Requiem [Sirius the Jaeger]

Chapter 6 - Guilt

"Anyone with a heart, with a family, has experienced loss. No one escapes unscathed. Every story of separation is different, but I think we all understand that basic, wrenching emotion that comes from saying goodbye, not knowing if we'll see that person again – or perhaps knowing that we won't"
~Luanne Rice

Walking down the stairs was easier said than done. It felt like hours went by when I finally managed to reach the bottom. Searching for Dr. Hanada, I found him in the living room with his daughter. Saki was continuing her drawing while her father was sorting some books, probably some medical book again.

After I reached the doorway, I stayed there for a short moment, enjoying the scene in front of me. Saki was extremely lucky to experience something like this. After all, humans were a species that killed each other. Countless orphans inhibited the orphanages everywhere, not just here. All of them with different stories, yet the same pain.

No matter how much I loved watching this scene, I had something to do. With a knock on the doorframe, I managed to catch Dr. Hanada's attention, making him turn around. "Oh, Laika. Do you need something?" His smile was kind and genuine, that much I could tell. "Yes, actually. Do you have a telephone I could use? Our friends are probably worried sick right now." Understanding dawned on his face and he hurriedly put the books in his arms away. "Oh of course. Follow me."

The doctor led me into a hallway, which I guessed let to the front exit. In the middle of it, a telephone hang on the wall, a telephone book laid next to it on a little table. "Use it as long as you like. You most likely have much to talk about." "Thank you."

I gave him a kind smile as he turned around and walked back into the living room. Slowly, I approached the apparatus and took the telephone book into my hands. Since I didn't know the telephone number of the Naoe residence, I searched for it. After finally finding what I was searching for, I used the dial to enter the numbers.

The seconds I waited for someone to pick up seemed almost like an eternity, torturing me in my anxiety. Finally, after what seemed like hours, someone picked up, a female and unfamiliar voice entering my ear.

"Naoe residence. What can I do for you?" She asked kindly, a light surprise in her voice that I couldn't overhear. "My name is Laika; I belong to the V shipping company. Could you get Professor Willard, please?" An audible gasp made its ways through the line to my ear, as she hastily answered. "Of course. Please wait a moment."

The silence was deafening and I began to chew on the inside of my check and biting my lip. A bad habit of mine that came on display when I was anxious or nervous. It was almost unbearable, but finally I heard the familiar voice on the end of the line.

"Laika?" His voice sounded stressed and scared. Understandable considering Yuliy and I have been missing for three days now. "Yeah Professor, it's me." He let out a relieved sigh, knowing I was at least alive. "Oh thank god. Where are you? Is Yuliy with you? Are you two alright?" The words came out like a waterfall, making it hard for me to follow him. He really was worried sick about us. And knowing the others, he wasn't the only one.

"Calm down Professor. A doctor found Yuliy and me unconscious at the shore three days ago, so he took us in. I woke up this morning, Yuliy followed not long ago. We are as fine as we can be." Professor Willard took a minute to take everything in before he continued, way more relaxed than before, yet not completely assured.

"How severely are you two injured?" I sighed, knowing he wouldn't like what would come next. "Well, I've been shot in the shoulder and lost a high amount of blood. Other than that, I'm fine. Yuliy however, well. When he crashed onto the water surface, he protected me. From the height we fell, the water was equally hard as concrete. He suffered some internal bleedings and a dislocated shoulder. But he woke up and his quickly getting better. You know us, we'll be fine in no time." I could hear it was hard for him to keep cool, but he did. He stayed strong for the sake of the team. "Alright. Please give me the address Laika. We'll come immediately."