7 Escaping 1 (1/2)

Though the tears had blurred her vision and her heart pounded ever so wildly that she felt it squeezing her from inside out, Ayumi's feet never once stopped moving. Her entire being might have screamed in repudiation and her conscience tearing her apart, still, she forced herself to leave. To get away as far as she could and never turned back.

...because that was the only way she would not burden Chinatsu.

...because leaving was the only way to save her.

So, Ayumi climbed the stairs with all her might and dashed down the hallway as soon as she arrived on the third floor. No matter what, she kept going on her way even though countless time she had stumbled on her steps and found herself falling down. She remained resolute as she got up and ran again.

But, due to her being an Omega, it was not surprising to find her breathing falling short after a long period of running nonstop. Nevertheless, she refused to take a break because all she could think about was running. It was also in a way helping her released her frustration.

”I'm sorry,” she muttered, ”I'm sorry.”

Over and over again she repeated her apology as she wiped the never-ending tears streaming down her face. Yet, despite the apologies, never once the weight in her heart lessened. No matter how many times she begged for forgiveness. Silence was her only answer.

Perhaps, she would never know what Chinatsu would respond because she acknowledged it deep down, her cowardice. How she would never have the guts to see her again after this. So, all her brain could do was think of a thousand if.

An endless stream of questions that only hastened her guilt and self-hatred to bear fruit as they grew stronger, spreading wildly, like a drop of Devil's Tears. It was then the darkness was born, whispering in her ears.

For what purpose did she continue to exist?

For as long as she could remember, her sole existence had only brought about a miserable fate to everyone around her. She was once a burden for her parents. So, she decided to leave for the academy.

She thought that it would be better if she could at least give them hope. Because no matter how slim the chances were, she needed to seize it if she wanted to survive and turn things around. So, she had thought at that time maybe Kyuten Gakuin was the answer. Maybe she could grow strong there.

But what happened afterwards?

'You left her,' the darkness whispered.

'She saved you once, twice, every time you ever fell down the pit. She sacrificed herself to drag you out. Yet, you repaid her by running away.'

At the emergence of that thought, finally, Ayumi's feet came to a halt and her line of defense shattered into pieces. She staggered towards the wall where she leaned her whole body for support and wrapped herself protectively using her own hands. She bit down her lips as the cry threatened to escape from her mouth.

When a torrent of emotions took over her like a crawling wave by the ocean, Ayumi found herself breaking down, crumbling to the floor like a wilting flower as she began to sob silently in the cold dreary hallway. She repeatedly pounded her tightening chest where her heart quivered in pain behind the wall of flesh.

However, amidst her cry, a bloodcurdling scream pierced through the quiet surroundings all of the sudden, sending Ayumi's entire being into a frightful jolt. She covered her mouth with both of her hands reflexively to stop herself from shouting.

”Stop!!”

”Help!”

”Anybody?! Please!!”

Helpless cries broke out at every corner of the academy enveloping Kyuten Gakuin and everything in it within the veil of utter terror. The lost screams hung hopelessly in the air without any chance of salvation.

'May the strong prevails and the weak be damned.'

Ayumi buried her face into her knees as she shut her ears, sealing the painful cries of the weak, the pitiful souls who fell into the hunter's clutch. But, even then, she could never stop the darkness from entering.