Joannah

“It snowed for several days in a row.
When it finally let up, I sidled over to the side of the warehouse where I had a clear view of the hospital’s front entrance.
It was the first sunny day in a while, yet Satoru didn’t appear on the terrace.
When the sun began to set, Noriko oulled up in the silver van. Her face looked pale, her hair dishevelled.
I pattered up to her, but she said simply, ‘Sorry, Nana. You’ll have to wait,’ and walked swiftly inside.
…….
Noriko elbowed her way through them to Sat’s side.
‘Satoru, it’s Nana!’
Satoru’s closed eyelids quivered. As if fighting against gravity, they slowly lifted.
Unable to move his head, his eyes searched from side to side.
Noriko clasped Satoru’s hand and placed it gently on top of Nana’s small head.
Satoru’s lips moved faintly. She thought she heard him say, ‘Thank you.’
The ECG screen flat-lined.
Nana nuzzled the top of his head up and down against Satoru’s lifeless hand.”
― Hiro Arikawa, The Travelling Cat Chronicles