The Isle of South Kamui and Other Stories Read Online Free PDF

already been feeling nauseous when I transferred from the K Maru to the fishing boat. There was no doubt about it: I was responsible for this outbreak. Me, a doctor! I was doubly dismayed.
    â€œIs something wrong?” asked doctor on the other end of the line. The crackle of static continued unabated.
    â€œNo, no,” I said hurriedly. “Have you got any serum on hand?”
    â€œI’ll have a look. Hold on a moment, please,” he said.
    While I waited for his answer, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand and looked around me. The officer had accompanied me here, but had already returned to the inn out of concern for the others. I was relieved to find myself alone. I did not want anybody to know that I had been the origin of the outbreak. I hardly knew the islanders, and I certainly did not trust them. If they knew that I was responsible for the contagion, there was no knowing what they would do. Apart from that, there was my own pride as a doctor. It was no dishonor for a doctor to have brought in the disease, but the fact was I had decided to inject myself with serum as soon as it arrived without telling anyone else.
    The voice on the other end of the line returned. “Following an epidemic in South East Asia last year, we brought some in from the mainland just to be on the safe side. How many cases have you got?”
    â€œSix. How many—?” I could feel the anxiety welling up inside me as I asked.
    â€œSix cases?” He raised his voice slightly. There was a crackle of static. “Oh dear. We only have five doses of the serum here.”
    â€œOnly five doses?” I was again gripped with panic. It was not so much consternation as sheer terror at the implication for myself of being one dose short. “If we request extra serum from the mainland, how long will that take?”
    â€œAt the very fastest, twenty-four hours. We can bring it to Kamui by plane, but from here to South Kamui, ship is the only way. There is no way we can get it to you quicker than twenty-four hours.”
    That was too long. “It’ll be too late by then,” I gasped. “You must know that with this illness the serum has to be administered within twenty-four hours of the first symptoms. Twelve hours have already passed.”
    â€œUnfortunately there are only five doses.”
    Another crackle of static set my nerves even more on edge.
    â€œWell, in any case, please send those as quickly as possible,” I said.
    â€œShall we order more from the mainland?”
    â€œYes, please do. But please don’t tell anyone else that there are only five doses. I don’t want to spread panic.”
    â€œUnderstood. If you need help, I can come over to provide assistance.”
    â€œNo,” I hastily refused. If a doctor came from the mainland, they would know that I had been the carrier. “As long as we get the serum, I’ll be fine on my own. There’s no need to worry.”
    Having said this with unnecessary emphasis, I hung up. When I left the post office, the sun was as dazzling as ever. In the tension I had forgotten the nausea, but now I felt another wave sweep over me.
    I was in a dangerous position. When the serum arrived, it would naturally come to light that there was one dose short. So what should I do? As a doctor, I should certainly sacrifice myself and use the serum to save the other five patients. That was a doctor’s duty, and especially so since I was responsible for having brought the illness to the island.
    But I did not want to die. Life was too precious. Taking responsibility and sacrificing myself in order to save my five patients would doubtless be commendable, but I was not so honorable as that. Apart from anything else, I did not want to die on this godforsaken island.
    As I walked to the inn, I mulled over what I could possibly do to save myself.
    As I waited for the serum to arrive, I suppressed the intermittent waves