Page 23 - Combined Inter-section 3B & 3R Creative Writing publication 8-28-2021

Flash Fiction Series Combined Sections: ARW-3B & 3R - Draft Copy 8-29-2021 18

Untitled

By Shino*

It was an unusual day for me. It was drizzling outside, but that was as
usual. It was that my owner - a woman who would never be so emotional - was

crying. I went by my owner and tried to cheer her up, but it seemed to be no

use. “What happened to you? How can I help you?”
My owner was a lady who lived alone in a rural little town. She wasn’t
married, so she and I were the only ones living in that big old house. I would lie

down on tatami and feel the beautiful scent of it. My owner was always gentle,

and didn't seem to have any obsession. But I knew there was one thing she
liked to do - folding paper cranes. She would fold them every day before

sleeping. It was the only time I can feel she is happy, and also a little bit sad.
It was that day, she stopped folding paper cranes. She kept on crying

for days and nights, until she started talking to me slowly, stroking my back.
“When I was a little girl, I was in a hospital for several weeks. It wasn’t a serious

disease, but I felt anxious and lonely. One day, my friend came to see me with
a thousand paper cranes. She said that she folded them with other

classmates. I was so happy and relieved then, but I couldn’t say thank you
because I was too shy and nervous to speak in front of people.” She stopped

for a while, and looked up at the blue high sky. “But my friend, my only friend,
was diagnosed with cancer. When I heard that, I thought I must fold one

thousand paper cranes. But, but -” Her stroking hands stopped. Tears fell on
my head. “But I was too late. She passed away before I finished folding them.” I

didn’t know what ‘pass away’ was, and what was sad about it. I just felt I
should help her, but I didn’t know-how.

Now I know what ‘pass away’ means, and I do regret not being able to
understand it then. [354 words]

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