Flowers of Death

Tsubaki

In our world, we have a predetermined death date.  A month before our death, we will receive a letter in the mail.  This letter will have an invitation to a special hospital, where we will live our last week in.  Much like the others, I obediently prepared for my death within the first three weeks of the month before packing my things to go to the hospital.

The doctor whose care I would be under was Ishida Shuuichi, though that was an alias, as he took care of humans as well.  He explained the procedures I would be going through in order to have a comfortable ending.  At first, it was truly relaxing.  I didn't have to worry about putting up a facade, nor did I have to worry about working or meeting anyone's expectations.  The stress was melting away, but when the fourth day arrived, I felt this sudden anxiety and fear.

"I don't want to die...," I confessed to Ishida-sensei.  He could only provide me with a sympathetic look.

"You cannot avoid death, it's the law of the universe and a concept that is inevitable the moment you start living,"  Ishida-sensei shot down any sliver of hope I had for surviving beyond the next three days.  Even if I deny it, it's the truth.  I cannot escape death.

But I didn't want to simply wait for it.  I missed the world beyond the hospital walls, but there was no way for me to leave.  I could no longer muster up the strength to leave the bed.  That was the reason why we are invited into the hospital— we do not die peacefully, nor quickly.  It slowly eats away at us, until there is nothing left.  I looked out the window.

The luscious hydrangeas that grew just outside my room were incredibly beautiful.  They were pastel pink, blue, white, and purple.  It would be wonderful if I could gaze at them up close.

If I could smell them.

If I could touch them.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Ishida-sensei told me as he got up from the stool.  He must've noticed that I didn't want to talk to him.

A young girl came into my hospital room about an hour after Ishida-sensei left.  Following her was an adolescent male, who immediately picked her up to prevent her from walking farther into the room.

"Hey, you can't walk into a patient's room without permission," He scolded the girl before looking over to me.  "I'm so sorry for disturbing you.  Ajisai, go on and apologize."

"I just wanted to talk to someone!  Higanbana is so stingy!"  Ajisai pouted.

"It's alright. It's a good thing that such a young child is so lively," I was reminded of my nearing death when I was unable to tell if these two were humans or not, but the joyful grin on Ajisai's face prevented me from feeling any sense of despair.

"Ne, ne, what's your name?"  Ajisai asked me.

"Tsubaki."

"Ah! You also have a flower name!" Ajisai was excited when she heard my name.  She struggled out of Higanbana's grip and skipped over to the side of my bed, putting her arms onto the edge.  "Camellias are really pretty!  We have some in the garden!  Why don't you go out and see them?"

"I can no longer move my legs," my eyebrows scrunched together, as I was a bit troubled.  I would've gone out if I could move.

"Higanbana, help Tsubaki into a wheelchair!  He should see the flowers!!"  Ajisai insisted as she looked over to Higanbana.  The older male could only sigh in defeat.

"Would you like to?  I don't mind helping you as long as you'd like to go see the flowers. There's no need for you to go with Ajisai's whims, but I do think the flowers are something worth looking at," Higanbana asked me.