Setting a Plan into Motion

Up until now, the girl had refused to help, at least while she was awake. But as she fell asleep, I knew that an opportunity had finally presented itself.

I began to shuffle over to the bag. It was pitch-black outside, outside of the faint glow coming from the girl’s arm. I had watched the bag’s location long enough to have memorized it, so I knew that if I moved towards it in a straight line, I would reach it. I carefully moved towards the bag, using my view of the girl’s arm to make sure I wasn’t swerving in any direction. And eventually, when I heard the sound of clanking, I knew I had hit the bag.

I rolled around the bag until I knew I was behind it, after which I attempted to push it as the glaring light of the girl’s hand shined in my periphery. It seemed that I only had the strength of a rock, which would not be enough to move a bag that contained five of them. But even with that, a strong enough hit should at least be able to topple the bag over.

I aimed myself towards the bag and leaped towards it. After I hit it, I couldn’t see light in any direction, which told me the bag had not fallen. But I wouldn’t give up. I kept pushing and pushing, rolling faster and faster, until I could suddenly see the light, with the edges of the bag covering my periphery. Amusingly, while I was trying to tip the bag over, I had unknowingly rolled inside of it.

Still, I couldn’t see anything inside the bag itself, so I rolled further into it while looking at the girl’s arm. When something suddenly blocked my view of the arm, I knew that I had found what I was looking for.

I began to push on the rock, hoping it would move, and surely enough, it did. I intended to roll this rock up to the girl’s hand, but first, I decided to explain my plan to the rest of them.

“Ok everyone.” I began to speak. “If you are hearing this, I am going to push you toward that girl’s hand, one by one. Once you make contact with it, you will be able to move and speak again. I will try to help as many of you as I can before morning, but for now, please be patient.”

I began to push the first rock toward the girl’s hand. Unfortunately, the girl was still a dozen meters or so away from the bag, and given how small we were, pushing the rock over to her took a while. But eventually we reached the girl’s hand, which, just like last night, was partially sunk within the ground, which was holding up the hand like netting.

With more light, I looked at the rock again, and I noticed that it did not have a necklace attached to it. I knew that a rock had fallen from its necklace a few days ago, but I wasn’t sure whether it was this rock or a different one.

“Now, I’m going to push you right into her arm. I'll see you on the other side.”

I pushed the pebble down, and it rolled into the girl’s arm. And as soon as it made contact, I could hear a voice coming out of it:

“—dred eighty-four, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred eighty-five, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred eighty-six.”

He continued to count, murmuring to himself, yet remaining motionless.

“Ok, you can come up now.”

But he kept muttering to himself.

“Eighty-eight thousand nine hundred eighty-seven, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred eighty-nine—”

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Eighty-eight thousand nine hundred ninety—”

While still speaking, he began to roll upwards and out of the netting, after which he started to move in a circular motion.

“Eighty-eight thousand nine hundred ninety-one, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred ninety-two, eighty-eight thousand nine hundred ninety-three…”

He started to spiral outward, and it wasn’t long before he fell both out of earshot and out of sight. And I could not tell where he was going. For the time being, I decided to ignore him and instead focus on the others. I looked away from the arm and made my way towards the bag.

Eventually, I reached the bag again and pushed out another rock. And over the next little while, I pushed the rock toward the girl’s hand. When we reached the light, I noticed that this rock was also detached from its pendant.

“Good luck,” I said to the rock before I hit it. The rock rolled down the netting and into the girl’s arm.

“—do that for?” A male voice spoke from the rock, which was also starting to wobble. “What the… I can move. I can move again!”

“Yeah, I know. Now hurry up the slope; there are still others I need to save.”

“Alright…”

I watched as the rock slowly began to crawl up the slope. But it seemed to be more challenging for him than it was for the previous rock.

“Do you need help?” I asked.

“No… It's fine,” he said. “I’ll only take a moment.”

Seeing him struggle to climb the slope, I leaped down, bouncing on the netting as I landed. I quickly rolled behind him and began to push.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Helping you out.”

“But what about you?” he asked.

“Don’t worry, I know another way.”

And soon, I was able to push him over the ledge. I tumbled back down, landing next to the girl’s arm. I rolled closely to the bottom of the slope and jumped, landing beside the other rock.

“Wait a minute,” he asked. “How were you able to do that, and why didn’t you suggest it to me?”

“It takes some practice.”

“How much?” he asked.

I thought back to this morning.

“You don’t want to know.”

“Hmm…”

“I think I’m going to head over to the bag.”
“Wait!” the rock spoke.

“Yes?”

“Let me come with you.”

I thought for a moment.

“Sure, I could use the help.”

We began to make our way back to the bag.

“How are you even able to see out here?” The other rock asked.

“I’m not…”

“Oh. Then how do you know where we’re going?”

“Look behind you.”

“And?”

“As long as that hand is at this angle, we are heading in the right direction.”

“I see.”

“Excuse me,” the rock asked after a bit. “But I was wondering if I could get your name.”

“Oh sure. Ishikawa Kazuki. And you are?”

“Sobue, Sobue Masato.”

There was a pause.

“Thank you, Ishikawa-san,” he said. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“I’m glad I could help, Sobue-san.” I responded.

After a while, we arrived at the bag.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to bring the back over to her?” Sobue suggested, “So we don’t have to go back and forth?”

“I tried that, but I wasn’t strong enough.”

“Maybe I could help?”

“That would be appreciated.”

We both encircled the bag, meeting at the back.

“Ok.” I said. “You push behind on the left; I’ll push behind on the right.”

After we got into our positions, we began to push.

Heave… Ho! I could hear the bag scratching on the earth. It was moving. Still, there was no reason to let up now.

Heave… Ho! Heave… Ho! Heave… Ho!

This went on for an hour or so, until we brought the bag near the ledge, and the light began to shine upon it.
“You don’t feel tired?” Sobue asked.
“I don’t feel anything.”

“Well, then that makes two of us.”

I went into the bag and pushed out the first thing I found, and this time it was a full set. After explaining in front of the pair what I was going to do, I pushed them in the hole, and they slid up to the arm.

“Hello sweeties…” One of them spoke with an older female voice.

“Hi. Are you a necklace or a rock?”
“I’m the necklace.” She responded.

“Ok… Can you get the rock to touch her arm too?”
“Sure thing. Now stay still, little one.”

I watched as the two once again made contact with the girl’s arm.

“It worked, right?”

“Yes!” Both of them responded simultaneously.

“Do you need any help getting up?”

“I think so,” the ‘old woman’ responded.

“Can you move your necklace part?”

“Yes…”

“Ok, then bring the necklace up to me.”

She moved the chain of the necklace beside me. I rolled into the chain of the necklace, turned the other way, and began to roll, tugging on the pair. It wasn’t long before I was able to drag the two up.

“Why thank you, dears,” the ‘old woman’ said. She shook her pendant, and the rock inside fell out.

“Thank you for saving me, mister!” said a voice that sounded like that of a little boy. I was taken aback. I had seen children here before, such as that catgirl, but to think that a child had endured the same suffering as the rest of us was heartbreaking. Perhaps he wasn't really a child and just had a high-pitched voice?

“Excuse me, but how old are you?” I asked.

“Here or home?” The 'child' responded.

“Home…”

“Oh! Ummmm. One, two, three, four. I’m four!” The 'child' answered.

I was horrified, and it seemed the others felt the same way, as silence filled the air. What kind of monster would subject a child to such torture?

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm good," he replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm free now, so I'm happy." This child appeared to be surprisingly optimistic, even after everything he must have gone through.

“You—you're almost the same age as my boys.” Sobue began to speak, with a tremble in his voice. “At least when I last saw them.”

“When was that?” The 'child' asked.

“It must have been years at this point,” Sobue answered. “Ha! I wonder how they’ve been doing without their old man around. Do they even remember me?”

He spoke as if on the brink of tears, and I wasn't sure what exactly I could say to him.

“Can you tell us about them?” The ‘old woman’ asked.

“Sure…”

“The oldest was Yuuki.” He began to explain. “That boy feared absolutely nothing and no one. The youngest was Haruki, and he had the brightest smile I’d ever seen from a boy. They were my pride and joy, back at home.”

“That sounds wonderful,” the ‘old woman’ said.

“When I last saw them, both were about to enter kindergarten. I was so proud of them, but… I never got the chance to tell them that.”

“Don’t worry,” The ‘old woman’ said. “I’m sure you’ll see them again soon.”

“Hopefully not like this,” he chuckled.

And listening to them raised a question: Was there even a way back home? And if so, what would that even be? And would I end up being human again, or would I still be a rock?”

“Did you have anyone back at home?” The ‘old woman’ suddenly asked.

“Are you asking me?”

“Yes, you. Did you have any kids?”

I paused.

“I... I need to get more of the others out of the bag.”

“I’ll do it!” the 'child' exclaimed.

“Wait!” But it was too late.
“Out ya go!” The 'child' hit one of the necklaces, which slid toward the girl's hand.

“I’m free. I’m free! I just need to get this thing out of me!” The necklace shook itself, and the rock inside of it came out and quickly fell underneath the netting.

Everyone went quiet.

“I’m sorry…” The 'child' eventually spoke.

“Be more careful next time.” Sobue responded. “Ok?”

“Ok…”

“Promise?”

“I pwomise…”

As I watched the situation unfold, I looked down at the necklace, which was still standing on the netting.

“Hey, you. Down there.” I called out to the necklace.

“Who, me?” It responded.

“Yes, you. Can you get the guy you just dropped?”

“Why should I?”

“Well, it's your fault he’s stuck down there in the first place.”

“So, why should I care?”

I wasn’t making any progress. I wasn’t sure what to do, but then the ‘old woman’ began to speak.

“Hmmm…” The ‘old woman’ said. “What would happen if we woke her up?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Little one, why don’t you say hello to the—”

“Fine! I’ll do it! Where is he?”

The necklace lowered its chain.

“Oh, I think I see it! There you go; that should do it. And… and… out you go!” The rock was tossed back onto the netting. “Are you happy now?”

“Now place it up to her arm.”

“Do I have to do everything?”

“Little one?” The ‘old woman’ began to say, “Do you—”

“Fine! I’ll do it. Sheesh!”

The necklace placed the rock next to the arm.

“Huhuh…huhu…huhu…” The rock made a sound resembling frantic breathing. “Wha–what is wrong with you, you bastard?”

“A thank you would be nice.”

“Thank you, my ass! Now, can anyone explain to me what the hell was down there?”

“You know as much as we do.” I answered. “Now get up here, both of you. There are still several others in the bag.”

“Fine!” Both of them grumbled as they began to climb up.

I looked at the ‘old woman’.

“Why did you—?”

“You looked like you were having some trouble,” she said. “And I didn’t become a grandmother by being soft.”

After the two arrived, I gave everyone instructions.

“Ok, everyone take something out of the bag.”

“Who went and made you the leader?” the necklace asked.

“Who saved your lives?”

“Point taken,” he grumbled.

There were still three items left inside the bag—two stray necklaces and one full set. And because of the help I now had, we were able to quickly move each of them up to the arm. When we were all done, the group had expanded to nine. This meant that only the bag remained.

“I think I need all your help for this one.”

“Ok.” Sobue responded. “Every rock underneath the bag!”

“Yeah, what he said.”

We all got under the bag, except for the 'child', who stayed with the ‘older woman’. We then oriented it towards the girl.

“Ok.” I announced. “On the count of three, roll forward, and toss the bag to the girl’s arm.”

“One… Two… Three… And roll!”

We all rolled forward at the same time, pushing the bag closer to the ledge.

“Now, when you reach the edge of the slope, stay still.” I explained. “We will catch up in the back.”

Sobue and I kept rolling until we reached the other two rocks. And when this happened, the bag fell down the slope, barely grazing the girl’s hand.

“Freedom!” The bag shouted, using his opening as a giant mouth.

“Shhhh.”

“Sorry…”

But it was too late. The girl began to groan and started to roll, after which the netting quickly began to move.

“Get out,” I said to the bag. “Quick!”

“I know.”

I watched the bag begin to squirm its way towards us as the hole in the ground began to move with the girl’s arm.

“Gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out!” I heard the bag repeat.

The bag began climbing up the slope, using its front to get a grip on the earth. But in the light, I noticed its grip was fraying. There was little time to spare, so I quickly stood on top of it. “What are you doing?” The bag shouted.

“Making sure you don’t lose your grip.”

“Ok then… thank you.”

After the bag got closer, I let go, allowing it to make the jump.

And just as the girl rolled over, the ground closed back. The bag escaped, for the most part. As a small piece of it that got stuck in the ground below.

“Darn it. Hmmm… The bag grunted and groaned, and a tearing sound followed.

“Yes! I’m out!”

I looked at the bag and noticed a new hole where it had been torn.
“Are you ok?” I asked.

“I’m fine; I don’t feel a thing,” he said. “But I don’t think I can hold anything inside me anymore.”

“Will that cause any problems for you?”

“I doubt it,” the bag said.

“Well, I guess that’s good to hear.”

I looked around me. Because the girl had moved, we were no longer in the light, and I could not see anyone.

“And is there anything still inside you?”

“I don’t feel anything, so I guess not.”

“Alright then,” I said. “I think that means we’re finished for the night.”

Knowing that they were all now free was elating. Perhaps this could be the start of something greater, but I suppose only time will tell.

“So, what do we do now?” I heard someone ask.

I thought to myself. I wanted to see if there was anyone else that I could try to save, but unfortunately, it was currently too dark to see anything.

“Enjoy yourselves, I guess.” I responded. “Still, it would be a good idea to do so at a safer distance, just in case.”

“But where?”

“Follow my voice,” someone said.

“Yeah, that works,” I said.

We moved a few meters or so until we reached a spot that was hopefully out of the girl’s earshot. For the rest of the night, the group conversed with each other in the darkness. And as I listened to the symphony of voices, I began to wonder if, maybe, if I had done things differently, I could have been friends with people like them back on earth…

“Is something wrong?” someone asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

“No,” I replied. “I was just thinking about some things.”

“Well, the others were wondering if you wanted to join in and tell a story or two about your old life.”

“I don’t think I have anything interesting to tell.”

“Oh, come on!” He exclaimed. “Everyone has a story to tell, and I’m sure they would love to hear yours.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Absolutely. Plus, we still have plenty of time before morning.”

“Well, if you insist, then I guess I could give it a try.”

“That’s the spirit!” He exclaimed. “Don’t worry, I can catch you up on anything you missed.”

“Ok…”

We made our way over to the rest of the group. Though I couldn’t see a thing, I knew I was completely surrounded. And for the remainder of the night, the only sounds that filled the air were the conversations we had and the stories we told…