SOTF Archive/SOTF Classic

Kimiko heard the violence reach its apex and be punctuated by a single gunshot. Then silence.

She could hear movement and eventually a voice called out to her. A boys voice.

That was the winner then.

Kimiko stayed where she was. She didn't trust the boy not to turn his gun on her and if he chose to do that she didn't have the weapons to be able to fend him off.

At the same time if she caught him unaware she could eliminate someone who was a threat to her own survival.

Kimiko slid along the floor heading closer to the door and the edge of the window. She stood up and gripped her gun tight.

Her body shielded by the wall she peeked out around the portal to look into the room, hoping he wasn't waiting for her ready to shoot.

He glanced down at the person whose death he had just made sure of. Looking back up, he saw her again. Hadn't said a single word so far. Not that he was in much of a mood for conversation after what had just happened. Slowly, he raised the gun.

"I'm getting out of here," he said, wondering how many bullets the gun had in it. At least nineteen, maybe more if his benefactor was feeling particularly generous when the gun was fitted with a magazine. "Do you object to that, at all? Me leaving? I've already killed someone today. I don't want to have to do it again."

Kimiko looked at the boy and the gun he had pointed at her. He would be able to kill her in a straight gunfight.

He said he was leaving and asked her if she had any problem with that. The implication behind his question was clear, the threat unspoken but present and Kimiko knew better than to tempt fate. She hadn't gotten as far as she had making stupid decisions and she couldn't risk everything on the fifty-fifty chance of her being faster. It would be better for her to just let him go and remain in the therapy rooms.

So she shook her head and stayed where she was, waiting for him to move.

Not a single word.

That was fine. He didn't need any words. Everything said was a disgusting blasphemy against the silence of this place. Slowly, he began to nod, and then began to back way, before finally moving out of sight entirely.

((Matt Moradi continued elsewhere!))

He nodded and backed away, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. She did the same. He was smart that much was obvious, he thought and considered the same things she did.

But then he was fine and she was alone again. She didn't have a problem with that. He was dangerous and the longer he stayed the chance of violence occurring ticked steadily up. It was a risk that wasn't worth taking against someone who possessed greater firepower than her and the brains to put it to use.

Kimiko waited until his footsteps had long vanished into the depths of the asylum before she moved. Sliding back around the edge of the window and into the observation room once more. Moving to the door she gently brought the handle down and opened it, stealing a glance outside.

Deserted.

Creeping out, gun ready and tantō in her pocket she moved until she found the girl's corpse. He had beaten her badly, her face wasn't recognisable to Kimiko in the state it was. She could have prevented the girl's death multiple times but she has done nothing, instead prioritising her own safety.

It was how things were now. Still Kimiko looked around the room the girl lay in. Her reward was near instant. An assault rifle lay against the far wall it must have been knocked aside or discarded during the fight. Pocketing her pistol Kimiko picked it up. It felt heavy in her hands. A quick search of the girl's possessions granted her ammunition to go with it.

So she was a cowardly scavenger now.

Regardless she returned to the observation and sat examining her boon as well as listening for anyone's approach.

((Kimiko Kao continued elsewhere...))