The loud and deafening screams shocked all the students in the class D camp.
They turned towards the source, Kushida was seen kneeling on the ground, her legs shaking, and her face looked terrified and shocked at the same time as if she had just seen a ghost.
Her friends run over to her and ask what happened. Trying to keep her conscious, her trembling mouth tried to say a word or two but couldn't, she raised her hand and pointed into the boy's tent.
"A-aawa, a-, aa... Y-yamauchi— "
She was terrified, she desperately hugged the legs of a boy who was standing near her. She didn't care who it was, all she had in mind was hiding from the disgusting sight she saw just a moment ago.
She already had a nightmare last night. And now, she felt a sensation that was as terrifying as waking up from a long, endless dream.
The painful memories of the past are pulled back into her mind. A table with various kinds of scornful writing with Pilox paint, a disgusting smell from under the table filled with trash and old rat carcasses, her bag torn with a cutter, her wet book, a tense atmosphere throughout the room, and the hateful stares of her classmates, she is forced to look at that moment again.
She saw how herself in the past became the center of attention of the entire class and her friends, being the target of bullying due to her unforgivable mistakes. If only it was not known, if only she could keep a secret about herself properly, if only... .. all of that didn't happen.
To that end, now Kushida was determined not to repeat the same mistakes as in the past. She ran away to this school, hoping that the same thing wouldn't happen again, starting a new life.
In front of her right now, she was standing by the window, looking at how she in the past was laughing happily at the chaos before her eyes. Boys fighting each other, girls grabbing each other's hair and cursing, insults, and anger, as if morals and common sense have disappeared from the depths of the human heart.
For a moment, the corners of her mouth curved. Kushida smiled seeing all this. She walked away from her past self and walked out of the classroom. But the strange thing is that when she tried to open the door and get out of the room, her steps stopped when she felt the classroom which was previously full of commotion suddenly filled with a strange silence.
She turned to see what was going on and found her whole body shivering with fear.
All the students in the room turned around and looked at Kushida.
Not the past Kushida, but the current Kushida where she's dreaming.
Even her past self, she also turned and looked at her.
Kushida took a few steps back until her back touched the exit door.
1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, nothing happened, they just stared blankly at Kushida with horror and malice.
"What... .just happened?"
Confused and afraid are mixed up, she could only freeze.
"!"
When she winked her eyes,
Instantly everyone in the classroom pointed at Kushida.
They raised their hands and pointed their index fingers at Kushida, their eyes also looked different, so black that you would hesitate to believe that their eyeballs had just been pulled out of their face. Their mouths opened and closed again as if to speak, it then turned into screams full of misery and evil
"It is here!"
One by one, the heads of every student in the room exploded. But, their bodies were still standing straight and their hands were still pointing towards Kushida
Kushida stiffened, even more, she couldn't help screaming and was scared.
She wanted to run away but no matter how hard she tried, the exit door could not open.
Feeling desperate, Kushida turned around and tried to go to the exit which was in front of the class podium.
Her steps stopped when she saw that in front of her stood a girl with long black hair that was braided to one side, Kushida could then easily recognize who the girl was.
The girl smiled in the creepiest way to see. The veins around her mouth seemed to have been crushed by forcing to bend the corners of her mouth into a semicircle. The white eyes that were seen beneath the messy pony hairs appeared in an unnatural and scary way.
"H-ho -, ri ... ki..ta?"
It was Horikita Suzune, her classmate who happened to be from the same middle school as her.
On the first day she saw Horikita, Kushida already had her own worries about her secret. Horikita was someone from the same middle school as her back then, but they were completely in a different class. Besides, she knows that Horikita Suzune is the type of person who doesn't like socializing with anyone.
However, the possibility that Horikita Suzune knew the past and secrets about her to some extent cannot be eliminated. Even the slightest thing, Kushida really hated the existence that could disturb her peace in this school.
Kushida tried to call her name, but there was no response from her. Horikita just stood there silently and stared at Kushida.
For the second time, the third time, Kushida tried to call out her name and confirmed that the female figure standing in front of her was Horikita Suzune.
Desperate for the third time, she decided to walk over and approach Horikita.
'What, am I thinking? This is just...a dream...yeah! Only a dream... but it feels very real. After all, this was still a dream... well, right, only a nightmare was coming to an end if I—
How shocked Kushida was when she almost touched Horikita's hand, a strange and terrifying figure appeared from behind Horikita's back.
With its asymmetrical physical form, a body made of flesh without skin, where every cell moves like a living creature in all directions and writhes, looks very disgusting.
The creature smiled at Kushida, with a wicked smile filled with malice, a feeling of disgust that would make you vomit instantly, and the resentment overflowing with disgust at this ugly sight.
Kushida fell to the floor, she forcefully pulled her body backward, her legs and hands were shaking, refusing the order to stand up and run, she could only stare at the disgusting figure in front of her eyes directly.
Now, what expression is she showing? Sadness? Fright? Hatred? Anger? Anxiety? ... Which one?
Kushida could feel that the muscle nerves in her face stopped functioning and froze with fear, her mind filled with endless thought and madness.
She wanted to pull out both of her eyes and tear them off, it would be better if she became blind than to see the existence of a creature that is disgusting and cruel, also awful.
But, how shocked was Kushida when she saw everything went silent; Horikita and her classmates had disappeared, replaced by a silence haunted by a strange feeling and atmosphere, frightening almost as if the entire space had been shaking and crying, in front of something indescribable.
Among all those feelings, Kushida could see something standing, between the benches and the desk in the classroom, a black silhouette was seen standing straight up looking at her.
-a tall, lean man of dead black coloration but without the slightest sign of negroid features: wholly devoid of either hair or beard, and wearing as his only garment a shapeless robe of some heavy black fabric. His feet were indistinguishable because of the table and bench, but he must have been shod, since there was a clicking whenever he changed position. The man did not speak, and bore no trace of expression on his small, regular features.
Seeing this strange and mysterious figure made her wonder what really happened and who was that figure? There was an inexplicable feeling, amongst all, that silhouette-suddenly disappeared and Kushida woke up in a silent night inside the tent. She wanted to split her brain rather than what she had just seen engraved in her memory, Unstoppable confusion and restlessness, when overwhelming fear could send her into madness
It was a nightmare that she didn't want to remember, it was a dream full of torture that forced her to suffer all day long.
It is very difficult to act normally in front of her friends these days, many times she goes into the forest just to vent her anger and worries, she repeatedly screams and cries in the toilet and sometimes in the girls' tent when alone.
When Ike and Sudou came begging her to help them persuade Yamauchi to get out of his tent, she felt very annoyed and disgusted at the same time.
According to what Ike and Sudou said, Yamuchi had not been seen interacting with anyone all day, he didn't even go to the forest to do his job of gathering firewood for tonight. When Ike and Sudou entered the tent, they found Yamuchi sitting there doing nothing. He sat with his legs stretched forward, he didn't want to see his two friends and the whole time just hung his head down with an expression that looked depressed. Ike said it was possible that his confession had been rejected by Sakura.
pathetic, Kushida wonders what's wrong with this guy.
'Fuck ...'
Having no other choice, she must act according to the image she has built so far in her classmate's eyes.
While cursing the day, school, friends, and also Yamauchi for causing trouble to her, she walked towards the boys' tent and unzipped the cloth that covered the tent.
"Yamauchi—"
How shocked Kushida was when she entered the tent then saw the boy she was trying to call, was in front of her in a very strange sight. Both feet and hands touch the ground, but the position of his back is under with his front body facing up.
With a smile that is both unusual and terrifying, smiling like a madman who has a nervous breakdown due to an accident or excessive depression.
"W-a-a—"
Kushida could not move, her body tightened and the muscle nerves in her face froze with fear. She felt the same sensation from the nightmare she had before.
"Ku—S..hi... da"
Seeing how Kushida immediately jumped back and fell on the ground made Ike confused.
As soon as Kushida looked into the tent, she stopped in the middle and only made her head enter before finally she screamed in terror and jumped away as if she had seen a ghost.
She tightly grabbed the leg of a boy who happened to be near her and tried to stand up later, but her legs were still shaking from the shock. The boy feels confused, and at the same time feels shy and happy because his angel has just hugged his legs tightly.
"K-kikyou-chan, what happened?"
Ike who was worried immediately approached Kushida, her classmates also immediately gathered around her.
Trying to keep her consciousness, her trembling lips trying to say a word or two but unable to, she raised her hand and pointed into the boys' tent.
"I-there, a-, aa... Y-yamauchi— "
'Haruki? What's wrong with him?'
It is not natural to feel such shock and fear like that. Usually, some of the things that can cause fear in a person's mind are when they receive a horror sensation due to something that has been traumatized, such as past trauma or death.
On the other hand, the existence of the realm of metaphysics, invisible creatures that humans know to be ghosts or the like, since ancient times this has been well engraved in the human mind, the fear of mystical things.
The first option, it didn't make sense for Kushida to feel scared when she saw Yamauchi. During this time, Kushida showed a friendly personality to everyone in the class, even boys. The way she has treated Yamuchi these past few days also the same and normal as always.
The second option, the existence of ghosts... Nah, that doesn't make sense, Ike thought.
Could it be?
What Ike was worried about also crossed the minds of some of his classmates.
This whole day, Yamauchi only spent his time in the tent all day, no one saw him going out of the tent or doing activities outside the tent. This caused some concern from his friends and Hirata as well.
The worst possibility that Yamauchi was in bad shape. He got sick, was what Ike thought. But, if his current condition makes Kushida jump out of fear like she just saw a demon, he starts to worry.
Previously, Ike and Sudou had already checked Yamauchi's condition inside the tent, and to be honest, it wasn't good. With his head hanging down, Yamauchi just stared at the ground and didn't answer the calls from Ike and Sudou, that's why he asked Kushida's help to pull Yamauchi out, or at least check on Yamauchi. Is he sick or not?
As Sudou immediately ran towards the tent, Ike also turned around and followed him from behind. How shocked they were when they saw Yamauchi suddenly walk out of the tent as if nothing had happened.
"Haruki ?!"
His body is thin and bones can be seen from the skin that covers the muscles, his face looks sluggish and looks unhealthy, and the eyes that are unfocused and look sleepy all this time are looking down, he doesn't care about his classmates who pay attention to him, he walks towards the river past the crowd of students present.
"Are you ok, Yamauchi?"
Yamauchi remained silent for a brief moment before responding with a soft nod.
He doesn't look fine ... All class D thought ...
Yamauchi then immediately walked away from his classmate. Some of his friends like Ike and the other boys were following him from behind, probably worried about Yamauchi's condition.
Sudou went to call Horikita in her tent
A blackbird flew from its branch and landed on the ground not far from where Yamauchi was standing.
Meanwhile, Kushida was still sobbing and kneeling on the ground. She bit her finger hard and tried to hold back the fear she had just experienced.
The memory of the ugly, disgusting creature she saw in her dreams came back. She cursed herself once again and the situation she was in right now.
She didn't care about the fact that Yamauchi looked fine, she still felt scared for no apparent reason.
"Kushida-san, are you okay?"
"What happened?"
Mii-chan and Shinohara asked. Karuizawa and some of her friends immediately went into the tent to get the fresh water in the bottles they bought using points just in case. Of course, they buy this bottled water out of selfishness because they don't want to drink river water.
Karuizawa then handed the water to Kushida, but Kushida was currently in a state where she herself couldn't think calmly or respond to her classmates' worries. Fear was eating away at her mind.
Seeing Kushida who was still scared, Karuizawa just put the drink near Kushida and then sat near her.
"Kushida-san, do you hear me? What happened to you?" asked Karuizawa.
Mii-chan hugged Kushida tightly, Maezeno and Onodera did the same.
"I-i... that... Yamauchi... Monster!"
Even after trying to answer Karuizawa's question, she still muttered incoherently and digressed like a person with a mental disorder.
Her friends are confused about what is she trying to say, what has Kushida seen to make her like this? Class D, who was worried about Kushida's situation, immediately did everything they could to help her.
"Yamauchi-kun? What's wrong with him?" whispered one of the girls
It was natural to feel confused about what Kushida was trying to say. Seeing Kushida getting more and more scared, they decide not to ask her any more questions and help her get some rest.
Elsewhere, Ike tried to catch up with Yamauchi. He grabbed his friend's shoulder and spoke as usual. Usually, he would hang out with Kushida, but seeing his friend's condition was really worrying him.
"Haruki, you're in the tent all day and don't come out to play with me and Ken, are you okay? I'm little worried. "
Ike saw that his friend looked pale and somewhat lethargic. He thought of reporting to Hirata and telling Yamauchi's condition. If he is sick, then Yamauchi must be forced to retire from this special exam and rest on the ship with medical care from a doctor. And in the end the points on the exam must be deducted.
It was something that could not be regretted, one of the students' health was in poor shape. The class couldn't help but understand this.
If there was a Chabashira-sensei in her current post, Ike could have immediately pulled Yamauchi to Chabashira-sensei and asked to retire, but the teacher's whereabouts were unknown all day.
"Oi, Haruki... Did you hear what I said? I'm talking to you."
But all this time Yamauchi hadn't said anything or answered Ike's question. He just stayed by the river and stared at a bird below.
The bird is not afraid of human existence, nor does it fly away. Just look down and do nothing. But... There is something wrong with that bird.
"Sigh, if you are sick you must immediately retire from this exam. I will say this to Hirata and make a report to Chabashira-sensei later. You wait here, I'll be right back. "
Saying that Ike then walked away and looked for Hirata, followed by some of his friends.
"Hmm, what are you looking at—"
Hondou realized that Yamauchi was looking at something, so he followed Yamauchi's eyes down, and saw a bird—, with two heads!
Feeling stunned by what he had just seen, Hondou screamed in amazement and confusion at the same time. Miyamoto who curious approached Hondou and asked, only to be startled by the appearance of a blackbird with two heads facing down.
They crouched down and tried to get closer to the bird—
Meanwhile, Ike goes to find Hirata.
He wondered where he was when his classmates were in such a bad state right now. Usually he will stand in the middle and take the lead.
Ike stopped when he saw Hirata standing some distance away from the crowd, facing the Forest to the south, doing nothing, he just stood there silently.
He patted Hirata's shoulder...
"Hirata!"
"Oi, Hirata!"
He repeatedly called his name, but there was no reply from Hirata.
This time he pushed and pulled Hirata's shoulders a little, but received no response.
Damn, this ikemen, what's wrong with him suddenly like this.
Annoyed at being ignored, Ike approached him from the front. He tried to call out his name again but his intentions stopped when he saw Hirata's strange expression.
His eyes were bulging, terrified and empty, his face hardened and looked as if he had just seen calamity, his mouth was open, and a little saliva dripped from his mouth.
Ike flinched back when he saw this, Hirata's unusual expression.
"Hirat—"
Sttt—
A hand quickly covered Ike's mouth. And slowly the owner of that hand put his finger on his mouth and asked Ike to be quiet.
Hirata, with a face that was terrified half to death, glared at Ike. Cold sweat could be seen on his forehead and all over his body.
Confused by Hirata's sudden action made Ike swallow hard. He wondered what got into Hirata and made him behave like this.
Ike could only freeze and remain silent, while he was trying to understand what Hirata was doing, he saw Hirata's eyes slowly glancing behind him, between the trees with low and branching branches.
Hirata didn't move, while he still firmly closed Ike's mouth and it made him groan in pain. Ike wanted to protest but when his body wanted to move, Hirata tightened his grip even more.
For a moment, they were silent. Until finally Hirata let go of Ike.
"Ugh!... Cough... what's wrong with you—, eh- hey! Where are you pulling me?"
Ike tried to speak but Hirata quickly put his hand on Ike's shoulder and pulled him away with him. Ike tried to protest, but again Hirata paid him no heed.
Ike was increasingly confused and felt that there was something wrong with their leader, Hirata Yousuke, who is usually a kind and caring leader, who usually always smiles, diligent in worshiping Jesus, and likes helping a grandmother cross the road, the perfect figure of him who shines like a buddha has lost at this moment, replaced by a human figure clearly showing unnatural fear and anxiety.
"Hirata ..."
He didn't answer.
"Hirata ..."
He accelerated his steps.
"Tch!"
Pam, a dry, boring voice can be heard.
Ike who annoyed, punch Hirata with his fist. His action surprised Hirata who was not ready to take the hit.
Hirata fell to the ground, his cheeks red and slightly bruised.
"What is wrong with you!" Ike was furious, his eyes glaring at Hirata. "If you are like this we will be falling, the class will be collapse!"
Hirata's unusual and rude act can really have a negative effect on the class. Plus many problems that exist make the situation even worse.
Starting from Chabashira-sensei's absence in the morning, a supply of food that was hard to find, the girls returned with only a few fruits and berries. The bcorns that Ayanokouji and Sakura brought the other day will only last until tomorrow. And he's frustrated because he didn't get any fish today in the river. Then the problem with his friend Yamauchi who has been acting weird all day.
Then, about that dream.
Dreams that really carry memories of the past. He's nervous and scared, but he tries to hide it for the sake of undergoing a special exam on this uninhabited island.
Anyone would be frustrated, and Ike was really tired of thinking about all the problems. But once again he thought, "Hey, that's not my job, that's Hirata's job, surely the problem will be resolved quickly after receiving instructions from him". He hated to admit this, but the Ikemen that all girls love and that he didn't like was the most reliable person at the moment.
But seeing how Hirata's condition right now ...
"What is wrong with you? suddenly acting weird just like that! "
He could still feel pain in his mouth when he spoke. The grip from Hirata's hand was very strong before.
Wanting to complain further to Hirata, he stopped his intention when he saw Hirata's eyes returning to normal. As if he had regained his senses, his mind began to clear, and Ike could see that the restlessness on his face had disappeared.
I-is my punch just, a super healing punch! Ike thought.
He was pleased with the fact that his super punch managed to bring Hirata back to normal.
"I'm sorry, Ike... I completely lost myself for a moment. "
While wiping the sweat off his forehead, he stood up and smiled at Ike. He ignored the fact that his cheeks were turning red and throbbing pain. He doesn't want to make his friend worry more than this.
"No, it doesn't matter... But," he looked at Hirata's cheek and was about to apologize for hitting him. But Hirata made a gesture with his hands showing he was okay and asked to ignore it. "What happened to you before?" again he asked.
Ike was happy that Hirata was back to normal. If the other classmates saw Hirata's previous state, they would definitely be sad and lose their enthusiasm to continue with the special exam. Hirata acts as the unifying pillar of the class, his existence is very important.
"Nothing, it's just that. Maybe I'm tired? To the point of hallucinating nonsense," he combed his hair back and laughed sadly, looking like he was laughing at himself.
Ike was confused by the inconclusive answer, but he decided not to ask any further.
"So, Ike-kun... what's wrong? You want to consult me right? "
"Ah, about that!"
He just remembered now, how can I forget this? He thought.
"It's about Yamauchi-kun. Looks like he fell ill. He's been acting weird all-day—
He told Hirata the problem regarding Yamauchi and Kushida. About Yamauchi looked sick and spent all day in the tent, and Kushida tried to call him and check on him. About how Kushida was afraid and the problem regarding the dwindling food supply.
He was relieved to have said everything to Hirata. Now all that was left was to wait for his instructions regarding the problem at hand. Everything will return to normal.
"!"
Chill.
Ike became anxious again when he saw Hirata's eyes widened and looked surprised. He could see deep fear in those eyes, frustration, annoyance, and a gaze that showed deep darkness from the unreachable side of different dimensions in the human state and consciusness.
"Can you say one more time ... about Yamauchi ... kun, and Kushida-san ..."
Hirata grabbed Ike's shoulders and asked back. Again, fear could be seen only from hearing the sound emanating from the trembling mouth.
"Yamauchi... is sick—" It took Ike a while to answer and it made Hirata lose his temper.
"WHERE IS HE?!" he shouted
"Wh—, I DON'T KNOW! DON'T SCREAM IN FRONT OF ME LIKE THAT!"
Pam!
The sound of something heavy enough to fall to the ground could be heard near the two of them. Ike and Hirata who were previously arguing immediately turned their attention to the source of the voice.
Is it like a bag? Or something that has hair... What is that? They were oval in shape and roll towards them.
"Huh, uh ... UWAAH !"
Ike fell on his own after taking a closer look at what it was.
He was trembling and terrified, almost thinking it wasn't real, and believing that this was all a dream... everything was just a dream... just a dream. This is not real!
His hands were wet with sweat, his feet were weak, and could not stand up, his body was shaking, and could not move.
"Ho ... n ... do ... u .."
There, right in front of Hirata... Hondou's head was lying on the ground and covered in blood.