Son of Death

The bells chimed as the morning breeze blew against them. The serenity of the garden outside Mitsuyo's house gave no hint of any misfortune that was about to fall on the octogenarian. As she sipped green tea from her cup, she took a rice biscuit from the tiny plate in front of her. She grumbled at her husband, Yuumada, as he shuffled his feet towards the table. Ever since he fell while trying to fix the garden door, his movements had become a daily struggle. " What is taking you so long? The tea is getting cold. I don't want to make another pot ."

Mitsuyo loved her husband dearly. He was all she dreamed for. He was a banker and had provided for the family since she married him. She never had to worry about money. For fifteen years after their marriage, they were childless. They were almost giving up hope until one day, when Mitsuyo was forty-one and Yuumada was forty-seven, a medical check-up revealed that Mitsuyo was unwell because of her pregnancy. The unexpected news had brought tears of joy to the couple.
Yuumada sat down slowly at the table while his wife poured him a cup of his favourite tea. She held it up to his lips but he refused to be helped. He took the cup from her with his trembling hands. Mitsuyo brought the plate of biscuits nearer to her much adored husband. She opened a box on the table and took out some rice cakes that her nearest neighbour,Etsuko, had come over to give that early morning. Actually, Etsuko, a young girl in her early twenties, was instructed by the old couple's son, Takeda, to check on them. Takeda had gone to work in the capital city and would be back only during the weekends. He was the pride of the old couple. He was a scholar and after earning a doctorate in Architecture, he got the most prestigious post in an international company.
Never in their lives had they dreamed that Takeda would leave them without saying goodbye. Never had they dreamed that Takeda would leave his betrothed without going through the marriage ceremony. It was a matter of a few days to Takeda's marriage to Etsuko's elder sister, Makido. His wedding suits were all ready and were hanging in the cupboard waiting for the big day. Invitation cards were already sent out and every one was informed. Many of the old couples' friends were already wishing them well and had expressed their happiness for them.
Mitsuyo did not understand why she was extremely grumpy that morning. It must be the excitement of the wedding. She could not sleep well the previous night and her left eyelid kept on twitching. She prayed that nothing bad was going to happen and dismissed the thought that if one's eyelid twitched, it could be a sign of bad things going to happen.

Yuumada was expecting Etsuko that afternoon. He was grumbling about her lateness when suddenly, he saw her appeared in the doorway. He lovingly scolded her for giving him a scare. The pot that was near him came crashing down as he lost his balance a little. Etsuko dashed forward to catch hold of him. Why are you so quiet today? Are you not feeling well? What's wrong with your eyes? Been crying? Your mother scolded you? Etsuko could only shake or nod her head. She was feeling too upset to reply. How is she going to tell them? That their only son is dead? That his body cannot be found? That he is one of the victims of the tsunami that hit Sendai that morning? That they are not going to see him anymore? That there is not going to be any wedding?
Too many thoughts flashed across Etsuko's mind. There was a big and hard lump in her throat. Words just could not come out. Tears flowed profusely down her cheeks as the couple stared at her dumbfounded. What has happened that made this young girl so sad?What is this to do with Takeda? Come on, my dear, could you say properly. What is this about Takeda? Has something happened to him? Oh. please tell me. Don't do this to me. I am old and I do not have many years to live. What have I not gone through at this age? Tell me. Is it Takeda or is it Mikado? Oh, God! Why, why, my son. Why, why, us. Give me back my son. Give me back my Takeda. My poor Takeda! Where are you, my son? Take my life instead! Why take my son? What am I going to do? Who is going to care of us? Takeda, don't you want us anymore?
Mitsuyo cried aloud as her husband slumped across the table. He was struggling convulsively. He was having a heart attack and in a minute, he was motionless. Etsuko looked on stunned. She put him down on the floor and tried to revive him by giving him first aid.She thumped hard on his chest and blew through his mouth. She could not bring him back to life. Mitsuyo looked devastated.

　
　
　
　
　

QUICKIE CHILDREN STORIES: Dead or Alive

QUICKIE CHILDREN STORIES: Dead or Alive: "Takeda must have had walked for metres and what lied before his burning and stinging eyes were unfamiliar and mind boggling. His mind just c..."

Dead or Alive

Takeda must have had walked for metres and what lied before his burning and stinging eyes were unfamiliar and mind boggling. His mind just could not provide him with a better explanation. An earthquake was a definite answer but how did this mess came about. Something happened that wiped out all that was there and left behind the debris where he crawled out from.
A tsunami. That was it and Takeda was stunned for a moment to know that he had survived a tsunami. As he thought of it, he shuddered. Where am I heading? Where are my colleagues and all the rest of the people? What is this place? Where is the office building?
He looked around and the morning sunlight which brought in some brightness gave him some ideas of his location. He must have had walked further away from the sea for the saltish air was no more there and the cries of the seagulls were distant. The flickering from afar now and then lit up the sky and Takeda could see the smoke from a burning mass billowing up into the sky. Moments ago he was too close to it to realise it had come from one spot. He wondered what it could be, and he brushed off the thought of the nuclear plant that could have caught fire. He must have walked away for a long time. He squinted his eyes as if it could help him to see more clearly the strange surroundings. He tried very hard to figure out exactly his whereabouts.
His blistering feet and nagging pain of his scorched skin stopped him from continuing and he sat down to rest. He wondered why he felt extreme dryness, in his throat, his nostrils, his mouth and lips. His eyes could not be open bigger than mere slits. He felt death and just as he felt his lungs could no more give him any air, he heard a moan and as if in answer to the moan, a few voices came running towards it. Suddenly, he was not alone. More humans joined the scene and he could see more people awakening from death. For a moment he wondered if they were walking corpses, just as he had thought he was one.
They looked like zombies trudging slowly towards him.  Takeda was too weak to run away. The familiar syllables of  his mother tongue was heard. "Hello!" in Japanese. Then, followed by a woman's voice asking an uncle whether he had seen her baby. No, I am sorry no, my dear. I lost everything, my wife, my daughter and my grandchildren. I was looking for their bodies. Nowhere, nowhere can they be seen.
On hearing the moan from the debris, both of them rushed towards its direction. At the sight of Takeda, they stopped. They were taken aback by his condition and feeling pity for him, they told him gently that they could not go nearer. The old man spoke again. Son, you have been exposed to radiation. Did you come from over there? Takeda nodded his head feebly. He could not understand this sudden weakness. His vision was blurred. He realised it was not the smoke that caused his blurred vision. He opened his mouth to speak but no voice was heard. He realised the moan had come from him.
He stretched his arm to tell them that he needed water but they were walking away. Suddenly, his stomach turned inside out.  All its contents were now in his mouth. " Come back, come back. Help me."  They did not even come close enough to hear him murmur. "I am Takeda Ochi from Shibuya. Please tell my family I am here." Takeda looked up at the sky. A bright light was shining down on his face and he felt too weak to raise his hands to block off the light. He felt his lungs burst as he tried to breathe in the air. Soon, Takeda's energy was sapped totally and his whole being was pulled into another dimension, somewhat dark, completely silent, filled with nothingness and devoid of life.