An Unforeseen Departure

"Euthanasia...what does that mean?" Shu asked, his voice trembling as he struggled to support himself against the wall.

Only after he spoke did he realize how hoarse his voice had become, the question a raspy whisper.

Natasha jumped, whirling around to see Shu slumped in the corner, his face ashen, devoid of color.

"Wait, why are you here?" she exclaimed, alarmed by his near-deathly appearance. She shot a questioning glance at Vakh.

Vakh simply shrugged, clutching the curtain and exiting the room.

Shu realized how out of sorts he must look. His left hand still twitched spasmodically, but the agonizing pain had subsided.

Pushing down his discomfort, he straightened, walked over to Natasha, and repeated his question. "Euthanasia… does that mean… assisted death?"

"Yes…" Natasha replied. Despite Shu's obvious weakness, an undeniable pressure emanated from him, a feeling of dominance she'd never experienced before.

Shu nodded slightly, closing his eyes. The spasms in his hand lessened. He unclenched his right hand, which had been gripping his left, and exhaled slowly. "I'm… sorry. I didn't mean to…" he murmured, eyes downcast.

Was he apologizing for his presence, or for that strange, oppressive aura?

He stared at his left hand, his mind unusually clear. So this was the pain Vakh had documented.

Just two simple characters on the page, no bolding, no highlighting, yet the reality was so profoundly disturbing.

Everyone… every single child here endured this. This… agony.

"Can… can I see her?" he asked Natasha, his voice still weak.

Natasha hesitated, then nodded.

Behind them, Vakh, now wearing gloves, opened a hidden drawer and retrieved a small vial.

Shu moved towards the girl's bedside.

Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, pupils dilated, bloodshot. It was a heartbreaking sight.

Shu stood on her unaffected side, tentatively reaching out. He gently placed his hand on her forehead, stroking her hair downwards.

Vakh, who'd been preparing the medication, suddenly looked up, undisguised shock on his face.

"Shu, you…!" Natasha started, so stunned she forgot honorifics, her words catching in her throat.

"Big… brother?" A weak, reedy voice, as fragile as a cobweb, echoed through the silent room.

Vakh froze. Natasha held her breath, afraid to move, peering over Shu's shoulder as he gently took the girl's unaffected hand in his.

"Mm…" Shu bent down, positioning himself so the girl could see his face. He smiled gently.

[From Natasha—Give the child a chance to say goodbye.]

The girl's eyes seemed to regain a flicker of life, losing some of their dullness. It was like she was seeing the world for the first time.

"Where… where am I?" she whispered, her face still pale. Her eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings. "Big brother… who… who are you?"

The unfamiliar environment seemed to frighten her.

The girl's small hand clung to Shu's.

He reached up with his left hand and gently stroked her hair as she tried to turn her head.

"You're in a hospital," he said softly. "We're… we're here to protect you."

"Oh…" The girl's eyes fluttered closed for a moment. When Shu removed his hand, she no longer tried to turn her head. She simply stared at him, then at Natasha, who stood silently behind him.

Suddenly, a faint spark lit up her eyes.

"Ah… that lady… I've seen you… before…"

Natasha pointed to herself. Shu glanced at her, and she quickly moved to his side, bending down so the girl could see her better. She desperately wanted to know how Shu was doing this, but now wasn't the time.

"Do you remember me?" Natasha asked, forcing what she hoped was a reassuring smile. It came out a little stiff.

The girl nodded weakly, as if even the smallest movement drained her.

"Yes… big sister… when I was hurting… you came… you saved me…" she murmured, her eyes drifting closed again.

Shu felt the girl's grip weaken.

"It… it hurt so much… I felt like I was…" Her voice wavered. "I called for Mommy and Daddy… but they weren't there… I felt so bad… I wanted to cry…"

"It's okay… it's okay now," Natasha said, her voice trembling slightly. She reached for the girl's hand, but it slipped from Shu's grasp.

"Big brother… kind lady… do you know where Mommy and Daddy are?" The girl's eyes were no longer glazed over, but filled with a desperate plea.

Natasha faltered, looking to Shu, unsure how to answer.

Shu looked down at the frail hand resting lightly in his. "Don't worry," he said softly. "They'll be here to see you soon."

"Okay…" The girl didn't nod this time. She fell silent, lost in thought.

They watched, waiting, as the silence stretched on. Shu wondered what was going through her mind.

Finally, she turned her head slightly.

"Thank you… big brother…"

Then her hand went limp. She was gone.

It happened so suddenly, without warning, without fanfare. Just an abrupt, unforeseen departure.