Re: Nightmares
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:42 am
by Elroy
This is it, folks. Fasten up your headbelts, and put ya gunz on.
Final Chapter
THUMP...THUMP...THUMP...THUMP...THUMP
My heart starts to imitate the accelerating noises from down the hall.
THUMP..THUMP..THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP
The noises get louder and faster, and the shadow cast becomes larger. The shade has a long and twisted form as it begins to creep into sight more and more.
THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP
The shadows stretch out across the hall, whatever it is should be coming into view....
THUMPTHUMPTHUM-
The black forms become warped and stretched. The phantoms start to writhe and contort in what seems to be pain. Their "bodies" become filled with holes that start to gape and grow, until the shadows are completely gone.
...what the hell happened?
"They're...they're gone."
The air around me suddenly changes again...things feel...a little different. I think...I think it's over, or at least, heading there.
"Guys...they're gone. The shadows. They...they just left."
I continue staring at the hallway ahead.
"Come on, girls, lets go."
"We...we changed our minds, Hisao."
Misha says...we? Does she mean her and Shizune, or all of them?
"Why?"
"It...it just doesn't feel right."
And I thought I DIDN'T want them to come...fuck. Now that I've gotten used to the idea of them going...I want them with me.
"Come on, the shadows are gone. I don't know how it happened, but I think it's a good sign, at least."
...wait a sec....
something....something is off....I....
.....I feel something...close to me
"It always happens. When I arrive."
The unknown voice from behind, and the surprised shrieks of the girls, kick my heart into my throat.
I spin around, my line of sight piercing a stocky, colossal, frame ahead of me.
....wha-....
I tilt my head back, as my vision crawls up a body. Whatever this is, it's wearing a thin, black, coat, the front of it is open. A chest and part of some arms are visible, both covered in incredibly apparent muscles, thick veins stretching across them.
I meet the face of the...thing...ahead of me.
A...human face....I think...
A chiseled jaw, masculine features, and the beginning stages of a mustache and beard...it's...a man..whatever it is.
His lips are curled into a cocky smile, bushy, blue, eyebrows slightly cocked, arched above small, dark, eyes.
I point the knife at him.
"Who...who are you?"
He leans his head to the left, shifting his body accordingly. His eyebrows are arched, but more in a speculative way now. He seems to study me...
"His....Hisao...who is that?!" They ask, pressed up against the frames of the door. They're smart enough to know not to pass the doorway.
He purses his lips a moment longer, then cracks a victorious smile.
"I'm sorry, Hisao. I should've introduced myself."
...He knows my name?
He bends forward in a bow, and it's now that I truly see how...inhuman...this man is.
He...or whatever this is...must be about 7 tall. His arms and legs are proportional to his insane length. His veiny hands stick out of his black sleeves. His fingers are as long and sharp-looking as my knife.
He's...he's also wearing pants. Even though the pants are gigantic, they look tight on his thick legs, the sleeves ending just before his ankles. There are slight tears in the seams at the sides. He's wearing no shoes. His toes are thick, the nails long and slightly pointed.
As he bends down, I see the "jacket" he's wearing isn't one at all. The fabric at the right and the fabric at the left are completely different shades and textures. They aren't even connected, there's a bridge of his pale skin between the two fabrics.
His long, thick, cobalt blue, hair hangs down over his head.
He picks back up from the bow.
"I...don't have a name of my own."
"Wh-what?"
"I've chosen nicknames in the past. I see now that they were childish, and utterly laughable. Nicknames for me don't matter, anyway. They'll never stick. So I opted to take names. Not for the name itself, but for who they belonged to. I know I'm not the type that'll be able to stay with one name forever, so I just take the next one that looks...worthy."
...What the hell is this guy...thing...talking about?
He begins again.
"Jaser.
Imaran.
Gunnar
Ondrea
Ryu
Onawa"
...What the fuck?
He smirks to himself, then looks as though he's forgotten something.
"Of course...you have no idea what I'm talking about, or what I've been talking about."
He clasps his gnarled fingers together and nods his head.
"I apologize, to you"
He tilts his head towards me.
"And to all of you."
He tilts his head at my doorway. Only Rin, Misha, and Shizune can see him from this angle.
"Hello to you all."
He faces me again, then gives a contented sigh, putting his hands on his hips.
"I'm sorry. I'm not used to talking to anyone that can hear me. So forgive my...peculiar habits."
A subtle, growled, chuckle.
"Those names...those are my names. For now, though, you may call me Onawa. I rather like it. The woman that had it...she was something else."
...I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to respond to with...and neither do the girls..
He continues
"I think after this one, though...my name will be Hisao."
A sharklike grin. He presses on.
"You've done so well...you've been so much fun to watch."
"...Watch?"
I finally manage to say something.
He gives a frustrated sigh, lowering his sight to the ground.
He stares at the ground for a second, then gives a flustered smile.
"I appreciate the fact that you're so...stable, right now. Most, even if they were capable before, would become nothing more than crying, crawling, infants. Screaming, unintelligible, creatures by now. So, please, all of you-"
His gaze shifts from me to the girls, then back to me.
"Please know that I am grateful for this...amazing session. The fact that I have such participants is very exciting for me, but I will try and explain...our situation."
...OUR situation?
"What are you talking about?"
He jumps at my words, surprised, as surprised as I am, that I said them.
"Onawa" smiles and regains his composure, starting to relax. He shifts his body weight in a weird position, it's as if he's leaning back on something that isn't there.
"You see...I am not like you. Er, I am like you, but not in a way that..."
Onawa stops, curling his hand under his stubby chin, looking for the right words. He withdraws his hand.
"I am unable to walk...to breathe...to BE...in the same dimension you are from."
"From?"
"Yes."
He nods his head thoroughly.
"You are still AT Yamaku. You're still on Earth. Just a different...layer of existence."
What the hell?
"What?"
"I've taken all of you here. You see, this is the only plane I can interact with, the only one I can truly exist on."
He breaths in deeply, closing his eyes. From the look on his face, he's arranging his next words carefully. His beady eyes crack open.
"I can watch Earth, and your layer of existence, but I have no interaction. I am a ghost. I may fly anywhere I wish, pass through objects, you name it. My early memories...my decades...I enjoyed that. That was enough. I could see myself, and I looked as I do now. I could see that I was different from you...but similar in some ways. I came to see all facets of human life. A fair bit of it was confusing, and sadly, most of the rest of it was boring.
He looks away from me, past the girls, and at the blank wall of the hallyway to his right. He slowly reaches his hand out and pats the wall, sighing sharply. He rubs his fingers down the wall...kinda...lovingly, in a creepy way, then returns his attention to me.
"I watched many different types of people. The good, the bad. Everyone in between. As time went on, I gravitated more towards those with dramatic lives."
He starts to become more into his words, his smile increasing, his posture becoming more relaxed.
"I saw how humans react to horror, grief, loss, death. So...interesting. Such...layered existences. I realized how boring the happy and the loving are. At least, by themselves. But the transformation people make...when they feel pain, or they lose something, or they take something...that is something to be seen."
...It doesn't sound like he's gonna pat us on the back and bid us farewell after he's done with his speech...
I slowly start raising the knife, feeling tense from his words.
Onawa doesn't miss a beat.
"Do you want to kill me?"
He smiles.
"I get the feeling most do, but they usually do nothing about it. I appreciate it when someone is strong enough to go forward."
I point the knife at his chest.
"Go ahead."
He stretches his arms out at his sides, making a crosslike shape, his hands nearly touching the walls. His posture is even more relaxed, I'm surprised he doesn't fall back.
"W-what?"
"Go ahead, go for it."
Is he serious? Does he want to die? Or is he just fucking with me?
I take a few seconds to think about whether or I should do it, or decline.
Realizing this may be a way to stop things from turning ugly, I step forward and jab the knife at him.
In an instant, his right arm shoots out at mine, knocking it off of its trajectory. The knife springs from my hand, hitting the floor ahead of me.
"Hisao, I have done this many times before, and I've never been scratched. I've never felt even the slightest tinge of pain. The thing I enjoy watching other people go through is something...alien to me. Isn't that interesting?"
Oh...shit...no weapon, and I'm wide open...
...he's gonna fucking tear me apart...
....
........
...He just stands there, allowing me to regain my balance.
Onawa smiles smugly, then continues talking.
"Now, where was I? I really apologize for being such a bore, especially after all the excitement tonight....You see, to get down to the point here, I brought all of you here. It's something I've done many times before. I don't know how I got this ability, or if I always had it, but I can enter this dimension, as long as I bring others with me. Humans, to be exact... I was so excited to be able to finally FEEL the ground underneath my feet, or anything at all for that matter. I was so grateful...to whatever I owe this power to. So until I find out what that being is, I will show my gratitude to this dimension itself. Maybe it is the rightful target of my feelings."
The knife is a few inches from his left foot...shit...with how fast he was earlier, even while he's deep into his speech, there's no way he'll be unable to stop me from getting in it. I guess I have nothing to do but....wait....until....I don't know...
"The thing is...this place is...conscious. It feeds off of the people inside it, the humans, at least. It draws creations from them. Their fears, their hopes, parts of their past, among other things. It's never something you can predict. Once I figured this out, I was more interested in that aspect than finally getting to interact with something. I...I almost have an aspect of control. I realize it is this place that is the cause of these creations, but I'm able to choose who to bring. I think this place knows it as well. This dimension never creates anything based off of me, and its creations never harm me. It NEEDS me."
He grins proudly while starting to rub his fingers along the wall.
I figure I may as well talk...say something...to keep him going, so I can come up with something.
...If I can come up with something.
.......I hope I can come up with something.
"So why us?"
I know you love to talk, motherfucker, don't disappoint me...
"Oh, again, I was getting to that. Forgive me. Lately I've been going for schools and offices. Places where people have a strong rapport. It makes things more interesting than when it's a bunch of strangers. Or maybe I've been going for strangers too many times in a row."
This thought makes him purse his mouth and look at the ground, pondering this idea.
He raises his head and shakes it slightly, dismissing his thought.
"Ah well. I came here because I knew people would be...interesting. You all have such...different lives. Different than the others outside. I knew I wouldn't be getting the same treatment. I HAD to get something different, something nice and new. I swore that if I got another batch of zombies, I'd kill myself....hahaha. Then again, this place IS truly unpredictable. The most average man in the world, boring in every way, can create a dragon. Battle-hardened, blood-soaked, murders can bring something as mundane as a swarm of bees....bah. I'm losing my thought. Again, further to the point, you've all had amazing creations. Perhaps the blob was a little...blah for my tastes, but the presentation was good enough."
Emi scrunches her eyebrows, feeling insulted.
He catches light of this.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I know it's not directly a fault of yours."
Onawa scans across the party.
"Oh, you!"
He points at Misha.
"Y-yeah?"
Misha backs away a step, peeking out of the doorway.
Onawa looks at the rest of us.
"I'm sorry for leaving the rest of you out, but I feel I should start addressing individuals...for completions sake. I won't have the chance later, you see."
He draws in a big breath, then looks at Misha with...a sort of sad expression.
"I apologize for taking you here."
"Wh-what?!"
Misha chirps.
"You see, the whole...magic...or what you would call it, that your acquaintance has placed on the doorway to your room, it drew me to him. Kenji. I've been watching him for a while. I've had my sight on this place for at least a week or so. Perhaps more. I'm terrible with time, I must confess. I knew he had...something strange about him, his ability to bless, and his clairvoyant dreams, but as luck would have it, he decided to leave before I could finish...marking...this place. Because he left the general area before I could finish completing things, I needed something- well, someone, to fill the void that his departure had made. I'd already promised 7 souls, you know. So you...-what was her name again...- Misha! Yes, you, Misha. I chose you. You were a good enough stand in, with your connection to some of the others. But from the beginning, I really had no intention of bringing you to this place, or being the inevitable cause of your death. And as such...I apologize. Though things are as they are."
Misha trembles, though is able to translate the conversation...well...one-sided conversation to Shizune, who puts an arm around her.
Onawa stretches his limbs dramatically, then relaxes back into his impossible pose.
He squirms a bit, then looks about at each of us.
"I apologize, it seems I've had the word for too long. I don't want to bore all of you. Hahaha. Now then, does anyone have any questions?"
....
"Anybody?"
....
"Somebody?"
....
"Anybody play?"
....
Suddenly, Rin raises her right stump.
"Ah! Yes! What is your question?"
Rin, her face as unreadable as ever, answers.
"I'm giving you the finger."
Onawa blinks in a daze, then stares at the fingerless stump for a good minute.
"Oh...Oh! I...I see.....ha...haha..hahahahahahahaha!"
This...seems to amuse Onawa greatly.
He smiles, looking invigorated.
"I appreciate the gesture. Now-hahaha- anyone else?"
...I can't think of anything to say.
"Okay, looks like everyone else is deliberating. I understand, this isn't something that's taken in lightly. Now, while all of you are much appreciated, I'd like to explain what it was that made me...decisive. A certain someone that made me realize this school was the right place for my next session."
He dramatically raises his right arm, levering his elbow till his index finger points into The Room...right at Hanako.
"M-me?!"
Re: Nightmares
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:43 am
by Elroy
Onawa nods slowly.
Lilly wraps her arms around Hanako, whose trembles are getting more apparent.
"I've seen thousands of people die. Countless scenes of torture, destruction, and on and on. I've seen people watch their friends and brothers die. I've covered wars, you know? But YOUR scene...hahaha....your scene was different."
"M-my scene?!"
"Er, well. PARTLY your scene. It was yours and your father's."
Hanako lowers her face, her hair keeping it from sight.
"There was something about it...something out of the ordinary."
"Were you there?!"
I chime in.
Onawa slowly turns his head to me.
"Only after the fact."
"...what?"
"I can see the past of a person, well, not all of it, just the parts that would interest me. I've seen it many times. Probably as many times as you have, Hanako."
"St-stop..."
I barely hear her.
"I can only start to see it after the fire's already started. Once it's already taken all of the kitchen, and some of the living room. I don't mind not knowing the full story. Seeing the look in your eyes as you watched the fire slowly creep up on you...that makes it worth it. I didn't miss the best part. I was certain, when I saw this, that you'd die, although I knew you had to survive it. You were trapped in the corner, fire all around you...how COULD you survive? You couldn't believe my shock when your dad grabbed you and pulled you to safety, letting the fire eat at his body."
"Stop it!"
Lilly speaks up...I should've too. I...I don't know what to say...this thing isn't going to stop...and I still don't know what to do. If I go for the knife...it's all over.
"You know, it wasn't actually the fire on him that made him break. He was doing a good job of keeping it together, considering. It was when he saw that his darling daughter had been burned. The look in HIS eyes as he saw that...wow. Right before the fire completely took him, he said something. Or at least tried. Did you know that, Hanako?"
Hanako's crying into Lilly's shoulder, squeezing her friend's hand so hard it has to hurt.
...I'm barely containing myself. I want to kill this thing...I know that I need to.
"If you pay attention to when the flames have started to really engulf him, you can see that he starts to open his mouth. Now he's not screaming, because you can see his lips -or what's left of them- starting to move in some coordinated manner. Disappointingly, he passes out before he gets to speak. Now I've always wondered...what was he trying to say? Something out of concern for you? 'Run, my darling Hanako!'? Something extravagant? 'Hanako, my dear, be strong?' or just the generic, but heartfelt, 'I love you.'? I guess we'll never really know. Perhaps that's what I love about it. The mystery, hahaha. When I saw that he was back here tonight...it was like seeing an old friend. Even though it wasn't REALLY him, I definitely got a joy from seeing him. What about you, Hanako? I saw you get to spend a moment with him. It's funny, you've seen him die twice, and both times, you had a hand in letting get killed. This time, even more of-"
I watch my closed fist sail through the air between me and Onawa, flying forward before I can even think about it.
A good half second before the blow would've connected with his chest, he clamps his hand around mine, his fingernails digging into my skin, disarming my fist.
...fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck...I should've controlled myself...waited a bit longer...
He pushes his arm forward and releases my hand, sending me onto my back.
Onawa turns away from me to look back at Hanako, watching her bawl into Lilly's shoulder.
...He's not looking...and although the knife is far away...I can do this. I have to!
I prop myself up from the knees and onto my feet, then dive forward for the knife, ready to snatch it the moment I can.
Onawa plants his foot over the handle of the blade, preventing me from grabbing it.
"Hisao, you've made for a great session tonight, but I think you've added all that you can."
He grabs my hair and starts to pull me off of the ground, I help myself up with my hands and feet, trying to lessen the strain on my scalp.
Onawa gently wraps his slender fingers around my throat and straightens me onto my feet.
"Unless you have any questions for me, or anything to say, I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you. Now be warned, should you try to run, hit me, or do anything, I'll squeeze, and crush your neck before you could carry out the simplest command. So if you're going to stay alive for any greater measure of time, you'll stay still."
My pulse starts to rocket, the screams and cries of the girl's sending it higher.
...fuck...this really is it...after all of this...I...
"What are you going to do after you kill me?"
I...may as well say something...
"What do you mean, Hisao?"
"The girls, you fucking moron!"
...I may as well not contain my anger anymore.
"Ah, you're wondering how I can get them with your friend's little magic on the doorway, and the room itself?"
"No shit!"
"I'll wait. After I'm done breaking your neck -which is as quick a death as I can do, you do deserve it after all, for your entertainment- I'm going to wait here. The magic won't last forever. I'd say it's got about another hour in it. Hahaha, I've felt it weakening while I've been talking, though that was no short amount of time."
My pulse drops...almost stopping....
"...You're lying..."
"No, sadly. I'd love to have you alive when the door goes down, so you can watch, but you're a bit too unpredictable. Now I could put you IN The Room, wait for it to go down, then go in and kill the rest of you, but It'll already be hard enough to kill 6 people without letting at least one escape my grasp, especially such a wily one like yourself. That, and your death will be the appetizer, if you will. It'll give the girls a good taste of despair as they wait for their own deaths. So I thank you again for serving so many of my purposes."
...what the hell do I do now?
My pulse starts to pick back up, ascending higher and higher as the tension eats at me. I knew he was going to kill me from the beginning, but...
"Hisao. One last thing. This may seem a trite practice, but tell me, what are your last words?"
"What?"
"When someone's been so...entertaining, it would feel anticlimactic not to get full closure. Her father didn't get the opportunity to let his last words be heard, but you will."
I....
He continues.
"Come on, Hisao. After today, you must have some words you want taken from you. What will you be? What will you respond with?"
Onawa studies my face, looking over my features, for any hint of what I may be thinking.
"Defiance? 'You'll never get away with this!' Fear? 'Please, no!' Acceptance? Or maybe anger. You could tell me you hated me. That would definitely be understandable."
I remain silent...if he keeps going on like this...I may have a few more seconds to...I don't know. I avoid looking directly at it, but from my periphery, I see the knife on the floor...If I die...maybe...when he kills me, or right after..one of the girls can get the knife. They...they need to be okay. I just wish I could do more for them...weaken him somehow...slow him down...or...I don't know....
Onawa's face jumps in some form of realization.
"Ah! Yes! I think I know what you'll choose!"
He puts his free hand under my chin, slowly, carefully turning my head until I'm looking at the doorway to The Room...and the girls.
"Love! It's clear that's the type of person you are. Throughout all of this, you've put them above you, and risked it all for them. It'd make sense that even in your last seconds of life, you think of them first."
The girls are sobbing...
Onawa goes back into his awkward, but relaxed, stance, grinning victoriously.
"Go on, Hisao, tell them you love them."
He takes his hand off of my chin, his nails grazing my skin.
This...this is it...
All of them are doubled over crying, some holding each other, some holding themselves in their sobs.
I can't help but start to cry too...
Onawa puts his hand back around my neck, turning my vision back to him. He stares into my eyes, a cheshire grin on his face.
"I think this fits too. You haven't used words, but your eyes have said everything. Thank you Hisao, for your participation, and your name. You have b-"
A blur of cloth, skin, and hair moves from my left.
I watch her move...through some sort of daze, she almost appears to be in slow motion.
Rin.
She takes a long step forward, stops, gets a steady stance, and forces her foot through the air, slamming her heel into the side of Onawa's knee.
The sound of Onawa's sharp scream fills the hallway.
The force and surprise of Rin's kick, along with his unbalanced posture force him to his left in a stumble.
He tries to keep a grasp on me, but fails, accidentally flinging me away, to my right.
I slam into a hard surface, which snaps back the moment I do.
I hit my side on the floor, then quickly reposition myself on my knees to look towards Onawa and Rin.
Rin turns and starts to run back towards The Room.
Come on, Rin, go! Run!
"YOU....BITCH!"
Onawa springs to his feet, his hand grabbing a clump of Rin's hair and yanking her onto her back.
"Rin!"
I scream, jumping to my feet.
Onawa stands over the fallen Rin, quiveringly raising his right leg above her chest.
"I'M GOING TO K-"
He takes a sharp breath, frozen stiff.
"No...No....nononono. I'm not going to kill you.
He exhales slowly.
"Hisao. Take a look around you."
He says, still facing away from me.
I shoot a quick glance towards the room I'm in.
It's bare. A bed, desk, not much else. But...wait....This is Kenji's Room!
I spin my vision back to Onawa.
"You'll recognize that as your friend's room. Kenji's. Can you feel it? He blessed that room too. You're completely safe there."
...wait...why is HE telling me this...
"Hahaha. I could kill your friend right now."
He kneels over Rin, wrapping his hand around her throat.
"No! Don't!"
"I won't. Well. Maybe not. It's all up to you, Hisao."
...what...
Onawa grabs the knife from beside him and places it to his left.
"Take the knife, Hisao. Or at least try to."
"Wh-what?!"
"As I was saying, I COULD kill your friend. But she's been a lot of fun today. It'd be a terrible waste."
He takes his hand off of her throat and pats her head softly. She winces with each touch.
"I'll make this into a little game. If you're fast enough to grab the knife, you can try your best to kill me, AND as an added bonus, I won't kill her. Not yet. However, if you stand there, you can watch me crush her ribs."
He raises his right arm above her torso, making a fist.
"From there, I think I'll break her skull. Crush it in my hand like a vice."
"No!"
"Well, Hisao, if you don't want me to, I'm giving you this opportunity to be the hero you've been so gallantly performing as tonight. And just between the 7 of you and me, I'm right handed, so you've got me at a disadvantage."
He wiggles the fingers of his left hand, then places it next to the knife.
"So then, enough explaining. You have 30 seconds. No, no, this is much too big a decision. Heroism vs survivalism. You'll need more time, to be fair. Okay, 60 seconds....yes. I think that'll work. Alright, Hisao. Starting now."
WHAT?!
Oh...shit....okay, okay, okay...gotta hurry.
He expects me to take my time and think about this, so if I attack now, I can get the jump on him!
I start to run out of the door, but Rin stops me.
"No, Hisao."
...maybe she's right. Even if I go, there's no way I can survive. He's faster than me. He can grab me before I can get to the knife. And even if I get to it...come on...there's no way.
Alright...maybe there's something in here...
"45 seconds, Hisao!"
I tremble and fumble backwards, looking around for something I can use as a weapon. I trip over the desk.
"Are you falling apart back there, Hisao? Hahaha. Seems you'll be picking survivalism. Good choice."
I pick myself up off the desk, then realize I knocked something off of it.
I take the object.
"...the spray. Wonderful."
Kenji's "anti demon" spray. Which turned out to be hairspray.
sigh.
Alright, maybe I can use the desk....no, it's too heavy to do anything feasable with it.
...Kenji's chair!
...wait...this is nailed to the ground...
There's some sort of adhesive stuck around the legs of the chair, preventing me from moving it.
...Thanks, Kenji...
Alright then...think..
I look around the room, trying to find something out of place. I know it's not like Kenji's going to have some secret room or something but...I don't know...
I look back around. The spray is the only thing I see.
Sigh..
If only it WAS some sort of anti-demon spray. Or if he'd decided to give me a magnum instead. I mean, he WAS expecting demons, why the fuck didn't he ju-
Alright, I'm getting sidetracked.
"30 seconds!"
....great...
....
"It'll burn any horned fucker that tries to mess with you."
I grumble, recalling Kenji's words.
I spin my vision around the room one last time.
A desk.
An immovable chair.
A bed.
Hairspray.
I was in here earlier..and it seems like I'm forgetting something...
What am I missing?!
A desk.
An immovable chair.
A bed.
Hairsp-
....
Kenji...if I ever get out of this...I could kiss you.
I scramble over to Kenji's bed and shove my hand underneath it, clawing frantically at the underside.
GOT IT!
My hands trembling, I bring the item to my face.
Part of me sighs, knowing this could be the moronic move that seals my fate.
Another part of me, in the back of my head, cackles like a mad genius. A demon's smile fills my face.
I walk to the frame of the door.
"Ah. Sounds like you've made your choice."
Even though he's facing away...I can tell he's smiling.
"Well, Hisao? Will you sacrifice your safety, or your friend's?"
"Neither."
I bring hairspray up with my right hand, and put Kenji's lighter under it with my left.
...oh shit..I've never used a lighter.
I ready the lighter and flick the mechanism.
flick...
...nothing..
FUCK!
flick flick flick flick flick
Onawa starts to turn towards me.
"Hisao, what are you-"
flick
A small flame comes out of the opening
Onawa catches glimpse of the object, his expression going from surprise, his eyebrows arched...to fear, his beady eyes widen...
I jam the top of the hairspray with my thumb.
The bottle breathes a jet of fluid, which turns into a breath of flame as it touches the fire from the lighter.
The firey jet hits the right side of Onawa's face, latching onto his hair, quickly spreading throughout it.
"AAAAAAAAAH!
I immediately drop the spray and lighter, get lower to the ground and grab the knife.
The girls quickly grab Rin's legs and feet and pull her into The Room.
Clutching the knife, I bounce back onto my feet and start to run.
Onawa continues to scream, slamming his hands against his head, trying to stop the flames.
In his thrashing, he loses his balance and runs his right side into the doorway of Kenji's room.
I hear a sizzling sound...
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"
Onawa jolts back in pain, falling onto the floor.
I turn back and focus on running away.
He continues to scream and slam his hands and feet against the floor, the sounds getting farther away as I run.
...where the fuck do I go now?
...it doesn't matter. Just gotta keep going. I've got a pretty great head start, so I'm sure I'll be able to get somewhere safe before he catches up. I could go to the-
I feel my feet fly off of the ground.
I watch the floor crawl past me, until I slam into it.
Shaking my head, I regain my senses and claw forward at the knife.
The tips of my thumb, index, and middle finger grab the end of the handle as I'm lifted off of the ground, by the back of my neck.
Fuck...I've gotta hang onto it...
He pulls me towards him, still clutching my neck tightly.
"YOU...."
I get a good lack at the damage...part of his hair...a good deal of it, is charred and torn out. His right side, face and torso, is still darkened from the burns.
His stranglehold on me starts to get tighter. I try slowly feeding the knife into my hand, inching it to a safe grasp, hoping not to show my hand, or drop the knife.
"I'm going to kill you, Hisao."
He places his other hand on the back of my head, lifting the other just under my chin...he's going to break my neck...
"STOOOOOOP!!!"
A particularly loud, tear-filled, shriek from down the hall.
...it's Misha!
Onawa and I turn to look at her.
"LET HIM GO!!!"
Shizune's right behind her...nodding...
I jolt in realization...now's the time!
I fling the knife into my hand, crossing my hand from right to left, holding the blade out...ready to strike...
"Good, they can still watch you die."
Onawa turns back with a smug smirk...keep smiling, asshole.
I shoot my arm out in a broad stroke.
The blade slices his right eye, cuts through the bridge of his nose, and destroys his left eye all in one swing.
"GAAAAAAUUUUH!!!!"
His hands fall from my head, covering up his wounds.
As soon as I'm able to, I spin on my heels and start running...right into the ground...
shit...my ankle. I hurt the left one again when he threw me...shit...
I shove myself onto my feet and start limping as quickly as I can.
From behind me, over Onawa's screams and cries, Misha carries a final shout.
" RUUUUN! BE CAREFUL, HISAO!"
...understatement of the year, but I appreciate it.
With the shock starting to leave me, the pain in my ankle grows, and I start to get out of breath...I'm gonna need to stop soon.
I cross over into another hallway, continuing on my way.
...still no sign of him...
No footsteps. Then again, he was able to rush into me last time, without a sound. I'll have to be careful.
I need a hiding place though...
It's funny, I always hated horror movies where the characters would hide in a room somewhere, instead of just running out of the goddamn house. Wish I was lucky enough to have that option.
I continue down the hall, until I jump at a familiar sight.
An anthropomorphic book bares an intense grin at me.
"Am I happy to see you."
I open the door to the library and step in.
The library is...in complete order. The books and papers and various things that were disturbed last time are gone. Or at least they're in place now. Probably happened as soon as we left.
I sigh in relief and walk further into the library, towards the back, past the isles. There are a few beanbags and other lounging furniture scattered around. I slump myself into a chair and hold my head up.
I just need to catch my breath for a minute...
wheeeeew
Okay.
Now then...
Misha and Shizune were right next to The Room, so I'm sure they're okay now.
...but I don't know how long The Room's powers will last...
Was he telling the truth? If he was...I've got maybe an hour, if I'm lucky. Hopefully they'll just stay there for now...and stay safe...
Argh
I can't be thinking of them now. I've gotta focus on the task at hand, I'M the one that's in the shitty situation. Well, shittier.
Alright, what do I know about him?
He's gigantic, fast, smart, and looks like he's ready to go toe to toe with a chimp on PCP.
Great...
I turn my head away from the floor, glancing at the knife...it's...black...
A black liquid clings to the blade, some of it drips off.
...his...blood?
I DID get a damn good slice off of him...took out his eyes...he's gotta be blind...
He's blind, and he's hurt. He may be pissed, but I can use this to my advantage. He'll have to use his hearing if he wants to catch me. I don't know how well he can hear, but if he's still in a frenzy, it'll make it that much easier to sneak by him.
I need to keep a clear head.
I brush my hair back with both hands and sit up in the chair.
This is a good sign. If he bleeds...I can kill him. I just need to make sure my next attack is a critical one. Superfluous slashes and scratches aren't going to do a damn thing. He'll kill me before I get the chance to do anything but piss him off even more. He bleeds, and looks fairly human, so I imagine his body works nearly the same way a human's does. I've gotta go for the throat. If I get a good, clean, slice across his throat, he'll bleed out before long. I hope. Maybe the shock will do it.
I don't know, but I've gotta stay smart.
I look around the room, at the aisles.
This is good. This is a good place to be. Fairly spacious. Not too convenient an exit, since it's a good walk back, but the aisles offer some protection, if he does come here. When he comes here. I'll just have to wait.
...
...but I can't...
If what he said was true...I've got a limited time. If The Room fails us...we'll be left without any safe haven. And there aren't any exits I can think of. I have to kill him...within the hour. More or less. Maybe he'll just...die from his eye-wounds?
...
Yeah, I should get ready.
Alrighty. Plan: go for the throat. Strategy?
Uhh...well, he's blind...so he'll probably go for sounds. Here, there's books, pencils, and plenty of other shit to throw around. Maybe it'll disorientate him long enough, then I go up to him, and bam, guttural slice.
I smile and get onto my feet. I'm feeling good about this. I can't go back to The Room, and I can't meditate safely here, so now...I've gotta depend on this good feeling.
Now since I've gotta make sure he dies soon, maybe I should get his attention...nothing big, just kinda poke my head out of the door and scream, then run back in and get ready.
...Not the most cunning plan ever, but it may just work. My lucky streak hasn't failed me yet, has it?
I start walking towards the front of the library, till I'm past the aisles. Damn ankle still hurts.
I hear a wheezing sound up ahead...uneven breaths...they seem restrained, like something's holding its breath.
It's him. But what's he doing?
I start to retreat to the back of the room, stepping as quietly as possible.
The door opens...and he steps in, keeping his head ducked. Once he walks past the frame of the door, he raises his head.
The area around his eyes is smeared with black blood.
"I know you're in here, Hisao."
...I remain still...
"You're in front of me. About...30 steps. No, 28."
...oh shit...he's right...
"You know I'm right. You may as well say something."
"How can you..."
"Your smell."
"...Powerful nose."
"No. That's only for the intake of air. A strange practice. I never have to do that outside of this place. But everything comes with a cost.
"What do you mean, 'no'?"
He opens his mouth, letting his tongue hang out....and continue to hang out....it's gotta be about a foot long...ewww...
His tongue whips through the air once.
"You haven't moved. Are you scared?"
"Are you?"
"Hahaha."
"Tell me, Onawa, why don't you just go?"
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Once I arrive, there's no leaving this dimension, until all that I brought here dies. Either by this place, or by my hand."
"I see..."
"Hisao, you are going to be the most memorable of all...for what you've done. I would love to stay and talk to you, but it's really hard fighting my desire to kill you."
I slowly step backwards, deciding not to say anything further.
His tongue whips out, and stays out.
He lowers his head, feeling through the air with his tongue.
Onawa's tongue retreats back into his mouth as I continue to walk away.
"You're covered in scent, Hisao. Sweat from your fear, and your anger, the smell of my blood on your knife, and on your clothes, and even the smell of the girl's. The smells are getting a little fainter as time goes by, but it'll be enough to catch you."
He starts to step forward, his long tongue swirling through the air.
...alright...he's not going by hearing...so this isn't uh...going the way I want it to...
I keep walking backwards, he keeps walking forwards, matching my pace exactly.
If we do the fucking tango here, nothing's gonna get accomplished. Shit...
Nonono, this is what he wants. He wants to scare me. Keep the scent supply going.
I've gotta keep a clear head.
I run my fingers, through my hair, feeling the faint moisture of my sweat.
...That's it...
I quietly take my shirt off. While I do, I start to brush up against the bookcase. A book falls loose, the fluttering of the pages making a cover as I swipe my shirt over my head.
...I really hope this works...
"Having trouble walking, Hisao? Hahaha, you're getting scared, aren't you? I was wondering when you'd break. Stability can't last forever."
I wipe my face and neck with the collar of my shirt, hoping to pick up as much of my sweat and scent as I can. I get another part of the shirt and rub it through my hair, ruffling it around. I get my arms, underarms, and torso. Finally, I clean the knife, getting as much of Onawa's blood onto the shirt as I can.
...well...if it'll help...
I spit into the shirt, all the while keeping an eye on Onawa, who's still slowly creeping up.
Alright now...gotta make this convincing...
"N-no! P-p-please! Stop! J-just let me go! I-I'm sorry!"
"...Hahahaha. I knew it wouldn't take long."
"Please!!!"
My voice screeches, and I pull a good 4 or 5 books off of the shelf, letting them crash onto the floor.
I keep moving backwards, at a much slower pace, holding the shirt just off of the ground.
"Hahahaha, after all your heroism. Well, between you and me, you're not the first. There've been a few that were heroes their entire lives. After a while of my...intervention, they were nothing more than infants."
"N-n-n-"
I force my voice to crack and break into a prolonged groan.
I kick the books from a lower shelf, then drape my shirt onto the ground, near the fallen books.
"Shhh...it's over now. I'm glad you decided to stop. Accept it. It's the last choice you have. Take it with pride. A stoic silence, instead of a scared shriek."
What would YOU know about silence, asshole?
Hopefully nothing more than I do.
I slowly start to creep to his left, while he gets closer to the decoy smell.
He starts to lower his head and arch his neck, his tongue stretching out far, quivering in the air. His throat is nice and exposed now...
Time to go in for the kill...
I hold my breath.
Alright. A quick horizontal slice. Right across the front of the neck. Side to side. I can do this. After this, I run. Just slice and run. That's all it is. Let him bleed out. Just slice and run, and watch him die.
I put my arm in front of me, readying my slash. I let him get closer. I get into a stable stance, ready to jut forward and slice all in one move. It'll get me a deep enough cut.
He gets mere inches away from the decoy, as well as me.
...It's now or never.
I take another tiny breath and swing forward, my body lurching forward into the strike.
He freezes at once, then jumps back...I miss his throat...
Onawa falls to his knees, thrashing once again, accompanied with a throaty scream into his hands.
...there's blood on me...as well as my knife...
I look down at the floor...there's a good sized splash of black on the ground...as well as...some black stained object on the ground...it's...pink...and long...it's...his tongue!
...well...silver lining and all that, I suppose...
...time to..uh...run like hell...
I make a breakneck 180 turn and start to limp/run forward as quickly as I can, hugging the aisle so I can make a quick turn into the other one, then head for the door.
Smooth...real smooth...ah well, at least he can't smell anymore...right?!
I turn the corner like a race car, nearly smashing into the opposite aisle.
I take a leap forward and continue to dash. I hear grunts and smashing noises to my left, the aisle he was at.
Just keep moving, Hisao! I get towards the middle of the aisle, nearing the entrance, as well as exit, of the library.
Go go go...
A few feet before I'd leave, Onawa appears at the start of aisle, right before my exit...
He gives a guttural scream and paws at my with his right, his nails scratching my chest. After the initial sting, I feel 4 warm streaks on my chest...shit...I jump back, landing on my bad ankle and tripping over a book, I fall onto my back.
After his nails make contact, his hand slams against a shelf of books, his palm slamming into it hard.
He gives a furious grunt, then slams into the shelf with his shoulder and side. Plenty of books fall out of both sides.
"Grlghragh!"
Better learn sign language, prick. It'll be fucking beautiful not to hear you say another goddamn word.
He slams the underside of his fist into the shelf, then puts a hand over his mouth, wiping blood away.
Whew...
I start to inch backwards...I don't know if I can get up...without making a sound...fuck...I gotta count on him walking past me...these aren't the widest shelves in the world but...I don't know...
Onawa starts to walk forward, slowly.
I fidget and slink against a nearby shelf, making myself as small an obstacle as I can.
As I make contact with the shelf, I see a book start to tip forward, ready to fall down...fuck...
"RRRURGH!!!"
He screams and wipes some more blood, then slams into the other shelf.
A book on the opposite shelf wiggles, nearly falling off.
The shelf above continues to tip forward...shiiiiiii
He keeps walking forward, till he's nearly at the length of my feet, going forward.
Just pass....just pass...justpassjustpassjustpassjustpass
The book above me wiggles again, then falls.
Knife in hand, I catch the book in a clap, as quietly as I can. There was barely a sound..barely a sound..I hope...I...
Onawa's face rushes into my direction....oohhhhh.....shiiiit....
He starts to walk towards me...ohno...ohnonononono...
A ruffling of pages and a thump occurs at the opposite end of the aisle.
He grunts into his stomach and slams hard into the shelf. A book falls off of the shelf and grazes one of the burns on his side.
Onawa lets out a thunderous scream and pushes against the shelf with both arms, till it starts to fall forward...he's blind...with rage..
His legs edge forward as the heavy shelf tips more and more...this could be my chance...
If I bolt up, and even jump forward as fast as I can, he's gonna get me...I need to slow him down...or I'll be the slower one. Especially with my ankle.
......ha...hahahaha...hahahahahahaha!
You're a genius, Hisao.
I edge forward, a little closer, and ready the knife.
Alright...sigh...worked on Achilles...what makes this asshole any different?
The shelf topples over, while he maintains a posture that edges forward, his ankles bent...beautiful...
With a sharp grunt, I slice across his left ankle. The silver and black edge cuts through cleanly. His arms fly back, his posture straightens, and he has a prolonged, shaky, gasp.
I'd hate to leave this bastard uneven.
I stab his right ankle, the blade digs in deep without any struggle.
I withdraw the blade get on both hands and one knee, and jolt up onto my feet.
Onawa claws at me in desperation. He falls forward, though his fingernails manage to graze my back, causing me to scream and nearly falter.
"Aaagh! Fu-"
Come on, Hisao! No slowing down!
I straighten back up and continue limpdashing for the exit, grunting with each strain on my left ankle.
I nearly make it to the open door frame when my heart tells me to stop...whew...we've been through some shit, haven't we, little buddy? I'll give a seconds rest. I haven't heard any movement. How CAN he?
...I hear something rustle against the carpet. A firm thump, then a drag...what the?
Thump....draaaag
thump.....draaaag
I see his the blob of his hair, and his outstretched arms...you've got to be fucking KIDDING ME!
He digs his fingers into the carpet, then pulls himself forward.
His body spasms and shakes from the pain as he gains foot after foot from his hands.
I'm outta here...
I burst through the open door and slam it shut.
Whew...just gotta get to The Room.
I dust myself off, then wipe Onawa's blood from my chest, before it can seep into my wounds. I don't know if his blood could have anything in it...but I sure as fuck ain't walking away from this with hepatitis.
Sigh...whew...
It's been....what...maybe 20 minutes? Maybe a half hour? Naaah. It's probably just seemed like longer, with all this shit going on.
I take a look at the anthropomorphic book poster on the front of the door, and read the word bubble coming from him.
"When in doubt, you can always count on a book to help you out!"
Haha, you said it, brother.
CRASH!!!
Two black stained hands slam through the glass, snapping and flailing wildly.
"Holy fuck!"
I start to fall back, but not before one of the hands takes hold of my hair, pulling forward.
"Get off of me!"
I sweep the knife at the hand, right across the wrist. A clean stroke, it flies through the flesh, blood, and bone.
I'm rewarded with a strangled roar from beyond the door.
The other hand takes the place of it, snapping at my face, inches from pulling my nose off of it. I take a fierce swing at it, cutting through it just as easily.
Both arms retreat onto the other side of the door.
Whew...
I start to limp away, into a running limp.
SLAM!!!!
The door flies off of its hinges and into the opposite wall.
Onawa crawls through, snarling and growling...wait....it almost sounds like he's...crying...I hear sniffles and gurgled moans beneath his heavy breath.
I freeze up, doing nothing but watching him cry.
This...is all he's got left. He knows this is it. After what I've done, he'll never be the same, even if he survives. He'll never live his life the way he has. Never be able to scope out the next victims. He'll be alone, in the dark, with nothing...forever...no sense of direction...no...life...no anything.
I understand, but I don't sympathize.
He gives a long, quivering, howl, then straightens up.
Onawa gets onto his elbows and knees, then swiftly starts crawling on them.
Oh...fuck!!!
This bastard's not giving up!
I limp forward as quickly as I can, bounding through the hallway.
Gogogogogogogo!
I hear his snarls behind me, growing closer.
Shitshitshitshitshitshit!!
He growls, and I hear his teeth snap forward, trying to take a bite out of my leg.
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!!!
I slide into the corner of the hallway and run for the male dorms.
If I can just get into The Room...I've got enough time to let this fucker die...I can watch HIM die. Just what the bastard deserves.
I dash, as well as I can, through the lobby, avoiding falling that fatal inch behind.
Rounding the corner, I make it into the start of the hallway...I can see all of the girls up ahead.
"GOOOOO!"
I shout, trying not to fall behind at all.
"Hisao, what the hell happened?!"
Misha screams, running into The Room.
I wonder why she says it, then I think about it. I leave with him running behind me, and return with him running on his elbows and knees like some kind of circus freak.
Don't get distracted!
I continue limping forward, till I'm feet from the entrance.
Home free! Come on!
"Hisao!"
The girls scream.
I feel something hit my right foot forward. I lose my balance and fall onto my stomach.
"Fuck!"
...shit...
...this bastard, he waited...he probably could've knocked me over at any time...but he knew if he waited, I'd go back here. Where he can hear the girls scream when I die, and be right next to them when The Room dies. Fucking bastard.
I flip onto my back and stab the knife forward. Onawa jumps back, dodging the blade altogether.
I take a slash, an arc too wide, and miss horribly. Before I can withdraw the blade properly, he snaps at my arm, nearly taking a chunk out of it. The shock makes me lose my grip, and the knife flies forward, into The Room......SHIT!!!
He...laughs...a strangled, gurgling, pained, laugh.
"Hurgh...hurghurghurghurgh..."
He inches forward...
I close my eyes in fear....
I hear small footsteps around me...I don't want the girls to see this...please..don't look....
This...THIS...is it....
I hear his shaky, deep, breaths, getting closer...I feel the heat from it on my face, I smell the metallic and plastic scent on it.
...I open my eyes again. To a mouth full of teeth...inches from my face, my throat...
MY throat stiffens, my heart getting faster and faster, pounding and beating in a struggle.
A shaky moan escapes me...I can't help it...
This seems to please Onawa, who gives somewhat of a chuckle.
He inches forward again, tilting his head to get a better angle for biting...
flick...
What the?
flickflickflickflickflick
Is that...?
flick...
I hear a the whisping sounds of a spray, and feel the warmth of the jet. A flame shoots somewhere from my right, onto the side of Onawa's face, as well as his neck, and all of his remaining hair.
He jumps back and roars, shaking from side to side, as if he's trying to shake the flames off.
The whipping of his hair manages to slap some of the fire off.
He turns around starts to run, biting, yelping, and whipping at the remaining flames. After getting nearly all the way across the hallway, he rolls onto his back, writhing and shaking till the last flame is gone. He screams and thrashes, then stiffens up, laying on his back.
I turn to my right, to look at who saved me...it's...Hanako...
"H-Hisao! A-are you okay?!"
She drops the lighter and bottle, kneels, and puts her hands on my right shoulder, staring at my cuts.
"I-I'm fine...thanks to you. Thank you, Hanako."
I put my hands onto her's.
All of the girls crowd around me, shrieking and shouting. They put their hands on me, one puts her feet.
"Girls! Get back in The Room!"
I look back at Onawa, who's still grunting and groaning, though stiff on his back. It almost sounds as if he's in a trance, or he's a sleep, or in some sort of daze. He has to be, after all of that.
"Trust me, get back in!"
They all dash into The Room.
I need to make sure he's dead...it's the only way we're ever having a chance. This bastard's like a cockroach. He'll keep coming back, no matter the injury, no matter the pain, no matter the risk. I have to make sure he's dead. If it's...the last thing I do.
"My...my knife."
"H-Hisao...you sound horrible...please...come inside!"
Emi pleads.
I give a curt shake of the head.
I'm sorry, Emi. But I have to do this.
I lock eyes with Shizune, who's closest to the knife. She nods and slides the knife across the floor. I grab it, and tightly grip it in my right hand, as if I'm trying to crush the handle.
Time to get up, Hisao.
I force myself onto my knees, then haltingly raise onto my feet.
I hear Onawa gurgle and thump from across the hall.
This is it...
My heart...might not make it...
It hasn't stopped pounding...but...I think I have...long enough. I'll make goddamn sure it's longer than he has.
I grip the knife backwards, knowing that it'll take one last, sharp, stab to do this. To make sure.
Onawa struggles and gurgles, working his way out of the daze. He'll be up soon...I know...he's sounding more lively.
I straighten myself, and take in a breath. I look at the girls.
Lilly and Hanako are holding one another. Emi and Shizune are pressed against the door frame. Emi has her hands clasped together, tears welling up in her eyes. Shizune's giving a concerned look, and though she sheds a tear, she nods. Misha's crying into her fists, kneeling on the floor, watching me. Rin's leaning her head against Emi's side. Sitting up, she seems to ask me with her eyes "will you be okay?"
They're all...amazing...they've led me through today. The longest day of my life. I want my last words...I want THEM to have my last words.
I stare into the center of the group, my attention on all of them. I say the words. I don't have the intellect, nor the strength, to come up with any lengthy speech, inspiring words, or any epic epitaph. I say what my heart will allow me.
"I love you. I love all of you."
Their eyes widen. Shizune doesn't even see Misha's trembling fingers, though she reacts to the words.
I can hear Onawa grunting on the other side of the hall, straining to get up.
I don't have any more time to spend with them...I'm sorry, girls, but this is it. You be safe...all of you...
I mouth the words I just said, nod my head, and take a step forward. The hardest step I've taken all day. The easiest step I've taken all day. The first, of the last, set of steps I might take....
I start to walk, which turns into a jog...
Onawa struggles and shakes on the floor, more violently...
I break into a run...
Onawa rocks from side to side, growling louder and louder.
I start to run faster than I ever have...faster than I've ever seen anyone run...
I've forgotten my ankle...
I've forgotten my heart...
I've forgotten my name...
All I remember, is that the girls have to live, and Onawa has to die.
My dash takes me closer and closer to Onawa, who's close to making it onto his side.
I spring off of the floor, my ankles launching me into the air.
I feel the wind blast through my hair. The roars of Onawa, and myself, wrap around me.
He tries to backhand me with his right arm. The nails miss by what has to be less than an inch.
I grab the handle with both hands, the blade primed and straight.
Gravity pulls me down onto Onawa, and with a scream louder than even his, I jam the blade into his chest.
"HURK!!!"
Onawa gives a sharp gasp.
If this son of a bitch has a heart, the knife has to be stuck right through it now...
He gurgles, spitting out a mouthful of black blood.
His arms claw at me, trying to hit me or knock me away.
I bring my elbow back and hit the handle of the knife with a palm thrust, forcing it deeper into him.
"GRRRUGH!!!!"
A strangled groan...the last sound this fucker will ever make.
He tries to slap at my face with his hands, but with the wrist wounds, he can barely even touch me without feeling more jolts of pain.
My adrenaline gives me enough strength to push off of him, and get myself onto my feet.
I look down at him, and see the veins in his face ready to pop.
Game over, asshole.
I lift my right foot above his chest, then stomp it down onto the knife, forcing it all the way in.
He gives heavy sigh...then stops struggling altogether...
He's...he's dead...
I let a sigh that matches his, then turn over...towards The Room.
The girls are watching...
I take a step forward...but the strength is gone, I fall onto my hands and my stomach.
My heart...is...about to pop. I'm about to have one last heart attack...
Ah well...I...I made it far enough. If this is it...so be it. I can't say this is how I imagined it to happen, but...it'll do.
I feel my arms lift into the air, then I don't feel anything anymore...
...
I see the tiles underneath me start to move. The cracks and creases between each tile pass, like the lights on a street.
I see the edges of a door frame pass. Then another. More cracks and door frames. I don't feel anything.
I close my eyes...giving into the pain in my chest.
.......
I open my eyes again...but they're blinded...with a bright light...I don't hear or feel anything...just the light...
...shit...am I dead?
...Again?!
A soft hand touches the side of my face, then something blocks my vision.
Golden curls. They retreat, replaced by purple strands.
All of the girls come into view.
They're...they're gonna be okay now...
...
...my vision goes black...
..........
.............
I feel something...my chest...
I open my eyes to see Shizune's hand on my chest, an intent look on her face.
I lift my head off of the floor, making Shizune jump.
"I'm okay, I'm okay. Really."
They give me relieved looks.
"Are we...where are we?"
I ask to the group.
"Hisao...listen...."
Hanako says and smiles.
The rest of my hearing starts to come back... I hear....laughter...and....talking...I look around at the girls, confused.
It's coming from...outside...it sounds...like the normal...school...
I climb onto my feet. I feel...fine...The Room came through for me. It feels...like a regular room now though...I think it gave me all it had. I put my hand against the wall, tapping it with my fingers.
Thanks...
"Have-have you guys checked?"
They shake their heads.
"I want to look."
They protest.
"Nono. I feel fine. and I'll just open the door."
I walk over to the door and open it a crack. A kid passes by. I forget his name. I think he's in my class. He's quiet. And fat. Another one passes. Not from my class, but I've seen him. I hear their bad jokes, their insults, their shouts, their laughs. They sound...like they always do...they sound normal...
I close the door.
I smile at them.
"It's...it's okay...we're home now..."
I'm nearly tackled by the hugging horde. They latch onto me. Hanako and Misha cry. Emi laughs, Rin holds her breath, and Lilly smiles. Shizune pushes past the rest of the girls and kisses me on the cheek, blushing and smiling like crazy.
We stand like that for a minute. Just holding each other. Laughing. Crying. Smiling.
We...we made it. We went through living nightmares. Monsters. Hell itself, maybe. And...we're okay now. It's...it's all okay. We survived. You might even say we lived.
whew....
"I couldn't have done it without you, girls. Thanks, for saving me earlier, Rin. And again, Hanako."
"Ah, no problem."
"Y-your welcome, you saved me first."
Rin gives me a toothy smile, Hanako gives me a blushing one.
"I...I really have all of you to thank. Again."
"And all of us have you to thank, Hisao."
Lilly adds.
I smile and enjoy a silent moment with all of them.
"So...what are you guys gonna do after this?"
"I...I don't know." Misha and Hanako say.
Rin and Shizune shrug.
Emi and Lilly just smile.
"Haha, wanna know the only horrible thing? There's nobody out there crazy enough to believe us. I guess we'll just have to keep all this under wraps."
They laugh and agree.
We stand there for a minute longer, still holding each other.
"Well...shall we?"
I start to open the door.
"H-Hisao...your..your..."
Hanako blushes, staring at my chest.
"Your nipples are showing, Hisao. That's indecent."
Rin adds, smiling subtly.
I blush a bit, then decide I better get something on.
Wait..my cuts are gone...whew...there's still a bit of blood on me, from Onawa, and myself, but the gashes themselves seem to have disappeared...just gotta shower that shit off after I know it's safe...
I saunter over to my closet and pull out another shirt, identical to the last.
"You've got a cute body, Hicchan!"
Misha chirps, complete with a hearty "Wahaha!"
I smile and slip the shirt over head.
"I'll...I'll get out and see if the body's there...you guys still stay here for a minute."
I rush to the door before they can either protest or beat me to it.
I open it and step out...a kid brushes past me, tells me to watch where I'm going, and continues to walk off.
Other kids pass by, going to and from their dorms.
"Hey, what time is it?"
I ask one of the kids. He checks his watch.
"7:02"
He quickly answers and steps past.
Whew...we're okay...
I look down the hall...to where I last saw Onawa's dead body...he's gone...wheeeeeeeew...
Too bad I left the knife with him...it was kinda badass...I shoulda kept it.
I knock myself on the head for the childish thought, then turn around, hitting my head against something...someone...
"Ouch! Can't I even get to my room without running into some assho-"
The person ahead of me starts, but I finish.
I lunge forward, grabbing the person ahead of me by the throat, surprising even myself.
"Whoa! Hisao?! Is that you?! It's me, Kenji!"
I release him immediately.
"Kenji, I'm so sorry!"
"Haha! Don't be! Nice reflexes! Neither demons nor bitches could be able to take you out if you keep that up."
"Haha! I'm so glad to see you! What are you doing here though?"
"Turns out I forgot my lighter. Can you believe it?! I was sure I had it with me. Turned out to be a pez dispenser. Do you want any?"
"...Want what?"
"Pez!"
"N-no thanks."
"Alrighty! You seen my lighter, by any chance?"
"Yeah, I'll get it for you!"
"Nah, I'll get it."
"Trust me, Kenji, I've got it."
"Okay, bro! Thanks!"
He smiles. It's nothing...but I feel I should do something for him...anything...he...he came through for me.
I reach forward and give Kenji a hug.
"Whoa! Uhh..thanks, man."
He reciprocates.
"Kenji. I want to thank you, for everything today. Blessing my room...looking out for me...everything..."
"No problem! You know, I didn't think you believed me about all this. Good to see you've got an open mind."
"Heheh...yeah..."
"I thought you thought I was a paranoid psycho. I like to think of myself as a paranoid genius. Remember, Hisao, always trust your paranoid side."
"Y-yeah...gotta be careful."
"That's right! Paranoia's a funny thing. Only gotta be right one time to make it all...so...sooo...worth it."
He gets an ear to ear grin.
"I'll go get the lighter."
I walk off to his room.
I don't know if he's right or not...after this...I think the seven of us are gonna be plenty paranoid. I just hope we're able to keep it all together. But you know....I don't actually feel scared. I feel calm. Onawa never mentioned any other demons or monsters. Maybe he was the only of his kind. I think...this was just a passing thing. Either way, the world is safer.
I bend down and pick up the lighter.
Yeah, we may have trouble relaxing at times after this, or maybe the shock will wear off someday, and yeah, The Room is just a room now, but I think we can be okay. We'll have each other. I think after fighting through something like this, we'll be able to appreciate the regular days. We'll live every day, instead of surviving. I could go for a long, steady, boring, rest of my life. No more demon killing for me.
sigh...I feel confident, that this is it. The end of the nightmare.
"AAAAAIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
Oh shit! It's coming from my room!
I pick the spray bottle up, ignite the flame, and burst in through the door.
"What's going on?!"
I scream.
Kenji grabs onto the collar of my shirt.
"WOMEN! They snuck into your room! They were waiting to ambush you!"
"Kenji, they've been here all along."
"Wh-what?!"
"They've been here a while, all of them."
"...Hisao...you DOG!"
"Nonono. You don't understand. I uh...should we tell him, girls?"
They nod and smile.
Well...at least there really IS someone out there crazy enough to believe us...
Fin
Elroy's notes: Whew. Thanks for waiting, everyone. I'm sorry it's taken so long. I've really appreciated all of the views and the comments. This has been good for me. I thank all of you, and hope that you've derived some entertainment, or at least something, from these.
