Chapter Six: My Friend Yukiko Summary and Analysis

Sadako's improvements were short-lived and her condition worsened to its lowest level in June. Her spirit took a hit when her friend, Yukiko, who was also suffering from leukemia died. Yukiko was only six years old and was born after the bombing but both parents had been exposed to radiation. Kiyo comforted her and said she wouldn't die like the little girl had. But Sadako was bright and was becoming aware of her dire condition and that it was probably the atomic bomb disease. She began to ask when she would die. In July, Sadako's white blood count skyrocketed. Her appearance didn't belie how ill she was; however, her gums began to bleed quite often. In the hospital she overheard someone say that a white blood count over 100,000 was fatal. She wanted to...