Dead Girl Walking ― Aaron Minyard

66. the view between villages

i am not scared of death
i got dreams again
it's just me and the curve of the valley
and there is meaning on earth, i am happy
― noah kahan

♦

THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CEREMONY as Edgar Allan passed the championship trophy to their successors. Instead, the celebration was postponed until the morning. In its place were cops and EMTs, statements and interviews. Mara didn't know why she'd expected anything else when the Foxes were involved. 

Riko was rushed out in an ambulance, but the Ravens and Foxes were kept at the stadium until half past two in the morning. The crowd only left when the police forced them to go, and they were deathly silent on their way out of Evermore's gates. The Foxes' guests and Vixens argued for the right to stay but lost. As they left, they promised to meet the Foxes at their hotel. 

The Foxes were quiet as they were finally allowed to shower and change. The long hour since the last bell had temporarily worn away their well-deserved excitement. They were all sore and drained to the point that moving was a terrible chore. Even Mara, who'd only played the last half of the half, was exhausted and desperate for rest and recuperation. 

A security guard came to collect Mara and Neil for a few more questions. Mara knew better than to believe that, but she and her brother followed him back to the inner ring in silence. 

The guard took them to the East Tower.

The guard stayed behind when Mara and Neil stepped out, so they went on just the two of them. A short hall opened up into a spacious room Mara recognized. 

Nine years ago, Neil, Riko, and Kevin had watched Mara carve a man into pieces right here. 

Stuart and a man Mara didn't recognize stood in the far corners. Tetsuji and Riko sat on one of the couches, Tetsuji straight-backed and stone-faced, Riko shuttered and hollow. Mara saw the white plaster of a cast poking out of the sling the doctors put Riko's arm in. 

She would have stared at it forever, but Ichirou was standing by the windows overlooking the court, and Mara knew better than to ignore him. The twins stood halfway between the brothers, and Mara fixed her eyes on Ichirou's collar. 

It was so quiet Mara heard someone's watch ticking. She counted a minute, then two, and still no one spoke. 

At last, Ichirou drew a gloved hand from his pocket and gestured. The stranger brought him a handgun. 

Mara waited, silent and breathless, for Ichirou to turn that gun on her, on Neil. She could ask for a second chance, but there was no point in trying. Her words wouldn't change what happened tonight. 

Ichirou started forward, but he didn't go to the twins. He stood before his uncle and spoke in quiet Japanese. Tetsuji listened to it all in silence, expression unchanging. When Ichirou went quiet, Tetsuji bowed low over his knees. He didn't sit up again, even when Ichirou turned his heavy stare on Riko. Riko finally stirred enough to look up, and the brothers faced each other for the first time. Ichirou crouched in front of him, wordless and slow. 

"Ichirou," Riko said, so choked with emotion Mara almost couldn't understand him. He could have been cursing Ichirou's name for waiting so long to come into his life. He could have been begging for justice or revenge. Riko opened his mouth to say something else but closed it again when Ichirou cradled Riko's cheek in his free hand. 

It wasn't comfort, but Mara didn't figure that out until it was too late. 

Ichirou put the gun to Riko's temple and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The gunshot was so unexpected, so loud that Mara jumped.