Chapter 3 – Stupid medical jargon

"You have Fibrodysplasia Ossificians Progressiva." said the doctor cloaked in white solemnly. We stared at him like he was crazy, spouting some stupid medical jargon.

After a few moments of staring blankly at the poor man, Nagisa raised his hand. Why did he do that? We weren't in the classroom. "Um... doctor, what does that mean?"

The doctor gave a soft sigh and readjusted his glasses. "Basically, it means that your friend here has Stone Man Syndrome, an extremely rare disease of the connective tissue." The doctor glanced at me and continued his speech. "A mutation of the body's repair mechanism causes the fibrous tissue to be ossified when damaged. In many cases, injuries cause joints to be permanently frozen in place." Makoto had a more than worried look on his face and Nagisa wasn't as bright as usual. "In other words, it is a disease which causes damaged soft tissue to regrow as bone. Patients are slowly imprisoned by their own skeletons."

I sat on the white bed with the white walls and white curtains. Everything was a blinding white, like I was already dead and in heaven. I held my hands up to my face and stared at them for a long time. The doctor's words came back to me. 'Patients are slowly imprisoned by their own skeletons.' That was happening to me. Right now. At this instant.

Makoto and Nagisa had left a while ago, after persuading them that I would be alright. Makoto had offered to bring me food and keep me up to date with my schoolwork and Nagisa had helped me contact my parents and temporarily take over as vice-president of the swim club. Thanking them, Makoto and Nagisa squeezed me in a tight hug. I felt the tears prickling my eyes but managed to force them down again. They really are good friends.

We were swimming as usual that day, Makoto trying to get all his steps in order and Nagisa swimming and whining about getting a new club member. Kou had asked him who he had in mind, and Nagisa immediately spouted out a name which I have never heard of. Rei. Must be a freshman. I was swimming, naturally. Freestyle.

When I reached the end of my lap, however, I felt a sharp pain in my leg. I suspected it as a cramp and decided to shrug it off. Makoto could sense my unease easily. I never got to let any of my sicknesses slip pass him. "Are you okay, Haru-chan?" I gave him a brief nod, but it looked like he didn't believe me in the slightest.

Two weeks later, it became serious.

The doctor shook his head sadly. "No, there is no known cure for the Stone Man syndrome."

"Can't you do something about it?" Makoto gripped the sheet on the bed tightly.

"I'm afraid I can't."

"What about surgery?" asked the ever-knowing Nagisa.

"Any attempts to surgically remove the bones result in more robust bone growth." The doctor looked uncomfortable. "To undergo surgery would be cutting down his time."

There was a heavy silence. "S-so,... we have to watch him die?" Nagisa's eyes were tearing up. Makoto grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

The doctor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm afraid so."

_

A bit confusing this chapter is. I tried to make it a cliffhanger but discovered that I stink at it.
Anyway, please rate and review!