Keep the Secret!

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"Writing in a diary is like taking pictures with a pencil."(Wim Kan)


A quiet day flowed in the blood vessels as never before. The cells were experiencing a period of peace, from time to time punctuated by the classic "seasonal illnesses" or by some germ that sometimes managed to overcome the first defenses of the organism.
But, luckily, the general situation was under control.
On the way to the lungs, one of the erythrocytes, codenamed AA2153, was about to start his umpteenth work shift. He stopped at a wide, tree-lined open space, yawning and stretching his arms, then adjusted his red cap and looked to the horizon.
"What a beautiful day!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
Since everything was back to normal, the young delivery boy was more serene and determined to carry out his duties. He had never felt so happy to carry out the deliveries assigned to him by his seniors, in his native world now free from the serious dangers that had shaken it until a while ago.
Fewer germs, fewer races against time, more rest.
Let's get started... today as well!


While he was going through the throat area, suddenly, in front of him, one of the grates on the ceiling fell down and a pneumococcus came from it. Without a second thought, the bacterium ran towards the red blood cell which, seeing it coming at great speed, began to run away terrified.
However, after a few seconds, AA2153 stopped its race: behind him, he heard the agonizing screams of the pneumococcus, which had been knocked out by one of the organism's defenders. Turning around, the young erythrocyte recognized his savior: a beautiful leucocyte with long, white hair who, having completed her task, placed her katana in the sheath she carried on her shoulders.
The erythrocyte approached her, greeting her with a smile.
«H-Hi! T-Thanks for saving me!»
«No problem: it's my job.»
The leucocyte, codenamed U-1196, smiled back. «You look great. I'm happy for you, Red Blood Cell!»
The other blushed slightly at that compliment. The sweetness that that leucocyte showed towards him always caught his eye: it only took a little, a word or a gesture, to reinforce in him those deep feelings of affection he felt for her. When they returned below the grate from which U-1196 came out, the erythrocyte plucked up courage and asked her if she would be willing to keep him company for a short while; she was about to reply affirmatively when, all of a sudden, her walkie-talkie called out with a message from her headquarters.


[«Please, attention. To all white blood cells: there's a urgent meeting to lymph nodes. Please, attention...»]


«I'm sorry, I have to go!»
With a leap upwards, U-1196 went back to the grate from which she had come out; at the same time, while AA2153 was saying goodbye to her - a bit saddened by the sudden interruption - and was about to resume his work, he was hit on the head by something. Massaging his aching head, he looked up and around for the object that seemed to have literally fallen from the sky.
He then noticed the presence of a small book with a white cover next to his feet.
He slowly bent down to pick it up - with some suspicion. Who knows: it could also be a trap of some bacteria!


AA2153 looked at it several times before opening it: the mysterious book had only a few folds on the sides of the pages, but otherwise it looked really new and it didn't even have any written notes indicating what it was about.
How strange... - he thought. Why is there such an object in this area? And why did it fall from above? Maybe it's a gift from the higher-ups, although... we already have a notebook on which we can write down everything we need. Really strange!
After a few seconds, with a slight trepidation he opened the first page... and then he understood.

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