Kimiko And The Cranes

• Selina Lin, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2009

The first time Kimiko saw them, she was entranced. She was held by their spell for a full minute, then started to cry with pure joy. As she watched them, they called to her, and playfully flapped their wings. It was as though they were performing a show, and their audience was Kimiko. There was no other way of putting it - Kimiko loved them.

“Kimiko!” Toshiro called. “Your mother wants you.”
“Ok, Toshiro!” Kimiko answered.
Toshiro watched Kimiko, feeling happiness and sadness in equal parts. Ever since they had been babies, they had been the best of friends, but Toshiro knew that wouldn’t last. Toshiro closed his eyes, feeling tears. One week, Kimiko. One week.

“Kimiko…?” someone called from inside the house.
“I’m here,” she replied.
Her mother emerged, looking so sad Kimiko wanted to comfort her. “There’s something I need to tell you… You’re dying.”
Kimiko’s vision swam in a sea of spots, and she fainted.

Kimiko woke up, feeling groggy. Then she saw Toshiro.
“Toshiro!” she cried.
“Hello, Kimiko,” Toshiro replied, sounding totally neutral.
“Oh, cut it out,” she snapped. “Just tell me!”
“What?”
Kimiko sobered up. “How long… how long I have to live.”
Toshiro’s face darkened, and he whispered in anguish, “I wanted to tell you, Kimiko, but…” A tear escaped from an eye.
“Tell me,” Kimiko said quietly.
Toshiro answered, “Two days.”

Kimiko felt confused, she didn’t want to leave anyone behind.
After a while she dozed off, dreaming she was a crane, playing with them on the frozen lake. She felt their joy. Maybe, she thought, she was, at heart, a crane.

Toshiro slumped in a chair, silently cursing whatever god had brought this upon Kimiko. He called out in his mind, Kimiko!

'Kimiko!' the cranes called. Kimiko opened her eyes, and gasped. It was the lake!
'Kimiko!' You don’t have long! the cranes cried urgently.
'What? Am I a crane?' she thought.
One of the cranes stepped forward. 'Kimiko. You must find your special one, or you’ll die here, alone.'
Kimiko realised who the special one was. 'Toshiro!'

Toshiro cried to the sky, some swans watching him curiously.
'Toshiro,' A swan murmured, 'Your special one…'
'Kimiko!' was Toshiro’s first thought. 'I have to find her! Even if I am… a swan.'

The cranes watched Kimiko fly away, a lonely bird among the clouds in the sky. At the same time, Toshiro farewelled the swans, and he, too, flew away.

For a day and night, Kimiko and Toshiro flew in vain. Toshiro finally flew back to the frozen lake, asking the cranes for shelter. Kimiko was close to death, knowing that she had hours to live. Weakly, she flew to the lake, sometimes walking. Seeing Toshiro, she collapsed and knew no more.

Kimiko blinked, feeling better than she had in weeks. Seeing Toshiro, she smiled.
“We’re back, aren’t we?”
“Yes,” Toshiro answered, tears starting to flow.
Kimiko closed her eyes and slipped peacefully into an eternal sleep.
'Thank you, cranes.'