Songs of the Illusionary Veil: The Country Doctor

A Touhou Project fanfic by Achariyth

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.

I've sent my wife away; as long as the mountain goddesses smile upon her, she should be safe. I've kept this secret even from her. Now that my life is forfeit, I find that I must write it down.

She is coming for me; I know it in my bones. Those red-eyed stares stole what little joy that I could find from my wayward daughter's wedding to the half-breed shopkeeper. She passed by me in the reception line, taking deliberate care to catch my eye. Her red eyes flashed, and I saw the moment of my death down to the silk chord and the shattered glass bottle my daughter will find by my body.

We all thought she was perfect, even those of us who hated her kind. I know I did, now I can't remember why.

A year ago, sickness swept through the village. They called it the bird flu, but even tengu medicine could not help its victims. My wife caught it first, and my daughter, may the devils take her, only deigned to leave her forest when her own mother could no longer sit up in bed. Then I caught the fever as well. Not willing to risk my daughter's concoctions, I slipped out the door to ask the country doctor what was wrong with me.

This was before the rabbit doctor lost her sick friend. A rare affliction, she called it. She said that she was doing all she could do. We believed it; not even her boss, the moon doctor, could bring the little bunny back from Death's door. Some call death the ultimate healing, but the white rabbit's release was still weeks away when I walked up to the country doctor's office.

I pushed open the door into an empty waiting room and settled on a couch. No assistant sat at the desk; that bunny was withering away at Eternity Manor. I rang the bell, but no one came out from behind the curtain to greet me.

Time crept by, stoking the fire in my veins. Wobbling to my feet, I staggered to the water jug and slaked my thirst, but not my pain. In a haze, I slipped past the curtain that separated the clinic from the waiting room. She kept her remedies in a closet near the entrance. I'd seen her go in it before. Like the rest of the village, my wife and I relied on her to tend our wounds, aches, and illnesses. At this point, I'd have settled for sake, but more potent medicines were closer.

The remedies were separated in labeled bins. Feversbane was easy to find, right next to an unmarked bottle. Still hoping for sake, I uncorked it. A familiar acrid bitterness met my nose. I immediately set the glass aside. My wife used something similar to control the rats that plagued our shop.

I turned around and saw two shadows entwined in the room in front of me. A ghostly mist surrounded them while they made eyes and their hands roamed free. A gasp later and red eyes followed me as I hurried out of the office, leaving the bunny doctor and her blushing mistress to their shame.

Now you know the trouble I've seen.

I've passed her many times in the village since then, and I can never bring myself to meet her eyes. Maybe if I had, I might have had more warning.

The land loves rumor, and many surrounded the rabbit doctor as her friend died. Some said that there was another woman. How could they not, when the ghostly girl clung to her side? I never breathed a word of that day, but she wouldn't believe me that the tales didn't start with me.

So now I sit alone in my parlor, choking down my bitter drink as I write these words. I'm waiting for the red eyes that will be the last thing I will ever see.

The door slams against the wall. Red eyes peer from the stalking shadows, petrifying me as chills run through my body. The bottle slips out of frozen fingers and shatters against the floor.

I can only hope that my daughter will avenge me.

Author's note:

Inspired by Bruce Hornsby's song, "The Country Doctor". Thanks to WillieGR and Captain Vulcan for prereading.