Divide and Conquer (A Higurashi When They Cry FanFic)

Chapter 11: Book of Fear, Part Two

The bullet slammed into Rika, blood spurting from her small chest as she fell.

However, Rena had somehow read Rika's intentions and had grabbed her just as the bullet went off. When Rena moved, so did everyone else.

"Satoshi, get the girls out of here! I got Takano!" Keiichi yelled. He quickly tackled Takano, gripping the hand with the gun tightly as the two struggled on the ground, wrestling for dominance.

Mion started to rush to help Keiichi, but Shion grabbed her. "Not now, you idiot! Run!" The group quickly ran outside, following Satoshi towards where they would meet up with Takao, with Shion carrying Rika.

"Keiichi's all by himself back there!" Mion cried.

"Yeah, he is!" Satoshi said. "But that's what he wanted! He came all this way just for you guys, and he'd rather let himself die than let you die! So get moving, because I'm not about to get chewed out by him!"

Mion forced herself to resist the urges to run back and help, and focused instead on Rika's wounds. She gasped as she felt the bullet hole.

"How is she?" her sister asked.

"Not good." Mion said, applying pressure to Rika's chest. The blood just kept flowing.

"Damn it." Mion said. She'd never felt so useless before. Keiichi was fighting a bat-crazy woman with a gun, and one of her closest friends was bleeding to death right before her.

"Where are we even going?" Hanyuu called ahead.

"There's a van up the hill that should be waiting to get us." Satoshi called back. "That is, if Mr. Sonozaki kept up his end of the plan and got there in time!"

"Wait, Dad is here?" Mion asked. "You guys actually got him to help out?"

Satoshi grinned back at her, despite the fear coursing through him. "Yeah, he's pretty awesome."

"How did you guys even get him to listen to your plans?" Shion said. "Dad doesn't let anyone order him around. He's that intimidating!"

"Apparently Keiichi was the more intimidating of the two. He took one look at your dad and he made him back up!"

Whoa, Mion thought. Keiichi really knew how to get to people. She flushed with loving pride for a moment, which was promptly shattered by worry.

Keiichi, you better not die on me. Not this time.

The girls continued to follow Satoshi up the ridge line, constantly looking over their shoulders to make sure Takano wasn't behind them. They half expected bullets to begin flying after them, attempting to end their lives.

"Keep moving, Shion!" Rena cried. "Don't be looking back like that!"

Shion had turned around and was looking behind her in a daze. As Rena called her name, she shook her head out of whatever daze she'd been in and continued running. She'd long since taken the responsibility from Mion to apply pressure to Rika's wound, but it wasn't working well. Blood continued to slowly oooze out between her fingers, despite the pressure. Shion shed tears as she began to fear for the life of her friend.

Satoko stumbled next to her and fell over. "This is too much... I can't go anymore... just kill me now..."

"Snap out of it, Satoko!" Her big brother called, running back to grab her. "I'm not letting you die! You're coming with me, damn it!"

"Nii-nii...!" She sobbed. Strong as she tried to be, she was still a little girl. She struggled to her feet and held her brother's hand as they ran.