Blades of Despair

-Chapter Forty-Two-

Countdown to the End

I woke up the next morning with an unsettling feeling in my stomach – today was the first day of the countdown. Within the next three days, Yoneda would kill the traitor and leave the academy, ignorant to the continuous suffering that his former friends would endure. But I wasn't scared of Yoneda, I was scared of what he knew. Or what he thinks he knows, I thought. What if he's wrong? What if he doesn't know who the traitor is? But why would the bears agree to help him? Are they bluffing and know that Yoneda is wrong? What if Yoneda targets me, or Gawa, by mistake? I didn't want things to go this way; I didn't want any more murders or trials or executions. I just wanted to escape with my friends, but Yoneda had made the decision for us. That's why I had chosen to keep my Seiko-pad hidden from view; I didn't want to be tempted to look at who my target is. I went to breakfast with the determination to change everyone's mind; everyone except Nishi and Mitsumi, who I already knew felt the same way as I did.

With my newfound steel resolve, I went to the cafeteria, a little later than I had intended. As I was walking down the corridor, I could hear raised voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. That sounds like Nishi, but what's going on? I quickened my pace and within a few seconds I was at the entrance to the cafeteria, where a heated argument was taking place between Nishi and Yoneda. They were practically nose to nose, screaming at one another. Everyone else was just watching with a mixture of fear, confusion and worry on their faces.

"I refuse to listen to you and your stupid plan," Nishi was shouting, enraged. "You're putting everyone at risk for your own selfish gain – has this killing game taught you nothing!"

"You're the one who is uneducated," Yoneda spat in reply, "how can you not understand that this plan is designed to protect everyone besides the traitor. Are you saying you don't want the traitor dead, even after everything they've done to us?"

"Are you seriously questioning why I'm against another murder? Do you even hear yourself? And that goes for everyone who wants Yoneda to kill the traitor!"

"We don't want Yoneda to kill anyone," Saza interrupted haughtily, "but we're tired, big bro. Tired of all this."

"And you're saying that another murder is the best way to fix the problem? We wouldn't even be in this situation if Yoneda would just tell us who the traitor is."

"No!" Yoneda screamed, silencing Nishi in an instant. "It is my, and only my responsibility to eliminate the threat. It's my revenge to be had, and I won't let anyone take this from me! Not after what you all did..."

"We didn't do anything! How many times do we have to tell you?" Nishi screamed. "The trial was for Ouji's killer, and Tokunaga killed Ouji. That's all that we had to figure out, and even then we took the time to talk about Tokunaga's murder – so what the fuck do you mean when you say that you can't forgive us for what we did? Huh? Fucking tell me, Yoneda!" Nishi grabbed Yoneda's shirt and hoisted him so that their eyes were level. Yoneda's legs began to squirm a little as he was lifted.

"Nishi! Put him down!" Mitsumi ordered immediately, but Nishi shook his head. His eyes were shining with a rage so ardent I was fearful they might catch fire.

"Not until this little shit explains himself," Nishi growled, "why can't you forgive us? What's stopping you? What's really going on, Yoneda?"

"You think I care for your understanding," Yoneda struggled to say in ragged breaths. Nishi's hold was obviously affecting Yoneda's circulation, but Nishi showed no signs of relenting. "You couldn't be more sorely mistaken."