The following morning...
I will be your deadman...
Shina didn't give any indication she heard the tentative knocking on her door, but after a short pause, it slid open, revealing her opponent of the night before.
"Sparrow?"
"Out. Keep away from me."
Karako sighed in annoyance, stepping inside and sitting on the edge of Shina's bed. "I'm not here to hurt you. About the 'Too Bad for the Loser Show...' I'm sorry it had to happen like that, but there was nothing I could do."
Shina looked down at her remaining, shaking hand, giving a curt nod in response. She'd had hours to think about it, and what was this woman supposed to do? Sacrifice her own goddamn hand for some random kid who was in here for murder? I sure as hell wouldn't bother. The longer she looked at the stump of her left wrist, the more nausea overwhelmed her. She could still feel it, why could she still feel it? Some phantom limb bullshit, probably, but as it was it just drove her closer to despair.
"Here. Eat this, and then take one of these every few hours until you run out." Karako held out a piece of candy in its mocking striped wrapper, a small pill bottle lying beside it.
"I...what...why..." Shina stared at the gift, wide-eyed. They'd told her that shit took some serious cash.
"Just take it," Karako said firmly, pressing the items into Shina's remaining palm. They sat silent for a moment, until Karako cleared her throat and rose to her feet. "Well, I'll just take my leave then-"
"Wait."
She paused, facing Shina from over her shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Name's Shina. Inaru Shina. Not that Sparrow crap. A-and thank you."
Karako broke into a grin, lighting up her whole face. "No problem, Shina. And don't go giving up hope just yet." The door shut silently behind her, leaving Shina alone with her thoughts once more.
Hope, huh? There wasn't much of that to go around, being stuck in this hellhole, having a hand chopped off as you were forced to watch. Shina sighed in defeat, reluctantly choking down the candy to get her collar to stop the beeping. She couldn't just let herself die, she was too weak to do it on her own. Someone else needed to do that for her.
But maybe, just maybe, she was too strong.