Last Ten Days to Live-chapter 3
I awoke in an infirmary bed with pools of light from the window splashing on my face. Squinting, I lifted my arms up to stretch, only to jerk them back downward when a shock as pain flooded through them. I gasped as I realized that even inhaling involved much pain. I could not remember what happened.
Even though pain flooded throughout my body, I decided that sitting in bed all day would not help me find the answers and that I should walk around and ask Sumire or Kouran what happened. Surely, those two were most likely to know. Maybe even Maria because she was our original head. The pain was excruciating, but not unbearable so I flung my legs over the infirmary bed wincing as I did so. I positioned my hands behind my back so that I could hold myself up and catch my breath. Before I stood, I inspected myself for injuries.
After checking my arms, legs and looking under my nightgown at my torso, I concluded that I had not one bruise and that the pain was a result of lack of strength. I gave myself a silent 'one two three' and pushed myself off the bed.
I gasped as my bare feet touched the floor and nausea slowly hijacked my brain. However, I was too curious to just sit so I began to walk clutching objects around me for balance. As I walked, I looked to my side and noticed figures in a few other beds. At first, I looked them over thinking they were pillows but on closer inspection…
They were people! Hagumi members? I wondered. I limped over to the edge of one bed and slowly peeled back a sheet. I gasped at what I saw. It was Iris. She was roughly bandaged up on her forehead and torso. I could see bloodstains dried underneath her bandages as she winched with every breath she took in her sleep. Taking a few steps back, I felt the pressure of another bed behind my legs. Hesitantly, I turned around and peeled back the sheets on that bed as well. This time, I was greeted by the half bandaged Orihime. She had no bruises on her face which I silently thanked. However, she was covered with second and third degree burns in random spots on her body. I could not help but be frightened of course. I had to wonder how the two of them came to be this way.
I turned around to see more beds occupied with people. Terrified of my curiosity, I ran from the room ignoring the pain surging through my muscles. I knew they would also be Hagumi members. I fled into the hallway and somehow made it to the kitchen with timing that would put Kanna to shame even if the aroma of food flooded the hallway. And speaking of Kanna, guess who I saw in the kitchen?
Her back was towards me, I don't think she heard me when I entered. She appeared to be making some sort of soup, I could tell because it looked like she was holding some sort of long spoon. "Um, Kanna-san?"
She turned around to give me another image I was not yet ready for. Her face saw sheer shock as she saw me. Her forehead up was bandaged completely. Her neck wore bandages as well and her right arm was in some sort of sling. I gasped as I saw her and wondered what could have happened to make all of the Hagumi weak like this. I could not yet remember. "Sakura!" Kanna rushed over to give me a giant bear hug with her only one available arm. I gasped at the contact and feelings of pain that rushed through me. She must have heard me because she back away as soon as I did, flashing me an apologetic look.
"Kanna-san, what happened to you?" Her crimson eyebrows furrowed at my question making me wonder if I said anything. "I'm sorry, did I say anything wrong?"
"You don't remember?" Her expression became more serious.
"Remember?" I felt as if I missed something important. Regret and nausea began to once more churn in my stomach.
"Are you seriously telling me you don't remember?" She put the back of her hand to my forehead. "You don't have a fever…" She sat down on the table and pat the spot next to her asking me to join her. I almost collapsed on my first attempt and received help on my second from Kanna.
I could not help but open my mouth. "Kanna-san, you say I have forgotten something but, what is it that I am missing?"
She looked ahead avoiding my gaze, most likely staring in disbelief. "You were the main event of it all and you don't remember? That's crazy. Even though I passed out before the heavy stuff, I still remember hearing voices." I blinked back a reply.
"What do you mean Kanna-san?" She averted her gaze to mine.
"Look, Sakura, if you are just trying to deny the fact that you did what you did, that's fine. I won't hold it against you. I would not feel so great about myself either. Just don't take it up with Yoneda this way."
"I'm not lying!" I raised my voice a little in defense. "All I know is that I woke up in the infirmary today and that's all! And, after seeing Iris and Orihime…Kanna-san, what happened?"
She seemed to be taken aback a little by my reply. After a few seconds of thinking, she sighed. "You really don't remember anything, do you?" She averted her gaze to the ceiling. I could tell she was not expecting any sort of reply. She finally turned her head back to look at mine. "Look, Sakura, what I am about to tell you will not be easy."
I gulped a reply. But, I had to know.
"Two nights ago, there was a severe kouma invasion. Now, these kouma were not normal, it wasn't the numbers that made them so impressive." I nodded an 'I understand' look at her. She continued. "Listen, Sakura-san, I don't blame you for blacking this out. These kouma were…shadows! I mean, we could not even touch them!"
"Were they that fast Kanna-san?"
"Fast, yes but, it was almost like trying to murder thin air...it just can't be done. It first consumed my Koubus and toyed with the computer systems. It immediately exploded." I gasped trying to imagine what it was like. "Then Iris and almost Leni. Maria saved her. No more were destroyed that way."
"But, what about Orihime-san and the others that were in the infirmary with me? What happened to them?"
Kanna shook her head. "Maria and Sumire filled me in. You see…Sakura, this is where it does not become easy." I nodded for her to continue wondering how it could become less easy then it already was. "You attacked them."
I almost jumped off the table and I probably would have if my injuries did not make me winch. "What do you mean? How could I have possibly attacked them?" I racked my mind for all possible reasons but could not find a single one.
"You were possessed Sakura. Remember how I said you were the 'main event?' For some reason, one of those kouma possessed you, probably because you have very high spiritual energy. It caused you to attack everyone. Even Maria could not stop you." I immediately thought of everyone in the infirmary beds…everyone…
"Maria-san!" I called out. "Maria-san, is she okay? Is she alive, did I hurt her?" My heart went through a series of spasms. If anything were to happen to her…
Kanna blinked. "Don't worry; she and Sumire were not injured in the least." I thanked the moment. "But, I'm sure Maria would want to speak to you now that you are awake." A flash of hope rang through me when I heard that Maria wanted to see me. But, "You know, with her being our captain and all, she would want to know how you were doing." But, Kanna destroyed the moment and my face faltered a reply. "Are you okay Sakura?"
"Yes, just fine." I slowly regained my composure. "Where can I find her?"
"Oh, you know Maria, smart as ever." I blinked a reply. "Library, of course! Now go; I'm sure she'll be ecstatic to see you." She hopped off the table and went back to the stove to finish with the soup. I quietly slid off and exited the room.
I found Maria at a book shelf sliding books in and out of their places as if deciding weather or not she wanted to read all of them. Watching her from a few feet, I remained too frightened to approach her. If what Kanna said was true, which most likely was because Kanna doesn't usually lie, Maria would be disappointed in me. The first time I saw that look of disappointment on her face almost broke my heart; I didn't think I could stand that ever again…
"Sakura?" I came back to reality and saw Maria with a book half pulled out of a shelf and head cocked to the side a little staring at me. I almost died looking back into her eyes and had to immediately advert my gaze onto a near by bookshelf. I jumped as I felt her glove rest on my face and burn my skin with frost bite.
"G-Good morning Maria-san." I desperately tried to avert her gaze but her hand just led my face to meet her eyes. I saw that same look in her eyes as when she is trying to analyze a situation. She was analyzing me. I tried to pull my face away but her grip was tight and she would not let me an inch farther no matter how hard I struggled. What was worse was that she knew I was trying to escape.
"Hold still Sakura." I squinted my eyes shut and I felt her breath coming closer and closer to me. "Open your eyes Sakura; I want you to see something." I hesitantly opened my eyes to see her face. In front of me, I saw her dangling a glove in my face. "I believe you dropped this in the field."
I blinked for a few seconds registering what happened. "So…you wanted to give me my glove back?" I would have gladly accepted a kiss…
She just nodded an affirmative. "I was checking your face to see if it was damaged or not. I don't necessarily trust the new nurses we hired while everyone else was…"
My heart snapped for a second realizing what she was talking about. "You mean how I hurt them…" Her hand did not stop me from looking away.
"Precisely." An awkward silence followed and somewhere in the midst of it, I confronted Maria telling her about my lack of memory and how terrible I felt for not remembering. I expected a hug but… "You should be ashamed Sakura." The glare she sent me screamed coldness and brutality.
"Huh?" Her hands once more did not allow me escape.
"I'm very disappointed in you, how dare you black that out Sakura?"
"But," I tried desperately to fight back. "It's not my fault! I have no choice! I just remember what Kanna-san told me…even if that is not considered remembering!" I backed up against a book shelf. I had no escape.
"You shouldn't make excuses for yourself! It just proves you weak-"
I cut her off. "Haven't you ever had something so bad happen to you that you wanted it out Maria-san?"
"Don't you change the topic Sakura…" I saw a slight look of pain in her eyes; a quite familiar look, and then everything began to spin. It all zoomed right back to me. Everything was… returning. I began to loose my balance and collapsed sliding down the bookshelf only to be slowed by Maria's hands on my shoulders. "S-Sakura?"
My panting came in faster. "I-I remember. I remember everything!" Tears swelled up in my eyes as I stared blankly into Maria's. "Their faces…outside of their Koubus so…so deadend! I almost killed them! Iris-Chan, Kanna, Orihime…everyone!"
Maria sighed and embraced me slightly as she crouched down to my position on the floor. "Why are you crying Sakura?"
No response.
"Is it because of the memories?"
Still silence.
"Is it because of all you hurt?"
Silence ensured.
"Or, is it because of all those you could have hurt?"
I stared, full of questions, into Maria's eyes.
"Don't think of what could have happened, but more of what you already have done. Yes, we are damaged, yes, Iris and Orihime are near death, and yes, this is your entire fault."
I squinted my eyes closed.
"But, we are all going to live Sakura." Her voice calmed, causing me to look up at her and see her smiling. "We will be fine, I promise."
"Maria-san, I-"
"Hey everyone! Soup's up!" Maria and I averted our gaze to the door to see Kanna standing there with three spoons in her hand. "Let's eat!"
"Just a second Kanna." Maria stood up, helped me to my feet and began to walk away with Kanna as I followed. "Oh, come to think of it Sakura, weren't you going to say something?"
I looked up at Kanna and Maria walking side-by-side and shoulder-to-shoulder. And then, a very selfish thought stuck in my head. 'Wait, are you two standing a little too close?'
"Sakura, were you going to say something to Maria before I interrupted? Was it anything important?" Kanna looked over to the side at me as I held onto the wall for support from limping.
We had arrived at the cafeteria. "No… nothing important. I'm going to have to go to my room now actually Maria-san, Kanna-san."
"Are you still tired from walking downstairs Sakura-san?" Kanna inquired.
"If that's the case, your room would be best Sakura." Maria moved a step even closer to Kanna. My head yelled that it was intentional. I had to agree with it.
"Yes, I have to agree. If you'd excuse me…" I smiled and bowed very slightly winching from pain as I limped off.
It was all in my imagination. Kanna and Maria could not have a thing for one another…
Could they?