Such a perfect expression… such perfect posture… it was stunning to look at. I felt the need to immortalize this masterpiece. I took out my cell phone and switched to camera mode, making sure to get just the right composition before hitting the shutter button.

A brilliant flash flooded the room and the phone made a sound to confirm that the picture had been saved. I couldn't help but smile a bit. There had been numerous corpses littering this school, but this was only the second to inspire such feelings within me.

I was closing my phone to put it away when I noticed that someone else was in the room with me. I turned to face the other survivor and recognized her face and uniform.

"Ah, Mochida's sister." Yuka, I believe her name was. "Where is your brother?"

"Um…" Yuka cowered in fear. Did she see me take that photo?… I suppose she wouldn't be able to understand why I chose to record what I found here. It must have been unnerving for her. "Big brother… is missing. I went outside to pee, but when I came back he was gone…"

It must have been distressing, losing track of her brother in a place like this. No doubt she worried that she'd find him among the dead before long. I had someone I was searching for as well, and I knew that finding her among these corpses would likely be the end for me. I preferred to search alone, but Yuka didn't seem capable of lasting long in this situation on her own…

"How about we search for your brother together?" I asked, stepping toward her. She took a step back.

"Um…" It looked like she was hesitating. For a moment I thought she'd flee from me. I wouldn't have been surprised. Only one person has ever tried to understand me. Yuka wouldn't be the first to shun me.

"Why… did you take a picture of that girl?…"

I turned to look at the corpse beside me. Why did I take that photo?… A part of me enjoyed examining the horrified expression on the girl's face, the way her wounds accentuated her own beauty… Another part of me wondered how I could enjoy the aftereffects of suffering so much I'd be willing to remember it forever.

"It's… interesting" I forced myself to say. How could I explain it in a way that Yuka could understand? "But we should focus on finding your brother and my other classmates." Particularly Mayu…

"O-okay…" Yuka frowned at the corpse but stepped closer to me, taking my free hand in hers. "Let's go."

I didn't know how to react to Yuka holding my hand as we walked, so I flicked through images on my phone. Aside from the corpse we just left and a body obliterated against the wall outside the infirmary in the main building, most of the photos I hadn't transferred to my computer already were of the culture festival. Kisaragi Fest felt like a distant memory… yet it had only been a few hours ago we were selling red bean soup to the other classes at Kisaragi Academy.

I stopped browsing through photos when we came to the stairwell so I could focus on the stairs without falling. The last thing I needed to do was fall and break my head on something. At the first floor landing a corpse laid next to a handwritten note. I took my hand from Yuka's and picked up the note.

I had barely read the first character when Yuka snatched the note from me. "Don't read those!"

I frowned at her. "Why not? They could be of use to us."

Yuka pointed at the header of the note. "Victim's Memoirs," it said.

"Big brother found a note in the bathrooms that said reading all the Victim's Memoirs will make you go insane!"

That sounded troubling. I'd already read several of them before heading out to this second wing. "We'll leave this note be, then."

Yuka ripped the note in half and tossed one down a gap in the floor and left the other tucked under the corpse. When she was finished, she took my hand again. She noticed that I was gazing longingly at the corpse and rubbed my arm with her free hand. "Let's go…"

Snapping out of whatever trance I must have been in, we continued to explore the building for any sign of Mochida. I was idly flipping through photos on my phone as we walked through a doorway when I bumped into something and fell backward.

Yuka squealed out in surprise, and I looked up to see that a boy about my age in an unfamiliar school uniform was looking down at me with a worried expression.

"I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." The boy looked down and I followed his gaze to see that I had lost my grip on my phone, which was now lying on the floor.

"Big brother, you lied to me!" Yuka cried and hugged the boy. She must have been hoping we'd run into Mochida like this, because even a quick glance told me this wasn't him.

The boy smiled awkwardly and pushed Yuka away. Yuka's eyes widened as she realized her mistake.

"I'm… I'm sorry… I thought…"

The boy chuckled. "It's quite all right. I was hoping to find other survivors in this place."

Yuka, blushing, offered me a hand to help me up. I suspected she didn't want this newcomer to see her embarrassment. After I stood, I noticed that the boy had picked up my phone.

"G-give that back!"

I should have controlled my outburst. The boy almost certainly knew something was wrong now. If he saw one of those photos, he'd certainly want nothing to do with us…

"I apologize" he said, handing the phone over. I realized with horror that it was open to the picture of the gore outside the infirmary. Damn it!

"My name is Yuuya Kizami, from Byakudan Senior High" the boy offered. "You look to be from a different school. Where are you two from?"

I shut the phone and shoved it in my pocket. "Sakutaro Morishige. Kisaragi Academy."

"Yuka Mochida." Yuka blushed again, taking my hand. "Same school."

Kizami smiled at her. "I take it you're looking for your big brother, since you mistook me for him a moment ago?"

"Uh-huh."

I frowned at Kizami. "We're also looking for others from our school. Have you met anyone from Kisaragi?"

Kizami crossed his arms and thought for a moment. "I don't believe I have. I haven't seen any name tags matching that description on the dead, either."

Yuka lowered her head and sighed. "Big brother found a ghost that said we might be in a different version of the school than everyone else."

Kizami nodded. "That would explain why I haven't seen many of my friends since arriving here."

I was starting to get annoyed at this delay. Mayu and Mochida could be in danger, and we were just chatting with Kizami like we had all the time in the world. "I hate to interrupt this conversation, but we need to find our classmates before anything happens to them."

"Would you mind an extra set of eyes?" Kizami asked. "In a place like this, I'm sure there's safety in numbers. Most of the corpses here are those of people who died alone."

I didn't really want to waste time looking for Kizami's classmates when Mayu was still out there alone, but Yuka squeezed my hand and looked up at me with pleading eyes. Fine.

"You can come with us, but we'll be focusing on our own classmates."

Kizami nodded in understanding. "I'd expect no less."

We began to explore the second wing again, with Kizami leading the way. While I had my reservations about teaming up with him, he was able to move some of the obstacles that had blocked me before out of our way.

Eventually, we came to a music room where the sound of a piano playing could be heard. But when we walked inside, no one was at the piano. Suddenly, the music stopped. Probably a ghost playing the piano that got spooked by visitors.

Kizami started moving desks and chairs around. "I found a note in the main building written by a 'Shinozaki' that said there was something in this room…"

Shinozaki… that was one of my classmates. "Did you find any sign of Shinozaki aside from the note?"

Kizami grunted with exertion as he lifted an overturned cabinet in the middle of the room. "No. Friend of yours?"

I shrugged. "You could say that."

Kizami dug around under a desk and produced a note and a pair of shoes that seemed to glow in the dim light of the school. "Apparently, these shoes are blessed. The wearer and everyone who links hands with them can cross the green ooze without being harmed."

I remembered an uncomfortable attempt to get past a patch of green ooze to reach a crystal down a hallway in this building. "I think I know the ooze the shoes were made for."

Holding up the shoes for closer inspection, Kizami frowned. "They're too small for me. Do you think either of you can wear them?"

Taking the shoes from Kizami, I shook my head. "Too small. They might be Yuka's size though…"

We turned to Yuka, who was starting to take off her own shoes. "I'll try them on…"

The shoes fit perfectly, as if they were made for Yuka's feet. I led the way to where I had found the green ooze and pointed out a crystal at the far end of the hallway.

"I believe that crystal might be important for something, but I couldn't reach it before."

Kizami nodded. "Yuka, you think you can do this on your own?…"

Yuka shook her head. "Come with me! …I'm scared."

I sighed and took Yuka's hand. "Come on, Kizami."

We walked down the hallway, hand-in-hand, and the light from the shoes seemed to make the green ooze recoil from our feet. Crystal in hand, we walked back and examined our prize.

"It looks like an unsealing crystal." I turned it over in my hands. "I've seen these used to remove protective charms in some of the plays I've watched."

Kizami scratched his head. "There was a sealed bathroom on the other side of the building, if I remember correctly."

Yuka frowned and started shivering. She reached down below her waist, then hesitated and decided against it. I turned to her and frowned. "Do you still need to use the bathroom?…"

"I couldn't go last time." Yuka sniffled. "None of the bathrooms had stalls and a ghost chased me when I went outside…"

Shaking his head, Kizami sighed at Yuka. "I do remember our options being limited, but you've been holding it in for too long by the sound of things. We should unseal that bathroom so you can relieve yourself."

I hated Kizami for suggesting we waste time finding a bathroom when we still had no ideas where anyone else was. But I didn't intend to leave Yuka to some stranger.

"Let's make this quick." I led the way to the bathroom and held up the crystal. As I expected, the crystal faded and the protective charms burned off the door.

"Now you'll be able to go." Kizami nudged Yuka forward. "Go ahead."

Yuka ran into the bathroom, leaving me and Kizami waiting outside. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, with Kizami leaning against a wall looking at me while I tried to ignore him and browse my photos.

"I have a feeling" Kizami said suddenly, "that we may be cut from the same cloth…"

I frowned. What was he talking about?

…Was it about that photo?…

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kizami chuckled. Something was wrong with the way he laughed. I expected him to say something else, but nothing was forthcoming.

I started to get anxious with how long Yuka was taking to relieve herself. It should have only taken a minute or two. After another minute of waiting, I decided to go in. Kizami looked at me with a curious expression, but I ignored him.

"Yuka? Are you finished yet?"

I looked around the bathroom, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Eventually I saw Yuka huddled in a corner, fear etched into her face.

"Yuka, what happened? Did you finish ye—"

I noticed that she was shivering, a trail of yellow liquid on the floor leading to her spot. So she wet herself, but is trying to hold it in. But why?

"They're all full…"

Not sure what to make of that statement, I turned to look at the stalls. Ropes were tied to the bar holding up the stalls, one for each stall. I walked up to one and pushed the door open to see a girl I'd never met before staring at me with a blank expression, her neck twisted at an odd angle.

Ah, I see now.

Aside from the initial surprise, the corpse didn't scare me much. But I knew I was an exception, so I suppose Yuka had a reason to be afraid. I returned to her slumped form and knelt next to her.

"Yuka, if you need to go, do it in the corner over there" I pointed to the edge of the stalls. "We're not going to have any more chances to stop, so be sure you do what you need to do."

Yuka frowned at me for a moment, then slumped her shoulders. "Okay."

I left Yuka to give her some privacy. Outside the bathroom door, I looked toward Kizami's corner to see that he had left. I was vaguely curious where he had gone, but not very worried. Maybe he found one of his friends.

Actually… I did hear his voice talking to someone else in the next room. I approached the doorway, too curious to let this opportunity pass.

I heard Kizami and another boy talking about the girl who had died in that room. I suppose it was one of their classmates. It's a good thing Kizami didn't see that photo on my phone.

Suddenly, I heard a gurgling sound. I should have known I'd regret it, but I looked through the doorway to see what had happened.

When I did, I saw Kizami ripping a knife from a boy in a similar uniform. The boy's eyes went wide and began to unfocus.

"Kizami… what are you…"

Kizami smiled widely, too widely to be a normal smile. "You see, Kurosaki… within these halls… it doesn't matter if you are killed by the spirits or killed by me…"

Leaning closer, Kizami breathed on the other boy for a second before adding: "Either way… you're DEAD!"

With that, Kizami kicked the boy down a gap in the floor. The boy screamed out as he fell.

"KIZAMI!"

Kizami chuckled manically. I took a step back, but of course that was the exact moment a loose board had to squeak. He spun around and fixed me with a psychotic glare.

"Morishige! Is Yuka done yet?…"

If he had said it in a normal voice, I'd maybe let him convince me that last scene was the effects of possession. But now I realized this was what Kizami really is.

Without responding, I ran back to the bathroom and grabbed Yuka by the arm. She was busy trying to get the sink to work, so I assumed she was finished. She ran with me, but she looked confused.

"Why are we running?"

"Kizami just killed someone" I panted as we ran.

"What?!"

Just then Kizami decided to confirm my assessment of him.

"Morishige? Yuka? Are you running?"

I shoved Yuka towards the stairs, realizing that Kizami would find us both if we stayed together. "RUN! Get to the main building and hide!"

Yuka started crying and reached for my hand. "But then he'll—"

I shoved her again. "GO!"

Yuka ran down the stairs, crying the whole way. I'm sorry, Mayu. Get out of here alive. For me.

I turned to face Kizami. He was walking slowly, but I saw him approaching me. Time to lead him away from Yuka.

"Hey, Yuka?… I'm going to kill you, Yuka…"

As much as I detested physical exertion, this didn't seem like the time to avoid a fight for the sake of principles. I took a bone from a nearby corpse and ran toward Kizami.

He smiled as I came at him. "Morishige? Have you seen Yuka?…"

I swung the bone at Kizami, but my aim was off. I wanted to hit his face, but instead the bone hit his shoulder. It still knocked him a step back, though.

"That… hurt, you know." Kizami growled as he stood back up. I used the opportunity to run past him, tossing the bone aside.

Kizami started chasing after me, just as I hoped. I thought I maybe had a chance until I came to the green ooze hallway. Damn it! If Yuka were here, we could wait Kizami out on the other side…

"End of the line, little rabbit." I spun around to see Kizami approaching me, his bloody knife brandished.

I'm sorry Mayu…

In a last ditch effort to buy Yuka some time, I tried to run past Kizami. He swung the knife at me as I ran, catching me in the side. Pain shot through the wound, but I kept running.

I ducked into the first room I found, finding myself in some sort of art classroom. I ducked between painting easels and hid behind a desk. I realized that there was a girl muttering to herself in a corner. Damn it, I just got someone else killed. How many mistakes had I made in the past five minutes?…

Kizami walked in calmly, looking around the room for me. "Morishige?… Was it painful? It must be painful…"

Kizami noticed the girl in the corner and walked toward her. "Hey! Did you see someone run in here?"

The girl just kept muttering. Kizami started getting impatient, showing the blood on his knife to the girl.

"Are you sure you haven't seen anyone here?"

Kizami frowned as the girl kept muttering to herself. A grin formed on his face.

"We'll see how long you can keep your secrets when your life ebbs away…"

He raised the knife to stab the girl. I cringed as a hidden part of me tried to shout with glee at the upcoming spectacle.

Suddenly, the girl spun around and glared at Kizami with black eyes. Not just her irises, but the entirety of her eyes were an inky black. A black mist started to form around her as she reached out for Kizami.

Kizami opened his mouth as if to scream, but it was drowned out by a horrible screeching sound that forced me to cover my ears. When the sound had finally died away, I looked up to see a pool of tarry black liquid where Kizami and the girl had been.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I was still alive. For now…

I felt the wound in my side flare up. I'd need to get that patched up. I knew where to go for that, at least…

Which brought me back to her.

After bandaging myself in the infirmary, I examined the corpse that had been utterly decimated on the wall nearby. I sighed. Why did this corpse bring me such comfort? I only felt this way when around—

No.

It can't be.

I fell to my knees and began digging through the gore. I found a loose board and pulled it up, revealing two items. One was a bloody bag with the nametag "Yuki Kanno" pinned to it. The other… was a Kisaragi ID holder.

I couldn't bring myself to take the ID. It couldn't be. I was about to replace the loose board when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Is that… Mayu's… ID holder?…"

Damn it, Yuka.

I tossed the bloody bag aside and cradled my head in my hands. I didn't care that Mayu's blood was soaking into my face and staining my glasses. How could I go on without…

A hand touched my shoulder. It almost felt like…

It wasn't. I knew that.

"Yuka…" I sobbed. "Just… leave me here."

I wanted to be alone. I'd be alone for the rest of my life now. Mayu was the only person that made life worth living.

But Yuka just knelt down next to me and hugged me.

Why?…

I felt my phone vibrate and heard the chime for a new voice message. I half-heartedly pulled it out and opened it. The contact photo was the picture I had taken of Mayu's remains.

"Shig… Don't… give up…"

Yuka gasped. "Is that…"

My breathing became labored as I tried to understand what was happening. "Mayu…"

"I… believe in you… Shig bro… Live… for me…"

I broke down into tears. Yuka clung to me, seemingly trying to comfort me. I didn't even bother asking her why. I just wept until the tears would no longer come from my eyes.

Yuka patted me on the back. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

I took out a tissue and dried my eyes and cleaned the tears and blood off my glasses. I grabbed Mayu's student ID holder from the crack in the floor. Her parents deserved to know what happened to her.

I gently pushed Yuka's arms off me and grabbed the bloody bag. I'm sure it was important if it was hidden. "Come on, Yuka." I took one last look at Mayu, then looked at her photo on my phone.

I felt almost happy to be in her presence, even if she was dead. But she wouldn't want to be seen like this. I deleted the file. While I was at it, I deleted the other corpse shot. I switched to contacts and changed Mayu's picture to the photo I took while cleaning up after Kisaragi Fest.

I looked at Mayu's face. I'd never see that face again. But she told me to live for her. I wasn't going to let her down now.

"Let's get out of here."