About time you realized it.
You’re right, it is about time. But that’s just human nature. You don’t really understand until it happens to you.
That may be so, but that’s still no excuse.
You’re telling me! I need to take a serious look at myself. And I’m going to, soon, going to totally clean up my act. But I had more than enough to worry about right now. My brother had gone out right into the middle of this craziness. As far as I could tell from checking Voice of Heaven, Armageddon was still happening all around the station. Our house is near the Nogawa River, a couple of kilometers away from the station in a ridiculously quiet neighborhood, so there was no reason to think that those idiot kids would bring their riot around here. Still, there was even less reason to assume that the kinds of assholes who fooled around on Voice of Heaven would act logically—if they were logical, why would we be in the middle of an Armageddon now? If they had one ounce of common sense, they wouldn’t be following V of H in the first place. I was worried about my brother going off to join the mayhem, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. He knew what he was getting into and decided to go anyway. Besides, he was a guy and also a fast runner—and I was pretty sure he didn’t like to fight—so he would probably be okay.
Anyway, even if I was worried, it wasn’t like I could go out looking for him. That would have been way too dangerous. Girls were getting raped out there. A lot of the stuff that was posted to V of H was bullshit, but I was pretty sure this was true. I was pretty sure some girl had been gang-raped and left for dead somewhere near Tamagawa Station—I don’t know how I knew, but I just did. It was dark out now, and something really creepy was stirring. The air felt heavy and warm, even though it was almost winter.
Or was I supposed to go out even though I didn’t want to?
No!
Shit! I couldn’t. It was scary out there. I had to stay here. No way I wanted to be chased by those assholes, beaten up, maybe worse. I didn’t want to be in Caged Fury, but right now I was happy enough to stay put in my own little cage. Even if it meant getting in those lady fights with the beefy prison girls or the guards, it was still better than what was waiting out there in Chofu. That was some kind of bad shit. Fuck, it was Armageddon! But in my book they all had it coming—every one of those fuckers out there would die. My poor old peaceful Chofu, where you used to be able to go outside at night. Even to the playground…
Oh!
I suddenly remembered Yoji! Was he okay?
He had walked me home around four o’clock. It was almost seven now. Nearly three hours. He should be home by now. Yoji’s house was just a few minutes from Tsutsujigaoka Station, so he should have just missed Armageddon in Chofu. I was hoping he was spending a quiet evening at home right about now.
But how would I know if I didn’t check?
I picked up my phone and dialed his number. Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiing.
“Hello.”
“Yoji? I’m glad I got you. What are you doing?”
“Not much of anything.”
“Are you home?”
“What?”
“Sorry, I’m not checking up on you. I just wanted to be sure you were okay. Did you hear about the Armageddon in Chofu?”
“Yeah, I heard.”
“So I was worried about you. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay. I’m always okay. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I know, but I’m frightened. This Armageddon stuff is really scaring me.”
“I know what you mean. Where are you now?”
“I’m home.”
“Good, then stay there. It’s just middle school and high school kids. They’ll get worn out soon and head home. I’m sure it’ll all be over by about ten.”
“But I’m all alone!”
“What? Where are you parents?”
“Still at work. My brother was here, but he found out some of his friends were out there and he went to stop them.”
“Playing hero, is he? But are you okay?”
What would you do if I said I wasn’t?
“I’m scared, Yoji.”
“You should call your brother and get him to come home.”
My brother? I’m talking to you, you fool!
“Could you come, Yoji?”
Subtle, Aiko. Way to play it cool.
“I’d like to, but I’m kind of busy at the moment.”
“Busy? Doing what?”
“Oh, you know, this and that.”
“This and that? Until when?”
“Call your brother.”
“He doesn’t answer.” Or he might not if I tried him. “Please come. I’m really scared.”
“I can’t right now.”
“When can you?”
“Not tonight. I can’t go out myself.”
“Why not? Nothing’s happening in Tsutsujigaoka. But it’s a war zone here. You’ve got to come rescue me.”
“I know you, Katsura. I’m sure you’ll be all right.”
Don’t say that. I totally won’t be all right. Who are you to tell me I will?
“I won’t be all right. My brother’s gone and I’m all alone.”
I’d said it so many times now, I was beginning to convince myself. Don’t cry, Aiko. You’re not at your best crying. Shit! Why had I even called him?
“Chofu is really scary,” I went on. “What am I going to do if somebody tries to get in?”
“Don’t let them in.” Duh!
“But what if they force their way in?”
“Then it won’t make any difference whether you’re in Chofu or Tsutsujigaoka or anywhere else.”
“You mean it won’t make any difference if I end up getting gang-raped and left for dead?”
What are you saying! Stop talking like that! You aren’t even making sense. You just called to find out whether Yoji was safe at home. So why were you insisting now that he head straight for all the
