[Short Story] Running Away #SpringFingerFestival2023

(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes / approx. 1,400 characters + α)

"I'm going on a trip. Please don't look for me. - Little Finger"

When I woke up in the morning, there was a note on my desk. I looked at both my hands, front and back, and flexed my fingers.

They were there. All ten.

I suddenly realized something, and when I bent down, my right pinky toe was gone. Compared to my left foot, it was missing right from the base of the toe. The skin was joined as if it had never been there in the first place, and it didn't hurt or itch. I gently stroked the skin and felt regret.

Last night, when I was trying to go to the bathroom while looking at my smartphone, I stubbed my pinky toe on the door. It hurt like hell, but I was more concerned about the smartphone I had dropped on the bathroom floor. I sprayed it thoroughly with alcohol, muttering 'worst, worst, worst' as I wiped it down. And then, just before going to bed, I noticed blood seeping under the nail of my pinky toe.

The bleeding had already stopped. But when I looked closely, there were spots of blood on the hardwood floor. It was already past twelve. I had an early morning tomorrow. This really is the worst.

I confirmed once more that the bleeding had stopped, then lay down on the bed. And by morning, my pinky toe was gone.

I thought about it while getting ready to go out. Could my pinky toe, having grown tired of me, have printed a note on my computer while I was sleeping and left? That's impossible.

I went to work as usual, and after finishing replying to all my emails, I searched for "little toe." Apparently, it helps with maintaining body balance. On the other hand, there was also an article saying that the little toe will eventually degenerate and disappear.

When I first noticed it, I was honestly quite shocked, but even after getting ready, leaving the house, and coming to work, there was no hindrance at all. While I was working, I had honestly forgotten about my right pinky toe. No, as for my left pinky toe, I hadn't thought about it at all since the morning.

But something that should be there is missing. Am I disabled? When I searched for "what is a disabled person," it said, "someone who experiences limitations in their daily life." I don't really have any limitations in my daily life. Maybe not. After that, I threw myself into my work without really thinking about it again, and finished the day.

I'll stop by a convenience store on the way home. As I was walking along the station platform looking at my smartphone, I was shoved hard from diagonally behind. I lost my balance, stumbled, and the floor disappeared.

Huh, my own voice reached my ears. The face of the man in the trench coat who pushed me from behind was my pinky toe. Blood was seeping from the tip of a token nail attached to the top of his face, and it had hardened.

I could tell in slow motion that my body was falling onto the tracks. But before a great impact ran through my body, my vision went pitch black.

The next thing I saw was a white ceiling and fluorescent lights.

"Oh, thank goodness. You've regained consciousness."

A station attendant supported me as I tried to sit up.

“Oh my, I was so surprised to hear that someone fell onto the tracks.”

“That’s right! I was pushed! By my little finger!”

“Huh?”

The station attendant with a gentle face tilted his head.

“My little finger, wearing a trench coat! It must have held a grudge against me.”

“...You seem a bit confused. Perhaps you should go to the hospital.”

“That’s not it! It’s my little finger!”

I took off my shoe, intending to show him my right foot, but I stopped. My little finger was there. It was a normal foot with five toes.

As I froze, the station attendant called out to me, saying, “Um.”

“I’m sorry. I was confused. I’m fine now.”

The smile I used to reassure him seemed to trouble him even more. I stood up with a straight face, picked up my bag, and bowed deeply. Then, I walked away, making sure to plant my feet firmly on the ground.

Pirika-sama’s Spring Pirika Grand Prix 2023 is currently underway.

They are accepting stories about “fingers” between 800 and 1200 characters. It seems they are accepting entries until midnight on May 10th, so if you haven’t entered yet, please do.

While watching the Pirika Festival from my garden, I have been slowly uploading short stories about “fingers” under the title “#SpringFingerFestival2023.” This one was written for the Pirika Festival, but I just couldn’t trim it down to the required character count.

I gave up and submitted a different story, and it was the right decision to scrap this one. Nejiri-sama is also writing about a little finger running away. And that one is a better story!