Satsuriku no Tenshi:Volume 1 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Floor B3

“Hey, Zack…make sure to kill me after we get out of here, just like you swore to God.”

Ray looks up at Zack as if in prayer as they ride upon the elevator taking them to B3.

As long as we get out of here okay, I’ll be able to get Zack to kill me…

To Ray, that is her last…her only beacon of hope.

“Ya…don’t gotta say that over’n’over again. I get it.” Zack’s voice is intermingled with a sigh as he gazes into the girl’s eyes. Her persistence never ceases to amaze him.

The elevator doors swing open. Ray has to squint her eyes against the dazzling light.

(It’s bright…)

The floors until now were dim and gloomy. This one seems to simply have an excess of light. Looking up at the ceiling reveals that an abundance of fixtures have been installed in it.

“B3, huh. Even though we could just go all the way t’ the top, it’s gotta stop every damn time. I guess we gotta find another elevator,” Zack grumbles irritably.

“That’s right.” With a quiet hum of acknowledgement, Ray steps out of the elevator. In front of them is a wall of iron bars, blocking their path. Gently, she reaches out a hand to fiddle with the door.

(It’s locked…)

Ray’s expression trembles slightly beneath her apathetic face. If this door won’t open, they won’t be able to proceed further.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Zack looks puzzled as he stares at her standing there motionlessly.

“I wonder if you’ll understand even if I tell you…probably not.”

“Ah?! Just say it anyway, ya don’t know if I’ll get it or not!”

“All right. …This door is locked,” Ray answers quietly.

“Uh, I might be an idiot, but even I know that.” Though she likely had no ill intent, Zack’s lips curve slightly at her words.

“Do you?”

“…Anyway, ain’tcha good at openin’ locked doors? Good luck.” Given yet another cruel response, the man’s lips twist unpleasantly, and he urges her forth, content to leave the work to her.

“Yeah, I’ll do my best…” Ray nods, despite being at an utter loss.

The room they’re locked in together is a little over nine square metres. No matter where she looks, she can’t see anything else in it. It doesn’t look like she’ll be able to find any clues for unlocking the door just by searching.

(I have to be useful to Zack. But, what can I…?)

Ray slips a hand into the purse slung about her shoulders, looking for some kind of tool she might be able to use. Inside – are her sewing tools and something wrapped in a handkerchief.

But, this is…)

Upon suddenly touching that thing, she takes a deep breath.

(I can’t…use this…)

Exhaling slowly, Ray once again uses the handkerchief to cover that thing up with her slender fingers.

“Did ya find something?”

Unable to go on waiting, Zack attempts to peer into her pouch from behind her. A little startled, Ray turns to face him.

“Uh, thread, needle, and – ”

“Oh? Can ya pick the lock with that?” he asks, interrupting her.

“No. And this door doesn’t have a keyhole.” Ray shakes her head softly.

“So there’s no point in havin’ a needle or thread! Move, I’ll smash it open!”

“These are iron bars, so I don’t think you’ll be able to…”

“Shut up. We won’t know ‘till I try it!”

(Ah…)

Paying no heed to Ray’s warnings, Zack vigorously swings his large scythe at the iron bars. But, of course, the door doesn’t move even an inch. All he’s managed to do is cause a small mark.

“Shit, it’s hard!”

His hands grow numb from the recoil.

“…It’s iron.” Ray stares at Zack with an expression as if to say I told you so.

“Then ya shoulda said somethin’ sooner! My hands feel all nasty!”

“…I told you they were iron bars,” Ray says, her voice full of exasperation.

It’s at that moment that, before they can even react, a dazzling beam of red light envelops the room.

“…”

“…What?!”

In contrast to Ray, who stands there in disinterested acceptance of her situation, Zack cautiously looks around the room.

Before long, an ear-piercingly shrill beeping sound resonates around them.

“Hey, get back!”

Coming to his senses, Zack grabs a hold of Ray’s arm, pulling her toward him as he leaps out of the way of the door. He has the feeling he heard a soft noise…like a click from the ceiling, as if something had moved.

And, the next moment, just as he had suspected – a countless number of guns fire at precisely the spot Ray had been standing in.

She feels like her eardrums might rupture. Trembling slightly from the terrible sound, Ray unconsciously presses her face against Zack’s chest for just a moment.

“…Tryin’ t’ make ya into swiss cheese or somethin’…” Zack mutters dumbfoundedly as the guns cease their fire. Turning his gaze up to where the bullets had come from, he sees that numerous firearm muzzles poke out from the ceiling where previously there had been nothing out of the ordinary.

(…Bullets.)

Ray slowly takes a step back from him and takes in a short breath. Her heart is restless. The blue moon from that night faintly comes to mind.

The red light flickers out. Instead, a spotlight so strong the two of them can hardly open their eyes shines upon them.

(It’s bright…)

Ray squints her eyes.

((Ahahahah!))

The shrill, mad laughter of a woman bounces off the walls of the room that still echoes with gunshot fire.

((Hiii! Sorry about the late welcome! You were just so slow that I accidentally took a nap! …But…good job on not dying for now. You pass!))

Even though there is no one else in the room, the walls nearly shake with the forceful sound of loud applause.

(So loud…)

It’s truly unbelievably noisy.

((Especially you, Zack! I wonder just how wonderful your instinct really is! To tell the truth…I’ve thought for quite a while that you would make a splendid sinner. I was all sleepy just a moment ago, but now I’m wide awake!))

(A splendid sinner…?)

The woman simply sounds disparaging to Zack, and it vexes him. He looks toward where her voice seems to come from. But she is nowhere to be seen.

This is because the woman speaks to them through speakers installed all over the floor, elegantly watching them on a large monitor within a room through her surveillance cameras.

“I don’t give a single damn if yer sleepin’ or awake! More importantly, open the damn door already!” Within the spotlight so vibrant it seems it might melt the two of them, Zack snarls out an order and kicks the iron bars.

((Yes, of course. You’ve both passed, so I’ll grant you that boon. But I still haven’t finished putting on my makeup. I was asleep, after all! So how about you prepare to receive your punishment, while I finish up over here?))

“…Hah? Prepare?” Zack’s expression twists in confusion as he listens to the woman speak.

((Yes. Sinners have to take some steps before they can accept their punishment. It just feels better that way, don’t you think? Yes…when you talk of sinners…you obviously need a good mugshot. So go on, chop chop! I’ve left a door open for you.))

After speaking, the woman uses a complicated-looking machine panel to open the door.

“…What’s a mugshot?” Zack asks, looking down at Ray.

Ray opens her mouth to reply, but the woman’s voice rings out as if to interrupt her.

((A picture of your face, Zack. You’ve never had one taken before, have you? How wonderful! I’ll treasure it dearly.))

“…”

Ray stares up at the camera with a displeased expression. Both Zack and she must surely be reflected to that woman through that camera.

((That’s right…Rachel, you too. Make sure you both have your nameplates. If you don’t do as you’re told, you won’t be able to proceed to the next room.))

The woman stares steadily into the monitor as Ray stares back with an utterly unreadable expression. She has no idea what that girl is thinking.

(Rachel…)

Hearing a woman she doesn’t even know say her name feels rather odd.

((Heheh…I am the condemner…oh, you sinful evildoers! I’ll punish you until you’ve been forgiven. Because I am the one who has been permitted to do so!))

The woman speaks rapidly in an enthusiastic voice, as if having been given a part to play. And then the broadcast cuts off.

“…Argh, seriously, what the hell was that?! Her voice is so damn annoyin’, and she just blabbers on about whatever she wants…why the hell do I gotta be punished?! Leave the sleep talk for when yer asleep!” Zack grumbles, clicking his tongue.

“…Sinners…” Ray murmurs to herself, as if unable to hear him.

“Hey, Ray. We don’t got time t’ listen t’ that crazy bitch. Let’s go already.” Huffing out his breath in annoyance, the man proceeds through the door.

“…Yeah.”

(…Sinners…)

People who have committed a sin…

As Ray follows after Zack, that word echoes and whirls over and over within her heart.

▲▽

…Serial killer.

As Ray looks up at Zack’s face as they walk, she suddenly recalls what she had read in his profile.

(Zack’s killed a lot of people…)

“Zack, why did you start killing?:”

“Ah? What’s this all of a sudden?”

“…I’m a bit curious,” Ray says. If she says she’s not truly that interested, it might wind up being a lie. But he doesn’t need to answer. She simply wants to talk – it might not matter about what.

And, the word that woman had said, “sinner”…it still clings to her heart, difficult to dislodge.

“Dunno. But there are tons of worthless people that can be killed, right?” Zack replies as he walks. He’s never really thought deeply about whose life he ends. But, the first time he’d killed someone had probably been because he had thought they would be better off dead than alive.

But since then, I think it’s been different…I just kill ‘cause I want to.

“So you kill those sort of people, Zack…?”

“Not really. I just kill when I want to kill.”

(Because I want to…)

I wonder when he thinks he wants to kill someone…I wish he would think that way about me…

▲▽

The pair walk into the room that had been indicated to them by the woman.

It’s a room exclusively for taking mugshots. The back wall is white with a black border.

(I guess we’re supposed to take a picture in front of this…?)

In front of the wall is a polaroid camera. Beneath it, on the floor, are what appear to be numerous discarded photos, likely taken by that camera.

Ray kneels down to pick them up. All the people in the pictures hold nameplates, probably their own names. And each and every one of them have expressions of despair, as if foreseeing their own deaths.

(I feel like I didn’t see any of these people in the profiles…they might still be alive…)

Where are they…?

Feeling a bit of an uncomfortable chill, the girl stands up and looks around the room. Upon a desk are a set of strings and two white, seemingly blank plates. Quietly picking them up and turning them over reveals that they each have hers and Zack’s full names written upon them. These are likely meant to be hung around their necks.

“…Zack, I think you’re supposed to hang this on your neck,” Ray says, picking up the plate that says Isaac Foster and holding it out to him.

“Yeah.” Not thinking of anything whatsoever, the man takes the plate and hangs it upon himself as she told him to.

“…But…why the hell do I gotta get my picture taken…this is so stupid.” However, he quickly becomes angry at himself, perceiving his actions as bending to that woman’s orders. Having become an adult, he has absolutely no intention of adhering to anyone. But she had said that they wouldn’t be able to go further until they took their mugshots.

“…Haah.” Zack sighs at his situation. All he wants to do is get out of here, but it seems like he’s just being tossed around by each of the other floor masters.

“…Do you not like pictures?” Hearing the sound, Ray turns to ask him this in concern.

“I don’t care. I’ve never taken one or had one taken before. I never wanted to, either.” He sounds like a rebellious teenage boy.

“I see…but, we have to do this if we want to go to the next room.” Ray’s expression is somewhat troubled as she speaks.

(I don’t really want to annoy Zack…)

Though she thinks this, on top of both being sacrifices, it seems that actually getting out of this building is somewhat tricky. There are many traps, perhaps to prevent people from running away. Though she still doesn’t know what sort of system this building operates on, seeing those pictures on the floor makes her believe that they aren’t the only sacrifices here.

“…Argh, shit, I get it! We just have t’ take ‘em, right?!” Cursing angrily, Zack goes to stand in front of the bordered background.

“Yeah…then, I’ll start.” Closing one eye, Ray peers into the camera’s lens.

“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up.”

(Ah, this is annoying…)

Unable to disguise his frustration, Zack fidgets and bounces. It’s difficult for the camera to focus.

“Um…please don’t move. It’s all blurry.” Ray earnestly cautions the man.

“What the hell, why are you so serious?!”

“Yes, like that.”

For an instant, Zack’s frenetic movements cease, and Ray presses the camera’s shutter.

A picture soon emerges from the polaroid camera. And a short while later, Zack’s face appears on the film. Though his expression is displeased, the picture isn’t blurry at all.

(It took a good picture…)

Ray is a bit happy. Somehow, she’s having enough fun to forget that she’s being treated like a criminal.

Putting the picture into her purse, Ray picks up the nameplate with Rachel Gardner written on it and hangs it over her neck. Her movements seem to say that she is enjoying herself.

“Take mine next.”

After speaking to Zack, she walks to stand in front of the white background. Her footsteps are light and cheerful, and don’t match with her cool expression.

“Yeah…so I just push here?” Since this is his first time touching a camera, the man feels somewhat uneasy.

“Yeah.” Ray gives a small nod. So Zack simply presses the button thoughtlessly.

“Ah…”

(He wasn’t even looking into the lens…)

“Heh, I really just had to push the button,” Zack says happily as he investigates the picture the camera prints out. “It’s kinda fun. ‘N easy, too.”

“…But it’s blurry,” Ray complains blankly.

“Aah? Yer the one who told me all I had t’ do was press the button.”

“…”

Ray sinks into silence upon hearing his simple counterargument. She unconsciously begins to pout due to her poor mood.

“Ya got the picture, so it’s fine, right?” the man mumbles, perhaps sensing this.

“Yeah, you’re right…” Ray nods. Though she’d been having fun, they’re only doing this to abide by the woman’s instructions so that they can go to the next room.

“It looks pretty good anyway.” Zack’s expression is rather satisfied as he looks down at the film with Ray’s delicate features. He doesn’t especially like having his picture taken, but taking pictures is unexpectedly fun. And it’s the first time he’s ever touched this sort of machine.

“It’s not.” But Ray quickly shakes her head. After all, the picture is blurry. But perhaps, seeing as she is unable to smile, she wouldn’t have a good picture no matter the situation.

As she’s enveloped in a strange feeling of disappointment, there’s a click in the room – surely the sound of the next door opening.

“Oh, it’s open!”

“Okay.”

Though she doesn’t especially like her own picture, she places it into her pouch as well, and chases after Zack. They proceed to the next room.

▲▽

Opening the door reveals a room with an extremely white, pristine floor. There’s not even a speck of dirt.

(…It looks a bit like the room I woke up in.)

In the centre of the space is a transparent box that almost looks like a shower room. It’s about as large as a telephone booth. Affixed to the entrance is a small plate.

(There’s something written there…)

Drawing nearer to it, Ray scans the mocking message.

You sinners must disinfect those sinful bodies of yours! Make sure to do it properly, or else the next door won’t open~ ♪

She reads aloud in a monotonous voice.

(Did that woman write this…?)

“Disinfect, huh?” Zack’s expression twists in confusion. Being honest, he doesn’t have much of an idea of what that could mean.

“Yeah. It says the next door won’t open until we do.”

“…Another one of these, huh. What are we supposed to do?”

“Maybe we should go inside this thing?” Ray suggests. Though she doesn’t know what to do either, other than “disinfect” herself, the machine in the middle leaves her no other ideas.

“What’s ‘disinfect’?”

“I don’t know…” Ray tilts her head a little. The only thing that comes to mind is something she’s seen in a television drama – a bright light that exterminates bacteria, or something.

“Well, whatever. It’s pointless to stand around here thinking. Let’s finish this.” Zack sighs as he enters the box. It doesn’t sit right with him to do things so slowly.

“Okay.”

Ray enters the machine as well. That next instant, the door locks, as if someone is operating the device from somewhere. Letters scroll along the inside of the door. It says, “disinfection start”. A stream of liquid, reeking of alcohol, flows from the ceiling.

“Hah?! The hell is this?!”

(Heavy rain…)

It’s been years since he’d started living in this building. He can’t remember the last time he heard heavy rain. Feeling like he’s about to become overwhelmed by memories he doesn’t want to remember, he reflexively hits his hand against the door. But it’s locked, and won’t open that easily.

(…I didn’t hear about this…)

Having had her expectations completely trounced, Ray once more falls into silence. It goes without saying that she feels displeased.

After about a minute of raining down upon them, the stream finally stops, and the doors open after a message of “disinfection complete” scrolls along the panes.

“Haah…haah…this is way above gettin’ disinfected…!” Immediately after getting out, Zack takes in a series of harsh breaths. It had been nearly impossible to breathe underneath that harsh rain.

“…”

Still silent, and utterly soaked, Ray exits the device as well. With a sudden start, she recalls her purse, and slips her hand into it. It’ll be a problem if the things inside get wet. But the artificial leather has done a good job of repelling the liquid, and nothing has gotten soaked.

(…Thank goodness.)

Once more, that high-spirited woman’s voice reverberates throughout the room.

((Hiii! It seems you’re all well and prepared for your judgement!))

“Hey, bitch, stop screwin’ around! Stop bein’ all lively’n’crap!” Zack raises his voice angrily, as if he has no intention of losing to that woman. His pants had just finally gotten dry from when he had been in the pool on B4.

((Ahahah, you seemed quite dirty, I think it’s fine.))

The woman replies pleasantly. She feels extremely delighted just looking at how soaked the two of them are through her cameras.

(…I want to dry my hair.)

The alcoholic liquid drips from Ray’s platinum blonde hair. Feeling truly annoyed, she lifts a small hand to gather the liquid from some of the strands.

((Well, now that you’re ready, I’ll give you two a bit of a choice!))

“Hah? There’s somethin’ else?!”

((Yes, Zack. This is just the beginning. After you leave this room, there will be maaany painful punishments awaiting you both! So…how about just going to jail? You can take as much time as you want thinking back on all the sins you’ve committed. It’ll be quite valuable to you, I think. And if you do, you’ll have a splendid life ahead of you as one of my pets! So, what do you say?))

The woman crosses her legs and applies mascara to her long lashes as she looks at the two of them through the monitor. They both look so annoyed.

“Who would willingly do somethin’ like that?” Zack snaps. If he’s going to be kept as a pet in some jail and die slowly, he’s better off just stabbing himself.

“So it’d be for my whole life…I wouldn’t just die immediately…?” Imagining herself imprisoned in such a jail, the girl finds herself asking the woman this.

(Aah?!)

Zack glowers at the girl. She had been this way on Eddie’s floor, too. He doesn’t especially like her attitude that anyone can kill her, even if it isn’t him.

((Oh, my…Rachel, you’d like to go to jail? You can of course enter on your own.))

The woman giggles, and urges her on. It will certainly be entertaining to see the girl die as a doll within one of her cells, all alone.

“She’s not goin’! Hey, Ray. Don’t react t’ what she says! Let’s go!”

Annoyed by the girl’s indecisiveness, Zack grabs one of her slender arms and pulls her toward the now-open door.

(Hmph…)

To the woman, this is not an especially interesting scene.

(But, that promise – I should do this while I can…)

((I see…how unfortunate. And I thought I could keep you forever. Well, if you feel like going to jail, just tell me, all right?))

Thinking of all the things that might occur in the future, the woman laughs boldly.

“Shut up!” Zack shouts angrily as he tugs Ray along.

▲▽

(Does that mean she wanted to go to jail?)

Even though she asked him to kill her, she acts like anything goes so long as she gets to die. Ray’s wishy-washy attitude causes the man ceaseless irritation as he proceeds down the hall.

(Well, it’s not like I wanna kill her…with such a boring face…)

In order to quell the strange, murky feelings welling up within him, Zack opens the next door. He’s greeted by a strange scent that flows through the air, like the smell of something burning.

(What is this?)

Feeling rather uneasy, Ray warily steps into the room, looking around. Inside is a raised portion that almost looks like some sort of stage. And on that stage is an ominous-looking chair, attached by chords to complicated-looking machinery on both sides.

“…”

The girl fearfully approaches the chair. It doesn’t appear to be functional at the moment, but it does seem to have restraints.

(This chair…is probably…)

I’ve seen this in a movie once.

Recalling that cruel scene, the girl takes a small gulp of air.

(But…what are these dolls?)

In front of the strange chair, assembled like an audience, are a series of faceless, childlike dolls – there are sixteen in all, all sitting upon chairs of their own.

“What’s up with those?” Zack asks dumbfoundedly as he stares at the mysterious sight.

“I don’t know.” Ray stares at the dolls silently, trying to figure out what they might be for.

“They’re damn ugly, too.”

“…Are they?” Ray tilts her head a little upon hearing his frank judgement. Ray doesn’t see those dolls as creepy or ugly. On the contrary, seeing them all lined up like this is rather nostalgic and pleasant.

“…Ya got bad taste.” Zack scowls slightly, seeing how different their taste in aesthetics is.

“Is this the first judgement room?” Ray suddenly remembers the woman’s statements.

“Who knows,” he replies nonchalantly. It’s not that he had been ignoring her – he simply can’t be bothered to remember so many things.

Click. An unsettling noise sounds from the entrance.

(…Was it locked?)

Ray rushes to the door and turns the knob.

“Zack, it’s locked.”

“Ah? What is it with everyone here and lockin’ doors and talkin’ t’ people…”

“I think she’s watching us through the cameras,” Ray replies, looking up at one of the cameras in the ceiling. She’s seen them everywhere since she woke up on B7. It’s easy to guess that the woman must have been watching them all this time.

“Hah?! Seriously?! That’s creepy.”

“You wouldn’t do that, Zack?”

“No. There wasn’t anything like that in my room, anyway. Well, even if there were, I don’t got such gross hobbies like that.”

Zack continues speaking, somewhat listlessly,

“Anyway, let’s get outta here already. Just loiterin’ around…ain’t gonna let us move back or forward. This kinda stuff tires me out the most.”

Zack lets out an enormous sigh as he looks around the room. And then, as if to take a break, he promptly sits upon the eerie chair.

“Hey, Zack…I don’t think you should sit on that…”

Ray urges him to get away from it. She remembers a wicked scene she had seen in a movie once. A person, slowly burning to death as they suffer in that awful chair…

“Ah? Shut it. I’m damn tired.”

But Zack relaxes even further upon the chair, crossing his legs.

“…You should get off. I think that chair is…” The girl pales as she looks up at him.

“Huh? What about this chair?” He glares at her. From Zack’s perspective, her expression doesn’t appear especially panicked. He doesn’t know what she’s thinking at all. All he knows is that her eyes are dead.

And, with those dead eyes of hers, Ray stares at him – completely oblivious to any danger he’s in, with a stupid look on his face – and says in a small voice:

“…An electric chair – for executions…”

And then, as if someone somewhere had pressed a button, the restraints on the chair fasten around Zack’s body.

((Ahahahah!))

At that moment, the woman’s laughter reverberates around the room at a pitch so high it seems like it could kill insects. An enormous monitor descends from the ceiling. On it is a beautiful woman with medium-length blonde hair, the tips of which have been dyed pink. Her eyes are catlike.

((Hiii! Sorry for meeting you like this through a screen. I am this floor’s condemner. Please burn me in your memory. Oh my – Zack is the one who sat down!))

(…How wonderful.)

The woman chuckles to herself. A most marvellous scenario has clicked in place within her mind.

“Hey, you bitch, let me out of here!” Zack snarls at the woman. The restraints jangle uselessly as he struggles. The cuffs won’t break simply from his ridiculous strength.

((Zack, what are you saying? I can’t just let you go. What kind of condemner wouldn’t give punishment to a sinner? Sinners must compensate for their sins until their lives end.))

The woman cheerfully bounces in her seat. She can hardly contain her excitement at the prospect of hurting Zack with her own hands as much as her heart desires.

(…I’m so happy, I might kill you right now, Zack.)

Filled with great joy, the woman happily operates the machine at hand. A violent current passes through the chair for several seconds.

“…Ugh…!”

Zack’s form writhes on the chair.

(…!)

Ray’s eyes widen as she stares at that painful sight.

“Zack…” As the current stops, Ray approaches the man and calls his name in a voice tinged with anguish.

“…”

But Zack gives no response.

((Oh, my. Zack?))

The woman also seems somewhat uneasy. But she isn’t worried. She simply thinks that it’s boring that Zack should die from something like this.

“…That hurts! You sadistic bitch!”

But Zack wouldn’t die from that. His furious voice fills the air.

(…He’s alive.)

Seeing him so full of vigour, Ray sighs, and presses a hand to her chest in relief.

((How amazing! He’s alive, he’s alive! A murderer, a monster, he’s practically my ideal sinner!))

The woman’s voice is full of excitement, having witnessed Zack’s inhuman immortality with her very eyes.

“Shuddap! Don’t get so happy! I’m gonna kill you! Let me go, damnit!” Zack attempts to break his bonds as he shouts. But he can only manage to move his limbs and torso only slightly.

((Heheh, of course…then how about this: I’ll have that chair send toooons of electric volts through your body…all the while Rachel Gardner tries to turn it off. If it all goes well, I’ll let you through.))

As she speaks of such dreadful things so cheerfully, the woman tilts her head slightly.

(…All the while?)

“…Stop. He’ll die,” Ray says calmly.

This electric chair is used for executions. Even Zack would die from being kept in that chair. Anyone could make this conclusion easily.

((Wouldn’t it be fun to see…just how much of a strong-willed, monstrous sinner Zack is? Oh, Zack…my heart is just pounding! I simply can’t wait to see how much of my punishment a monster like you can handle!))

Of course, the woman has no intention of stopping. On the contrary, she’s impatient to begin the torture immediately.

(I want to see his face warped in agony…)

((Now then, everyone! The judgement will now begin! Please enjoy this wicked sinner’s suffering as he squirms in pain!))

The woman calls out in a strange voice.

Suddenly, the heads of the dolls in front of the stage begin to shudder and shake left and right.

Seeing that strange spectacle, Ray’s body shivers in disgust and grows stiff. It doesn’t seem as if the dolls are being controlled – it looks as if they’ve suddenly been granted life.

((The spectators gaze hatefully at the sinner…and it is in these gazes that the sinner’s death has merit. Here, the onlookers’ eyes pass judgement… Now, start ♪))

The woman’s words are utterly mysterious. And, as she flicks the monitor feed off, her gaze meets Ray’s, and she gives her a strange wink.

The eerie chair Zack sits upon soon gives out an extremely loud sound – and a rush of electricity even harsher than before courses through it.

“…!”

Unable to hold back a groan, Zack’s form twists on the chair. His entire body shakes. It seems he might lose consciousness in a matter of moments.

“Zack…!”

Ray can’t come close to him because of the violent current.

“…Hey, Ray! What ya gotta do now, is keep our promise…! Do it! Ya said…ya wanna be useful…! But…let me kill…that sadistic bitch…!!” Zack musters all his strength as he snarls, even as the electric volts course through him. A normal person wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

“…Okay, I’ll try.” Ray’s expression becomes grim as she stares at that far too cruel sight. She gives a small nod.

“You know…what’ll happen…i-if I die, right?!” Zack asks, his expression full of pain.

(I don’t wanna die…and I’m not gonna let that psycho bitch kill me.)

But it’s true – that he’ll die if this keeps up.

(If Zack dies…)

I don’t want that…I have to stop this somehow.

“…If you die, you won’t be able to do anything. That’ll be a problem.” Composing herself, Ray answers him.

“If you understand…then do something…quickly!”

“Okay.” Gazing firmly into his eyes, she nods.

“The spectators gaze hatefully at the sinner…”

(Are the dolls the spectators…?)

Ray feels that the woman’s final words must have been a hint to unravelling this puzzle – and sinks deep into thought as she considers them.

(The spectators gaze…that must be it…)

The sixteen dolls gazing at the electric chair…

The dolls’ heads rock in mirth as they stare at Zack.

(…?)

Ray abruptly realises that some of the dolls’ heads are not moving. She draws nearer to those dolls.

“It is in these gazes that the sinner’s death has merit.”

(Their gazes give the sinner’s death merit…so I have to take that merit away…maybe…I have to turn their gazes away from him…?)

Ray grips the motionless heads and uses all her strength to twist them around. Upon doing so, it seems like the electric current coursing through the chair lessens slightly.

(It got weaker…?)

“…Zack, how is it? Is it better?” Ray asks, trying to ensure that her plan is working.

“Aah?! Are you joking?! It fuckin’…hurts! Do something!” But Zack’s body hasn’t ceased writhing just from that. His entire body shakes, as if he’s trying to relieve himself of the pain.

“…I’ll hurry. …I’m trying.”

(I must hurry…)

Ray’s fingers ball into fists.

(So I’ve figured out that I have to turn the dolls’ faces away…)

But the remaining dolls’ heads tremble left and right furiously, and it’s difficult to twist their necks.

(…I have to cut them…)

That’s the only way she can help Zack now.

“…Hey, Zack, could you throw your scythe over here?” She wholeheartedly wishes to stop the electric current.

“Hah?!”

“Lend it to me, I need it,” Ray declares as she gazes at him.

(She’s…tryin’ to order me around when I’m about t’ die? Just what does she take me for…?!)

Despite the fact that it feels like his intestines might rupture, he manages to throw the scythe toward her. He doesn’t know what she might need that for, but he has no other options – if he wants to be saved, he has to count on her. Though…rather than having thrown it, it’s more accurate to say that he’d nudged the scythe along the floor.

“…I can’t reach it,” Ray mutters without thinking.

“I can’t…do anything! It’s up to…you!” Zack feels as if his consciousness is drifting further and further away.

(…Shit…)

He feels like his eyes could close at any second.

…No.

“Zack…?” Ray anxiously calls his name.

“…” Though Zack retains some amount of consciousness, he can’t speak. For some reason, he tastes stale bread on his tongue.

Why didn’t you come back…?

Like a spinning kaleidoscope, he sees his child’s self sad expression whirling through his mind.

“…It doesn’t matter if you’re loud. If you’re alive, say something,” Ray says, staring into his slightly open eyes. She wants to confirm that he’s alive.

(…What do you mean, say something…)

He feels unbelievably irritated by Ray’s attitude. She seems to have no consideration for someone on the brink of death. And it’s at that moment that his child self vanishes from his mind.

“Yer so…selfish! I’m gonna die!” Zack snaps, opening his eyes as if to give proof of his survival.

“…Thank goodness.”

(He’s alive…)

Ray’s voice is full of relief.

Zack can’t die – …after all, he’s the one who’s going to kill me…

Ray gently begins to lift Zack’s scythe. Though it must weigh somewhere around ten kilograms, she somehow manages to heft it up. She almost can’t believe Zack had been swinging this around so easily.

(It’s really heavy…but I have to try.)

Ray cuts down the dolls’ heads as quickly as she can. A strange red thing flows from the dolls’ necks. She has no leisure to wonder whether it might be thread, cotton, or something else. The instant she cuts all the heads off, the electricity flowing into the chair stops. The restraints binding Zack to the chair come undone at the same time.

(It stopped…)

Is Zack okay…?

Dropping the scythe to the floor, Ray rushes to his side.

“…Zack, are you okay?” she asks, peering into his listless face.

“…”

But he doesn’t respond. His eyes are closed. However, she can see his eyelashes fluttering faintly between the layers of bandages.

“…Zack…?” She calls his name once more.

“…”

Once again, no response. Nothing but silence flows between them. And Ray simply stares at him intently.

She has no idea how much time passes. It feels like a long time. But the man suddenly stands, enraged, from the chair, and shouts as if brought back to life,

“T…took ya long enough! How much d’ya think I can take?!”

“…You’re alive.” She stares up at him, looking slightly surprised. The moment she heard Zack’s voice, she somehow also felt as if she’d been revived.

“Aah?! Of course I am!”

“…I don’t know what I’d do if you were dead…” Ray’s words come from the very bottom of her heart.

“Hah? I’m not gonna die that easily, stupid.” Zack’s expression is full of pride as he boasts. He doesn’t seem as if he’d just been shocked by an electric chair.

“…Amazing,” Ray murmurs. His vitality can’t seem to be encompassed in that one word.

The large monitor lowers from the ceiling once more. The woman guffaws with laughter as usual.

((How truly amazing! I never thought you’d live through that…the toughness and vitality of monsters truly is fascinating! Oh…you truly are my ideal sinner, Zack. I did look forward to seeing you die…but I’m kind, so I’ll recognise that girl’s efforts…I’ll let you pass through!))

The woman winks gracefully. Ray hears the sound of a door opening.

((And there’s no such thing as only one punishment…there are as many as you have sins. Isn’t that wonderful?))

The woman reapplies bright red lipstick to her mouth and smiles. Before either Zack or Ray can speak, the monitor flickers off.

“That sadistic psycho-bitch…her voice is seriously annoying! I can’t stand that laugh! I’d kill her right now if she weren’t in some screen!” Zack kicks at the floor, trying to relieve his stress, and clicks his teeth.

“…”

Ray’s gaze flicks toward the ground.

(Kill…her…)

For some reason, a thorn pierces Ray’s heart as she hears the word Zack so carelessly directs toward that woman.

(…I don’t think Zack wants to kill me.)

When she thinks this, her chest prickles painfully. She can’t really explain what this feeling is. Because, after all, this is the first time in her life she has ever felt this way.

I don’t know…

She doesn’t know why, but for some reason the idea that Zack would want to kill someone else other than her is extremely unpleasant.

“Anyway, what is this? This looks like a damn murder scene…what were ya doin’?” Zack asks, having finally surveyed the room. The heads of the dolls are scattered about the floor.

“It seemed like the dolls were a part of the mechanism, so I cut their heads off,” Ray replies matter-of-factly.

“What the hell…that’s creepy…this is the worst….ya used my scythe for somethin’ weird, I was on that stupid chair…” Zack grumbles under his breath.

“…Half of it is your fault.” Ray sounds a little exasperated. Thinking back on it, Zack had sat in that electric chair of his own accord, so it’s easy to see where everything had started.

“Shut up, ya should’ve warned me!”

“…I did.”

“Ah? I didn’t hear anythin’ like that,” Zack retorts, his eyebrows furrowing. But it isn’t that he’s angry or upset. Because of the harsh electrical shocks, he can’t quite remember how they ended up in this situation.

“That’s your fault…”

“Well, ya saved me, so it doesn’t matter, right?!” His voice rises in defiance against the girl’s sulky tone.

“But, you might have died…and if you die, you won’t be able to kill me.” Ray’s expression is meek as she speaks. All Ray wishes for – is a future where Zack kills her.

“Ugh, yer really stubborn! You’ll become the worst ghost ever.”

“You said ghosts don’t exist.”

“Oh, shut it! Anyway, I’m not gonna die that easily.”

“…Really?” Ray looks up at Zack with eyes full of prayer.

“Yeah. I’m not gonna die. Anyway, that chair’s dangerous, so let’s get goin’!” Zack begins to walk briskly away, as if to escape Ray’s ever-present “wish”.

Even now, strangely, he can’t muster the desire to kill her. He can’t want to kill her. He’s never met anyone like this.

How does it feel to kill someone you don’t want to kill…?

Zack thinks quietly to himself. But it’s not as if he can’t kill her. He doesn’t want anyone else to kill her, either. Perhaps, if she shows him her best smiling face, he won’t be able to stop himself from ending her life.

(…This is a weird feeling.)

“…I won’t sit on it,” Ray says as she opens the door.

“I ain’t sittin’ on it, either!” Annoyed, Zack puts the room behind him. Ray follows him.

▲▽

The hallway now is lit-up by bright fluorescent lights. It feels a little strange.

“Zack, how much do you know about this building?” Ray asks as they walk.

“Huh? Didncha ask me a question like that already?”

“Yes, but…I was wondering how much you know about the other people here.”

“Not much…just that they’re all creepy,” he replies nonchalantly.

“Really? But you called Doctor Danny by name…and that boy in the grave.”

“Well, I knew their names, but I never really spent much time on their floors…sometimes I saw their faces, but they weren’t normal, so I never talked much t’ ‘em.”

(Who the hell is Doctor Danny, anyway…?)

Zack feels uncomfortable, hearing Ray talk about him in that manner.

He isn’t interested in anyone but himself. And if he did find interest in someone else – it’s because he’s uncomfortable seeing people go about their daily lives, and wants to see their expressions turn to despair. That’s all.

“Not normal…so, did you want to kill them?” Ray asks, though it almost sounds like she’s talking to herself. The word Zack had said to that woman still remains stuck to her heart, unable to be removed.

“Ah?” Zack isn’t aware of any complicated feelings Ray might have. After all, he quickly forgets the words he says when he’s unaware of them. Or perhaps it’s better to say he never remembered in the first place. He isn’t constantly itching to kill people, anyway. It’s an impulsive, transitory feeling.

“…Nothing.” Ray shakes her head in order to withdraw her earlier statement.

▲▽

After a short while of walking, the pair find themselves in front of yet another door. It’s marked with a plate that says “warning: danger”.

(Danger…)

Ray comes to a halt in front of the door, like a robot whose power has been cut off. That word seems ominous.

“Hey, what are ya doin’? Not goin’?” Zack peers into Ray’s face from behind, trying to urge her on. He’s completely unable to read the sign.

“It’s obviously dangerous,” Ray mutters. If that woman had gone to the trouble of writing that – there is likely some kind of trap waiting on the other side of this door.

(But if we want to go forward, we have to go through here…)

What should we do…?

“Hah? There’s no point in thinkin’ ‘bout whether it’s dangerous or not. We can’t go anywhere if we’re all scared’n’crap!” Zack seems to run out of breath as he shouts, irritated at seeing Ray fumble with the doorknob so indecisively.

“But, because of what happened before…I think we should be a little more careful.” As Ray speaks, she recalls that horrid scene – Zack’s body, struck by those volts of electricity, his eyes closed.

If I had been just a little too late, Zack might have died…

Just thinking this causes her to be more and more hesitant about entering the next room.

“Ah? It’ll be faster if we just go instead of screwin’ around,” comes Zack’s immediate reply.

Being on death’s door is now nothing more than something in the past to him.

It’s one of his principles to not look back on the past, ever since long ago. Perhaps more than simply being a principle, it’s a necessity. There is not a single memory he wants to look back on. Ever since he had been born, his life has been nothing more than the embodiment of unhappiness. So he’s not particularly afraid of difficulties or sorrow. Rather, he’s more frightened of being happy.

“…Zack, it’s okay to cross a stone bridge after hitting it,” * Ray points out sharply. Zack’s sense of danger is too dull.

“Hah?! But it’d break! How is it different from goin’ fast?!”

“…It is different, and that’s not what I meant.”

“What?! That’s what ya mean when ya talk ‘bout hittin’ stuff! Stop talkin’ about crap I don’t understand. Let’s get going!”

“…I feel like talking with you just confuses me…”

The punchline is lost to Zack, and the two cross into the “dangerous” room, talking amongst themselves.

• This is a Japanese proverb that means “to do something cautiously”. It’s often used to describe someone who is very careful.

▲▽

And, as they enter the room, the door, of course, locks. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that it has been locked by someone.

“Ah…” Ray unintentionally lets out a small noise. There are no other doors in this room, as far as she can see.

(What should we do? We’re locked in…)

She’s enveloped by a strange uneasiness. The entrance has a sign that says “open/closed”, and there is what looks like a card reader near it.

(…Is there a card somewhere?)

She abruptly remembers how she had obtained a card from the computer on B7.

“It’s not really surprisin’ for the door t’ lock anymore,” Zack says, unbothered.

“Yeah…” Despite feeling anxious, Ray looks around the room. There are numerous wall-mounted televisions affixed high up, though there is no ladder to reach them. It almost makes the room look like some kind of electronics store. Peering closer, she sees some of the TVs have various scratches and marks, as if someone had tried to pull them down.

(I wonder what those are.)

In the very centre of the room is a human-shaped, black and red object.

(A body…)

It seems it’s been left there for a long time, because it’s already decaying.

(What’s that…?)

“The man who lies here…”

But the rest of the words are covered by the corpse, unreadable.

(…I wonder what’s written there…)

Absentmindedly thinking to herself, the girl proceeds further into the room. There’s a safe about as large as a refrigerator. Opening it, she finds a single, old-looking gas mask.

(A gas mask…)

She suddenly has a bad feeling. Or rather, she’s had a bad feeling ever since they came into this room.

“This room…kinda stinks.” Zack sighs, almost as if he senses Ray’s unease. Being locked up in all sorts of rooms has left him feeling rather disgusted.

(Ah?)

He feels as if he’s just stepped on something. Lifting his foot, he sees a remote control. It’s probably for the televisions.

…Come to think of it, how many years has it been since I last saw a TV?

Leaning down, he picks up the controller and automatically points it at the televisions lining the wall. Then, he presses the on button. In that instant, the television screens flicker on, showing the form of the woman they had seen earlier.

Hello, how are you today? This video is addressed to my lovely sinners!

I’m going to explain the purpose of this room now. So if you don’t want to die, better listen up, all right?

The execution method of this room is rather luxurious, if I do say so myself.

It’s tightly sealed, and the air absolutely does not leak outside. And it’s going to be filled with something very wonderful!

And that wonderful thing is…a very special poison gas to give sinners like you a gentle, endless sleep! ♪

There is, of course, a way to escape. And I’m very kind, so I’ve specially prepared a nearly useless gas mask just for you! Try to find it, okay?

Escaped prisoners are quite fascinating sinners as well…I like them, too ♪

But if you don’t feel like being interesting, just die to the poison gas, okay…?

Oh, that’s right. It’s boring if you don’t die right away, so I’ve given you a time limit.

If you go over the limit, I’ll give you an even stronger poisonous gas as a present!

Well then, in just a few moments, the poison gas will start to come into the room. Have a wonderful time!

Beep, beep!

That recording had likely been prepared in advance. As soon as it ends, a shrill siren sounds out within the room. The televisions now display an hourglass. It’s easy for Ray to guess that the time left on the hourglass must be inversely proportional to the poison gas in the room.

“…Hey, what are we gonna do?” Zack asks, his countenance somewhat deferential. No matter how stupid he believes himself to be, even someone like him can grasp the danger of the situation they’re in right now.

“She said that there’s a way to get out. So we have to work hard to find it. For now, you should hurry and put the mask on…” Walking up to the safe, Ray pulls out the old gas mask and holds it out to Zack.

“What, I’m gonna put it on?” A proverbial question mark floats above his head. It seems obvious to him that Ray should be the one to put the mask on, since she is smaller than him.

“Yes. …If you die, that’ll be a problem. That’s why you should use it.” Her voice sounds unconcerned. She can sense the gas beginning to flow into the room. It’s an odd scent that feels like it might scramble her brain.

“And what happens when you die?” Zack asks coldly.

“…I don’t know.” Ray looks away. The manner in which she answers his question makes it sound as if she thinks this is not her problem.

“Bullshit! If you die, I won’t be able t’ get outta here! Think of something!” he snarls, voice roughening due to his anger at her irresponsible attitude.

Does she really want me to kill her?!

(Maybe she just wants to have a pleasant death…?)

Though he looks into her almost artificially blue eyes, he can’t feel any emotion from them. He doesn’t even know what she’s thinking in the first place. Just that she wants to die. But he doesn’t have time to think about this, nor does he need to. But wondering about why Ray wants to be killed by him sometimes makes him feel like his heart has grown clouded with some sort of fog.

(After all, I’ve never been needed by anyone.)

“…Then, we’ll switch when it hurts,” Ray suggests, after thinking for a bit.

“Ya know, you might not care if ya die, but that’ll be a problem to me if ya do. So say somethin’ before it starts hurtin’!” Zack snaps back. He almost sounds as if he’s reprimanding her. No matter what Ray thinks, if they can’t get out of here, nothing will come out of their wishes. He most certainly does not want to die in this building.

“I get it. I’ll tell you before it hurts. So quickly, put it on.”

She’s not afraid of dying. She’s more afraid of living. But, if possible, she wants Zack to kill her. She doesn’t know why she thinks this so strongly – they had just met recently, after all. Even if she thinks about it, she wouldn’t be able to come up with a theory explaining this.

But ever since she had started thinking she wanted Zack to kill her, that has become her wish.

And Zack had also sworn.

(To God…)

So, I want to be useful to him. I have to be useful.

“…So, how are we gonna get out?” Putting on the rather unreliable-looking mask, Zack asks this in a somewhat uneasy tone of voice. There’s no way he could ever think of a way to get out of a room like this. He has to rely on Ray.

“There must be a hint. We have to find it.” She keenly feels just how much the man depends upon her. Despite her expressionless face, she earnestly feels she must do her best.

“Well then, hurry up. We don’t got much time.”

“Okay.” With a small nod, she rushes over to the dead body.

(There’s something written under this…)

She’s been curious about those words ever since they got into this room. There might be some kind of hint. Filled with this expectation, she attempts to move the corpse.

(…It’s heavy.)

But it’s more difficult than she thought. With her strength, she only manages to move it very slightly. It practically seems to be affixed to the floor.

The man who lies here is a foolish…

At least she manages to confirm that there is indeed something else written beneath the body.

“Zack?”

“What?”

“I want you to move the body. There’s something written on the floor.”

“Hah? Ya can’t even move this? Damn, brats are annoying.”

Zack’s complaint is intermingled with a joke. Lifting the body up, he moves it to the side. Though he can’t use his head like Ray, manual labour of this sort is easy.

“Oh…the leg came off.”

But at that moment, the right leg simply falls off from the corpse.

(Fuckin’ gross…)

Ray feels somewhat uncomfortable. She feels like the colour of that leg is different from the rest of the body.

(Did it rot before turning into a corpse…?)

“So, what’s written there?”

The letters continue on from where the corpse had lain before. But Zack is unable to read it.

The man who lies here is a foolish, spineless murderer who tramples upon his own life with his own two feet. Though he suffers, aware of his unsightly sin, and knows that all he must do is abandon those feet, he cannot accomplish even this. In the end, he is nothing more than a foolish sinner, his legs only to be used for wandering hell for all eternity.

Ray reads the red letters to herself.

(What does this mean…?)

Abandon his feet… Does this have anything to do with the leg…?

Near the corpse is a large puddle of blood. As she stares at it for a little longer, she realises that beneath the blood is yet something else written.

(Is there more…?)

However, only parts of the words are readable.

“Zack, I want you to look for something I can use to wipe the floor with.” If she can read it, she might able to find another hint. That’s why Ray asks him to do this.

“I ain’t a wizard, ya know.” Zack’s eyebrows furrow. Perhaps because of his idiocy, he can’t keep up with what Ray is thinking at all. And of course, there doesn’t seem to be anything he can use for that nearby.

“I know.”

“Anyway, what are ya gonna wipe the floor for? Why?”

“I want to clear up the blood here. Because there’s something written there. There might be a dust cloth somewhere or something…”

“I don’t have anything like that. You don’t got a handkerchief or somethin’ in that bag of yours?”

“…I have…a handkerchief.” Ray’s gaze is gloomy as she casts a glance toward her purse.

“Then ya can use that, yeah?”

“…Yeah.”

(But…if I use this, then…)

For an instant, her vision sways terribly. A faint blue gleam shines within her eyes. And when she blinks, it’s gone.

“What’s wrong?” Zack peers into her face. He thought her expression had changed for a moment.

“Um…I think I might be hurting a bit…from the poison gas.” Looking up at Zack’s face, who has noticed her discomfort, she answers in just the same voice as usual.

“Hah?! I told ya t’ tell me before it hurts!” Zack scowls, immediately pulling the gas mask off and shoving it upon Ray’s face.

“But, I can’t know it hurts until it actually hurts,” Ray mumbles. The mask covers her entire face. But perhaps, rather than hurting…it feels like her head is about to float away, like her feet aren’t on solid ground. It’s a strange sensation.

“Damnit, yer so quiet, I dunno if yer dead or alive!”

“It’s okay, I’m alive.”

“I know that!”

“You said you don’t know…”

“Ugh…stop yammerin’. Just breathe!” Zack barks. It seems like she just has have a response to every little thing he says.

“Okay. But we have to clean that up, quick…I’m sure it’s a hint of some kind.”

“I get it. I’ll do it, just give me the cloth!” Zack snaps, his voice growing desperate toward the end. He’ll be troubled if Ray dies. He has no idea what sort of poison gas this is, but he’s still doing all right. That’s why what he needs to do is put his physical strength to work. That’s what he instinctively thinks.

“Okay.” Ray slips her hand into her pocket in order to take out the handkerchief. But as she does so, she suddenly feels the way she had that night. However, now is not the time to hesitate. Ray pulls the handkerchief out – unwrapping the thing that had been held in it all this time, from that day, and passes it to Zack.

“Ah…so all I gotta do is wipe the blood up with this?” Zack asks, hesitating slightly as he stares down at the cute, light blue cloth.

“Yeah. I’ll help you. I have a toothbrush too,” she mumbles as she searches in her pouch.

(…It kinda feels like she’s just puttin’ on a face.)

“Anyway, why…what’s the point in wearin’ that?” The gas mask is clearly too large for Ray’s face. There are large gaps on each side of her head.

“I don’t know…I feel like it’s already broken,” Ray says. In fact, it hurts a little more to breathe than before.

“Huh? Then just throw it away! It just causes too many problems. If it hurts, just breathe less.”

“…? But you just told me to concentrate on breathing.” For some reason, Ray tilts her head.

“Ah?! If ya don’t got the mask, all ya can do is try t’ stop breathin’!” Zack scowls slightly. It’s weird that Ray doesn’t have a grasp on this, despite being smarter than him.

“…Okay,” Ray mutters meaninglessly. She doesn’t quite understand why, but she feels rather odd because of their unusual situation. Her mouth curves downwards.

“Did ya get poisoned?” Zack tilts his head slightly. For some reason, she sort of looks like she’s having fun.

“I feel kind of weird?” She tilts her head in turn.

(Weird?)

He looks are her closely. She looks the same as usual, but she also feels different. The fact that she’s utterly expressionless hasn’t changed, however.

But it’s weird that something changed at all…

“…I dunno. Anyway, yer always weird.” He’s annoyed of thinking.

“Am I?” Despite her slightly astonished expression, Ray speaks as monotonously as usual as she looks up at Zack. Her eyes are utterly hollow.

(Is she high ‘cause of the drugs or somethin’?)

Is she okay…?

“Anyway, we don’t got much time. I’m gonna clean the floor.” They don’t have time for these silly conversations. He’s fine right now, but if more poison gas comes into the room, he might not last. Determined to escape from the room as quickly as possible, he quickly begins to wipe up the floor.

(Still, this is damn annoying. I’ve never even cleaned anything before…)

With a great sigh, he continues to vigorously wipe the mess up.

(…There really is something written there.)

Ray scrubs the parts she can see clean with the toothbrush in order to see them better.

After wiping the floor clean, it really does appear that the writing earlier has a continuation.

If you have understanding of what part of your flesh has committed a sin, slice it off. Then, weight it upon the scale, along with the weight of your sin. Make them even. But know that if that happens to be your very soul, your wish will not come to pass.

(Weigh them on the scale, and make them even.)

“Zack, I want you to put that leg onto the scale,” Ray says immediately.

“Hah?! Why do I have to touch that gross shit?!” Zack automatically snarls. He doesn’t really like touching corpses. He has never liked the smell of them, either.

“Okay then.” Ray’s listless words make it sound as if she’s abandoned him.

(…?!)

Zack’s eyes narrow. That reaction is different from what Ray would normally do. That’s what he feels.

(This gas really does have somethin’ weird in it.)

As Zack stares at her in amazement, Ray walks up to the corpse and picks up the severed leg.

(…It’s heavy.)

In fact, it’s far heavier than she had expected. Perhaps because of the gas, she’s completely unable to lift it at all.

“Ugh, move! All I gotta do is put it on the scale, right?!” Zack snaps. He’s unable to bear looking at her like that. Pulling the limb out of her hands, he approaches the scale that she points out. Then he sets it upon it with a low thump. It doesn’t take him very long. And Ray becomes annoyed, perceiving herself as being useless.

(Make them even…)

Ray picks up the plates on the other side of the scale, and places them on the other side until the weights begin to match. The moment they align perfectly – there’s a sound of something unlocking in the loft above.

“Something opened?”

“Probably.”

The two of them look up toward the loft. It’s about three metres high up. And there isn’t a ladder they can climb. Even Zack can’t see what the loft looks like.

“Go check if there’s somethin’ up there.”

“How?”

“…Yeah…c’mere.” After thinking a moment, a strange glint flashes through the man’s eyes. Zack guides Ray underneath the loft. And, without any warning whatsoever, he firmly grasps Ray around the hips with his bony hands –

“Then, let’s go.”

“Eh?”

Then, easily lifts her up like a tool of some sort, and tosses her small form up into the loft.

(…?!)

Ray has absolutely no idea what just occurred. She’d just been floating in space for a second, and now she finds herself in the loft.

“Hey! Stop spacin’ out, go look for somethin’! Ya want t’ be useful, right?!” Zack urges her on in a somewhat annoyed tone of voice. She’s too still, trying to process what had just happened.

“Okay.”

That’s right… I’m going to be useful to Zack.

(I think the noise…came from further within…)

Likely because it hadn’t been cleaned in a while, the loft is full of dust. The gap to the ceiling is only about fifteen centimetres. Despite feeling a little apprehensive, Ray crawls further inside. Upon doing so, she finds a small box.

(It’s open…I wonder if the sound was this box opening…)

Inside is a small mechanism. It says “dost thou believe in God?”. Below that question is a “yes” button and a “no” button.

(…God.)

There is no indication of whose God the question refers to. But because of the gas, Ray has no strength to think clearly. She simply, immediately thinks of her own God, and presses the “yes” button. The machine emits a beep, and a card slides out of it. Ray thinks it must be for the card reader at the entrance.

(We’ll be able to get out with this.)

“Zack, I found a card.” Ray peers out from the loft to look down at him.

“Oh, good job! We can get outta this damn room.” He looks up at her proudly. However, he then realises that she doesn’t appear to be coming down.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Um…I can’t get down…” With an expression just a little bit girlishly frightened, she looks down at the floor.

“Hah?! Just jump down!”

“…I think I’ll break some bones if I do that. And…I’m a bit scared.” Despite her blank face, she speaks her true feelings. She’s not very fond of tall places.

“What the hell…ya really are troublesome.” Zack sighs. “Haah…c’mon, give me yer hand.”

“…Hand?” Ray tilts her head.

“Ya can’t get down, right?!”

“I can’t.”

“So do it!” Zack snaps, annoyed at how slow she is to understand. He holds out one of his own bandaged hands.

“Okay.” Putting the card into her pocket, Ray slowly reaches out her hand toward Zack. Grasping onto her, Zack pulls her down and holds her up for only a moment, before unceremoniously placing her on the ground.

“Thank you,” Ray whispers, somewhat unsteady on her feet.

“It’s nothin’. So, where’s the card?” Zack averts his gaze from her with a huff.

“I think that if we put this into that card reader, we’ll be able to get out.” Ray pulls the card out of her pocket and shows it to him.

“Then go on’n’do it.”

“Right.”

(…Huh?)

However, the moment she makes to walk toward the door, she’s assailed by a terrible vertigo that makes her unable to stand. She slowly sinks to the floor.

The hourglass on the televisions is about two-thirds down. Which means that the air in the room is two-thirds poisonous gas.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Zack asks, kneeling down to try to meet her gaze.

She stares up into his bandaged face with hollow eyes.

“…Damnit, ya got poisoned.”

With a tch, Zack pulls the card out of her hand and turns to the device near the door.

“I just gotta put the card in, right?”

“…Yeah.” Ray gives a small nod. Running up to the card reader, Zack attempts to do just that. But it doesn’t seem to want to go into the slot very easily.

“Aah?! Why won’t it go in?!” Unbelievably irritated, he begins to shove the card in forcibly. And then – there’s an ominous crack, as the card breaks right in half.

“Ah…?” Not quite understanding the situation yet, Zack emits a foolish sound.

“Ah…” And Ray’s mouth hangs upon wordlessly as she witnesses something she didn’t even expect.

((Ahahahah!))

In that moment, the room echoes with the laugh of that woman. The televisions once again begin to display her. It would appear that this isn’t a recording this time.

((I can’t believe it! I didn’t expect you to give yourself a game over! I’ll let you know a little something, Zack. You were putting the card in the wrong way. It’s so funny, I just can’t stop laughing! I haven’t gotten enough of punishing you yet, but…sinners have to follow the rules. After all, this was your own doing. But since you’re still looking all right, Zack…I’ll give you both a present of some even stronger gas. It’s my special gift, all right? It’s veeeery expensive. You’re such lucky sinners! Now then, make sure to suffer for me!))

The woman disconnects the feed once again.

(…I really did want to have more fun with you, Zack, but I can’t do anything about you getting a game over.)

And then, she presses a button upon her machine panel, and the gas begins to flow into the room.

▲▽

A sound almost like rain reaches their ears.

Instead of an hourglass, the television now displays a sandstorm so fierce it’s almost painful to look at.

“Arrgh! We came all this way, just open the fuckin’ door!” Zack snarls, kicking the card reader. Hearing that grating voice make fun of him just makes him even angrier. He’s additionally enraged at his own worthlessness.

(Ahh, shit…! I’m gonna die!)

He swallows harshly. He’s in an undeniably terrible predicament.

“Zack.” Ray’s voice is somewhat rough as she slowly stands up and calls his name.

“What?” Despite his rage, he turns to look at her.

“Our promise won’t be fulfilled unless we get out of here, right…?” She looks up at him with a strange expression.

“Hah?! What are ya talkin’ about at a time like this?!”

“Answer me,” Ray says firmly, staring at him with hollow eyes.

“Yeah, that’s right. The bear minimum condition is that I get outta here alive!” Zack asserts strongly, as if answering to that resolve.

“…Okay. I’ll try. But I don’t know if this will help. Is that okay?” Ray asks, her gaze far more earnest than ever before.

However, that isn’t because she’s afraid to die, or because she wants to stay alive. She simply wants to get out of here and be killed by Zack. She feels certain that, so long as Zack kills her, she will be able to go to heaven.

“Well…we might die anyway. Doesn’t matter what it is, just do it!” Zack snaps. As he looks into Ray’s eyes, it seems like a bit of light has returned to them. It’s not in his nature to wait for death to come to him. If he’s going to die, doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

“Okay. I’ll try.” Ray nods, mustering the rest of her strength.

(This gas might be flammable…if I’m able to make it catch fire, it might cause an explosion.)

Recalling a chemistry book she had read several years ago, Ray takes the batteries out of the remote controller, wraps the wire from the safe around them, and takes something that might be able to ignite – the handkerchief used to wipe the floor – and fixes it in place with the wire. Then she gently places it near the wall.

“The hell is that?” Zack has a bad feeling as he looks down at the strange object.

“…If this catches fire, it might explode,” Ray says calmly as she tilts her head to the side.

“What the fuck?! We’ll die!” Zack snaps, his eyes looking odd for a moment.

(What’s the point in speedin’ up our deaths…?!)

Ah…gettin’ killed by that crazy bitch is disgusting.

However, Ray has no time to feel dejected. She begins to calmly give directions to Zack, who hangs his head.

“So let’s quickly go somewhere we can hide.”

“Hah? Where?”

“Over there…” Ray casts a look toward the safe. It’s approximately as large as a refrigerator.

“Are we even gonna fit in there?!” Zack’s eyebrows furrow as he stares at the safe. It looks cramped. It’s large enough to just barely hold Zack’s thin form and Ray’s small body.

“Yeah.” Ray goes into the safe and urges the man inside.

“If you don’t come quickly, it’ll explode.”

“…Ugh, all right!” Feeling strangely embarrassed for some reason, Zack squeezes himself into the safe as well and shuts the door.

“Are we really gonna be okay in here?”

“Probably. It looks pretty durable.”

“I won’t forgive ya if we won’t be okay!”

The two whisper quietly in the narrow, dark safe.

“Okay. But, Zack, I want you to move a bit. I’m crushed.”

“Hah?! I can’t do anythin’ about that, this place is too small!” Zack’s voice grows louder at Ray’s unreasonable request.

“…I’m going to go deaf.”

“You brat…you’ve just been complainin’ on’n’on. D’ya really want me t’ kill ya?!”

“I do. Because you’re the only one who can kill me.”

“Then talk t’ me with that kinda attitude!”

“What do you mean…?”

“Figure it out yerself!”

Zack and Ray embark on a seemingly endless conversation within the safe, unseen by any cameras.

In that moment, they hear a terribly loud sound, and the safe begins to shake wildly. The object Ray had made had exploded due to the gas. A faint hot air blows into the safe through the crevices of the door. But the only one who feels it is Zack. He stands with his back to the door, almost as if shielding Ray.

“It’s damn hot…”

For an instant, he’s reminded of his burn scars. His fingers reflexively begin to tremble. But the sensation back then had been far more terrible. So, this is nothing to him. This is what Zack tells himself.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah…this is nothin’. So, did it explode yet?” Trembling slightly, Zack attempts to play dumb, and peers through the gaps in the door.

“It seems like it.”

Once the room outside grows completely quiet, the two of them slowly and quietly creep out of the safe.

“…Seriously.”

Zack is at a loss of words for the sight that spreads out before him. The room has been charred entirely black.

“It looks like we can get out,” Ray says. In the place the explosion had occurred is a hole large enough for a person to fit through.

“Yeah, we can finally get out!”

“Yeah…”

“What’s wrong?”

“…Um, was I useful?” Ray asks with upturned eyes.

“Huh? Ya blew the place t’ bits. Ya did good!”

“…I see. That’s good.” Ray’s voice is relieved as she hears how satisfied the man sounds. She feels her consciousness drifting way.

(I was useful…)

Perhaps Ray considers this a mission of sorts. This is the first time she has ever felt this way – this strange feeling of completion. She feels like her heart has been satisfied. However, her body feels otherwise – due to the poison gas she inhaled, she feels wobbly and dizzy.

“Hey, don’t die here, okay?” Zack says, seeing her face lose its vitality.

“…I’m okay.” Ray’s voice is feeble.

“Then let’s go. I can’t have ya dyin’, but we gotta move forward, too.”

“Okay.”

And so, the two of them pass through the large hole, and finally advance down the hallway.

▲▽

“I bet she never thought this’d happen!” Zack gives a hearty laugh as he recalls the burnt remains of that room.

“Yeah…” Ray nods, staring at Zack with eyes that might close at any second.

I wonder why…everything’s spinning…

(I was okay until just now…)

Ray stares at the ground. She can’t keep her eyes open. All her energy has left her; just keeping herself standing sends wave of fatigue through her body.

(I’m kind of sleepy…)

“Hey, can ya walk?” Zack stares at her with a dubious expression.

“Yes…I’ll try,” Ray replies, looking back at him with vacant eyes. But it’s not really a response. They’re merely canned words.

“…’Kay.”

Zack turns to walk down the dark hallway. Ray totters unsteadily behind like, almost as if sleepwalking.

She absolutely intends to walk on her own. But it’s as if she’s in that dream; it’s difficult to go forward. Her vision grows dim and hazy, and she can’t tell if she’s sleeping or awake.

(Damnit…she’s so slow…)

“Argh! Shit! How are we supposed t’ keep goin’ at this pace?!” Pulled back by Ray’s slowness, Zack whirls around and snaps at her.

“You go…by yourself?” she suggests blankly. She can’t think.

“I would if I could. But I wouldn’t be able t’ by myself.” He sighs. And – for some reason, he doesn’t like the idea of leaving her on her own on this dangerous floor.

(There’s no tellin’ when that psycho bitch’ll come out.)

“It’s okay…I can walk…” Ray sounds as if she’s trying to convince herself.

“I can’t believe ya when ya got that kinda face. Yer not okay.” He sighs lightly. There’s no way they can go further like this.

“…I’ll try,” she mumbles again. Her voice sounds like it might fade any second.

“What’s with that ‘I’ll try’ crap? Even if you try, you’ll die when yer gonna die. That might be what you want, but if that happens, my wish’ll come t’ nothin’!”

(…Wish…)

The words mysteriously resonate within her.

“That’s true…so, I’ll try even harder,” Ray says, one foot yet in a dream.

“Yer smart, but ya say the same thing over’n’over, just like a doll…” He sounds exasperated.

(…Just like a doll.)

“…What should I do?” she asks him, stock still.

“Shut up. If yer a human, think for yerself,” he answers briskly.

(If I’m human…)

I am…alive. So I’m not a doll. I’m not a doll, that’s why, I’m so tired right now…

“I think that if we stop for a bit, I’ll be okay.”

Reacting to his cold words, she finally puts the feelings in her heart into words.

“Haah. Damnit, ya should’ve said that in the first place.”

“…Yeah.”

Caught as she is between a dream and reality, Zack seems like a completely different person to her right now. Though his words are harsh, he doesn’t try to deny her. And he doesn’t expect or demand anything of her, like Doctor Danny did. Ray feels as if she can remain as herself around Zack. It’s the first time she has ever felt like this in her life.

(I wonder why Zack listens to me…)

No one in that house ever listened to what I had to say.

Her empty eyes don’t tell him a single thing about what she might be thinking about. Sighing lightly, Zack grasps her thin wrist and pulls her along. Walking quickly down the hallway, he pulls her into an alcove where the cameras can’t see them, and sits cross-legged on the floor.

“The cameras don’t see us here. I’ll wait. So do it quick.”

“…Okay.” Giving a small nod, she plops down to kneel next to him. The moment she closes her eyes, she drifts off to a peaceful sleep. It’s a sleep so deep that for a moment, Zack isn’t sure if she’s still alive.

“Hey, Ray. Make sure t’ rest so ya can walk around…yer already sleepin’!” Somewhat astonished she can fall asleep so quickly, the man blinks his long eyelashes. He stares at the girl’s lovely form. Her beautiful face looks like an angel’s as she sleeps.

(She’s so pale, she looks even more like a doll…)

I don’t like cuttin’ up dolls…

Will she be able to smile when they get out of this building…?

(Her eyes are dead, and all she says is okay and I’ll try, she’s so boring…)

“Haah…well, can’t think about dumb pointless stuff forever…guess I’ll rest a bit, too.” With a large yawn, Zack closes his eyes.

Abruptly, he feels Ray leaning against him. But it’s too much of a bother to push her off, so he simply shuts his eyes again.

Though he thinks of himself as fine, it’s still a fact that he also inhaled the poisonous gas. So he quickly falls asleep.

▲▽

And, he has a dream.

He hasn’t had a dream in years. Or if he had, they were only sad dreams full of darkness.

The dream unfolding before his eyes now is a nightmare, not even worth calling a sad dream.

But once a dream starts, it doesn’t simply end. After all, when you’re dreaming, you don’t realise it.

And so, the dream pushes itself upon him.

When Zack was a young boy, he was in an orphanage. Just remembering that appalling institution makes him nauseous. In front of Zack’s eyes, the owners of that institution, a married couple, sit upon a couch in the living room. Their conversation isn’t normal in the slightest, yet they talk nonchalantly.

It’s like a vivid movie…unfolding before his very eyes. A re-enactment of old memories he had forgotten.

“Listen, dear. The child who came in this month…when I peeked into his room because of the stench, I saw he had already become useless.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So…what do you want to do?”

“Just bury him in the garden.”

“Again? Is that okay?”

“No one’s going to look for the children here – especially since they were just thrown away here for some money.”

“…But I don’t want to. I don’t like touching decaying things.”

“How selfish…Oh, come to think about it. Is that one still alive?”

“That one?”

“You know, that one. That brat with the burns, the one that looks like a monster.”

“Oh, that? …It is. Even though I haven’t given it anything to eat…it probably digs through the trash for leftovers. So disgusting.”

“So just make it bury him. It’s fine for a brat to take care of another brat.”

“…That’s true.”

“To tell you the truth, I had it do this for me, too. Just dug like I told it to.”

“Oh? Really?”

“Perfect, right? And by picking up the leftovers, it’s just making the place stink less. We don’t have much other help, and even a monster can be useful if you let it live. Just like a tool. A fitting post for a monster.”

“You’re right about that.”

“Well then, the problem’s settled. I’m gonna watch a movie now. Don’t bother me.”

“…Oh, no, it’s that slasher horror again, isn’t it?”

“I like that movie. Get a nice kick outta those frivolous idiots getting killed.”

“What bad taste. I don’t like that movie. The murderer doesn’t even die.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t bother me. Go tell it to take care of the dead body.”

(…Monster…)

That’s right. I’m a monster. I know this. But I wasn’t born to be your tool…

(Aah…I want to kill…I’ll kill them…)

In that dream enveloped in darkness, Zack is still a boy, yet in the middle of growing. In his small hand, he grips a large kitchen knife.

“Zack…”

I hear a voice.

Ah…?

Whose…voice is this…?

Oh…that’s right.

It’s Ray…

Ray’s calling.

My name…

“…Zack.”

The moment he realises that her voice is real, that nightmare that won’t fade from his memories slowly dims.

▲▽

“…Zack.”

Ray had woken up just a bit before him. Seeing that his sleeping face is warped as if somehow in pain, she gently calls his name.

“Ngh…”

Responding to her voice, Zack slowly opens his eyes.

“…Did you wake up?”

“…Yeah.” His voice is still slightly sleepy. He feels like his brain has been eaten by worms. He feels sick.

That’s right…he’d had an awful dream.

(Why did I have t’ see that…?)

He’d forgotten it for so long – he hadn’t had to remember.

“Um…Zack, you’re a bit heavy.” Ray casts Zack a sideways glance. He hasn’t completely woken up yet.

“Ah?”

On second thought, Ray’s face is strangely close.

(…?!)

At some point when he had been asleep, he had started to completely lean upon her shoulder.

“You were clingin’ on to me first!” he snaps, pulling away.

“…Was I?” Ray’s head tilts to the side disinterestedly. Having been deep asleep, she can’t remember such a thing.

“That’s right! Definitely!”

“…I see.”

“Anyway, can we go now?” he asks, standing up.

“Yes. I feel mostly refreshed.” Her voice is clear, completely devoid of sleepiness.

“Then let’s go. We can’t take so much time.”

“Okay.”

▲▽

Zack proceeds quickly down the dark hallway without looking back.

(Shit…)

He can’t help how angry he is because of that disgusting dream. But, even if it frustrates him, he can’t do anything about the past. And that couple is already dead. After all, he killed them both himself that night –

Further down the hall is the nauseating, grotesque smell of dead bodies. That’s undoubtedly what that scent is. He’s smelt it many times, so there’s no way he could be mistaken. There is also a creepy groaning sound resonating down the hall, almost like a tremor through the walls.

(What is that…)

Straining her ears to listen to the sounds, Ray quickens her pace to catch up to Zack.

Uwaaaah…

As they go forward, the groans become even louder.

(Zack hasn’t said even a single word for a while…he really is angry that I slept…)

Somewhat anxious, Ray’s eyebrows furrow slightly.

“Zack…”

The moment she calls out, as if to stop Zack from leaving her, sirens blare through the speakers. It’s another broadcast from that woman.

((Hello! How are you two doing? In any case, you two are quite late. Just what were you doing?))

The woman’s voice is full of malice. She has an approximate understanding of where they had been resting despite the cameras not showing them to her.

“We weren’t doin’ anything,” Zack answers harshly, ever annoyed by her ever-present good mood.

((Hmph. Still, I’m surprised you managed to escape! I’ll give you a bit of praise. Heheh. I’m quite annoyed, but you deserve it!))

(I can have even more fun now.)

The woman claps her hands in applause.

((Well then, since you’ve come all this way, I thought I’d ask one more time. How about spending the rest of your lives in a jail cell?))

The woman smiles coquettishly as she sees just how angry Zack looks.

Further down the hall are the cells exclusively for her pets. None of them will ever be able to get out. The groans Zack and Ray had heard were from the sinners there, forever waiting for death.

“I already told ya I ain’t gettin’ in! Damn stubborn. And I already know it ain’t anything good, so quit askin’ me!”

((Oh my, how cold. Come now, Zack. Won’t you entertain me and become my tool?))

“Aah? Tool?” Zack scowls. That word is terribly bad for his temper.

“Even a monster can be useful if you let it live. Just like a tool. A fitting post for a monster.”

That nightmare comes to mind, whether he wants it to or not.

((Yes, that’s right. A tool. But don’t misunderstand me. When I’m talking about tools, I also mean the both of you.))

The woman’s tone and expression are quite similar to that old woman. Zack’s head hurts, like he’s just been hit in the head.

((After all, watching you two is so amusing! You made quite a strange promise, right? A dangerous, mutually selfish wish that only pushes responsibilities upon the other…you both seem to be gaining something from this, but, the two of you are nothing more than tools. Though…which one of you is the real tool, I wonder?))

The woman giggles.

(Why don’t they realise that their promise is so pointless…?)

“Ah? What d’ya mean?” It’s not that he doesn’t know the words she’s used. However, he was unable to understand.

((Oh my, you don’t know? That’s fine. You’ll understand soon. And I do like stupid children…they’re quite cute. Right, Zack? Eheheh. Now then, enjoy your next punishment ♪))

The woman cuts off the transmission.

…A tool, huh.

(…Am I really nothing more than someone’s tool?)

“Ah, I feel sick.” Zack scratches at his head irritably, looking down.

“…Zack?” Ray looks up at his face. As usual, he has no idea what she’s thinking. And he can’t see any emotions in her gaze.

(So does she just see me as…a tool that’ll kill her…?)

I don’t know. I don’t want to think right now. About anything.

“…Don’t talk t’ me right now. Let’s go.” Zack’s tone is closed-off as he speaks. He turns away as if to block everything from his sight.

“Okay…” Ray gives a small nod.

(…Zack’s kind of angry.)

She doesn’t know why. But she can tell that he’s extremely irritated.

Is it because I fell asleep…? Or is it because of that woman…

“…mutually selfish wish that only pushes responsibilities upon the other…”

(…No.)

That’s not it. The promise Zack and I made isn’t anything like that…

▲▽

Their footsteps resound down the hall.

Uoooh, uooooh…

The further they go, the louder that awful sound becomes.

(…It reeks.)

She nearly stops breathing as they turn the corner. In front of them is a wall of iron bars with no way to come in or out. There are cells on either side of the hallway, about ten each.

(This is the jail…)

There’s the scent of something rotting filling the air. There are no lights in the cells, and the hallway is still gloomy despite being lit by bulbs interspersed in the ceiling at regular intervals. Squinting into the cells, Ray can see human-like shapes crouched over on the ground.

But Zack appears disinterested, proceeding down the hall without even looking to either side.

Ray chases after him, glancing into each of the jail cells as she goes.

“…!”

And, peering into the deepest jail cell, she unintentionally lets out a cry of “wah!” and shuffles back. Something has grabbed her through the bars of the cell.

(What?)

Staring at it makes it clear that it’s a red hand that looks like nothing more than a lump of flesh. That hand desperately grasps at Ray’s thin ankle, as if asking for help.

“Ah? What is it?” Zack asks, turning back after Ray shrieks.

“A hand…” Ray whispers, staring at that reddish limb as it writhes like some sort of caterpillar.

“…Pets for the rest of their lives, huh.” Zack glowers at the hand, still laying its fingers upon Ray’s ankle. He stomps on it.

“Hah…just steppin’ on ‘em crushes ‘em up. Disgusting. They ended up like that ‘cause they chose to be her pets. Damn useless. Even worse than tools…there are people even dumber than me.” Zack laughs fearlessly, mocking the prisoners.

As he speaks, Ray stares at the hand beneath his foot. It practically looks like it’s been minced up.

(I wonder if he wanted help…)

Suddenly thinking this, Ray crouches down to touch that hand.

“Hey, don’t pay attention to ‘im. He’s gonna die anyway.” Zack sounds strangely upset by Ray’s actions.

“…He’s already dead.”

There’s no way she can help anymore. The hand won’t even twitch.

The person behind the bars isn’t breathing anymore either. She can faintly see his reddish black flesh in the dim light. Or maybe he hadn’t been breathing in the first place. After all, having been reduced to this pitiful form, like a lump of meat – he wasn’t human anymore.

“…That so.” The man sounds indifferent.

“Hey, Zack…do ghosts really not exist?” she asks quietly.

“’Course not. Ya only ask pointless stuff. This place stinks, so let’s go. We can’t waste time.”

“…Okay.”

Sensing Zack’s unusually angry demeanour, Ray can do nothing more than nod and follow him.

▲▽

After a while of walking, the two of them suddenly come across a steep edge, about three-metres deep.

“The hell is this?”

“…”

Swallowing, the two come to a halt.

The ground below the edge is filled with spikes, and the other side of the dim room has been split into two platforms. One side is connected to the floor they stand on by a rope bridge; the other has a series of brilliantly gleaming, gravestone like objects leading to it, like a maze.

On the other side of the room is a large television screen, and one door on either platform. The room is designed so that if one were to slip or lose their footing on either of the paths, they would fall and become impaled on the dangerous spikes below.

“Hey, what are we gonna do?” The moment Zack starts speaking to Ray, sirens resound through the room. The woman appears on the monitor.

((Hiii! I’m impressed you came this far. As you can see, the floor there is filled with dangerous spikes, so, if you fall, you’ll immediately be pierced to death! The two platforms over there lead to different rooms. Though they are a little different…it doesn’t matter which path you choose!))

“A little different…?” Ray asks, inclining her head.

((I don’t have to explain that to you, do I?))

The woman asks, giggling to herself.

((Anyway…don’t you think it’s about time you two broke up? …Your promise is absurdly pointless. Since you’re going to die anyway, it seems like a pretty unfair promise…))

Ray spontaneously looks toward Zack. However, she can’t see his expression very well in the dim room – on top of the fact that his face is wrapped in bandages. The woman, looking at Ray’s trembling features through the camera, continues on nonchalantly.

((…Well, if you die, that ridiculous promise won’t come to fruition anyway. So come along to the next room and try your best, all right? I’m looking forward to seeing which one of you will be punished first!))

(Soon, I should be able to see something wonderful…)

And thus, the woman kills the feed as she always does.

(Pointless…)

Ray grits her teeth slightly. That word feels like it might steal away her hope.

“Talkin’ all in circles like that…when the hell can we get outta this place…? Ugh, I’m so damn pissed off! I wanna kill her already…!” Zack irritably fidgets with his legs, kicking at the floor.

“…” That word once again causes an enormous reaction in Ray, though it doesn’t show on her face. She feels that she wants Zack to kill her already. But the promise she made with Zack – means that they must get out of the building safely first.

(But it’s pointless…?)

“Hey, why are ya still spacin’ out?” Zack asks, his voice even more irritated than before as he looks toward the girl, who hangs her head silently.

“Zack…you have to make sure to kill me when we get outside. Not just that woman.” Ray wants to confirm that their promise isn’t meaningless.

“Aah?! That’s all ya talk about!” Zack clicks his teeth in annoyance as his brows furrow.

“…But, you don’t seem like you’re going to kill me,” Ray says in dissatisfaction, with that emotionless face of hers.

“Huh? It’s ‘cause yer makin’ that boring face! And anyway, the promise we made only matters if we get out!”

“…I know that.”

Ray’s voice falters slightly as Zack’s grows louder.

(I know, but…)

For some reason, Ray can’t even imagine being killed by him.

“If ya know that, then stop jabberin’ about boring things all the time. ‘N do somethin’ about that doll-like face of yours before we get out.” Ray looks as if she still wants to say something, and that makes Zack’s voice grow cold.

“…But.”

“But what?” Zack scowls at her.

“…”

Ray loses her ability to speak as he stares at her with those snakelike eyes.

“Ya know, a promise is a promise…but don’t order me around,” he says firmly, expression grim.

(Order…)

The soft and bitter phrase has Ray turning her gaze away quietly.

“…Okay. I’m sorry.” Now, she rather regrets being so insistent. Her expression turns disheartened. Though, she wonders why. It shocks her for Zack to treat her so coldly. Somehow, while traversing this building with him, Zack has become an existence who she feels would accept everything about her…though there is absolutely no logic or reason for this.

“…So, what are we gonna do?” He sounds apathetic.

“Um…I’ll go over the bridge, and you’ll jump across the stones. I don’t think I’ll be able to jump the gaps. And the rope here looks like it might break, so I think it’ll be best if I cross here.” After taking a deep breath, she’s able to calmly explain Zack what they shall do, just as usual.

“If we go separate ways, we won’t be able t’ go through the same door. Is that okay?”

“I don’t know…she said that the rooms are a little different. But she didn’t say how…”

“Well, either way, it’s prolly a trap,” the man grumbles.

“…Yeah.”

“What? Ya seem worried. You said that we’d take different paths, right? It doesn’t look like we can both go the same way, and we have to move forward anyway. So that’s all we gotta do, right?”

“I know that…”

“Haah…you’ve been makin’ a dumb face for a while now. Still got some of the poison in ya or somethin’?” He simply sounds irritated by her perceived ineptitude.

“I’m okay now.”

“Then what’s bothering you?”

“…Nothing. I’ll try. So – ”

“Ugh, I get it. I know. Ya want me t’ kill ya, right?” He interrupts her, staring directly into her dead eyes.

“…” Shocked, she grows silent. She hadn’t wanted to tell him to kill her. She had wanted to tell him that they would get out, together. But, if she thinks about it, perhaps telling him they would get out together, and telling him he would kill her, are the same thing.

“Anyway, don’t go gettin’ any weird ideas. Don’t die.”

“…Right. It’s okay. I won’t die.”

“That so. Whatever. I’ll go first.”

“Okay.”

Ray carefully crosses the bridge. It takes her a bit of time, but she gets to the other side safely. However, she still can’t see Zack on the other side.

(Zack still isn’t here…I wonder if he’ll be able to get across.)

In that moment, the large monitor displays Zack in the process of making his way to the other side.

(If I just jump far enough, I’ll be able to get across.)

Zack jumps lightly across the stones, making sure not to fall. However, the stones have been constructed like a maze, and it’s not that easy to get across. Before he knows it, he’s leaping aimlessly from one and the other.

“Damnit, how am I supposed t’ do this?”

He isn’t afraid – however, his vexation is steadily growing.

“Zack, go back.”

In that moment, he hears Ray’s voice from the other side of the room. It seems she’s gotten there faster than him.

“Aah?! Why?!”

“I can see you on the monitor. If you go this way, you won’t be able to get to the other side. Zack, just jump where I tell you to.” He’s simply stuck like this. That’s why Ray says this.

(…I told ya not t’ order me around.)

However, to Zack, this was not an especially attractive proposal. Unpleasant memories from his childhood come flooding back. He remains silent. He hates being told what to do.

“…Zack?” She thinks it’s strange that he doesn’t respond. Her head tilts in confusion. Ray has absolutely no intention of ordering anything of him. She simply wants to be useful to him.

“…Yeah, yeah, I just gotta go back.” Despite his anger, he does as asked.

“Okay. Once you go back, jump to the upper right. Then to the upper left…” Looking up at the screen, she gives him the proper directions of how to get to the other side of the room.

(…Aah, she’s just tellin’ me what t’ do.)

The vexation within Zack’s heart grows more and more virulent. He feels like Ray is treating him like her personal tool.

“Next, the lower right.”

In that moment, his rage becomes absolutely unbearable, and he can’t help but yell –

“Hey! I ain’t some video game character! Stop tellin’ me where t’ go!”

“But, I think it’ll be faster if I tell you…and if you don’t know how to get here, it’ll be a bit difficult…” A little surprise leaks into her voice as she protests. She has not even an ounce of ill will.

“It’s fine, there’s only a bit left.” Despite understanding this, he’s still angry. She might not be doing this out of malice, but he feels like he’ll go crazy if she keeps telling him what to do.

“…I see.”

(…He really is upset.)

Feeling a bit ill, she looks away from the screen.

▲▽

After getting to the other side safely, the two proceed through their own individual doors.

(…Huh?)

But they can still see each other. If not for the iron bars separating them as if to keep them from touching, they would be in the same room.

Ray meets Zack’s eyes. The look she sees in them reminds her of when she had first met him on B6 – it looks as if he wants to lash out, an irrational rage he can hardly contain.

“Zack, this room…”

Completely unafraid of that gaze, she draws nearer to him easily.

“Yeah…looks like we’re locked in, and the only stuff in here are these syringes. What’re we supposed t’ do? She tellin’ us t’ get high or somethin’? Hah.” His tone sounds vaguely desperate.

(Syringe?)

She looks around the room once more. In the centre of both their rooms is a table and a syringe containing some sort of drug. Carefully, so as not to touch the sharp needle, she picks up hers.

(…It’s real. What’s inside it?)

Holding it up to the light, she stares intently into the suspicious orange liquid.

“Ahahahah!”

In that moment, a very familiar laughter bounces upon their eardrums – a laughter they’ve heard through the speakers on this floor.

“Hiiii! This is the first time we’ve met in the flesh. I am this floor’s condemner, Cathy!”

The woman with perfectly done-up makeup stands above them in a mezzanine, looking at them through the door. However, as far as they can see, there are no stairs leading to that room, and the glass making up the door is bulletproof. They’re completely unable to touch her.

“Hey, you sadistic bitch, what is it this time?! Come down here, I’ll kill ya!” Zack snarls as the woman looks down at them.

“Oh, my, Zack, how could you speak like that to such a beautiful woman as I? Well, that part of you makes me shiver, too.” Cathy giggles.

“What do we have to do now?” Ray asks as she looks up at her.

“That’s right. Rachel Gardner, what do you think those syringes are for?” Despite being utterly bored by how calmly Ray asks her this, the woman’s tone never once changes.

“…For injecting medication into one’s body?” The moment she replies, a piercing, loud beeping tone resonates through the room.

“Correct, Rachel! Now then, all you have to do is inject yourself with the syringes, and the doors will open! Easy, right?”

“What’s inside the syringes…?” Ray stares at the injections.

“I’ll tell you, Rachel. One has some vitamins, and the other has a dangerous drug. The bad one is quiiiite strong – you’ll have a nightmare, suffer…you might not even wake up.” Cathy presses a finger to her red lips, speaking maliciously as she winks at Zack.

“Haah?! Which one is which?!”

“I won’t tell you, and I forgot anyway. In any case, either one of them could be a ‘win’, and either one of them could be a ‘lose’. If you’re lucky, you get the vitamin. If you’re not, you get the drug. It was supposed to be a test of luck, you know? But, since there are two of you…”

She laughs fearlessly.

“You knew this would happen…” Ray mutters quietly to herself, seeing the woman’s expression.

“Oh, what an unpleasant child. You’re smart, but that’s all. I’ve been watching you, and…you really are just like Zack says. So very boring.”

Cathy looks down upon the girl as an inferior being.

(…Boring…)

It’s different. It’s different when she says it. When Cathy says she’s boring – it makes Ray feel humiliated and uncomfortable.

“Now, then, let’s put an end to this boring conversation. You’re more or less came here together, so I’ll give you a special rule.”

“A special rule…?”

“Yes. You can…exchange the syringes. And…I don’t mind if one of you injects them both. However, make sure not to leave even a single drop of fluid. Dishonesty leads to endless punishment here! And you will never be able to get out.”

A roaring, mocking drumroll blares through the speakers.

“And now, my sinners, I shall pray for your good fortune!” Cathy twirls around along with the drumroll like some sort of musical performer. Then, with a peculiar laugh, she disappears through the door. In the room, only Ray, Zack, and the syringes remain.

“Zack…” Unconsciously, she calls that name as if asking for help.

“Hey, bring the syringe over here. Just do it.” Zack’s voice is irritated as he orders her.

“Okay…” She quickly takes the syringe from the table.

“D’ya know which one of these is the bad one?” he asks as he stares at the two syringes. One has orange liquid, the other contains yellow-green.

“…No.” She shakes her head. She can see the colours, but it tells her nothing of the actual contents.

“Guess not. I can’t, either. But I’m not plannin’ on dyin’ here. I’m not lettin’ that bitch kill me.” His expression is grim.

“…So, should I take both of them?” Ray thinks a bit before giving him her proposal.

“Hah?! Will ya be able t’ wake up?!” Zack’s voice unintentionally grows rougher.

“…No. So does that mean you’ll take them?” she asks without hesitation.

“Ah?! Of course I don’t want to!”

(What is she even thinking…?!)

He can’t follow her trail of thought at all.

“If you don’t want to do it, I will. Though I don’t know what will happen.” Ray’s voice is calm as she speaks. Zack merely looks perplexed. But from Zack’s perspective, she’s not thinking about the consequences of her actions at all. Her statements are selfish.

“So what happens if ya die?”

“What happens?”

“I’m askin’ ya what happens if I die? What happens if you die?!” The anger simmering within him threatens to burst out.

“…Our oath won’t happen… But, that’s…”

Ring.

At that moment, Ray hears – the chime of a bell.

“I don’t know. …I’m sorry, I don’t know.” Her head feels swamped in confusion.

“…Ah, that’s right. Ya want t’ die. I asked ya somethin’ stupid.” Zack’s voice is bitter and mocking.

“…Stupid…” Ray quietly repeats the word.

“It pisses me off, but that bitch is right. We’re just tools to each other. Well…I dunno what it means t’ swear t’ God, but you’ll prolly be satisfied if ya get t’ die either way.”

As he stares at Ray, whose expression hasn’t changed even slightly, he asks her something he’s been wondering about, somewhere in his heart, the entire time.

“Hey, can ya even make a good face if ya think about how much ya wanna die?”

“…” She can’t simply nod her head in response to that question.

She doesn’t know…she doesn’t know. She may have never been able to smile from the very bottom of her heart – ever since she was born.

“…How fuckin’ boring…being some doll’s tool…”

Sighing slightly, the man mutters to himself. Ray has fallen into utter silence.

“But right now, I don’t plan on doin’ what that bitch wants. I have t’ get outta this place. So, I’ll let ya use me.”

His tone become slightly desperate as he reaches through the bars and snatches the syringe from Ray’s hand.

“Wait, that’s mine…” Her eyes widen.

“Shut up. It looks dangerous, but it ain’t poison, right? If I die, that just means ya get t’ die too. So it’s better if I do it.” He smiles fearlessly. It may have been a wise decision in this situation. But Ray can only see it as Zack acting rashly after losing his composure. And yet, she can’t stop him.

“…Wait.” Though she knows this, she reaches her hand through the bars.

“I’m not gonna wait.”

Zack glances at her. His expression – as if abandoning something, or perhaps having been abandoned – looks as if it hides all the sorrow he has ever experienced in his life until now.

He rolls up his sleeve and stabs both the syringes into his skin. The liquids seep into his body. Before long, the syringes are completely empty, and the next door opens.

“It’s open. Let’s go.” He walks forward calmly. It appears the drugs haven’t taken effect yet.

“Okay…”

Ray stares at his back as if deep in prayer.

▲▽

A hallway stretches out beyond the door. Zack walks at a quick pace, as if to pull Ray along. However, perhaps because of the drugs, the hallway seems to continue forever. He can’t see the end.

(…Shit. Everything’s spinning.)

My head feels like it’s gonna burst open.

He’s also attacked by a terrible vertigo that makes him unable to stand. He can’t help but crouch down on the ground.

(Ugh, what is this…)

White noise streaks his vision, along with an awful sound, like the rain from that night.

And, as if in continuation of that dream, he clearly sees what else had transpired.

▲▽

…This is what happened that day. When I killed the couple at the institution, when I buried the dead kid’s body in the garden. I think he was three years younger than me, but I don’t remember very well.

The first hole I dug, I uncovered what looked like a baby. It had been buried a few weeks ago. It was in my way, so I went to dig a new hole. I don’t know how many kids I buried like this.

And that day, it was raining. It rained all night, a rain so strong it would have been meaningless to even have an umbrella.

Because of that, the muddy dirt was easy to uncover. But the corpse crumbled easily, and it took some time to bury properly. I always did things like this late at night.

There was not even a speck of light. The ground in front of me was pitch-black. And because of the harsh rain, I was soaking wet and covered in mud that day.

I hated the feeling of my bandages being wet. It was disgusting. But I had no spare ones to change to. So my bandages always reeked.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t taken a bath in a long time. I can’t even remember the last time I did. I didn’t care much, but I did think it would be nice to take a bath after burying corpses. I hated the rotten smell on my hands after I touched them. I felt like my hands, and the rest of my body, might rot away too.

(Eugh…)

Nearly overcome by nausea, covered in mud, I returned to the institution.

It was strangely quiet. Peering into the bedroom from the living room, I saw that the couple were already sleep. I felt just a little bit disappointed. After burying bodies, the woman always secretly hid leftovers of food away. She disliked burying bodies so much that she would make sure a monster like me was kept alive. What a selfish bitch.

(I’m hungry…)

I held a hand over my stomach as I searched the room for something to eat – like a fallen bag of chips or something. That day, there wasn’t any. The living room wasn’t especially clean. Probably because no one took the trouble of doing it. Clothes, magazines, and trash were scattered everywhere. They were all the couple’s belongings.

On the shelves were various toys for children, all brand-new, as if put there for decorations. They didn’t appear to be used. And there was no need for toys in a place like that.

After all, there were no more children there. I was – the last – person. But those people were incorrigible. They would likely take more children for money, as well. And, they would be given nothing, die of starvation, and end up getting buried by me.

I was the only one who didn’t die. The couple called me a “monster”. I was called that likely not only because of my creepy appearance, but also because I just didn’t die. Though there were times I stole bags of candy or chips, one time, in intervals of about three weeks, I got leftovers. It took about that long for the new kids to die, too. I guess the couple probably didn’t understand why I didn’t drop dead. Even I didn’t. But it’s annoying to think about that.

(Haah?)

As I emitted a sigh that mixed with the sound of rain outside, I suddenly noticed a faint gleam of something.

(What’s that?)

It was a light from the television in the living room. It was on. Not thinking of anything in particular, I sat down in front of the TV, as if drawn in by the light. It was only on when the couple were up. And most of the time, while they were up, I was crouched down on the floor upstairs, in the storage room. I had heard the TV sometimes, but never seen what was on it.

(The television, huh…)

I became curious about this thing I had never seen before.

But because it was late at night, there was nothing on it. Not really knowing anything about how it worked, I tried pressing one of the buttons. Then, something happened.

It was probably – a bit of an old movie. It was the first time I’d ever seen one.

On the TV, there was a couple – a man and a woman – laughing happily. I had no idea what was supposed to be so funny.

(It’s kind of boring…)

I thought of turning it off. I hated people who looked happy. But at that moment, a grotesque-looking man – his skin slowly peeling off his entire body – appeared before the couple. He looked like a monster. And then, the ugly man turned toward the woman’s boyfriend. Brandishing a hatchet, he stabbed him over and over and over – without an ounce of hesitation. And killed him. Dark reddish blood scattered across the screen. It looked as if it would splatter out onto the ground in front of me.

The woman stared at the ugly man and called him a monster. Her expression was full of despair – as if the happiness she had experienced moments before had been nothing but a lie.

The ugly man mercilessly stabbed the woman in the head. The screen split between the pale face of the dead man, and the face of the ugly man, whose mouth was so wide with laughter it seemed like his face might tear into two. It was an exhilarating scene, one that enthralled me.

Thump, thump.

Thump thump.

Thump thump thump.

I don’t know if my heart had been moving until that moment. But then – then it felt like it wouldn’t ever stop its desperate thrumming.

(…Aah…that’s right…)

And that’s when I finally realised –

…This is what I should do.

(It’s easy…)

I stood up from the floor and wandered into the kitchen. It was swarming with wriggling black insects. I picked up the largest knife I could find, and turned toward the bedroom. The couple’s snoring was absurdly loud.

I didn’t falter for even a moment as I thrust the blade into the man’s neck. When I buried the bodies, their necks always looked so fragile, so I figured that this must be where I would find a human’s weak point. And I stabbed him, because on the movie, the man had died first, too. He let out a groan, and his gaze latched on to me – but he died in less than a minute.

(…Huh.)

As I stared at the man’s dead body, who I now felt no hatred for, or nothing at all, I realised: people die so easily. It’s easy…to kill.

(Why was I holding myself back for so long…?)

“Kyaaah!”

The woman realised something was wrong, and threw herself off the bed, letting out a scream of terror. She attempted to run, but perhaps her legs gave way, and she ended up simply dragging herself backwards along the floor.

“…”

Staring at that comical sight, I lifted my weapon.

The woman stared at me with eyes full of fear – an expression she had never shown me before – as she screamed “monster, you monster!” at me over and over again.

(Monster, huh…)

Honestly, I didn’t like being called that. I hated the scars beneath the bandages – the burn scars that would never fade. There was no way I could possibly like them. But it wasn’t because they made me remember anything. It was simply because I didn’t look human. Because I didn’t like looking like a monster.

But, for some reason, I was a little happy that night, as the woman screeched at me, calling me that name. My chest swelled. No matter what she said, I wouldn’t have to listen to her. Because I would kill her. The only thing that remained was despair.

(It’s okay to be a monster.)

I smiled.

Aah, I’m just like the man in that story. No…that’s wrong. I am him.

I don’t know how much time passed. But the next time I realised what was happening, the woman was dead.

And I was the only one left in the institution. The only thing ringing in my ears was the sound of the hard rain, as if to drive everything else away.

▲▽

His head throbs, as if someone had hit him. He feels sick.

(Aah…I feel like I’m gonna go crazy…)

…I want to kill.

I want to kill. I want to kill.

I want to kill I want to kill I want to kill I wanna kill.

I wanna kill I wanna kill I wanna kill I wanna kill IwannakillIwannakill.

“Please…kill me.”

Ray’s voice reverberates from within him.

As soon as I met her, she asked me to kill her. Thinking about it now, I guess I should have killed her back then. Or, maybe it would have been better to kill her then. I dunno what she’s thinkin’ with that blank face of hers, but I bet she would have been happy to be killed by me. ‘Cause right now, that’s all she thinks about. If she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be working together with me like this.

I don’t know why she wants to die, and I don’t need to, either. After all, to her, I’m nothing more than a tool.

(But if I kill her now, would I be a liar…?)

The more time passes, the more the drugs sink into his system. He has always felt as if he’s been in an awful dream. The raging impulse to kill and the last frays of his sanity fight together.

(Zack looks strange…? The poison really is…)

“Zack, are you okay…?”

Having opened the door, Ray sees Zack crouched on the floor, unmoving, and rushes up to him.

(Stay away – )

Zack calls out in his own mind.

But the moment he perceives the form of the girl who rushes up to him, he becomes entirely enveloped in urges he can’t contain. He’s unable to think of anything asides from his desire to kill.

“…”

He quickly stands, and brandishes the scythe toward Ray. This scythe has brought countless people to despair. And, of course, it can slice through Ray’s dainty neck without a problem.

“…What’s wrong…?”

With the slightest bit of surprise upon her face, she asks him this quietly, seeming to sense something.

“Aah…I dunno if it’s ‘cause of that weird stuff or not…but I wanna kill so bad…that I feel like I’m gonna go crazy!” Zack shouts desperately as he stares into those blue eyes that look as if they see through everything.

(So, just go somewhere, far away – )

He wants to kill someone, anyone – Ray, in front of him – so badly he can hardly stand it.

But the promise he had made with her flickers in his mind.

“When we get outta here together…I’ll kill you.”

Since coming into this world, he had never had anything he especially liked or disliked. It was pointless to think about those things, anyway. But lies – he truly hates lies.

“…I see…I don’t mind.” Ray doesn’t flinch as she replies.

(So damn boring.)

Zack laughs, and hangs his head.

“…That so.”

(She’s boring, but,)

“Ah, that’s right, ya want me t’ kill ya, don’t ya?!”

(I can’t help it – )

He can’t control himself. The scythe shakes as his arms waver.

The sharp blade lightly touches the nape of her neck. It’s cold – almost like water dripping down her skin.

“…But, are you okay with this?” she asks him calmly as that icy sensation seeps into her bones.

“…Hah?!”

“You aren’t outside yet. And…my face is still boring, right?”

Just like her voice, her face is emotionless. She simply, intently gazes up into Zack’s flushed face.

(If ya get it, then)

“Hey…are ya tryin’ t’ threaten me now?!”

(do something – )

He feels absolutely disgusting. He wants to puke.

Even he knows how his hands tremble as they grip the scythe. Every second, he comes closer and closer to simply cutting her head from the rest of her body.

“No. You’re the one who made the promise to God. So, the promise is yours as well. Right now, I’m not ordering anything of you, or asking you to do anything for me. I’m just asking you…Zack, are you okay with this?” Ray’s expression trembles as she feels Zack’s hands shake, the sensation passed through her by the blade of the scythe on her neck. He’s a bit surprised, seeing such an honest expression from her in this insane situation –

“…Are you stupid? …Of course I’m not okay with it.” His answer comes straight from his heart. “But, ya know…no matter how boring yer face is…it’s hard t’ hold myself back. ‘Cause if I could, I wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place…”

Aah…why am I trying to hold myself back so much…?

When I get the urge to kill, I kill. I wanna kill so bad I can hardly stand it, but something inside of me keeps calling out to me, saying I mustn’t kill her.

(‘Cause I can’t get out of here if I do…?)

“A dangerous, mutually selfish wish that only pushes responsibilities upon the other…you both seem to be gaining something from this, but, the two of you are nothing more than tools. Though…which one of you is the real tool, I wonder?”

So, is Ray just a tool to me, too…?

“Your promise is absurdly pointless.”

(Promise…)

Ah…that’s right…I never really made a promise with anyone before. Promises always seemed so irrelevant to me…because I always lived on my own.

(But, ‘cause I’m gonna kill Ray once I get out of here, it might really be a pointless promise after all…)

He turns his gaze away from Ray and takes in a short breath, as if to muster the last of his strength.

“…But, ya know, even I hate lies...” His voice trembles. “Ya get what I mean, right?”

For a moment, it seems like time simply stops flowing between them.

“…Yeah.”

As Zack blinks, Ray sees her own expressionless face reflected back to her, and sees herself nod.

“…Good girl…so…please…”

He gently draws her delicate body closer to him.

“…Don’t let me kill you just yet – ”

And, after whispering into her ear, he softly lets her go.

As if to confirm the promise they’ve made to one another, the two hold one another’s gazes for a moment.

Zack’s expression is more serious than any she’s ever seen on him before.

He hears the rain begin to fall once more. A harsh rain at the dead of night, a rain hard enough to wash everything away.

Between the slits of my bandages, I see that old movie. What had it been called again? Something like…ah, damn it. It was the only movie I’d ever seen. I should have at least remembered the title. But that movie really was the best. It was so exciting.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Just thinking about it has my heart thumpin’ in my chest – though I dunno if it normally does that or not.

I want to kill.

I wanna kill so bad, I can’t stand it.

I can’t think about anything else anymore. I don’t want to think.

And, as if something had suddenly broken, Zack’s face becomes utterly blank.

▲▽

I have to run…!

The sight she had seen when she had first met Zack on B6 flickers frightfully clear through her mind.

That time…she had fixed the bird, like she normally would, and buried it.

It was a pity the bird had died, but I was happy.

After all, it could go home to my family. My ideal family…

But that had all been a fleeting dream. Nothing more. All she can remember is the past she doesn’t want to recall.

Ray looks away from Zack, and turns her back to him, as if it pains her to set her eyes upon him.

(…I don’t know anything about Zack yet.)

The words she had read on that profile – something like that is nothing more than something someone else had written. Nothing more.

“…I…hate lies.”

But that is one thing she knows. Her small hands curve into fists.

(I won’t make him a liar…)

Zack sways next to her – and she runs away from him as quickly as she possibly can.

Zack swore to God.

“I’m definitely gonna be the one to do it…!”

I’m sure Zack doesn’t desire to kill me like this. He doesn’t want to kill me while I’m so boring.

Hey, Zack. I can’t be alive. This is what I’ve thought ever since that night.

But, so that I can be killed by you, I want to be useful to you.

And, I promised. I promised to make a good face that would make you want to kill me.

So…for now, I can’t let Zack kill me…!

Zack chases her as the rain relentlessly pounds in his ears.

(I wanna kill, I wanna kill – )

He can’t hear anything anymore. He doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t know if this is reality, or a dream. He doesn’t know if he’s an adult, or a child. He can’t think about anything anymore. He just wants to kill. It doesn’t matter who.

In the midst of the white noise of his mind, for some reason, the faces of the children who had been buried at the institution flash by, one after another. Ghosts don’t exist in this world. That’s common sense. But, like an awfully clear movie, the faces of dead children flicker across his vision. They don’t look at him with hatred, and they don’t ask for help. They simply stare at him with dead eyes. And they tell him, “I didn’t want to go to a place like this.”

(I don’t care. That’s disgusting.)

He lurches after the girl with unsteady steps. Despite feeling terribly nauseous, he’s still tremendously fast.

(He’ll catch up to me…)

“Haah, haah…”

She can sense him approaching her.

Gasping for air, she rushes down the maze-like corridor.

(I can’t…breathe…)

She has surely never run for someone else like this before.

But she doesn’t have the leisure to think about something like that. She simply runs desperately. If she stops for even a second, she’ll be killed. To tell the truth, it doesn’t matter to her when she’s killed. She wants to be killed before Zack finds out everything.

(…?)

She’s suddenly aware that she can no longer sense Zack behind her. For an instant, she turns to look. It’s clear that his running speed has lessened.

(The poison…)

In her mind, she sees Zack, stabbing himself with the syringes.

(He even took my syringe…)

“If I die, that just means ya get t’ die too. So it’s better if I do it.”

That was…what Zack did to make sure they could get out together. That’s what Ray believes.

(Right now, all I can do is not let him kill me…)

That’s all.

She can’t see the end of the hall because of how gloomy it is. She doesn’t know where it goes – but she runs down it anyway, and forgets about everything else. She runs, further and further – and finally escapes that long hallway. Her vision explodes in white.

▲▽

A wide, open room spreads out before her, lit by bright fluorescent lights.

The walls and floor are both pure white. It’s as if the room was just recently built, or perhaps recently repainted. There’s not a speck of dirt to be seen. At the far end of the room is a large monitor and a complicated-looking machine; a wall of clear, bulletproof glass serves as a barrier. In other words, this is a dead end.

“…”

(There’s nowhere to go…)

She knows Zack is drawing nearer even without looking behind her.

Taking in a small breath, Ray stands completely still.

…I can’t go back anymore. There wouldn’t be a point even if I did. There’s nowhere to run…

(And nowhere to go home to…)

“Your mother and father…are waiting for you in hell – ”

As she stands there motionlessly, she dimly remembers what Danny had told her while she had lain upon the operating table.

(Doctor…is hell an even worse place than that house…?)

She slowly turns to face the entrance to the room.

Zack stands there silently, not even a bit out of breath. And the Zack staring at her right now looks different than both the Zack she had first met, and the Zack who had accompanied her to this floor. He stares at her with hollow eyes.

“…”

Wordlessly, slowly, he approaches her. Then, he lifts up the grim reaper-like scythe once more, and brandishes it toward her.

(Zack, I’m sorry…I’m going to make you a liar…)

She slowly closes her eyes.

(…But…if he kills me here, I’m sure that I can go to heaven…)

Secretly, beneath her eyelids, this is what she thinks.

And then –

“Bang!”

A loud noise reverberates throughout the room – so loud it makes her heart seize.

(…!)

A bad feeling stirs within her. After all – that was unmistakably the sound of gunfire.

She opens her eyes wide, and sees Zack kneeling on the ground, hanging his head as he crouches there. Blood spills from his calves, staining the floor like some kind of juice.

“Ahahahah!”

Cathy appears behind the glass along with that insane laughter.

“So sorry for cutting things short just while things were getting good! This is my gun room, so I shot you.” Cathy’s voice is calm as Ray stares at her dumbfoundedly.

“…Gun room.”

“Yes. Just look around at all those guns pointing at you! I can make them aaaall shoot you with just a flick of this button. Amazing, right?” As she speaks, a number of gun muzzles poke out from the white walls. They’re surrounded at all sides – this definitely isn’t something they can avoid, like at B3’s entrance.

“Ah, putting that aside…watching your fall out just now…was veeery thrilling! Especially you, Zack! You truly are my ideal sinner! You struggle and writhe, but in the end, you truly can’t hold back your impulses! How wonderful…!” Cathy speaks to him in an ecstatic tone of voice – though her words don’t match her appearance of a lovestruck maiden. Just remembering how Zack had looked as he had abruptly changed expression and given chase after Ray makes Cathy tremble in excitement.

“…Shut…up…!” Zack slowly stands, dragging himself to his feet, and glowers at Cathy from behind the wall.

“…Zack!” Reacting to his voice, Ray instinctively rushes up to him.

“Stay away! I’ll kill you!” he barks out in rejection, glaring at her sharply.

“See? It seemed like you got a little control back from the pain, but look at you. You just can’t…hold back, can you?” Cathy licks her lips as she watches Zack desperately trying to stop himself from raising a hand against Ray. She speaks with the full intent of provoking him.

“Aah?! You just try to piss everyone off! I’ll kill ya!”

“Ahahahah, I only speak the truth. And the one who is going to be killed is the sinner – in other words, you, Zack. …Look. Rachel Gardner. I’ll give you this.”

From behind the bulletproof glass, Cathy tosses a red gun over to land at Ray’s feet, as if it were a piece of trash.

“You’ll be even with that, right? Now, kill each other! And then I’ll give the winner an even more splendid punishment!” She laughs shrilly, sounding entertained from the bottom of her heart.

In her insane mind, she vividly sees Zack and Ray’s beautiful battle. Her chest bursts with her insatiable desire to see it, to see it now.

(Kill each other – )

After a brief silence –

“…What’s the point in doing something like that?” Ray asks disinterestedly. Cathy’s expression changes immediately.

“Haah? Oh, stop it. You truly are boring. What’s the point in looking for something like meaning? Do you think something will come out of it? A sinner can’t accomplish anything. So there’s no need to look for meanings in anything you do.”

Cathy’s expression doesn’t fit a beautiful woman at all.

(…Boring…)

Ray falls into silence once more.

“…How fuckin’ boring…being some doll’s tool…”

(Zack thinks I’m boring, too…)

Did mom and dad not listen to me…because they also thought I was boring…?

(…But all I wanted…was to have a puppy…)

Why did things turn out this way?

On that cold night, the puppy had stared at her from out of that dirty, broken cardboard box, as if asking for helped. Thinking of that lovely face, Ray gently leans down to pick up the gun.

(It’s heavy…)

That feeling causes Ray’s memories to grow even more vivid.

“Now, entertain me…!”

Cathy’s voice grows more excited. She sees Ray’s movement as a signal that her awaited match is about to start.

(…Entertain…)

…But that wasn’t…entertaining…

“If yer gonna shoot, hurry up,” Zack says. The girl stands motionlessly in front of him, not even lifting the gun to point it at him.

“Hey, could it be, you’re afraid of pulling the trigger? You can’t escape from being a boring, uninteresting girl?” Cathy attempts to goad her into action. It’s almost like Ray really has become a doll.

“…No.” Staring fixatedly at the gun she holds, she says this clearly.

“Hey, Ray, even if ya don’t shoot me, I can’t stop myself from killing!” Zack yells, his eyebrows furrowing beneath his bandages.

The pointed end of the scythe trembles near the skin of Ray’s pale neck, skin which has never been burnt by the sun. But the blade doesn’t feel cold anymore.

“…I won’t shoot you.” After looking away for a moment, she says this firmly and resolutely.

“…That so. But I wanna kill so bad I can’t help it!” Zack’s voice is mixed with sorrow and frustration.

(Argh, shit!)

I don’t wanna kill ya like this. This is fuckin’ humiliating. I can’t even control myself. I know I don’t wanna kill ya right now.

But he can’t – stop.

(I wanna kill…)

When I try to think, that’s all I can think about. I want to feel that thrill so much. But if I killed you right now, I wouldn’t. All I want to do…is kill someone with my own two hands. I feel like I’m going insane.

“Haah…haah…”

Zack looks as if he’s trying to stop himself. His breathing becomes more and more ragged.

“…I’m sorry. I’m going to make you kill me while I’m still boring.” Ray sounds as if she understands everything.

“Yeah, yer right…! I’ll feel like shit! That’s why I told ya t’ shoot me already! Ya won’t miss from this range!” Halfway through, his voice changes as if to try to persuade her.

“…I won’t shoot you.” This is her will. It won’t change, no matter what happens.

(I won’t kill Zack…)

Because Zack swore he would kill me –

“Hahahah…what are ya sayin’ at a time like this? Ah, but…that’s right, ya want me t’ kill ya.” Zack’s mouth curves as he laughs humourlessly. But Ray tilts her head to the side.

“That’s true, but that’s not it. …This is my will – ”

And, within the room cloaked in silence, Ray begins to speak.

“I’m fine being killed by you. But…I don’t want…I don’t want this to turn out the way that woman wants. After all…Zack, you and I…aren’t tools.”

She speaks, staring intently into Zack’s eyes.

“So…killing, and being killed…are our own choices.”

And Zack feels as if all his strength leaves him.

…I’m not a tool.

That’s right…that’s right. It’s easy. Why didn’t I realise it before? I really am an idiot.

Aah, Ray. It’s like ya said…killing and being killed are both our choices.

‘Cause if they aren’t, then what the hell are they?

(And I wouldn’t make a pointless promise in the first place – )

“…Hahahahah!”

Zack gives out a large laugh, as if reclaiming his sanity.

“Hey, Ray…what are ya doin’, sayin’ interestin’ stuff now? Aah, I can’t hold back anymore! Hey, at least give me a smile! Now!”

Somewhat agitated, he sidles up to her.

(…Smile.)

Ray closes her eyes.

…When was the last time I smiled?

She feels like it had been when she had taken the puppy home, but she can’t remember.

How did I smile back then? I feel like I always smiled when I saw something cute.

And…I liked the sound of that music box. My favourite music box.

Mom bought it for me when I was seven years old. I was so happy. I listened to it all night. Because listening to that sound always made me just a bit happy…

(I wonder if I’ll be able to smile if I remember that music…)

“…”

She slowly opens her eyes, and looks at Zack.

And shows him a smile with just the corner of her lips, with eyes that look as if they reflect the very end of the world.

“…What a shitty smile. …Yer eyes really are dead.”

That awkward expression seems to sap up the last of his strength. He slowly lifts his scythe, keeping it away from her.

“…But…if yer smile becomes real…it’ll be great. Just imaginin’ myself killin’ ya like that…makes me smile better than anyone else.”

He stares at the monstrous face, wrapped in bandages, reflected back at him from the gleaming blade. And then, he shouts in a voice as loud as the very first time they had met:

“So good…that I could just kill myself!”

And then, he stabs himself in his abdomen with his own scythe, as hard as he can.

(…!)

Dark red blood splatters across Ray’s vision.

“…Zack…!”

(What just happened…?)

She can’t grasp the situation. Overwhelmed with confusion, she rushes up to him.

“What?!” Cathy’s voice rises threateningly.

Zack’s actions have completely and utterly surpassed her expectations. Rather than confused, like Ray is, she’s also enraged. Using the machine, she opens the door in the glass wall. Then, she advances upon Ray, and slaps her pale cheek as hard as she can.

(Ow…)

As if remembering something from the impact of that blow, for an instant, Ray looks up at Cathy with eyes full of hatred.

“Ugh, disgusting! I was wrong about you! You’re a failure of a sinner! Even though I gave you that gun, and all you had to do was pull the trigger! And to think that Isaac Foster was so stupid that he would kill himself to satisfy his own urges – how disappointing!”

Cathy almost sounds as if in mourning. This is the utterly worst situation that could have happened – it doesn’t look like anything she had pictured at all.

(I wanted to see Zack kill Rachel, unable to help himself…! And then I wanted to slowly, carefully take my time punishing him…this has put a damper on everything…!)

As she watches the bright red blood seep from Zack’s wound, she bites her own lips – a vivid red of the same colour.

“Aaah…I wish Zack had been the one left. He would have surely looked better covered in bullet holes…even if you are a sinner, you’re completely boring! Oh, Rachel…you’re so, so boring…!”

Cathy hits Ray on the cheek with all her strength once more, venting her anger.

(…It hurts…)

Ray closes her eyes for an instant. Beneath her eyelids, she can see her mother and father shouting and snarling at one another as they quarrel.

She doesn’t know when it had started anymore. But her father always beat her mother when they fought. It had been painful, and maybe that was why her mother had gone mad. Because her mom hadn’t been that way when she had bought the music box for her…

(But I’m boring now, so that’s why I’m being kicked…? By this woman…)

“…I don’t remember you having the right to decide something like that.” Ray’s voice now has a bit of anger as she looks into the woman’s lined eyes.

“Hah? You’re trying to defy me, you failure of a sinner? Hey…why did someone as boring as you…even come here?”

Cathy looks down at Ray, her large eyes flaring up despite her discomfort at the girl’s actions.

“…Uugh…”

At that moment, a soft groan reaches Ray’s and Cathy’s ears. Zack.

Ray reflexively turns to look at him. The man convulses and twitches slightly.

“…Oh my, he’s still alive! He really is just like a monster…how wonderful!”

Cathy’s abrupt change in attitude is amazing. She rushes up to him as if running to her lover.

“…Are you going to kill him?” Ray asks.

“Of course. After all, I’m the only one who can judge such a splendid sinner…” Cathy answers, as if it should be obvious.

And then, Cathy recalls how Zack had looked on B6 – before he had become a sacrifice, he had been killing sacrifices himself. And his expression had been solely that of a murderer. Seeing him through her cameras – remembering him now – causes a vivid chill to rush through her. It had been so stimulating to see him kill the sacrifices as his instincts and desires bade him to. So unlike her…

(But because of this bitch, he became a sacrifice…)

But, to tell the truth, this is convenient.

Because of her, I can punish him.

“Ahahahah!”

Simply imagining herself killing him has her laughing uncontrollably.

I’ll be the one to execute him…! Because I’m the only condemner here!

(I wonder what face he’ll make as he dies? I can’t wait to see…my chest is absolutely burning!)

…Ring.

And from somewhere, a small bell rings. Of course, Ray is the only one to hear it.

“…Stop.”

As if reacting to that sound, Ray points the gun at Cathy, who looks agitated. Ray’s expression is stiff.

“Oh, my…Rachel, what are you doing now? You want to shoot me? But, sorry to say…that gun wasn’t loaded from the very start! Ahahahah! However…I’m a little impressed by your attitude to point that at me.”

Cathy sneers at Ray mockingly. To her, the girl looks like nothing more than a small deer.

(It’s not…loaded…?)

Seeing Ray waver uncertainly, Cathy reaches into her tight skirt with a smirk. She pulls out a small handgun.

“Bang!”

Her tone is jesting. But she points at the red gun Ray holds with keen precision and shoots it out of her small hand.

“Heheheh…now then, I’ll keep you alive so I can punish you.”

Cathy touches Zack’s body with her red gloved-hands.

Ring…

In that moment, Ray hears that ring again.

(…A blue…full moon…)

When she closes her eyes for just a second, she sees that blue moon. That large, almost artificially blue full moon…

Yes…she remembers the night of that blue moon very well…

Beneath the small light hanging from the ceiling, a man straddles a woman. His face is terrifying, monstrous. The man stabs the woman’s body over and over and over again. She doesn’t move at all, like a doll.

As she had looked upon that scene, she had wished it was a dream. But it wasn’t.

…What happened after, too…

“…No.”

Ray opens her eyes. She mumbles as if waking from a dream, and reaches into the purse slung about her shoulder.

(…I shouldn’t be alive…)

So –

“…I won’t let you kill Zack. Because he’s the one who is going to kill me.”

And then, almost like magic, she pulls a black handgun out of her purse, and points it at Cathy unwaveringly.

In an instant, Cathy removes herself from Zack, and whirls to face the girl.

“…Where did you get that?!” Her face twists in confusion.

One would never believe that Ray were wielding a gun with that calm face of hers.

“Bang.”

And, without even an atom of hesitation, she shoots Cathy in the abdomen.

“…!”

Cathy is mute from astonishment. She could have never expected this to happen.

(Why does she have a gun…? I don’t understand…)

But she doesn’t have time to wonder about her situation right now. A sharp pain from her abdomen makes her unable to stand. She falls to the ground.

“Aaargh…! Where did you get that gun?!” she screams, trying to drown out the pain.

“…” Ray silently looks down at her. Her eyes are cold. They hide no emotion.

But why? For an instant, as Cathy looks into those emotionless eyes and sees herself reflected in them, she feels a thrill.

“Ahahah! Rachel, you’ve shown your true colours! …Amazing!”

Cathy’s laughter becomes more and more deranged as she bathes in that strange sensation. She crawls along the floor, drawing nearer to Ray’s legs.

(…Why does she look so happy…?)

Ray tilts her head at the abnormality of the situation. For some reason, Cathy’s expression is creepily delighted to her.

“Hey, Rachel. I’ll judge you, okay…? No, I will judge you…I’ll judge the demon hiding beneath that composed face of yours…!”

Cathy speaks almost coquettishly at first as she staggers to her feet; then her voice grows rougher. She holds her gun up to point it at Ray.

“…Shut up.”

Someone whispers.

That harsh tone isn’t Ray’s.

“Eh?”

Slowly, Cathy turns around. Behind her stands Zack, thirsty for blood.

“What are ya lookin’ so happy for when ya got shot, you sadomasochistic bitch?” He sounds groggy, as if he’s just gotten up from bed. He lifts his scythe.

“’Cause of yer annoyin’ voice, I wanna kill so bad…that I woke up!”

With a bout of insane laughter, Zack slices off Cathy’s pale arm. For a second, she doesn’t recognise the shape as if falls in an arc.

“Aaargh?!” The moment she realises that arm to be hers, a hot pain of the likes she’s never felt before rushes through her body. Helplessly, lets out a scream of anguish.

“This…can’t be real…”

Her vision swims as she looks up at Zack with an expression of despair.

(Why…? I was going to punish Zack…!)

I’m not a sinner. I’m always right. So it’s not right for me to be killed…

“This is reality! Wake up!” Zack yells. He sounds as if he’s talking to both himself and to her. Then, he slices Cathy’s abdomen from top to bottom. Cathy falls, her body twisting unnaturally. Zack seems satisfied as he looks upon her and smiles.

“…Ah, but…guess ya fell asleep anyway.”

His expression turns to disgust as he looks down at Cathy’s body, lying on the ground like a motionless doll.

(Aah…this is the worst…that I would be killed by a sinner…)

Cathy’s eyes close to the world that whirls around her, as if to sleep. Her mascara is perfectly applied to her long eyelashes.

(But…it’s awful, but…it’s wonderful…)

She laughs. She has been killed by Zack.

And then, in the pool of her own blood, like melting chocolate, she stops breathing.

She will never wake up. She can’t judge people as good or bad anymore.

In her life, she had been a sheltered girl; she had fallen into ruin due to troubles in her family; and then she had worked at a jail. There was only one thing that remained the same throughout all the lives she had led. And that was that she judged sinners.

(…I am…the condemner…)

All Cathy knows is that in the darkness, there are no good or bad people.

▲▽

“…Zack.”

As Cathy’s vision grows dark, Ray rushes to Zack’s side as quickly as she can.

“Yeah…” Zack looks down at her with a somewhat uncomfortable expression. All the madness has left him.

“Zack…are you okay?”

(…Did the poison wear off…?)

Ray feels relieved to hear his gentle voice.

“Aah?! My stomach hurts, what d’ya think?!” Zack answers briskly.

“…”

(His stomach hurts…?)

Ray looks astonished.

She didn’t think she would hear those words from someone who had cut themselves a few minutes ago. After all, Zack looks calm and composed, to the point she nearly forgets her worry.

(…So he can’t be okay. But…he looks fine. But if I’m too pushy, he’ll get upset…)

“Um…don’t push yourself too much.”

After careful consideration, this is what she says.

“Shut up. You worry about yerself.”

But Zack is annoyed at her concern, and speaks with a delight one would not associate to an injured man.

“Anyway, did ya see her face?!”

“…Yeah.”

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by how much energy he has, she gives a quiet nod.

“That was great! And ya did pretty good, too!” Zack grins as he recalls the expression of despair Cathy had made when he had raised his weapon at her. It was as if she had become just a normal woman. Simply remembering that wretched face has Zack in a good mood. He feels as if all his pain might simply melt away.

“…Really?”

“Yeah! I feel all better now!”

“…That’s good.” Looking at Zack’s satisfied expression, Ray can’t help but feel rather complicated.

(That woman really did end up getting killed by him after all…)

She feels a bit as if she’s been defeated by something.

(I wonder…if Zack had killed me back then, if I would be in heaven now.)

She’s lost in thought for a moment as she thinks of that place; a place no one on this world has ever been to.

“So, now that the bitch is gone, let’s go.”

Zack lightly smacks Ray on the top of the head as she continues to look down at the ground glumly.

“Eh…? Your stomach…are you okay now?”

“Ah? It just hurts a little, it’s nothin’,” he replies. It’s true that he’s in pain. But – it almost doesn’t seem like he’s cut himself that deep. The pain is ebbing away. And that’s impossible – but Zack doesn’t wonder about it.

All he does is think privately to himself – I really might be a monster.

Ray can only be surprised at Zack’s resilience. After getting shocked and escaping from a room of poison gas, he seems to be lively and energetic. It’s true that he has a resilience normal people don’t have.

“Okay…I’m sure there’s an elevator somewhere ahead.”

Whilst yet finding his apparent immortality to be utterly baffling, the girl points to the other side of the glass wall.

“Then let’s get goin’.”

“Okay…”

(…Is he really all right?)

In the room with Cathy’s large machine is a passageway marked EV. Ray predicts that this means it leads to the elevator. However, the door is locked.

“Hey, Ray. The door won’t open,” Zack says, kicking it.

“Wait. I’ll open it now.” Ray flicks the switch that says EV up. The machine also has numerous other buttons and switches, like “electric chair”, “dolls”, “applause”, and so on.

“Oh, it’s open now.”

“It looks like she was using that machine to do all sorts of things…”

“Aah? She was doin’ somethin’ that stupid? What an annoyin’ person.” Zack’s statement is intermingled with a yawn.

“Yeah.” Ray nods as she recalls Cathy with cold eyes. That is an expression Ray shows when she’s angry. But Zack doesn’t notice that slight change.

“Hey, Zack.”

“What is it?”

“…We aren’t tools.” As if to push away the rage she feels toward Cathy, Ray repeats the words she had said earlier.

“Yeah, we aren’t.” Laughing lightly, Zack turns his back on Cathy’s dead body.

“We goin’?”

“Yeah.”

Then, the two of them finally proceed through the now open door.

▲▽

Walking down the hall, they find that there really is an elevator there. Ray pushes the up button. But the doors don’t open. No matter how many times she presses the button, the elevator doesn’t give any indication that it will open for them.

(…Why?)

“…The elevator won’t work.” Ray tilts her head in confusion as she glances toward Zack.

“Huh? We came all this way, ‘n this happens. Maybe ya gotta use that machine?” Zack clicks his tongue.

“Maybe, but I didn’t see a switch like that…”

“So what are we gonna do?”

“I’ll think of a way to open it…”

“Hurry up, my stomach hurts.”

“Okay, I’ll try.”

(Is there some sort of mechanism…?)

Ray is somewhat worried. No matter how Zack appears to be, it’s obvious that they must get out of here quickly and treat his injury. Because it’s still slowly bleeding.

(But…is it because he won’t kill me unless the wound is healed…?)

As she comes upon that strange thought, she suddenly realises that there is something written on the opposite wall to the elevator.

“If you wish to open the door, pronounce your name to God.

“If you are free of lies, give the name that resides within you,

“And then know yourself.

“However, know that God has no need of the impure.”

There is nothing else that would appear to point toward how to open the door. Therefore, Ray can only assume that this must be a hint.

(If you wish to open the door, give your name to God…)

“Rachel Gardner.”

With a small voice, Ray faces the elevators and whispers her name. However, the doors don’t open.

(So that didn’t work…)

As if to divert her gaze from the truth, Ray looks away.

(Or maybe – )

“Hey, Zack…I want you to say your full name in front of the elevator.”

With just a slight amount of pain in her expression, Ray asks this of Zack.

“Aah? Why?” His face twists in a scowl.

“Because the doors might open…” Her voice sounds like it might fade at any moment.

“Your name won’t work?”

“…No.”

(…God has no need of the impure…)

The words scrawl across her vision. They pierce her heart.

“Well, whatever…Isaac Foster.”

Despite feeling confused by Ray’s instructions, the man recites his name as asked. And then, with splendid timing, the doors indeed open. It’s as if someone had been operating the elevator from somewhere else.

“What the hell, seriously?!”

Zack seems utterly delighted, almost viewing the door’s trick as some sort of magic. He quickly steps into the elevator.

(It opened…so, my name wasn’t good…)

I really am…

Her heart throbs in her chest. With a grim but determined expression, Ray embarks upon the elevator as well.

▲▽

“Hey, Zack…were you happy when you cut open your own stomach?” Ray asks as the elevator finally begins to move.

“Huh? Don’t compare me t’ that sadomasochistic bitch. I just thought it would be better than killin’ ya when ya got that borin’ face, and then gettin’ killed by her.” Zack’s expression is somewhat bitter as he replies.

“I see…”

“…Anyway, that gun ya used wasn’t hers. Where’d ya get it?” His voice is somewhat sharp now.

“…That was my gun…”

Despite feeling somewhat shocked, she replies carefully.

“Where were ya hidin’ that thing?”

“…I wasn’t hiding it. It was in my purse. Wrapped in a handkerchief…I witnessed a murder, so, I’ve always…”

“…Then why didncha use that in the first place?”

“…I won’t kill myself. Because God won’t allow it.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“And, you’re the one who is going to kill me.” Her declaration is resolute, as if to interrupt him – or perhaps to put this topic of discussion behind them.

“Haah…I can’t really tell if yer smart or stupid. …Well, whatever. Ya were right t’ shoot her back then. Yer timing was so good, just rememberin’ it makes me want t’ laugh.” Zack smiles gleefully.

“…You’re in a good mood,” Ray says.

She isn’t sure why, but seeing him look so happy makes her happy as well. That’s what she feels.

“…I guess so. You are, too…yeah?”

But – she doesn’t notice that his voice grows softer and softer.

After a short while, the elevator doors open with what sounds like a thunk. They’ve probably arrived at B2.

Ray takes a single step into the hallway. This floor smells sweet. And the hall is lined with numerous stained-glass windows, almost like a church.

(Pretty…)

She stares down the hallway in fascination for a short time.

However, for some reason, she can’t sense Zack coming out behind her at all.

“…Zack…?”

A terrible feeling assails her from head to toe. Slowly, she turns around.

(…Eh?)

Her gaze falls upon Zack – quietly lying down on the floor in the elevator.

A large pool of blood has formed beneath him from the wound he had given himself earlier.

(…Was that sound earlier…from when he fell…?)

(…He really wasn’t okay…)

Aah…

No…

No…

No, Zack, no…I don’t want this.

Even though he swore he would kill me. Even though he swore to God.

Ray rushes into the elevator and tightly grasps one of Zack’s hands, as if in prayer. Though this hand had previously brought countless people to despair – to Ray, that large hand was that of an angel’s, an angel who would lead her to heaven.

“…Zack…!”

Ray calls his name from the very bottom of her heart, trying to convey those emotions, wishing that he would open his eyes.

In a hollow world that doesn’t contain even despair, Zack faintly hears Ray pleadingly calling his name.

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