In lead, Seiko skipped ahead, leaving the brunette girl to walk calmly behind her. She made sure that her pace wasn't too quick, so that she could easily catch up in case she fell back. Suddenly, from behind, she could hear a little thump, like something has fallen. Hauling to a stop, she turned around to look what it was, frightened that perhaps something fell over her crush. She wouldn't forgive herself if that happened. Compared to the scenario, the situation was a little better. She actually only fell, which was much much better. "Ack!"
With a frown of concern, Seiko knelt over her. "Are you okay, Naomi?" In a sort of response, the girl started to sputter and cough frantically. The injury to her neck must be worse than she at first assumed. "Sorry. I suddenly...got really dizzy...and tripped over my own feet...and now everything's...turning...white..."
"Naomi? NAOMI!" Seiko's eyes widened in fear. Where could she carry her? Luckily, Naomi was lightweight, so with a tiny struggle, she got her onto her back like on a piggy back ride. "Come on... Where can we take you...? M-maybe... The Infirmary? I'll take a look at your ankle then, how about that?" She asked, like she was still conscious, carefully heading towards the room. Last time, they had a fight and all... But this time would be different. She wouldn't leave her. She wouldn't make the same mistake.
As they arrived, she laid her on the same bed as before, sitting herself on the other one. "So you're okay! That's good... You're breathing's back to normal. You should be okay." She murmured, taking a peek through the makeshift bandage on her ankle. It seemed fine to her. In boredom, knowing the room already, she started to swing her legs a little over the edge.
"HELP! HELP ME! PLEASE! HEEEELLLPPP!"
Whatever that was, it sounded familiar. The scream was high-pitched, thrilled thoroughly with sheer terror. Wasn't that Yuka? "I'll be right back Naomi, I promise. Please... Shout if anything happens." Seiko said quickly, planting a gentle kiss on Naomi's forehead. It may be the last time she saw her... Shaking her head, she quickly run out, searching the corridors quickly for signs of Satoshi's little sister, with no success whatsoever.
Eventually, she just settled to exploring. She could make a move forth, take Naomi in a safe way to find the others. Maybe even bring someone back! She moved steadily to the third floor. Somehow, a large hole in the west hall appeared, blocking further access. There was nothing up on the floor, nor the second, so instead, she went down to the first one. Maybe she could find something new there. At the staircase was a corpse. Yuuya Kumada. A 17 year old in Tendo Senior High School.
She moved past it, and down the stairs, pausing for a moment. "The walkway was just at the bottom of these stairs! Onto the right! Yuka should be there, I think..." The girl shrugged gently, beginning to head in the direction she herself just voiced out to remember better.
Something was in the way, though.
More specifically, a wall. It wasn't there before! "Yuka? What... No! NO!" She started to tear up, banging into the wall, almost causing it to collapse at the spot she was hitting. "I'm so sorry Mochida! So, so sorry! What am I supposed to do now?" Seiko cried, sliding against the wall onto the ground, burying her face in her knees. "ANSWER ME GODDAMMIT! ANSWER ME!" She shouted, finally snapping for a moment.
She couldn't believe this! She... She hurt Mochida, all by accident... She killed him... She was a murderer... And now, she couldn't save either his and her love, nor his sister. What friend was she? "I hate this! I want to get out! Mochida... I'm so sorry. Please... If you can hear me... Tell me what to do. This is for your little sister! I'm trying to protect her, can't you see?! I'm trying!" She sobbed, wiping her cheek with her sleeve.
"I really am..."
Kizami stood before the toilet, waiting patiently for Yuka to emerge. Let's just say he kept himself plentifully busy. Poor Kurosaki... Well, as least he would believe so. He didn't bear no feeling, no friendship to that dumbass. He knew plentifully well that he would die anyway, why did he act so surprised? "Hah!" He breathed, looking down through the hall his 'friend' fell through. Darkness. Nothing. Too bad. He would give a lot to see his masterpiece. But it was not accessible, sadly.
"Eyaaaagh!" A tiny scream sounded from inside the bathroom, making the teen turn to face the direction, straightening up. Almost the same instant, Yuka ran out, fear clear in her expression. Without a word, she collapsed against the wall and began to sob into her hands. "What's the matter Yuka?" Kizami asked, striding forth. "They're... All full..." She hicced, not opening her eyes. "Hmm?" He muttered in confusion, walking inside the bathroom himself.
Ahead stood six cabins, each having a rope attached to the barrier attached above them, the hints of someone hanging themselves inside. Every single one looked close to identical. "Wh-What the hell? Who did this?! ...Or...did they...do it themselves...?" Despite sounding surprised, a small smile lined his features. He approached the nearest one, trying to open it, but each time, the doors bounced off the corpse and slammed themselves closed. "...That's quite a stench..." He murmured, moving along the cabins.
On the floor before one of them lay an ID tag. Mari Rokuhara. Age: 16 .Shibagami Private Senior High School, Class 1-A. He frowned, and continued to another one he noticed, pulling it up. Kotowe Kuroyama Age: 15. Hakuro #3 Junior High School, Class III-5. All left from only two pupils that died in the bathroom. Shrugging it off, he walked over to the sinks, where he found a heart-shaped mirror, pink in color. Around lay strands of black hair. Around the object, and over the top of it, were pierced bloody handprints. "Seems like a pretty modern design, similar to what a lot of girls in my class use. After being trapped in here for awhile...I wonder how the owner's face must have looked the last time she took this thing out..."
He noted, before heading to the exit. For a second, he hesitated, turning around for a second, running his hand into his hair. "A great many lives ended in this room..." He noticed simply, his eyes widening again, along with a wide smile. A grin, even. "...Hua...ha...HOO!" He laughed. Wheezing, he stepped out of the restroom, laughing along the way in glee. Panting, he approached closer to Yuka, advancing like a wild cat stalking prey. "Poor little Yuka..." He said, almost tauntingly.
"With all those bodies in there, you'll never be able to relieve yourself!" He giggled, causing the girl to shiver. "Well, then...heh...Shall we be off?" He asked nonchalantly, beginning to step away. My dear little sister... I'll protect you from those horrible ghosts in here, I promise... You will not have to face the terrible fate of meeting them... Hehe... Hahahahaha...!
A blue-haired girl stood on the covered walkway, shivering against the cool air that dominated outside. And with all the rain... It sure was a struggle to keep warm. But that was the least of her worries. "Sure is...cold... Where the hell did Ms. Yui and Kishinuma go, anyway?!" She asked herself, shaking her head. She could feel herself shiver more, feeling the obnoxious feeling of being lone creep into her realization. "Don't leave me by myself! I'm scared, you know..." She pleaded, with no response.
"Maybe I...should try going back...to room 1-A... If I stay in the other building for too long, my head's really going to start pounding..." She began to get lost in her own thought, looking out to the second wing. "..." Without another word, she turned around and walked inside the main building again. Something was off, though. She could hear the distant laughter ring in her ears, causing her to sink lower onto the ground, covering her ears in an attempt to cover the sound.
"...?! Stop it! Just stop it already!" She begged, hearing a few childish voice repeat in unison, "We were killed by an educator..."
"Huh?!" She stopped out of nowhere, looking up to spot a ghost. A young girl with long black hair, wearing a torn red dress. "AGGH!" She screamed in fear, feeling that her life was on the verge. But the spirit halted, then turned and fled immediately after being noticed. "...That was...the girl who wasn't involved in Suzumoto's death... She seemed different from the others...lonelier...but why?" Ayumi thought out loud, cocking her head.
Nearby was a body, and so she slowly approached to check it out. Judging off size, it was either a junior or senior high school student. "Seiko Tanaka Age: 13. Aizome Junior High School, Class I-2." She read, blinking down at the poor girl that lay before her. For a single moment, she was scared for Shinohara, that it might have been her corpse, but that was strongly illogical. She turned to a note above the corpse. "Treat tomorrow like a certainty. That's... that's a nice quote, actually." She read, smiling to herself.
"If you're alive now, trust that you'll still be alive then. If I recall, it's Tachibana's turn for day duty tomorrow... I want to go back to class. I hate the idea that I might not be able to ever again. I swear I'll take my schoolwork more seriously from now on. Let's not go that way. The air... is really heavy. I makes my ears ring." She sighed, looking away from the note. "Best head back to 1-A before going any farther. Just to check in."
Carefully, she headed towards the classroom, hoping to find Kishinuma or Ms. Yui there. As she passed through one of the hallways, she found a ghost nearby. Blue. That was good. She slowly approached it, offering the tiniest smile. These were the helpful ones, right? "Whether you're facing a flyer on the wall or just standing in the middle of the room, if you've got a hunch, there's something nearby. Never give up."
That should do enough. She'll remember that. As she headed towards the classroom, she decided to try and explore, to see if anything new could be found around. As she passed around, Ayumi paused before another corpse. Whoever it was, must have died only hours, minutes or perhaps seconds ago. The corpse was very much still fresh. "Yuma Misuki." She read the name, not bothered by the whole ID. Next to her, catching her attention, was an old piece of crumpled paper.
"Well, Yuma, guess this is as far as you go. Exhaustion has set in, so it looks like it's the end of the road. My classmate Tomoe Mizuki climbed the fence around the outdoor walkway and slipped into the woods outside the school. It's been three days now, and she still hasn't come back.
All the while, I've been stuck here getting chased around by the ghost of a girl with nothing above her jawline. And I've not only twisted my ankle, but also got glass cuts all over my wrists, so I'm in no condition to keep running. I keep hearing this snip, snip, snip sound of scissors, everywhere I go. I can't tell if it's real, or if it's just a ringing in my ears.
I wish I'd just die already - get it over with, so I can finally rest. Maybe I can have my head cut off at the jaw like that li. That's all?" Ayumi said with a frown. She must have died writing that message. Heading north, she stopped before another ghost. Red. "It hurts... It hurts so much..." The girl whimpered, trying to step away. "Even in death...it still hurts... Now...and always..." With the conclusion, she started to head away, not trusting the place one bit because of the being.
She began to head towards 1-A again, determined to get to the classroom as quick as it was possible. On the way, she stopped before another flyer to read it, in case it contained important messages. "Congratulations on your arrival! Our most heartfelt blessing we other thee! We'll be anxiously awaiting your death. And once everyone's dead, that's when we'll all be able to meet again.
And then, the conquest begins!" Ayumi covered her mouth, quickly striding away. She headed north, finding another body there. The body was young, for her liking a middle school, though she couldn't be sure. "Yohsuke Maebana. 15." She read, shrugging. The corpse was also fresh, which scared her mercilessly. She started to head onto the second floor instead. She walked steadily into the 1-A. On one end there wasn't much on the bottom part, apart from a crumpled up note.
"There's one thing I've learned from all of this: The children are victims too. They're not at fault here. they're not the ones we should hate. Their murderer is the one who created this cycle of resentment and cruelty. Their murderer is our true enemy." With confusion, Ayumi walked out of the room again, knowing that nothing more was to be found. She instead headed to the top part, approaching the podium where her message was wrote, still clearly visible.
"No one's responded yet. I wonder if anyone's even seen it... My message..." Shaking her head, she walked away, disappointed that no-one else made it into the classroom. Instead, she started to head into a random room. There was a few new things around there. First, she walked over to a note. "I'm so glad we could find each other before we died.
"We'll set off on this journey together, holding hands forevermore. There's nothing to be scared of as long as we have each other. We know there was meaning in our lives, because we were fortunate enough to find our soulmates...to find one another amongst all the fish in the sea. To our mothers and our fathers, take heart: we died happy, and wanted for nothing.
And when we finally pass over to the other side, our hunger pains will be gone. We'll fly up to heaven, and be joyous forevermore. Our only regret is the pain our deaths will cause you. But one day, we'll meet again, up in the golden realm of the ever-after.
Lexern Senior High School
Class 3-2, [Hotaru Kanzaki]
Class 2-4, [Nayuto Minatogawa]."
The note above that one, hanging on a wall, read: "Idiots. There's no getting to Heaven from here."
