Status: one-shot story for a contest
You and I
preparing for the worst
There were so many things that people took for granted in a lifetime. It didn't matter how long that lifetime was, whether or not you knew when your days were numbered sooner than others, or even how old you grew to be, because it was just a part of human nature.
But what the boy didn't understand, was why this was what he was thinking of, as he lay on his deathbed, like he had done every day since the day he had been picked up all those years ago. But today was different. There was no certainty that he would be waking up once he gave in to the sweet feeling of unconsciousness and there was no certainty that, even if he woke up, he would feel any relief from the pain that gripped his entire body in a ruthless hold.
He sucked in another painful breath only to hear somebody stir to life beside his bed. His clouded gaze fell upon his so-called savior, the one that had 'rescued' him from his former life only to leave him in a state of pure agony in a makeshift medical area of an abandoned building. As the boy waited for another sign that his ragged-looking hero had awoken, he hear the approaching steps of someone in the distance. The boy's body reacted before he even knew who it was and in an instant, he was in an upright position with the closest object in his hand, which turned out to be the stand that held the IV currently attached to his arm.
The man that entered the room only glanced at the scene before him, before turning his attention back to the paperwork in his hand.
“I guess you are right to be afraid right now.” The man in the white lab coat said with a smirk before he pulled out a broken rolling chair from the desk and took a seat. “I’m not here to help you.”
The boy pushed himself up a bit further in the bed, ready to jump out and race for the nearest exit until, who he presumed to be, the doctor spoke again. “Or should I say, there’s nothing I can do to help you. But I presume you’ve heard that before already, correct?”
Before the boy could respond, the sleeping figure beside his bed groaned in protest and was jumping into the conversation within moments. “He’s awake! I mean, you’re awake!” He said, looking from the doctor to the boy in the bed. “What’s the news? Are you alright?”
The air in the room grew serious and the boy’s hero already seemed to be reading it, for the smile on his face quickly faded. “You told me you could save him.”
“I told I could try, but with how far the disease has progressed, there’s really nothing to do besides make him feel as comfortable as possible.” And with that, the doctor got up and paused in the doorway to make one last statement before leaving the two boys alone. “I would suggest taking this time to introduce yourself and explain the situation you’ve tossed this poor kid into.”
As the man slipped out of the room, the boy’s savior let out a defeated sigh and fell back into the seat he had been sleeping in. With a weak smile, he turned to face the boy again and held out his hand. “The doc’s right. My name is Tsuneo and I guess you could say I am the leader of your boss’s biggest enemy.”
The boy looked down at the hand in front of him, then back at the one he now knew as Tsuneo before wearily reaching his own hand out and grasping it firmly in the other’s. “Eirin. Nice to meet you.” What the boy didn’t know was this fateful meeting was only the beginning of the new and short life he was about to lead.
But what the boy didn't understand, was why this was what he was thinking of, as he lay on his deathbed, like he had done every day since the day he had been picked up all those years ago. But today was different. There was no certainty that he would be waking up once he gave in to the sweet feeling of unconsciousness and there was no certainty that, even if he woke up, he would feel any relief from the pain that gripped his entire body in a ruthless hold.
He sucked in another painful breath only to hear somebody stir to life beside his bed. His clouded gaze fell upon his so-called savior, the one that had 'rescued' him from his former life only to leave him in a state of pure agony in a makeshift medical area of an abandoned building. As the boy waited for another sign that his ragged-looking hero had awoken, he hear the approaching steps of someone in the distance. The boy's body reacted before he even knew who it was and in an instant, he was in an upright position with the closest object in his hand, which turned out to be the stand that held the IV currently attached to his arm.
The man that entered the room only glanced at the scene before him, before turning his attention back to the paperwork in his hand.
“I guess you are right to be afraid right now.” The man in the white lab coat said with a smirk before he pulled out a broken rolling chair from the desk and took a seat. “I’m not here to help you.”
The boy pushed himself up a bit further in the bed, ready to jump out and race for the nearest exit until, who he presumed to be, the doctor spoke again. “Or should I say, there’s nothing I can do to help you. But I presume you’ve heard that before already, correct?”
Before the boy could respond, the sleeping figure beside his bed groaned in protest and was jumping into the conversation within moments. “He’s awake! I mean, you’re awake!” He said, looking from the doctor to the boy in the bed. “What’s the news? Are you alright?”
The air in the room grew serious and the boy’s hero already seemed to be reading it, for the smile on his face quickly faded. “You told me you could save him.”
“I told I could try, but with how far the disease has progressed, there’s really nothing to do besides make him feel as comfortable as possible.” And with that, the doctor got up and paused in the doorway to make one last statement before leaving the two boys alone. “I would suggest taking this time to introduce yourself and explain the situation you’ve tossed this poor kid into.”
As the man slipped out of the room, the boy’s savior let out a defeated sigh and fell back into the seat he had been sleeping in. With a weak smile, he turned to face the boy again and held out his hand. “The doc’s right. My name is Tsuneo and I guess you could say I am the leader of your boss’s biggest enemy.”
The boy looked down at the hand in front of him, then back at the one he now knew as Tsuneo before wearily reaching his own hand out and grasping it firmly in the other’s. “Eirin. Nice to meet you.” What the boy didn’t know was this fateful meeting was only the beginning of the new and short life he was about to lead.