Chapter 11: Fragility (Part 1)
Friday, April 12, 2022
08:15
Good vs evil. Hope vs despair. Dust vs Grimm. These are all examples of conflicts from history, whether they be real or fiction. Wars are fought, people are killed. However, on that day, there was a new conflict to add to the list: Sayori vs pancake.
But perhaps I should back up a little. Everyone was in the living room, sitting in their usual spots while eating breakfast and watching TV. As should be obvious by now, Mc and I had forgone the general cereal for breakfast by this point. With so many people living under one roof for the time being, a large breakfast was pretty much required.
Anyway, there we were, just eating peacefully, when I began to hear a sound of gagging from the other couch. A glance to said couch revealed the source to be Sayori, choking on a pancake. And it wasn't just a small piece. Somehow, Sayori had shoved a whole-ass pancake into her mouth. How? I still have no idea.
It didn't take long for her to figure out the concept of drinking to wash it down, so the situation eventually cleared itself up. Now, you may be wondering why I chose to create such a detailed intro just for something so minor. Well, the reason behind that is because it was a better option than starting this chapter off with 'we were sitting in the living room'.
Another thing you may be wondering is why I didn't tell the story of Thursday. Well, the reason behind that is simple. Nothing happened on Thursday. Same situation with the previous Saturday, but the exact opposite situation with the current day.
Friday was the day that... IT happened. Something that would change my life forever and turn my world upside down. No, not only that. It would destroy my world, fix it, flip it sideways, and turn back time to force me to remember my past. What is that which happens, you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait and see...
In addition, there was this feeling of danger that lurked within the back of my mind. There was nothing obvious that could have caused it, but it was there, nonetheless. No cross-sight vision, no warning, no nothing.
"Hello? Earth to Alex?" The voice of a frustrated Natsuki tore my thoughts away from me, leaving me confused outside of my inner mind.
"Yeah?" Was the first thing that shot out of my mouth.
"Everyone's leaving. You looked like you were in some sort of catatonic state." Natsuki explained.
I looked around in my moderated-confused stupor to confirm what she'd just said. The only two people in the room were now Natsuki and I, giving the room an oddly abandoned look. Without thinking twice, I instantly got into gear and stood up with my now-empty plate in my hand.
It wasn't long before said plate was in the kitchen and Natsuki and I were at the front door with everyone else. Just like the previous days of that week, our group was a collage of different personalities and appearances. Back in my world, it would be quite strange to see a group such as our own walking down the streets.
My body went on autopilot as we left the house, and my mind was focused on something completely different. I thought about how quickly I'd come to accept this new life. Just two weeks before, I had been swimming in my own tears, no hope for a future. Now, I was truly happy with my life. Even thought there were still some hardships in our way, I felt a strong sense of completion.
As our group travelled down the street in the sea of people, I found myself smiling all the way.
*Thirty minutes later*
We once again approached the school building, it's tall structure again casting a shadow over our party. There was a distinct feeling of oppression that came over me as we walked beneath the shadow over the school grounds. The light of completion was still bright inside me, but the darkness of said oppression was beginning to grow over it.
It appeared I wasn't the only one who felt this way, as I quickly noticed that everyone else had begun to pick up their pace as they walked. It felt like no time had passed between entering the school gates and entering the school itself. In fact, this feeling of time quickly passing never ended as we parted ways and spread out down different hallways.
*Five minutes later*
"Calm the fuck down, Alex." I told myself as I dug through my locker. "Just one more day, then you'll be safe for two."
But these words of reassurance to myself didn't mean much. The feeling of strange worry never left, leaving me constantly anxious at what could happen next. Anything could happen at any time. There were no safe spots in this school. For all I knew, someone could be watching me right-
"Who's there?!" I called out as I whirled around to my left. However, there was no one there. No matter how long I stared down that hall or how hard I listened, I couldn't detect anyone or anything down there.
'Must've just been my imagination.' I thought. 'God, I'm getting paranoid.'
I turned back to my locker and closed the door, having just grabbed the last of what I needed. It was at that moment that I suddenly became aware of a presence off to my right.
Out of the corner of my eye, to the point where it had no distinguishable shape, were a collection of colours. It had the general form of a human, so I quickly turned towards it and came face-to-face with a very specific blonde-haired asshole: Okane.
As soon as I processed who it was that I was staring at, I corrected my expression to one of anger. Okane had a neutral expression on his face, just as the days before. However, unlike those previous days, there was something else in there. I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but the clear feeling of neutrality in Okane threw me off.
"I understand it if you don't trust me." He said, oddly sentimental. "I understand that you probably really hate me right now, and that's fine. All I want you to do is listen."
He stopped there, probably waiting for a response. I kept the look of anger on my face, but it was merely a façade by this point. Something about the way that Okane was talking to me confused me. It was almost like... he was trying to negotiate with me. After a short but heated debate in my mind, I let go of the shield of anger and spoke:
"Fine. What do you want?" I asked him, making sure to keep my guard at least a little bit up.
"Someone will be waiting to ambush you in the Literature Club." He explained. "Wait about five minutes in the cafeteria before going."
He then left without another word, confusing me to the point of speechlessness. I felt compelled to call out after him to ask him what the hell he just said, but by the time I'd opened my mouth to speak, he was already gone. Unaware of what else to do, I simply turned around and started towards my math class, Okane's strange words of presumable warning echoing in my skull.
*Five minutes later*
The confusion that set itself in my mind alongside Okane's words hadn't gone by the time I entered the math class, so I was just as stunned as the previous times when the refracted light from Shiro's glasses was shone into my eyes again. On the bright (hehe) side, the shock of said event knocked me back to reality.
Still confused, but at least aware, I sauntered over to my desk and sat down next to Shiro, who was giving me that cheeky grin he always gave me.
"Seriously, stop doing that." I complained quietly, probably a bit more forcefully that I'd intended.
"C'mon, Alex! Lighten up!" He joked. I groaned at the terrible pun, as if I hadn't just made a similar one two paragraphs ago. Seeing how not amused I was, Shiro leaned back in his chair.
"So, are you excited for the club meeting today?" He asked nonchalantly. I froze, puzzled by this sudden, strange question.
'Shiro is just asking a random question.' I told myself. 'He's just trying to lighten the mood- oh, goddammit now he's got ME doing it!' Putting aside my self-anger, I chose to respond seriously:
"I guess you could say that." I answered. "What kind of question is that, anyway?"
"You're just excited to read with Nat, aren't you?" He inquired strangely, ignoring my question. I was beginning to get weirded out by him a bit, which was really saying something. Luckily, the punctuation of the bell ringing stopped our conversation in its tracks.
"I'll talk to you later." I told Shiro, seemingly disappointing him.
I turned my attention towards the front of the room as class started, the event with Okane now a distant memory thanks to my weird-ass conversation with Shiro.
*One class later*
I breathed a sigh of relief as the bell finally rang. Going as fast as I could, I picked up everything on my desk and stood up, starting towards the door to the hallway. During the entirety of math class, Shiro had been pestering me with questions in between all the teacher's sentences. Every. Single. One.
It was normal for him to be a bit socially awkward, but this was a bit much. However, once again, I didn't really think of it too much. I had been ignoring Shiro for the majority of the lesson, so my thoughts wandered back to the strange message Okane said to me.
Although, I never got anywhere with it. No matter what angle I looked at it from, it just didn't make sense. I was tempted to believe that Okane was the mole that Keisatsu mentioned two days prior, but that just didn't make sense when you bring into account the fact that, as far as I could tell, he never gave the warning to anyone else.
I continued to be puzzled by this thought up until I heard a high-pitched, cheery voice cut through my imagination.
"Hey, Alex!" Natsuki happily greeted me. "You ready to go?" I smiled at her, the answer being quite obvious.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I joked. Natsuki responded with a warm smile and a handhold, the two of us walking down the hall together.
I was tempted to ask her if she'd had a similar run-in with Okane as I had, but I ultimately decided against it. If she had, she would've already told me. In addition, if I asked her and she hadn't, then it'd be quite difficult to explain myself.
Suddenly, I heard a deep sigh coming from Natsuki.
"Alex... do you ever feel like there's something missing?" She asked me. I didn't quite know how to respond.
"What do you mean?" I rebounded. Natsuki let out another sigh, this one not as deep.
"Ever since we got together, we haven't really DONE anything." She explained. "It just feels like our relationship isn't... real." I quickly looked around, confirming that we were currently in an unoccupied area of the school.
"Okay, how about this?" I started. "Once this is all over, how about I take you to a nice restaurant? Nice food, good service, and a perfect environment for our second date. How about it?"
Natsuki thought for a moment, considering my offer. Although, her answer was instantly obvious.
"I'd really like that." She responded, pressing up against me a bit as we walked.
I let go of her hand and held her close for a few moments before we turned the next corner, switching back to just hand holding as we entered a more populated area. The promise of a date seemed to reenergize her a bit, and a happy skip formulated as she walked.
I was lost in the moment as we continued walking, thinking of what my future with Natsuki could hold for us. Even as we entered the science room, when we parted our hands, my thoughts never wavered from our future.
*One class later*
I jumped slightly as the bell signifying the end of science rang. I had been lost in the lesson, trying my best to catch up with the teacher. My focus was through the roof, making the ringing that much more sudden.
"I'll see you in the cafeteria, Alex." Natsuki waved goodbye as she stood up.
"Same to you, Nat." I responded. Natsuki gave me another cheer-filled smile as she walked away, going out of sight as she passed through the doorway.
With Natsuki gone from the classroom, I steadily and calmly turned around to face the back of the classroom. However, there was no one other than me in that room. I had hoped that I could get some more information out of Okane about what he'd said to me earlier, but it seemed like that wouldn't be an option.
"Well, shit." I said to myself. With a sigh of disappointment, I picked up my stuff and started towards the cafeteria.
*Five minutes later*
I pushed my way through the double doors to the cafeteria, my bento box in hand, and instantly made a beeline to the table where the rest of the Literature Club was sitting. I didn't even take any time to scan the room beforehand. I had been in that room so many times that I basically had the floor plan mapped out by then.
"Hey, Alex!"
"Greetings, Alex."
"Hi, Alex."
Everyone greeted me as I approached the table, each sounding quite happy that everyone was there. Except... that wasn't the case. As I sat down in my usual spot, I suddenly realized that one person was missing.
"Where's Shiro?" I inquired as I opened my bento box. Everyone shrugged except for Natsuki.
"He texted me saying that his teacher is forcing him to catch up on some work in the classroom." She answered. I let out a small "oh, okay", but that was all anyone said in response.
With that situation over, everyone turned their attention to their food. But that's not to say we ate in silence. In between the eating, someone would always try to slip a conversation in. I was surprised by how nonchalant we all were, considering the current situation. It was like those calm scenes in movies where, amidst all the chaos, there were still people laughing together in their own homes.
However, as our conversations continued, I was beginning to be reminded of... them. As we talked, the memories wriggled out from the back of my mind. My thoughts were quickly overtaken with the memories of my friends and family. They spun and twirled throughout my brain, expanding until they were the only thing I could think about.
"Alex, are you alright?" Tiffany asked me. I dimly sensed the world around me, and I was quickly finding out that my breathing was speeding up involuntarily. I was sweating profusely, and my heartrate was going up.
'Goddammit, not again!' I internally complained with what control over my thoughts I had left.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom really quick." I quickly said, stumbling to my feet.
I felt discombobulated as I made my way across the cafeteria. My steps were uneven, my body felt disconnected, and I was just barely able to see straight. I probably looked like an idiot, stumbling through the cafeteria like that, but I wasn't even aware enough to notice that.
I burst through the double doors to the hallway and went to the nearest bathroom a bit down the hall. The world was going too fast and too slow at the same time. My brain felt like I'd gotten into the bathroom quite quickly, but my body felt like it'd been an eternity.
I stumbled over to the nearest sink, just barely catching myself on the edge to prevent falling over. I instantly turned on the cold water and cupped my hands under the faucet. Once they were full, I brought my face down and splashed the cold water on in hopes that it'd shock me back to reality.
I suddenly found myself back in control of my breathing, so I promptly did my best to slow it down. I took slow, deep breaths and listened as my heart also slowed down to normal speed. I took a few more deep breaths to make sure, then breathed a sigh of relief.
'Thank god.' I thought to myself.
I then turned to leave, but suddenly stopped myself. There was an approaching voice, and it was VERY familiar.
"Not this fucking time..." It was the voice of Okane.
I quickly backed away silently and quickly, hiding behind the end of the stalls. I peeked around the edge, looking for Okane. Then, I saw him pass around the corner into the bathroom. I instantly brought my head behind cover and listened.
"I can't let them die... I can't let them die..." He repeated to himself.
He clearly sounded distressed, almost insane. There was an edge to his voice that made me almost pity him, despite not knowing what it was he was talking about. I heard him turning on the faucet, then some splashes implying he was in a similar situation to how I was a few moments ago. I listened closer to hear him over the water.
"She's innocent. They can't do this." He rambled. "Why the fuck was I born into a cult? Alex… Monika… Natsuki… please look out…"
'What the fuck?!' I thought. 'Is… is Okane from the cult that's been trying to kill us?' My mind was filled with nothing but confusion, but that confusion was suddenly put second, as Okane began to speak again.
"Goddammit, I've been around that recording machine so much I've started talking to myself." Okane complained. I continued listening, but he said nothing more. Probably because he'd realized that anyone could've been eavesdropping.
Eventually, I began to hear footsteps leaving, signifying that I was now the only one in the bathroom. With bated breath, I slowly and carefully crept out from behind cover. Once I was sure the coast was completely clear, I left the bathroom and went back to the cafeteria.
As I walked down the short stretch of hall that connected the bathroom and the cafeteria, I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd heard back there. There was now no doubt that Okane was a member of the cult that was trying to kill us, but the things he said in the bathroom made no sense if that was the case. Then, I suddenly had an epiphany.
'He's the mole!' I internally discovered. 'He's the one who gave me the antidote! When he told me about the clubroom earlier, he was warning me of another attack!' But that just made another question arise.
'But... why is he helping us?' I wondered. 'When I first came here, he was the same as Chad. So why-'
"Hey, man. You alright?" Mc's voice of concern interrupted my thoughts. Without even noticing it, I had already reached the cafeteria and was now sitting down next to Natsuki once more.
With this new knowledge of Okane, I knew exactly what to do. Up until now, I'd been keeping my suspicions to myself about everything. Right now, I had no choice but to tell the others. All their lives were on the line. So, ignoring Mc's question, I looked around to ensure that no one could hear us, and leaned in.
"Listen, I think I just found something out about the cult that's been trying to kill us." I said quietly, just loud enough so everyone at the table could hear. Everyone silently gasped.
"W-what do you mean?" Yuri inquired.
"I think I know who the mole is." I explained. "It's-"
"Does this have anything to do with the note I found in my locker just before lunch?" Natsuki interrupted me. I stared at her, the others mirroring my actions.
"What note?" I asked, prompting Natsuki to reach into her backpack and pull out a sheet of lined paper.
"This note." She answered simply, handing me the paper.
The note was clearly recently written, demonstrated by the lack of smudge marks and wrinkles in the page. The handwriting was neat, but nothing out of the ordinary. I carefully took the page from Natsuki and began to read it out-loud to the rest of the group, making sure to not read it too loudly.
"I know you have no reason to trust me, so I've decided to write this note instead of tell you personally. Today, at the Literature Club clubroom, there will be someone waiting to ambush you and your friends. Before going there, wait in the cafeteria for five minutes with the others before going. Alex will know what's going on but wait until he brings me up to show the others this letter. Things are about to reach the climax, so be prepared and watch out."
I looked up from the note as I finished reading to read the expressions of everyone else. They all had the same look of interest on their faces, including Natsuki. However, there was a small hint of fear behind their eyes as well.
"Well? What does this mean to you, Alex?" Mc asked when the silence got too unbearable. "Why does it say "Alex will know what's going on"?" Everyone else was staring at me, but my eyes were still fixed on the note. There was no way this was all a coincidence. The only way he could've planned this out was if he knew I was there in the bathroom with him. But, with my confusion still set in, I had no choice but to tell the others.
"Okane wrote this letter." I stated simply, causing a mass-gasp around the table. "Earlier today, he came up to me while I was at my locker and gave me this exact warning about the clubroom." There was another silence that engulfed the table, this one filled with uneasiness and suspicion.
"Who's to say we can trust him in the first place?" Natsuki asked. "It's clear that this is some kind of setup!" It'd been a while since I'd seen Natsuki's old 'tsundere' personality, but I had no time to ponder that.
"Actually, I don't think it is." I said. "While I was in the bathroom, I overheard Okane talking to himself in front of the sink. He eventually realized that there could've been an eavesdropper and stopped talking, but I got enough information to believe that he's on our side." There was more confusion around the table, and it was Monika that chipped in this time.
"Our side of what?" She asked. I looked her dead in the eyes.
"He's a traitor to the cult that's been trying to kill us." There were no gasps this time, but that was probably because the shock was so great that they forgot to. "I know that there are some holes in my theory, but I have no doubt that this is the truth. So, because of this, it's in our best interest to do as he says."
"But... what about Shiro?" Natsuki inquired quietly. "He's not here, so he doesn't know any of this." We all stayed silent at this realization. The silence was from worry and shock, which was only amplified as we heard the bell ringing.
"I'll text him." Monika said frantically as she pulled out her phone. After a few moments of typing, Monika put her phone back in her pocket and stood up.
"So... what do we do now?" Sayori asked.
"We just go about our day normally." I planned. "Once it's time for the club, we'll meet back here for five minutes. Got it?"
"Got it." Everyone else said in unison. There was something about Monika's voice that made everyone feel comforted, but also gave off a feeling of leadership.
Anyway, the rest went as you'd expect it to. Reassured by the belief that everything was planned, we continued going on with our day like nothing was different. Yuri and I joined up to go to our next class together as the others broke off down the halls. Yuri and I chatted all the while as we continued down the hall as if the knowledge acquired just a few moments before hadn't ever existed.
As I talked with Yuri, I quickly realized that it almost felt like I was talking to someone completely different. The old Yuri was shy and incredibly introverted, but this Yuri was more casual and confident with her words. You, dear reader, are probably getting a bit tired of me repeating myself, but it still made me really happy to see how everyone had changed so much since I'd first met them.
I was so caught up in this thought, in fact, that I didn't even notice when I was already sitting in my desk next to Yuri. We continued chatting for a short time, which quickly ended with the bell ringing.
*One class later*
I calmly walked out of the history room, the bell having rung just a few seconds ago. Yuri and I exchanged goodbyes as we split off to our next classes. This time, during my journey, I didn't see Tiffany in the halls once, so I was pleasantly reassured when I saw that she was sitting at her desk in the classroom. Again, nothing else happened, so this is the first time there'll be only one paragraph between two time skips.
*One class later*
"Let's get to the cafeteria." Tiffany said instantly as the bell rang. I made no arguments, following her as soon as we were both standing up.
Our walking paces were anxious as we strode down the halls of the school, the number of students in each hall going down as we continued on towards the cafeteria. I was tempted to strike up a conversation with Tiffany to lighten the mood, but we reached the cafeteria before I could decide, making the inner debate useless.
"Oh, thank god." Natsuki sighed in relief as she saw us.
"I told you they'd be fine." Mc joked.
They weren't sitting at our usual table this time. Instead they were merely just standing around nearby the entrance, trying to look casual despite no one else being around. Neither Tiffany nor I questioned it, then walked up to join the others.
"Okay, I'm setting the timer." Monika said while looking at her phone.
"But what about Shiro? He isn't here yet." Mc pointed out.
"He'll turn up. The important part isn't all of us being here, but the time that the club time starts." She explained, tapping the 'start timer' button on her phone.
To pass the time, we all chatted about random things as per usual while looking out for Shiro. As time went on, we got more and more anxious about his absence. One minute, two minutes, three minutes, four minutes passed and there was still no Shiro. We were no longer talking and exclusively looked around, searching for Shiro.
But he never showed up.
"Oh, god. I can't take it anymore!" Natsuki exclaimed, then burst off out of the cafeteria.
"Nat, wait!" I called. I got no response, so I sped off and chased after her. The voices of the others rang out behind me, concerned as I ran.
I followed Natsuki down the hall, around a corner, up some stairs, and through another maze of corridors to the clubroom. She stopped in front of the door and turned towards in, bringing her hand to the handle to open the door.
"Nat, stop!" I ordered as I caught up to her, grabbing her arm and pulling it away from the door.
"Don't touch me!" She yelled. "I just need to make sure!"
"Nat, it's not safe." I explained, now trying with a softer voice. "Shiro is fine. Monika texted him, so there's no reason why he should be-" I suddenly stopped, sensing something. "W-what the fuck is..."
I smelled something foul, something worrying... blood. Natsuki seemed to smell it to, as her expression changed to one of immense worry (at least, more worried than before).
With a cold grip on my heart, I slowly turned around towards the door and reached for the handle, wrapping my shaking hands around it. It felt tougher to move than usual, feeling like I was using all my strength just to open it a crack.
Suddenly, against my will, my hand slammed to the right and opened the door all the way, revealing a horrifying sight. It was like something out of a horror movie. The brutal, bloody mess that lay before me seared itself into my mind as I took it in.
Shiro... was dead.
His body lay up against the wall, a tear in his stomach from some sort of sharp object. There was blood everywhere in an area around his body. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, and you could even see some of his intestines through the cut. Images just like this one, right from my past, swirled through my mind as this new sight joined them, spinning around to create a web of horrible memories.
It was too much for me to handle. I'd failed him. Just like I'd failed all those before. I was a failure. I had no hope. There was no way to win. These were my thoughts as I fell to the ground, and the world around me went dark...
"So, what did you think of my performance?" James asked the three of us as we stood backstage.
"You're on your way to stardom, James." Kyle responded. "Seriously, that was some impressive acting."
"Same here." Aurora chipped in.
"I couldn't have said it better myself." I added.
Our school had just had a play in the theatre with James as the main role. He was always a great actor, but this time, he really blew everyone away. He was always so animated and lively, so it was hard to find a role he couldn't play well.
"So, what do you say we have a little party to celebrate?" I suggested. "My treat."
Everyone agreed, and we left backstage to the hallways outside. The bright lights contrasted with the darkness that existed in the backstage area, so it took a bit for my eyes to adjust. We walked down the halls, talking and laughing as we did. Our little group wasn't very impressive, but I didn't really care. I was happy, and I could tell the others were happy as well.
"So, where should we go?" I asked as we approached the exit. The three suggested a multitude of restaurants, some of which made me worry for the health of my wallet. However, as we approached the exit, a feeling of deep dread and worry entered my chest.
"Alex, what's wrong?" James asked me. James and Aurora had stopped with me and were now standing to my left and right with worried expressions on their faces. But Kyle kept on going. He reached to push open the door.
"Wait, DON'T!" I yelled frantically. But I was too late.
Kyle turned around to see what the problem was, but that was the wrong move. The problem was right next to the door on the other side. I hadn't seen it up until now, and the actions of the others suggest they were the same. As Kyle turned around, he didn't let up on pushing the door. I had barely any time to react when he finally pushed it open.
BOOM
I was thrown back by the blast, the only thing processed by my senses being the explosion that now engulfed the entire area that Kyle had just been standing in. My back hit the floor, and there was a loud ringing in my ears accompanied by the smell of smoke in the air. More explosions rang out in the distance, but I couldn't even tell how far away they were due to the ringing.
"HOLY SHIT!" I heard someone exclaim from behind me. I opened my eyes slowly and stood up much quicker, coming face-to-face with a dead body. Kyle's dead body.
His dead expression was filled with shock, and his entire right arm was completely missing. There were people running around, screaming in terror, but I could barely sense that. All I could focus on was the body of my dead friend, whom I'd known for years. I just stood there, crying and staring.
Suddenly, I was yanked back by someone. I turned around to find James dragging me by the arm down the halls. My feet finally caught up with my brain and I held my own weight, sprinting down the halls with James and Aurora. James and I were up front, with Aurora lagging just a bit behind.
"Ah!" I heard an exclaim of pain from behind me a little bit later. I turned around frantically and stopped to see that Aurora had tripped and fallen. Another explosion rang out, this one much closer, and cracks appeared in the walls and ceiling around Aurora.
I ran forward to help her, but I was again too late. The ceiling collapsed under its own weight, falling directly onto Aurora, crushing her. The only thing still visible was her head, a look of intense pain stricken on her face. Blood began seeping out from under the rubble, and there was no longer any doubt that she was dead.
However, this time, I didn't even have any time to take it in. James once again grabbed me by the arm and dragged me down the halls once more.
"If we go fast enough, we can make it to the other exit!" He explained, panting heavily. He was clearly having an easier time than me, somehow being able to focus on escaping rather than his dead friends.
However, as soon as he finished that sentence, a multitude of explosions rang out all around, and cracks formed everywhere in sight. Neither of us had any time to process anything before everything around us caved in, and we were both buried under the rubble of our own school...
I eventually came to, a throbbing pain enveloping my entire body. I tried moving as my senses recovered, only to be met with pain and a strong feeling of helplessness. My vision came back, and I was met with the worst sight of all.
I was buried in the ruins of our school, only my head and right arm sticking out and free to the air. Everything else was blurry, but my eyes eventually adjusted to reveal a figure limping towards me. I blinked a few more times to clear my vision, revealing the figure to be James. He was caked with dust and there were many clear cuts and bruises along his skin.
"Come on, we need to get out of here." He said as he reached out a hand.
I reached towards his hand with my only free arm. If two of my friends were dead, at least I'd still have-
BANG
A sharp gunshot rang through the air and the two of us froze. Time seemed to stop, then slowly, a trail of blood slowly appeared from James's chest and trailed down. He fell to the side and never moved again. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it. With frantic eyes, I turned back to the front.
There was a man wearing a gas mask, holding a handgun that was presumably used to kill James. He now pointed it at me, his finger ready to pull the trigger. I didn't care anymore. What was the point of living if all those around you were dead? I'd accepted my fate. I rested my body, and made myself an easy target for him...
But the bullet never came. I waited seconds, then minutes, but still nothing. I opened my eyes a peek to witness the man walking away. I was an easy target, so why didn't he kill me? To this day, I still don't know. However, at that moment, I'd wished he killed me. I was eventually found and saved by paramedics, but once again, I'd wished I was dead.
Now, I was reliving that experience of failure with Shiro. I could never save my friends, and I could never save Shiro. I was a failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure.
...I wish I were dead...
End of Chapter 11 (Part 1)