Sukiko stood frozen, staring at Nagomo's blank face as his words echoed in her mind.
Her heart clenched. The boy who had once been so full of life, who had laughed with her just days ago, now seemed like a hollow shell. She knelt beside him, trembling.
"It's me, Sukiko. Don't you remember? We were just playing the other day, remember?
Nagomo, spoke and nodded slowly "Sukiko."
But Nagomo's eyes remained empty, his expression unchanged. He stared at her with a dull hopeless expression.
Before Sukiko could say anything else, Okada returned, her face pale and grim. She took in the scene. There was Sukiko kneeling beside Nagomo, who was still rocking back and forth.
"We don't have time," Okada said quietly but firmly. "Sukiko, step back."
Sukiko wiped her tears and slowly backed away as her mother approached. She placed a gentle hand on Nagomo's shoulder. He flinched but didn't pull away. Okada's face softened for a moment, sorrow evident in her eyes, but she quickly turned to business.
"Sukiko, I need you to stay strong, we're taking Nagomo and Sabuki, but we have to move fast. It's not safe anymore."
Sukiko nodded, though her mind was still spinning from everything that had just happened. She watched as Okada moved swiftly, retrieving a special scroll from her pouch and sealing away Kuromuro's body in a cloud of smoke.
Okada slung Sabuki's limp body over her shoulder, securing her with the utmost care despite her many injuries. Then she turned back to Sukiko and Nagomo. "We have to go. Now."
"But… but where? What about Nagomo?
We'll figure it out later," Okada said, her voice firm but understanding. "Right now, the most important thing is getting out of here."
With one arm supporting Sabuki, Okada gently guided Nagomo up to his feet. He stumbled, still in a daze, but allowed her to lead him. Sukiko stayed close, her heart racing as the reality of the situation hit her harder with each passing second.
They left the house quickly, the smell of blood still lingering in the air. As they stepped outside, Sukiko glanced back one last time at the place where so many memories had been made
Her mind was in turmoil 'Why did this happen? How had things gone so wrong so quickly? Would Sabuki survive? Would they even make it out of the village safely?'
After what felt like hours of tense silence, Okada finally spoke, her voice low and urgent. "We'll head to the nearest safe zone I know, A small cabin that some hunters used in the past."
Sukiko nodded, her legs growing tired but her determination keeping her moving. She glanced at Nagomo, who was still walking silently beside her, his face expressionless.
Tears welled up in her eyes again, but she wiped them away quickly. There was no time for crying now.
After running for what felt like hours, they arrived at the hunting cabin. It stood deep in the forest, barely visible through the thick trees. It was small and worn down
Inside, the cabin wasn't much better. It was a cramped space, with a stone fireplace in one corner that hadn't been used in who knows how long. The wooden floor creaked under every step, and the walls were lined with old, rusty tools and dusty animal pelts from when hunters used the place.
Okada knelt near the fireplace, lighting a small fire. It flickered weakly at first, but eventually grew strong enough to give off a little warmth.
Sukiko sat close to the fire, pulling her knees to her chest, trying to warm herself. Her eyes kept drifting over to Nagomo, who sat slumped against the wall, staring into space. He hadn't said a word since they arrived, hadn't even looked up.
"Nagomo, do you… do you feel okay?"
She got no response out of him.
Okada, still busy with Sabuki, glanced over at Sukiko. "He's been through a lot, Sukiko. Give him time. Right now, we all need to rest."
"Mom, are they going to be, okay?" Sukiko asked, her voice trembling as she looked at Sabuki, who lay on the floor, barely moving.
"I don't know," she admitted "but we've done everything we can for now. We just have to keep moving and hope."
Sukiko stared into the fire, watching the flames dance. The warmth of the fire did little to ease the chill in her bones. She felt so lost, so unsure of what was going to happen next.
The minutes dragged on in silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire and the occasional rustle of wind outside. Sukiko's thoughts were heavy, but exhaustion began to creep in.
Her eyes felt heavy, and despite her worries, she found herself nodding off.