Let the Tick of the Clock Pursue Me.
Akiko Chan
Info- it's finally done. Sorry it took so long; I got writer's block. By the way I'm going to use "POV" for point of view.
Chapter 1
*Present-tense Yohji's Point Of View*
I sit in the waiting room, looking at the clock, staring at the seconds go by. How long have we been here waiting? Despite the fact, I've been staring at the clock, I do not know. I look at Omi; he is watching some thing on the TV. He looks up at me and smiles. I smile back, and put my hand over his and grip it. I loosen my grip entirely after a second.
"I'm going to have a smoke." I tell him. He just smiles and I get up. "Come get me when the doctor calls for you." I walk outside and light up my cigarette.
******
*Omi's POV*
My eyes travel to the other faces in here. Mothers tired, and trying to get their kids to behave. I wish I could remember my mother. I push the thought side, not wanting to go there. I hope Yohji comes back soon, I feel vulnerable here. It's like everyone is watching my every move. My thoughts are interrupted as a nurse calls my name. I tell her I'll be there in a minute, and I go to get Yohji.
******
I sit on the bed, and Yohji leans against the wall across from me. This room is so white, sterile, and dead. I look at him and our eyes meet. This time no smiles, he just looks away. I open my mouth to say something, but stop because the door opens and a nurse walks in.
"My Name is Mary; the doctor should be in soon."
She opens a cabinet and pulls out a gown. She hands it to me, and tells me to put it on. She leaves the room.
I look at Yohji, and then sit down the gown. I begin to remove my shoes. Yohji leaves the room. When I'm just in my socks and underwear, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I realize just how sick I really am. I want to pretend it's all an awful dream, but my reflection makes it all too real. I've lost too much weight. All of a sudden my knees give out and I fall. I try to get up but I can't.
******
*Yohji's POV*
I hear a loud noise in the room. I rush in to find Omi on the floor and his hopeless struggle to get back up. I help him up; he's not very steady on hiss feet. I assist him to the bed. I put the gown on him and tie it.
"What happened?"
He looks at me with sad eyes.
"I just lost my balance; it's like my knees fell out from under me..."
Omi sits on the bed and I sit next to me. The doctor and Mary walk in.
"How have you been Omi?" The man asks.
"Okay." Omi replies.
I take my eyes off of Mary and turn to the man. Knowing that Omi has already decided to clam up.
"Yesterday, he had a bad nosebleed and just a few minutes ago he lost his balance."
The doctor writes in his chart. "So, Omi are you ready for the bone marrow aspiration?"
"Not really, but I guess I don't have much of a choice."
Mary was at the counter preparing the shot, while the doctor check Omi for other symptoms. He then wrote more in the chart. Mary walks over with the needle. Omi's eyes widen when he sees the size of the needle.
*Omi's POV*
I blackout and now I'm in a hospital room, but not this one. I'm sitting on the bed, and someone is next to me. Their face is fuzzy, but they are holding onto my hand. The nurse is giving me a shot and I'm crying. I hear someone yelling my name. The image fades and I recognize the voice as Yohji's. I'm leaning on him and he is holding me up.
"Are you okay?" He asks
"Flashback." I whisper.
I feel a pain in my hip; I see the nurse and the needle in me. I jerk and pull away I begin to scream.
"Calm him down." The doctor yells. Yohji puts his hand over my mouth, and tells me to hold still.
Tears roll down my face and I fight the flashbacks from re-surfacing. Yohji removes his hand and takes a deep breath. The nurse is done and is packing up her supplies. I look at Yohji, he turns away from me, and I wonder what is in his thoughts just then. The doctor looks at us with a grave expression.
"We'll call tonight around 7:00 with the results. Then we'll be able to find you some specialists and help you make an appointment."
******
*This is narrative now*
Aya put the closed sign up at 5 p.m. * and went to finish cleaning the shop. Ken put the broom away and hung up his apron. The shop was almost completely silent.
"Aya?"
Aya stopped what he was doing and looked at Ken.
"When I was sweeping the backroom, I found spots of blood on the floor..."
"Omi had a nosebleed yesterday."
"Oh, is he all right?"
Aya looked down at the floor and back at Ken.
"No ken, he isn't."
Ken gave him a strange look. He paused, a little afraid to ask. Aya turned back to what he was doing. Ken was unsure if he was going to ask or not. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"What do you mean Aya?"
Aya stopped what he was doing, but didn't turn around.
"He has Leukemia."
Ken stood still and let the words sink in. Leukemia seemed like a death sentence to him. He put his hand on his forehead.
"My god..." He whispered to himself and them spoke aloud. "How long have you known?"
"Since yesterday."
"Yohji knows?"
"He was the first to find even before Omi knew."
Yohji and Omi walked into the shop. Aya and Ken stopped what they were doing and there was an awkward silence.
Yohji broke the silence. "What's for dinner?"
"Good question." Replied Aya.
Omi walked through the shop, heading for the house. He walks to his room. Once there, he lies on his bed, and curls into a fetal position. He shivers and closes his eyes.
******
*Omi's POV*
It's cold in here. Late fall, and winter is approaching quickly. Winter sucks, for the most part. My stomach hurts, along with my head and throat. I feel as if I'm going to throw up.
I grabbed my blanket, wrap it around me and head for the bathroom. I kneel before the toilet. I throw up what I've eaten that day. My throat feels way worse and the taste in my mouth is awful. I flush the toilet and my nose burns. I sit back by the wall, hoping my stomach has no more torture for me. I rest there for a minute.
Then I stand up in front of the vanity. I grabbed my toothbrush and the toothpaste. This taste in my mouth is nasty. After I brush my teeth I look into the mirror. Watching my eyes stare back at me. I bet their thinking what would Omi look like with no hair. A picture flashes in my head. I close my eyes tightly and shake my head. The thought subsides. I turn the light out, and leave the bathroom.
I walk to the living room, and sit on the couch. I watch Aya and Ken in the kitchen eating.
"Where is Yohji?" I ask.
"Out." Aya replies flatly.
"Why aren't you eating Omi?" Ken asks.
"I just threw up."
Aya flashes me his "don't-talk-about-that-when-I'm eating" look. It's odd, how when you get to know Aya all those unreadable looks become readable. I roll my eyes at him and say.
"Well he asked."
Aya turns back to his food. I lay down on the couch and yawn. I'm so tired I can't do anything. I don't even feel like going on the computer. I can not remember the last time I didn't want to go on the computer. I hear the phone ring and Aya answers it. I close my eyes and sleep overcomes me.
******
Aya went to the linen closet and got out a small garbage can. He put a plastic bag in it and walked over to the couch. He sat it in front of the couch. He kneeled in front of it, to the side of the trash can. He moved Omi's hair out of his face. Omi's forehead was warm, and he was sweating. Omi opened his mouth and let out a breath. Then slowly in took another one. It's odd to watch someone sleep. The soft exhales and inhales. Just like Aya-Chan, but different because Omi will wake up. Aya-Chan...She may never. Aya let out a choked cry. Tiny flashback of what happened to his family passed through his mind.
Aya stood up, and looked back at Omi. He grabbed the covers, pulled them up to Omi's chin, and gently let them fall. Aya walked over to the closet. He opened it and pulled out his jacket. He put his jacket on, and shut the closet door. He reached for his keys on the key hook by the closet. He put them in his pocket and went out the door. He had to go see his sister.
******
*Narrative*
Ken walked into the room. He sat on the coffee table by the couch. He shook Omi and called out his name. Omi stirred and work up. He opened his eyes slightly.
"What do you want Ken-Ken?" Omi asks
"You need to eat something."
"I told you, I'm sick I can't eat anything."
"You can have saltines (crackers) and Coca-Cola."
"If I eat something, well you let me sleep?" Ken laughed.
Omi sat up and turned around so his feet were on the ground.
"That better be a yes." Omi replied laughing. It was odd to hear his laugh; it seemed so long since his last.
Ken and Omi walked into the kitchen. Omi sat at the table. Ken stood and looked at him.
"I suppose you expect me to get your food for you."
Omi looked up at him "You woke me up."
Ken laughed and got a pop from the fridge and crackers from the cabinet. He set them on the table in front of Omi. Then he sat down across from Omi. Omi opened his pop. He took a sip of his pop. He slowly ate a cracker. Ken watched him and noted how the cracker was turning red.
"Omi your mouth is bleeding."
Omi stopped and looked at his cracker.
"So..."
Ken looked at him concerned. Omi took another drink of his pop.
"They told you, didn't they? That I'm going to die."
"They told me you have Leukemia. But Omi you're not going to die."
"I think the odds are against me." *
Omi got up abruptly and went to his room. He didn't bother to turn the light on; he just laid down in bed wrapping himself in the blanket.
*1- I don't really know when the Koneko closes, so I use what works for the story.
*2- Fever is a symptom of Leukemia. Fevers can affect how you think.
To Be Continued.
AN: This wasn't where I was going to end this chapter. I can't write anymore. If anything doesn't make sense tell me in your review.