AYUMI

I opened my eyes, my world fuzzy. What happened...? The thought was sluggish as it slowly processed through my brain. As I recalled what happened, my eyes widened, and I hurriedly bolted upright, instantly checking my watch. The screen read: 45:59. The timer. My promise to Yoshiki. How can I appease Ms. Yui, Yuka, Morishige, Mayu, and Satoshi in forty-five minutes?! I clutched at my chest, my breathing becoming rasped and short. I was resting too long.

I stumbled down the hallway, one hand on the walls to balance myself. What happened to Akiyo? "Ayumi!" The sound of another person's voice surprised me. I screamed, and flailed my arms in a desperate motion to protect myself. From what? I don't know. "Ayumi, it's me." Firm hands gripped me by the shoulders. I gulped. My teacher was in front of me, her grip so tight her fingernails were digging into my skin, her gaze intent. "I tried to convince Mochida you were not a part of us any longer," she murmured vaguely.

"What? I-I'm totally with you guys," I lied, attempting to not look suspicious. Ms. Yui glared at me. "You are the only living person in this school, besides your pesky cousin, and none of us can find her anywhere, and our ranks lost two people. I am a teacher, and I'm not foolish, Shinozaki. You have been cured of your insanity, whoever did it." I smiled. Inwardly, of course. Yes, Akiyo was still alive and out of sight!

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I confirmed, widening my eyes in an expression of wonder and puzzlement. "I know you're not foolish. You've been my teacher throughout high school! I have a good idea, however brief it may be, how intelligent you are." My teacher didn't smile in satisfaction or order me to kill Akiyo again. Rather, she narrowed her eyes, and her eyes began to glow red. A knife appeared in her hands, and she flipped it back and forth in between her palms.

"I sense lies," she snarled, leaning in towards me, knife aimed at the ready. "I do not care what young, silly Mochida says. I will kill you, and curse your soul to be as black as night, red like your dangerous fire!" I have the power of fire in my veins, I thought, dodging a poorly-aimed stab. I just need a candle, then I could think... However, there were no candles in sight. I seethed in anger, rolling over as Ms. Yui impled the knife only inches were my neck used to be. How could I live without fire? How could I appease my teacher, considering how smart she is?

She won't fall for my tricks like Seiko or Yoshiki. I need to be the clever one. I stood up swiftly, and yelled, "Hey, Shishido! Your boyfriend probably won't like to see you killing innocent people!"

She froze, but then her lips formed into a creepy smile. "Oh, Shinozaki," she sighed. "If only I could see my love of my life again. But I'm dead, so I cannot ever see him again. Who cares if he finds out I'm murdering? I'm a ghost, anyway. A very sensible spirit, may I add. You get an F in sense, Shinozaki!" She then bared her teeth, cackled, and stabbed the knife at me. I can't say I completely dodged it, since it cut into my arm a bit. When I say a bit, I honestly mean a six-inch cut that will definitely be a scar.

Awesome.

"Stop this!" I shout, and kick out my legs. Unfortunately, Heavenly Host ghosts are transparent, and can only feel pain from their deaths. She laughed. "Oh, Ayumi, I thought you would be better than this! What did Satoshi see in you?"

"What does the class see in you?" I retorted. "What did your love see in you?" Ms. Yui's eyes flared, and she roared, charging at me. I widened my eyes a bit, and sidestepped her rapid approach.

"DO NOT SPEAK OF MY BELOVED LIKE THAT!" she screamed, her wrist flicking as she desperately tried to cut the knife across my neck. "You will die like I did!" Oh, yeah, my teacher's head got cut off of her body, so her head levitates a few inches above her body. I think she plans to kill me the same way.

"Your beloved would hate to see you like this!" I yelled at her, shaking my hands in emphasis. "He would not love you anymore, he would fear you, then forget about you as he finds a new woman and loves her dearly, marries her, and never recognize the name of Shishido Yui ever again!" I paused, then added, "So if he truly makes you happy in life, consider to stop murdering people, and he will continue to love you, to make you happy."

"To make me happy...?" The red died in Ms. Yui's eyes. She collapsed, tears leaking out of her eyes. "I am so sorry, Tsukasa!" she wailed, and collapsed on her knees, white-yellow light blinding me. "I AM SORRY!" she screamed again, and I glanced away, shielding my eyes.

She then disappeared, leaving me half-blind on the floor, with thirty minutes remaining on the timer.