((Yuko Sakaki continued from Grief))
I have to make it.
I have to make it.
I have to make it.
I HAVE TO MAKE IT.
The bleeding had started again, this time, seeping through her makeshift bandage. Every time her heart beat, new blood would find its way out of arm and drop to the ground, leaving a trail on the thick, dark, grass for anyone to find her.
The brush was thick, and for every step Yuko took, part of her would be cut, or scraped, or whipped. It was painful, and it was almost killing Yuko Sakaki.
It was unrelenting, as though the forests had not been tended to for many many ages. There were poisonous looking bushes that lurked in the background, rocks that hung beneath the heavy grass that threatened her ankles, and unknown noises that plagued the darkness. And Yuko was scared out of her fucking mind.
I can't...I can't go on any further...it's hurting so much...
She found what had to be the clearest part of the path she had taken, and she stopped. It was getting tough, and she was getting dizzy. She could barely see the sky, and the light that did come through only lit the path she would take, and hide anyone who wanted to hide in the darkness, waiting for a wrong step, for her to collapse, for nature to finish off the job for her.
Almost like her God had simply failed her, she started to feel nauseous. The world was becoming dark, and Yuko Sakaki finally collapsed to the ground, out for the count.
Caught in Limbo
F9 - North of the Clinic
((Haruka Tanizawa continued from One Way Out))
Although Haruka was attempting to keep the corpse of Tadakatsu Hatagami out of her mind, it was a difficult task indeed. She'd caught a very good look of the body upon leaving the lighthouse, smashed against the unforgiving ground below. Haruka hadn't kept what remained of her previous meal in her stomach after seeing that. Worse yet was the feeling of responsibility for it. That had been her fault. That nauseating sight... all down to her.
It was and remained a horrible feeling of guilt.
The brush was a little tough to wade through, but Haruka's kendo stick proved useful, at least, to help her part it. By no means was it easy going, Haruka was just thankful for the 'weapon's assistance in making ground. Her destination wasn't entirely clear. She thought it more likely her friends would have gravitated to the built up areas or buildings, but at the same time wasn't totally positive. After all, houses were more secure, but had the drawback of being more confined, more likely to attract attention.
Just have to... oh my god! Who's that!?
Haruka had stumbled upon a girl, lying face down in the undergrowth. She immediately dashed over, and rolling her over, gasped. It was Yuko Sakaki! Her friend! Haruka's eyes went straight to the 'bandage' tying Yuko's arm. Somebody had hurt her! Who could do something like that?
Somebody like Tadakatsu...
"Yuko! Yuko! Wake up, please! C'mon! You've gotta be okay!"
Although Haruka was attempting to keep the corpse of Tadakatsu Hatagami out of her mind, it was a difficult task indeed. She'd caught a very good look of the body upon leaving the lighthouse, smashed against the unforgiving ground below. Haruka hadn't kept what remained of her previous meal in her stomach after seeing that. Worse yet was the feeling of responsibility for it. That had been her fault. That nauseating sight... all down to her.
It was and remained a horrible feeling of guilt.
The brush was a little tough to wade through, but Haruka's kendo stick proved useful, at least, to help her part it. By no means was it easy going, Haruka was just thankful for the 'weapon's assistance in making ground. Her destination wasn't entirely clear. She thought it more likely her friends would have gravitated to the built up areas or buildings, but at the same time wasn't totally positive. After all, houses were more secure, but had the drawback of being more confined, more likely to attract attention.
Just have to... oh my god! Who's that!?
Haruka had stumbled upon a girl, lying face down in the undergrowth. She immediately dashed over, and rolling her over, gasped. It was Yuko Sakaki! Her friend! Haruka's eyes went straight to the 'bandage' tying Yuko's arm. Somebody had hurt her! Who could do something like that?
Somebody like Tadakatsu...
"Yuko! Yuko! Wake up, please! C'mon! You've gotta be okay!"
A voice pierced the darkness. It was...familiar. So familiar to her, in fact. Was it...
She had no idea how long she had been passed out for, but there seemed to be sunlight now. Morning had broken, like the first morning. The grass was freshly green surrounding her, and birds were in the trees. She should not be bothered right now, but...
She was dying.
And she knew that she didn't pass out lying up.
Haruka was standing over her, saying her name, begging for her to wake up. She smiled when she saw Haruka's worried eyes glance over her body. Someone did care, after all...
"Haru..." Yuko whispered. The pain in her arm seemed to be overwhelming, but there was no need for her to get worried about that. Haruka had herself to look out for.
"I...I got the demon, Haruka. He...he was going to kill you all...and I got him...I got Yuta-"
It was at that moment when Yuko's eye's lit up, and she started to cry. It was not simply a demon who had attacked her in the trees. It was one of her classmates. Someone as scared as her, and...she had to muck it all up, didn't she? She killed Yutaka. He was scared of her for a good reason.
"I...I didn't mean to. I...thought he was going to..." Yuko said, choking through the sobs, and tried lifting up her arm. She had lost a lot of blood, and using her stronger arm to take off the bandage. It looked almost dead.
"It hurts, Haru. It hurts so much."
She had no idea how long she had been passed out for, but there seemed to be sunlight now. Morning had broken, like the first morning. The grass was freshly green surrounding her, and birds were in the trees. She should not be bothered right now, but...
She was dying.
And she knew that she didn't pass out lying up.
Haruka was standing over her, saying her name, begging for her to wake up. She smiled when she saw Haruka's worried eyes glance over her body. Someone did care, after all...
"Haru..." Yuko whispered. The pain in her arm seemed to be overwhelming, but there was no need for her to get worried about that. Haruka had herself to look out for.
"I...I got the demon, Haruka. He...he was going to kill you all...and I got him...I got Yuta-"
It was at that moment when Yuko's eye's lit up, and she started to cry. It was not simply a demon who had attacked her in the trees. It was one of her classmates. Someone as scared as her, and...she had to muck it all up, didn't she? She killed Yutaka. He was scared of her for a good reason.
"I...I didn't mean to. I...thought he was going to..." Yuko said, choking through the sobs, and tried lifting up her arm. She had lost a lot of blood, and using her stronger arm to take off the bandage. It looked almost dead.
"It hurts, Haru. It hurts so much."
Kneeling alongside her friend, Haruka felt tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. Yuko was hurt, and it looked bad - her arm had blood all over it! Who could have done this to her? To Yuko for god's sake! What did she ever do to hurt anyone!?
It was only after a second or so of panic that what Yuko said actually filtered through to her. A demon? What the heck was she talking about? Well, unless... it was some way of referring to her assailant. Oh no... did that mean...? Haruka covered her mouth with a hand in shock. Somebody had attacked Yuko, and she'd killed them!? How... how could that even be possible? Yuko was so fragile, so quiet, even among their group of friends. This game, this sick game - was it really powerful enough to make somebody like Yuko do such an awful thing?
C'mon Haruka! Hold it together now! Yuko's hurt - you can wonder about how and why later!
"Yuko of course you didn't mean it - everyone's scared!" Haruka thought back to Tadakatsu and what had happened with him. It was just an accident, and it had to be the same here. Right? "Just... don't think about it right now, okay?"
Fuck! She's taking the bandage off! I need to do something! C'mon think! Think!
Haruka looked back to her daypack - hadn't Kamon mentioned something about them putting effects in there? Maybe they'd put something useable in there from her duffle bag. Wasting no time, Haruka turned around and began rummaging through it. There had to be something.
"Stay with me Yuko, okay? You've just got to concentrate on my voice and stay awake. Concentrate. I know it hurts, but you have to stick with me. You have to!"
It was only after a second or so of panic that what Yuko said actually filtered through to her. A demon? What the heck was she talking about? Well, unless... it was some way of referring to her assailant. Oh no... did that mean...? Haruka covered her mouth with a hand in shock. Somebody had attacked Yuko, and she'd killed them!? How... how could that even be possible? Yuko was so fragile, so quiet, even among their group of friends. This game, this sick game - was it really powerful enough to make somebody like Yuko do such an awful thing?
C'mon Haruka! Hold it together now! Yuko's hurt - you can wonder about how and why later!
"Yuko of course you didn't mean it - everyone's scared!" Haruka thought back to Tadakatsu and what had happened with him. It was just an accident, and it had to be the same here. Right? "Just... don't think about it right now, okay?"
Fuck! She's taking the bandage off! I need to do something! C'mon think! Think!
Haruka looked back to her daypack - hadn't Kamon mentioned something about them putting effects in there? Maybe they'd put something useable in there from her duffle bag. Wasting no time, Haruka turned around and began rummaging through it. There had to be something.
"Stay with me Yuko, okay? You've just got to concentrate on my voice and stay awake. Concentrate. I know it hurts, but you have to stick with me. You have to!"
Yuko could do nothing but look up at Haruka, worrying about her and trying to keep her awake and alive. She wanted to smile, and tell her that everything was okay, that she would live, that she would...but she couldn't do it. She couldn't stay alive, be a burden to someone who actually had a chance. And she knew why the moment she opened her mouth.
"No, Haruka. It's okay. I understand now."
Taking in a short breathe, she continued speaking.
"If I was meant to live, Yutaka wouldn't have been scared of me. He wouldn't have stabbed me, and we would be okay. God knew that I would turn my back on him during my time of need, I would...abandon him. And now I'm dead. Don't...don't waste anything on me, Haruka. I'm not worth it."
The feeling started to leave Yuko's arm. Almost four hours of blood loss was now claiming her life.
"I failed him, Haruka. I failed God. He was testing me. He sent me a scared little boy, and I let myself be claimed by fear, and I saw a demon. I wanted to be safe, I just wanted to not help him, I wanted to live over everyone else. And that was God's punishment. God knew I don't know how to stop bleeding. I couldn't even-"
Yuko's voice faltered a bit. There was no need, not even on her deathbed, to go into her life. She knew that her parents, her doctor, Pastor Min, her teacher, and everyone would cry for her. But...it was okay. She was a good girl. Good girls went into heaven, right? Surely one bad deed did not erase a life of niceness and purity?
She could see the terror, and the fear, and the tears in Haruka's eyes. Even now, she couldn't pick up a smile on Yuko's fragile, hopeless face.
"But I...I thought I would at least live until tommorow..."
Yuko couldn't look at Haruka's eyes. They were wet with tears, cascading down her face. Not as though her face was any different. She tried to avoid her eyes, filled with such sorrow, but...Yuko couldn't do it. Haruka was her friend. They were all friends.
She finally found the strength, of what little remained in her body, to say one last thing to Haruka.
"Thank you for being my friend, Haruka. You were the best."
Yuko found Haruka's hand, and wrapped them in together. All over her body, Yuko began to loose feeling, as though...she was leaving. She felt light, as though a gentle breeze could push her away into the ocean, or into the mountains. She could see Haruka panicking from on her feeble position on the ground, and she could see it from above as well. The whole, beautiful scenery was ablazed with sunlight, and filled with a friendliness that could not have been found at night. And then she started to fly.
The whole island was like an ant to her, her body flying above the clouds, and in the sky. It was a real sky, no satellites or planes, not even a twitter of a bird. She knew what this meant. She was going to heaven now. She had died, hadn't she? It was inevitable, really. She wasn't strong, or fast, or even knew how to shoot or anything like the tough boys, the...other boys would be able to do. But for now, she was happy. The clouds sprung past her like she was in a fast car, racing through a meadow of...beatiful things. She had never seen such beauty before.
And so, with a smile on her face, the weak heart of Yuko Sakaki finally stopped beating. Her grip on Haruka's hand diminished, her head fell gently on the ground, and her spirit was finally at rest.
Ninth Grade/Class B - Girl #09: YUKO SAKAKI: ELIMINATED
31 STUDENTS REMAINING
"No, Haruka. It's okay. I understand now."
Taking in a short breathe, she continued speaking.
"If I was meant to live, Yutaka wouldn't have been scared of me. He wouldn't have stabbed me, and we would be okay. God knew that I would turn my back on him during my time of need, I would...abandon him. And now I'm dead. Don't...don't waste anything on me, Haruka. I'm not worth it."
The feeling started to leave Yuko's arm. Almost four hours of blood loss was now claiming her life.
"I failed him, Haruka. I failed God. He was testing me. He sent me a scared little boy, and I let myself be claimed by fear, and I saw a demon. I wanted to be safe, I just wanted to not help him, I wanted to live over everyone else. And that was God's punishment. God knew I don't know how to stop bleeding. I couldn't even-"
Yuko's voice faltered a bit. There was no need, not even on her deathbed, to go into her life. She knew that her parents, her doctor, Pastor Min, her teacher, and everyone would cry for her. But...it was okay. She was a good girl. Good girls went into heaven, right? Surely one bad deed did not erase a life of niceness and purity?
She could see the terror, and the fear, and the tears in Haruka's eyes. Even now, she couldn't pick up a smile on Yuko's fragile, hopeless face.
"But I...I thought I would at least live until tommorow..."
Yuko couldn't look at Haruka's eyes. They were wet with tears, cascading down her face. Not as though her face was any different. She tried to avoid her eyes, filled with such sorrow, but...Yuko couldn't do it. Haruka was her friend. They were all friends.
She finally found the strength, of what little remained in her body, to say one last thing to Haruka.
"Thank you for being my friend, Haruka. You were the best."
Yuko found Haruka's hand, and wrapped them in together. All over her body, Yuko began to loose feeling, as though...she was leaving. She felt light, as though a gentle breeze could push her away into the ocean, or into the mountains. She could see Haruka panicking from on her feeble position on the ground, and she could see it from above as well. The whole, beautiful scenery was ablazed with sunlight, and filled with a friendliness that could not have been found at night. And then she started to fly.
The whole island was like an ant to her, her body flying above the clouds, and in the sky. It was a real sky, no satellites or planes, not even a twitter of a bird. She knew what this meant. She was going to heaven now. She had died, hadn't she? It was inevitable, really. She wasn't strong, or fast, or even knew how to shoot or anything like the tough boys, the...other boys would be able to do. But for now, she was happy. The clouds sprung past her like she was in a fast car, racing through a meadow of...beatiful things. She had never seen such beauty before.
And so, with a smile on her face, the weak heart of Yuko Sakaki finally stopped beating. Her grip on Haruka's hand diminished, her head fell gently on the ground, and her spirit was finally at rest.
Ninth Grade/Class B - Girl #09: YUKO SAKAKI: ELIMINATED
31 STUDENTS REMAINING
In her desperation to find something, anything that she could use to patch up Yuko, stop the bleeding somehow, the contents of Haruka's daypack were being scattered everywhere. Compass, map, rations, some personal effects the Program officials had seen fit to allow her, all wound up tipped out on the ground. As Haruka feverishly searched, Yuko was rambling on, but she was barely paying her any mind. From what snatches Haruka caught of what her friend was saying, it wasn't anything she wanted to hear in the first place. all how about this was 'God's plan' or some sort of metaphysical bullcrap. Even at the best of times, Haruka had only put up with her friend's religious views and this sure as hell wasn't the best of times.
This wasn't the responsibility of some kind of all-powerful being living up in the clouds, this was the government's fault! If it wasn't for their sick lottery, the program wouldn't happen and Yuko wouldn't be lying on the ground dying! Besides, what kind of diety would just allow something like this to happen - a sweet, scared girl like Yuko to get hurt, to get killed!? Haruka took a couple of deep, juddering breaths and rapidly shook her head.
Stay calm! Stay calm! You're not going to help anybody pissed off. C'mon, she's hurt, she's rambling. Getting angry with her won't solve a thing.
"Yuko, I told you - it was just you being frightened. There's nothing wrong with that in a situation like this! Yutaka-" Haruka's voice caught a little and she cleared her throat. "Yutaka must have come after you for you to do that Yuko! You're not a murderer!"
Haruka managed to extract something which looked workable from her bag - nestled right in the bottom of it. Her scarf, definitely something that could serve as a makeshift bandage. She could do a better job than Yuko had done on herself, that was for sure. However, just as Haruka made to start wrapping the scarf around Yuko's wound, binding it tight, her friend grabbed hold of her hand. Haruka blinked and looked down at her friend.
"No! No!" Haruka sobbed, the tears flowing more freely. "You can't die Yuko - you can't!" Yuko's hand went limp and her head went lolling back even as Haruka spoke. "No! Yuko! Yuko speak to me! YUKO! Y-Yuko..."
No! This couldn't be! Haruka was supposed to fix her up - patch the injury and get her back on her feet. she couldn't just DIE like that! It wasn't fair, it was against the rules! She was supposed to save Yuko, not just sit there whilst she died!
Haruka sank lower, pressing her face into the crook of Yuko's neck and crying harder than ever. This just... this wasn't right it wasn't RIGHT! And ... and... there was nothing she could do about it. That was the realisation that hit her. As horrible and as callous as it sounded, Yuko was dead and no amount of crying was going to change anything. Sniffling, she straightened up again.
Somewhere out there, on the island, were her friends. Yukie and Yuko were already dead. She had to move quickly, before something else terrible happened. She could mourn on the move. Haruka turned around and slowly repacked her things before swinging her daypack over her shoulder.
"Yuka..." she murmured. "Stay safe... please."
((Haruka Tanizawa continued in Seeking))
This wasn't the responsibility of some kind of all-powerful being living up in the clouds, this was the government's fault! If it wasn't for their sick lottery, the program wouldn't happen and Yuko wouldn't be lying on the ground dying! Besides, what kind of diety would just allow something like this to happen - a sweet, scared girl like Yuko to get hurt, to get killed!? Haruka took a couple of deep, juddering breaths and rapidly shook her head.
Stay calm! Stay calm! You're not going to help anybody pissed off. C'mon, she's hurt, she's rambling. Getting angry with her won't solve a thing.
"Yuko, I told you - it was just you being frightened. There's nothing wrong with that in a situation like this! Yutaka-" Haruka's voice caught a little and she cleared her throat. "Yutaka must have come after you for you to do that Yuko! You're not a murderer!"
Haruka managed to extract something which looked workable from her bag - nestled right in the bottom of it. Her scarf, definitely something that could serve as a makeshift bandage. She could do a better job than Yuko had done on herself, that was for sure. However, just as Haruka made to start wrapping the scarf around Yuko's wound, binding it tight, her friend grabbed hold of her hand. Haruka blinked and looked down at her friend.
"No! No!" Haruka sobbed, the tears flowing more freely. "You can't die Yuko - you can't!" Yuko's hand went limp and her head went lolling back even as Haruka spoke. "No! Yuko! Yuko speak to me! YUKO! Y-Yuko..."
No! This couldn't be! Haruka was supposed to fix her up - patch the injury and get her back on her feet. she couldn't just DIE like that! It wasn't fair, it was against the rules! She was supposed to save Yuko, not just sit there whilst she died!
Haruka sank lower, pressing her face into the crook of Yuko's neck and crying harder than ever. This just... this wasn't right it wasn't RIGHT! And ... and... there was nothing she could do about it. That was the realisation that hit her. As horrible and as callous as it sounded, Yuko was dead and no amount of crying was going to change anything. Sniffling, she straightened up again.
Somewhere out there, on the island, were her friends. Yukie and Yuko were already dead. She had to move quickly, before something else terrible happened. She could mourn on the move. Haruka turned around and slowly repacked her things before swinging her daypack over her shoulder.
"Yuka..." she murmured. "Stay safe... please."
((Haruka Tanizawa continued in Seeking))