NAOMI

Before I could say her name, she laced her fingers around my throat. The book dropped to the ground with a sickening thud, and I squirmed around, gagging and spluttering. "Now, now, Naomi, don't writhe to your death!" she chided, giggling insanely. "We don't want you dying this fast, are we? I crave for a nice, long, bloody death..." "W-why... a-a-are... y-you..." I stuttered, my legs still kicking as she raised me in the air.

She clucked disapprovingly with her tongue. "Foolish you. Haven't you noticed, Naomi? The darkening is complete! This puny body is ours!" With triumphant yet creepy eyes, Ayumi locked eyes with me, and I felt dead, even though I still had more oxygen in my lungs. "Let's count down to five, shall we?" she inquired, and it felt like three voices were speaking through Shinozaki. That means five seconds to yank her back in the real world, I realized quietly. I tried encouraging and soothing words.

"Ayumi, you can't kill me. You shouldn't. Would you like to roam these cold, empty walls alone? Would you desire being hunted down, and no one watching your back? Is your only wish to escape this place, but escape with me?" My voice was shaky, and I attempted to clear it, but my throat was only clogged. "Meh. Nice try, Naomi, but I'd prefer this nice life I am gonna start in." Ayumi's teeth were bared, and her eyes shining with wildness.

I tried to pep talk her. Make her remember. "Hey, Ayumi, remember that time when Yoshiki said he loved you? Well, he certainly did! But how can he love you when you've lost your mind?" "I NEVER LOVED HIM!" she roared, and I felt her grip tighten around my neck. I tried not to sigh in frustration. So you know what I talked about next? Yep. Good ol' Satoshi Mochida. "Ayumi... Satoshi was awesome," I began. I saw her eyes widen, and she almost vomited at the sound of his name.

Jackpot! "Do you recall of when he flirted with you at lunch? When he said he trusted you with his life?" I continued. Ayumi's eyes blurred, and she dropped me, collapsing. I fought to breathe as she clutched her head, screaming. "I failed him! I failed Satoshi! I failed everybody! He trusted me with his--God, help me!--dang life, and I FAILED!!!" Darkness began to cloud around her, and I coughed, dragging myself away.

"I killed Satoshi, and now I will kill you."