Blades of Despair

-Chapter Forty-Three-

Death is a Dish Best Served Cold

When I leapt out of my room, I was alone in the corridor. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and fear was striking my heart. I sprinted down the corridor, not wanting to wait for any of the others. As I reached the end, Yoneda's door opened. His expression was one of deep concern, confusion and panic.

"What happened? Why did that announcement play?" he demanded.

"Why are you still here? You haven't killed the traitor?" I exclaimed. Yoneda was silent, but his eyes told me the answer.

"We need to go to the kitchen," was all he said and he took off, and I followed closely behind. If Yoneda hasn't killed the traitor, then what has happened in the kitchen? Has someone else committed a murder? We rounded the corner and had almost reached the entrance to the cafeteria when we heard a shrill, terrified scream.

"No!"

"That sounded like Iowa," I cried. We kept running, stormed through the cafeteria and headed straight for the entrance to the kitchen, where a scene of red awaited us. The scream had indeed come from Iowa, but not because she was the victim. She had reached the cafeteria ahead of us, and was kneeling beside a body, tears falling down her face.

A large kitchen knife, covered in crimson, was protruding from the body of Saza Yasu, the Ultimate Iconographer.

"What? Saza?" I whispered, frozen to the spot. Why is Saza...? What? My brain couldn't process the scene, but I didn't have time before the others arrived.

"I heard the announcement and came over as soon as-" Gawa panted heavily as he arrived behind Yoneda and I. He stopped speaking when he saw Saza. Iowa, still kneeling, turned around and looked at us, her eyes red and puffy.

"What's going on?" she whispered. Then she saw Yoneda, and her face twisted into one of anger. "You! You did this, didn't you? I thought you were going to kill the traitor in their room!"

"What are you talking-" Before Yoneda could respond, Iowa had stood up, walked over to Yoneda and struck him across the face with her hand. The smack echoed loudly.

"You bastard! You killed her!"

"Iowa, stop!" Gawa ordered. "We have bigger things to worry about - Nishi isn't here yet, and once he sees this." My veins felt as cold as ice. Nishi, oh no! As if summoning him with my thoughts, the Ultimate Tattoo Artist appeared with Mitsumi, Morihei, Mina and Morino in tow.

"Who is it?" He shouted. "Who is-" He didn't finish his sentence. Nobody could react in time to stop him from noticing the victim. "Sis? Why is she...? S-Sazzy?" He pushed past us and knelt next to her.

"No... not her..." Mitsumi squeaked, immediately bursting into tears. Nishi spluttered, unable to fathom what he was looking at. We could only watch in horror as Nishi put his hands on his sister.

"Sazzy? Why are you sleeping in the kitchen? Come on, Sazzy, it's time to wake up," he told her, shaking her body lightly. I can't watch this.

"Yoneda," I heard Morino whisper, "what have you done?" But Yoneda didn't say anything; he was fixated on Nishi, mourning over the loss of his twin. It was then that I realised. Yoneda lost his identical brothers, and the same thing has now happened to Nishi - does Nishi's behaviour resonate with how Yoneda must have reacted when he saw his motivational video?

"Sazzy, come on, please..." Nishi was distraught, and his attempts to wake up his sister grew more frantic. "Wake up, sis. Please don't die, Sazzy!" Then, we heard another voice.