Danganronpa: GHOST TOWN

Chapter Three, Part Four: Paint the Town Red

There couldn't have been a worse time for my stomach to begin aching. Like it was somehow connected to everyone's moodmy insides gurgled painfully, although this time it couldn't hold much of my focus.

The fire crackled to the heavens in the eerie quiet. Bursts of gleaming light given off by sparks filled sections of darkness with beauty. No one spoke to each other. Instead we measured one other with glances. Uneasiness and distrust brewed among us again.

Did Monokuma say years? Was that really true?

I saw the same questions on everyone's faces.

I held onto my disbelief like it could give me an answer. Trusting what made sense was the easiest and most simple step at this point. The idea of something manipulating my brain and tampering with my thoughts would make me doubt everything I ever did. If something within me and been forcibly changed how would I know if I had no memory of it? Maybe my idea of myself wasn't who I really was.

Unconsciously I began shaking. Uncontrollable shifts of emotion stirred my thoughts, obstructing my ability to remain the picture of calm. Ever since I was a child my mind had been my own escape, a place no one could know what I thought. My mind was something I could always trust.

Except...did Monokuma take that away from me? From all of us?

"He's lying." Mae's voice was quiet. "There's no way."

"Yeah. I don't know any of you." Utsumi agreed.

I barely noticed that the two who'd been arguing were now agreeing.

"I've never seen any of you before..." My sentence died in the warmth of the fire. I hadn't. I didn't know them. They were never my friends before this.

I realized I was crying too late to cover it up. My arms shook and I stared into the fire unseeing. I-I didn't know them. I didn't forget them. Tears began to trickle from my eyes.

I don't forget my friends.

Forgotten friends. I couldn't handle the thought.

"We've never been friends." Chikara insisted.

We weren't talking to each other. We were talking to ourselves. Reassuring and smashing the doubt the bear had gratefully given us. We were so ready to believe what made sense to us: we weren't friends.

Beside me, Kyofu shook his head. "I d-don't remember..." He winced like thinking about it hurt him.

"Yeah. I mean, it's just a motive right?" Akemi said in a small voice.

"And what about the question?" Ryu said.

"He said any question we ask." Saori recalled.

Toshiro shook his head. "Does he realize how vulnerable that could make him?"

"Even if he does, it wouldn't matter at that point." Haruko said. She looked calm as usual except her chest rose and fell quickly like she couldn't get enough air. "He said the killer will get an answer after they survive the trial. If anyone got to that point they would able to leave. Asking anything about Monokuma would be a waste."

"How could he have an answer for any question?" Renji asked looking to Haruko.

She grimaced. "I don't know."