It was a bright and mild morning. A few billowing white clouds drifted lazily across the ocean blue sky, the gentle sun reflected off the dew coated grass and flowers, giving the world a shimmer. A human stream filled the streets and sidewalks as the city rose to life.
One lonely widower had a different reaction to the beautifully emerging day.
Hibiki closed the shutters on his windows, locked the door, and sat his tired old body on a reclining chair in front of a blaring television. To Hibiki, the day’s crystal sky was a dark omen and a visceral reminder of that horrific moment all those decades ago when a flash of light took away 100,000 people.
Hibiki had been there when it happened. He was a doctor at the time, and while the bomb canceled the workday for most everyone else but for people in Hibiki’s line of work, there was an additional layer of hell to endure.
“Please...Please..help my daughter!” Hibiki could hear a woman pleading from the street below. With a trembling hand, he picked up the remote and turned up the volume on his little television set.
It was a futile effort, though. More voices soon joined in. Their cries bled through the walls and saturated the room.
Multitudes wailing in agony, begging him to save them and their children. Hibiki held down the button on the remote until the tv was as loud as it could get, but the gathering cries quickly drowned it out.
Hibiki covered his ears and gritted his teeth. “I can’t help all of you! Please just leave me be!” he begged the horde of phantoms.
The front door shook with a heavy knock, and Hibiki’s heart ceased in his chest. A choir of voices cried through the door.
Hibiki could see them in his mind. Legions of grotesque monstrosities their eyes melted by the bomb’s terrible light, the hair burnt off their scorched scalps, and their smoldering flesh peeling from their bones. These ghastly creatures held in the bondage of eternal torment were all there to remind Hibiki they were waiting for him in the next world. A metallic taste filled Hibiki’s mouth, and the door began to rattle more violently.
“It burns it burns!” cried the piercing voice of a child.
Hibiki fell from his chair and crawled into the light of the tv. He pressed his ear up to the set, but the ghosts still cried too loudly.
“Please go,” Hibiki sobbed, “please just go.”
The day passed, and the voices of Hibiki’s ghostly tormentors fade away. Hibiki knew though this was only temporary. His spirit would have an eternity with them.
One lonely widower had a different reaction to the beautifully emerging day.
Hibiki closed the shutters on his windows, locked the door, and sat his tired old body on a reclining chair in front of a blaring television. To Hibiki, the day’s crystal sky was a dark omen and a visceral reminder of that horrific moment all those decades ago when a flash of light took away 100,000 people.
Hibiki had been there when it happened. He was a doctor at the time, and while the bomb canceled the workday for most everyone else but for people in Hibiki’s line of work, there was an additional layer of hell to endure.
“Please...Please..help my daughter!” Hibiki could hear a woman pleading from the street below. With a trembling hand, he picked up the remote and turned up the volume on his little television set.
It was a futile effort, though. More voices soon joined in. Their cries bled through the walls and saturated the room.
Multitudes wailing in agony, begging him to save them and their children. Hibiki held down the button on the remote until the tv was as loud as it could get, but the gathering cries quickly drowned it out.
Hibiki covered his ears and gritted his teeth. “I can’t help all of you! Please just leave me be!” he begged the horde of phantoms.
The front door shook with a heavy knock, and Hibiki’s heart ceased in his chest. A choir of voices cried through the door.
Hibiki could see them in his mind. Legions of grotesque monstrosities their eyes melted by the bomb’s terrible light, the hair burnt off their scorched scalps, and their smoldering flesh peeling from their bones. These ghastly creatures held in the bondage of eternal torment were all there to remind Hibiki they were waiting for him in the next world. A metallic taste filled Hibiki’s mouth, and the door began to rattle more violently.
“It burns it burns!” cried the piercing voice of a child.
Hibiki fell from his chair and crawled into the light of the tv. He pressed his ear up to the set, but the ghosts still cried too loudly.
“Please go,” Hibiki sobbed, “please just go.”
The day passed, and the voices of Hibiki’s ghostly tormentors fade away. Hibiki knew though this was only temporary. His spirit would have an eternity with them.
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