Corpse Party: Damaged Souls

Chapter 5: Anxiety

      " Do you think you could help me with this?" Ruka asked her cousin, holding the book close to her chest. Her cousin, Amaterasu, turned around in her seat, frowning at the book in her cousin's hands. 

" Why? I thought you had no interest in learning such things." 

" I may not have any interest, but I might have one because I'm older. Does that really make you worry about me?" 

Amaterasu nodded, turning back around in her seat. " It does." 

" Ama, I need your help because I want to mess up everything from the past. Do you remember Haru? Kotone? Jun? Aoi? Setsuko? Do any of them show up in your mind?" 

Ruka watched as her cousin frowned, trying to remember such faces. After a couple of moments, she shook her head sadly. " Which is the reason why I want to learn such a thing. Besides Ryu, you are the only person I can trust on this. Mom and Dad would kill me for learning such a thing without their permission." 

Her cousin then nodded. " I see, you're doing this without their consent. I know Aunt Ayumi would be mad if I were to tell her such things." 

Ruka frowned. " You may think of me as a young girl who doesn't know anything, but I know the secrets you keep to yourself. I read your diary when you weren't looking. I believe the boy you like is a guy named-" 

Before she could continue, Amaterasu covered her younger cousin's mouth, making Ruka smile underneath. She already knew her cousins's weakness. It wasn't her place to blab about other's business, but this was important to her.

After a couple of seconds, Amaterasu sighed and uncovered her cousin's mouth, giving her a glare. " You are a witch, you know that?" 

" I do know what advantages I have. Now, would you tell me about this book or do I have to spill more about your boyfriend?" 

~

Three days couldn't be over faster. Each day I sit and wait until Ruka called me about the book. If this thing worked, we would have to find the right place to use this magic and bring our friends back. We also had to find out more about that girl in the red dress. Maybe by then our dreams about her would vanish. 

After what seemed like forever, I found my brother limping out of the room. It looked like there was no life left in him since we returned from that day. When he glimpsed at me, he showed a weak smile, from the times he didn't eat anything. 

" I see you're finally out of the room," I joked. Not even that could lift his spirits. He gave me a weak laugh and walked to the kitchen.  " Are you going to eat something this time?" 

" Maybe..." he muttered. 

The fact I can't joke with my little brother anymore was sad. He looked broken on the inside, from what happened inside the school. Even if I reminded him it wasn't his fault, he might lock himself in the room once more.

I almost didn't catch his question, it was almost like a whisper: " Do you know where Mom and Dad are?" 

" I think they're still asleep." 

" Good...they won't be able to see me up and walking." 

" Why? You don't want them to see their son is healthy and walking?"

" I don't want them to worry over me anymore. I'm not worth something." 

" We're all worth something," I corrected him. " You've been worrying our parents since you've locked yourself in that room and refused to eat anything. What did you hope to achieve by doing so?"