Utsumi nodded sympathetically and took a deep, shaky breath while she considered her answer.
"I think... I don't think it makes them good or bad," she said, after a few moments. "I think... it makes them a scared kid who didn't want to die. There are people out there like Kiriyama and his guys, who'd hurt anybody just because they can. But whoever shot Seto didn't shoot you, and whoever blew up Hiroki didn't blow you up, right? You're still here, and they ran off... so they probably weren't some psycho looking to kill everybody, they were just scared, and they freaked out..."
Utsumi looked at Kayoko, putting on a brave smile despite her tears. "You're scared, right, Kayoko? But if we work together, we don't have to be. I promise."
Only The Good Die Young
Bye bye! Way to die!
Moderator: BRAU2 Director
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Kayoko felt a lump in her throat that she quickly tried to swallow down, jaw tightening in her closed mouth to halt any quivering, eyes dipping low again. It felt like a while before she had an answer that didn’t fade before reaching her lips.
“I- You’re right, Yukie.” She breathed, body steady again. Kayoko met Yukie’s eyes again, and this time she did not waver.
“I am scared.”
In a swift motion, Kayoko raised her gun and fired a shot into Yukie’s torso. Not stopping to consider or to hesitate, she then turned her attention to the others, aiming in Eto’s direction and pulling the trigger again.
“I- You’re right, Yukie.” She breathed, body steady again. Kayoko met Yukie’s eyes again, and this time she did not waver.
“I am scared.”
In a swift motion, Kayoko raised her gun and fired a shot into Yukie’s torso. Not stopping to consider or to hesitate, she then turned her attention to the others, aiming in Eto’s direction and pulling the trigger again.
It wasn't like the gunshots Utsumi had seen on TV. It didn't make the proper sort of "BLAM, BLAM!" sound, and the bullet didn't punch through her like a fist and send her staggering backwards with the force of the impact. It just made her twitch. She thought, for the first second or two, the Kayoko must have missed, must have fired the gun at the ground by accident, must have been shooting at something else. Because she couldn't... she didn't...
It didn't make sense.
She looked down. There was blood seeping through her shirt. And she felt it then. The burning. All around the edges of the hole, a tunnel of searing pain bored right through her, wider at the back where it had punched out. Her shirt was getting very red now. She could feel her blood. It was spilling out, so much of it spurting out everywhere, and it was so, so much warmer than blood was supposed to be.
"Oh," she croaked.
She would have liked to turn around now, to shout for Megumi and Chisato to run, run away fast, run away NOW because of the gun, the girl with the gun, the girl who shot her with the gun was going to shoot them with the gun. But she was too busy falling down right now, the contents of her bag scattering on the ground around her. Whump.
It hurt. Everything hurt. But her mind was elsewhere. Thinking about something else. About Seto, who was shot with a gun, like the one she'd just been shot with. About Hiroki, who blew up. About Kayoko, who was still here, Kayoko who stuck around even after Hiroki blew up, instead of running away. Megumi and Chisato were behind her and she knew, she knew that they were going to run away, because that's what you did if you were innocent and somebody killed your friend right in front of you.
All of the pieces of the puzzle had been there all along. And she hadn't solved it until it was too late. Some class rep she'd turned out to be.
It didn't make sense.
She looked down. There was blood seeping through her shirt. And she felt it then. The burning. All around the edges of the hole, a tunnel of searing pain bored right through her, wider at the back where it had punched out. Her shirt was getting very red now. She could feel her blood. It was spilling out, so much of it spurting out everywhere, and it was so, so much warmer than blood was supposed to be.
"Oh," she croaked.
She would have liked to turn around now, to shout for Megumi and Chisato to run, run away fast, run away NOW because of the gun, the girl with the gun, the girl who shot her with the gun was going to shoot them with the gun. But she was too busy falling down right now, the contents of her bag scattering on the ground around her. Whump.
It hurt. Everything hurt. But her mind was elsewhere. Thinking about something else. About Seto, who was shot with a gun, like the one she'd just been shot with. About Hiroki, who blew up. About Kayoko, who was still here, Kayoko who stuck around even after Hiroki blew up, instead of running away. Megumi and Chisato were behind her and she knew, she knew that they were going to run away, because that's what you did if you were innocent and somebody killed your friend right in front of you.
All of the pieces of the puzzle had been there all along. And she hadn't solved it until it was too late. Some class rep she'd turned out to be.
-
AnimeNerd
- Posts: 596
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 1:27 am
- Location: A place that can sustain life
- Team Affiliation: Claudia's Krakens
Yukie and and Kayoko kept talking, but it was almost white noise to Megumi. Her thoughts were else as she thought about this place. This orchard. It was nice. The fruit looked good, and the trees were pretty, and she liked being here.
It was where she met up with Shogo, though, before she knew she couldn't trust him.
It was where Hiroki and Kayoko had met up, before someone made him explode.
Two terrible things happening at the same place. It was awful. Horrible.
But it made Megumi think again. About Jurassic Park and the T-rex escaping.
Three scary things happened in that area: the escape itself, the guy and the kid escaping the vertical car chase, and the lawyer and the hunter picking up the dying mathematician and having to escape the T-rex again.
Three there, two here. Would there be a thi-
BANG
...oh...
Oh God-
Trying to take step back only results in Megumi tripping over a tree root, and suddenly she on the ground aga-
BANG
She didn't know if the bullet would've hit her if she had been standing, but it didn't while she was sitting.
She wanted to scream, but she wasn't sure if she could even breathe.
Yukie was just-
Kayoko had-
And now they were-
Megumi whimpered.
It was where she met up with Shogo, though, before she knew she couldn't trust him.
It was where Hiroki and Kayoko had met up, before someone made him explode.
Two terrible things happening at the same place. It was awful. Horrible.
But it made Megumi think again. About Jurassic Park and the T-rex escaping.
Three scary things happened in that area: the escape itself, the guy and the kid escaping the vertical car chase, and the lawyer and the hunter picking up the dying mathematician and having to escape the T-rex again.
Three there, two here. Would there be a thi-
BANG
...oh...
Oh God-
Trying to take step back only results in Megumi tripping over a tree root, and suddenly she on the ground aga-
BANG
She didn't know if the bullet would've hit her if she had been standing, but it didn't while she was sitting.
She wanted to scream, but she wasn't sure if she could even breathe.
Yukie was just-
Kayoko had-
And now they were-
Megumi whimpered.
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
Chisato couldn't see the gun as Yukie was blocking her view of Kayoko and she thought that everything was going to be okay. But then she heard the gunshot that made her jump and she thought that Ryuhei had found them somehow, making her almost feeling guilty over somehow leading him to her friends. That was until she saw Yukie collapsing to the ground with a gunshot wound in her body and that the one holding the gun was really Kayoko.
"Oh god, Kayoko..."
She couldn't believe that this was happening. She didn't understand why. She just couldn't.
She needed to move, she needed to run, she needed to find somewhere to hide.
She turned around and sprinted off to get away from the girl with the gun, hoping that she wouldn't get shot in the back. She heard a second gunshot and she hoped to god that Megumi had not gotten shot as well as Yukie had. She dashed through some bushes and she stopped behind a tree, holding the knife against her chest tightly.
Hoping that Kayoko wouldn't find her.
She couldn't understand why this had escalated so fast.
What was she supposed to do now?
"Oh god, Kayoko..."
She couldn't believe that this was happening. She didn't understand why. She just couldn't.
She needed to move, she needed to run, she needed to find somewhere to hide.
She turned around and sprinted off to get away from the girl with the gun, hoping that she wouldn't get shot in the back. She heard a second gunshot and she hoped to god that Megumi had not gotten shot as well as Yukie had. She dashed through some bushes and she stopped behind a tree, holding the knife against her chest tightly.
Hoping that Kayoko wouldn't find her.
She couldn't understand why this had escalated so fast.
What was she supposed to do now?
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
The shot at Eto had missed, wasting one of the few bullets that Kayoko had for the pistol. It didn’t matter, though. Eto had fallen to the ground and with how Chisato had run, it was clear that neither had a weapon that would be able to take on a gun.
Which meant that Kayoko just needed to be a little closer.
She stepped right over Yukie, focusing entirely on Eto's prone form. She would finish this and then keep going. That’s all she could do, keep going until she was the only one.
Just a couple of steps to erase any doubt.
Something caught Kayoko’s leg.
“Wha-?”
Which meant that Kayoko just needed to be a little closer.
She stepped right over Yukie, focusing entirely on Eto's prone form. She would finish this and then keep going. That’s all she could do, keep going until she was the only one.
Just a couple of steps to erase any doubt.
Something caught Kayoko’s leg.
“Wha-?”
She wasn't dead. Not yet.
Hurting, struggling to breathe, having difficulty seeing straight, but still alive. Dying, but not dead. She like a ship that had hit an iceberg, taking on water and sinking rapidly, but with all of the lights still on. She still had enough strength to move her arms. Enough strength to reach out, to grab, to hold on tight.
So she reached out and she grabbed. With one hand, she grabbed her murderer's leg, and held it tight. Yanked as hard as she could, to pull Kayoko down with her.
The other hand grabbed something too.
Hurting, struggling to breathe, having difficulty seeing straight, but still alive. Dying, but not dead. She like a ship that had hit an iceberg, taking on water and sinking rapidly, but with all of the lights still on. She still had enough strength to move her arms. Enough strength to reach out, to grab, to hold on tight.
So she reached out and she grabbed. With one hand, she grabbed her murderer's leg, and held it tight. Yanked as hard as she could, to pull Kayoko down with her.
The other hand grabbed something too.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
She should have looked. She should have looked.
Kayoko fell to the ground with a yelp and a loud hiss. Yukie was grabbing her, pulling her closer to herself and away from Eto.
Desperately, Kayoko flailed her legs, kicking at the other girl while attempting to point the pistol at her.
“Get off!”
Kayoko fell to the ground with a yelp and a loud hiss. Yukie was grabbing her, pulling her closer to herself and away from Eto.
Desperately, Kayoko flailed her legs, kicking at the other girl while attempting to point the pistol at her.
“Get off!”
How could somebody kill their classmate, and what kind of person did that make them?
It didn't make them a good person or a bad person. It only made them a scared little kid.
But what if you weren't scared? What if you saw the dark creeping in, and the worst that could happen had already happened, and your entire life and everything you'd ever worked towards, everything you'd ever believed in was stripped away, and there was nothing left to be afraid of? What if you knew that you had already arrived at your final destination, that you were never, ever leaving this little patch of earth you were lying on, and the rest of your life wasn't going to be about grades or boys or money, it was going to be about who stepped into eternity with you?
She didn't know what kind of person that made her. But she wasn't going to be that person for long.
Kayoko's flailing shoes hit her in the stomach and ribcage, and she let out a cry of pain, but still she clung on, used her body weight to pull the other girl closer. And with her other hand, holding the knife that'd fallen out of her bag, she struck as hard as she could.
It didn't make them a good person or a bad person. It only made them a scared little kid.
But what if you weren't scared? What if you saw the dark creeping in, and the worst that could happen had already happened, and your entire life and everything you'd ever worked towards, everything you'd ever believed in was stripped away, and there was nothing left to be afraid of? What if you knew that you had already arrived at your final destination, that you were never, ever leaving this little patch of earth you were lying on, and the rest of your life wasn't going to be about grades or boys or money, it was going to be about who stepped into eternity with you?
She didn't know what kind of person that made her. But she wasn't going to be that person for long.
Kayoko's flailing shoes hit her in the stomach and ribcage, and she let out a cry of pain, but still she clung on, used her body weight to pull the other girl closer. And with her other hand, holding the knife that'd fallen out of her bag, she struck as hard as she could.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Kayoko managed to pull the trigger again, but far too late. By the time she had, she felt the sharp pain of cold metal stabbing into her neck.
She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t do anything. The pistol fell from her grip as both of her hands leapt for her throat to dislodge the metal, her body squirming to get free from Yukie, to get away. The gun didn’t matter anymore. Kayoko needed to survive.
Her hands were met with further pain as panicked fingers cut themselves on the sharp blade. It had been seconds, but already it had been so long. Finally, Kayoko’s desperate clawing freed the knife from her throat, only for a flood of blood to take its place, coating her fingers, already stinging with their own cuts.
No. No no no it had to stop. It needed to stop.
Palms pressed to her throat, forming a dam against the surge of red that would not stop, soaking down into her shirt and filling it with a sort of awful, sickening warmth. Kayoko rolled fully onto her back and opened her mouth, eyes trained as they stared ever upward.
Kayoko’s face twisted and turned as she tried to do something, anything, her legs still weaky kicking, heels digging into the ground.
She needed to survive.
A desperate gasp for breath, a howl of pain, a terrified scream, any and all of them were halted at her lips and drowned out by an awful gurgling sound, before her legs fell still.
She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t do anything. The pistol fell from her grip as both of her hands leapt for her throat to dislodge the metal, her body squirming to get free from Yukie, to get away. The gun didn’t matter anymore. Kayoko needed to survive.
Her hands were met with further pain as panicked fingers cut themselves on the sharp blade. It had been seconds, but already it had been so long. Finally, Kayoko’s desperate clawing freed the knife from her throat, only for a flood of blood to take its place, coating her fingers, already stinging with their own cuts.
No. No no no it had to stop. It needed to stop.
Palms pressed to her throat, forming a dam against the surge of red that would not stop, soaking down into her shirt and filling it with a sort of awful, sickening warmth. Kayoko rolled fully onto her back and opened her mouth, eyes trained as they stared ever upward.
Kayoko’s face twisted and turned as she tried to do something, anything, her legs still weaky kicking, heels digging into the ground.
She needed to survive.
A desperate gasp for breath, a howl of pain, a terrified scream, any and all of them were halted at her lips and drowned out by an awful gurgling sound, before her legs fell still.
G08 - Kayoko Kotohiki: DECEASED
35 Students Remain
35 Students Remain
The second bullet hurt worse than the first one. Because this time she knew how it would feel. Because this time it didn't blow out through her back. It hit her somewhere below the neck, and it stayed in there, ricocheting, splintering, burning holes through so many things.
She didn't have the strength anymore to hold onto Kayoko, or the knife, and lost them both. She heard the other girl gurgling and rasping. She hadn't seen where the knife hit, but she'd felt the blood running through her fingers, hot and sticky.
She hadn't wanted to kill Kayoko. Hadn't wanted to hurt her at all. She hadn't wanted any of this to happen. They could have waited it out, they could have all stayed together, and found some kind of peace. They could have waited until the time limit and gone out suddenly and abruptly, with hardly any pain at all.
It could have been so much better than this.
She didn't have the strength anymore to hold onto Kayoko, or the knife, and lost them both. She heard the other girl gurgling and rasping. She hadn't seen where the knife hit, but she'd felt the blood running through her fingers, hot and sticky.
She hadn't wanted to kill Kayoko. Hadn't wanted to hurt her at all. She hadn't wanted any of this to happen. They could have waited it out, they could have all stayed together, and found some kind of peace. They could have waited until the time limit and gone out suddenly and abruptly, with hardly any pain at all.
It could have been so much better than this.
-
AnimeNerd
- Posts: 596
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 1:27 am
- Location: A place that can sustain life
- Team Affiliation: Claudia's Krakens
She couldn't move.
She couldn't look away.
Like watching a train derail from its tracks, Megumi watched in horror as it all happened.
Right in front of her, a girl was stabbed in the neck and the other was shot twice in the chest.
Again, she should've screamed in horror. At least had an emotional breakdown from the fear.
But a realization came and prevented it.
"Y-YUKIE!"
She was still alive.
Megumi ran to her side, falling to her knees, try to figure out what to do-how do you fix this?! A little cut, she could've maybe helped, but bullet wounds!? It may as well have been a foreign language for all she knew!
But she needed to do something, because Yukie was a good person-she would've been dead twice over if not for her! What kind of person would Megumi be if she just left her to rot without even trying to help? NOT A FREAKING GOOD ONE!
She needed help, though. If she had any hope of doing something-anything-it wouldn't be when she was alone.
"Chisato! Yukie's still alive!"
She couldn't look away.
Like watching a train derail from its tracks, Megumi watched in horror as it all happened.
Right in front of her, a girl was stabbed in the neck and the other was shot twice in the chest.
Again, she should've screamed in horror. At least had an emotional breakdown from the fear.
But a realization came and prevented it.
"Y-YUKIE!"
She was still alive.
Megumi ran to her side, falling to her knees, try to figure out what to do-how do you fix this?! A little cut, she could've maybe helped, but bullet wounds!? It may as well have been a foreign language for all she knew!
But she needed to do something, because Yukie was a good person-she would've been dead twice over if not for her! What kind of person would Megumi be if she just left her to rot without even trying to help? NOT A FREAKING GOOD ONE!
She needed help, though. If she had any hope of doing something-anything-it wouldn't be when she was alone.
"Chisato! Yukie's still alive!"
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
Chisato heard a second gunshot and she felt herself flinching on instinct, closing her eyes tightly and letting out some shaky-like breathes. She was praying to god that Megumi had gotten away from Kayoko and she didn't want to see her dead. She couldn't handle seeing more dead bodies and she was trying to keep herself under control. God, Yukie was really gone and sh-
She then heard someone yelling Yukie's name. Megumi...? Wait, what was the girl calling aloud to Chisato. Yukie was really alive...? She wasn't really dead?! Kayoko had failed.
"Yukie." Chisato murmured her name softly under her breath, her eyes snapped open and she blinked a few times.
Chisato came out from behind her hiding place and she dashed back over to the girls, hoping that Yukie was going to be alright. But as she got closer to where they were, she noticed that there was too much blood coming from Yukie's wounds and she then knew.... Knew that there was no way that she or Megumi could help her. Chisato could feel her eyes swelling up with oncoming tears.
Kayoko was already gone and now....
Yukie....
Chisato moved to the other side of Yukie, the opposite side of where she could see a worried Megumi. She knelt down beside Yukie and she reached out to take hold of her hand gently, feeling some tears starting to roll down over her cheeks. She felt so heartbroken over a best friend being in such a fatal position.
"Yukie... Oh god. I... I'm so, so sorry." She croaked out weakly.
She then heard someone yelling Yukie's name. Megumi...? Wait, what was the girl calling aloud to Chisato. Yukie was really alive...? She wasn't really dead?! Kayoko had failed.
"Yukie." Chisato murmured her name softly under her breath, her eyes snapped open and she blinked a few times.
Chisato came out from behind her hiding place and she dashed back over to the girls, hoping that Yukie was going to be alright. But as she got closer to where they were, she noticed that there was too much blood coming from Yukie's wounds and she then knew.... Knew that there was no way that she or Megumi could help her. Chisato could feel her eyes swelling up with oncoming tears.
Kayoko was already gone and now....
Yukie....
Chisato moved to the other side of Yukie, the opposite side of where she could see a worried Megumi. She knelt down beside Yukie and she reached out to take hold of her hand gently, feeling some tears starting to roll down over her cheeks. She felt so heartbroken over a best friend being in such a fatal position.
"Yukie... Oh god. I... I'm so, so sorry." She croaked out weakly.
Yukie's hand weakly squeezed Chisato's hand in response.
They were here. They were alive. Which meant that Kayoko couldn't hurt them, not anymore. They were safe.
There was a lot she wanted to tell Megumi and Chisato. She wanted to tell them about Shuya, and the crush she'd always had on him, and how it would have been nice to tell him at least. Wanted to tell them to find Haruka and take care of her. Wanted to tell them that she was sorry for getting them into this mess, that they should have just left Kayoko alone, and it was all her fault that this had happened. Wanted to ask them what they thought was going to happen after death, and whether she'd suffer for what she had just done. That it made her so, so happy to know that they'd be okay, that she hadn't given her life away for nothing, and that she'd do it all over again for them if she had to.
Yukie wanted to tell them how scared she was, and how badly she didn't want to let go, even as she felt herself getting tired and slipping away into the beckoning dark. Wanted to tell them how glad she was that they were here with her, to hold her hand so that she didn't have to do it alone.
But there weren't any words left, and there wasn't any breath left to say them with. And soon enough there wasn't any time left, either.
They were here. They were alive. Which meant that Kayoko couldn't hurt them, not anymore. They were safe.
There was a lot she wanted to tell Megumi and Chisato. She wanted to tell them about Shuya, and the crush she'd always had on him, and how it would have been nice to tell him at least. Wanted to tell them to find Haruka and take care of her. Wanted to tell them that she was sorry for getting them into this mess, that they should have just left Kayoko alone, and it was all her fault that this had happened. Wanted to ask them what they thought was going to happen after death, and whether she'd suffer for what she had just done. That it made her so, so happy to know that they'd be okay, that she hadn't given her life away for nothing, and that she'd do it all over again for them if she had to.
Yukie wanted to tell them how scared she was, and how badly she didn't want to let go, even as she felt herself getting tired and slipping away into the beckoning dark. Wanted to tell them how glad she was that they were here with her, to hold her hand so that she didn't have to do it alone.
But there weren't any words left, and there wasn't any breath left to say them with. And soon enough there wasn't any time left, either.
G02 - Yukie Utsumi: DECEASED
34 Students Remain
34 Students Remain
-
AnimeNerd
- Posts: 596
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 1:27 am
- Location: A place that can sustain life
- Team Affiliation: Claudia's Krakens
Megumi needed to do something, but she didn't know what to do. The most she ever tried to take care of was paper cuts or that one time she accidentally closed a door on her finger when she was younger! Would pressing down on the injuries help? It kept her from bleeding too much from paper cuts, so maybe it would help? But what about after that? Paper cuts weren't exactly on the same level as bullet wounds, there was probably a lot more steps in treating one over the other! But did they even have the supplies for that?! They had water and food and maybe more supplies now, but bandages, ice pack, even an extra cloth?! What if they had nothing they could use to help Yukie?! What if they were too slow to treating her injuries!? What if...what if...
What if...they were already...too late...
"Y...Yu...kie...?"
The other girl's chest wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing.
Megumi had been saved twice over, at the cost of Yukie's life.
The tears rolled down her cheeks now, and she didn't try to wipe them away.
Her sobs were still practically silent, just barely audible to the girl across from her.
"Ch-Chisato, she's...Yukie's..."
She couldn't finish. She didn't want to finish.
Megumi needed to do something, but she didn't know what to do.
Other than cry.
What if...they were already...too late...
"Y...Yu...kie...?"
The other girl's chest wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing.
Megumi had been saved twice over, at the cost of Yukie's life.
The tears rolled down her cheeks now, and she didn't try to wipe them away.
Her sobs were still practically silent, just barely audible to the girl across from her.
"Ch-Chisato, she's...Yukie's..."
She couldn't finish. She didn't want to finish.
Megumi needed to do something, but she didn't know what to do.
Other than cry.