Battle Royale

Shuya slid his shoulder loose from Noriko's right arm. "I'm going."

He gripped the Smith & Wesson and walked out of the bushes, but Shogo tugged on Shuya's left arm. "Stop it!"

"Why!?" Shuya's voice grew louder. "You want me to just sit back and watch them get killed?" He raised his voice uncontrollably and blurted out, "Or is my leaving going to decrease your chances of survival? Is that it? Is that what's going on? Are you our enemy?"

"Shuya, stop it..." Noriko moaned, but Shuya wasn't finished—then he saw how calm Shogo looked even as he still held onto his arm.

Although they hardly resembled each other, Shogo's composure reminded Shuya of the former superintendent of the Charity House, Ms. Anno's elderly father. After his parents died when he was still a kid, this man, who was the only authority figure and guardian he knew, sat down with him. He also wore the same kind of expression.

Shogo said, "It's none of my business if you want to die, but if you go now and don't return, then you'll drastically decrease Noriko's chances of survival. Have you forgotten that?"

Shuya took a deep breath. Once again Shogo was right.

"But—"

Shogo calmly continued, "I'm sure you must know this, Shuya...but loving someone always requires you to not love others. If you care about Noriko, don't go."

"But..." Shuya felt like crying. "So what are you suggesting? We just let them get killed?"

"I didn't say that."

Shogo released Shuya and turned towards the peak where Yumiko continued her shouting. He held his shotgun.

"We'll be decreasing our chances of survival slightly. Only slightly." Shogo pointed the shotgun into the air and pulled the trigger. The gunpowder blast was ear-shattering. Shuya thought his eardrums had been blown out for a moment. The sound reverberated against the side of the mountain. Shogo's left hand pumped the shotgun, ejecting the spent cartridge. He followed with another shot. The sound rippled through the air.

I get it....The gunfire will scare off Yumiko Kusaka and Yukiko Kitano, forcing them to stop and go hide instead.

Yumiko's voice, amplified by the megaphone, stopped. It felt as if Yumiko and Yukiko were looking down where they were. But we're hidden by the bushes, so they probably can't tell who we are.

"Come on! Shoot some more!"

Shuya was riled up, but Shogo refused, "No. Someone might have already figured out our location with those two shots. Any more could be fatal for us."

Shuya considered it. Then he tried to point his Smith & Wesson into the air.

Shogo once again tugged at his arm.

"Stop it! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"But—"

"We can only hope they've hidden themselves now."

Shuya looked over at the peak. Then he heard it again. Once again, Yumiko Kusaka's voice shouted, "Stop it! I know none of us want to fight—"

Shuya shook off Shogo's grip. He couldn't take it anymore. He wanted them to hide somewhere safe no matter what. He had his fingers on the trigger of the Smith & Wesson when—

All of a sudden they heard a distant, rattling sound like that of rapid typewriter tapping. Then Yumiko's shriek, "Urgh—" reached them. Of course her cry was also amplified by the megaphone. After a moment's pause, "AIEEE—" a scream that sounded like it came from Yukiko Kitano. This too reached them courtesy of the cheap megaphone. Under the platform roof on the mountain peak, a tall figure appeared to collapse and Yukiko's screaming continued, "Yumiko!" followed by a loud thud, the sound of the megaphone hitting the ground. Shuya heard the rattling sound again but this time it was much quieter. Shuya realized the megaphone had also been picking up this sound as well. Once the megaphone was broken, the sound was drastically reduced. And now the figure of Yukiko also collapsed into the shadows of the short trees, disappearing along with Yumiko from their sight.

Shuya and Noriko's faces turned white.

29 students remaining

23

Yukiko Kitano was crawling on the concrete floor of the viewing platform towards Yumiko Kusaka. Her stomach was burning, and she felt paralyzed, but somehow she managed to crawl towards her. Yukiko left a trail of red on the concrete, which was now a canvas of violent brushstrokes.

"Yumiko!" Yukiko let out a shriek that tore through her stomach, but she didn't care. Her best friend had fallen and was now motionless. That was what mattered to her now.

Yumiko had fallen forward, facing Yukiko, but her eyes were closed. A gooey red pond began to ooze out from under her body.

Once Yukiko reached Yumiko, she struggled to lift her forward. Then she shook her by the shoulders.

"Yumiko! Yumiko!"

As she shouted, a red mist sprayed into Yumiko's face, but Yukiko didn't even realize it was coming from her mouth. Yumiko slowly opened her eyes and gasped, "Yukiko..."

"Yumiko! Wake up!"

Yumiko grimaced. Then she finally managed to utter, "I'm so sorry, Yukiko. I was stupid...you should...hurry...and escape."

"No!" Yukiko cried and shook her head. "We have to go together! Come on!"