“There might be people still alive in here… they might need our help,” you suggest nervously. “I also can’t shake the feeling that there’s something we’ve missed…”
Uehara nods her head, agreeing with you. “Shinoseki-san is right. Those are my reasons too, and I think given the circumstances, they are as good as any.”
“It’s not like we know for sure the outside is any better,” muses Sakimura.
“True. The open invitation to leave is just too convenient…” says Maeda thoughtfully. “Shinichi, there is still something we can do here. We will be staying with them.”
Taketatsu’s face scrunches up in a mix of anger and disbelief when he hears Maeda’s words. “Is that how it is going to be, then?”
Maeda seems taken aback by the venomous tone in his voice, her strong façade faltering for once. “Shinichi, I-“
“No, don’t bother explaining it to me,” Taketatsu’s voice is frigid, dismissing Maeda’s concerns. “I am no longer in the mood to entertain your spoilt whims… I would not even be here today if you didn’t insist on being a busybody about my work. There is no more we. Continue playing at being friends, at pretending to help, at poking your nose into everything, if you want to. You suicidal fools can stay here and rot. I am not so eager to cast away a chance at survival.” Spinning on his heel, he turns around and strides purposefully towards the main doors.
“Kou, are we really going to stay here?” asks Okuyama worriedly. “I… I can’t stand being in this place anymore, with all the blood and death…”
Tokigawa frowns, looking at Taketatsu’s receding back and then at the rest of your group. He sighs, coming to a decision. “Alright, let’s do it this way. You have my number, right? Mori-san?”
Mori nods silently. Everyone here has their cellphones, but they have not been working since the night began.
“We’ll go along with Taketatsu-san and try to find a way out. Hopefully something changes and we’ll be able to call you once we’re outside. If we don’t… well… assume the worst. At least you’ll know not to go out this way,” explains Tokigawa.
“Are you sure about this?” Mori looks at him grimly.
“There is no choice. Sooner or later we will probably have to venture outside anyway. It’s better if we do it in an organized manner.” Tokigawa chuckles half-heartedly.
“Kou…” Okuyama clings onto his arm, an apologetic look on her face.
“It’s alright, Midori. We’ll be fine. I was just elucidating the worst case scenario.” Tokigawa puts on a brave smile and bows. “Farewell, everyone. With any luck, we will meet again soon.” Turning around, he and Okuyama chase after Taketatsu. They cross the threshold of the lobby, exiting the hospital building, and soon vanish into the darkness.
“No screaming yet,” you mutter to yourself after a few seconds have passed. “That is a good sign.”
“Shinoseki… you are a very creepy person, do you know that?” Maeda seems to have overheard you, and is frowning, her hands on her hips.
“Well,” sighs Mori. “Shinoseki does have a point there. What shall we do next? First, we should move away from this place,” - he casts a disgusted look at the bloody altar - “and discuss our next course of action.”
“The cafeteria would be a good spot,” suggests Sakimura.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” teases Uehara.
Sakimura blushes. “Oh, shut up.”
“That seems as good a place as any for the moment,” nods Mori. “Let’s go.”
***
The cafeteria is well-lit and appears to be untouched by the chaos. It is as quiet as the rest of the hospital, but whereas the silence there felt weighty and oppressive, here it is almost peaceful. It looks more akin to a five-star restaurant than a hospital cafeteria, and if the pamphlet’s claims are correct, that is exactly what it is. Your eyes are drawn to two cups laid out on one of the tables: it looks like someone has been here recently – perhaps Sakaki and the others, as he had mentioned the restaurant before you parted ways.
“We should gather some provisions before we venture into the rest of the hospital,” Mori calls out. “There is no telling when we can return here.”
The rest of the group fan out. You browse the shelves at the back of the hall, picking out a few wrapped sandwiches. A door at the back of the restaurant leads to the kitchen – you turn the knob, but find that it is locked. No luck there, you think. As your gaze darts around the place, you notice a few items lying around that might be of ‘use’.
***
02:15
A. You take the small but priceless Ming vase at the counter.
B. You take the set of pricey silver cutlery – spoon, fork and knife – wrapped in silk.
C. You take the expensive porcelain mug decorated garishly with the hospital’s logo.
D. You take the bottle of alcohol and the automatic lighter used for flambé cuisine.
E. You take nothing. You don’t want to weigh yourself down more than you already are.
***
You find that you have finished collecting what you want faster than the others. Looking around the room, you wonder if you should try and talk to them…
A. You approach Mori. The man has a gun – from its model, you think that he is quite likely a detective. If he is investigating a case here, or if he knows anything at all about what might be going on, you want to know about that.
B. You approach Maeda. She still seems to be slightly upset about Taketatsu leaving, but his parting words have made you suspicious. You want to find out what he meant by that, and why the two of them were here in the first place.
C. You approach Uehara. Something about that girl seems strange to you – you are starting to get a feeling that she might know more than she lets on. Of course, you cannot be certain if that hunch of yours is correct… so you will have to ask.
D. You approach Sakimura. He still seems to distrust you; you think the two of you should hash out your differences to avoid any future misunderstanding. You also mean to ask him about Uehara and what he knows of her.
E. You approach no one. Best to keep to yourself – your hand is still throbbing and you are in no mood for social interaction. You should probably save your energy for something more worthwhile.
