with a solid shape and form.

ゆに「なにボケッと突っ立ってんだよぉ！」%K%P
What are you standing around for?!

ゆに「山小屋はすぐそこなんだ！　だから早く！」%K%P
The mountain cabin is right over there! Hurry up!

僕は再び黛を背負った。%K%P
I once again lifted Mayuzumi onto my shoulders.

前を往く少年に従い、導かれるがままに歩き続けた。%K%P
With the boy in front of me as a guide, I started walking forward.

そして――。%K%P
And then――

黄泉木「午後７時１６分」%K%P
7:16 PM

黄泉木「墜落から３時間を経て、僕らはようやくこの小屋へとたどりついた」%K%P
Three hours after the crash, we had finally reached this mountain cabin.

黄泉木「言うまでもなく、僕らを導いてくれた少年とは『ゆに』のことだ」%K%P
It goes without saying that the boy who guided us here was "Yuni."

黄泉木「あの時ゆにが来てくれなければ、僕と黛は今頃、冷たい雪の下で眠っていたことだろう」%K%P
If Yuni hadn't come then, right about now Mayuzumi and I would probably be peacefully enjoying our final sleep under that snow.

黄泉木「言わばゆには、僕らにとっての命の恩人だった」%K%P
You could certainly say that Yuni was our savior.

黄泉木「残念ながら、当時意識を失っていた黛には、その実感がないようだけれど……」%K%P
It's unfortunate that Mayuzumi, being unconscious at the time, still doesn't seem to understand this...

黄泉木「これが、ここに至るまでの経緯だ」%K%P
So that's pretty much everything that happened up until now.

黄泉木「理解してもらえたかな？」%K%P
Did you get all that?

黄泉木はそんな言葉で、これまでの長い話を締めくくろうとした。%K%P
With those words, Yomogi tried to finish off his long speech.

けれど……。%K%P
But....

こころ「ちょ、ちょっと待ってください？」%K%P
W, wait a second!

黄泉木「ん？」%K%P
Hm?

こころ「私は！？　私はその後どうなったんですか！？」%K%P
What about me?! What happened to me after you left me there?

訊きそびれないように、私はあわてて疑問を呈した。%K%P
Wanting to tie up all the loose ends, I asked him again.

黄泉木は小さく笑ってから……。%K%P
Yomogi smiled ever so slightly....

黄泉木「もちろん助けに行ったさ」%K%P
Of course, we went back for you.

黄泉木「ゆににも手伝ってもらってね」%K%P
Yuni gave me a hand as well.

黄泉木「あの輪切りになった機体の中から、きみをここまで搬送したんだ」%K%P
We brought you back here from the shorn-open airframe.

黄泉木「正直言って、楽な作業ではなかったよ」%K%P
Honestly speaking, it wasn't easy.

黄泉木「今は元気そうに見えるかも知れないけれど、あのときの僕は、ほとんどくたばりかけた状態だったからね」%K%P
I may seem pretty energetic now, but back then, I was on the verge of collapsing myself.

こころ「でも、どうして機体の位置がわかったんですか？」%K%P
But then, how did you find the hull?

こころ「黄泉木さん、道に迷っちゃったんでしょう？」%K%P
You said you got lost, didn't you?

黄泉木「ゆにが知ってたんだよ」%K%P
Yuni knew the way.

こころ「ゆにが？」%K%P
Yuni did?

私はゆにの方を向いた。%K%P
I turned toward Yuni.

黄泉木の背後、先程まで黛が陣取っていた場所に、ゆにはちょこんと腰をおろしていた。%K%P
Behind Yomogi, Yuni was sitting in the spot where Mayuzumi had been camped out until shortly before.

背中を向けているので、顔は見えない。%K%P
As his back is to me, I can't see his face.

私達の話に聞き耳を立てているのかどうかもわからなかった。%K%P
I didn't know whether or not he'd been listening to our conversation earlier.

こころ「なんで、ゆにが墜落機の場所を……？」%K%P
How did Yuni know where the airframe was...?

黄泉木「彼はコンパスを持っていたんだ」%K%P
He had a compass on him.

こころ「コンパスって、方位磁石のことですよねぇ？」%K%P
A compass? As in the magnet that you use to tell direction?

黄泉木「ああ」%K%P
Yeah.

黄泉木「墜落の衝撃によって機外へと放り出されたゆには、ある一定の方角に向かって歩き始めたらしいんだ」%K%P
Yuni, who'd been thrown out of the plane, had immediately started walking in a straight line away from the crash site using his compass.

黄泉木「あの状況に於いては適切な判断だったと思うよ」%K%P
I think it was a sound judgment, all things considered.

黄泉木「なにしろ、まわりには風を遮る場所さえなかったんだからね」%K%P
Seeing as how there was no place that would have sheltered him from the wind.

黄泉木「その場にうずくまっていれば誰かが助けに来てくれる、というような状況でもなかったわけだし」%K%P
And it wasn't a situation where help would arrive if he stayed still and waited.

黄泉木「だから、彼は歩き始めたんだ」%K%P
That's why he began walking.

黄泉木「と言っても、デタラメな方向にむかって、やみくもに進んでいったというわけではない」%K%P
Of course, he didn't just wander around.

黄泉木「きちんと目標地点を定め、歩数を計りながら、彼は吹雪の中を歩いたんだ」%K%P
Properly confirming the position of his destination and the number of steps, he started walking in the snowstorm.

黄泉木「そうすれば、その方角に何もないとわかったとき、元の地点に引き返すことができるだろう？」%K%P
If he found nothing in the direction he was heading, he could simply go back to where he started.

黄泉木「たいしたもんだよ」%K%P
He sure is something.

黄泉木「とても１１歳とは思えない判断力だ」%K%P
His judgment isn't like that of an eleven-year-old's at all.

黄泉木「ゆには、プロの登山家である僕なんかよりも、よっぽど冷静だったってわけさ」%K%P
Yuni showed admirable composure, even more than that of a seasoned mountaineer like me.

私は、どこか腑に落ちないものを感じた。%K%P
A weird feeling of... suspicion, perhaps, started welling up inside me.

素直に感心できないのは、私のひねくれた性格のためだろうか？%K%P
I found myself unable to blindly admire Yuni's efforts.

ゆにが都合よくコンパスを所持していたことや、墜落時にあれほどうろたえていた彼が冷静な判断力を失わなかったということ……。%K%P
Things like Yuni conveniently having a compass, and not losing his cool after the shock of the crash....

そういうことを考えあわせると、なんだかとても不自然な気がして仕方がないのだった。%K%P
If you put it all together, you couldn't help but think there was something unusual going on.

黄泉木「まあ、とにかくそんなわけで、ゆには偶然この避難小屋を発見するに至ったんだ」%K%P
Well, anyway, searching around like that, Yuni coincidentally discovered this shelter cabin.

黄泉木「ここで重要なのは、彼が自分の歩んできた方角と、ここにたどりつくまでの歩数をちゃんと覚えていたということだ」%K%P
What's important is that he remembered the direction that he had walked in, along with the number of steps he took to arrive here.

黄泉木「だからこそ僕らは……」%K%P
And that's why we...

こころ「私が取り残されていた墜落機の場所を特定できた……そういうことですか？」%K%P
You were able to find the crash site where I'd been left behind... is that it?

黄泉木「なにか気になることでも？」%K%P
Is something bothering you?

こころ「いえ、別に……」%K%P
No, not really...

とは言ったが、本当は気になることだらけだった。%K%P
I said that, but in reality, innumerable things were still bothering me.

今の話の中では、ゆにが黄泉木や黛を発見した経緯についてまったく語られていない。%K%P
In today's conversation, nobody had mentioned even once how Yuni had managed to find Yomogi and Mayuzumi.

また、ゆにが元の地点に戻れたとしても、そこから私が取り残されていた場所へとたどりつけるとは限らないだろう。%K%P
Moreover, even if it were possible for Yuni to return to his own starting point, that didn't necessarily mean that I was easy to find again amongst the snow.

ここまでくると、奇蹟などという言葉ではとても表現し切れないほどの蓋然性を感じずにはいられなかった。%K%P
Looking at the probability of all these occurrences, it seems like even the word "miracle" would be an understatement to describe all that had happened.

私達は、目に見えない力によって、必然的に、この小屋へと導かれたのではないだろうか？%K%P
It felt like a work of some invisible power. Like we might have been led to this cabin inevitably.

目に見えない力……。%K%P
An invisible power....

それが何なのかは私にもわからないけれど……。%K%P
What it could be, I have no idea....

こころ「そうですか……」%K%P
I see...

私はポツリと呟いて、手元のカップにくちをつけた。%K%P
I murmured as I brought the cup closer to my lips.

中のカモミールティは、すっかりと冷め切ってしまっていた。%K%P
The chamomile tea inside had become cold by now.

こころ「あっ、そうだ」%K%P
Ah, that's right.

こころ「大事なこと、言い忘れてましたね？」%K%P
I forgot to say something important, didn't I?

思いついて顔をあげる。%K%P
Once it hit me, I lowered my head.

唇を拭い、姿勢を正して私は言った。%K%P
Wiping my lips and correcting my posture, I spoke.

こころ「ありがとうございます」%K%P
Thank you.

黄泉木「……えっ？」%K%P
...Eh?

こころ「お礼ですよ」%K%P
I'm showing my gratitude.

こころ「助けてくれて、ほんとにありがとう」%K%P
Thank you very much for saving me!

黄泉木「やめてくれよ、そういうのは苦手なんだ」%K%P
Hey, cut it out; I'm no good with heartfelt thanks and stuff.

黄泉木「それにお礼なら、彼に言った方がいいんじゃないかな？」%K%P
Besides, if you want to express your gratitude, shouldn't it be to him?

黄泉木は親指を立て、背後にいるゆにの方を指し示した。%K%P
Yomogi stuck out his thumb and pointed it toward Yuni, who was sitting behind him.

私は席を立ち、ゆにのそばへと近づいていった。%K%P
I stood up and went closer to Yuni.

ゆにはストーブの前で丸くなっていた。%K%P
Yuni had curled up into a ball in front of the stove.

うなだれているので、表情は見えない。%K%P
The way he held his head made it difficult for me to see his face.

私は彼の隣にしゃがみ込んで声をかけた。%K%P
I squatted down beside him and spoke.

こころ「ゆに……」%K%P
Yuni...

ゆに「…………」%K%P
......

こころ「ゆに……？」%K%P
Yuni...?

ゆに「…………」%K%P
......

ゆには答えなかった。%K%P
Yuni didn't reply.

下を向き、静かに肩を揺らしている。%K%P
Leaning down, I lightly shook him by the shoulder.

私は彼の顔をのぞき込んだ。%K%P
I took a peek at his face.

ゆにはその場にうずくまったまま、安らかな寝息を立てていた。%K%P
Crouched in place, Yuni was breathing evenly in his sleep.

こころ「ゆに、ありがとう」%K%P
Thank you, Yuni.

小さな声でささやいた。%K%P
I said in a soft voice.

本当なら、後ろから抱きしめて、ゴロゴロと床の上を転がりまわりたいぐらいの気分だった。%K%P
In reality, I felt like I wanted to hug him from behind and roll around with him on the floor.

この感謝の気持ちは、何千回、何万回、くちにしたとしても決して伝え切れるものではないだろう。%K%P
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude, one that could not be conveyed by thousands, or even tens of thousands of words.

私が今こうして生きていられるのは、彼らのお陰なのだ。%K%P
That we're alive right now is all thanks to them.

ゆにと、それから黄泉木の……。%K%P
Yuni, and Yomogi....

私はゆにの身体を優しく抱きかかえると、ベッドの１段目に寝かせてあげた。%K%P
I gently embraced Yuni's body, and laid him down on the bottom bunk.

毛布を何枚か重ねて、その上にかける。%K%P
I placed several blankets on top of him, and then a few more for good measure.

ゆにはムニャムニャとくちを動かしながら寝返りを打った。%K%P
Yuni tossed a bit in his sleep as he mumbled something.

私は彼のメガネをそっとはずしてやった。%K%P
I quietly removed his glasses.

こころ「さてと……」%K%P
Now then...

ゆにのメガネをくちにくわえ、うろうろと小屋の中を歩きまわる。%K%P
Holding Yuni's glasses in my hand, I wander aimlessly around the cabin.

歩きまわっていたのは、込み上げて来る衝動のはけぐちを探していたからだ。%K%P
The emotions welling up inside me, seeking an outlet, are driving me to walk around in circles.

この燃えるような感謝の気持ちを、どうにかして誰かに伝えたい。%K%P
This is a passionate feeling of gratitude, and I need to convey it to someone, somehow.

誰に……？%K%P
But who...?

それはもちろん……。%K%P
Well, of course....

こころ「黄泉木さぁ～ん！」%K%P
Yomogi-sa～n!

私は淫らな嬌声をあげながら、いきなり黄泉木の背中に飛びついた。%K%P
With an almost indecent cry, I jumped onto Yomogi's back without warning.

黄泉木「ぐわっ！」%K%P
Guwaaa!

もつれあうように崩れ落ち、床の上をゴロゴロと転がりまわる。%K%P
Our limbs entangling, we tumbled, rolling around on the floor.

こころ「黄泉木さ～ん！　黄泉木さ～ん！」%K%P
Yomogi-sa～n! Yomogi-sa～n!

黄泉木「おい！　こら！　どうしたんだ！」%K%P
Hey! Come on! What's gotten into you?!

黄泉木「やめろ、冬川！　やめろ！　やめてくれ！　やめてくれ！」%K%P
Stop it, Fuyukawa! Stop it! Stop, please! C'mon, stop!

こころ「やめな～い、やめないもんねぇ～」%K%P
I won't stop～, I won't stop～

黄泉木「意味がわかんねーんだよ！　何なんだよ、これは！　何なんだよ！　何なんだよ！」%K%P
Just what are you trying to do? What got into you? What? What is the meaning of this?!

こころ「意味なんかな～いの！　いわゆる感情表現ってやつ～？」%K%P
There is no meaning～! I'm just expressing my feelings～!

黄泉木「感情表現！？」%K%P
Expressing your feelings?!

黄泉木「おい、早まるな、冬川！　僕らはまだそういう関係じゃないだろ！」%K%P
Hey now, don't you be hasty, Fuyukawa! We're not in that kind of relationship yet, you know!

黄泉木「薄くて破れないやつも、今は持ちあわせてないし！」%」%K%P
Even tough guys like me can't take this kind of wear and tear!

こころ「そんなの要らな～いの！」%K%P
Oh, cut it out～!

こころ「ゴロゴロ～ン……ゴロゴロ～ン……」%K%P
Roll, roll... roll, roll...

こころ「はぐはぐ……はぐはぐ……」%K%P
Hug, hug... hug, hug...!

私なりの感情表現は、その後しばらくのあいだ続いた。%K%P
My "expression of my feelings" continued for a while afterward.