kill to live

chapter three

"Hello again,"  Pisces said, giving a grin that could only be described as true evil.

Almost immediately, both Storm and Elizabeth stood, glaring at the killer.

"How dare you walk in here after killing Ricky!"

"I'll make you pay! You're a monster, nothing more, nothing less!"

"Calm down, both of you,"  A woman responded.

"Who are you?" Storm asked, turning to the lady, still seething with anger from Pisces.

"I'm Libra, and I suggest that you loose the attitude before I loose my temper."

"Or what? You'll kill me like Pisces did Ricky? All of you are so predictable!"

"You're wrong," Libra answered, surprising me, and further angering Storm.

Libra had dark black hair that ended mid-back, and dark eyes that shone cold and harsh from underneath her side-swept bangs. She wore a sleeveless white ruffled blouse, a black pencil skirt, and simple black heels - nothing that I'd expect coming from an experienced assassin... although, none of them really wore anything that screamed "killer" to  me. Maybe that's the point.

"What are you talking about?" Storm spat.

"You must be really naive to think that the worse thing I could do to you is kill you. No, there are much worse things that I could do," Libra answered harshly - her words making us all shiver.

Storm frowned and didn't say anything. She looked down and sat down again, next to Kage.

"You too, sit," she said, focusing on Elizabeth.

"Not until he gets what he deserves for murdering Ricky!"

Libra looked down at Ricky's cold body, but didn't show any emotion when saying, "You do realize that you're talking to a practiced group of murderers, right? I'll admit that he was out of line, but other than a standard punishment, nothing more will happen."

"Standard punishment?"

"Indeed, I believe you were charged with physical labor?" Libra asked, sounding bored.

"Yes, I'm to help in the process of rebuilding the school," Pisces answered, unconcerned.

"That's it?"

"Yes, now stop asking pointless questions. Sit down, shut up, and listen to what I came here to say!"

Elizabeth began to cry, but didn't put up any more of a fight. Like Storm, she took her seat, silently.

I looked around me; Haruto, Kage, and Hail were very focused on the 13 killers in front of us - and seemed almost... eager to see what they had to say. Sophia, Devin, and Reece looked like they were only paying attention because their fear commanded them to - not like I really blamed them. Storm and Elizabeth looked upset, like they still wanted to yell and scream, but they were too afraid to try again. 'Why didn't I speak up too? Ricky died in my arms! It was wrong, this is all wrong! So why didn't I fight back with them? ...I was too afraid, like the others. They knew it was messed up too, and yet the rest of us didn't have the courage to speak our minds.'

Libra had a strange smile on her face as she said, "Good. Now , we are the 13 members of the team, the Zodiacs. You nine will not only be competing not only against yourselves but against six other classes, fighting for your lives."

"We already knew that," I said quietly. Everyone in the room looked at me, and I felt self-conscious and very shy. The looks I received were a mixture of admiration, annoyance, anger, but also hope.