𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝐤𝐧𝐲

戰 | war

~仕始める~

Curse to whoever made air raid sirens, they're too loud and I can't think straight. Naps were the best thing in the world until the city became my personal alarm clock.

The sirens helped a lot of people, allowing them to hide from the bombs that may come. However, they gave me a pounding headache and sent me into a panic. It was hell on Earth. Since they had become so annoying I just threw a futon on the bottom of the bomb shelter and slept deep in there, the sirens were loud but not loud enough to bother me.

The day was August 5th, 1945. It was a little girl's birthday from across the street and I had sent her picked strawberries, it was nice seeing such childish joy. It made me wonder how Tanjiro's children were doing in this war. I had been sent to run an errand, I had used all of Yushiro's blood and so I needed to fetch more, the dealer was in one of Hiroshima's hospitals. There was another dealer in Nagasaki, but that's a full two train rides from here and Hiroshima was way closer.

The day was long, and things were suspiciously quiet. No air raid sirens, that's good...

By 8pm the sun was still in the sky, prescription and papers in my hand and an umbrella in the other I made my way to Hiroshima regardless.

The night was sweet, the taste of honey lingered in my mouth. Opening my lips to catch the night's taste on my tongue. The trains to Hiroshima were too crowded during the days, and were closed after 9pm so it's unlikely I can catch one that would go to Hiroshima. I want to enjoy the young night anyways, so it doesn't matter.

I want to paint the city and the rivers. I need to drag Yushiro out of his little room and make him go paint the big cities with me.

The thought is enough to make me smile, ever since our argument we've been growing apart again. His childlike vision of me never fails to bring my mood down. I've tried so hard to make it evident that I'm trying my best to not be a burden and it seems like I'm doing the exact opposite.

Ugly feelings claw at my chest, "This really sucks..." I mumbled into the night.

It seems the night might drag on longer than I had expected.

~休憇~

I was passing through rice fields, long fields of green and gold with the brown dots of the hats of workers. It was serene seeing everyone working hard, harvests have been cut short. Most white rice and foods went to the soldiers overseas or fighting on land. White rice became more or less of a rarity.

I hadn't seen a horse in a long while, they were using horses and mules to carry radishes and bags of rice grains. It was nice at first but the smell was something I didn't want to get used to. Chatter among the city was bustling, more than I'd like to admit.

After a while, my body began to ache more than I had expected. My lower muscles and core

Chatter was loud, bustling with life. I didn't mind it, if only my umbrella didn't have to bounce around so much inside the crowds. A few hellish hours had passed before I had finally found the small hospital Yushiro had told me to get the transfusions from.

The entire room was filled with sailors and military officers. Reluctantly, I put down my umbrella and slumped the scarf around my neck and over my head.

"Are you working in the military? They're giving us all checkups today. That's why it's so crowded." one of the sailors spoke to me, he smelled like charcoal and salted ice. His uniform was covered in dirt.

"No sir," I started, "I'm here for a delivery. I work for a doctor who needs me to give her blood transfusions."

The sailor nodded, "You're a small lady, I don't think you'd be able to handle military work anyways. It's understandable though, it's not the civilians fault we're in a war anyways. It's midsummer, aren't you hot in all that?"

The way he had belittled me in such a way made tension rise inside me, rage building up inside my stomach. He pointed at my apparel.

I simply said, "I have fair skin, I get nasty blisters and burns."

He hummed disinterestedly. A long pregnant silence. Another few hours had passed of various soldiers leaving the hospital, my nose enduring the itchy smell of soot and ash from the men around me. A nurse in a dirty uniform noticed me, her long brown hair was tied into a bun with various messy hair sticking out of it. She'd been very busy.Another two hours before a nurse in a dirty uniform noticed me.

"Do you need anything?"

"Yes, I'm an errand runner for a travelling doctor- Tamayo Nakamura. I am here to collect blood transfusions. I called for delivery three weeks ago." I made my voice loud and clear over the overlapping voices of the men around me.

A quick nod, she mumbled a 'be right back,' before scurrying off into the crowd. Stiff, I held my ground. Trying to ignore the smell and the urge to cough from the now thick air. The man who had talked to me earlier and lifted himself and disappeared into one of the rooms, I don't think I got to thank him for his service.

The kind nurse secured the vials in a wooden box that wasn't big enough to put into my pocket nor to hold in just one hand. Stepping outside of the facility I had reached the downtown area again, it had calmed down since I had been there less. Less people and less loud noise. I looked up to the sky, seeing the brief silhouette of what seemed to be a bird abruptly falling from the sky.

It was no bird.

A large flash of white, before I collected my thoughts I could feel my skin melting, but not from the sun.

I choked on my collapsing throat, my head pounding as my irises continued to fail after the bright light and raw exposure to the chemicals. A blast hit next, so powerful to list the town hall off it's foundation. I hadn't hit my head hard enough or had been in shock yet, all I wanted to do was pass out.

Is this what real war is? Is this modern war?

Screams sounded from all around me, all I could see was black.

I hate war.

~終了~