Missing Out

[DerArknight]

((Noriko Nakagawa continued from A Sky Full Of Stars))

It wasn't long before Noriko went back on her words.

Instead of following the edge of the island, as she had told Haruka, she quickly dove into the forest. "I would be openly visible if I went along the coastline. It is better to stay a little hidden, just in case." Had been what she told herself. When she heard a noise from a little bit afar that sounded like it could be from a classmate, she mulled a moment before coming to a plausible-sounding conclusion: "Probably just an animal, no reason to check it out."

It was when she saw a figure hushing through the woods that Noriko ran out of excuses. Instead of getting their attention, the girl made a few nimble steps further into the darkness, where she waited until the nightly traveller was long gone. Only then Noriko realized her hand was already clutching the Beratta, ready to take another life.

For a few seconds, she tried to come up with another reason. maybe she had had a hunch that this one classmate was bad news? Bullshit, I didn't even saw who it was. Maybe she didn't want to scare people by creeping up at them at night? Isn't that the whole point of the plan? Maybe this one had been too far away? I could have easily called out.

But most of all, she felt relieved that this confrontation had gone without any violence.

A few hours in, Noriko Nakagawa was already sick and tired of the program. So tired that she remained in her cover for a bit, leaning against a tree.

She found herself thinking about a happier place.

---

"... sure you're outside E-9 in an hour, or else your collar will explode, understand?"

Sakamochi's voice awakened Noriko from her slumber.

She hadn't planned to sleep in this position. Thus, her whole body ached from the uncomfortable posture. While Sakamochi rattled off positions, Noriko needed a bit to grasp what he was saying.

One second after she did, her map was already out and her pen scribbled information down on it.

"Make sure you got all that. That's everything for right now. Try your hardest, okay?" With that, there was a clicking noise and the announcement was over.

Noriko stared at her map, which had now four crosses on it. She had missed the first two forbidden zones.

It was then that the even worse news hit her.

Sakamochi had told her about the forbidden zones, but nothing about the deaths. Meaning she had slept during that part of the announcement.

What did they say about Megumi? Did they call out my name? Does everyone know now?

She could just imagine how that had sounded.

"For the first kill of our little game, Megumi Eto was struck down by a sudden bullet from Noriko Nakagawa. Nice work, Miss Nakagawa. Your victim was dead before she knew it."

Crap.

Noriko needed confirmation. She needed to find someone and ask them about the two first forbidden zones and Megumi. Feeling unwell under the tree, she raised up and started walking. Her body ached, but she would have to bare with it, just like she bared with so many things at the moment. Before she had dreaded interacting with her peers, but now she wanted to speak to someone just to get answers.

It wasn't long before she found a house looking worth to enter.

((Noriko Nakagawa continued in Are We Alive Or A Dead Generation?))