And now, the cat had gained pretty playmates.

The cat had by no means had anybody to play with earlier than.

The cat didn’t like the ladies. It didn’t even need to have a look at their faces.

By pure probability, the fox’s playmates got here, and the lonely cat selected them as its playmates.

The cat has already performed one recreation with them.

The cat, not figuring out the best way to play, imitated the fox.

The cat was delighted, joyful, and joyful.

The cat introduced one final plaything, a lady.

The cat, carrying a heavy stomach, thought that this might most likely be its final recreation.

The cat had not the slightest remorse.

The cat’s life had been crammed with regrets, unhappiness, hardship.

The cat had no intention of mourning ever once more.

The cat determined to open a treasured wound for its playmates.

The cat hoped they’d be joyful.

Cats are cats. They aren’t human beings.

The cat didn’t know what it meant to be unhappy.

Nor did it perceive that they weren’t joyful.

The deserted constructing was embellished with flowers.

Lower flowers swayed in entrance of the grey partitions, glistening purple inside moist glass vases. The sixth flooring of the deserted constructing—the identical one I visited in the course of the fox incident—was adorned with oddly vibrant flowers.

Yuri was sitting by the window, spinning her chair round.

There have been two workplace chairs on the ground. The seventh flooring was sealed off. The constructing was scheduled for demolition, however negotiations between the Mayuzumi clan and the family members of the unique proprietor of the constructing had not been going effectively, so it remained as-is.

“The seventh flooring and the homicide scene on the bottom flooring have been sealed off,” Mayuzumi mentioned. “Furthermore, there ought to be guards right here, however they’re gone. I don’t know what you probably did, however one thing this large gained’t final in a single day. What on the earth would you like?”

Yuri stopped spinning. She seemed up on the ceiling. Even I didn’t know why she was doing all this. She was manipulating me utilizing the fox, forcing me to play her video games. However the cat on the heart of all of it didn’t give a transparent cause.

“I simply need to play. That’s all,” she mentioned matter-of-factly.

“That’s what I don’t get. You’re simply copying the fox’s video games. I’ve additionally thought-about the chance that you simply and the fox are the identical. Whether or not you have the benefit of granting individuals’s needs and throwing them into the abyss. But the foundations are lax. Fairly than enjoying a recreation, you appear to simply be having fun with our reactions for no cause.”

The chair creaked once more. Yuri arched her again and seemed up on the ceiling. I watched Mayuzumi carefully, able to summon the infant out of my stomach at any second. There was a silver gleam below her chin. A knife pressed in opposition to her pores and skin. An expressionless man was standing beside her, leaning nearer.

“So who is that this?” Mayuzumi requested.

“One of many fox’s followers apparently,” the cat replied. “He wasn’t within the constructing the day of the incident. I peered on the fox’s recollections and reached out to the individuals I may use, and he got here. Actually useful.”

Yuri smiled. The person didn’t reply. He was merely watching Mayuzumi.

After arriving on the deserted constructing, we went to the sixth flooring at Yuri’s suggestion. Just like the seventh flooring, the sixth flooring was partitioned off. The electrical energy was turned off, so I climbed the steps carrying Mayuzumi.

Instantly upon getting into the ground, a knife was thrust at Mayuzumi. However she didn’t appear to be bothered by it. As I studied her calm demeanor, a query sprang in my thoughts.

Shizuki had gone lacking. However to Mayuzumi, she was nothing greater than a stranger. Whether or not she was useless or alive didn’t matter to her. So why did she agree with Yuri’s suggestion and are available right here?

The chair creaked. Yuri stretched and stood up, shifting with the nimbleness of a cat. She stroked her physique slowly. Delicate fingers caressed her stomach.

Her stomach was even greater than once we have been within the greenhouse.

“Whose youngster are you carrying?” Mayuzumi requested.

I frowned, completely confused. The knowledge we had gathered beforehand didn’t state something about Yuri being pregnant. And I had no thought what that needed to do with something. Mayuzumi’s steely gaze gave me a nasty feeling.

I felt the kid in my stomach stir.

Yuri shot Mayuzumi a shocked look. Her lips lifted right into a glad smile.

“The fox’s,” she mentioned. “Isn’t that why you adopted me all the way in which right here?”

Yuri ran her hand over the hem of her unfastened gown, then took it off, revealing her pale bare physique. She was carrying solely her underwear.

She was skinny, her ribs protruding on her pores and skin, however her stomach was swollen. It seemed bizarre. Slender fingers glided across the bulge.

“How did you conceive the kid of somebody within the spirit world?” Mayuzumi requested. “Having intercourse is not possible.”

“It’s easy. As a result of this was my want. I’m a monster. I need to give delivery to a monster.”

Yuri smiled. She mentioned the identical phrases earlier than. She claimed she was a monster.

My head harm as I watched her. The fox’s youngster. The phrases churned violently in my mind. My thoughts refused to grasp them. I didn’t need to take into consideration what they meant.

She conceived the fox’s youngster. I may solely assume she was mendacity.

However her stomach was truly enlarged.

“We are able to speak about this later. Proper now I need to play. I don’t have a lot time to start with.” She regarded Mayuzumi with unclouded eyes.

Mayuzumi responded silently. Seconds later, she nodded.

Porcelain jaw brushed in opposition to the knife. Pink blood trickled down her throat.

“Very effectively,” she mentioned. “However I’m not fascinated with your video games. Why don’t you and I’ve a chat?”

Mayuzumi pushed the knife away. Ignoring the bewildered man, she strode ahead and sat down within the chair dealing with Yuri.

Yuri nodded. “Good thought. I needed to speak to you too. Certain, let’s chat. Let’s speak about trivial stuff.” She gave me a pleasant look. “Besides you, cutie. I hope you benefit from the present I ready.”

I took a step ahead.

“Ms. Shizuki is ready for you,” she added.

I cursed. I rotated, opened the door, and stepped out onto the staircase touchdown. Two women sat face-to-face behind me.

Simply earlier than the door closed, Yuri mentioned, “There are not any guidelines this time. However there can be a information. I hope you’ve a lot of enjoyable.” Her phrases rang ominously.

I closed the door. The staircase led deeper into the darkness.

It was like descending into the abyss.

Footsteps echoed off the partitions. The hallway, as soon as fused with the spirit world, was chilly. I used my jacket to cowl the sleeping Kotori, so I used to be left solely with a shirt on. My tie was wrapped round my left hand as a first-aid remedy. Fortunately it wasn’t my dominant hand, nevertheless it was nonetheless annoying however.

I crossed my arms and walked on. Mud lined the empty hall. There have been footprints on the ground.

As I continued down the chilly hallway, I heard a music from afar.

I adopted the muffled voice. It was coming from one of many rooms, in an space I had not been within the final time I visited. I grabbed the doorknob. The lock was damaged, however the door opened simply.

It was a convention room. A desk, chairs, and a few form of white board have been left behind. Somebody was sitting on the ground. The music grew to become louder. The rhythm was a large number. It sounded as if the singer was forcing themselves to sing with out figuring out the unique beat.

Who killed Cock Robin? I, mentioned the sparrow.

It smelled thickly of blood.

Within the nook of the room was a plastic trash can. After I seemed into it, I discovered reddish gauze caught to the underside, together with a needle and thread. It appeared to have been used to sew up a wound.

I pulled my eyes away from the ugly sight and turned my consideration to the particular person leaning in opposition to the wall.

The music was reduce brief. She lifted her head.

Cloudy eyes watched me.

“Ah, you’re right here.”

Shizuki smiled weakly. There was no hint of that triumphant expression on her face.

“Thank goodness… I used to be instructed that you’d come… if I simply stored on singing.”

She put her palms in opposition to the wall and rose to her toes. Her legs have been trembling. She seemed completely different from the final time I noticed her.

Her white shirt was stained purple, and blood marred her lengthy black skirt. Her cheeks have been hole, and there have been darkish circles round her eyes. Her left hand was lined with a thick leather-based glove. I couldn’t see inside it.

I studied her entire physique. She had no main exterior accidents. However I used to be interested in her hidden left hand.

“Shizuki-san, what occurred to your hand?” I requested.

Tilting her head barely, she raised her left hand and touched mine. She rested her proper hand on high.

Smiling, she grasped my palm along with her proper hand.

“Let’s go, Odagiri-san.” She began strolling with a spring in her step. “I’m searching for one thing crucial.”

Her sneakers clicked loudly on the ground. She pulled my hand with a wierd gait. She seemed removed from sane. Her once-beautiful darkish hair smelled oily, dotted with dandruff.

“You’re coming with me, proper? I can’t discover it. I simply can’t discover it. The letter mentioned it was right here.”

She dragged me out of the darkish room. Shizuki’s eyes have been staring straight forward. I had no alternative however to observe her. I seemed round to see if there was something left within the room, and my eyes grew large.

Pink phrases have been written on the white board.

Beneath the crooked letters was a drawing of a cat and a dove.

Who killed Cock Robin?

It was most likely written by the cat.

This was the information she was speaking about.

Slam.

The purple letters disappeared from view.

However the scent of blood lingered.