Descendants of Death

4. The Suspect is the Victim

"Let's make everything clear first. What exactly happened!?" Yukawa asked with his ashen pale face... no, he's not the only one who has that face. Everyone does.

We, the remaining eleven, are forming a circle in the laboratory room as we lit another match and log. The heat in the room synchronizes with everyone's cold sweats. Almost all of us are trembling in fear that the same incident will happen to us.

"No... that's not what exactly happen..." I tried to explain but someone's voice dominated mine.

"DON'T EVEN TRY TO SPEAK, YOU MURDERER! You're already guilty!" A tall girl shouted at me. She's Rise, having long blonde hair and dark purple eyes. "You're the only one in there aren't you?"

"Hey, Rise, calm down. We're all still clarifying the situation," Yukawa tries to stop her, but she still continues in

"Calm down!? The murderer is listening to our conversation and you're still telling us to calm down?" Rise continued shouting. Her followers, the two girls named Sara and Misaki, continuously support adding noise to the background.

"Are you sure you're a pageant candidate? A beggar is politer in word choice than you," Hirari argued, making the situation even worse.

"Huh!? Are you supporting this bitch!? She purposely removed her clothes to call her a victim. Or are you saying that you are the murderer in this crime?"

"I'm neither, nor, in the first place, there is no concrete proof. You jumping to conclusions is why you're laughable," Hirari replied with a smirk. Yurata and Taki, her followers, followed up a burst of dying laughter.

The argument continues until all the words coming from their mouth are complete nonsense, in which a television's static is clearer. Others tried to cover their ears, and only Yukawa has the courage to stop their fight.

"GO OUT, YOU BURDENS!" Yukawa shouted with a jaw that shows his forehead's nerves. "Stay if you're a fan of melodies. Else..."

"Else what?" Rise asked.

"I'll rope you. Your noise makes you far more suspicious. You want to be witnesses, right? How about witnessing your death as bait?"

"Hey, Yukawa, calm down. You're becoming suspicious. We're already done with this b... never mind," Hirari said. The two groups sit down to continue the forum.

"Now then, I'll ask you again, what exactly happened?" Facing me, Yukawa asks with direct eye contact. Just his stare made my shoulders tighten more.

My breath bursts in and out as I wander my eyes around the people of the circle. I gulp down uncertainty as I hold back my tears. My chest hurts, but Yukawa noticed that.

"Are you scared?" He asked as he taps my shoulders. "Don't worry, we're all just eleven here. Your words will help us all escape in this situation."

I wonder how he remains calm under this situation, and to be honest, it's quite scary. Just before I started spitting the words of truth in my mouth, a burst of tears came out of me.

"I... it's too sudden... I was just... going to the bathroom..."

"Then?"

"A man whispered at me... He said..."

"Now I recall, he did say something like that before," Hirari followed up supporting my claim.

"And then he... undressed me..." I stuttered, crying more out of embarrassment.

"And then you fought back? That sure seems the obvious reason for me," Rise argued.

"Yukawa, someone's a masochist here for wanting to be roped so bad," Hirari joked.

"I said shut up!" Yukawa shouted in anger, not because of what the two came up with, but because they didn't even try to sympathize with my situation. "Do you really fight back?"

"N... No! I'm scared... I can't even move. But the next thing I knew, I heard it... a sound of stabbed flesh," I replied shakily. "I thought I was going to die, that is why... I screamed. Maybe if I do that, you'll help catch the culprit but..."

"I see. Sound reasonable. Kino is stabbed in the back, and your clothes are stripped off. Seems a compatible story for me," Yukawa said, pinching his chin, "But there's something strange."

"You seem so, Yukawa? I also noticed something is off in her story," Manabu followed up.

"It's... it's not like I'm not in favor of your story, Saori. Your story, I believe that. There's just an obvious thing that an attacker shouldn't do that time," Yukawa said with worry. "Why won't you state your reasoning first, Manabu?"

"The moment she screamed, we are all in the room, except for the two. If someone has created such a scene, he or she shouldn't be in this room, but in our case..."

"Yes, I noticed that too. Nice observation, Manabu," Yukawa praised. "On about my case, I'm curious about how we heard Saori's scream. Can I ask you something, Rise?"

"What is it?"

"You're the one who opened the door, right? Is it completely close?"

"No, it has a small gap as far as I remember."

"Then... If I'm the murderer, I should have secured that door is closed so no one could hear me, right? It's too dark and too perfect for an opportunity to hunt," Yukawa explained.

"And also, for a dumb observer like me, I heard from the announcement that there's two that will be killed for each day, but this time, only Kino is," Hirari said.

"Yeah, too dumb, because if I'm the suspect, I would have been caught, isn't it?" Yukawa replied.

"Are you in a simulation? It seems like you know everything in order. Urghh suspicious..."

"You're lucky you have a man with a mind here. Else, you all have been dead from the start."

"Hey, hey! That's impossible. So, with the door partially closed, and our numbers in this room, then that means we only have one conclusion? That Saori is..."

"Believe, me... I'm saying the truth! I understand... No one's there except me..." I stuttered, but everyone is already disgustingly staring at me like I'm an outcast.

"I'm sorry, Saori, but we need to have to restrain you to the other room. We lack proof of your innocence but don't worry. I believe your words. I'll help you in any way that I can," Yukawa said.

"Don't leave me alone. I... I'll die there!"

"Don't worry, I won't leave you there. I know you're threatened. It's my job as a leader to protect you. I already promised, didn't I?" Yukawa assured me with a smile.

Now that I realized it, he's the scariest person in this group. Remaining calm in these situations, and being able to smile in the worst events, he reminds me of someone.

"To the killers... You'll pay for your sins... I promised you..." I cried with everyone's eyes turned blank.

The first rope is used to bind me. After bursting all my tears, my mind and eyes went blank. I can't stand the fear that circulates in my body. Yukawa is the one that will bring me into the storeroom.

Just after we went out of the room, both our eyes dilated. Yukawa even checked the storeroom but when I asked him, he shook his head and replied.

"Kino's body... It's not here."