The Crane Wife

Chapter 6

     Who knew that such a joyous night would end so quickly? Ren suddenly took a turn for the worse the morning after. His labored breaths getting heavier and his ferocious coughs seemingly shook the earth. The Takamis are over to help. The retired doctor sat on a wooden stool in the kitchen as he waited for the medicine to boil. While his wife is helping the heavily pregnant Rin with laundry.

     "Alright Rin, you go and sit down. I'll hang these up by myself." The older woman directed Rin to step aside and Rin did as she was told. Too many thoughts and emotions are swirling in her mind. Rin walks inside the house and heads straight into the kitchen.

     The older gentleman quickly gets up and helps Rin to sit down where he was just a few seconds ago. "Thank you," Rin murmurs. Staring at the pot of medicine, she asks him, "How much more does he need?"

     "Hah, a lot more. But the medicine is too expensive. I can't believe those folks who claim to be physicians, but really only go after money. This is a time of need, everyone needs the herbs and concoctions, but they only think of how to pocket money. Tch!" Mr. Takami angrily tells the pregnant woman.

     Calmed down he proceeds to advise her, "Dear, don't stress yourself out. Let me and the old woman out there worry about the medicine. You just focus on taking care of yourself, the baby, and Ren. Just make sure that you guys have food and warm clothes. The seasons have gone by so quickly. Winter will be upon us soon."

     Silence ensues as Rin can only falsely nod her head.

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     A week has passed since that fleeting blissful night. Day and night, Rin continues to weave at the loom. And tonight is no different. The young woman sits at the loom and her hands are weaving her plucked feathers as fast as she can. Rin can feel it, her strength and life force has been slowly sucked away and her body becoming heavier and heavier.

     But the man lying next door is in an even worse than her. Ren's coughs can be heard throughout the entire house, his face, hands, and feet are paler than the white sheer snow in winter, and try as he might, but he couldn't hide the fact that with each cough a blot of blood comes with it too.

     Tonight is also no different as Ren exhaustedly lay in bed and cough through out the entire night. Tears gather in Rin's delicate eyes listening to the sound of his painful coughs. Her tiny hands begin to tremble as her fingers devote themselves to weaving.

     Unable to bear hearing his violent coughs, she tells and commands herself and body, "Faster! Faster! I must hurry and buy the medicine! A little longer, just a little longer before the maples shed their leaves! Until these hands stop working, until these feathers are all gone!"

     A silent aggrieved cry escapes her lips as Rin tearfully weave until the wee hours of the morning.