Part 25: Did you kill her?
![](2-gustav1.png)
This is important, I take it.
![](3-duran1.png)
I need to ask you something. Did you...
![](3-duran1.png)
Do you remember Meenya?
![](2-gustav1.png)
...I do.
![](4-duran2.png)
Okay.
![](2-gustav1.png)
Is that it?
Something remarkable must have been on the floor, because Duran fixated on it with pupils wide. His face looked paler than Fana's on one of her off days.
![](2-gustav1.png)
Yumil. What's this about?
![](6-yumil.png)
He wants to know if you-
![](3-duran1.png)
NO. I have to do this myself.
![](2-gustav1.png)
Ask or go, then. I have work to do.
![](4-duran2.png)
...
![](3-duran1.png)
Did you kill her?
![](2-gustav1.png)
What.
![](3-duran1.png)
I...I'm just saying, I saw you leaving their house that night. You didn't notice me, but...
![](3-duran1.png)
N-no, never mind. I shouldn't have said that. I was-
![](8-gustav3.png)
We will discuss this in the back room.
![](2-gustav1.png)
You may go, Yumil. This is between me and Duran.
They took their leave, my lungs ignited, and I realised I'd been holding my breath.
I chastised myself for that. Why get tense? I
knew Gustav didn't do it. Duran was in for the scolding of his life, but at least the matter was settled. My work was...
![](9-avalonL029.png)
...not done. Not done. Oh god. I should have listened.
![](11-yumilsurprise.png)
What are you doing?!
![](2-gustav1.png)
I told you to leave.
![](12-yumil2.png)
Duran, are you alright? What did he say?
He answered in blood and saliva. I grasped his arm, tried to help him stand and he jerked away as though my hands carried lightning. He curled in on himself like a newborn child, biting down on his glove to stifle his pain, still not daring to look at Gustav. At his father.
![](2-gustav1.png)
If you mean to stay then do me a favour. Take him out of my sight.
![](11-yumilsurprise.png)
Oh my god. My god. He's telling the truth, isn't he? You killed them.
![](14-yumilangry.png)
Is that why you did this to him? To shut him up? Were you going to kill him too?
![](2-gustav1.png)
This is none of your business!
![](14-yumilangry.png)
It is now. I want an answer. You're not going to beat
me quiet.
I want an answer.
![](14-yumilangry.png)
Do you know there's a ghost in town? The little girl who died? She somewhere crying her eyes out right now because she thinks nobody cares about her anymore. She doesn't know what she is.
![](14-yumilangry.png)
If you made that happen, you're going to pay. So help me god, you will. Did you do it? Did you?
Did you kill her?
![](14-yumilangry.png)
ANSWER ME!
![](8-gustav3.png)
NO!
![](8-gustav3.png)
How dare you?! How dare either of you?! Those people were my closest friends! I tried to protect them!
![](14-yumilangry.png)
Well you didn't make a good job of it!
![](2-gustav1.png)
...
![](14-yumilangry.png)
Who did it then, if it wasn't you? What were you doing there?
![](2-gustav1.png)
I don't know who. I only know why.
![](2-gustav1.png)
The father was a Kaleilan diplomat, the one negotiating peace with Waisen. And there were those who didn't want that peace.
![](2-gustav1.png)
He sent word, invited me to stay with him, but...
![](6-yumil.png)
...
![](2-gustav1.png)
They were dead when I arrived. If Duran saw me, that's when. If I ran, it was to chase their killers.
![](2-gustav1.png)
I would give anything to have that day again. To save their lives. And now you accuse me of taking them. My own son.
![](2-gustav1.png)
Duran. You are done here. Do not set foot in this hall ever again.
![](2-gustav1.png)
Yumil.
![](16-gustav4.png)
...just get out.
---
![](6-yumil.png)
Tilt your head back.
![](4-duran2.png)
Nnh. Forward.
![](6-yumil.png)
No, you're supposed to tilt it back. Aren't you?
![](4-duran2.png)
Forward. I'd know.
![](6-yumil.png)
Do you think he's telling the truth?
![](6-yumil.png)
You said you were there when it happened, right? Why didn't you see him do it, then? How come you only saw him leave?
![](4-duran2.png)
...I was hiding. I heard the screaming and I just...I ran into the closet and hid.
![](4-duran2.png)
That's me. Son of Gustav the great. Cowering in a closet while some vicious
bastard sticks a knife in a girl's throat. Happy birthday, Meenya.
![](6-yumil.png)
You'd be dead too if you hadn't.
Go on. Say it. Waste your breath.
![](6-yumil.png)
It's not your fault.
![](4-duran2.png)
Any wonder he's not proud of me.
![](6-yumil.png)
Duran-
![](3-duran1.png)
What was all that about a ghost?
![](6-yumil.png)
...
![](12-yumil2.png)
Ever since I got the book, I've been seeing Meenya's ghost around town. And no, I'm not mad. The book just lets me see these things. Nobody else can.
![](6-yumil.png)
She has orange pigtails tied with red ribbons and she's really good at I-Spy. In case you don't believe me.
![](3-duran1.png)
I do
now.
![](6-yumil.png)
Yeah. The problem is, she doesn't know she's a ghost. She doesn't understand why I'm the only one paying attention to her. It's upsetting her a lot.
![](3-duran1.png)
Why don't you tell her?
![](6-yumil.png)
Because I...I don't know.
![](12-yumil2.png)
What if that just makes it worse? Even if she knows, it won't help her. She'll still be lonely.
![](19-yumilsad.png)
She didn't go peacefully either. I don't want to remind her of...whatever it was she went through. If she suffered, if she saw her family die. I don't want her to remember that. She's too young.
![](19-yumilsad.png)
I don't know what to do.
![](3-duran1.png)
Do you know where she is now?
![](6-yumil.png)
I can look for her.
![](3-duran1.png)
Give her this. Say it's from Duran.
![](4-duran2.png)
Even if I can't see her, I still think about her. Every day. Tell her that.
Thankfully, she was easy to find that night. I only had to follow the wailing.
![](11-yumilsurprise.png)
Meenya! Why are you crying? What's wrong?
![](23-meenya2.png)
My brother won't...he wouldn't...he looked
right at me today and I thought he'd...he'd...
![](6-yumil.png)
...
![](23-meenya2.png)
He hates me. Everyone hates me.
![](6-yumil.png)
Don't be silly. Nobody hates you.
![](23-meenya2.png)
They do! They do,
they do! It's been so long now and nobody's said
anything to me except you!
![](24-meenya4.png)
Can't you use your book?
![](6-yumil.png)
For what?
![](24-meenya4.png)
To make someone talk to me. I don't care who it is. I just want...I just...
Words gave way to more tears. On any other day I'd have remained stoic, but that night, I wanted nothing more than to join her.
![](19-yumilsad.png)
Meenya, the book can't-
![](26-mielihappy.png)
Hello!
![](24-meenya4.png)
...hello?
![](27-mieli.png)
Your name wouldn't happen to be Meenya, would it?
![](24-meenya4.png)
Yeah. How'd you know?
![](26-mielihappy.png)
Are you kidding? Everyone in town talks about you. I had to see if you were as smart and well-behaved as people say you are.
![](28-mieliangry.png)
I think there's someone else who wanted to meet you as well!
![](29-rempo.png)
...
![](30-rempodown.png)
Uh. Heya.
![](24-meenya4.png)
You're the boy from before. The one who was hiding.
![](30-rempodown.png)
Yeah, I was...I was being stupid. Sorry.
![](31-meenya1.png)
No, it's okay. It's okay to be shy.
![](32-meenya3.png)
Are you his mummy?
![](27-mieli.png)
Yes.
![](29-rempo.png)
No.
Yes.
![](29-rempo.png)
Yes.
![](27-mieli.png)
I'm Mieli, and this is my son Rempo. It's-
![](33-neaki.png)
(Hello, noisy larva.)
![](27-mieli.png)
...and this is Neaki. It's lovely to meet you.
Thank you.
![](35-neaki2.png)
(Blah.)