Danganronpa: GHOST TOWN

Chapter Ten: Broken Promises and Memories

"Ki-Kiyoshi?" The sound had faded away but it still rung painfully in my ears. "Kiyoshi?" He was sprawled on his back across the grass.

Shaking I reached out and shook his leg, a huge lump forming itself in my throat. "K-Kiyoshi?" My knees dragged myself closer. I couldn't see his face. "Hey- hey get up." I tried to stand but fell back over. "Get up Kiyoshi, get up!" Tears clouded my vision and I reached for his leg to shake him again. "Kiyoshi!" I pushed myself forwards. I had to see. He was okay, he was fine I- I had missed! I didn't...I didn't...

A pair of arms wrapped around my body. They held me tight and pulled, dragging me over the grass. Terrified by not knowing- by not seeing that he was okay I thrashed. "Kiyoshi!" I tried to kick but the person was behind me, hauling me away and muttering in my ear. "Kiyoshi!"

"You don't want to see that." The voice said with horror. "You d-don't want to see that."

"Let go!" I jerked wildly. I had to know! I had to know I was right! "Kiyoshi!" I struggled to reach for him but he was too far away now.

"You don't want to see that." Toshiro repeated.

I felt myself beginning to break down but I didn't understand why. "He-he's okay!" I wailed, elbowing Toshiro's ribs. "Let me go!"

"No he's not!" Toshiro shouted at me. His hazel eyes looked at me with fear and I stared back wishing he wouldn't speak. Wishing he couldn't speak. "You..." His mouth fell shut and he took a deep breath before he could continue. "...killed him."

Then he let go and backed away from me.

I stared at him. "N-no h-he... I-" I didn't I didn't I didn't I didn't. "Don't- I- he was- he was going to-"

"Just look at your shirt!" Toshiro shouted, his back pressed against the Diner.

I couldn't get air fast enough. I couldn't clear the tears from my eyes.

"Look!" He said again and I tilted my head to look.

Sprayed across the white patterned flowers were splotches of deep red soaking into the fabric quickly. Horrified I attacked my shirt, desperately trying to wipe it off.

"It's too late." Toshiro stared at Kiyoshi. "You really...you..."

I felt his eyes on me. I heard his words. "Don't say it- please!" Not again. What I did...what I did. What I did to him. I should have been screaming. I should be screaming. I needed to scream but nothing came out. The blood on my shirt was warm on my skin. No not the blood. Kiyoshi's blood.

My eyes found the gun laying in the grass, ink stained from my hand. What had I done?

"What the hell was that?!"

Words fractured loudly over the grass. Innocent words that had no concept of what they would find. My eyes dragged themselves away from the gun and settled onto the approaching figure who I prayed wasn't real. I couldn't explain this.

The image shook and my head suddenly felt dislocated- unattached.

I especially couldn't explain this to Kyofu.

As he drew closer the shapes of the others filled in behind him. I closed my eyes. Explain? I couldn't explain this to myself.

Oh God.

I peeled my eyes open once my head started swimming. What Toshiro said...it was true. I had really-

"What have you done?" The calm and the usual coolness of Haruko's voice was gone, replaced by something harsh and unfeeling.