After a fucking long time, the rest
Yeah, now, I translate my story myself. I really hope it will be correct and easy for you to understand (you know, English is not my native language ^^)
Yeah, that also why I was "absent" for a while, sorry...
So :
Act I : Those who lived
Chapter II : Wake up in confusion
Woken with a start by this damned pain in the arm. Sweat poured from my forehead, surprise and especially shock had quickly increased my heart rate. Four o'clock... Seriously... My breathing was still heavy, I search above all my bottle of water. It should be at the bottom of my bed, but I don't feel it.
I finally wake up, with difficulty. Searching this fucking bottle. Finally feeling it with my foot, I stretch my arm, bending myself down to take it. Wedging it between my legs, I pick up above all my painkillers. The doc always thinks that my pain isn't real, that it is just caused by the trauma, but he didn't feel it. I quickly take one of these pills with water.
Wait to get better, I must wait to get better. I will get better... I must. I wait, for five minutes, I think. Goddammit, it doesn't pass... I take my arm, at least what remains of it, slowly pressing my left hand on it. Also putting my bottle on it, this is the coldest thing I keep on hand... The pain seems to lightly ease.
My heart rate seems also to slow down. Shit! Why it always happens at night? It still has the knack of freak me out. But now it's time to sleep, I don't want to be late in class tomorrow.
............................
In the morning, this fucking alarm clock seems to taunt me. But I must wake up. Being late in class before the end of the first week, honestly, it sucks! Frankly, what day is it? Thursday? Friday? The incident of the last night has disturbed me. I take a look at the calendar hung on my wall : Friday. Well, it remains only today and tomorrow, it will pass quickly.
I hurry to prepare myself, going out nearly late of the dorm. I forgot to take a breakfast, but nevermind, I will eat more at noon. I run as fast as possible toward the main building and then, I take the stairs two by two. I finally arrive just before that everyone comes in class. Perfect timing. But the fact to haven't run for months get me short of breath.
The class passes slowly, too much slowly in my opinion. Even if I don't really like science, I try at least to listen the lesson. And I think, only me is doing that. But it seems that the others doesn't hide this fact. Then, I have the impression that Mutou asked me something. Or, at least, he tries to catch my attention, to ask me his question.
" Omura, what is the precaution to take when mixing sulfuric acid and water?" asks me Mutou, with a light smile.
" We must make sure of pouring the acid into water, sir, and not the opposite. In order to control the protons' creation into water." I answered, sure of myself.
" Excellent answer, Omura."
He seems to be proud to know that someone understand his lessons. But smiling doesn't suit him well, I think. Well, I wasn't going in class to see him smiling. After this question, the time passed once again slowly. Miki gave me a light nudge and smiles thereafter. Seemingly, my answer would have saved them from other questions, and she seems to thank me in this way, at least I believe.
The morning's other lessons passed quickly nevertheless. As usual. But I was hungry, so I was one of the first to leave the classroom. I have only one idea in mind : go at the cafeteria, take some stuff to eat and do something else. That's what I'm doing. And I don't have to wait for a long time in the queue.
Leaving the main building, a sandwich in the hand, I wonder what to do during the rest of the lunch break. Then, I remember that all my history books are at home, and that I totally forgot to ask my mother to bring them at the first day. Well, I just need to go to the library.
So, I head towards this library. Trying to don't lose my way, and I manage to do it nearly miraculously. I wave to the librarian by entering, and she does it, almost hiding herself. Shy? Surely, but never mind. I smile to her, and lead myself in the room. So, I head towards the history section, passing firstly in the Braille section. There is only one girl in this section. She's one of the tallest girls that I have ever seen.
" I have never seen so many books in Braille. It must cost a fortune." I told her.
Really pathetic. If I wanted, I could have said something much more moronic. Opening gambits are not my strong point. I write the idea to work on it in the evening down in my mind. But that seems to not disturb her at all. On the contrary, a light laugh, almost charmer, can be heard.
" We must. Many students cannot read differently. They need this kind of books." answers me this girl.
However, she pauses, as if she tried to remember if she has already heard my voice. If she doesn't look at me, what I don't find embarrassing at all, is that she must be blind. My own stupidity is really pathetic, in the light of my opening gambit.
" Nonetheless, I don't believe to have already met you here. A newcomer, perhaps?" she sent out to me.
" Yeah, I'm a newcomer. I wasn't here the first two years. I introduce myself, Eikichi Omura, pleased to meet you." I answered her, taking a break anyway to find my words.
" Lilly. Lilly Satou. And pleased to meet you. You will fit in really quickly, you'll see." she told me, with a great smile.
" Yeah, I think I just begin to get used to this... If you see what I mean..."
Once again, my own stupidity never leave me. I despair so much that I carry my hand on my forehead, in a snap. But instead of being offended, she smiles. She doesn't seems to take it seriously. This is a good thing.
"My, my, you don't need to change your way of speaking. At least, not with me." answers me Lilly, with a light laugh in the voice.
" You see... I'm not used with all of this." I whispered, nearly ashamed.
" It will take some time, but it will come. You must get accustomed to your own disability before wanting to manage those of the others. But you'll note that we are really tolerant towards one another. Nobody will judge you, and you will be accepted as you are." she told me, still with her charmer smile.
" A sensible vision... I really must work on it. But, thank you for your advice, Lilly, sincerely. I will not disturb you any longer in your research."
" But you don't disturb me at all, Eikichi." assures me Lilly, eyes half-closed.
The resumption bell has interrupted our conversation. Apologizing for not being able to keep her company any longer, I run once again towards the classroom. I will come back this evening to take books anyway.
...................
The history lesson is one of the few classes where I am really attentive. Not only because the subject interests me a lot, but also because the lesson is well made. The teacher asks some questions, and I'm the only one who is able to give the answers. Some of them smiles when they see I'm able to do this, surely because they would not have been able to give these answers, or for an another reason, I don't know.
The afternoon passes faster, without my ability to see hours. I really must buy a watch. I used to wear it at the right hand... Now, I will get used to wear it at the left hand. Fuck, I'm not accustomed to this... So, I go back at the library, and I come face to face with Lilly, who come out, apologizing for being almost collided with her, by lack of concentration. She smiles, surely out of politeness.
" Ladies first." I told her, lightly leaning me over, to let her pass.
" That is very kind of you, Eikichi. Thank you."
At least, she remember my name. Her hand is looking for my shoulder, probably to know where I am. I can't help smiling when seeing that. As if all the fineness and grace were condensed in this slow move. Slow but so much graceful.
I let her pass, wishing her a good evening, seeing her leaving. Well, it's time to search. Where I was looking for, this afternoon?... Ah, yeah! The History section. Any book would suit me, I just have to find any book to read.
I found what I am looking for, a book about the World War II, one book which deal with the reign of Louis XIV and finally one another book about the samurais. Therefore, I go towards the counter to register them, and then I head towards the dorm.
On my way back, Lilly's vision comes back in my mind. I have just met her today, and I really think she's a good person. She has some restraint, grace, kindness... Does she often comes alone to the library? I don't think so. But it remains to be verified, after all.
Once in my bedroom, I put my books on my desk. I will not read tonight, but at least, I have enough books for now. Firstly, I must buy something to eat. Well, once again, I will go at the cafeteria. No choice. I will go to the city to buy something to eat in the next week.
...........................
Arriving in front of the building, I recognize her. How could we confuse her with anybody else? Miki is there, while I don't have seen her earlier. Well, she surely have her reasons after all, and it's none of my business. I head towards her, smiling. She smiles in return.
" Miki Miura. No less! If I expected to see you here." I told her.
" I must eat sometimes, you know. I will buy my food later. We have the same idea, right?" she answers me, a laugh in the tone.
" To be honest, yeah. I plan to buy my own food the next week." My answer was honest, I really plan to buy my own food.
" So, we are on the same wavelength about food. By the way, come have lunch with me if you're alone." she told me, an invitation hardly hidden.
" With pleasure."
We don't have to wait for a long time in the queue. As usual, each time I come here, the wait is not very long. And once again, I'm not very original in my meal choice. Some rice and vegetables. By the way, I don't watch out for what she takes.
Then, I look for a vacant table. We sit down on a table for four people, but nobody comes to join us. During the first half of the meal, we doesn't say a word, but I'm the first who break the silence, to ask a simple question which stayed in my mind since the beginning of the week.
" Hey, Miki, do you have an athletics club or something like that?" my application is straight, full of hope.
" Yeah, of course. You want to join us, right?" she answers me, seeming to hope for a positive answer.
" Yeah, I think it would be a good thing. By the way, I haven't run since two months." I say, with a nod.
She don't seems to understand why. I shake what remains of my right arm, smiling a little, and the understanding finally light up her face. I explain her that I have spent all this time in hospital, and I really don't understand why I have spent so much time there.
" Oh. So, yeah, we have a club. The training takes place in the afternoon most of the time, but you can run in the morning, if you want." she assures me, with a great smile.
" Yeah, I definitively think that I will join the club. Run in the morning will be beneficial for me. I really need to get back in shape. I just hope I have not lost my touch." I told her.
" We'll see that on Monday morning"
She has a mocking smile, but I must meet the challenge. I would never let someone beat me in my own territory. Then, we finish our meal and we head towards the dorms, where I wish her a good night.
So, I have a race in Monday morning. With Miki. No less! I have all the weekend to prepare myself physically and mentally. It would be out of the question to give out in front of her. I don't want to lose face in front of a girl after a week.
Throwing myself in my bed, I switch off my bedside lamp. The ceiling becoming much more dark over time, I wonder if I'm able to run as much as before. Surely not, but it should come back after a month, I think. It will come back. I close my eyes, and then I slowly fall into sleep.
