Okay, this wont actually be the finale, I will post it in a couple days. There is just a bit too much going on, and it would probably be confusing or lose some of its emphasis. Sorry about that. Please Read and Review!
Sakuno wanted to jump for joy but has learned that things can turn in an instant, that's right; she wasn't going to get her hopes up just yet. When they escape alive is when she'll celebrate, it's weird but the brutal death of the two people she called friends didn't seem to affect her as much. It was gruesome, it was horrible but right now it wasn't that big a deal. Tezuka seemed to hesitate a bit before walking out of the room over the bodies with Sakuno behind.
"Nana-san, Kyo-sempai. H-how did you escape?" Sakuno asked when she took a step away from the bodies on the floor, being careful not to get any blood on her shoes.
"Shiro came to my room and he undid a binding on one of my arms so he could probably put a sleep inducing drug in my veins but before he could his cell rang. I guess Rai-san was on the other line from what I could hear and needed him to leave at once; he did so and forgot about me. When he left I undid my other bindings and got out." Nana explained.
Sakuno looked to Kyo, he didn't say anything but pointed back to Nana.
"Oh yes, I was able to find that Kyo's room was close to mine. I was then able to get him free. We weren't able to find the others though, we looked around but to be honest we didn't want to stay too long in one place if we could help it and decided to keep moving. Luckily we were able to find these guns and some bullets, but Kyo only had one and I had two which means I only have one more left." Nana said and let out a sigh.
"I'm glad we found you and were able to help though, I was worried about you, we both were." She said giving a weak smile that was soft but it was obvious her energy was draining out of her body with each second. Kyo gave a nod.
"I'm glad you found us too, oh! Sorry this is Tezuka-sempai he came to save me. Tezuka-sempai, this is Nana-san and Kyo-sempai they've been with me through the whole ordeal." Sakuno said introducing everyone. They gave each other an understanding look with there being no need for further introductions.
"Umm…Do you know the way back to the ladder?" Sakuno asked the other two, after a moment she felt was an awkward silence.
Nana shook her head no. "Sorry, but lets keep moving anyway." She said and started to walk down the hallway Tezuka and Sakuno were chased down earlier.
"Here is a map I was able to get of this place. The police are also on their way." Tezuka said stoically and handed the paper over to Nana who looked it over with Kyo.
"If we can get to a distinct location we can probably find our way back, but which area is unique from the other?" Nana then started to mumble to herself as she strained her eyes to look over the map, then Kyo tapped an area on the map. In the middle of it all was a certain hallway that had only three rooms with five adjoining hallways. Sakuno looked at the area and wondered if they had already been there but she couldn't remember to well and it probably slipped her mind if they did. It was worth a shot though and sense Kyo and Nana joined them, Sakuno was put at a little more ease. Still she wondered when the nightmare was going to end.
It seemed like they were walking in circles but it always seemed to feel like that when one started walking around this place, everything looked the same, all white. They had some time and Sakuno was able to explain some of the time she spent with Rai, though keeping some rather gruesome details like Maro's death secret. It was best that they didn't have that to think about that when they needed to focus on getting out a live and staying alert for Rai and Kaito who were sure to be looking for them. Kyo clenched his fists and Sakuno could see from under his bangs that his purple eyes sparked with energy she hadn't seen in him before, it was a power she couldn't grasp.
When they found the hallway with only three rooms in it, they looked back at the map and distinguished between North and South.
"This way." Nana said walking down the hallway on the right and the others agreed joining right behind her.
Tezuka was silent the whole time, not unlike him but he was actually thinking over what he was going to say to Sakuno carefully. She always seemed so fragile and from what he's heard, she's been to hell and back. Maybe he was curious to see if she changed or maybe it's that he felt guilty but he knew he had to say something, anything that could ease her pain even just a little.
"Sakuno, I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner to help you or even stop this from happening all together but I'm glad that you weren't alone. Rai may be a sick monster but I think he brought forth a strength you already had that was just sleeping. We'll get out of here and put this behind us." He said simply but there was a hint of care in his voice that touched Sakuno.
"…Yeah…I…Think so too." She said and gave a slight nod.
"You know, you can never lose the inner strength you have, simply it's crushed and buried underneath other feelings. It depends on those feelings and how strong you are and of course who is supporting you. Rai-san the original Rai-san has been crushed and now all that's left is his current twisted self. I don't think we'll ever forget this time but I'm okay with having to remember this for the rest of my life, if it means we get to live to see another day." Nana spoke as her eyes looked forward in almost a dream like gleam in them though clouded with fatigue. She was spacing out and forgot to keep walking; the rest stopped and looked at her.
Sakuno reached out and held Nana's ghostly white hand in hers.
" Yeah, then let's keep going and see another day all together if that's okay, maybe we should hang out again, in the sun." Sakuno said with a soft smile. Kyo and Nana were silent for a moment, both let weak smile crest on their lips.
It was almost sad to see but the simple smiles were filled with a kind aura. Tezuka let a faint smile slip onto his face for a second before replacing it with a stoic one. He was proud of her.
Nana didn't let go of Sakuno's hand and she didn't mind that, they turned down another hallway when Kyo asked for the map. He glanced around at the rooms and the saw that there was a "T" intersection of hallways and went right, it was silent again and Tezuka in thought wondered if he could hear faint sirens above but he didn't want to disillusion himself until they were out and safe. The group finally found themselves in the older and dirtier part of the labyrinth, despite the horrid smell of death and decay and the amount of flies buzzing about there was a sense of relief about them as the knew they were close to their escape to freedom.
For some reason a certain energy surged through the group because from their calm came a faster and faster pace till they were nearly sprinting until they were but a few feet away from the ladder. At that moment they stopped, breathing a bit heavily and just stared at the ladder as if they weren't sure if it were real or not. Yet, there it was the ladder that brought them down here to this hell and will now take them to what they've wanted most, fresh air, and the first step to putting this whole ordeal behind them.
Kyo went up first then Nana, Sakuno and lastly Tezuka. They finally saw the inside of the cafeteria again and proceed to make their way out feeling anxious and excited as they approached the slightly ajar doors. When they got to the middle of the cafeteria, the doors slowly started to open up a bit more. Kaito walked in and Rai behind him who was smiling at them.
"Hey there." He said nonchalantly.
"I-I thought that we…." Sakuno started in disbelief.
"Ahaha, you made it out but that's no fun for me." He said simply shrugging his shoulders.
Nana's hand twitched and she reached for the gun on her hip. Kaito stared coldly at her and brought out a gun of his own and without even blinking pulled the trigger and shot her in the shoulder. Tezuka grabbed Sakuno and forced her to kneel on the ground. Nana let out a quick yelp of pain; the gun she held hit the ground and slid as she staggered back a bit in shock. Not even another second went by when another bullet hit her, then another, then another, then another. She fell back in anguished pain, both shoulders were hit, there was two in her gut and another in her chest. She lay on the cold cafeteria floor slowly soaking it in her own blood, her hand twitched as she felt her life finally draining from her.
Kaito kept on his poker face and didn't move a muscle, except to slowly move the direction of his gun towards Kyo whose eyes seemed to shine brightly with what might be determination or resolve. The air was stagnant for a while as the sounds of Nana's painful groans of despair filled the room, Sakuno couldn't help but let silent tears slip. Tezuka gave her hand a quick squeeze then stood up next to Kyo looking darkly back at the two blocking the exit.
Sakuno with shaky limbs scooted closer to Nana's body and tried to say something but was at a loss for words.
"I don't like sleeping, that feeling of being taken over, being smothered by…something. I don't like it…but I guess it's okay. I thought…I wouldn't wake up…now that I know….I wont. It's okay. I'll sleep now…make sure…I'm remembered though…" Her voice was fading and Sakuno was nodding while tears streamed down her face.
"Please…please…please…please…" Sakuno repeated the request over and over, her brain stopped and that was all that was getting through.
"Hey…let people know…I was strong…dying this way is kind of…cool." Nana tried to laugh but coughed a bit instead.
"I-I don't…I….sure." Sakuno was able to choke the last bit out with a gulp. Her first response was going to be "I don't want to, or I don't think I can" but she decided to be strong and comfort her friend in her last moments, let her feel good through all the pain.
Kaito suddenly walked briskly over to Nana, Kyo instantly stepped in and made himself a human barrier between Sakuno and Kyo. Tezuka glanced over but was also focusing on Rai who hand also taken a few steps forward. Kaito's face was emotionless as he stared at Kyo, Sakuno stood up and Kyo stepped to make sure she was completely out of his shot. Kaito didn't seem to care and cocked the gun and redirected it to Nana, he pulled the trigger and sent his last bullet into her head. Her blood splattered over Kyo's shirt and some even streaked across Sakuno's face. Kaito who had not taken his eyes off Kyo's threw the gun aside, Kyo clenched his fists as his aura grew dark and murderous, he took a step towards Kaito who spread his arms out wide, the usual stoic face gave way to a deranged smirk
I stop this for now, I have the other part written out but when I was typing it up I thought I would break it into two. Let the readers have a couple days to soak in this chapter. The last chapter is going to have a lot going on, as it is kind of the last battle. Sorry! I wanted to do it all at once but I felt that it would be too much for a chapter. I won't take long though…please be patient. For a little fun I made a chapter that will give you some detail into the characters I made. Be posted a little after this one.