Chapter Nine
For as long as she could remember, she hated her home life. The only place where she found relief was at school. Now don't get it wrong, she didn't like school at all. It was simply a place to go to in order to get away from her house. She didn't pay attention in class, she didn't talk to anyone, and she never did the homework, mainly due to the fact that she never actually wanted to go home. Besides, she couldn't be bothered by something so trivial.
Despite the fact that she didn't concern herself when it came to making friends, people knew of her reputation. They knew not to mess with Kama Murakami, at least not if they wanted to survive the rest of the week. Kama didn't care what they thought, they were not an obstacle, they were not a problem, they were not of any significance, they were just. . . there.
She didn't even know why she wanted to win the Program. She doubted that they could make her go to school again and at her age, she couldn't technically leave her mother's home. She didn't know why she did what she did in order to return there. There were a lot of things she didn't know.
Words can't describe how badly she wanted a cigarette in those moments on the island, that was just a hobby she had gotten herself into. Those cigarettes were her lifeline. Unfortunately, she was out.
. ~ .
Erisa and Ruriko were close to approaching the northeast part of the island. If they went all the way, they would have discovered a very calm, clean beach. Ruriko would have wanted to stay there, but Erisa would have convinced her that it would be best to find cover. But that did not happen and that is a memory they would not have.
Hidden high up in a tree were a few wooden planks, nailed in place. There were branches which made this location easy to get to, if one knew the places to step. Erisa spotted it first and together, the two girls climbed up to it.
"What do you think?" Erisa asked. "Probably doesn't get better than this, not here anyway."
That statement alone was enough to remind Ruriko that there was an outside world, even if there was almost no chance of her seeing it again. "So you think we should stay here?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Erisa. "People will have a bit of a harder time getting up to it and we'll see them before they see us."
Ruriko sat, glad that the space was large enough for one of the girls to be sitting while the other laid down. "You're not playing, right?" she asked, simply for assurance.
"Heck no!" Erisa answered. "I mean if someone was going to hurt me or you I would definitely fight them, but I wouldn't. . . . not intentionally. You know I'd never kill anyone."
"True. I'm sorry I don't even know why I asked."
"Listen," Erisa whispered. "I'm going to make sure that no one's in this area. I just want to check, okay? I'll be back before you can miss me."
Ruriko knew that Erisa wouldn't simply take "no" as an answer. As she was climbing down, Ruriko said "Erisa? Please don't. . .," she paused, looking for the right word, "die and leave me alone."
"I won't, I promise." And Erisa Sakamoto always kept her promises, now didn't she?
. ~ .
Yukio was so incredibly glad that he was walking alone. He knew that any of his classmates would have slowed him down drastically. He was pleased that there were no partners or alliances in his game, unless one made one for himself. And Yukio knew he didn't need to do that.
But he knew of people who had. Yukio always watched and observed his prey before making an attack, or he at least tried to. He knew that Naoko Kondō and Chikaaki Aoki were best friends, and each was strong enough to hold his own. He also knew that they had received a gun and a bamboo stick.
Luck played a big part in this game. It was pure luck that he had a gun too.
He sat in the jungle, watching them in the small, secluded house they decided to stay in. He would simply wait until one of the stepped in front of the window and he would blow them away. He smiled. It was almost too easy.
. ~ .
Chikaaki coughed into his sleeve. "Are you alright?" asked Naoko. "I'm a bit worried about that cough. Is it your asthma?"
"Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry about me. What's the worst that happens? I die?!" he laughed at his own joke.
"That's not funny," Naoko said as he reached into a cabinet, taking out one of the granola bars.
"We know it's going to happen. I'm not going to win. You're the one who got the gun."
"But that doesn't mean anything," Naoko said. He walked over to his friend, who was sitting on a small couch. He handed him a cough drop. "Here, this might make you feel be-". The last word would never come out of his mouth. Blood from his friend landed all over Chikaaki. Naoko Kondō had been shot through the neck with only one bullet.
"Shit. . . I guess this is what happens when you help people. . . but Chikaaki, you were a great friend . . . like a brother. . . I just wanted. . . to help."
Boy #18, Naoko Kondō, dead
20 Students Remaining
Chikaaki stayed where he was. "No. No, Naoko, you were supposed to win," he thought. "I can't. . . can't do it without help. I'm weak."
"I won't win. He'll kill me, whoever's outside. Unless I stop him." Chikaaki reached into his dead friend's pocket and took out the gun. "Five seconds, unless something stops me."
He heard the clock count down.
Five. . . . that's when he and Naoko first fought over a girl. They quickly got over it and decided that their friendship was much more important.
Four. . . . that's when he and Naoko shared a toy truck, exchanging ownership every day until it rusted and the wheels fell off.
Three. . . . that's when he fell down the stairs and cried but Naoko comforted him. But Naoko wasn't there anymore.
Two. . . . that's when he and Naoko sat in his mother's basement while the women gossipped about something that they didn't care about.
One. . . . that's when he had first met Naoko, birth. Now, it was time for death. He never thought that Naoko would be the one to die first.
Chikaaki then shut his eyes and put a bullet into his own head, eliminating Yukio's job.
"Naoko. . . someone. . .please save me!"
Boy #2, Chikaaki Aoki, Dead
19 Students Remaining
When Yukio got into the building after hearing the single shot, he saw a boy spread out on the floor, bleeding through his head. Yukio knew enough of wounds to say that he was most likely brain dead, but still alive. Yukio decided to end it all, with just one shot. Two boys dead, two shots fired.
. ~ .
Hisoka Fujii didn't believe in fate. He didn't think that anything was planned out, and that everything could be changed if one dealt with it in the right way. That's why he used humor.
But there wasn't anything funny about this situation. He didn't know what to do.
He stopped walking and sat down, listening to the peace around him. He wished his dog was with him. He loved his dog more than any person. He always cheered up the boy. But Hisoka was afraid he wouldn't see him again.
"No," he said. "I will!"
"No," a voice said behind him. "You won't."
Hisoka was stabbed through the back, unaware of it until the last moment, the moment when he got a glimpse of his killer. He went out like a sigh, like a dying laugh.
"How odd. . . I didn't think you'd actually kill anyone, especially not me. . . we haven't even talked. . . Humans. . . so. . . funny."
Boy #5, Hisoka Fujii, Dead
18 Students Remaining
. ~ .
Erisa went back to the little fort and climbed up to the top, grateful that Ruriko hadn't moved. She looked like she was going to fall asleep.
Her voice came out soft "Was there. . . anyone nearby?"
"No," Erisa said. "No one."
AN: Happy Valentine's Day! Yes, I wrote this instead of eating candy like a normal child. I actually only got this chapter out today because of Sami, who left a very nice review saying that I would only be forgiven if I updated before 2/14/2013. Of course, I wait until the last minute. But hey, it's not VDay yet, so I should be forgiven. . . right? Anyway, I got the entire story planned out and will update more often. Please review, I'll write faster! And be sure to tell me any theories or character preferences. I hope you all have a happy holiday!
By the way, I'm on Twitter! If you want, follow LaineyK123 and tell me you're from Fanfiction and if you like, I'll follow back. Really, I love to chat, so send a message! Until next time!