Get out of here before I shoot," I say slowly and carefully, holding a pistol in both hands. I guard three others, my friends, that all huddled together. One is unconscious.
The boy in front of me sneered. He had a gun but he held it at his sides. "Fucking Monika. We both know you wouldn't do that. Your panic attacks make you weak, but fortunately, I like dependent girls."
I gasp. "I thought I trusted you with that!" My voice trembles slightly as I fight to grasp my footing.
"And I trusted you with love. I guess we both failed to deliver."
"Monika," a voice in the back begged quietly. I didn't respond, too deep in anger and despair.
"It wasn't love, you only wanted me to fulfill your desires. You wanted me to yourself!"
"Those were only lies, Monika. I am a man that you can love and trust-"
"And I believed you! I believed every word for months. But a person that I love wouldn't try to keep me to their self. A person that I trust wouldn't sabotage me and my friends!" Salty tears rolled down my face, but I didn't attempt to wipe them. I focused all my attention on the boy. All of my attention to the bullseye on his chest if it came that far.
The two that were conscious in back trembled at Monika's words, tears pouring from their eyes.
It only made the boy angrier. "Their not your friends Monika, I mean, not now. I was in the literature club for a month and I could see realize how fake they are. Sayori, the little bundle of sunshine, is probably depressed. She defended you unafraid because she wanted to be shot by me. I hope that blow kills her.
As for that slut Yuri, she cuts for fun. Big, slim red scars on your skin that will never come off just for pleasure? You're disgusting." The boy glares at the purple haired girl huddling in the back. The girl cries in the unconscious's one shoulder, which was Sayori.
"Natsuki's abused by her papa. Not strong enough to fight from a drunk like that? Pathetic, don't you think?" The girl on the right, Natsuki, burns bright red and bites her lip, trying not to say anything to get herself killed.
I, close to sobbing at this point, try to still my pistol in my shaking hands. I look at the floor, not able to look the boy in the eyes. It's not true, is it? Please be not true!
"Isn't this a shock Monika? Do you just want to yell at them, to hurt them, to kill them?"
I could hear the soft sobs that I emitted. Please don't be true, please don't be true! The boy smiles deviously. He carefully raises his gun to meet the trembling two girls and the silent third's. I try to move but I can't. Fear builds up inside me, causing me to sob even more. I can't let him do this! I can't let him kill my friends. Fight it for once!
"Don't worry Monika. I can do it for you if you don't like the sight of-"
"Don't!" I looked him at the eye with newfound determination. That was enough to knock him off his high horse."Even if all of that is true, and that they all hid that from me, I will never hurt them, nevertheless kill them. I love them too much for that. I used to love you like that too, but today you lost it. I have absolutely no love and trust in you". I meant it with all my heart.
"Monika," The voice begged again. I didn't listen, too caught up in the moment.
Haru grimaced and his eyes, for once, are burning with pure anger.
"Fucking Monika, you're always too difficult. But don't worry, I'll fix you soon." All too quick, Haru pulls up his gun and shoots. It plunged into my side, creating a hole through my clear smooth skin. Warm sticky blood arose from the wound and bloodied my uniform. Pain explodes in my body.
"MONIKA!"
I stumbled, pushed back from the blow. I bit my lip, trying my best not to scream out with this unbearable pain that courses through my body. I stared at Haru in shock, my eyes already fluttering. Come on Monika, they won't be saved if you faint now! Even if my whole body screamed I wasn't going to let this slip by me. I grabbed my side with my free arm, raised up my pistol, hoped for the best, and shot.
The last thing I saw was Haru falling, grabbing his leg in pain.
I hoped that if I was going to die, that the literature club would be okay without me.
I hoped Haru would go to jail for all he has done to us.
I woke up, my breathing ragged. I grasped my chest to relieve some of the pain. I was back inside of my bedroom, sitting up on the bed. Oh.
I glanced at my alarm clock, sitting on the bedside table. 5:39. Great.
I began to stand up, telling that I wouldn't be able to sleep again and went to the bathroom. I saw that the wound from three months ago has gotten better. It was a bleeding mess when we were at the hospital. Now, it's just a couple of stitches on the side of my stomach.
The doctor said I was really lucky to still be living, the bullet almost hit my ribcage in a way that could be deadly.
It plunged into my side, creating a hole through my clear smooth skin. Warm sticky blood arose from the wound and bloodied my uniform. Pain explodes everywhere in my body.
After freshening up, I got on my gym clothes and readied myself for running. I ran every morning, sometimes I do it for my stress and anxiety. Other times, I do it just to get some air. It feels great getting some fresh air on your face.
Natsuki doesn't understand why I like it though. She sees it as extra exercise and who would want that? I want to get her out here, to prove her wrong, but she usually sleeps during the regular time I run. To think about it, only Yuri ran with me before. Natsuki reads her manga until all night, which leads to her complaining in the morning. Sayori usually watches cartoons and play games. She likes visual novels the best, replaying the same game over to get with all the girls.
"They all seem to like me, ya know," I remembered Sayori once saying, probably delusional from an all-nighter. "I didn't want them to get sad, so I spend time with all of them! It's fun seeing what each girl offers." Most of me thought she was just being delusional from sleep (again) but part of me gets her. Somewhat.
As long as their up doing something that makes them happy, I'm happy.
I opened the door to see a dark blue sky, lightened up with little stars dotting the sky. The cold autumn breeze hits my face, my hair flows silently behind me. I smile. The more time I have, the more time running I guess. I'm sure the others won't mind if I'm out thirty more minutes than usual.
I jogged on the vacant sidewalk, running the familiar path I been taking for years. I only went out of the path a couple times because of not knowing the neighborhood well and getting lost. Before, I didn't stray from the path because I didn't had time. Now, I don't go off the path because I'm afraid of him.
Fucking Monika, you're always too difficult. But don't worry, I'll fix you, soon."
I shivered at the thought. Those words had always scared me, keeping me up at night. What is he going to do? Is he going to kidnap me? To kill me? These thoughts had recked me for months, but they died down over time. It's been nine months, almost a year now. If he was going to do something, he would have already done it.
I shake off the memory, ridding myself of awful memories. Him betraying the club. Him shooting me. Me, drawing blood for the first time. Me, too caught up in the moment, determined to kill him.
I could've killed him. I could've killed a man. He pained me, but not that much. I could of never hate somebody that much.
It's been nine months. Nine months of hiding and terror and tears. He's not coming back. He's never coming back. I need to get that inside my head!
I'm going. I'm going to run beyond the path. I'm tired of being scared all the time! The jog became a run and soon I was sprinting on the vacant trail, passing my imaginative end line. A sacred indescribable feeling burns it's way in my chest, causing me to smile stupidly. It wasn't fake, staged, or forcing like many others. It was pure and welcoming, but strong and pure. My confidence shined through with each step, pushing through the now unknown land.
I thoroughly believed there was no reason to be afraid anymore.
I arrived at the house a little later than I usually do, running a little father than most days. The confidence still in my soul burns with pride, a wanting to run another mile, but I couldn't. The other girls don't know where I was and I don't want them to worry.
I opened the door to be rushed with a blur of purple hair. I stumbled and tried to speak in protest, but a hand covered my mouth. The figure just hugged me limply. I hugged her tightly, wanting to comfort her but I am still confused. After a moment the figure moves away and looks up at me, her glorious purple eyes filled with tears. She moves her shaking hand away from my mouth.
"Where were you," she whispers, anger wisping up in her voice. I stood confused.
"Running," I say. She motions me quickly to keep my voice down. Natsuki and Sayori were still asleep. "Why?"
"I- He- Just come here." She leads me in the house by her hand, leading me to the television buzzing meaninglessly in the background. She sits down on my white couch, placing her hand on her mouth to muffle her sobs. "I woke up to this."
The television showed a news channel. After a regular weather report, a breaking news section appeared. A woman with a black hair bun looks directly on the screen, a serious look on her face. "Now showing live coverage of a murder scene up in Austin, Texas where a 43-year-old man gotten murdered last night. His wife, the victim, reported having seen him get beaten to death from her spot in the closet. The murderer, the victim says, looks like this." A photo appears on screen, a boy, sixteen. It's him.
The woman starts again. "If you ever have seen this man before, please call the police."
The newswoman fades away to a prerecorded video following the live coverage. It reported that not only that this person killed that man but four other people. I stumbled when I saw the photos. "Yuri. Are they-"
Yuri interrupts me before I could choke out the rest. "Yes. Natsuki's mother and Sayori's parents and brother and-and my father were all killed. By- By-" Yuri sobs again, her whole body shaking. She hides her face in her pajama shirt.
"Yuri. I'm sorry. I- Just-" I pulled the sobbing girl in a hug. Yuri clings to me tightly, wetting my gym shirt. I felt my own tears falling, I never met Natsuki's mother before. Natsuki says that her mother was very caring and kind to her, but had to leave because her father was just too much. Her father kept the house they were living in and Natsuki. Natsuki's mother visited once a month, but Natsuki wouldn't let us meet her. She says her Papa watches all interaction with her and her mother. She's doing this to keep us safe.
Sayori's family was like a second to me. Sayori's parents were so supportive of her, and really welcoming to all of us and me and Sayori's relationship. They also tried to cheer her up if she ever has one of her not so good days. Her little brother was just like Sayori, cheerful and energetic. They were just going to a vacation the last time we saw them. Sayori didn't go, caught up in summer school since she sleeps a lot and misses valuable learning time. Yuri parents too were so nice and kind to her, she really cared for them. They were going to a business meeting when we last saw them. They never made it.
We had so much fun together.
When Yuri calms down and reducing her grip, she looks at me fearfully. "You know what's he doing, what's he's going to do next." There was no need for more explanation.
"I don't know. I guess I can stay with my aunt until the police catch him. My aunt is the only one I actually care about, he knows that," I whispered, trying to ignore the trembling in my voice.
"But are you sure? What if he kills somebody else close to you. What if he still comes." Yuri squeezes my hand. "What if you both get killed."
"I don't know, Yuri. All I know is that I can't let that fool hurt my aunt." Yuri nods slowly, knowing that she can't change my mind. I'm very independent. Stubborn but independent.
We sat in silence for a while, thinking. This was just too fast. Ten minutes ago, I was running with a pure passion, confidence roaring inside me. Now, I'm crying and weak and utterly lost. Five important people in our lives had gotten killed over a matter of weeks.
"Yuri, what are we going to tell Natsuki and Sayori," I whispered, looking at the four photos on the screen. Yuri looks at me sadly. Tear stains shone in her eyes, her hair fizzed out, she looked distressed.
"I don't know, Moni. I don't know."