Connection #7

*Omi*

I walked up to Orami Hospital. I clutched the white irises in my hand. In truth, I�m on a mission. A numbered one is in this hospital here. Phoenix sent me on this mission.

�Someone sent me saying a college student is in Orami Hospital,� she told me this morning. �We have to find her.�

�Why?� I asked.

�We have to find everyone to connect with them. I don�t know why, but we must,� she told me.

�Alright,� I said. �Tell me what I need to do.� Phoenix gave me the instructions over the phone and here I am.

I made it to room 118 and peeked inside.

�Hello?� I whispered. �Anyone here?�

�Yes,� a small voice said.

�I have a delivery for a Liberty Wess,� I lied. �May I come in?�

�Sure,� the voice said. I quietly walked into the room. A young woman sat up in bed. Her long black hair swept around her shoulders. Her pale hands trembled against the white, cotton sheets. Her faded green eyes stayed on me.

�Can I help you?� she asked. I stood up straight.

�I am here to make a delivery of white irises to Liberty Wess,� I lied. �Are you she?�

�Yes,� the girl replied. �Who sent the flowers?�

�Your boyfriend, Dan,� I said.

�Really?� she asked.

�Yes,� I replied. I handed her the white irises.

�Thank you,� Liberty said. She took a deep breath into the flowers. I watched her for a moment. Okay, part one down. Now to engage her.

�What are you in here for, you don�t mind me asking,� he said. Liberty shook her head.

�I don�t mind,� she said. �I�ve been sick since I was a little girl. My boyfriend and I came to Japan for a cure.�

�I see,� I said as I took a seat by her bed.

�But, the paperwork for health insurance hasn�t come in yet,� she said.

�You�re transfer students?� I asked.

�Yeah,� she said. �We came here last month.�

�Ah,� I said. We didn�t speak for a moment. Liberty looked at the irises.

�You didn�t come here just to deliver these flowers, did you?� she asked. I jerked my head upwards.

�Hm?� I asked. She smiled at me.

�Dan didn�t send me theses flowers, did he?� she said. �Who are you?� I froze in place.  Oh shit! She caught me!, I thought. What do I do? I breathed out slowly. Might as well say it. I looked at her.

�What number do you have?� I asked. Liberty blinked at me.

�What?� she asked. I took a moment and turned my back to her. I lowered my shirt and showed her my number twenty-one.

�Now, what number do you have?� I asked. She went quiet for the longest time. Uh-oh, I may have scared her too much. What do I do?

�Eighteen,� she mumbled. I paused and looked at her.

�Hm?� I asked.

�Eighteen,� Liberty repeated. �My number is eighteen.�

�And Dan?� I asked.

�Fifteen,� she said. I turned back to her.

�I see,� I said.

I now know four curse ones.