How Long is Forever [COMPLETED]

The Unwanted Truth

Sometimes, the truth should remain hidden in the dark.

It has been a lucky strike that Chishiya has examined the map this closely, because now it is pretty obvious even though the room has probably been designed to be the most difficult.

"The reason why the light was already turned on when the door opened..."

"... is because whatever we need to see can only be seen in the dark." Chishiya finishes what you've been thinking, and suddenly you're not even scared by the timer anymore. Because three minutes will be more than enough if the solution really is what you think it is.

More glass shatters and more shouts follow, while now it's Piercing and the big guy arguing heavily. Hibiki pleads them to stop and instead search for clues, and you quickly examine the concrete walls to make sure there is nothing you've missed.

"There is no switch for the light," you conclude, and Chishiya nods.

"We have to find another way."

You can still feel the cold in your bones, but it's slowly fading as hope begins to fill the spaces in between. Two have died, but everyone else can survive. There doesn't have to be another casualty.

As you head to the open door, you throw a quick glance to Hibiki. The boy is still sitting next to the hatch, but at least he has managed to crawl away from the corpse. His breaths have calmed down a bit, yet he still seems to be in heavy pain, unable to walk on his own. The injury of his has been completely unnecessary, and it's just one more reason to increase the hate you already feel for the big guy.

"What... what are you doing?" he sounds panicked as you attempt to close the door between the rooms, and you give him a reassuring smile to show that everything's fine.

"Don't worry, Hibiki. I'm sure we found it. I won't shut the door completely; we're just trying something out."

His eyes grow big, and his hand reaches out for you but immediately retreats as a wave of pain shoots through his upper body. "No! Don't close it! Don't leave me alone here with him, I'm begging you!" It's obvious he means the big guy, and you pray he'll be too distracted by searching through the rooms to hurt Hibiki even more.

"It won't be for long." One last smile and you lean the door against its frame, careful enough so it won't accidentally snap into the lock again. Since there is no switch, you have to find a different way to dim the room, and you already have an idea.

Chishiya watches you with a frown as you wiggle yourself out of the hoodie, which isn't that easy with a complaining shoulder on one side and a fresh cut on the other. You clench your teeth in attempt to ignore the pain and throw the hoodie around your neck, turning to Chishiya.

"Give me a piggyback."

The doubtful look in his eyes doesn't last longer than a second, and he exhales an annoyed sigh eventually – a sound that makes you laugh in disbelief.

"Oh, come on. We're about to die in less than three minutes; don't tell me you're afraid that I'll ruin your hair?"

It doesn't take more than the frown on his face to convince you that you guessed right, but Chishiya resigns and crouches down so you can climb onto his shoulders. The world around you sways heavily as Chishiya straightens himself up again, his hands clasped tightly around your ankles so you won't fall.

You remember the night you had spent together at the pools of the Beach, where you had tried to pull him down into the water and he had grabbed your ankles the same way. Only that back then he had attempted to drown you, and today he is trying to save your life.