Highschool Of The Dead: Katya Edition

Katya Rivera: Cornered At The Bridge

Four

I made small talk with Kohta and Saya as we made our way to the bridge, Saeko and Quinton in the lead with Shizuka between us and them.

"So can you handle a gun?" Kohta asked curiously.

I shook my head with a short laugh, "Nope. I actually have pretty sucky aim to be honest. I'm more of a hand to hand fighter but I can use knives and I'm pretty handy with a fire extinguisher," I joked and he chuckled.

"If you want, Takashi, Quin or I can teach you," Kohta offered.

"When we find somewhere safe, I'll think about it," I told him, "For now let's just focus on staying alive."

"Fair enough," he said with a shrug.

"What made you up and leave your country to come here anyway?" Saya asked from my other side, "I mean it must be hard having to come here and learn a new language and customs so why?"

I looked down and went silent.

"It's okay if you don't wanna tell us!" Saya hastily said.

"No," I said, "It's not that. I was never asked about it before so I was wondering how I should explain..."

Or if I should, I added silently.

"Well take your time, we're in no rush, right, Takagi?" Kohta asked looking at Saya and I was surprised at that. I didn't think he would catch on to my thoughts so well.

"Right," Saya said after a moment of hesitation. I also didn't think she'd be that considerate about it.

They really were nice people...

I cleared my throat and mumbled, "Well, I, um, I was kidnapped."

Saya gasped in shock and Kohta looked stunned at this new information.

I reached up and tugged at my hair, twirling it around my finger, looking straight ahead as I continued speaking.

"My biological father is part of a crime syndicate and he's made a lot of enemies over the years," I told them with a tight smile, "So when they heard he had a kid, a lot of them thought it was the perfect way to get back at him."

I laughed bitterly, "Joke's on them though because he couldn't give two shits about me or my mother," I curled my fingers into my skirt tightly, "So when they kidnapped me and asked for compensation for the troubles he put them through, he laughed and told them to do what they wanted to me."

I let out a slow breath as memories assaulted me brutally.

"They tortured me," I said quietly, "Everyday for an entire week. They whipped me and cut me and branded me like some kind of cow," I lifted up my hair and bent my head forward, showing them the brand I'd received on the back of my neck courtesy of the Briar Syndicate. It was a snake head, its forked tongue aiming downward with thorns wrapped around it. I let my hair drop down and looked down, "They made sure not to hurt my legs, arms, face or front. They targeted only my back. Said it would be a shame to harm a pretty face like mine...I'd sell well if my father didn't pay up. But one day, they'd had enough. They weren't going to wait anymore. They called him and were planning on taking turns doing whatever they wanted with me so he could hear me suffering."

I paused and took a breath, "Lucky for me, my stepfather was working tirelessly to find me and he did before they could do more damage than they'd already done," I said, "I was in the hospital for weeks and my stepfather was there almost everyday. My mother refused to come. She's always had a hard time looking at me though I can't blame her for it. I do look like her rapist after all. My stepfather was worried that her lack of attention would do me more bad than good after the trauma I'd received and he has a partnership in a company here so he decided to send me here for a fresh start. He meant well but it honestly didn't bother me that she was ignoring me. I was accustomed to it and I just wanted to stay with my friends. He wouldn't have it. Said I could always call them or come back for a visit but he wanted me out of the toxic environment I was in and away from the dangers my father could put me in. So, here I am now...in Japan surrounded by the undead and trying to survive with a group of weirdos," I laughed trying to lighten the dark mood that had fallen over us thanks to my story. Saya and Kohta exchanged a glance.