"Glass Heart" | Trickster; Edogawa Ranpo

Episode Ten of My Story

This chapter starts on episode 23.

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After the huge explosion of the jet, everything was on fire. I covered my nose to protect myself.

" What happened?" I shouted, scared.

The roof began to fall. I threw my arms over my head to protect myself.

" Damn it!" Hanasaki shouted.

" Hanasaki! Mamoru!" Kobayashi shouted.

The roof began to crumble above Hanasaki and I. I squeezed my head tighter. The roof above us crumbled and fell upon us. The roof made contact with my arms, the pressure, making me fall down.

" That was close." Hanasaki muttered.

I glanced over at myself. My clothes were torn and ripped. The sleeves of my jacket had been ripped off. And my arms have cuts of all sorts. Blood dripped on the ground due to my wounds. Now that my jacket had been torn off, I was in my school uniform, which was less protective.

" Oh my god. Are you all right, Kirari?" Hanasaki asked, worriedly.

" I'm fine." I replied. 

" No you're not! You stay here while Kobayashi and I handle this." He urged.

" No!' I shouted at him. " There's something... I want to tell Akechi! I need to go!"

Hanasaki was hesitant to doubt me. " Fine. But stay close to me." 

My weapons and materials hidden in my jacket had fallen out and scattered over the ground. I picked up my gun and ammo, the most important. Oh, and my flash bomb.

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" No, it's not! The shuttle..." Hanasaki said to Noro. 

It had blown up.

" They got us..." Hanasaki moaned, looking out of what's left of the window.

" I'm sure there's another way." I muttered. " It can't end here!"

Oh my god. The pressure. After all we've done to save Akechi, was it all for nothing? I started trembling as my scars on my wrist began to throb. I embraced myself.

" Kirari, if you can't go on. Tell me. Okay?" Hanasaki said, patting my head.

I nodded and smiled wryly at him. I was in deep pain actually. 

" Was it my fault?" Kobayashi asked.

" Huh? Nah, it wasn't anyone's fault." Hanasaki said. " Well, Noro? Is Kirari right? Is there another way?"

" Huh?" 

" Another way to get to sensei." Hanasaki explained.

" Of course there's not!" Noro screeched. 

Hanasaki sighed.

" What about that?" Kobayashi pointed out. " That thing downstairs."

" Ohh! You mean back in the gallery!!??" I shouted.  

" Yeah! That's it!" Hanasaki shouted.

" Wait a second! Do you know what the stratosphere is?" Noro shouted. " It's above the clouds!!"

" So?" I said. " It's worth a try!"

Hanasaki chuckled, " What are our odds of getting there?"

" Practically zero!"