Project: Karma

84 | Me Within Your Arms

<Nagisa>
The three of us, Shi, Ritsu, and I, all looked at each other silently as I was holding the syringe. I swallowed out of nervousness and everything I knew of Naoko came rushing back.

Ritsu poked my arms She she laid upon the lab table. She looked up and closed them ever so slightly. The tiredness in her eyes.

"If you regret things now, I'll never forgive you." Ritsu spoke harshly but with a soft tone. She closed her eyes and brought back her arm, laying it besides her.

"She's right Nagisa. If you turn back now, we'll be failures." Shi put her hands in the pocket of her lab coat, "we can't afford to throw everything away." She added.

I shook my head and glanced over at Shi.
"No, I understand. We have to do this but, this trade is immoral. Ritsu I-"

"No more words, just stick the needle in, let me fall asleep, I don't plan to wake up again if I'm going to see my older brother." She tugged once more.

I wonder if this is what Naoko wants.
But what am I wavering for? At what cost will this betray my morals?

I slapped my own cheek with the hand that wasn't occupied and both Shi and Ritsu looked at me like I was crazy. And they laughed.

"Hurry up will you? I'll be on my death bed before you even put that syringe in." Ritsu made a light joke and Shi giggled. I smiled and caressed her pink hair back. "I want to see Naoko again." She closed her eyes and I stuck the needle into her arm and what appeared to be a single tear slipped out.

But that single tear, became many amongst us. When the life slipped away from her, I wonder how she could smile like that. A soundless death with no pain, no struggles, a beautiful one, in order to see her brother again.

"I'm sorry Naoko, but I couldn't keep her here." I took the needle out and placed it on the lab table along side her arm.

Shi wrapped her arms around me and we both were silent for a long time.

When we were ready, we started the operation to retrieve that chip. With the chip, we'll surely preserve the body itself and initially burry her along side her brother. That is what she wanted.

"Hey Nagisa, we did the right thing, right?" Even Shi herself was second guessing snd I nodded my head.

"Yeah, we did the right thing." I answered.

But both our hearts at the moment we're bottomless, aching, and in need for severe comfort. Both of us didn't like the idea of this exchange of life.
It's like revisiting old pain. But this time, you're the one stealing a life.
•••••
<Nakaru>
It's one of those strange days where all of us came back from school to be greeted by Papa. He was preparing afternoon snacks and watching the news on the t.v.

"Papa, shouldn't you be working?" I sat next to him, with Mari in the other room with Nozomi.

"It's all done. The operation I mean. We have to give it time before the transplant." He explained, "everything is going accordingly, so that's why your Momma told me to stay home." He added.

"Maybe if you helped them over there, you could be done quicker with the project." I sighed.

"You're a harsh kid you know?" Papa chuckled lightly and patted my head.

I didn't like how he called me a kid, but I liked how he was home again. Even if it's for a short while, I'll take what I can get for now.