Miko bolted as fast as she could down the street. The summer festival had taken place at a local park. It was a small shot, but she put all her eggs in one basket for this. Through the bushes, up the hill. Her heart pounded and her lungs stung, but she had to keep going. Finally, she reached the bench at the halfway point. Just as she had hoped, a small lined paper was taped to the backrest. Her hand trembled as she plucked the note off of the bench.
“I’m guessing you’ll be making your way here at some point. You know who you are. If not, then this is addressed to whoever might find it.
I can’t stand this dark, heavy, gnawing feeling eating away at my heart. I’m suffocating in my body. I’m growing in reverse, never being able to do the things I want and sacrificing my needs as a result. Every decision I make ends up in misfortune for me. I can’t take it anymore.
If it hasn’t been found already, my body will probably be somewhere around the south side of the river. It’d be a safe bet to start looking downstream of the bridge. I don’t really know how dead bodies work.
Anyway, that’s all. It wasn’t exactly fun while it lasted, but I guess living was an experience that I could maybe go through again.
Hoshimachi Suisei”
Miko took off running again. She’d seen the attempted suicide from A Silent Voice. She knew how that song and dance went, having seen it in the eyes of grieving mothers. Her lungs screamed and her legs ached, but she kept pushing forward. She rushed toward the bridge at the south side of town as though she were a comet in her own right.
It took far too long and by the time she got there she was a sweaty, wheezing mess. A glimpse of light from the moon bounced off the waves below the bridge, shining a silhouette for a split second. Miko gasped, uncertain if she’d make it halfway across the bridge. She had to try, she wouldn’t forgive herself if she let this poor woman die in front of her eyes.
Suisei sighed. The breeze was wicked this high above the water. Surely the fall would be enough to kill her. If it didn’t, then she’d be too far broken to avoid drowning. A fitting fate, considering she couldn’t hardly breathe at all anymore as it was. She gripped onto the top of the railing, stepping up onto the first bar. Only two more bars separated her from her demise. Another step up, one more bar. She leaned against the support beam to her right. The wind might knock her off before she makes peace with herself. One more bar to go. Her legs wobbled with instability. She didn’t know if her body was telling her to stop or if it was just that windy.
‘This is it. I’m ready. I can do this. I know I can.’ She pressed harder against the support beam, lifting her right leg up to the final bar. One more push and she’d be ready to fall.
“WAIT!!!”
A grip tightened itself around her legs, forcing her to lean against the support beam with her full weight to avoid falling. She whipped her head around to see none other than the shrine maiden herself.
“Please, Sui-chan, don’t do this! Let’s just talk this out!” Her voice was strained and she was panting hard. Her grip was tight against her, but it was weak from exhaustion.
‘I should at least humor her…’
Suisei slowly lowered herself down. As she did, Miko let go of her but kept guard to make sure she was stable. Her feet touched the ground again and she inhaled hard. Had she been holding her breath that whole time?
YOU ARE READING
In Those Deep, Starry Eyes, I See Cherry Petals Depressed but breathing
FanfictionShrine maiden Sakura Miko can read the eyes of those she helps. They come to her seeking advice, and she happily assists. When a blue-haired woman appears with eyes she can't read, how will she be able to help? What lies in store for both of them in...
