Corpse Party: Damaged Souls

Chapter 17: Decision

     The sound of my phone ringing interrupted the nightmare, which I was thankful. Though, it nearly gave me a heart attack. I sighed of relief when it was Ruka who was on the phone. 

" Hello?" 

" You're finally awake. I've been calling you since morning, what happened?" Her voice had a hint of worry in it. 

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sighed. " I was having a nightmare. Thanks for getting me out of it." 

" Why is that?" 

" I don't know. After you explained what happened to Nagisa's Dad-" 

" You started thinking about your grandparents," Ruka finished. She sighed. " I know you're feeling guilty about what happened with Nagisa, so I'm not going to bash you. But you should have known better than to mention it like that." 

" I never meant to," I muttered. 

" We know that." 

" Then why is everything coming back to haunt me?" I asked. It was almost like everything had started over again with my grandparents deaths'. Dad wasn't yet over it and Mom did everything she could to help him. From Jun, I was told that most parents don't stay together after something terrible had happened in the family. 

Though, they were as happy as ever. 

" Maybe your brain is thinking something otherwise. That your parents would be upset if you left this place. And without telling them too would put oil in the fire." 

" What about your parents? Wouldn't they be upset?" 

" My mother knows more about me than you think. She told me the other day that she knew something like this come to me. A power that no one else but the Shinozaki family has." 

Now, I became interested. " What was that?" 

" My mom's family once had such power you know. Sachiko is my mother's cousin and I am related to her. With such power comes responsibility you know. There was something else, but it was about the fathers...my brain is not in the right place." 

" The fathers?" I repeated. " The Shinozaki is known for their curses too. Is that something you knew?" 

" Actually...yes, but you did remind me what happened to the fathers." 

" And?" I urged. 

" They usually died when the child was at least seven." 

" What? They usually die?" Though, that didn't make any sense. " Your dad is just as healthy as ever. He would have been dead when you guys were in elementary school. Are you telling me that the curse wore off?" 

" I think so," she admitted. " That doesn't explain what happened to us when we left. That book tried to kill me and me alone. You and Akahana were on the other side of the fire." 

" Yeah, but we would have died eventually." 

She was quiet on the other side for a while. " Do...do you really think they were telling the truth? I mean, that man was watching us for the last week or so and now he's explaining his purpose." 

" We never spoke to him until then." 

" But how can we trust them? We are only children Anna. We are suppose to act like it." 

" If you're not going to do it, then I will," I said. 

" Don't be stupid." 

" I'm not being stupid. Don't you want to get our friends back? No one remembers them because that damn school erased their existence from this earth. I'm not about to let something like this stop me into believing that our friends never existed. There would be a time where we would forget their faces too, you know." 

" I know that, but it's too much. Our parents are already worried about everything. They just finally settled down about this stalker. Though, I can't say that now. He wasn't really one after all." 

"Ruka...you have to understand." 

" I have to understand? Anna, you're going to throw your life away if you do this. Remember what happened to me? I barely made it out alive. I don't want the same thing to happen to you." 
She was now pleading. I could hear the sympathy in her voice, but my mind was already made up.

" I'm sorry Ruka." 

" Anna-" 

I hung off the phone before she could respond. If they weren't going to do it, I was content on doing this alone. I may not have been a Shinozaki, but there had to be a way for someone outside the family to posses such power. If I had gone to the others, even though they refused, I feel that would make me nothing more then selfish.

Walking into the hallway, I could hear Mom in the kitchen, most likely making lunch for Souta. It looked like I slept later than I meant to. 

" Anna, are you alright?" Mom asked as I passed her. " It's not usual for you to sleep so late. Did you not get a good rest the night before?" 

" I guess you could say that," I replied, sitting at the table. Souta was sitting across from me, not saying a word. 

" It looks like Souta is the same way. He refuses to talk about his nightmare from the other night. Is Heavenly Host still haunting the two of you?" 

" Maybe," I muttered. 

"You could go back to therapy?" 

"No thank you." I would rather die than head back there. No one believes anything you say, almost as if you're destined to be crazy. That lady must have thought the same thing when Souta went to go visit her the first time. They speak and she listens, she told me once. 

"At least she gave you something, though I don't remember the last time you used them," Mom said. 

"Yesterday," I replied. Maybe a little too much. I guess in the back of my mind, death was something I was looking forward to. She wouldn't bother me anymore if that was the case. Also, if I was going to be doing this, I was supposed to be used to the idea.

I barely noticed when Mom set the plate of food in front of me. She glimpsed at my face and then felt my forehead. " Maybe you should stay home today. You're burning up." 

" I have something to do," I told her. 

"And it would be better if you didn't collapse on the ground. Head back to bed and I'll bring you something different to eat. It's better if you have some tea and an ice bag on your head." 

"I said I'm fine." 

The more I insisted, the more she seemed like it was dangerous for me to go outside. Souta looked more ill than me, but he refused to say anything. If it happened to him, he would bite their hands if they tried to make him stay home too. 

Mom helped me back into bed like I was a child again. A child that wanted to help save her friends. Something you don't hear every day. 

When night was around the corner and it sounded like everyone else was asleep, I carefully opened my window and stepped down. I thank my parents that we don't have a dog, unless this escape would be a failure. 

I started walking down the street, looking over my shoulder. This might have been the last time I would see this house. Along with my memories and my family with it.