A very weird Uriko-related fic. Hard to explain, otherwise. =p
Rated: Fiction K+ - English - Drama - Words: 708 - Reviews: 9 - Published: Jun 5, 2001 - id: 307154
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Guardian Angel
Guardian Angel by Slashman
Author's Note: This is kind of a weird, short piece I did. It's pretty much a result of my stay in a hospital for pneumonia earlier this year. The first night was spent in ICU, and it's probably the most scared I've been in a long time. I'm guessing the narrator in this piece is Kenji, though I never really thought about it when I wrote the piece before. It actually owes its origin to a descriptive essay assignment that was given out while I was in the hospital and recovering at home. The happy ending? This piece got an A.
Uriko Nonamura is not beautiful in the way of super models or movie stars. Yet, as she pushes her chestnut brown bangs away from her face, I cannot help but be captivated by her beauty. Her smile is like the first rays of sunshine that peek through the darkest clouds, and the slightest hint of that grin evaporates all of my fears and doubts. Her amber eyes, which shine like two golden gems, meet with my own, and I feel the weight around my heart begin to lift.
"Why are you afraid?" she asks. Her voice is soft, like a melodic whisper. She tosses her long, braided pony tail over one shoulder, and I feel her soft hands clasp my own. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Uriko is tiny, standing less than five feet tall. The long ponytail she takes so much pride in hangs down well past her back, and is tied off in a red ribbon at the end. While most girls wear tight, revealing clothing, Uriko opts for a different route. She is almost hidden underneath a baggy blue sweatshirt, her hands barely managing to peek out of the sleeves.
"Are you afraid of all this?" She gestures to the machines by the side of my bed. I become aware of the heart monitor's rhythmic beat, still going far faster than the familiar beats heard on television shows. I feel the oxygen tube in my nose, and hear the tank behind me pumping the air that is helping me to breathe. Occasionally, I hear the sound of a nurse speaking outside, or see their shadow as they walk by the curtain to my "room".
"I'm afraid," I whisper to her. The mere attempt to speak puts a strain on my chest, and forces me to take deeper breaths. The pain is almost unbearable, and between it and the pounding of my head, I have found it impossible to sleep since I was admitted to the hospital.
Yet, Uriko smiles again, and I feel all the fear begin to fade once more. Within a moment, my breathing slows once again. Her grip on my hand tightens, and she looks into my eyes once again. The expression has changed slightly, as her eyes have narrowed in concern, and the smile has faded ever so slightly.
"You have nothing to be afraid of. You will make it through this."
"I'm scared of being alone," I say. Even though the bed dominates the tiny intensive care room, the empty spaces seem massive when I am alone in the room. Even with the nurses only a twenty feet away outside the curtain to the room, it seems like miles between any other human being and me.
"You aren't alone," she says simply. I feel her hand brush against my cheek, and wipe away the tears that have been almost constant since I arrived in the hospital. "I am here with you, no matter what."
I look at her once again, and again that comforting smile appears. Her hand runs across mine once again, and squeezes it gently.
"Rest now," she insists. I nod as best I can. I close my eyes, and lay back against the pillow. After a moment, I open my eyes again. The room is empty, as it was moments before, yet the emptiness doesn't seem as expansive as before. For the first time since the ordeal began, I felt a wave of peace come over me, and I closed my eyes once again. This time, I slept.
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