Hello! Here is the next chapter of Cry of the Flowers! Hope you enjoy.

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The twins and I barely woke up in time. We practically had to just dress up in our uniforms and leave. Sadly, we didn't have time for breakfast.

My stomach growled all the way to school. I forgot I was further away from the school than from where I lived. A few students were waiting outside the school, but not many were there. It was early anyways.

We did greet some people in our way inside the building. Michael was hanging who knows where. Probably doing some weird activity like he typically does. Asher glanced at me, but didn't say a word and instead listened intently to Kaito's story. Dominic was sitting on a bench, reading a book and writing some notes down. He kept biting on his pencil whenever he would read, which wasn't a weird sight since he always did it in class.

Alexandra waved at him in a flirting way as she walked by. He returned the gesture but kept himself composed. I could tell he might've wanted to talk to her, but he didn't even give himself the chance.

Maiko and Akito still weren't there. I wondered why?

Rosalina went in to her checkup first while Alexandra and I dropped our things off at our desks. I didn't even stop to remember anything from last night. I even forgot what I was worried about! Well, that was until we went into our classroom.

“You still want to sit next to Akito, right? Even though Michael is right behind you?” She asked. I replied, “I don't really mind him now. He and I have formed some sort of friendship. Well, actually, friendship might be a strong word.” Alexandra giggled, as if it was funny. “Well, let's just say he’s less annoying to me because I helped him one time.”

Alexandra opened the door and smirked at me, “Helped him? What did you have to do to even get through to him? He’s so dumb, he doesn't even listen to anything anyone says. Unless, of course, it’s out of his mouth or of his interest.” I defended, “Hey, he’s not dumb. He’s actually very bright, just in his own way. You know-” I looked forward and gasped loudly.

Pencils and books went thudding on the floor from both me and Alexandra as we stared in horror at the image that would probably be in our heads for the rest of our lives.

Who did this? I asked myself.

Tadaaki Fujimoto. A student from the lower grade. I think he was in Maiko's class or something. He was in our class, hanging from the roof with a rope around his neck. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the ground with the older puddles of red.

His jacket was ripped into pieces on the ground, soaking in some of the dripping fluid. His chest was stabbed open, exposing his rib cage and letting organs and intestines hang out like a bowl of bloody noodles. There were many other holes in his body, one of them on his shoulder.

Disturbingly, one of Tadaaki’s eyes was stabbed out and showed off a dark cavity in his head leaking out. It looked all so disgusting and gruesome. I backed up quickly away from the door covering my nose and mouth. The smell of death and blood was so strong, we couldn't stand it.

Finally after a minute of staring at the hanging corpse, Alexandra shrieked loudly. I shouted too, not equally as loud. In only seconds, people came through the front doors like scattering ants. Dominic and another student, Chloe, came first.

“What happened?!!” Dominic practically yelled at us. Alexandra pointed to the classroom where Tadaaki’s body was and they both cut in front of us to see. Seconds later, Chloe gagged and ran to a trash can then proceeded to throw up. Dominic covered his mouth trying to keep himself from doing the same.

Students gasped and cried and screamed in reaction to the horrible scene in our classroom. Finally, the teachers and principal came out to calm down all the panicking students.

Ms. Kobayashi ordered, “Students, please calm down! We have called the police, but please exit the building. We’re-” I could tell by the look on her face she didn't know what to say. All the teenagers were hysterical. Mrs. Yamada shut the door and called out in a booming voice, “Everyone, please leave the school building immediately!! Now!!” Students started moving slowly, eyeing the door in suspicion or shock.

I spotted Michael walking out the door slowly, turning around to watch the door every now and then. Alexandra shut her eyes tightly and whimpered, “This is a tragedy! Who would do this?!” I shook my head, “I don't know! Our classmates don't seem to be reacting well though…”

Suddenly, a thought came to me; Maiko and Akito. I never once saw them this morning at the school. This concerned me. Most of the students from the school were already here, so where were they?

I remembered dreaming about Tadaaki being killed by the masked killer and recalled the part where I dreamed about Maiko and Akito dying because of the murderers. What if that dream was warning me about something? What if it was telling me that the killer...got to my friends?

I forgot everything about my conversation with Alexandra and pushed back. “Wait Ritsuko!!” Alexandra called out. I ignored her voice and ran the opposite way of the crowd. I practically rammed people down with my force and speed. I was so stressed and scared of what I realized, I only thought, then that dream means that Akito and Maiko are dead!!

“Maiko!!” I called as I opened the door to a classroom. It was empty. “Akito!!!” I panted, opening another door. Empty. I bolted to every door, expecting to see a dead lifeless form of Akito or Maiko. There were no rooms like this, however. Tears started stinging my eyes as I started to feel complete hopelessness. Please don't let this be real. I cried to myself. I took off out the door of the school. They must’ve been dead somewhere.

Students were still outside the school, trying to forget what they saw when really, it was in vain. I couldn't forget the image of Tadaaki either, no matter how much I tried. What absolutely almost drove me crazy was the thought of finding one of my friends killed like that.

I turned around toward the street to only see Akito and Maiko casually strolling to the building in their uniforms with some other students behind them. I could’ve passed out right there.

Maiko noticed me and jumped up, waving her arm back and forth. “Ritsuko!! Hi!” How lovely it was to hear her again. I inhaled sharply and sprinted to them, hoping it was really them and not just my imagination.

They looked kind of confused, which was a good sign that I wasn't dreaming. “Ritsuko?” Maiko tilted her head to the side. The second I got to them, I almost took them down with a tight embrace. I could hear them struggling to breathe.

“Wow, Ritsuko.” Akito chuckled in a choked voice. “You must have really missed us, huh?” I wanted to smile at his joke but only found myself fighting tears. It was so nice to feel them again and hear their voices again. I was so relieved that they were okay.

Soon enough, hot tears came down my cheeks as I exhaled deeply. “U-um, Ritsuko, are you alright?” He questioned as I loosened my grip. Coughing and crying was my response to him and the siblings both looked at me.

“Oh my gosh!” I sobbed out. “I thought you were dead.” I inhaled sharply, covering my face. Maiko mumbled, “Dead?” I nodded and sniffled. “Why the heck would you think that?”

My voice cracked as I tried to speak, “Because I dreamt last night that you two died when someone killed you, and I didn’t know why and Tadaaki is dead, and-” I choked up in my own cries and stopped trying to even speak. Wiping the tears in my eyes was useless since more came streaming down my face.

Akito, instead of trying to talk, pulled me into a hug, holding me gently, but tightly. I turned red, embarrassed, but I couldn't hold in my feelings now. I bottled up so much up to that moment.

“It's okay, Ritsuko. You're alright. It’s alright, I’m here.” He murmured to me. His sweet, comforting words calmed me down a bit. “Just breathe, Ritsuko. It's not your fault. You're okay.” I shuddered, slowly wrapping my arms around him. Maiko pointed to the street, “Oh my gosh, the police are here!”

“Tadaaki’s body is in there. In the classroom.” I drew out a breath raggedly.

Maiko left us and ran toward the school. I wanted to run with her, but Akito strongly refused. “Listen, you don't need to see that again.” He held on to me. I didn't fight his grip, I knew he was right. So I just grabbed onto him and whimpered, “Akito, you don't know how terrified I was.”

He nodded and held me close, “I know. You’ll be okay. Maiko and I are fine.” I felt a warm, comforting feeling in my body as I simply let him hold me in his arms. I felt safe and secure with him. That was one feeling I didn't feel in a while.

The school staff immediately cancelled school for the rest of the week for police investigation and recommended we all go home. Maiko came back pale as a sheet of paper.

“Akito!” She hissed. “Yes, Maiko, I know.” Akito walked away as I stayed close to his side. “No, but Akito. This is serious-”

“I don't need to see it. It will probably be on the news later. I know what happened.” Maiko shook her head, “No, Akito. Remember, Tadaaki was a boy in my class.”

Akito tensed up and turned around, “What?” Maiko nodded. “It’s horrible. He was hung by his neck, he was ripped open, eye was missing.” He covered his mouth, “Oh gosh. You need to be careful, Maiko. Whoever it is doing this, they're going after kids in all different grades. First it was Emily in our class, next Rin, who’s older than us, then someone in your class.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, “We have to be careful. You know what, we need to talk in private. One of the cursed ones is behind this, I know it.” I also knew that whoever was after those kids, they were going after me next. The ominous shadow told me so. I needed to tell them what happened, and now I would have a chance to.

Once we got to the apartment complex, Akito explained what happened to Mr. Tanaka. Maiko took me upstairs into her and Akito’s apartment. She wrapped me in a blanket and served me some tea.

“You scared us really bad, Ritsuko. Are you sure you're okay?” Maiko softly patted my back. “It’s ugly, right? What happened in there?”

Maiko's face told me she was still shaken up about what she saw. “I’ve never seen something like that, nor heard of it. Why would someone be so cruel and evil that they’d torture an innocent person to death?”

I drank some of my tea, making me feel more refreshed, “I don't know. I do think that one of the cursed ones is doing this.” Maiko looked at me, “What? They may seem a little odd, but none of them would go as far as to do things like this. Especially this. Emily was already a step off, but Tadaaki is ten times worse!”

Nodding, I replied, “That's why. Maiko, I-”

“Hi, guys.” Akito said, walking in. “Dad said that we should just stay inside today. He doesn't want us getting hurt.” Maiko hummed. I sipped my tea and nodded. Akito sat by me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Ritsuko, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine now.” I took in a deep breath. “It's just that I had a dream last night.” Now all their attention was on me. “Are you sure you want to talk about this right now?” Akito set his hand on my lap. I nodded.

“There was a person in a mask killing what I think was Tadaaki. It was so realistic, I couldn't believe it. I thought I woke up but I dreamt I was in the hospital and Kyoko called me. She said it was already next year and you two were murdered on the same night Tadaaki was. When I saw Tadaaki hanging in the class, I thought that my dream actually came true and you two died as well.”

Maiko shook her head, “No, Ritsuko. We wouldn't die like that. We promised to help you and always be by your side.” I hesitated, but confessed, “I think it’s best if you don't get involved from this point on. You two are possibly in more danger than I thought.”

Akito laughed, “I think it’s a little too late. I mean, even if we didn't help you anymore, we’re at the same risk. Were Tadaaki or Rin helping you? They're just innocent people.” I countered, “So are you! I’m the one who has the power to heal the cursed ones. It’s my business to get into this. Because if these really are the doing of the twins, or Michael, or Asher, or Dominic, that's on me. And if you two were to be killed, that would be on me too. It’s my job to protect you, as well.” I placed my hand over my chest and sighed.

Maiko stood up quickly and stepped over to me. Akito and I both had expressions of confusion. Maiko bent down and instantly grabbed my face. “Ritsuko, we are not going to let you do this alone. I told you before, this is now our business too. We're your friends, for heaven’s sake! We aren't going to leave you. I know you have your doubts about this but Akito and I made a deal with you, and I’m not one to break my promises or drop deals. No matter what, even if you tell us to go, we won't. Right?” She looked at Akito.

He nodded with equal determination. “I don't care what we have to sacrifice, Ritsuko. You need help more than ever, and you can't do this alone.”

“I’m meant to do this alone. I won’t let you two sacrifice yourselves for me.” I argued stubbornly. Akito and Maiko shook their heads. “No.” Maiko refused, “Not on our watch. This is a job for more than one person.” she stood up and put her hands on her hips.

I teared up, “But I can't let you get yourself-” Akito finished for me, “Killed? I’m not scared of that. I knew that from the beginning, I would be putting myself out there. I don't care, Ritsuko. I care about you and what you have to do. If this means that those five people can be healed and live normal lives and you can stop worrying, we’ll do whatever it takes.”

I looked down. How could I trust them that this would be the right thing? This was getting more and more complicated than I imagined. They would be risking themselves more and more as well. I never heard of a Despair Healer being helped by friends. What if one of the cursed ones got them and killed them? I couldn't let that happen.

Making my decision, I grasped Maiko and Akito’s hands. “Please let me know I’m doing the right thing letting you do this.” I raised my head and looked at both of them.

Maiko looked me square in the eye and nodded, “Yes.” Akito nodded in agreement. I felt myself getting emotional again, and struggled with the tears building up in my eyes. “Thank you.” I whispered.

Thank you.

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