by Ash Masters
*
‘NO!’ See girl screamed, shaking the classroom with her tortured screams. ‘NOOOO!’
Around her her friends consoled her, placing their hands awkwardly on her body and speaking endearing words that did nothing to ease her sorrow.
Kioshi watched the scene as more girls gravitated towards her, and the good-natured person within him longed to find out for himself what the commotion was about and do his best to help. However, Kioshi’s bitter half was dominating him, weary of the what his peers think of him. He wasn’t in a rush to be scolded again.
Look at her grieve. Look at them come to her aid. I will never have that. How do people come to build these bonds?
Kioshi admitted to himself that he might have approached the situation the wrong way, though still felt that the other teenagers need to be pushed into action otherwise, they’d remain complacent.
There was only two weeks of the semester left and Kioshi would face them alone just like he had faced every day of school before that. Kioshi hunched over, placing his head on his hand in a sulk. Would it be worth it to try and find my way back into those memories just for the sake of belonging and affection? Would it be wrong to feed off the affection of someone else even if the person I’m stealing that affection from is my father?
Kioshi smiled.
The idea that he relived a moment as his long-lost mother was remarkable in itself. ‘Maybe I’m a Key.’ His attitude suddenly changing, Kioshi rubbed his eyes with the balls of his palms. No, I’m going mad. This was bound to happen like my mother did... Then the sight of his mother laying seconds from death appeared projected on his palms and when he closed his eyes the image projected itself on the inside of his eyelids. There was no escaping it.
Kioshi sighed.
‘He was my brother!’ The girl sobbed loudly. ‘And he killed her! And then he killed himself! Why would he do that!? I don’t understand!’
So that’s it... Kioshi began to think more deeply. The loss of a loved one. No, the suicide of a loved one. Again in Zone Three.
‘Chisa calm down! Chisa!’ A friend calmed.
‘NO! You don’t get it! I’m next!’ Chisa threw off her friends hands. ‘My mother was there! I told her about that man Akira and she told me that she tried to rebel against him when she was my age! Now she’s dead! Just like Mr Tetsuo! She’s dead and it’s all my fault! I should just kill myself and save him the trouble!’
‘Who are you talking about?’
‘The Grim Reaper! Let me go! LET ME GO!’
Chisa’s friends had resorted to pinning her down to the desk where her legs kicked about frantically.
‘Someone call the nurse!’
A fire was building with Kioshi, a strong passion like the passion he held when he pleaded with his peers for their help. ‘How can you all stand by and take this!?’ He blurted out.
Chisa continued to wail and the class paid him no attention. He looked around, hoping that Aki at least would have cared for his opinion but she hadn’t turned up yet. ‘Everyone, please listen!’
The class wouldn’t however, preferring to ignore his exclamations. Disturbed deeply, Kioshi closed his eyes and covered his ears, quivering on the spot. No, I can’t take this. I can’t! I’m tired of feeling so alone, so helpless. I want things to be different – I want to make those changes but people won’t help me... Am I doomed to be alone forever? Move! Do something Kioshi!
‘Aren’t you going to move!?’ Makado screamed in his mind.
Aren’t you going to move? Kioshi now thought. Aren’t you going to move? What are you so afraid of? What’s stopping you? Pain is only an illusion – an act to detour people from pursuing their desires. To fear pain is to embrace loneliness. To reject pain is to embrace your dreams.
‘EVERYONE LISTEN TO ME!’ Kioshi screamed.
Still the class refused Kioshi of their attention.
‘Aren’t you tired of this!? The news of someone else killing themselves? Not knowing what the future has for you?’ Kioshi held his arms open pleadingly to the oblivious class. ‘Mr Tetsuo told us of a time where people didn’t live like we do – where people were free to live as they chose to! But you’re all content to just roll over and die! Why won’t you fight for your future!? Why are you all condemning yourselves! I don’t get it!’
Chisa was still hysterical, her friends were still attempting to comfort her and the rest of the class continued the act of ignore the fact that Kioshi was even alive.
Defeated, Kioshi's arms fell to his sides and he closed his eyes. It's futile... When he opened them again he was met with a different scene: a luxurious room with beige walls housing a double bed that sat low to the ground; a television atop of a television stand at the foot of this bed and an elegant, black, modern table positioned in the corner with a small potted plant perched on top. On the left side of the room parallel to a large window showing off a great view of Toyko was a mini fridge and to the left of back wall – beside the television was a door that lead to a bath room.
Izumi and Junichi sat on opposite sides of the plush bed, backs to each other, taking in the silence.
‘Yamato will be fine.’ Junichi comforted.
‘I know.’ Izumi replied, head hanging low. She straightened up, swiping her hair back only to let it fall. A frown was on her face.
‘Now’s a good time as any to tell what the heck is going on with you.’ Junichi was turned around now, leaning on one arm. ‘I understand that you’re upset about Miko but Izumi – you’re pushing everyone away.’
‘I know...’ Izumi responded.
‘You’re sad all the time and when you’re with me you can’t look me in the eyes – really look me in the eyes. When you look at me it’s like... You’re staring through me.’
‘I know.’
‘And...’ Junichi now shied away, turning away from Izumi slightly. ‘We’ve been together for over a year and... We haven’t had sex.’
Izumi covered her ears. ‘No...’
‘Do I repulse you that much?’
‘No!’ Izumi wheeled round, placing a hand on Junichi’s ‘No... Junichi...’ She smiled. ‘I love you – really I do it’s just that...’ Her eyes traced the long creases on the cream-coloured bedding, ‘It’s just that... Junichi,’ she stared into his eyes, ‘I don’t... I don’t get those feelings.’
Eyebrows pushing together, Junichi asked, ‘What do you mean?’
Izumi let out an embarrassed laugh, removing her hand to play with her hair, looking everywhere but at her boyfriend. ‘I don’t feel sexual attraction – towards anyone.’
‘So you don’t actually love me then?’ Junichi appeared frustrated.
‘You don’t understand.’ Izumi sighed, turning completely on the bed. ‘I have physical attraction and I’m a romantic. I want relationships... I want you but, I just don’t ever feel like having sex with people.’
‘You’re asexual?’
Izumi nodded slowly.
‘Is this because of... Miko?’
‘No! I...’ Izumi trailed off, looking away.
‘You haven’t seen it Izumi, how the light in your eyes died when she killed herself.’
‘Everything you know is coming to an end. The world you know shall perish just like Miko did.’ The voice in Izumi’s head taunted.
At that moment the hotel room door opened and three men with their faces screwed up in anger stepped inside, grabbing both of them to then drag them into the corridor. Yamato was there too with his face wrapped up in bandages.
When Izumi stepped out of the stairwell out into the corridor, the lights stunned her temporarily. Before she could recover she was nudged forward roughly by one of her escorts. The corridor stretched on ahead, spanning seemingly forever.
‘Don’t worry, Izumi, I’m not leaving your side.’ Junichi replied confidently, though where he got this confidence from eluded Izumi.
‘No talking.’ Another escort ordered.
Above them bright lights wrapped in spherical, rice-paper casings lit the way ahead and on either side of the trio were doors that went on just as endlessly, accompanying them no matter how many corners they turned or how many floors they were forced to walk up.
At the beginning and end of each corridor was a potted plant perched on a small, round, wooden table and just as frequent were paintings adding to the luxury of their surroundings; cream-coloured walls and soft red carpet that made their march somewhat more pleasant that it should have been.
However, Junichi, Izumi and Yamato were reminded of their situation by the series of footsteps escorting them from behind.
Yamato grunted.
‘Are you alright?’ Izumi asked, lightly touching Yamato’s arm.
‘I said no talking!’ The escort shoved Izumi roughly, making her stumble.
‘Don’t touch her!’ Junichi wheeled round only to be pushed himself.
‘No talking.’ The escort repeated.
‘I’m tired.’ Izumi complained, looking over her shoulder at the three men of varying heights. ‘We’ve walked up ten floors can we please just take the elevator?’ She thought that her request wouldn’t be fulfilled however, instead of turning towards the staircase the escorts simultaneously stopped when they reached the end of the corridor where the polished elevator doors were located. ‘Thank God.’ Quickly, the elevator arrived and so the group of six stepped in, Izumi enjoying the confined room doing taking over from her legs.
They only had three more floors to go up to but it was three floors that Izumi couldn’t even think about traversing on foot, feeling that the walk had added more bulk to her already large thighs.
‘They’re trying to wear us out so that we can’t put up a fight... Or run away.’ Junichi confided.
‘It’s worked.’ Izumi, quickly massaged her thighs.
The steel doors parted smoothly to introduce the trio to a penthouse; a room considerably excessive for just one person to live in alone; walls mostly made of glass so that Shibuya’s cityscape could be seen in all of its urban glory and even the rest of Tokyo; exotic plants in all corners thriving majestically despite being in the wrong continent; a large, oval, glass table perched on thin, stainless steel legs in the center, resting on to of an obviously hand-made rug and then the fireplace at the far end of the room, roaring silently while the television above it was tuned to the news depicting the ongoing chaos that would soon burst out of Tokyo to the rest of Japan.
To the left a door opened and an old man around fifty with a long face, somewhat large nose and eyes peering through mostly closed eye-lids stepping out with a towel draped around his slightly bloated waist.
‘Mr Yamamoto.’ One of the escorts said, a bellboy dressed in light-grey uniform announced, stopping only a few steps into the room. ‘A few of our men found these three in the street.’
Akira disappeared from view and returned with another towel drying his full head of white hair roughly. ‘And?’ He asked in a calm, voice that sounded slightly younger than his appearance gave off.
‘We were going to execute them like the rest but in this one’s rambling she claimed she’s training to be a nurse.’ He pushed a red-faced Izumi forward.
Akira who was eyeing the television paused in mid-sweep of his towel, ‘A nurse you say?’ Now he met the trio’s eyes, smiling. ‘Come, sit.’ Like a thoughtful host he gestured for the three to come further in, extending an arm and sweeping gracefully until his open hand pointed at a plush sofa on one side of the coffee table. Akira sat opposite.
‘I know you.’ Izumi said half accusingly and half in awe. ‘When they said “Akira” I didn’t think it would be Yamamoto Akira. You’re that politician who was in the running to becoming our Prime Minister.’
‘Yes...’ Akira dismissed. ‘I take it you’re the nurse?’
‘Student nurse.’ Izumi nodded courteously.
‘Still a valuable member of our society. I find it strange that you keep such... strange, company.’ Akira gestured to the scruffily dressed Junichi and Yamato who had Izumi’s turquoise dress shrouding his head. ‘And even you yourself, you all look as if you don’t know how to dress. Is this what our society is coming to? People presenting themselves so ridiculously!?’
‘Hey!’ Junichi cried, outraged. ‘Well maybe I would have been able to dress like I wanted to to take my girlfriend out if someone didn’t order their goons to trash the streets!’ Junchi was sporting a t-shirt where the sleeves and collar was red and a pair of ragged jeans with a stain on the left leg. ‘And then one of your boys burned my friend’s face off!’
‘That’s terrible to hear.’ Akira admitted. I am deeply sorry.’
Izumi shook her head quickly. ‘You’re going around murdering people and here you are apologising that my friend’s face is gone?’ Izumi went on. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’
Yamamoto Akira rose, walking arms behind his back to the transparent wall, staring down at Shibuya. ‘The youth of today; no respect for their elders.’
‘Yeah? Well my father is a great man who has my respect!’ Junichi declared.
‘Akira ignored this remark. ‘This is my empire. Do you know how much this country has sacrificed? How much it has suffered? Japan was on top of the world once – a mighty nation, a family that fought for what it believed in. And yet everything changed when our empire fell.’ He turned to look down at Izumi and Junichi who gave him angered looks. ‘I was perhaps as young as you during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – which effectively ended out reign in the war. I was there when Japan was brought to its knees and I had to grow up in our wretched society that spawned afterwards; forced to grow up with those Americans that I so despised, watching them twist our country to suit their tastes.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Junichi interrupted, perplexed to the degree of calming down. ‘The end of the war benefited not just Japan but the entire world. Look at us, we’re all free with the power to make our own choices – carve our own destinies. How can you call this a wretched society?’
‘Japan is only known to the world as a country leading in technology when it can be so much more! The strength and determination we displayed all those years ago has been replaced by a sickening nonchalance! I swore at the end of the war to someday change Japan for the better; make it the empire it needs to be!’
‘So what!? You’re going around killing people!? Killing Humans!?’ Izumi cried.
‘I’m doing what it takes to make us a great nation!’ After looking down at Shibuya’s empty streets, Akira faced the three again. ‘The Keys are the answer. With my power I can control each and every one of you people. I’ll reduce the population to something more manageable – something not frowned upon by the world and eliminate all you worthless Humans, making Japan a pure, super-powered race. And after all is done I will use my power to suppress all of your emotions so you will have no choice but live the live I have destined for you all. There will be no more crime, no more chaos, only order! My Paradise.’
‘But you need people like Izumi.’ Yamato finally spoke in a raspy voice, coughing immediately. ‘Nurses... Teachers... Everyone else can die even the company workers because you can always retrain them. Keys will make up the military and you’ll be the head of government.’
‘Oh-ho-ho!’ Akira chuckled. ‘Smart boy. And when I die my son will take my place. My dear boy, Hiro.’
‘You can’t do this!’ Junichi stood. ‘You can’t take away our freedom!’ You better kill me now because if not I’ll be back for you!’
Akira made his way to Junichi, looking down at him with disinterest. ‘The plan is already in motion, boy.’ He snapped his fingers without diverting his eyes, the bellboy came forward. ‘Take these people away. Kill the two men and escort my darling here to the hospital and put her to work.
Izumi and Yamato reluctantly stood, following the boy out into the corridor but Izumi had no intention of kne
eling for her executioner.
Kioshi found himself in the corridor staring blankly at a square of black glass that couldn’t be looked out of. My mother was a strong woman and my father a determined man. I share none of these qualities however. Do I intend to just roll over and die? His hand turned into a fist and began to shake. I can’t do anything though! I don’t have any friends!
‘Kioshi?’ Miyako called from behind him.
In an instant the stress that was tightening Kioshi’s body evaporated and he was left speechless.
‘Oi, Kioshi.’ Announced Hido.
Kioshi hesitantly turned but was rewarded by the sight of Hido, Seito, Kouji and Miyako waiting for him. ‘Everyone...’
‘You’re such an idiot. You know that, Kioshi?’ Seito said softly. ‘You don’t know when to just give up.’
Kioshi’s eyes narrowed. ‘If you’re just coming here to give me a hard time, then go away. All of you.’
‘What Seito is trying to say is that Mr Tetsuo’s death was all on us. We all want things to be different and...’ Miyako shied away.
‘We want to do whatever it takes... So yeah...’ Kouji shrugged.
‘But I’m just a Ghost right? No-one cares about what I think? Right?’ Kioshi gave them all a disgusted glare, forcing the group to all look away with expressions that revealed guilt that they were too stubborn to say outright.
‘How can I trust you if you can turn on me at any moment?’ Kioshi didn’t know where the attitude came from as wasn’t what was happen what he had asked for? People to befriend him and help to accomplish his goal?
Kouji surprised Kioshi by bowing deeply, keeping a strong posture. ‘I’m sorry!’
The other three took Kouji’s lead, bowing as well. ‘I’m sorry!’ They stated in unison.
You guys... ‘Alright. If we’re going to do this then first we need to find out who killed Mr Tetsuo and why, since we can’t count on the police to do it. And then we need to find out what’s going on in Zone Three because I can’t be the only one who finds it odd that a lot of these suicides have happened here.’
‘That’s not a bad plan, good thinking.’ Hido praised.
Kioshi couldn’t help but feel a touched by the compliment.
‘We should split up then.’ Kioshi continued. ‘I say Hido, Kouji and Miyako go looking for clues about Mr Tetsuo here while Seito, Aki and myself go to Zone Three.’
They all nod.
‘But we barely know her.’ Seito argued.
‘It doesn’t matter, I want her here.’
‘Whatever.’
‘We all have our missions then.’ Kouji declared, trying to force enthusiasm. ‘We’ll start looking into Tetsuo-Sensei’s murderer after school while the trail is still warm. Let’s all meet up tomorrow with what we find.’
ECSTASY
