“ERIE, Cliff’s here,” Getz told Erie outside her room in the clinic standing on the outskirts of Chest Island.
He received no reply in return. He never did.
After what had happened in the cellar, Getz admitted Erie to his clinic, where at least her physical injuries recovered. He continued to care for her there ever since.
The tranquilizer drug was capable of putting people in a state of suspended animation, otherwise known as temporary death. The drug’s effects could only last so long. His earnest care paid off when Erie finally opened her eyes six months ago.
But she hadn’t uttered a single word since waking up. The miserable, sorrowful memories of their time together should have been stripped from her, but Erie wept when she saw Heath’s grave. She seemed incapable of knowing how to show any other emotion since.
Getz occasionally wondered if he had made the right choice. But he remembered that her life was already born into the world. He wanted her to survive and live her life to the fullest, regardless of the karma from the past she shouldered.
The least he could do for her was stay by her side. He would remain with her until the day she regained both her mind and soul. As he made that promise within himself, Erie wordlessly stepped out of her room.
Getz kindly said to her, “It seems he is going to pay a visit to Mrs. Kiriko. We have some fine weather today. Why not go with him?”
Erie remained with her head down, eyes trained on the floor. Then she finally gave a firm nod and walked toward the clinic entryway.
✦ ✦ ✦
DRAM Junior zoomed across Neck Bridge. Ouka’s heart pounded in his chest as he rode on the lion’s back.
“I’m positive she’ll be furious if I’m late…”
After all, I’ve been under her pretty little thumb ever since I woke up a year ago, Ouka thought as he hurried to the hospital on Head Island.
He eventually arrived at his destination, hopped off Dram’s back, and rushed inside, where he spotted familiar faces at the front desk.
Ouka greeted the two people he knew. “Hey, if it ain’t Cliff and Erie. What’re you two doin’ here?”
They were restlessly pacing in front of the desk. Cliff noticed Ouka first, and immediately begged him for help. “We came to visit Miss Kiriko, but they refused to let us in because we aren’t family.”
“Obviously. It’d be impossible to tell what your relationship is to her, with just the two of ya here.” Ouka smiled wryly and announced to the nurse behind the desk, “I’m Kiriko Baraki’s husband. I came to visit her with family friends.”
The nurse smiled and greeted, “Thank you for coming,” and then let them through. The kids accompanied Ouka down the hallway until they arrived at Kiriko’s hospital room. Ouka cleared his throat once, then opened the door.
The hospital room curtain rippled in the wind. Kiriko was sitting on the bed next to the window with a peaceful expression.
Ouka walked over to her bed. “Yo! You doin’ good my little boy?!” he addressed the tiny new life swaddled in his wife’s arms.
The baby partially opened his eyes and looked at Ouka. Cliff peered at him from the side and exclaimed, “Wow! He’s so adorable!”
“Yeah, yeah! He so is!” Ouka agreed, nodding repeatedly.
Kiriko flashed a teasing grin. “I know, isn’t he? I am so relieved he doesn’t resemble his father one bit.”
“Hey, Kiriko, that’s not nice!” Ouka whined.
“Can I hold him?” Cliff asked.
“Of course you can. Be super careful,” Ouka said. Kiriko nodded and held the baby out—not to Cliff, but to Erie.
Erie shuddered with fright. She took her time before timidly holding out her arms. Kiriko smiled kindly at her and laid her son in her grasp. Erie accepted the baby a bit awkwardly. Apprehension showed on her face, but she held the baby with care, as though handling a glass crystal.
“What’s his name?” Cliff asked.
Kiriko smiled and replied, “Alita.”
Ouka and the others heard a faint voice repeat the name.
“…Alita.”
The voice was so quiet, it was nearly impossible to pick up on. But, sure enough, the speaker—Erie—had said something for the first time in two years.
Ouka looked at Erie and saw that she was smiling.
✦ ✦ ✦
CLIFF and Erie finished their visit, said goodbye to Ouka and Kiriko, and left the hospital. Erie’s smile had returned. Ouka and Kiriko seemed happier than Cliff had ever seen them before.
I’m so glad for them, Cliff thought.
He returned to the clinic with Erie.
“Welcome back,” Getz greeted them at the door.
Cliff bowed to him and escorted Erie back into his care. Then, he said, “Professor Getz, I’ve come to do my daily job.”
Getz nodded and let him inside the clinic. Cliff passed through the hallway and opened the farthest clinic room door. A girl remained asleep on the bed inside, as she had for two years.
Cliff walked over to the girl’s bed and changed the IV drip for her like he did every day.
He didn’t know if he had made the right decision by admitting her to the clinic and caring for her like this for the past two years. But she was a life he had gotten involved with once. He didn’t think it was right to abandon, ignore, or give up on her.
She had taught him that.
She had never lost her brilliance or her spirit in the face of the unreasonable, horrible fate she shouldered. Even Cliff couldn’t be sure just how much courage her smile had given him.
Thanks to her, I can love life. And the strength Master Roche gave me acts as my pillar of support to this day. I’ll continue to protect the life they left to me, Cliff thought, and looked at the girl’s face.
The girl’s eyes slowly opened. Cliff drew in a sharp breath. She sat up and looked around.
The girl who had woken up for the first time in two years said, “Where…am I?” She looked at Cliff. She tilted her head slightly to one side and asked, “Who are you?”
“Clifford… Clifford Evans,” Cliff told her his name, his voice trembling, just like it had the first time he met her.
“…Cliff?” She dropped her head when she heard his name. She thoughtfully murmured, “I wonder why…this should be the first time I’ve met you, but you feel so incredibly nostalgic to me.”
The girl marveled at him and asked, “Say, why am I here? Can you tell me?”
Tears rushed to Cliff’s eyes and spilled over.
Cliff knew. He knew of the most amazing woman in the world, who had lived a short five days to save the daughter she loved more than anything else. He knew of the amazing man who spent the final moments of his unfortunate life thinking of the girl he loved.
They had both fought for the sake of this girl, in spite of knowing that they would disappear. Cliff thought back to his memories with them, and then of how he had to relay it all to her.
“Where should I begin?” Cliff said. He wiped away his tears and smiled at her.
The End