YOU, ME & DEATH ━━ polyam ann & kuina

𝟭𝟲 all of you will burn

"LOOK! BLOOD!" SOMEONE yelled, pointing at Ann.

She held up the crimson cloth in her hand, calmly stating, "I can explain this."

"Finally, it's getting interesting! I say she's the witch—"

"You're wrong!" Ann snapped, cutting off Niragi with an authoritative glare. She held up the napkin, "This is Hatter's blood. I was examining Hatter's body. That's how the blood got on me. Hatter was murdered! We didn't tell you because the executives believed that this might throw everyone into a panic. I took this bullet from Hatter's body. Its caliber is the same as those we have here at The Beach. That means someone here at The Beach killed Hatter."

   Shocked murmurs erupted from the crowd. They turned to stare at each other with wide eyes, as if the killer would suddenly appear and harm them, too.

   "Do you think that maybe the witch killed Hatter?" A girl asked in a quiet, shaking voice. As she continued, her words gained volume until she was shrieking in terror, "I mean, that doesn't sound so crazy, am I right? Uh, the witch could be one of them—"

   All of a sudden, a blade sliced through her chest. Blood bloomed from her lips as her body quivered for a few moments before dropping, revealing her killer: Last Boss.

   "I found her annoying." He shrugged, "Let's just burn everyone."

   "If someone here is the witch," Aguni's voice called out as he stepped into the lobby, followed by a group of militants, "then everyone here in this room except me could be the witch. So, who here is the witch? Step forward...If no one here will admit it, then all of you will burn!"

   With that, Niragi let out a shriek of excitement before shooting a flurry of bullets into the air.

   Everyone fell into pandemonium. The crowd let out one long, simultaneous scream of despair and fright. They sprinted as fast as the speeding bullets that were being shot through the air — but some didn't survive. Bullets littered their corpses as they collapsed to the ground. Chaos roared through The Beach, disorder leaking into everyone's brains as they rushed to save their lives.

   "We need to go! Now!" Tomoko yelled at Asahi, barely audible over the screams of others. She grabbed the girl's wrist, pulling her along as she raced toward Usagi. Together, the three girls ran out of the lobby.

   Sweat dripped from Tomoko's brows. Lungs wheezing, hands shaking, heart racing, she continued to sprint. She noticed black spots in the corner of her eyes, shadows of fear tempting her into mayhem. When she turned to face them fully, they disappeared. She had imagined the enemies sneaking up on her but that didn't make her feel any less afraid or any more safe.

   The girls held each other's hands as they ran, terrified to let go in case it meant death. When they were exhausted, they finally slowed to a halt.

   Grabbing the girl's shoulders, Usagi said, "Asahi, you need to stay in this room. I have to go find someone."

   "Let me come too, Usagi!" She pleaded, "It's sure to be game over for me if I stay here."

   Trying to think straight despite the adrenaline coursing through her body, Tomoko leaned against a wall and allowed herself to slide down it until she was fully sat down. I just need to– I have to find Chishiya and Kuina. She managed to make a coherent thought. Then, we can hide somewhere and wait out. We'll be okay. We have to be okay.

   Suddenly, footsteps came down the hall. Tomoko sprung to her feet, switchblade out, ready to fight.

   "It's me, Tatta!" The boy called out as he jogged over to the group of girls. "Listen, hear me out. I think we should work together like we have before."

   Usagi took a few moments to think about it before nodding, "Help me find Arisu."

   "I saw the militants take him to a room on the fourth floor, southward." Tomoko told her, "But we have to keep moving; they're getting close."

   The group of four continued their sprint away from the militants — away from death. As they rounded a corner, Tomoko caught sight of a militant about to shoot a pair of weeping players. The group ducked backward, hiding behind a wall until he moved on. However, Tomoko decided she wanted his gun. No, she needed it if she were to survive.

   Creeping forward, she silently snuck up behind him. Then, she stabbed him in the side of the head and let his corpse drop to the floor. She snatched up his pistol and checked the bullets, thankful that there was a decent amount.

   "Thank you! Thank you so much!" The players she had saved sobbed, kneeling at her feet in gratitude as if she were some god.

   She was far from that.

   Saying nothing in response, Tomoko returned back to her group. She held up the pistol, cracking a smile, but none of them looked pleased or thankful.

   "You–you killed him!" Tatta exclaimed in horror.

   "It was him or us." Tomoko shot back instantly, wiping the blood from her hands onto her dress. She began to jog away before calling over her shoulder, "C'mon, hurry up!"

   The group continued their journey forward. They were tiring, legs fumbling as they ran, lungs close to explosion as they panted for oxygen. As they forced their exhausted bodies to keep moving, the group wondered if they would be the next victim.

   The next victim that succumbed to the pressure of murder for their own survival.

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