Vol 6 Chapter 5.1 (2/2)
”That's what happened. One day, some soldiers came in with firearms, and cleared us out by burning us down.”
Raging flames swirled before his eyes.
They cleared us out by burning us down.
Nezumi stood in front of s.h.i.+on, and began to speak. His tone was regular and emotionless.
”My people, s.h.i.+on―we were once called the Forest People. Even before No.6... no, even before the Town of the Rose, which would become the beginnings of No. 6, we lived in the forest, and it was our home. We were in harmony―true harmony with the wind, the earth, the water and the sky, and with animals and plants. For all of that time.”
The elder raised his hand shakily.
”Yes, s.h.i.+on. The Forest People used to inhabit this land. That is why so much nature has managed to remain miraculously intact.”
”What kind of people are the Forest People?” s.h.i.+on's heart raced; he was about to step further into Nezumi's truth.
”They are born in the forest, and they lived there,” the elder said. ”They made the forest thrive, treated it with respect, and protected it. They were able to converse with the wind, water, trees, and gra.s.ses, and align their hearts with them. They lived in a totally opposite manner from how we do. They did not wish for growth nor development; they only lived quietly within the laws of nature. This land has always been protected by these people... that is how it has been.”
The elder let out a long sigh, and lowered his head. As the sigh left him, his body seemed to deflate and shrink in size.
”It was a lush forest... there were all kinds of animals and plants, large and small. Seasons pa.s.sed, flowers bloomed, fruits ripened, leaves thickened, and life pulsated as it was nurtured and pa.s.sed on.”
”And No. 6 destroyed it all.” Nezumi's voice was now reduced to a whisper. His beautiful murmur rocked s.h.i.+on's eardrums and heart.
”s.h.i.+on, you probably had no idea it was happening, but No. 6 was still burgeoning when you were born. They tried to swallow every single piece of land which was suitable for their habitation and make it their own. They concluded that we were in the way. We were people of the forest―we obeyed the laws of the forest, but refused to wors.h.i.+p anything else. We refused to become part of No. 6. Back then, the wall was finis.h.i.+ng up at a considerable speed. Only those on the inside of the silver wall were to be treated like humans. As for those outside, they could invade it or destroy it however they liked―that was becoming No. 6's stance. And in accordance with it, they invaded the entire forest, and stole it from us. You understand what I'm saying?”
”I do.”
”Can you imagine what I'm going to say next?”
s.h.i.+on nodded. He could feel his neck creak. ”No. 6's army... invaded your village. They thought, if you weren't going to comply... they would destroy you all...”
”Yeah. Nice, you've learned to see through things better.”
s.h.i.+on clutched at his chest. His heart wasn't just racing―it was palpitating, and he couldn't breathe properly.
”And then, that time... what were you doing...?”
”I was sleeping. It was nighttime. I was still young. I was too young... to remember a lot of things. I don't remember my mother's face, nor my father's voice. I just remember it was hot. And the viciousness of the flames which devoured everything... I remember. I remember it, s.h.i.+on.”
”They burned down... the whole village.”
”They burned it down and killed everyone off. Indiscriminately. They burned down houses with people still in them, and shot those who tried to flee. Can't you just see it? You've already experienced the Hunt. No. 6 has repeated that h.e.l.l many, many times.”
He could see it. He could see vividly the scene of the ma.s.sacre. Even though he himself had been captured in the Hunt, thrown down into darkness, come this far, always by Nezumi's side; even though he had been amongst the abused, in the scene he watched now, s.h.i.+on was on the side that was perpetrating the murder. He was pointing the flamethrower and the fire which spurted out of it at the elderly, children, men and women.
Sweat soaked his skin. He felt ill.
”But you were saved. You suffered burns... but you survived.”
”An old woman―I don't know whether she was my real grandmother. But an old woman took me in her arms, and made a desperate escape. Thanks to her, I was able to survive.”
”Your family, were they―”
”None of them lived.”
He swallowed the spit in his mouth. It was bitter. Very bitter.
”So No. 6 invaded your forest, destroyed it, and went on extending its territory.”
”That's right. It was around where the airport is now. The woods that dot the place are the remnants of the forest. They must've wanted land to make a runway on. A few years after the ma.s.sacre, No. 6's walls stretched out into the form they are today.”
A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. There was still a bitter taste in his mouth.
”There's more,” Nezumi said. ”It's about how I got imprisoned into this underground part of the Correctional Facility.”
”Right―let's hear it.”
Heh. Nezumi laughed without warning. It was a carefree, yet somehow ironic smile, unique to Nezumi only.
”You don't look like you want to. You've gone all pale. Like a sheet.”
”I'll listen. I want to. Nezumi, I want to hear your story until the end. I think I have the obligation... to hear it.”
Nezumi's fingers pinched s.h.i.+on's chin.
”Is that how you really feel?”
”I promised. I said I would never lie to you again. I'll keep the promise. And―if it's possible...”
”If what's possible?”
”I don't want to lie to myself, either.”
”A fine challenge.”
The fingers retreated. A smile graced the face which had fallen sombrely a moment before. There was no more irony or coldness in his face. s.h.i.+on even thought it looked gentle. When he saw that smile, he felt the strength suddenly leave him. He felt dizzy. He felt like the ground had disappeared under his feet, like he was floating in the air. His whole body grew cold.
He was fainting.
”s.h.i.+on?”
”It's nothing.” He spread his feet apart, and supported his crumbling posture.
I'm not gonna fall here. Everything's starting. It's only starting. I have to listen... I have to hear him say the truth. He closed his eyes. Just as he expected, the raging inferno was still swirling behind his eyelids. People rolled about on the ground, burning. He could even hear the bloodcurdling screams and smell the stench of burning flesh.
Am I on the side of the murderers?
Twelve years ago, I was in Chronos. In my comfortable room, I enjoyed sumptuous meals, and slept in a clean bed. Even while Nezumi was being burned and nearly killed, I was given everything, and was living a life I didn't deserve.
Who could say that this wasn't a sin? Even if I was a young child, I was still living in the same world as those who were doing the ma.s.sacring. It's an immovable truth: I was on the side of No. 6, not Nezumi. Could anyone say this wasn't a sin? Could I―and I'm not anyone―I'm no one.
The darkness wavered. Nezumi's figure blurred. All sounds faded away. Then, a pair of arms slid underneath his armpits.
”That's enough. s.h.i.+on, this is as far as I'm gonna go.” Nezumi tightened his grip. The sensation brought s.h.i.+on back to his senses.
”You're―well, I am too―we're both exhausted out of our wits. We've managed to drag ourselves through this gruelling experience, not to mention we were on our toes for the whole time. We're probably both as tired as we can possibly get. It's alright. Rest. Take some time to wind down. If you don't, your heart's gonna give.”
”...I can't... hear any songs.”
”Huh?”
”Even if I start to lose consciousness, I can't hear... songs, like you do...”
”s.h.i.+on.”
”I can't... do it.”
”s.h.i.+on, look at me.”
He s.h.i.+fted his gaze, and looked up at the pair of grey eyes, which were calm and peaceful.
”I told you before. I'm me, and you're you. We can't do the same things. We can't be the same. But we can support each other like this. Both of us. Back there, you supported me, and gave me water. You were probably thirsty as h.e.l.l yourself, but you saved every little drop for me. s.h.i.+on... you were born inside the walls, and I've been living outside of them. That's the reality of it, and we can't help it. No one can change the fact. But when the other is about to fall, we stretch our hand out without even thinking, and try to support him. We can't help it. We give him water. We try to protect him. That's another truth about us.”
”Nezumi...”
”I didn't mean to make you feel guilty. I didn't mean to accuse you of any crime. I―can't even imagine wanting to hurt you. I'm sorry. I should have thought a little more about your situation.”
Something hot pushed at the back of s.h.i.+on's eyes. Even before he could vocalize it, tears streamed down his face.
How embarra.s.sing. How pathetic, to be crying like this.
He clamped his teeth over his lip, and tried to hold the tears that welled up. But sobs managed to push their way through between his clenched teeth.
Don't be kind to me. Don't apologize. I wouldn't have minded if you blamed me, hurt me, accused me of any crime. If you didn't, I would keep taking advantage of it. I would lean on this reality you speak of, and I would keep excusing myself to no end. I'm still that weak.
He couldn't control his emotions. His nerves, which had been on-edge until now, had a hard time bounding back once they gave way. They ignored s.h.i.+on's will as they let the tears fall freely.
”Don't cry.” Nezumi's hand patted his back. ”Don't you cry. You were just a tiny kid. You're not to blame for anything. The guys who should pay for their crime are the adults. The adults who gave birth to that creature and let it grow this large should be the ones to pay the penalty. Isn't that right, Rou?”
”Yes. The crime rests entirely with us.”
”Then what's your personal crime? What have you committed?”
”I created the seed of the ma.s.sacre.”
It was like the air had frozen over. Nezumi's arms trembled softly beneath s.h.i.+on's armpits.
”That ma.s.sacre was not carried out to acquire land for a runway. It was to acquire Elyurias.”
Elyurias. The great sovereign.
Continued in PART B.
Notes
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