Last Call of the Ferryman
It had been many decades. As Yamato's sinking husk pulled most of her crew down into the depths, some did not join her.
But one can only ever go so far. One by one, her survivors too, passed beneath the turbulent waves of history.
He lay staring at the ceiling. Soon, staying awake would be too hard.
Over the years he had been there for the others, but who would be there for the last of them? With no surviving family either, there were only his thoughts.
"I have always been sincere, no matter how much it hurt me. I am not ashamed of my words and deeds, I said and did what I had to. I have not lacked vigor, I completed even the most mundane task to the fullest extent. I have exerted all possible efforts, there is nothing left in me. I have never been slothful, even with my fading youth I saw to the others."
At that moment he decided, he should be content. Yet still, he found himself fighting a deep sense of unease. When he faced the ink black depths of the Pacific, his comrades were there with him. But this time, there was no one. The fear gripped him harder than he thought it would. This time however, there was no swimming away from it and he felt hopelessness rising up in his heart.
While it become less clear what was still real and what was merely a figment of his stagnating mind, soft imprints grazed his exposed arms.
He lifted his head a little, struggling to see. There were cherry blossom petals sticking out against the hospital's white interior. It confused him. Spring was still far off.
Delicate fingers slipped around his hand and gently lifted it up. With his last remaining strength, he raised his head far enough to look. A tall woman was there, holding his hand close to her face with both of hers. She had knelt down at his side and beheld him a fond expression. Cherry blossoms dotted her long auburn hair and tears lingered in her eyes, on the verge of falling down.
"Please. Sail out with me one last time."
When he saw the chrysanthemum collar around the woman's neck, a sigh of relief got stuck in his throat. He was too weak to even smile or shed a tear, but a sense of familiarity and gratefulness came over him. He lowered his head back down, finally truly content. Before his life left him, his fear and hopelessness went first.