AYUMI

During my little walk around the halls, I discovered a bloodied knife lying cold on the floor. I picked it up and started to saunter towards the reference room. I yearn to know more about death, specifically how to cause a slow, painful one. I giggled childishly as Yuka appeared besides me, holding a reasonable-sized book about life after death. "I heeded your call," she told me simply, giving me a halfhearted smile.

"Listen, Onii-chan wants you. He sensed two more newcomers in Heavenly Host!" she squealed, beaming at me. I only nodded my understanding. With a clatter, the book fell to the floor, and Yuka disappeared. That's one advantage to being a ghost I don't have: transporting. With a groan, I dragged myself all the way down to the bomb shelter. "You summoned me, Satoshi?" I asked as I entered his home, wringing my hands anxiously.

"Yes, I actually did. Does that surprise you, Ayumi?" I was caught off guard by his question. I studied his face. Solemn as a stone. "Um, no," I stuttered, feeling idiotic. God, I still love him. I knew I was sold to the darkness, but my love for Satoshi was too fierce. "Listen, Ayumi," Satoshi began carefully, folding his hands together, "I assume Yuka already told you about the newest victims?" I nodded, and he smiled in pure satisfaction.

"Awesome, because I have a challenge for you." "Challenge?" I quirked an eyebrow quizzically. "Correct," he confirmed, leaning forward. "Tell you what, Ayumi, if you kill those two new victims, or if they have to be alive, persuade them to join us, and if you succeed, I'll abandon my role as leader. You can take the rightful place of your cousin. But to identify whether or not it is truly rightful, I offer you this challenge to find out," he explained with a twinkle in his eye.

I smiled and nodded. "I accept the challenge!" I obnoxiously exclaimed. "Shh!" Face urgent, Satoshi pressed a finger to my lips. "The brother is a year older. Even older than you. His name is Shinozaki Len. His younger sister is the same age as you, Shinozaki Akiyo." Oh, they're related to me, I thought smugly. It'll be a piece of cake, this challenge! I merrily skipped out of sight, debating whether to kill my relatives or not.

I finally decided to kill. After all, I received this new knife, why not test it on some dumb teenagers?

But then my mind stopped flowing by the insane curse. I recalled what my sane self still had to do, still had to save, and my breath quickened, before eventually I lost conscious, my head aching.

NAOMI

My head felt like it was sliced open. I forced my eyes to sleepily open, and luckily, they obeyed my command. I released an exhausted moan, then sat upright, rubbing my eyes. My whole body suddenly felt like it was on fire. I swallowed hard, and the horrific thought occurred to me:

Eternal pain.

Death.

Suffering.

No Ayumi, no life, nada.

Dying felt like being roasted as a Naomi kebab. I immediately loathed it, but what can I do about it? Nothing. I just have to journey alone inside these school walls, never put to peace, never being able to see my friends again. I sighed a long, slow sigh, and quietly stood up. My legs felt weird, but I ignored the numb sensation as I balanced myself and start walking.

Being dead is lonely.