Chapter Nineteen
"Oh, fuck."
The boy gave a sickly sweet smile. "Hm, yes. Watch the language."
"What's a scumbag like you still here for?" Erisa asked.
"See, you should be nice. I could have killed you like you killed Kama and Yukio. Anyway, I want to see someone before I die. I know you know where she is," he said. He was Akira Nakano, boy number one, the last male in the first Program.
"Who are you even talking about?!" Erisa asked angrily.
He took a step closer to her and folded his arms. "You know exactly who I'm talking about, Sakamoto, Erisa." Erisa's face showed no expression, and she said nothing. Akira sighed. "Fine, I'll play along. I'm looking for Ruriko."
"I haven't seen her," Erisa lied.
Akira glared at her. "Do you think I'm stupid? I don't think she could have survived by herself for so long."
"Well she must be with someone else, I haven't seen her." Erisa wanted to end this. She wanted to kill him and get back to her friend as soon as she could. Still, she couldn't risk it. She didn't exactly know how bad she was hurt.
"You're her fucking best friend! I know you know where she is!" Akira spat. He reached out and slapped her.
Erisa laughed. "Is that the best you can do?"
Akira kicked her in the stomach. She laughed again. He picked her up by the shoulders and pushed her against the tree. "Where is she? "
"F-Fuck you, Nakano." Erisa gestured down. In her hand she held a gun.
"You had two?!" Akira asked, shocked.
Erisa smiled. "Three," she said, even though it wasn't the complete truth.
Akira knew what she was going to do. He didn't even get a chance to run before Erisa pulled the trigger.
"I guess I'm just. . . out of luck."
Boy #1, Akira Nakano - Dead
3 Students Remaining
. ~ .
Erisa sighed. It was hard, but she began to walk. She left everything there behind her. Three dead bodies, weapons which could have been used, and those horrible blood-stained memories all remained there.
. ~ .
When she got back to Ruriko, she felt like collapsing. She had no more energy. She sat on the ground. "Ruriko, get down here," she whispered.
"Erisa?"
"Yeah, it's me. Who else would it be? There are only three of us left." She fished around in her pocket for a cigarette. She found one and lit it.
Ruriko climbed down. "Jesus Christ! What happened to you?"
"Fuck," Erisa groaned. "I fought Yukio with Kama. She killed him, but she got hurt and didn't make it back."
Ruriko sat next to her friend. "So there are only three people left?"
Erisa nodded, then flinched from the pain. "Yeah. Oh, here." She gave Ruriko the key.
"Are you okay?" Ruriko asked, worry written on her face.
"Yes," Erisa said. "I'm fine, I just need to sit a minute. I'm feeling better already, honest."
Ruriko frowned. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
Erisa took a drag and then exhaled the smoke. "No. I have before, but not this time. I'm feeling better. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself."
She moved a little closer to Erisa. "What are we going to do?"
Erisa took a good look at her best friend. She was scared. She was stressed. She looked like she hadn't slept much. She had dirt all over her face. Yet Ruriko Kobayashi still maintained the same innocence. This was the being that Erisa Sakamoto loved most in the world. No, she didn't want to kiss Ruriko and love her in that way, but all she would have done anything for her. She would have followed Ruriko to the end of the world and back, if the girl had asked her to. She would have done anything that Ruriko asked, she would have done anything in Ruriko's interest, even if it hurt herself, the one who was meant to be the top priority. Ruriko Kobayashi was the only one Erisa Sakamoto would willingly take a beating for.
"Nothing," Erisa said.
Ruriko reached over and grabbed Erisa's hand. She gave it a squeeze. "I'm proud to call you my best friend."
"Don't you dare say your goodbyes, Ruriko. You don't need to, nothing is going to happen to you or me. Let's just," she paused. She stood up and grabbed her backpack, "go for a walk. I don't want to stay here anymore." Erisa took one last look at the place, hatred in her eyes.
She got up. Ruriko followed.
. ~ .
As they walked, a sudden announcement was voiced. Neither of the girls noticed that the time just flew by.
"Students, it's noon. There are three of you left, this is when it gets serious. Who has the drive to survive? That was a clever phrase, I'm rather proud of it. I should become a public speaker. Huh, that's an interesting thought. Anyway, here's a list of the other dead kids. Girl #2, Akasuki Nishimura, boy #3, Daisuke Yamazaki, boy #12, Yukio Katō, girl #12, Kama Murakami, and boy #1, Akira Nakano. Seems none of them are our winner. You all still have some time, but I can't wait to see how this plays out. Good luck, though it won't do you much good now."
Ruriko looked down as she walked. "The dead are listed in order, right?" she asked Erisa.
Erisa looked forward, "Yeah, I think so."
"And you said that Murakami died from the wounds Katō gave her in the fight?"
Erisa nodded. "Yeah."
"So how did Nakano die?" Ruriko asked.
A wave of mixed emotions flew through Erisa in a second. Among them were fear, shame, love, pride, happiness, and sadness. "I don't know," she said. "Could have been the other girl out here. Could have been a mistake. Could have been suicide."
"Who would kill themselves this late in the game?" Ruriko asked. Erisa merely shrugged. "Where are we going?"
"I want to show you something."
Erisa led the way. Ruriko followed.
. ~ .
"It's just through here."
Erisa let Ruriko walk ahead.
"Oh my God," was all that came from Ruriko. She was absolutely terrified. She was shaking. She threw up.
In front of her was a bloody, beaten, dying girl tied to a tree. She recognized Mikka Endō, the girl who had never done anything bad to anyone.
"R-Run," she managed to choke out. Ruriko fell to her knees.
"It was the only way to keep you alive longer," Erisa explained in a gentle tone.
"My life was lengthened for a few extra hours, at this price?! Why would you do this?!"
"You're my best friend and I want to make this as painless as possible. There's nothing to fear in dying. And please, please don't say you're scared of me."
"How many have you killed?"
"Ten, though I guess you could count Daisuke, in a way. But I still love you. We're still friends, right? 'Best friend' means forever."
Ruriko nodded. Erisa walked ahead of her and took out a knife she had in her backpack. She dug it into Mikka's chest and pulled downwards, ripping the girl's skin. She did so with no regret. Ruriko was horrified.
"I wish . . . I could see what's going to happen. It's actually vaguely. . . interesting. Like a book. . . If only I hadn't been a part."
Girl #14, Mikka Endō - Dead
2 Students Remaining
"Now hey, you're still the best. We're still friends. I still love you. That won't change, even if one of us is dead. I promise. I'll remember you, and I'll live in the best way possible." Erisa, the girl covered in blood, walked to her best friend and helped her up. "I envy you, actually. But I'm glad you're here with me now. I valued every second." Erisa hugged her close. She was shaking. Ruriko, shocked, hugged her back.
"I'm sorry," Erisa said. She then dug the knife into Ruriko's stomach, and added a twist.
AN: Now, let me just say, this is NOT over yet, everything may or may not change, I promise that none of you have predicted this ending. It all takes a turn in one chapter. I just hope I write it well enough. Anyway, thanks for reading, stick around for one more go, okay? Please leave a review if you have the time!
I know I got this out a bit late, I'm not at home. I'm in a hotel for a convention and the wifi wasn't working last night. My apologies. I don't think I'm even supposed to be on here now, but I love all my readers like crazy, so it was worth the risk to write :)
Sami: The closest person I talked to was in New York, I think. Okay, well, I could definitely do email. I have a gmail so we could do a gchat (text) chat if we ever logged on at the same time. As for Quotev, maybe I'll make one, I haven't checked it out yet (and I'm not at home and I don't think I'm supposed to have access to the wifi at the place we're staying at, so I'd have to do that later. (but we are going home tomorrow, so. . . )). If I made one, my username would probably be the same as on here, LaineyK123. If you want, you can leave your account name in a review, you'll be the first person I contact on there :) Anyway, now it's only ten pm here, it's so early for me haha.
Thanks again guys, I can't believe there's only ONE more chapter left (full of unexpected events, might I add!). Until then.