It was close. How could it not be? The three of them could hear the screaming like it was right into their ears. They knew if they were going to die. It would be now. Sweat dripped down, everyone was scared out of their mind. Emi started to have tears. She couldn't hold them, she just let them go like a leaky faucet.
"Hold it together." She could hear someone right next to her ear. It was Mia.
"Mia?"
"Ita. Ita with us. She is going to make sure we're all safe. Ita smart, caring, and more words I can't even think of. She could be a bit of a bitch but isn't that all?"
"Yeah. She can! She's smart." Emi said in excitement but still in the low whisper as the other two.
That's when they felt it. Sticks. Sticks at their feet.
"Hey! Sticks!"
"That's impossible," Emi said in a confused tone.
"What do you mean?"
"I checked there. I chipped a nail right there. I can see my nail. Those... weren't there before. Where's Ita? Where's Ita!?"
"Oh no. Give me the lighter!"
"Ita as the lighter!"
That's when something at full speed came by and hit Mia square in the face.
"What the hel-" That's when they looked down and saw a lighter. A bloody lighter.
"Ita!? Ita!?"
"You- You guys- I won't make it! Don't start looking for me or trying to help! I did this for you guys! I see you guys... As my sisters! I know it's w- weird for me to try to barge into you're already made family. Just want to say that our bond will never break! Even if we all d- die! Our bond will shift and change. Howe- " The words stopped and the yelling stopped as well.
"Light the sticks," Mia said in a cold tone as Emi lit the sticks.
The flame. It danced around in the darkness still so bright. Yet the emotions, the smell, the blood it was all so dark.
"Let's keep moving."
"Let's."
As they started to move in the darkness they heard a loud blood-curdling scream. A scream that sounded like Ita.
"We have to go back!" Emi yelled starting to turn towards the screams before Mia grabbed her and faced her towards Mia.
"We can't. She risked her life for us to get away."
"We have light now!"
"But for how long!? What are we going to do, face the monster!?"
"We can try!"
"Don't waste Ita life like that! You're foolishness! Here it is again! You're not going to survive down here so maybe I should just leave you! I would be better off anyways!"
Emi and Mia sat there. Tears starting to go down Emi's face, and anger slowly disappears from Mia.
"I'm sorry. Look the truth is those lights you did-"
"There's no more light left."
"You knew?"
"I did. Let's live. For Ita. I'm sorry. I was being too stupid again."
"There's nothing to apologize for. I think it's... sweet."
"Thanks," Emi said with a tear going down her face.
"Come on, There's a building with light inside. If there's an extra torch we can add it to our amount.
...
"She risked her life so we can live."
"Well, what do you want us to do? What do I get from adding you to my group?" Tetsu stated as he crossed his arms and looked down at the two girls like they were filthy.
"Do it, Emi." The other girl who hasn't spoken yet said to the girl who was preaching for help all this time. She looked older than the girl she called Emi and Emi looked like she could be barely older than Yuto.
"Okay..." Emi said as she walked over to Tetsu and started to slowly rub her finger on Tetsu's chest.
"What are you do-" Before Tetsu could finish his words Emi leaped at him and kissed him right on the lips. At first, Tetsu's eyes were surprised, then they got even bigger, then they went to the blank expression as he pushed Emi back.
"I've seen enough. You can't join me."
"Did I do it wrong? You didn't like it?" She said as she looked down in shame.
"Why did you do it?"
Emi froze. She didn't say a word. The slow breeze going through her hair, her golden-colored hair.
"Was it to join my squad? Or something else?"
She then looked up, and her face was shocked but still frozen. Like her body was in a cube of ice, yet her face was still able to move and blink but they just didn't.
"I di-"
"Don't worry about it."
"What?"
"I said don't worry about it. Do you want to join me? You want help?"
"I- I do. We do!" Emi pointed to the girl in the back who just sat there emotionless.
"Then, promise me something."
"What?"
"Promise me you will only do things you want to do."
"What...?"
"If you do that you both can join. Don't please me, don't try to gain my attraction, be yourself, and do things you deem is right. If you say that we can all work together to live in this horrid place."
"You- You mean it?" The girl in the back finally spoke up, clearing her throat.
"I do."
"Emi. Go ahead. Promise him."
"I promise," Emi said, smiling for a second before it went away. What a beautiful smile it was though, elegant and innocent.
"Alright then. I know your name is Emi, what's your name?" Tetsu said, pointing to the girl on the side.
"I'm Mia. I'm her older sister."
"That's... interesting." Tetsu started to stroke his chin as he spoke.
"Hi, Mia! Hi Ema!" Yuto smiled at them, his words making them smile a little too.
"So are we... a team?"
"Yup!" Yuto responded to Emi with an even bigger smile.
"So now what?" Mia asked in a sort of confused tone.
"Well, we're going to stay here for a while. Yuto hurt his leg back there and the numbing I put on his hand isn't going to stay for much longer."
"Numbing? On my hand?"
"Yes, your finger you broke it. I heard the popping noise when I was approaching."
"The monster totally broke my hand. I haven't even realized until now... This numbing stuff is great. This whole time I've been holding things without using the finger that is broken."
"I took you under my care. I'm going to make sure we live no matter what. No one here is going to die. I promised myself that... after my last friends. Yuto. Follow me outside very quickly."
"Alright!"
Yuto followed Tetsu outside the door.
"What is it, man?"
"Be careful around that Mia girl. She looks like the kind to kill us for her own benefit." Tetsu said with a straight face to Yuto.
"What about Emi?"
"She's good. However, her past was a hell. That's mainly why I called you out here."
"What do you mean by hell?"
"She doesn't remember it but... She was definitely sexually assaulted."
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