"So we only get one chance, can we take it
And we only get one life, can't exchange it
Can we hold on to what we have, don't replace it..."
Iron Maiden: Age of Innocence
Chapter 19
The comers of the glade heard Gouki's and Rena's last noises but truth to say, they were glad that did not have to face anybody. No matter if we speak about animals or humans. These girls did not want to meet a single soul for lack of any weapon, Sonoko Kuroki (girls #6) and Rumiko Ozawa (girls #9) had been wandering in the wild unprotected - since they have met.
Okay, they got a backpack with some food and water in it, but we can not say, that the Biblical phrase will work by an attack: He throws a stone; you offer a loaf of bread.
It was quite a wonder to reach this zone - G6 - from H4 with a whole skin - this route was the path of a knight in chess. Or not a wonder? Sonoko and Rumiko was sure, they could reckon their so called 'luck' to the two guardian angels - five times more at this time!
The girls headed toward zone F6, to the rendezvous point and what was strange in all that: only Rumiko got an emergency SMS from Dan, but not Sonoko. The last one became a bit depressed, she said to Rumiko:
"I thought I get on well with everyone in the class. Mainly with Dan. I don't understand, he was always nice to me, knew that I don't take his jokes seriously. If he doesn't trust me, where is my place in the allegoric hierarchy of the class-community?"
What a disappointment.
"You know what, Rumiko? If Dan doesn't want to see me in the rescue team, I am not going to go there!"
Rumiko smiled at her and was ready with the comforting answer:
"He sent the message only me, 'cause he knew you're here with me."
"Maybe." Sonoko made a weak smile and tried to act like nothing happened. Deeply in the heart she was not satisfied.
And now they stopped in this zone, in this glade, because they had heard some unpleasant noises. Walking through a battlefield saying - Sorry, we're just passing by! Don't be bothered by us! - proved to be equal to zero. But the roundabout would last long, so they chose to wait, until danger will gone. Unfortunately they have not waited enough, Rena and Gouki heard them, but these four still did not cross path (or was it really an unfortunate thing?).
Everywhere around the glade were signs of a battle, not to mention a few bloodstains on the grass and - obviously a clue - Fukashi Murata's unconscious body with the katana next to him. What would happen if he woke up while Rumiko and Sonoko are there? Also Nichie Shiomi's dead remains could not be ignored. Rumiko wanted to be a nurse or having a job in the field of health care, but seeing such a horrific thing somebody done to another was even much for her, too. She and Sonoko were not that missy-type but no God could force them to go near the body. It was once a classmate, a living one, who walked, talked or smiled day by day like a normal person. That was the main reason they left Nichie fast, the other was a sudden coming sickish feeling. They stopped by Fukashi and stood there for minutes long - meanwhile were trying to get over the shock and as they recovered themselves a bit, checked the boy's health status.
Only for a short examination - to be honest: because he is Fukashi, the short and pimply. And as the Rena-Gouki duo did, Rumiko and Sonoko were also uncertain: should they even trust him? After the pulse checking was ready - Fukashi was alive - they simply left him. Probably he has not get this 'many' touch from a girl so far.
Though, Rumiko looked back at the boy often like wanting to help and hesitated. Or was afraid just as Sonoko? What if Fukashi will attack them later? Okay, maybe a wounded will be no match for them, but... is there any other weapon, a gun (!) in his pocket? Anything can be under the black uniform. He was might not be abandoned there in the middle of an open glade by chance.
"Better no to think anything." Sonoko suggested "let's go as fast as we can!"
"I think we should have a look around. Maybe we can find something useful." said the other, the taller one.
"Good then."
So they did exactly that with hasty movements.
"Wow, a katana! We can have a good use of that!" one of them found the blade. Now they could keep on going without an empty hand. Rumiko had the katana, chill came over her by touching it at the first time.
"I bet the murderer killed Nichie with this!"
"Yeah, killed Nichie, bore Fukashi down and left everything here." said Sonoko. Her mate pointed at the blade.
"Why would that Somebody leave this here? In this ahem... game, katana is a jackpot! Of course I would use it only for defending myself and in the biggest urge."
"Same here. And you can be right. I have no idea, what happened. It seems to me, that a third person was here. Or more."
"Really? Why do you think that?" Rumiko asked. Sonoko answered.
"I usually read Agatha Christie novels. You know, some of her works needed for the final exam." seeing her friend's puzzled face, she added.
"Just kidding. This is why I thought that."
Unlike the words she did not smile, just showed Rumiko what she found a minute ago - the metallic workers hammer used to be in Gouki's hands.
"And there's a second rope on that tree! There should be someone hanging there, not?"
Rumiko stepped to Sonoko and approvingly nodded.
"You would be a good Raina!"
Raina was the protagonist of an animated television - aka anime - series, mainly an adventurer but also solved mysteries. She was Sonoko's exemplar and the girl wanted to be like her in the next life.
"Yeah." this girl tapped her right ear. "Only she's got true poppers, not a hammer like that. I could have a good use of a nine millimeters instead of this."
"Better than nothing."
"Yeah. Let's go until we can."
"Good idea, maybe some of the others have heard these noises and they are coming... Well, I feel pity for Fukashi. Leaving here just this easily."
Rumiko took a last glace at the mentioned above. She was seized with compunction.
"We could help him somehow."
Sonoko hesitated.
'I don't understand, really, why do I disapprove that. Taking Fukashi with us...'
Then she was wondering, what would she do in a similar situation: if they found someone else in the near? Norito for example, Goushi Kakutama, Fuyuki, Yamato Chiba or Asuya - who saved her life once? Do they really leave Fukashi behind, because he is THE Fukashi Murata mocked by all? That's right!
'Man, I'm such a turd! We want to save Dan, but let Fukashi down...'
Both of them felt guilt, still did nothing against that - carried on their way to the rallying point. At least they have weapon now. Melee weapons, but better than nothing. Not everybody can go roaming in a dangerous place like that with their bare hands, mainly not for average teenage girls.
While they were leaving the glade, one of them found the trail on the scrubland, which was made by Gouki during his flee. So, another evidence that more had been there before.
"It can be made by an animal. But it's still a question, whose is that empty rope?" Sonoko pondered.
She looked at Rumiko, who was also thinking. She looked into the watch on her wrist.
"It's almost ten. Dan said in his message, that he's stuck in a zone which became danger zone from nine. This means..." she had a sigh.
"Yes." they both knew, what did that mean. "Is it worth to go to the rallying point?"
"Actually yes. What if we meet someone, there or in the near? Together we can figure something out, at least stop this nonsense killing."
"Call me garbage, but we agreed to be just you and I in our team." Sonoko became disappointed. Did not know, why.
"You're not garbage."
"I don't want to meet anyone. They can act differently like in normal times. I don't want to face that side of theirs." then she closed her eyes. The depressing feeling full with despondency she was haunted by, reasserted itself.
"We left Fukashi behind, he is not better than the others."
She tried to focus anything else than this bad feeling. Rumiko was walking with her chin on the chest.
"You're right Sonoko. Better to be ourselves for a while." she nodded. "I'm still curious though, what's with Sonia... or Yaeka... Nana..."
Suddenly Sonoko forgot all her thoughts, because her right leg was stuck in something, the result was a big falling to the ground. Was not a pleasant experience and the hammer also pushed her stomach as falling into it.
"Are you okay?" Rumiko asked solicitously and helped her friend back on the feet.
"Sure." came the answer.
Everything was all right, except for her wounded arm caused by Inukai with the folding knife. Curse her! That arms was much weaker since the time of the 'accident'. Sonoko was worried very much, feared from some serious consequences in the case of the wound won't be cured. So she has not mentioned these concerns to Rumiko, useless to be one more anxious person.
And now they caught sight of the 'thing' Sonoko had a fall on. That was a student, to be specific: Riki Ryusaki, Sonoko's former team mate. The unconscious boy surprised the girls, mainly Sonoko - she forgot her pain for a while. They also find a puddle of vomit next to him (Rena's vomit) - now we know, what was the thing Riki touched with his fingers before.
"Ew, fortunately I did not fall into that." Sonoko relieved.
Rumiko made a sympathizing grimace. They imagined, what would have happened in the other case. They thrilled at the same time. The shorter girl started speaking again.
"How ironic to find him like that." enough to remember Moskvin's first solo-message and Riki's reaction to that. Rumiko checked the boy's pulse.
"He's alive."
"Good."
Some kind of a malevolent feeling came over Sonoko. She was thinking about the events at day break in the border of this second game field, where this dude wanted to kill her. Thanks to Asuya Fukuda's perfect timing, or else she would not be in the line of the living.
'I was only to a hair from death. I hope Asuya is all right.'
Chill came over her body, but was satisfied with the changed situation: the boot was on the other leg now, the life of that person who was laying in front of her cheap sneakers depended on Sonoko's decision.
'Would I really dare to do that?'
Sonoko returned to present for Rumiko's question.
"Do you think he is responsible for the glade events?" but immediately gave the answer for herself "but why is he unconscious then? No sign of any injuries. Strange."
"And under the uniform? Maybe there's a wound, I don't think he was that tired to fell asleep."
They leaned closer to the black clothes. The boy's face looked into the other direction, so they could see only his blonde hair and the obviously expensive, glittering earring. Rumiko turned red, why Sonoko said her previous sentence.
"I did not mean that." now she reddened too.
"I know. I'm just unwilling to touch a stranger boy."
"Well, me too."
Sonoko had a look around at least twice. The sun had been hiding behind the clouds for long, now it came out again. Everything seemed so calm here in the middle of the pure nature, like this would be an average school trip. Sonoko and Rumiko used to have long walks in the forest of their home nearby, they could talk about their guardian angels and their view of life away from incredulous ears. They got such an impression now, like they were in a walking-tour from the past. Sonoko had those well known feeling of helplessness and loss, did not know how long could she take these tumultuous thoughts.
'I'm not in this game, never. But now is my chance to strike Riki back. Is that truly what I want? Do I have to join those classmates, who can't make a distinction between friend and foe?'
What would happen if she showed that she is different from Riki? In everything.
"Should we leave him? Or help?" she found herself by saying out loudly. Her personal revenge would come true then - she felt in her veins, that this action would set Riki's nerves on edge. And what's better, he will feel some guilt. Maybe.
"What do you say, huh? Do we take him with us?"
"What?!" Rumiko sounded flabbergasted "We let Fukashi behind!" She pointed behind herself back to the field of battle.
"True, but Riki saved me. I owe him one and want to give it back."
"But that was a couple-game, right?"
"Right..."
"So it's not a wonder he saved you."
"And what's more..." Sonoko kept her end up "Riki would be the second person we walked past that easily."
"Are you sure?" she heard Rumiko's hesitation. Sonoko stared at the ground.
"Yes. I think." Why could not she do something useful just once? Her words set Rumiko thinking. At the time she looked into her friend's eyes, said:
"Then we take a risk."
Sonoko had another think about their possibilities for the last time. Knowing, that helping Riki will persolve her debit, but such a mysterious and erratic boy he was... a badly done decision could be fatal.
'Why am I so sure that Riki will regret his doings? Is it worth for honor?'
At last she shrugged the shoulders.
"I am told, that I used to be a delicate child. Now I became too kind hearted and this kind of nature will cause my downfall one day." she did not know the reason, but felt she did the right thing by saving Riki "I don't think I am that 'kind hearted', but..."
Rumiko still needed some answers.
"So, as I'm construing your words, you mean we're going to save Riki - even though he wanted to kill you - and show him, that there's always another way, not only killing and hate."
"Yes." Sonoko nodded "He can see, that there are a few, who set friendship before massacring their fellows. No matter what, we'll got the best from fate and I can say, I'm almost sure of it."
"Our guardian angels can't let that happen. I mean, Riki or someone else harm us... If you are so sure, let it be." said Rumiko in the end "You have my trust."
Sonoko was not that type, but wanted to hug Rumiko. Gladly. Unfortunately, with her friend's full trust her self-confidence lowered a bit. Rumiko's trust in Sonoko felt good and also that if people took the girl's opinion so seriously - she was afraid though, because of having bad experience when all the things were up to her. An then, a divine inspiration came with the speed of an e-mail.
'Why not? Moskvin said that all is allowed what's not forbidden. Almost the same rules are in effect which ones in Battle Royale. You can do anything in BR. My idea is quite risky, but worth the effort.'
"Lyx and Iku take care of us. That's enough me to know." Sonoko said that aloud.
She was always thinking about that in hot situations (for example as a news-girl she met stray dogs on several occasions and she was still living), but the true faith, that a supernatural spirit is watching over her, made the girl more determined.
"I have a phenomenal idea!" she clapped her hand once with a sudden movement and with that, terrified Rumiko successfully. Not on purpose of course.
"Oh, I'm sorry." said after that. Rumiko shook the head.
"No prob. So, what's on your mind?"
"I'll tell you anything after we found a place in safe."
"Okay."
Next problem: to draw Riki along into that safe place.
"Are we able to carry him away at all?" Rumiko asked.
"We'll figure out something."
They stepped to the boy - one of them to his head and the other to the legs. After that they grabbed these arms and legs and were trying to lift Riki up. Not an easy task, Riki got dropped right at the first try. Luckily he was near the ground. The two girls felt very uncomfortable and just stood in one place for minutes long.
"Oh..."
"Let's give a second try!" Sonoko suggested. They barely made the reiteration after a deep breath...
"Gee, what's that?" Rumiko caught sight of something on Riki's shirt.
It was originally white as snow, at the moment mud-stained and shown only in part under the black uniform. What's more, Sonoko and Rumiko found a long-shaped thing in the textile. This thing had tiny feathers on its end, like it would be some kind of an arrow. Presumedly a projectile syringe, aka a needle used to sedate animals. Not a wonder if the victim was sleeping like a top. He could have given such a big dose, that a soviet war bear would have been sleeping its quiescence for another two years.
What if these drugs in the syringe will kill Riki?
Rumiko pulled the object out and started to investigate at eye-level. Sonoko stood next to her by that time. No need for further explanation.
"I'm starting to suspect that Riki has nothing to do with the happenings on that glade." one of them said out what both Sonoko and Rumiko were wondering about.
They had a common attribution, namely to have poor eyesight - they can see like normal people only with the help of glasses (the girls did not wear them anyway, just in school lessons). The doctor said they are myopic, so see things well only at a short range. The main thing is: they could have a good use of that mope-eyes 'ability' at the moment. It was a disadvantage on the whole, Chisato said once about Sonoko's glasses: it is that strong as an observatory. And Sonoko's eyes are like microscopes.
Well, reading the ultra tiny letters on the syringe with those microscope-eyes seemed to be as easy as pie.
"I can see soviet trademark on this thing. Have you found this small, engraved crest, the hammer and sickle?" after diving into examining the object, Sonoko pointed at its end.
"Uh-huh." agreed the other girl "and there's the Cyrillic writing and something in English..."
"It's clear that the stuff is made by the soviets. Somebody in the class got a few projectile syringes and a blowpipe or a rifle for a weapon. Lucky dog!"
"Interesting. Why do the soviets write English text on their products if the Allies are their enemies?" Rumiko looked at Sonoko with narrow eyes.
"Dunno. Maybe, because English is an international language?"
"Look!" Rumiko interrupted her with the wave of the hand. "There's Moskvin's name, see? Under the English shit."
That discovery made them to have another think. Why is the name of a single commander on a projectile syringe? Except if it was not a personalized product. If it was so, meant one thing: Moskvin ventured forth to his base and hunted the students of the 3/e with his own hands. Or does he? Was it a coincidence? Were these syringes made exclusively for Moskvin's squad?
Bullshit! Things are not that complicated. There is something brewing... and it was not the puddle of vomit. The girls could not tell, what was wrong, it was just a hunch. Maybe Moskvin had nothing to do with this situation directly... Wickedly odd, that's all.
Rumiko lost interest in these, so threw the syringe away.
"I don't know why are we concerned with such rubbish. We have more important business to do!" said while pulling a wry face.
"Yeah, sooner or later the secret will out. Or..."
"Or not!" both of them said that, exactly at the same time.
After that the topic was over and they returned back to work, i.e. to lift Riki up and finally leave this place.
Riki Ryusaki's (boys #15) consciousness slowly returned back. He could not tell how long he was there in the middle of nowhere, so unprotected. An hour? A whole day? He was a bit wondered that he was still alive - not only that, Riki was bursting with health and felt quite rested. Only a bit sleepiness.
At last the pain he felt under the ribs before was gone. He sat up to examine himself closer, what could be the reason he suddenly lost consciousness earlier and came to himself again later. By the getting up, Riki was not that good as in the time of waking up.
Muscle fever. Come on, when did he had muscle fever last time? In kindergarten? Or earlier?
Riki unbuttoned his shirt and got sight of a small, red mosquito-bite immediately - looked like a pinhole. How long was it there? If Riki exerted himself, he could call some memories to mind. Last time he can remember, he was sneaking after Kinji and almost had a chance to ambush him. Then came the darkness, which filled up everything in his mind.
And speaking about darkness... This place was a bit dark, too. His earlier place, the forest was much brighter. Of course, because Riki was somewhere else.
As the boy looked around, found himself in an unknown room with old, musty walls and mouldering facing paper in it. This chamber was not too roomy, spider web hanged down from the ceiling, dust was swirling in clouds and overran every reachable surface: corners, decrepit furniture and other remains of household commodities.
Riki was bothered by something else than the confined air. Not much time and he realized: the thing, which was more smelly was down under him - sleazy blankets and clothes ruined by moth - dirt and stink. And dirt. And stink.
The boy got up to his feet at that very moment, he was sick of that place. He searched for the uniform jacket and found it next to an old looking backpack. It contained two bottles of water and two pieces of bread, looked like bread rolls. These are left for him or somebody else, his assumable savior was here, too? But who is that fool, who helped him?
Riki was a mystery himself, little known by the others and they are also faceless to him. After thinking that, Riki became curious. Who was his brave hero?
This hideout consisted of more rooms, as it turned out later. There was another next door and it had a window - pale sunshine was cast to the floor, it was sunset. What is the time? Riki was so distrait that he totally forgot his watch - which was impossible to remove from the wrist - just walked along the stringy board floor, stepped over a few pile of bird guano, fallen feathers and remains of nests and reached the window in the end.
There were no glasses or shutters on the window frame, only bines hanged down like creeping ivy, these runners took in the whole house, the walls of a once beautiful mansion. Looking out of the window perspective sight of the breathtaking wilderness appeared in front of the boy's eyes. The unmarred nature was painted in red by the last rays of the setting sun.
So the mansion was double-storied. Oh, yes, long stairs led to the yard down there, as a narrow, beaten pathway to an old well. This well almost crashed over in its ill-kempt condition. Leftwards from the well, approximately hundred meters far stood the ruins of a stable, then decaying wooden fence and impenetrable pinery.
Riki kept the eyes on the vista for long, he caught sight of two moving points appearing from behind the stable in a minute like that. These points were approaching constantly, their identity revealed the moment they stepped out of the shadows of a tree-line and brambleberries. Two girls in off-white blouse, orange scarf and black skirt headed toward the mansion.
'Come on, little girls saved me?'
Riki bent his brows. The girls went out of his range of vision.
'Or it was the work of my imagination?'
It can be, because he felt dizzy and saw things blurry. He leant over the window and gazed the yard for minutes long, but no sign of the comers.
'Who knows what's in my body. They could shoot me anything with that injection it marked that red spot on my skin.'
He has already tried drugs, not the strong ones and on rare occasions, but could feel in his veins, that he was under some mind-altering substances. So Riki decided to esteem the girls for the play of fancy.
Too early.
Suddenly a head appeared by the window-ledge, right at the place, where Riki was leaning over a few seconds ago. It was Sonoko Kuroki's head. After that her shoulders could be seen, then the stomach, the hip and the legs at last - as she got in through the window. Rumiko did the same after Sonoko and the previous one helped her during the way.
Riki stared them as they would have been ghost or something. They are girls after all! What a shit! Sonoko, his former mate and victim!
"You are awake, cool!" Sonoko sounded unusually happy. No answer came, Riki just thrilled.
Sonoko continued explaining.
"This is our hiding. The entrance and exit is that window, the ladder is the netting of those bines over there. You can find some overhanging bricks for your legs." she wanted to show what she was talking about, but Riki did not follow the conversation. He turned his back to the duo and walked back to the other room, in the dark.
"Er, Sonoko..." Rumiko cleared her throat. "Riki isn't here, went back to his lair."
Sonoko became angry.
"What? I'm explaining exactly to HIM!" she was extremely furious, but the last sentence went for Rumiko "He always makes me angry. I'm starting to regret, that we took him here."
"Better to keep an eye on him." Rumiko did exactly that. Riki could be seen as a pallid, white spot in the dark room.
Then suddenly an idea rushed into her mind, the black haired girl stepped close to Sonoko so the third one did not heard them.
"I think there's a problem. The katana and the hammer is in the other room, behind the spiral staircase. If he finds them..." she stopped speaking, because both of them knew the finishing.
"Quick, let's get those back!" Sonoko whispered back, but maybe it was a bit louder than she expected - Riki lifted up his head and as the two girls stepped in the dark room, was continuously watching them until reaching the spiral staircase (this staircase led to the loft of the mansion).
"There they are." Sonoko took the hammer, Rumiko took the katana.
They were standing with upraised weapons, this position was quite capable of misinterpretation. Riki glared at them, but said nothing. Sonoko followed his glance from the hammer to the sword and back. She thought the situation was worth an explanation.
"Not to worry, these are for ahem... special cases."
Riki ironically answered.
"I little thought you to attack me. You are nothing to harm anyone."
Sonoko found that insulting, so took a step into the classmate's direction. Wanted to say something offending in exchange for the previous claim, but Riki continued:
"To what do I owe this invitation anyway? It's five PM. We're going to have a cup of tea maybe?" he checked his watch on the wrist and smiled gloatingly on Sonoko's reaction.
Because she would shout at Riki, instead of that Rumiko growled.
"If you want to know, we saved your freakin' skin! And for Sonoko's suggestion, that you wanted to kill immediately!"
Sonoko agreed.
"Exactly! Do you know how long it took to carry you here?! And how hard it was?!" she added.
"And you wallowed in your vomit!"
"That wasn't mine!" Riki said with dispatch, looked like if he would have gotten out of his former calmness.
"Prove it!" now Sonoko 'was is charge' again "Anyhow... we would leave you die there if it wasn't that damn pair-game again! Don't think we helped you, because you've got beautiful eyes! 'Cause not!"
At the end Sonoko set the turned-around Nike-tick shaped earring right.
"Pair-game? What pair-game?" the boy asked back in total astonishment.
"Yup. You know, like at the very beginning. And in which end you wanted to kill me!" Sonoko set her arms akimbo with the look of reproach.
"U-huh. Pair-game."
Felt like the temperature would have fallen back. Riki saw clearly their game. Or we can say: trick. Sonoko and Rumiko swallowed once, it was difficult to notice. Their hands started to be in a sweat while holding the katana and the workers hammer.
"I see." the boy just repeated himself "pair-game."
That's right. That was Sonoko's so called 'phenomenal idea' came with the speed of lightning before - telling Riki, that the soviets brought the 'fighting in pairs' system back, so the boy most likely won't intend to attack them. And the truth won't be out if they stay away from the others. Only one risky thing in the plan: if three of them survive this killing-game... well... only God knows, what will happen. Better not to think about it yet, let it be the music of the future.
"And what about her?" Riki stabbed at Rumiko with his head "Where's her partner?"
"My mate wanted to see me dead. It sounds familiar, not? It was Kin..." Rumiko was ready with the answer, but her friend interrupted them.
"Hey, you heard Rumiko! That partner can't be trusted. No matter, who we are talking about!"
Sonoko did not know the reason, but had a feeling, that mentioning his brother to Riki would be thoughtless. She made signs to Rumiko with the eyes to stop speaking about Kinji.
"Agree. We cannot know who is in the game and who doesn't want to play. So we stay away from everyone else." the second one got the message "I am with Sonoko now, and I know one thing for sure: my partner can take care for himself."
The twin gathered his brow, his face showed skepticism and misgiving.
"...mates are not required to fight together, but we happened to find you in the forest unconscious, so can't leave you there. You should have been killed without to realize it, in that case I could say goodbye to my life, too. I don't have mood to take risks."
With that answer Riki's following question, according to which - Oh, even though I attacked you, you want me to be in your near? And Rumiko not? - had been answered.
"It would be rather my risk. How lame you are, you would be dead after a few minutes. Good example is the affair with Inukai last night." Riki pulled a face and looked the other way.
The girls could see his side-face now.
'How the hell can be someone that perfect and perfectly idiot at the same time? Just like Shinji. He's a good guy, but instead of having a nice girl, always wants spoiled plaza bitches and fashion clowns for girlfriend. Two morons!'
Sonoko found herself by staring at Riki with eyes wide open. What's more, Riki looked at her too, their eyes met. The girl lost her bearings - could never took if a strange boy watched her - so it was her turn to look into another direction.
"And what's with the SMS from midday?" Riki's surprising question let all of them forgot their current thoughts. "I can't find it in the database."
He showed the empty watch display for evidence.
"Maybe, because the watch is cleaning itself." Sonoko acted like it was a normal thing. "You know, memory-saving mode. But if you want to know that bad, we can tell you the list of dead people. Not that, as you don't know some of them. I bet you put many classmates out of the way."
No reaction came for the charge, only an impolite pressing.
"Could you start it, please?"
"Why to read out loudly? You can find the list of the names in the database. I'm sure it can't be deleted." Rumiko said that, while Sonoko slapped his forehead.
"Indeed!"
The next minutes have passed in great silence. Riki found out, who died from dawn to the present:
Girls: Etsumi Inukai (killed by a pen), Yurisa Akera (grenade), Benika Hoshino (gunshot), Kirika Kido (gunshot), Erina Sasaki (grenade), Katsumi Wakai (grenade) and Nichie Shiomi (sword). Boys: Norito Royama (torture) and Michio Otomo (gunshot). Nine person in all, seven girls vs. two boys.
'Not an admirable result. Men are far better than women.'
Danger zones are the followings - from 1 PM: E9; from 3 PM: D4 and from 5 PM: J3.
"Did you know that our zone is next to a danger zone?" suddenly Riki's voice broke the silence, it was like it would not have any weight.
The girls stopped preparing the afternoon snack - taking out some bread and water from the backpack. Awkward silence. It seemed Riki was really waiting for an answer, that's why Sonoko said:
"Why? You worry about the danger zone to visit us for a cup of tea?"
This abandoned mansion was located about in the middle of zone E8, the neighboring one - E9 - was already been danger zone at least for four hours. Riki did not give any reply. He get back to the bed of those smelly blankets and clothes (stinking or not, better to rest on these like in the cold floor - there was not any stringy board floor in this chamber, only cob floor - the whole mansion was built to a terraced hillside) and turned his back on the girls. He used the uniform jacket as bedspread.
Sonoko and Rumiko's eyes met.
"Don't you wanna eat something? We have only bread and water. Like in hoosegow, but..."
She could not finish the sentence, they could hear an immediate and cold 'No!'. Sonoko waved hand, while shaking the head.
"To the hell with him. We're going to eat ourselves fill, Riki can eat mud or whatever he wants to."
"True." said the other girl. "Let's sit down to the window-ledge during the meal! What do you say?"
"Okay!"
So they left this room (and Riki too) and went to the place mentioned. This building had many other places, but only this two was accessible - the others had been crashed in, God knows how long. That's why was impossible to reach downstairs or the cellar and as Sonoko explained earlier: the only way in was through the window, climbed up on the netting of creeping ivy. Actually, that was not a problem at all, Sonoko and Rumiko did not mind.
The girls just had a chew at the bread, which were cut in half to the rest of the day (have to spare!) and had a little conversation. Not much, they had to be careful and watch the mansion yard for a possibly coming classmate. They talked about everyday topics, like old times and things happened in the close past - they could feel better a bit, maybe. Being participants of such a senseless killing game... At least they could keep their mind busy and had not to think on their soon coming, unknown death.
After about ten minutes, the talk was over and the girls realized that they completely forgot about the third one. No matter how hard they gazed at Riki, saw only a dun-colored something. Probably the boy.
"Do you think he's sleeping?" Rumiko whispered.
"I dunno. If not, he might would have let us know."
Sonoko had a thought and yelled to the other room.
"Riki! Are you sleeping?"
A short wait, then Riki talked back in the manner everybody knew.
"Yes."
At the same time he sounded, the short beep of 'the six PM message' arrived to each of their watches.
[Number of students: 20]
