LOST TIME MEMORY Vol. 1

Chapter 2.6

"Okay. First off, how can we afford that?" Ene said, rubbing her temple with both hands.

"I told you, I made a lot more from the stocks than I thought I would. Didn't you see?"

"No, I didn't. And a certain muffin head didn't bother to tell me either. You're normally incredibly stingy with your money, too. Secondly, you're coming back here?" She gave him a meaningful look.

"Yeah. We're coming back. Maybe we'll buy more when that time comes. I had fun today. Didn't you?"

"Hm, I don't like this. You're starting to act like you do at home, all cocky and shit. And woah there, not so fast. We have one last destination!"

"Oh yeah." Shintaro had managed to utter those last few words before a veil of darkness covered his eyes and the entire building. The ceiling was completely sealed off by metallic screens. The lights were off, too. It was pitch dark, and Ene's blue light was the only thing that gave him any sort of vision. He could hear his own breath and his heart skipping a beat. Screams now echoed and bounced everywhere in reaction, signaling panic. Ene was very, very silent, and so was Shintaro. As if waiting for something to happen. And then it did.

Very dim lights started to illuminate specific spots of the mall. It must be the emergency power supply. But they're not entirely on? Shintaro thought. With his hands extended, he slowly and carefully navigated his way toward the nearest light inside the computer store. And then, three thunderous bangs reverberated through the air and shook his bones. He ducked down on instinct. His trembling hands held his head tightly. A few more blasts sounded off, and he could now tell- these were gunshots.

The first blast brought a flash of light from a distance and yelps of panic all over the mall. Shintaro had his eyes shut while his head shook. The second blast forced his eyes to see that the light was hiding a dark silhouette. Third blast and he could very briefly make out the face of a tall, menacing man with wild dark-brown hair. His chin was covered in dark fabric. When the blast receded, the man was hidden by the dark yet again. Panic started to swell inside Shintaro, an instinct that imminently knew that locating the man was absolutely vital to his survival. He needed to know where he was in order to avoid him. But nobody else was moving. Nobody dared to run. And so, finding the man was the simplest thing in the world. He only needed to listen for footsteps. A pair of heavy shoes were walking, getting closer to where Shintaro lay in hiding. Now he could see the man standing about ten meters away, underneath a dimly lit lamp. It was the tall man who'd glared at him before. He was holding an assault rifle, wearing a dark, resolute gaze. He raised one arm: two fingers upward. Then, while pointing forward, he said in a voice so low that Shintaro could barely make out the words:

"They're in there. Find him quick. Kill him if necessary. You know what's on the line so don't hesitate."

Shintaro felt the next few seconds pass by strangely slow as he saw several armed men running past the tall guy who must have been their leader. He was pointing his fingers in the direction of the electronics store. And then, at the very last minute, Shintaro had belatedly noticed a group of five people standing inside the store, underneath a blinking ceiling light. It was the green-haired girl from before with a group of boys and girls standing behind her, quivering in fear. And among them, and this time unmistakably, was his little sister. One of the men pointed the gun straight at them.

"HEYYYYYYYY!!!" someone roared at the men. They glared and pointed each and every single menacing barrel in the direction of the cry. An endless pit formed inside his stomach as even Shintaro himself was surprised to notice- that the yell had come from him.

Route: ?