10 Years Ago (Part 7)

Hide the body, let no one find out

“Guys he’s… dead…” I told them.

I watched as their eyes widened, I placed my hands on my knees and pushed them to stand up straighter, my knees felt weirdly weak and jelly-like as I stood.

Sora’s eyes were still wide open and his neck was at a weird angle, he probably broke his neck as he made contact with the step, I felt sick to my stomach as the others might’ve. There was an ominous silence for a few seconds before Emi finally spoke up.

“W-what do you mean he’s dead?” Emi asked.

“Are you sure?” Daisuke asked.

“Do you see him moving? Or breathing for that matter?” I asked, clearly annoyed.

“Anyone knows CPR?” Emi asked.

“I do, but I don’t think there’s any point,” I tell her.

“Why not? Maybe you can bring him back.” Her voice quivered as it did whenever she was on the verge of tears.

“Look at the angle his neck is placed, Emi. He’s broken his neck which obviously killed him,” Daisuke crouched down to inspect the body before standing up again.

“We killed him?” Kazuki finally spoke up

“We didn’t kill him! It was a bloody accident.” Daisuke spoke up again.

“You’re right, so we should call the police,” I say taking my phone out.

“Are you mad, woman?” Daisuke swiped my phone from my hand.

I looked at him confused, it was an accident and I’m sure the police will understand, why is he stopping me?

“We are NOT calling the police.” He states firmly.

“Why the bloody hell not?” Emi asks.

“Do you really think the police will believe us? They’re obviously going to think that we killed him!”

“Look we have each other as witnesses doesn’t that count?” Kazuki asked.

Daisuke shook his head.

“I am NOT going to prison! I have a reputation” he told us.

“A reputation?” I laughed.

Having heard enough of his crap I grabbed his collar.

“Fuck you and your reputation!” I seethed.

“Reiko.” Emi looked at me surprised.

“Give me back my phone, Daisuke. It’s the right thing to do,” I put my hand out for him to give me my phone back.

“Not a chance,” he says putting my phone in his pocket.

“Look, the police won’t arrest us! And besides, it was an accident, we tried to save him as well, and we could say he attacked us first it was self-defence; Reiko still has the marks around her neck to prove it!” Kazuki tried to make him understand but he was adamant.

“Then what do you propose we do?” I asked.

“Hide the body,” Daisuke shrugged.

“Are you mad?” the three of us asked.

“Don’t you think the police will arrest us when they find out?” Kazuki asked.

“Not if we make the whole thing look like an accident,” Daisuke looked at Sora’s lifeless body.

“Do you hear yourself when you talk?” Emi asked.

The fact that Emi was asking him this question made me re-think my own life choices.

“Just trust me,” Daisuke looked at all of us.

The three of us shared a look and looked back at him.

“Fine. What do you have in mind?” Kazuki spoke up for the rest of us.

“Okay first thing, Kazuki take my car and bring it closer to the library, but make sure no one sees you, once you have give me a ring.” He ordered.

Kazuki nodded and left without another word, I watched as he left before I looked back at Sora’s body, I swear he was staring at me as if it was my fault that he was in this situation, and he might be right. Maybe it was my fault, maybe if I handled the situation differently then he wouldn’t be dead.

“Kazuki’s here” I hear someone interrupt my monologue.

We hear footsteps coming up the library and literally hold our breath, it’s only when I see Kazuki that I can release the air I was holding in.

“You scared us,” I exhale slowly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Did anyone see you?” Daisuke asked.

“No, I don’t think so, besides it’s dark and really cold, so I doubt anyone’s out anyways,” he shrugs.

“Good, now help me lift him,” he says.

“Girls, you go first and tell us if anyone is coming,” Daisuke ordered us.

We nodded and quickly walked ahead of the guys who were carrying Sora, Emi went first and signalled me, I signalled the guys and the four of us quickly walked to the car, well Emi and I quickly walked the guys were struggling a little. Once we got to the car, which thankfully wasn’t parked too far away, Daisuke and Kazuki put Sora in the boot as we all piled in.

“Okay phase one complete, now onto phase two,” Daisuke told us as he got into the driver’s seat.

“Uh, Daisuke, you’re talking as if you’ve done this before,” Emi chuckled, nervously.

“I haven’t.” He stated.

“We know it’s just…”

“Just what?!” he glared at Kazuki who turned his head in defeat.

Without wasting another second Daisuke drove off, once we were out of the school he sped up, “I know what you meant,” he finally spoke up.

“What?” I asked.

“I know what you guys meant, I’m sorry with everything that just took place my migraine is back and it’s just getting the best of me,” he rubbed his temple.

“Want me to drive?” Kazuki asked.

Daisuke shook his head, “No, we’re almost there anyways.”

“Almost where?” Emi asked.

He carried on driving until we got to the ravine. It looked so different at night.

“Kaz, help me with Sora,”

Kazuki nodded and helped Daisuke take Sora out of the boot, Emi and I were on the lookout again, luckily it was empty and no one really was there, but even if they were we weren’t able to see them, it was too dark and we didn’t risk using the torches on our phones either.

“Okay, good now let’s get out of here,” Daisuke told us.

We crammed into the back of Daisuke’s car, the four of us feeling the adrenaline as the air was thick with tension and fear.

We all made sure that nothing was left behind, no lost glasses, or dropped keys, and everybody got everything. - then we walked in a single file back to the car as the first lonely flakes of snow came drifting through the pines.

I was the last to sit in the car and took one last glance back through the saplings that leapt close to the path behind me.

“Come on!” I heard someone say, no idea who, their voice sounded distorted.

Once we were all sitting in the car and started down the road like a family on vacation, with Daisuke driving clench-jawed through the potholes and the rest of us leaning over the seats and talking like children.

Once we were back, Emi and I left while the boys stayed back to park the car, we got to our dorm room and shut the door, Emi went to the bathroom and I could hear her retching.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t get up from my bed, my hands and knees were shaking and I had to focus on my breathing before another panic attack struck, I hadn’t had one in years but I knew I was on the verge of getting one.

Once Emi came out, I passed her a glass of water which she took and drank steadily. She mouthed a small thank you and sat in front of me on my bed, I looked at her and she looked down, I wanted to say something, anything comforting but my mouth left like the desert, it was so dry.

“Do you think this might be a nightmare? Like none of this is true?” Emi asked.

My hands felt heavy as I rubbed my face, “I hope so,” I finally managed to say.

I wished I didn’t say anything though my throat hurt as if I just spent all day crying, a lump was forming in my throat tightening my chest and making it hard to breathe, I didn’t want Emi to see me like that so I got up but almost fell back making Emi hold me up from my waist.

She helped me to the bathroom and I shut the door, I slid down the door and felt like I was trapped in a box, I scrambled up and splashed my face with cold water, which helped a little, I heard a knock on the door which made me jump out of my skin.

“Reiko?” I heard Emi’s voice.

I quickly opened the door to meet her worried face.

“Oh, thank God. I thought you collapsed or something, you’ve been in there for ages and you were as white as a sheet before,” Emi wrapped her arms around me.

I hugged her back before nodding, “I’m okay, don’t worry.”

We both change into something comfortable before walking back to the room, I turned the lights off as we got under the covers, I tried to get some sleep but the only thing that kept coming in front of my eyes was Sora’s face. I heard Emi tossing and turning on her bed too, at least I wasn’t awake alone.

An hour went by and it became very quiet, Emi was obviously asleep when I finally heard her snoring, I closed my eyes hoping to sleep as well when my eyes snapped open when I realised something.

I quickly got out of bed and grabbed my phone and a blanket, wrapping the blanket around me I wore my slippers and left the dorm room, I promptly went back to the library to the place where the fight happened, I stood where I was before and looked at the window and as I imagined the window was open.

I quickly ran down and out to the side of the open window, I looked around but couldn’t see Sora’s phone anywhere, I used the torch on my phone and looked around, luckily I found it in the bushes.

I finally got the phone out and ran back, the snow had picked up and the blanket which was initially keeping me warm no longer was helping, I shivered with both fear and cold as I got back to the room.

Luckily Emi was still asleep as I hid the phone in the desk, I climbed back in bed and felt a little warm, my fingers were still numb and I was worried I lost them to frostbite or I had hypothermia, but I’m sure if that was true then I would be blue…?

On that cheery note, I decided it was time for me to sleep, and luckily I was able to sleep, it wasn’t the best sleep or the most amount of sleep but whatever it was, was enough for the events that were going to take place.