Danganronpa: GHOST TOWN

Chapter Eleven: Part Two: Ghost Town

There was no one in the square. I felt my feet dragging beneath me. Town Hall loomed above and I tried to think about nothing. 

My mind had other plans.

I was walking down the halls of Hope's Peak, arm in arm with Mae and Kena.

I was hiding in the darkness as Ryu and Haruko killed the Despairs that had found us.

I watched as Mae reached for the Hitman the first time we realized Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu was one of them.

I was laughing under the stars with Kaz and Kyofu.

Did it make me feel better? Having these memories again? 

My feet continued to drag me forwards as I tried to figure that out. 

In my head I saw her. Hon'yomi Nakajima, happy and surrounded by friends. She was clever yes, smart, reckless and cautious all at the same time but she lacked one thing. Realization. 

Her strengths were also her weaknesses. Her friendships, her trust. They were taken for granted and lost now.

Was knowing this better? I could see how he had been more clever, even more friendly. He found a way to connect with each of us to gain our trust. 

In my mind I saw the girl become me. Broken. Alone. She had no one to trust and no friends at her side. Her cleverness had gotten her nowhere. Her cautiousness had saved nothing. 

I wasn't alive. I was existing.

My feet finally stopped, soaked through with lake water. What had it been like for her? To rest beneath the surface? Was it peaceful there? Did she feel like she was at home? Hana had so loved the water...

I was at my waist, driven forward by curiosity. What had it been like to have such strong determination? To be so willing to drown? It had to be stronger than anything else she had ever felt. Stronger than hate or happiness or pain. Was it stronger than her hope? Her despair? I wanted to feel something stronger than the nothingness inside my chest. 

The sun was already setting across from me. I must have been under the tree longer than I thought. The light created a beautiful reflection around me and then it was gone.

It was silent and calm. I could see nothing beyond a few feet but I didn't much care. I was away. I was gone from everything else above. There were no walls, no houses or survivors. There was hardly even me. 

I felt relaxed, unable to recall the last time I'd felt this way. It was nice here. I thought that I could sleep here with no fear of nightmares or memories. I decided to try, and closed my eyes.

"-hell?!" My peace was shattered by splashing and hands that wrapped around me. 

My eyes opened and so did my mouth, drawing in a huge gasp of air. Kena was hauling me to the shore, cursing and crying and yelling. I couldn't make sense of it until she practically threw me onto the grass. 

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing?!" She demanded, staring at me with fury. "Trying to drown yourself?! Really?"

I blinked, shaking my head. "I wasn't trying to-"

"Seriously? You're going to deny it?" Kena's hair had fallen into a wet mess around her head. "I just pulled you out of the fucking lake! You were gasping for air like a dying fish- damn it Hon'yomi!"

My body was frozen, shock beginning to set it. I didn't know how to admit to myself or her that maybe I had been trying. Had I been trying? I shuddered.

"I'm sorry-"

Kena glared. "You better be! I don't know if you were there but Haruko just died saving your sorry ass!" She threw her arms towards Town Hall. "You killed Kiyoshi! You were supposed to die! But you know what? You're not because someone cared enough not to let you! You want punishment for what you did?! Deal with it! Live with it! If you crave it so much then accept that as your punishment! But don't go throwing away someones last act and make it all for nothing!"