Chapter Eleven

Kama Murakami sat happily on a swing. She decided that one of the best things she could do was stay in someone's house. She didn't care if they minded or not. Besides, if you're going through hell, might as well make yourself comfortable. Kama figured that after years of hell, comfort was the least of what she deserved.

Now, she knew that others had it worse. There were kids with no homes, there were a number of people sleeping on the streets, at least she had a roof over her head - no matter how much she despised those who lived along with her under it. At least the option was there to always return if there was absolutely no other place to go.

Oh, but there were other places to go to. There were a million of them. There were people who worshipped the tough Kama, and they would be honored to have her stay in their house. There were people who called themselves her friends, she had never trusted them enough to confide in, but staying over for a few nights would not be a problem. She had neighbors, and when you all lived in the same conditions together, you helped each other out every now and then. Out of all of them, there was Mrs. Fujiwada.

Mrs. Fujiwada, now she was ancient. She was the oldest woman that Kama had ever encountered. Still, Kama had a large amount of respect for her. She was tough, never mind the fact that she was merely an old woman. Yet at the same time, she couldn't fight like she had at Kama's age. She was willing to, yes, but against someone in a more fit condition, she wouldn't stand a chance.

That's how she connects back to Kama. She always had her door open to the girl, always. Kama stayed there a number of times, but each time she felt bad, rotten. She felt like she was stealing from an old lady. One day, a short while after her husband's death, collectors came to her apartment. Mr. Fujiwada had borrowed money, and he had borrowed it from the wrong people. They came for what they were owed, they would simply take the money from him. They would take the money from the only one left, his wife.

Kama took care of them. She chased them down, running as fast as she could. She even got one of them. He was the furthest behind the others. She tackled him and they fought. He was slightly small when it came to muscle size and Kama wasn't. She found it so easy, but she was still so mad. How could someone attempt to steal from her role model? She took it out on the young man hit by hit by hit and slowly, very slowly, those negative emotions ceased to be there. That's when she walked away.

It had made a statement and it had been enough. All she heard was that she beat him badly enough for him to end up in the hospital. It was unclear at that point whether or not he would survive. Frankly, Kama did not care. Needless to say, those collectors did not bother Mrs. Fujiwada again.

. ~ .

She was trekking through somewhere now. She didn't exactly know where, but she knew she was far away enough from all the danger zones. She knew she didn't have to worry. She was like Mrs. Fujiwada, she was tough. She could handle anything. She knew that she would win, she didn't have any fears.

Briefly, she couldn't help but wonder how everyone else was doing. It's not that she really cared, she didn't have to. It was simply not her concern. She was determined to win, and she would do anything to ensure it.

. ~ .

Ruriko was laying down, looking up. She saw all the leaves of the neighboring trees surrounding the area above her. Erisa sat near her, carving into the wood of the place they called their fort.

"What are you doing?" Ruriko asked.

"Writing," Erisa answered.

Ruriko sighed. She hated the moments when Erisa acted that way. "Writing what?"

"I'm thanking the kid who owns this tree house. I figured he'd like to know he was a help."

"You're awfully strange sometimes."

Now it was Erisa's turn to sigh. She couldn't stand when Ruriko made fun of her, even if it was over something true. "If I'm so strange and you don't want to put up with it, why don't we see how long you can survive on your own?"

"I don't want to fight with you," Ruriko said hurriedly. "So who's still . . . " She stopped. She hated the way that sentence sounded. She also hated how she was almost so willing to let it slide off her tongue.

"Alive?" Erisa finished it for her, knowing that she had guessed the correct answer. She shrugged. "Don't know. An announcement will come soon."

"I wonder whose names will be on it?" Ruriko thought aloud.

Erisa snapped "Who cares?! I'm alive, you're alive, that's all there is to it."

Ruriko wanted to ask it so very badly. There was only one question which could be found in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder, what would they do when they were the last two, if it even got that far? But she wouldn't ask. She couldn't.

Erisa reached into her pocket and took out a cigarette. As she lit it up, Ruriko said, "You know I hate it when you do that. You're acting like Murakami."

Erisa exhaled the smoke and laughed. "Please, Kama wishes she was like me. I bet she doesn't have any of these right now."

"Good for her," Ruriko mumbled.

"You know, I hate that you - "

An announcement cut Erisa off from what she was about to say.

"Hello, kiddies!" a voice blared. "It's six in the evening, the sun will soon be set. I can't wait to see if there are any night-time kills!"

At that, Erisa smirked. In different locations throughout the island, Daisuke, Kama, and Yukio did too.

"Anyway, I'm sure you all really want to know who your dead friends are! Well, maybe I won't tell you. Just kidding! Of course I will. So, there were seven deaths since we last spoke. How exciting. Boy #18, Naoko Kondō. Boy #2, Chikaaki Aoki. Boy #5, Hisoka Fujii. Girl #10, Imako Suzuki. Girl #17, Suzume Ikeda. Girl #5, Chimako Saitō. Lastly, boy #14, Yasahiro Hasegawa."

Silence. It was as if every student could hear the breathing of those around them, or rather, the silence. Yemon Satō proceeded to read off the danger zones. Yet the silence continued.

. ~ .

"Suzume. Imako," Ruriko said as she cried. "Right after we left."

"Stop crying and just be glad that you didn't die alongside them." Erisa instantly regretted those words. Ruriko didn't deserve problems from her. Ruriko continued to cry in silence. Erisa put out her cigarette.

. ~ .

Beyond the residential area, to the north, there were mountains. No, they were more like cliffs. But to Joji Kimura, even though they weren't extravagantly large, but to Joji Kimura, they were a miracle.

He loved to climb things. When he was younger, his brother had taken him mountain climbing. That had been the best experience of his entire life.

Now, he just sat there, thinking. He couldn't believe that so many of his friends and classmates were dead. He thought of Suzume and Imako. He despised Imako. He thought she was a bitch. Suzume was too, but at least she had the looks to back up that attitude. The loyal followers of Ruriko Kobayashi were now dead and gone. He wondered if she was alone.

He didn't wish harm upon her. He liked Ruriko, he really did. Everyone in their class, she was kind and funny and no one could find it within themselves to hate her. The only person Ruriko couldn't get along with, the only one who hated Ruriko was Erisa. He found it strange that the girls would call themselves best friends. Then again, he didn't really understand the opposite sex, not at all. What a disadvantage that was.

. ~ .

Kama hid, watching him. Less than a year ago, she had cared for him. She wanted him to be hers.

She knew how things probably would have ended up in the very end. She'd have married her best friend, Daisuke. They would have been happy together, or at least something close to it. But no. At the start of the Program, when they had found each other, she had asked him what he was going to do.

He answered with, "I'm going to find her." Then the two embraced and ran in opposite directions.

She tried to forget about the memories of drunkenly discussing the desired lovers which they both had, yet would never get. She had to get him out of her head. She would never see her friend again.

She knew he would find the one he wanted as a lover, she just knew he would find the one he loved. She did not believe, however, that she would find the previous object of her affection. She had assumed that he would just die off and be gone. But now that she had found him, she knew exactly what she'd do.

She ran out to him. "Joji!" she exclaimed happily.

"Kama?!" he asked as he embraced her.

"Yeah. I'm so glad I found you," she said. Neither of them had let go.

He moved his hands up and down her back. "You're the first person I've seen since I ran," he said.

"I've been so scared," Kama said into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Kama," Joji said. "It's okay. I'm here to protect you now."

She simply looked at him. "Really?"

He let go of her and looked into her eyes. "Really. Just let me grab my bag."

He walked over to where he was last sitting and grabbed it. He looked over the cliff to the forest, which was where most of the students chose to reside.

As he stood looking, Kama said "Can you imagine? They're all killing each other down there."

"At least we have each other," he said while still looking down below.

"You never loved me."

And with that, Kama pushed him off.

"Girls . . . are so stupid."

Boy #7, Joji Kimura - Dead

13 Students Remaining

There. It was done. Now no one else could kill him. Kama was glad of that act she had taken. And at least she got to hug him one last time.

AN: Wow, I was afraid I wasn't going to make this deadline. These chapters take me forever to type. Anyway, I'll have React up sometime within the first half of the next month. I really want to make it as great as it can be. Speaking of, I'm not so sure about this chapter. I really wanted to center it around Kama, but added a bit. Plus, there's a lot of small symbolisms in it. Please try to guess the plot, I honestly love the interaction between reader and writer that this site brings.

Sami: Awwe, I'm sorry about the cake! But I hope they had great birthdays! When's my next due date? And you said you're writing a BR fanfiction? I would love to read it! You should publish it or send me a link. I'll review it, and won't be mean, that's a promise. It's the least I can do, since you review me.

Lucca: Thank you for reading! I was just wondering, you said you're not a native English speaker, are you reading this in English or another language? If so, which one? I've always wondered how this site's translator worked.

Thank you all for reading. Have a nice day!