Vol 9 Chapter 41 (1/2)
CHAPTER 4
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
To the last syllable of recorded time,
The way to dusty death Out, out, brief candle
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
Not only the stairs The floor, the entrance, and the consultation room were probably smeared with blood and littered with broken objects in a horrific scene A body or two probably lay on the floor
What about the doctor? What had become of the man who saved Nezumi's life?
”Don't move” Nezumi restrained his ara all held their breaths and tensed as if they were bound by his words Even the dogs lay low to the floor, unrowl softly at the footsteps
One minute, two minutes, three minutes
”Freedoh-pitched screary voices and the sound of fierce beatings were heard through the
It's the same shi+on made a fist His palm was damp with perspiration
It was the same―no different from the Hunt in the West Block The brutality he had seen under the thick snow clouds was taking place again right here
The sweat stung the countless cuts on his palhtly Sweat streamed down his cheek, and entered his mouth
In No 6, he used to feel trapped and suffocated, like being forced to wear clothes that didn't quite fit But until Nezuun to live in the West Block, he had never had s of suffocation Not until he was given a chance to look at No 6 from the outside In fact, he had taken comfort in No 6's cleanliness and abundant lifestyle It was true He had been devouring this coranted Back then, the Security Bureau's existence hardly crossed his mind It never had to; the days still went by On the surface, time passed peacefully without incidence
When had it all begun?
shi+on heeling his bike across the park after his shi+ft He was allowed to ride his bicycle in the park, as long as he didn't go over the speed li sunset was so beautiful that shi+on had felt like taking a stroll to take it all in
The sky was divided into dark pink, red, and carlittering golden The sweet fragrance of the flowers blended with the refreshi+ng scent of new leaves, enveloping the passersby
”It onderful, wasn't it?”
”All's right with the world, as they say What do you say to topping it all off with ameal and soreat”
He could hear the lighthearted conversation of a young ood friends?
They're right It's a perfect evening to enjoy wine over a nice ht, feeling a coer hiht with the world
Neither shi+on nor that man or woman had any clue about what lurked in the depths of that day Most people didn't It wasn't because of the dreas, in autumn sunsets, they had never noticed
The majority of the citizens were neither concerned nor interested about the Security Bureau They probably had no idea that it would bare its fangs so ferociously at the slightest voice of protest froanization that anization for the people―were they not? And they believed in this clause―
No 6 exists for its citizens It exists to ensure a plentiful and comfortable life for its citizens No one shall be permitted to threaten the safety, activities, and lives of the citizens in any hatsoever
They believed the city would also abide by this clause of its own City Charter The people relied upon the city, left everything in its hands, and unwittingly allowed the by its flow
And this was the result
The sweat stung in his wounds Nezu shi+on's aro wrong? Do you know the answer?
No―I'm the one that needs to know the answer, not you I was born as a No 6 citizen, reaped all of its benefits, and lived without any concern for the outside or inside I'rasp the answer, in exchange for always choosing the co ainst the current
I know Meeting you has taught ed and the days we spent together I need an answer that I've grasped with my own hands, rather than one that's been prepared for me
Mine, and not someone else's
Or else I'll end up with the saain
”They weren't after us, then” shi+on sensed Inukashi+ twitching his nose in the dark ”I was totally under the impression that the doctor tipped the Bureau off Looks like that wasn't it”
”No, it definitely wasn't”
Traitors That hat the Bureau officials had said The target of their sting had not been shi+on, but the others―the doctor, and Yoain ”Nezumi aren't we safe now?”
”Wait It's still too early”
”Tsk, paranoid as always”
One minute, two minutes, three minutes
”Hey, Nezuht, it should be fine now Don't turn on the lights Leave thehtly ajar, and whistled softly Hahted on the floor, and dashed through the open crack
Moreeted them
Cheep cheep, chit-chit-chit
Cheep cheep, chit-chit-chit
”Alright, let's go downstairs Avoid the elevator, just in case” Nezumi swiftly wrapped the superfibre cloth around himself, and slipped into the hallway
”What the hell was that?” shi+on saw Rikiga's ht that spilled in from the hallway ”Wasn't he unconscious just now? Or was that an act, too? Playing the part of a prince on his deathbed?”
Inukashi+ shrugged
”He ain't no prince He's an anie beast No way he can sleep in the face of oncouys before my nose could sniff them out, daood idea of how Eve could have survived this far With instincts as sharp as those, and that cautiousness to boot”
”Falling in love all over again, old man?”
”I just confirood in his, and mice crept down the stairs cautiously, step by step There was a pool of blood in the stairwell At the bottom of the stairs was the owner of that blood, aon his back
The lower floor was just as grisly as shi+on iined Blood had sprayed the walls and the floor There was broken glass and furniture strewn about, all soiled with dirt and blood At the end of the hall, a blue-grey door was half-open The room was dark and the air inside cold―a baseainst the door, and the nurse at his feet A figure clad in a lab coat lay a few metres away The three of them were perfectly still
His words felt painfully empty as they escaped his lips
The doctor was clearly almost dead There was no hope for him
”Doctor, doctor! Open your eyes, please,” shi+on continued to implore with empty words That was all he could do
The door to the consulting room opened, and Aria appeared, evidently frons: none Vital signs―minimal Minimal”
The doctor's eyelids slowly lifted
”Vital signs:treatment”
Several tubes extended from Aria's torso, and connected to the doctor's body
”Aria don't It's no use”
”No use No use cannot co treatment”
”Doctor, what why did this happen?”
”He broadcasting fro on his cons: minimal Probability of recovery: one percent One percent”
”I wanted revenge on No 6 revenge”
”Doctor,” shi+on pleaded
”I wanted to destroy this world and build it anew”
Suddenly the doctor dug his fingers into shi+on's arm
”shi+on,” thevoice ”I leave this in your hands”
His eyes were open wide, fixed intently on shi+on
”I leave it in your hands Don't ever ain Please I'ers slipped out of his own The light went out of his eyes as they glazed over His whole body convulsed
Then, it was over
”Vital signs: ister Aborting treatment”
”Doctor”
shi+on laid the man down, and put a hand over his eyelids With his eyes closed, the doctor looked peaceful and relaxed
”Leave it to you, huh” Inukashi+ let out a long sigh ”You guys are the ones who built No 6 in the first place,” he said to the doctor's body ”But once so and it spins out of control, you just shove it off onto soift to leave to souess it's none of ood is it toto hear any of it Poor guy” Rikiga clasped his hands in front of his chest and bowed his head
”The hell are you doing?” Inukashi+ asked
”I'ive this sinful man May you bless his soul and let him rest in peace by your side”
”Hah, you don't even believe in God What an act Oh, wait―you ht, old et tired of spewing insults, do you? Once this settles down, you're in for it You rea unclasped his hands and rolled his shoulder joints
”So, what now?” he said ”We've acco the Correctional Facility As forback to the West Block and crawling into bed I feel like curling up and dreaold from underneath the Correctional Facility I'd wake up to the best ood mood already”
”Old onna respond I'd get a better response out of co to that corpse over there” Inukashi+ chuckled spiritedly, his shoulders shaking with his laughter
”But truth be told, I' into bed s that I want toinside No 6 It gives me a bad vibe, o home, too? It's not too far fro for you”
”Yeah” shi+on's house ithin walking distance froain?”
”Yeah, I do”
”Karan, huh I'd like to see her too,” Rikigahow much I've probablywell I want you to see that I'ize from the bottom of my heart Moia and love for his mother He re Love I wish I could see you
But the only place he wanted to return to was that baseo back to that room and its countless volumes, the bed, the stove, and the tattered chair
I want to go ho