My vision twisted and I couldn’t stand anymore. The messenger bag with the stuff I bought felt really heavy. Under the transparent glass floor leading to the entrance of the tower apartment, water was flowing.
It was in the shade, and the sound of the water made it feel a bit cooler than other places.
I leaned against a pillar and slowly squatted down on the tiled ground. I thought I would rest for a while before heading to the convenience store. But I didn’t feel any better at all.
The staff at the event venue were calling out for people to stay hydrated, but I realized now, “So this is what it feels like.” I might be in trouble.
(Am I going to die here?)
Even though I often thought about “wanting to die,” when I found myself in this situation, I still wanted to live. It felt contradictory, and I thought again that I was a strange person.
”Are you okay?”
As my consciousness started to fade, I suddenly heard a gentle, soft voice from behind me. Was she a resident here? I knew that if a body was found here, it would be a big problem for them.
I didn’t want to be helped, but pretending to be worried and talking to me was an effective way to get rid of a suspicious person like me.
”I’m sorry… I’m in the way, aren’t I? I was feeling dizzy and resting. I’ll move soon. Is there a convenience store nearby…”
”It’s far to the convenience store from here. It’s hot outside, and if you’re not feeling well, you need to rest in a cooler place quickly. Yuki, can you help carry this person home?”
The calm older woman who spoke to me handed her bag to a girl friend called Yuki and asked, “It’ll take about 5 minutes to walk to a cool place where you can lie down. Do you think you can walk if I support you?” I couldn’t believe it… she wasn’t trying to get rid of me, but was actually trying to help? I nodded without saying a word, and she supported my swaying body.