Echoed Scream

Why now? I thought to myself.

My fear of crabs had never bothered me. I purposefully never went to the sea or ocean. People at my school wouldn’t even tease me because I never told them about it. Crabs aren’t like spiders; they don’t appear at any given moment. I never had a reason to unwillingly reveal my fear.

Another thud pierced the air behind me. This time, however, it was much softer.

I could hear someone’s feet readjusting, and that’s when I knew it was Izumi. She must have miraculously leaped from the giant crab and repositioned herself next to us.

Just from hearing that I knew that it was happening again. I knew that Ren and Izumi looked poised, full of courage and craving to fight. Ren’s grin of desperation said it all.

“Izumi, you hold that one off while Taro and I crush this one. Once we are done, we’ll come and help you. Got it?” Ren gleefully bellowed as his teeth grit with excitement.

“I’ll do whatever it takes, Khrom,” Izumi responded boldly.

“Hey, Taro. Do you feel it as much as I can?”

I wanted to respond. I couldn’t.

“It may look all big and tough, but it won’t be able to handle our combined strengths. Hey Taro, you ready?”

Words stumbled in my head, and my silence was taken by Ren as a resounding yes. He started counting down for us as my heart started speeding up.

“Three…”

My breathing dramatically intensified as the crab drove itself towards us.

“Two…”

I didn’t want to do it. I couldn’t even keep my eyes on the creature.

“One…”

It was now or never. I had to do what I promised Ren I would.

“Now!”

Ren charged forwards. I didn’t move at all.

My legs quivered and my teeth jittered harshly against each other. In an instant, I was on the floor, curled up into a ball as my knees pressed against my chest. I don’t even remember blinking at all.

In the course of my shaking, I could hear the squelching blows from Ren and Izumi, as well as the distorted cries of the crabs they were fighting.

I screamed too.

The noise and presence of the crabs became too much for me. I didn’t stop. I don’t know how long I cried for, but every moment made my throat feel raw and close to giving out.

What stuck with me the most was the way I screamed; how I must’ve sounded like Junpei in that moment.

The exact tone, screech, cry in my voice still sometimes reverberates in my head.

If I felt that terrified, with Izumi and Ren right there to help me, what must Junpei have felt? Alone. Cornered. Hopeless.

The thought carved something hollow in my chest. I couldn’t stop picturing it – his face, the fear, the way he probably sounded far more desperate and terrified than I did. He couldn’t do anything. He actually had something to fear.

Me? I was wailing like a child over crabs. Not only that, but I had protection. I had time. I had everything he didn’t.

What kind of weakling screams like that and still gets to live? How can someone who quits whenever they are needed be called brave?

What kind of brother can’t change when his brother needs him most?

It didn’t matter that I was smart at school. It didn’t matter that I rarely got into trouble or was considered ‘one of the good kids’. None of that mattered right now.

In this jungle…against these creatures…I was completely useless.

Izumi suddenly shouted with an urgent tone. “Sabar, look out!”

I could hear a clattering pounding creeping towards me at a rapid pace. The crab's legs clicked across the floor as the ground told me it was edging closer and closer. It must've seen my body wincing on the ground and mistaken…no, it knew I was its helpless prey.

Perhaps this will give me the courage to fight back, I thought. To fight this extreme terror that was burning inside of me, perhaps my body would finally do something. After finding a way to my knees and watching it storm towards me, I realised none of that was going to happen.

My body refused to move again. Just like last time.

I lost control of myself, and watched the crab’s gaping mouth open with a bloodthirsty intent. Its sharp teeth glistened with hunger, each one promising a pain I couldn’t escape.

That’s funny. I thought crabs didn’t have teeth. Though I was horrified by them, I still had some basic knowledge about crabs.

I guess I forgot that, in this place, nothing makes sense.

That fact was confirmed when, right after the darkness of its mouth consumed me, I awoke immediately, completely unharmed.

CLAPPPPPPP!

An insurmountable amount of dust instantaneously jumped into the air and engulfed the surrounding area as a crackling wind smashed past me.

To my amazement, the crab hadn’t eaten me. No. I could see it in pieces far away from me, its body splattered to bloody bits.

Though I didn’t see it, I knew what had happened. That thunderous clap wasn’t just a stroke of luck. Nor had I done it myself. There was only one person who could’ve caused it.

That…was Ren.

As the dust slowly subsided, my eyes frantically paced around, searching for Ren. I knew he was still alive, but I couldn’t guess what state his body had come to.

He must’ve already defeated the other crab if he was able to save me in time.

“Ren! Ren!” I yelled as I crawled around looking for him. My legs still hadn’t recovered, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

It wasn’t long before I caught a glimpse of him. I scurried over as quickly as I could. I could see him sitting on his knees, shoulders hunched forwards.

As I got closer, I continued to shout, expecting to see a grin of pleasure across his face. That was not the case.

Instead, his face was laced with sorrow and dejection.

I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he answered my question before I had the chance to say anything as he muttered softly.

“See—See I—I could have saved him. If—If I had just stayed with him. I just proved it, didn’t I? It doesn’t matter if this is just a game…it doesn’t matter that I have superpowers. Back then, it wouldn’t have mattered. I would have done everything to save him”.

Ren didn’t seem to have any noticeable injuries. He wasn’t scratched. Nor had he been bitten. There were no wounds. There was no blood, either.

But I could tell he was deeply hurt.