Story Short Stories

[Miaow]

• .
• .

• 
  
  
  

  Oakville Memorial Hospital

  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  TRIGGER WARNING

  
  
  
  

  medical and mental health themes
  THIS IS A WIP

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  These days, knowing more makes you more miserable.

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  Miyu had been showing signs of recovery. Her fingers would switch, she seemed to respond to voices, she even squeezed her foster mothers hand... but that was a month ago now.
  
  While she had been sleeping, the world had ended. A mystery virus had spread with incomparable speed, causing the dead to rise and attack their loved ones. Most of the population had been wiped out in the initial outbreak and the stragglers were still being picked off, whether it by the undead, hunger or infighting. Miyu, however, was completely unaware, her consciousness locked inside a paralysed body. She was kept alive by IV drips and machines.
  
  

  ---

  
  It was early morning when Miyu awoke, desoriented and confused. She pushed herself up in bed, propping herself up on her elbows as she winced. Her arms felt weak, like they could give out at any moment underneath her own weight. Her mouth and throat were dry, her stomach was empty, so much so that it began to cramp. She groaned softly, forcing herself to sit up and hugging her arms across her stomach. She was a little dizzy, how long had she been laid down for?
  
  She found herself in a hospital ward, though it wasn't as white and shiny as normal. There was blood splattered on the walls, now dried and crusted over. There was an awful smell, her stomach turning as she scanned the room to try and find the source. All of the beds were empty though it looked like they had been vacated in a hurry, the sheets were strewn all over the place, some of the pillows had been ripped to shreds. She frowned, pushing her messy hair out of her face.
  
  Most of these hospitals had buttons to call the nurses, right? She was sure she had seen one of those when visiting one of her old foster parents. She began to search her bedside table, her hands shakey and clumsy as she opened the drawers. She paused, seeing her old phone. She grabbed it, holding it in both hands to try and press the power button. By some miracle, it turned on. It must have been turned off this whole time. She watched her lock screen fill with notifications as it caught up from a month of being inactive. Every text was from her foster mother, Ichika. She scrolled through them in silence.
  
  "Miyu, when you wake up, call me, okay?"
  
  "I put spare pyjamas in the bottom draw of your bedside cabinet, I'll see you on Monday x"
  
  "I don't know what's happening, Miyu, but stay put, okay? I'll come get you."
  
  "I can't get out of the apartment but stay in the hospital, you're safer there, I'll come get you when I can, I promise"
  
  "To whoever is looking after Miyu:
  Make sure her IV fluids are topped up
  Keep up with her physio or her muscles with atrophy
  She has spare pyjamas in the bottom draw of her bedside cabinet, please don't let her wear the same ones for too long
  If she wakes up, ask her to call me
  If she doesn't want to eat, try mochi, she always eats mochi
  Thank you for looking after her,
  Ichika"
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  Lost

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  Pyjamas

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  Miyu

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

@NagaseMiyu

9 minutes ago

nine lives

 

[Miaow]

Dam Minyoung

"When you lock in place and can’t move because you’re too busy being in your own head and paranoid about how much everyone hates you, it won’t be me who saves you. Better pray someone in here gives enough of a shit. But I suppose you don’t think that’s gonna happen, huh."

Minnie felt a lump in her throat, a tight cramping sensation as he spoke those words to her. An awful cold feeling flushed over her, her face tingling as the blood rushed from her head. Her vision blurred as her eyes welled up, hot tears spilling onto her cheeks.

Maybe he was right. She always froze at the most important moment; On stage, during presentations, in life-and-death situations. She was a liability, they had to be able to trust her to run when needed and at that moment, they just couldn't.

She could hear her sister arguing back, though it was muffled as she found herself losing control of her own body. She couldn't concentrate, her hands shaking as she tried to cling to consciousness. It felt as if she was hanging onto her body by a thread as the strong currents tried to drag her away. She felt like she was at home again as her mother argued with a strange man behind the wall. Haewon searched the cupboards for any scraps of food while Minnie sat on the table, her eyes teary.

She remembered different men each week, coming in and out of her house, disappearing into her mother's bedroom. She didn't understand it, she wondered what they could possibly be doing in there.

She remebered Haewon holding her after her mother's rougher customers, trying to protect her from them as they yelled and threw things, but Haewon was young, too, there wasn't much she could do.

She remembered Haewon scooping her up and running down the street, trying to find a nice neighbour who would let them stay over.

She remembered the bruises and the screaming and the horrible men.

She managed to claw herself back, her chest tight as she finally took a breath, only to blurt out:

"Then maybe you should've just let me die, then!"

TEMPLATE BOKEH​

 

[Miaow]

the sun.

"Don't touch me!" Miyu frantically signed as she scrambled to her feet, her nose bleeding, her hair scraggly and messily cut short. Her eyes were wild as she backed away, a cornered animal as poachers loomed in. She felt hot tears spill onto her cheeks, her vision blurred. Her face hurt, her limbs ached from fighting, her dress was torn and bloody. What had they done to her? She could barely remember.

"Hey-- Hey, calm down--" The stranger pleaded, their arms outstretched as if trying to tame a beast, "I'm not here to hurt you."
Miyu couldn't read their lips through her tears, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Her thoughts were cloudy, a dark feeling filling her head and making it heavy on her shoulders. Her ears rang louder than usual, the piercing screech driving her insane.
"Trust me, I'm not here to hurt you!" The stranger continued, reaching out and taking her by the wrist. A wave of panic flushed across her body as if the world around her was spinning. She yelped, pulling her hand away like their touch burned her flesh. The stranger flinched, holding their hands up in defence.

"Alright, I-I'm sorry," They assured her, a lump in their throat. They watched her tremble, the cold finally getting to her. She looked... wet. Her hair was damp, her dress sad and limp and full of holes.
"You look cold... let me..." They muttered, removing their thick, fur coat. They cautiously approached Miyu, holding the coat out to her before draping it around her shoulders, making sure they didn't actually touch her skin. They then stepped back, giving her space. Miyu was hesitant before gently wrapping the coat around herself, her shoulders hunched.
"Thank you," She signed, though avoided eye contact. There was a pause as the two hesitated.

"Who did this to you?"

mood: oh god oh no
location: the science lab

the moon.

© PASTA​