Human Trash

Doubts (6)

The funeral of Miyasi unfolded amidst a sea of tears and grief. Class 9-B, utterly devastated by the loss of their teacher and beloved mentor, struggled to come to terms with the grim reality. The untimely demise of Miyasi felt inconceivable, and denial gripped almost every soul present.

As the ceremony drew to a close, a somber darkness crept through the corridors of the dormitories, a tangible manifestation of the collective sorrow that hung heavy in the air. With classes suspended indefinitely, the school remained shrouded in mourning, devoid of its usual bustle and chatter.

In the ensuing days, Subaru retreated into himself, shutting out the world as he grappled with the painful truth of Miyasi's absence. Despite the efforts of psychiatrists, he remained unresponsive, his grief too profound to penetrate.

Meanwhile, Alvia found herself consumed by restless thoughts, her mind unable to shake the sense of unease that had settled over the school. As she sat by her window, her gaze fixed on the flowing curtains, she felt a chill settle over her, both inside and out.

Driven by an inexplicable urge, Alvia found herself drawn to the garden where she had first witnessed the horrors that had unfolded before Miyasi's death. There, she encountered Akihiko and Subaru, the latter supported by the former as they navigated the depths of their grief.

"What are you doing here?" Akihiko's voice broke through the silence, heavy with concern.

Alvia remained silent, her eyes scanning the dust-filled air around them, unable to find the courage to speak of the chilling vision that had haunted her.

"He doesn't even look at me," Akihiko's voice quivered with emotion as he spoke of Subaru's deteriorating condition. "He doesn't talk, he doesn't eat...for him, it seems the world has just stopped..."

Alvia listened intently, her heart heavy with sorrow for her friends.

"You are here for Miyasi too, aren't you?" Akihiko asked, his eyes searching hers.

"..no," Alvia replied softly.

As the wind settled, Alvia spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "The day before Sensei passed away, I saw another unfortunate event."

"What do you mean?" Akihiko's voice was laced with concern.

"I saw children playing in this very garden," Alvia recounted, her words tinged with sadness. "They were probably our juniors by a year or two...they were playing around happily... I'm not even sure what happened...but after this cold wind, they were gone."

Subaru snapped out of his temporary paralysis, his rage boiling over as he pinned Alvia to the ground. Akihiko rushed to intervene, his voice trembling with fear and anger.

"Why didn't you speak up? Why didn't you tell us--" Subaru's voice cracked with emotion.

"You think it's easy to witness a death?" Alvia's response cut through the tension, her words a stark reminder of the harsh reality they faced. "Look at you. You need someone to walk you around. At least I was coping well, Subaru."

As Akihiko pulled Subaru back from the brink of violence, the atmosphere grew even darker, the weight of their grief pressing down upon them like a suffocating blanket. None dared to speak, each lost in their own thoughts as they grappled with the harsh reality of loss and the chilling secrets that lurked within their midst.

***

As the second half of May rolled in, bringing with it the promise of warmer days, the school slowly began to find its rhythm once again. Despite the lingering grief over Miyasi's passing, life at Dahlila Junior High pressed forward, propelled by the inevitability of time.