Cells at Work: Realisations

Malaria | Part 2

"Sekkekkyū!"

She just collapsed, first sinking to her knees, her head hitting the ground mere moments before he made it to her. No; he couldn't be too late!

1146 dashed into the side-road and reached her by simply dropping to his knees, never slowing, ignoring the pain upon impact. It didn't matter. He was panting now after his fear-fuelled search, but without ever catching his breath took hold of her body, turning her until he all but cradled her in his arms.

He lifted her head closer to him, patting her cheek in an attempt to wake her. "Sekkekkyū! Wake up! Talk to me!" There was no reaction. His own body suddenly felt cold, his organelles twisting uncomfortably. No, no, no!

Quickly his eyes wandered to her wrist and to his horror saw the trophozoite around it. Anger flared up within him, for the moment pushing aside his fear, but 1146 knew that trying to get it off would be a waste of time. Time 3803 did not have! Holding her in his arms he quickly rose again and ran back in the direction of the stomach. He had to find NK!

The erythrocyte's body felt both light and eerily limp as he carried her, keeping her close, her head placed against his chest so it wouldn't get tossed around with each step. Desperation was driving him further on and he pulled 3803 even closer, when he leaped through the small gap between two erythrocytes, who hadn't seen him coming. He heard their gasps of surprise, but ignored them. There was not a second to waste.

She couldn't die. He wouldn't let her die!

They would have tea together and she would tell him everything about her last time getting lost, listen to her imaginative descriptions of the world around them. Through her eyes everything seemed new and wondrous. The idea that they might never open again...

1146 nearly stumbled, his legs moving almost too swiftly for him to control, but he didn't dare to slow down. He had to get her to NK; nothing else mattered right now.

Any cell that saw him thankfully leaped out of the way and fortunately it was easy enough to run around the few who didn't see him.

Even though it wasn't too great a distance, it felt like an eternity before he reached the vessel where the other erythrocyte had died. He turned around the last corner, and somewhat alleviated, spotted NK immediately. She was still here and from the looks of it she was talking to a macrophage. Was the other phagocyte here to take care of the dead?

"NK!" he yelled, getting the other leucocyte's attention.

"Neutrophil, you're back." NK welcomed him, her eyes darting to erythrocyte in his arms. "I see you found her."

Stopping right in front of the other two immune cells he lifted 3803's arm. He would have sworn that the trophozoite had grown. "Quickly; you have to cut it off!" Even he noticed the sound of anxiety in his own voice, but he couldn't care less.

It was somewhat infuriating how relaxed NK reacted despite that, only appearing a little taken aback by his intensity. "Calm down," she told him, but thankfully took his friend's wrist. Like before she proceeded to cut the parasite apart, both halfs falling twitching to the ground, leaking their crimson content. "There; she might even be still alive."

Ignoring the almost snide tone underlining her words, 1146 reached for his friend's throat; only now did he realise that his fingers were shaking ever so slightly. He sighed in relief when he felt her cytoplasm stirring beneath them. She really was alive.

For the first time since going on his search, the neutrophil allowed himself a deep, calming breath. He remained however apprehensive. AE 3803 eyes stayed closed and he now noticed that her skin was almost as pale as his own. It begged the question: could she recover from this?