The Final Mark

Chapter 9

     “Mai… Wake up…”

     Mai could hear the voice, and others.

     “Mai… Please…”

     The darkness was still these. Was this reality? Was she still alive? Mai tried to move, but nothing obeyed her. Her limbs were limb and her eyes heavy.

     “Mai…”

     She just rested.

     After what seemed like forever, the darkness had broken. “Turn off the lights,” Mai said, weakly. As soon as the words came out, the silence had been broken. Mai heard cheering and crying and joy, but did not know why. Slowly her eyes were able to open and she saw many people.  She saw monitors. She saw her family. She saw life. She saw Aiko. Every person in that room was crying, including Mai.

     The people with in the room consisted of only those she knew, and what seemed to be the doctor. He was tall. Either that or it was the fact Mai was laying down. Mai managed to get some energy back. She saw tubes galore hooked up to her. Some ever had liquids in them.

     “She’s made it,” said the doctor calmly. He turned and walked across the room to a machine and read what it said. Mai couldn’t see it as her vision was blurred.

     “I don’t want to do it,” said Mai. Everyone looked at her, confused.

     “Do what,” asked Mai’s mother.

     “The test,” said Mai.

     “Baby,” said Mai’s mother. Everyone walked over beside her bed. “Is this why you did this?” Mai just nodded her head.

     “Mai,” said Aiko. “I told you we were going to do this, to get through this. We’re not stopping now.” Aiko held Mai’s hand. “You’re not alone. You’re not the only one stressing over this. I am, Riko is, Kait is, Yumi is. Mai, everyone is. I know you are anxious and don’t want to fail, but we will work through this.” Aiko slightly tightened her grip on Mai’s hand.

     “Really,” asked Mai. She looked up and Aiko. Mai’s eyes were so weak.

     “Really,” said everyone at once.

     “I did,” said Mai’s father, “and so did your mother.”

     “I did,” said the doctor. Mai didn’t believe them. They were all successful people. How could the test do that to them?

     “The truth is Mai,” said Ayaka, “that this happens to everyone. We’re sorry we couldn’t be there for you as much, but we all want you to succeed.” Mai eyed every person in the room, hoping to find a reason to see the light. Can’t they see? This test is ruining her life. She can’t do it. No amount of studying has put her any closer. Yes she has seen others being stressed, a lot, but they get closer and closer to being ready. Mai just does not feel that way.

     Mai spent the next few days in the hospital. Aiko had been with her everyday studying after school let out. It was already mid-November and Mai has fallen behind. Mai constantly gives up on the test, but, thankfully, Aiko brings her back, always there to reassure her about the test. Mai was finally seeing too. She would glance over when Aiko was studying and she saw the fear and panic in her eyes. So, Mai wasn’t alone after all.

     It was day 7. Mai was almost healthy enough to leave soon. The news excited everyone. They couldn’t wait for their little blossom to be free.

     On day 8 a new man walked into the room. Mai had never seen this man before. Was he a new doctor? Mai just watched him as he walked across the room, grabbed a chair, and brought it next to Mai’s bed.

     “Good evening Misaki,” said the man.

     “Good evening…,” Mai didn’t know what to call him.

     “Just call me Takeo,” said the man.

     “Good evening Takeo-san,” said Mai. Who was this man?

     “Now you may be wondering who I am,” said Takeo. “I am another doctor, but not a medical one like your old one. I’m a psychiatrist.” Oh joy. That was the first thing that popped into Mai’s head.

     “May I ask what happened,” asked Takeo. He had with him only a clipboard and a pen.

     “I attempted,” said Mai, embarrassed.

     “Why,” asked Takeo.

     “The test,” said Mai, softly.

     “Pardon,” asked Takeo.

     “The test,” Mai said louder.

     “Ah,” said Takeo. “That entrance examination. It gets a lot of students. They get tougher every year.” Great. “This only causes more problems to arise. It’s stressing these kids out too much. You happened to be one of those kids.”

     “I know,” said Mai.

     “Why is this test causing you so much pain,” asked Takeo. Mai thought for a moment.

     “I… I just wanted to do well, and I try so hard to study, and I couldn’t do it…,” said Mai. “I just couldn’t.” She started crying once more. The doctor merely writes something down and walks out. Mai cries even more. “This test, make it go away.”

     The day seemed like forever waiting for Aiko to arrive. Mai couldn’t wrap anything around her. Nothing made sense anymore. She wasn’t ready for this test.

     Test, test, test.

     That’s all that is in her head.

     The time alone gave her more time to think. Was this test even worth it? Of course it is. Everyone takes it. Mai didn’t want to though. She didn’t want to fail. It was almost a month till her first test. That isn’t what worried Mai anymore. It was that there were multiple tests, one for each school. Oh how much she hated it.

     It was about an hour till Aiko arrived from school. She came in and put her backpack beside the bed and pulled up a chair. Everything she did flowed. Mai liked it.

     “Today is math day,” she said smiling.

     “Bleh,” Mai responded.

     “Now now,” said Aiko. Mai didn’t like math. She found it confusing. “This is a nice little room you got here.”

     “I don’t like it,” said Mai.

     “Why,” asked Aiko as she prepared her lesson.

     “It’s ugly,” said Mai. Aiko giggled.

     “Come on now Mai,” said Aiko.

     “Either this wallpaper goes or I do,” said Mai. Aiko giggled even more.

     “Let’s get started,” said Aiko. Mai grabbed her book and read alongside Aiko. They studied hard all day every day. Aiko wanted Mai to pass this test or at least make her believe that she could. That was Mai’s problem. She didn’t believe. That has been eating her down.

     They studied to 11 o clock tonight. The finished and learned all they could on limits and ‘math stuff’, as Aiko called it. Mai missed Aiko. They haven’t been able to see each other as much with the tests coming up, but this gave them time to be with each other again. It was a nice feeling.

     Mai went to bed that night differently than all the others: she didn’t cry. It was the first time in months where she didn’t cry herself to sleep. It was a peaceful night. Mai still didn’t get why that other doctor came in. He didn’t really do anything.

     Before Mai fell asleep though she looked out through the hospital window into the night sky to see the stars looking right back at her. They twinkled brighter than Mai had ever remembered them. They were beautiful.

     “I think I know how to escape this labyrinth now,” said Mai. Mai yawned and rested her head down on her pillow. Not too long later she was fast asleep with the stars above protecting her.