Highschool of the Dead: Fanfiction Darkpenn

Chapter 4.7: marikawa's graduation

Miss Marikawa's Graduation

Sometimes, the best medical treat ment you can give is a sense of hope.

[Author's Note: This story takes place about 15 months after the group arrived at Maresato farm.]

Z+424

In the cool of the evening, they had laid out a picnic table in the front yard. The party was to mark Nozomi's six-month birthday. There was food, drink, and laughter, but every few minutes Takashi checked his watch. And every few minutes one or another of them looked towards the farm gate.

Hirano came up to Takashi. "How long is she past due?" said Hirano quietly.

"Going on for twenty minutes," said Takashi. "It might be nothing but if she's not here in a couple more minutes and I'm going to look for her."

"You and me both," said Hirano.

"There she is!" shouted Alice, pointing.

Miss Marikawa, on horseback, was coming through the gate.

Takashi gave a soft whistle of relief.

Miss Marikawa came up to the table and dismounted. She looked exhausted.

"You're just in time for birthday cake," said Saya. "You will be pleased to know that I didn't make it."

Miss Marikawa forced a weak smile. "Maybe I'll take a pass," she said. "Could someone put my horse in the barn, give it some feed? I have to go to bed."

Grandfather Maresato took the horse and led it away. Miss Marikawa started towards the farmhouse.

"Shizuka," said Rei. "What is it?"

Miss Marikawa stopped. Over her shoulder, she said: "I lost him. I should have been able to save him ... but I lost him."

The next morning, Takashi drove to the Irie farm, where Miss Marikawa had been. He was met by Yushiro Irie, the father of the family.

"She was pretty upset when she got back," said Takashi. "What happened?"

"It was our son Shimon," said Yushiro. "He'd been thrown from his horse, he had broken something inside, he was coughing up blood. She did everything she could, even CPR. She kept on with it even after he had stopped breathing. We knew he was gone. I think she blamed herself for it but really there was nothing that anyone could have done. It was just a tragic accident.

"Shizuka has been a lot of help to us since we moved here, and she has never asked for anything in return. Is there something we can do to help?"

"I don't know," said Takashi. "I am sorry for your family's loss, Yushiro."

He drove slowly away, thinking.

It was noon when Saya pushed open the door to Miss Marikawa's room, carrying a tray.

"I brought you some breakfast, or maybe lunch," said Saya, as Miss Marikawa sat up in bed.

"Thanks," said Miss Marikawa.

Saya put down the tray and looked around. She had not been in Miss Marikawa's room before. She was surprised to see several shelves of books. When she looked closer, she saw they were medical books. Diagnostics, drug uses, anatomy, basic surgery. There was even a dog-eared copy of Midwifery for Dummies. "I didn't realise that you knew so much," she said.

"I have these books," said Miss Marikawa, "because I don't know much. Everyone treats me like a doctor but I'm not. I've collected all these but I hardly understand most of them, no matter how hard I try. I go to people who've been through hell and half the time all I can do is give them a couple of aspirin and some antibiotics."

Saya stared at her. "You know that I was there when Nozomi was born, right?" she said. "And you'll be there when it's time for Saeko as well, any moment now."

"Babies are easy," said Miss Marikawa.

"That's not how I remember it," said Saya. "I know I bitched all the way through but there was no-one - no-one - I would have preferred to have had there. And I remember you saving Saeko when she got shot, as well. How many times have you stitched up people around here from various wounds and things?"

"A couple, I suppose."

"How many?"

Miss Marikawa considered. "Maybe twenty-five, thirty," she said.

"And how many times have you given people medicine and treatment that they needed?"

"I ... I don't know."

"Meaning too many to count."

"Maybe. But I just make it up, you know. I just do whatever looks like it might work. I'm not smart, Saya, not like you. I should just give it up. Stop trying to be something I'm not."

Saya walked over to her. Then she slapped her.

"Bullshit!" she said. "Snap out of it! You're needed! You're the one that holds it all together!"

"You don't understand!" cried Miss Marikawa. "He died because I didn't know how to save him! I tried and tried but I still lost him! I didn't know what to do! I'm just a school nurse, and I wasn't even a good one!"

"Whatever you were before doesn't matter," said Saya. "It's what you do now, today and tomorrow, that counts. And what you give people isn't just pills and bandages. What you give them is hope. The sense that there can be a decent future. The knowledge that we can all still care for each other. So you lost a patient. I'm sorry about that. But it doesn't change all the good you've done, and will keep doing."

There was a knock at the door of the room. It was Alice.

"Miss Marikawa," said Alice. "You have some visitors. Come outside."

Puzzled, Miss Marikawa and Saya followed Alice onto the porch.

There was a crowd of people in the front yard. They were from the surrounding farms and houses.

One woman stepped forward. Miss Marikawa remembered her: she had had an injured leg after a zombie encounter; it had required careful bandaging, some painkillers, and follow-up checks to ensure there was no infection.

"Takashi told us what happened, Miss Marikawa," said the woman. "We've come to tell you how important you are to all of us. You've helped every one of us at some time or another."

"Really?" said Miss Marikawa. "All of you?" She looked around at the people. Yes, she remembered each of them. Here was a broken arm that had to be set, there was a fever that had to be treated, an appendix that had to be removed, cuts that needed stitching, babies that needed to be delivered, pregnancies that had to be monitored.

Each of the people came forward. They shook her hand and spoke words of gratitude. Several children gave her flowers they had picked. Yushiro Irie was there as well. She looked at him; he gave a nod of thanks.

"I ... I don't know what to say," said Miss Marikawa.

"Say that you will continue to be the doctor for our community," said the woman.

"I'm not a doctor," said Miss Marikawa. "I don't have a degree or anything."

"You have all the qualifications you need," said Saya.

Saeko, standing next to them, put her hand gently on Miss Marikawa's arm. "Shizuka," she said. "It is time, I think."

Miss Marikawa looked at her and nodded. Then she looked at the people standing before her. She wiped her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "I wish that right now I could speak to you, each of you. But I will just have to say that I will see you soon, on my rounds. Because, as it happens - " she glanced at Saeko " - I have work to do."

END