AYUMI

I screamed, about to bolt upwards, but Mayu and Morishige reached me first. Can I appease a particular spirit while other not-appeased ones are milling about? I hope the answer was a yes. "If you are not our kind, you deserve to die!" Mayu yelled into my ear, which made my world ringing a bit.

"If you deceive us, we take your life!" Morishige added threateningly. He repeatedly hacked his cell phone on my face. It was like it was dipped in red-hot lava, its confusing heat was so intense.

"Don't make her death quick and painless! She tricked us! Her death deserves to be slow and everything but painless!" Satoshi snapped out orders, barking at anyone who did something that could allow me to move and possibly escape. Was this really the guy I was crushing on a few weeks earlier? I queried to myself doubtfully, trying to shoo away all of my dead friends. They were convinced we were enemies. The thought of that made my heart ache a little bit. A few days ago, possibly even just one or two, we were all best friends, doing the Sachiko-Ever-After charm. But that was why our friendship got torn apart.

And at its core rests me, the fault of it all. My swift moves of deflection from their attacks falter as the thought processes through my mind. "What happened, Shinozaki? Too scared to try and fight us?" Yuka taunted, cackling as she scrapes her sharp nails against my cheeks. I attempt not to swallow the trickling blood as I kick her off. The fact that they are ghosts means nothing, talking about their durability. They could touch you, you could touch them.

That sounded a bit weird.

"Suzomoto Mayu!" I suddenly shouted, glancing to the spot where Mayu was. "Is this really what you want? Violence and horror, and this isn't an acting club! Morishige risks his life, too. You two can never be truly together since you're both dead. This, what you're doing now"--I motioned to all the ghosts surrounding me--"caused you're eternal misery. Think about it." Surprisingly, she followed my advice. She froze, her expression of utmost perplexity.

"Don't listen to her lies, Mayu!" Yuka screeched, throwing herself at her. I got a handful of her smock and yanked back, causing her to tumble towards me.

"Don't interrupt her!" Mayu commanded shakily. "Not me, either! Go on, Ayumi. I'm listening." She glanced towards me, beckoning for me to continue.

I smiled in satisfaction. "So I see you have decided this is all pointless--"

"No," Mayu interrupted me, a tear glistening on her cheek, "it's because I'm scared of it all." Everyone stopped and stared at her. Morishige tried to put his arm around her shoulders, but she arrogantly shrugged it off. I extended my hand to her, and she grasped it, her grip firm and not regretful.

"No, Mayu!" the others shrieked, but Mayu walked closer to me, her gaze intent.

"What's your happiest memory when you were alive?" I inquired softly. Her eyes became opaque. Her hand in mine began to quiver and sweat, and her grip loosened a little. I clasped my other hand around hers, trapping it.

"Shig, bro," she whispered, and whipped around. "Shig!" she cried out. Morishige's eyes widened, and I stepped back. Mayu grabbed his hand, bringing him closer to her. "Come with me, into the light, Shig, please!" she murmured, wrapping him in a hug. Honestly, I was speechless. I never saw such a romantic thing. Maybe I daydreamed some romantic scenes and saw them in movies, but them happening right in front of me, with two of my best friends? Never happened before now.

"I-if you say so, Mayu," he murmured back, and the whole bomb shelter was engulfed in light. I could hear Satoshi and Yuka scream in pain, though the sound was distant. My vision darkened, and my ears began to ring as the lovers disappeared with a pop, and I collapsed, stomach up. Sure, I was vulnerable, but so were the others.

My last scene before I blacked out was Satoshi, Yoshiki's gift of the watch for me dangling hopelessly in his hand, and I was unable to read the timer. "Such a disgrace," he muttered, and kicked me, then my vision was completely covered in darkness.