Work Text:
The Three-Day Death
“I feel no good.”
“Wait, who the hell are you?” Asked the young government clerk, he was tired of looking at the calling name on his phone.
“I’m the one who called you yesterday.” Answered the old man.
The young couldn’t make an answer, he totally forgot who the hell this old man is.
“I asked you to take more medicine to my apartment yesterday.” The old continued.
There are bunch of people who called the young to take more medicine, he couldn’t possibly to remember any of them, but he tried his best to remember.
“You know it, my apartment is 2A404.” The old said.
The young knew who the hell he is suddenly. An old man, with a seven-year-old granddaughter. He like that little girl. She’s always stands out with her great shining smart eyes. She’s a cute girl.
“How’s your granddaughter, sir.” The young clerk tried to soothe his tense nerve and spoke out with a mellow voice as best as he could.
“I think I’m about to die.” The old man answered.
“I think I just asked about your granddaughter.”
“She’s fine. She’s on her phone.”
“What happened to you, thought you were in a good state.”
“I feel no good, I need some medicine.”
“I’ve already gave you the medicine.”
“But the medicine had no use.” The old continued.
“Look, sir,” the young tried to calm his nerve, “the whole city’s been in lockdown, you can’t possibly to go to the hospital at any rate. What I can is to offer more medicine to you. Three days later.”
“Still THAT one?” Asked the old.
“THAT one.”
“But THAT medicine had no use.”
“I know, sir, but that’s the most I can do for you right now.”
“But THAT medicine had no use.”
“I know, I fucking know.”
The young couldn’t contain his temper anymore. His voice was no more mellow.
“I just wish that you could offer me a solution.” Answered the old man. “I’m not feeling good, that’s why I need your help.”
“There’s nothing I can do for you.” Shouted the young.
The clerk also needed the help. It’s been three days since he could have an hour-long sound sleep. His head was extremely aching, and he couldn’t have any thinking. He wanted to tell the old fellow how fucking-no-good he is, but he couldn’t do it. It’s no use.
He stared at the serene sky, most part of which was blocked by a skyscraper.
“Look sir, I’m sorry. But there’s nothing I can do for you.” He mellowed his voice, again.
“I know it.” The old man answered.
He looked out to the serene sky. A pigeon flew apart from the skyscraper.
“How about your granddaughter?”
“She’s fine. She’s on her phone.”
“Is she alright?”
“She’s good. She’s contented.”
“How?”
“She said that there will be no lockdown three days later. Everything will be back into normal.”
“That’s not gonna happen.” Said the clerk.
“I’m too old a fellow, but I trust my sweety angel.”
“Yeah, she’s smart.” Answered the young.
“Indeed. She is smart. She got three-hundred points last semester.”
“That’s a huge accomplishment.”
“I’m proud of her. Her parents will also be proud of her.”
“Me too.” Said the clerk.
“So, what happened to her parents?” The clerk continued.
“They are already dead, I guess.”
…
“Look sir,” the young tried to restart the topic, “I’ve done everything I can.”
“I know it. You’ve done everything, indeed.”
“Sir, I’m just a clerk. I can only do what they told me to.”
“I know it.”
“And I’m sick of it. Many people died this morning.”
“What a pity.”
“Their bodies are left in their apartments. I can do nothing to help them.”
“They should be sent to the crematorium.”
“Nah, we are not permitted to do that. The gate’s been locked.”
“But it’s just one block away.”
“Yeah, I know it.”
“You could just call them and they will carry the body out themselves.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“It’s not.”
“Fuck it is.”
“IT IS more FUCKING complicated than you thought.” The young continued. The nerve had been numb, there is no use to soothe his nerve.
It is complicated, indeed. An iron wall blocked the way to the gate. The crematorium was locked, too.
“Yeah, I know it.” Answered the old.
“I think I’m about to die.” The old man continued.
“Sir, I have nothing to help you.”
“I know it.”
“I’ve done everything that I can, I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I think it’s on me.”
“It’s not, you are just a clerk.”
“I don’t know. But I’m sick of it.”
“I know.”
The girl stared out to the serene sky. A group of pigeons were flying around the skyscraper. The girl smirked and started to gaze her phone.
“I want to ask you a favor.” The old man said.
“I will do the best I can.” The young clerk answered.
“I want you to pick up my granddaughter three days later.”
“How’s your granddaughter?”
“She’s fine. She’s looking out.”
“She can’t. It’s not possible. She’s been in lockdown.”
“I know it, but pick her up.”
“I will do the best I can.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“It’s my job.”
The call ended.
The young picked up the girl three days later.
The old man puffed up. His face puckered with agony.
The apartment filled with the stinky smell. The girl, with her great shining smart eyes, sitting on the bed.
“I think grandpa is not good these days, he’s not moving.” The girl was on her phone, without a gesture, saying to the man.
“Yeah, my sweety angel, I know it.” Answered he.