with that 3 day weekend i was able to put out another chapter earlier than usual, consider it a tank you for tolerating my last late upload. please read and review, hope you enjoy :D
"erratic heartbeat, anemia…spiraling into multiple organ failure….bug bites…..and that family…." Ozaki sat in the small patio on the south side of the clinic, just in view of its large bay window. He was sprawled out over the large wooden seat; daydreaming. Every once in a while he would let out a small puff of smoke from the cigarette he had. He coughed a few times. Ever since the village trouble began, Ozaki had been smoking more and more, sometimes up to 3 packs a day, he'd started drinking too, not in volume like with the tobacco, but it noticeably affected his demeanor. You could smell sake on his breath some days. "I hope I didn't scare that poor yuuki kid….but he seemed like a good guy, if there really are monsters or vampires…or whatever…maybe that little bit of suspicion might save his life….if I am right…then they seem to be after him for some reason."
Ozaki continued to sit back. He even started to fall asleep. It was a nice sunny day, and the warmth of the air made him feel tired. "Wonder when Seshin…will get…*snore*" Ozaki snapped awake when he heard the sound of an engine running nearby. He slumped out of his chair and started to stagger towards the clinic entrance. He put leaned on a wall and walked slowly towards the bothersome noise. As Ozaki came neared the source of the noise, he had to shield his eyes from the glare reflecting from Seshin's mini bike.
Seshin saw Ozaki across the lawn and waved.
"hello Toshio! How can I help you today? You called me here, what did you need."
Ozaki rubbed his temples. He still had a slight hangover from the night before. Every word Seshin spoke pounded in his head. As he spoke the words started to echo.
"ugh…not so loud…sit down Seshin, we need to talk…I'm sorry about the other day
The two made their way back to the patio, Ozaki taking the space in the shade this time. Seshin decided to remain standing; he walked over to Ozaki's position and stared down at him.
"I've got some things I need to tell you as well, and forget about the other day, I know how you feel right now."
"you couldn't possibly imagine….you first then….what's on your mind."
"the village chief of records; Ishida, has gone missing, so have all of the death certificates you have written up….we have no official proof that this is an epidemic. We can't request aid like this…I'm not looking forward to hearing him blow up this time…."
"him too huh?...don't worry about it Seshin" Seshin nearly spit his tea out when he heard that. "I've been investigating…and….this isn't an epidemic." Seshin's jaw dropped.
"What? Then what is it?"
"well….at first I didn't want believe it…but when you study all of the factors, the bug bites, the anemia, mass organ failure….i was so set on the idea of an epidemic that I didn't even consider the possibility of hemorrhagic shock."
"but you said there were no signs of internal bleeding…how could that be possible?" Seshin listened curiously at what Ozaki was saying.
"Seshin… i think there are okiagari..or vampires. Or something…and they have set their sights on the village; remember when you wrote that essay about how this village is surrounded by death? I know it was just symbolism but I think there is something real happening, something dangerous." Seshin was floored when he heard the term vampire. The look of utter scorn on his face gave Ozaki chills. He almost lost balance from the shock and had to sit down. As he sat, he draped his hand over his face and it pulled down his eye sockets a little. Seshin, begrudgingly, continued to listen to what the doctor had to say..
"…you can't be serious…you do realize that you are a medical doctor right? You seriously think there are vampires attacking the village….ok then, I'm leaving now." Seshin was about to walk away when Ozaki grabbed his shoulder.
"I didn't believe it at first either but look at the facts. And you told me yourself that the little girl there had a medical condition that prevented her from going into sunlight! I know it seems impossible, it literally is! But when you factor in the possibility, what has been happening makes absolute perfect sense!" Ozaki started panting. Seshin seemed exasperated as well.
"even if it does make sense….there is still no way, that sort of thing only happens in movies or anime."
"look….im not asking you to change up your daily routine, or help me hunt them down…yet… but I just want you to think about it. Keep an open mind about the possibility, you have done way more research into this occult sort of thing than I have, you and I both know it is a plausible explanation. Just have faith in me alright. I'm gonna go on with the assumption that vampires exist, and I'm going to change my clinic practices to reflect it…there is still something I want to try." Ozaki stared at Seshin with pleading eyes, Seshin could only look back in pity.
"alright, I'll keep an open mind about it...good luck...by the way…how many other people have you told about this theory you have?"
"only one other person, but I didn't go into detail or anything, he just sort of picked up on it." Ozaki stared in the other direction innocently.
"who did you tell?...you really are in deep…aren't you." Seshin looked sternly at dr. Ozaki.
"it was Natsuno yuuki, he was the only person I have talked to that had seen the family on the hill and is still alive. He also said that he saw the little girl, and said she had fangs. That's why I told him… you don't think he would take it the wrong way do you?"
"no, from what I've seen of him, he seems to be a fine upstanding young man. He was even a funeral patron of someone he didn't get along with… There is no way that he would reveal your secret….he actually told me himself that he thought that the people at kanemasa were strange….maybe your idea has merit after all."
"man…I wonder what's taking Tohru so long. The vending machine is across the street right?...i guess I should check on him." Natsuno yawned. He stretched his arms out as he stood up, and he clicked his lips. He started to walk out of the room and nearly tripped on his way down the stairs.
"I forgot to tell him what I want…"
"watcha up too natsu?" a girl with short black hair caught Natsuno on his way out of the door.
"Aoi?...oh I was just going to check on Tohru, he went out to get a drink like ten minutes ago and didn't come back. I was just going to see whats up." Natsuno looked back as he gripped the door frame.
"I see, hey will you help me with my homework after you and Tohru are done with your romantic stuff?"
"why do people always think we're gay?!...sorry, I guess I could spare a hand later." Natsuno was exasperated when he heard her make that joke, and with that he ran out of the door.
Natsuno surveyed the area trying to find the machine Tohru went to. There were several in the area, most sprawled out in front the street he was walking. Natsuno shivered when a stiff breeze rolled by. It was hard to see in such low light, most of the streetlights were burnt out, the only light visible was the scattered glow of window light coming from the houses nearby. As Natsuno walked, he started to grow nervous. He slipped one hand in his pocket and palmed the knife in it. The cool feel of the metal reassured his safety to a small degree. He had only just started to carry it with him, after the doctor mentioned his theory, Natsuno thought it might be a good idea. He pulled out the blade and flicked it open, the spine reflected a ray of light from a streetlamp nearby, however the blade itself had tarnished, and the edge was barely visible against the night sky.
"Hey Tohru!, tooooohruuuuuu?! Where did you go?" Natsuno called his name as he walked the street, he passed a few isolated villagers who looked at him curiously but continued walking their own way. "there he is." Tohru stood in front of the machine, his tall frame blocking its faint blue light. He remained ominously still even though he heard Natsuno's footsteps.
"hey Tohru, where have you been? You've been gone for ages. Is it really this hard to decide on a drink?" Natsuno walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Tohru remained still, he just stared blankly at the neon light fixture on the machine, a drop of drool hung from the corner of the machine. He started to mumble.
"Masao wants to see me…I can't let him down…he wants to see me tomorrow. Masao wants to see me tomorrow. I can't let him down." Natsuno looked at him for a moment and started trying to talk to him again.
"hey Tohru, Tohru? Talk to me." It was to no effect. Tohru simply kept repeating those lines, like a mantra or a prayer.
"Tohru, Masao died a week ago, remember."
"no, Masao said he wants to see me tomorrow Natsuno, I can't disappoint him. He wants to see me tomorrow." Tohru didn't even turn around to face Natsuno; he just kept repeating those same lines. Natsuno turned Tohru around and gave him a shake.
"Tohru, Masao died. Ok, I know it tore you up but you need to get a grip!" Natsuno was panting.
"but Natsuno, Masao said he wants to see me tomorrow, I can't disappoint him." Tohru continued to stare in Natsuno's direction with those same empty eyes.
"Masao IS DEAD! Tohru, GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!" with that Natsuno slapped Tohru on the left cheek, he could feel a drop of spit hit his hand, and it left a red mark on Tohru's face.
"…hey Natsuno? When did you get here? I was just about to get the dirks." The life returned to Tohru's eyes and that smile crept across his face…"ow, why does my face hurt?"
"Tohru? You've been out here for over an hour now...hey you're bleeding….sorry, didn't mean to hit you that hard." Natsuno looked on his hand and noticed a small drop of blood staining the back. He looked over Tohru's face but there was none to be found.
"what are you talking about dude? I just left like five minutes ago to get the drinks, and what do you mean you hit me?...this is a weird joke." Tohru laughed playfully at Natsuno and turned to the machine, purchasing the drinks. "here, your favorite…I bet you just wanted to make sure I got the right one huh? Well don't worry. I know you better than you do." Tohru smiled again.
Natsuno was shocked when he heard Tohru say those things. He decided to give Tohru the once over and looked around his person.
"Tohru, I'm dead serious, you have been gone for like an hour. And you look a little pale…you kept talking about Masao, how he wants to see you tomorrow." Natsuno continued to look over Tohru when he saw two small trickles of blood dripping on the left side of his neck. "…I didn't cause that? Did I?"
"hey, you know Masao was my friend, don't joke about that." Tohru looked at Natsuno sternly.
"Tohru, how did you get that cut on your neck…he doesn't remember this? Ozaki might be right about whatever is going on." Natsuno was terrified at this point, but he didn't want to aggravate his friend, Tohru didn't seem like himself tonight so Natsuno found it best to take him back home.
"I didn't even notice this, huh? Maybe a vampire bit me," Tohru playfully taunted Natsuno. But that only seemed to upset him even more.
"you probably just scratched your neck too hard or something," Natsuno smiled tentatively, he didn't want to explore the possibility of what had happened any more than he had already.
"Natsuno…I feel tired…like really tired…. Let's get back home, if I'm out longer then you might start to worry again." Tohru continued to poke fun at Natsuno's expense the whole walk home.
"what the hell happened to you Tohru?...this is far too much right now…hey Tohru?" Natsuno looked at Tohru, concerned for his safety.
"yeah, whats up ole buddy o' mine?" Tohru kept up that playful mood.
"I think you should go to the clinic, you really were gone longer than you thought, and you look pale. Please, just…if you feel like this tomorrow, please promise that you will stop by." Natsuno put a hand on his shoulder.
"look I'm fine Natsuno. I appreciate you worrying about me but I'm going to be ok." Tohru picked up a video game controller and turned on the console. He started to get into the game he was playing.
"..ok…but if you really are sick, and you get worse, I'm going to drag you there against your will..."
"hey, maybe ritsuko will give me sympathy points!"
"yeah Tohru…..maybe so. Ozaki… I really hope your theory is wrong… but I can't protect my friends on my own…"
hope you enjoyed chapter 12, by the way, one of you thought i wasn't going to kill tohru...i wont tell you if i will or not, i just meant to say that whatever happens to tohru, good or bad, will be more in depth and have more serious effects on the other characters' developments than it did in the source material