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The run to the hospital probably took only fifteen minutes, twenty at the most, but it felt like hours to me. With each passing moment my mind thought of worse things that could have gone wrong. I remembered hearing something about an operation this week. Had that been today? How could I have forgotten? Did anything go wrong? Had they made her worse? Done something accidental to her that would permanently cripple her for life?
The possibilities were endless, and I just kept thinking up more. Eventually – finally – I reached my mother's hospital. I didn't bother checking in at the front desk, I knew where her room was. Ignoring the protests and pleads to slow down, I dashed down the long hallways in desperation. How long had Grandpa and Daichi been here? Why hadn't I noticed that note earlier?
I rounded the corner and stopped suddenly in front of room 203, panting heavily. Looking up I saw Daichi and Grandfather sitting in those squeaky metal chairs across the room, my mother's bed between us. They didn't say a word when they saw me. I didn't like the silence, nor the look on their faces. Daichi's eyes were red and puffy, as if he'd been crying. How bad had the operation gone?
I shifted my gaze down to the hospital bed, realizing my mom hadn't greeted me yet. She always would when I came in. She'd call me her favorite daughter and smile that pained brave smile at me. Maybe she'd fallen asleep. I walked slowly up to her, my footsteps echoing on the white tile floor. I saw her face. She wasn't asleep, and she didn't smile that pained brave smile up at me. Her eyes were closed, and she was no different than when she was asleep, but somehow you could tell. The life was gone. A lifeless husk was all there was left now. There was nothing left in her. She was gone, forever.
My right hand gently pulled a strand of black and gray hairs from her face, then brushed its finger across her cheek. It wasn't warm.
I hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.
I pulled the thin white sheet over her face, having to tug a little for it to go all the way. Then I turned around without a word and passively walked out of the small hospital room.
"Kameko–" Daichi started, but grandpa put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head.
"Let her go, she needs time," he assured him.
These voices could be heard in the back of my mind, barely audible.
When I reached the hospital exit I made my way outside. The cool night air tickled my skin. The buildings surrounding me passed by slowly at first, then faster and faster until they were no more than a blur. I glanced down at my feet and found myself running. I was running from everything. Nothing seemed to be real. Nothing happening would be real if I could just run away from it.
At my house I ran through the empty hallways, up the stairs, past my brother's room and down to mine. I flopped onto my bed and hugged my pillow. I was exhausted and sweaty and panting from all the running. My legs ached.
Then reality crashed down on me. I planted my head into my pillow and screamed as loud as I could. Next thing I knew those screams became sobs, and my face and pillow were soaked with tears.
Is that what a heart is filled with?
When it's smashed into a million pieces, is all that's left is tears?
I still couldn't believe it. My mom, my mom, was...dead. How could this happen? Things like this aren't allowed to happen! They always happened to others, but they never seemed like something that could happen to me. They don't happen, they can't happen.
Then it came to me. It was my fault. I had spent all that time prancing around in the feudal era when I should have been here winning more tournaments for money. Then we could have afforded better operations. Or maybe we could have gotten them sooner, before it was too late.
"Kameko? Kameko open up, you've been in there for four days. At least come down and eat won't you?" asked grandfather worriedly as he knocked on my closed door.
Four days? Had it been that long? Had my friends come over? I thought I vaguely remembered something about them trying to comfort me, but I wasn't sure. Did it matter? Did anything matter?
I raised my head from my pillow and nonchalantly looked around my room. My eyes rested on my overflowing backpack. That's right, I was supposed to have gone back to the feudal era two days ago. I sighed, I guess I could go as long as I wanted to now. There was no need to worry about missing a Tai Quon Do tournament ever again.
A shiny reflection of light came from my desk. The jewel shards. I went to pick them up, holding the glass vial gingerly in my hands. My mind made up, I grabbed my heavy backpack and left for the feudal era.
"Grandpa I'm going you-know-where," I informed him on the way out.
"But Kame-" Grandpa was cut off as I shut the door behind me. It wasn't exactly a slam, but it wasn't gentle either.
"Grandpa, is Kameko going to be ok?" asked Daichi worriedly. He was probably hurting from this as well, but he and I both knew that mom and I had been really close. I felt bad leaving so suddenly, but I would make this better. My hand clutched around the vial of jewel shards. I didn't noticed their pure light dim slightly.
"Yes, Daichi. You know how she has her own way of doing things. She just needs to get through this."
I heard him give a long sad sigh and, not wanting to hear anymore, ran for the well.
Another shortie, but I promise the next chapter will be much longer, and you won't believe what happens!!!