Part 77: You Bad End - End
Video: Kid/You - Shehaqim IShehaqim is also referred to as "Third Heaven."
Since that time, we hadn't slept at all. I was starting to feel badly again. A headache, dizziness, nausea and coldness felt like they were seeping from deep in the core of my body. I suffered from a wave of dull pain and extreme fatigue...I was only half-conscious. Exhaustion...I had reached my limit. But I tried to keep my energy from being sapped away. Surrounded by darkness...and endless fear, we had fought our way this far... And there was no sign that things were going to get better. Communication lines with the outside were still down. And... We had yet to find a clue that might lead to escape.
Slowly You started to get ill, too. Her face was pale. Her breathing was heavy. Beads of sweat stood out on her forehead. She seemed to have a terrible fever. I was not the only one suffering mentally and physically. There had been signs from the day before. But we couldn't do anything about it. The infirmary was already underwater. We could only endure the passing of time.
.........
Track—Traum In Der Dunkelheit
(Is this the end...? Is giving up the only choice...?)
I looked up, helplessly. The ceiling was crusty with cigarette smoke. I couldn't see anything else.
(I am going to die... There's nothing I can do, just die...)
That was my conclusion.
Ha ha... Ha ha ha... Aha ha ha ha ha.
I knew then exactly how much strength I had left. I felt utterly...hopeless. Useless. Incompetent. Yes, I would die. And I was fine with that. I didn't care.
Without a memory, I thought I had been the equivalent of dead to start with.... Nothing changes. I had nothing to lose. It was already decided. I remembered what Tsugumi had told me that... I would die in seven days. Her prediction was true...
(I don't care...this is the way it should be...)
I relaxed and looked down. And I saw... You. She slumped back into a chair and her breathing looked labored.
You... Yes...if I didn't do anything, You would die, too. No...I wouldn't let that happen! I don't care if I die, but You...You is... Somehow I had to save her. Because I had promised. Promised....
(How could I...how...)
Then...
[Music—Stop]
The Security Office started shaking violently. The complex screeched. Alarms pierced the air with shrill warnings.
"The partition strength limits...have been exceeded. Flooding has started on each floor. Flooding has begun in Sector 4 of Zweite stock...implosion has begun in Sector 5 on the same floor...in Sector 6..."
Sora reporting the situation in a monotone.
"......"
"...What's wrong? What else?"
"No, I leave it at that...this report now means nothing... Flooding has started in this sector, too...it won't be long until damage will appear here."
"I see......How long do you think this will hold?"
"20 to 25 minutes......But it could implode at any time."
I figured that the Generator Room was probably damaged.
"I couldn't save you two after all... I am......really...truly...sorry... Truly...."
"Don't be.... It's not your fault. I think you did a great job."
"..."
I headed over to be beside You.
"You, this place isn't going to hold...let's go."
You was completely weakened. She looked up powerlessly and nodded slightly.
"....Mmm."
I carried You on my back.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know.... Somewhere where we can gain a little more time. I intend to stake our lives on the possibility that we would be rescued until the very end. I can't think of anything to do other than that... I promised her......that I would protect her no matter what."
"......"
"Where is the safest place left among the floors?"
"That would be the Control Room on Dritte stock, or...... But it is only a matter of a few dozen minutes difference."
"That's enough......"
I was going to leave the room...but I suddenly stopped.
"What are you going to do, Sora?"
"I will not be able to accompany you two anymore. Due to flooding, image broadcasting devices in the complex have been significantly damaged. The places I can appear are limited. But at the very least, I want to guide you two to the Control Room via my audio function."
"Alright. Please do."
"Yes......"
The bulkheads squealed.
"I will guide you.... I will show you the route to the Control Room which is still safe..."
LeMU was still holding. The estimated time of implosion that Sora had predicted should have passed long before. LeMU kept resisting to the end as if Sora was willing it to protect us.
"*Pant*, *pant*, *pant*......"
You gasped, suffering terribly as I carried her on my back.
"Be strong. Be patient. It's just a little further..."
I lied. I was a liar. A little more patience...and then what? There was nothing I could do. So I lied.... I was a big liar!
Video: Kid/You - Shehaqim II
Track—Drittes Auge Nehmen
And again......I saw it. The vision of the little girl....
"...What...what's the matter...?"
She stood across the corridor. Her eyes met mine. And then a name flashed in my mind, as clear as a bell.
"...Coco!"
"Kid, what is the matter?"
Turning on her heels, Coco ran off in the other direction. I chased after her, still carrying You.
"Cocoooo!"
"Kid! Please come back! There is...!"
But the flooding and shaking ground slowed me down. From the beginning it was a crazy, reckless idea - to run after her with You on my back......I lost sight of her.
Where is this...? I thought that maybe she was beyond the door. In that instant I glimpsed something in my head. It was a vague, abstract image. I wasn't sure...but definitely....I felt it. I could see it...That there should be a beam of hope ahead. I lowered You and tried to open the door of Himmel. But the door wouldn't budge.
"Sora! Open this door!"
"It's impossible. That door is out of my jurisdiction."
I pounded on the door.
"I know it...on the other side of this door...! You will be safe in there! Please! Open this door!!!"
[Music—Stop]
Splash!
Water spouted fiercely from the corridor wall. An animal-like growl echoed from faraway. The complex pitched violently. I saw a massive amount of water...flooding down the corridor ahead. It was as if a pitch-black monster were opening its massive mouth to attack. I ran frantically to You. I felt as if I were moving in slow motion...I won't make it! For an instant, time stopped...and then it started again. The water swallowed us in a moment.
She was trying desperately to reach her hand out. I held her hand. You squeezed mine back. You mumbled something. But the words didn't reach me. The words just changed into small bubbles...and vanished in the darkness. You slowly closed her eyes.
(...You? What? What did you say...? Of course I want to know...)
I shook her hand. There was no response.
(That's not fair...... She is teasing me again...)
I touched her cheek. It was cold.
(Cold......Of course...it's because we're in the water......Ha, ha, ha......it's because we are in this cold water...)
I squeezed her hand.
(Hey. I said, hey...... Hey, You, tell me......)
She didn't squeeze my hand back. She didn't move. She didn't tell me anything any more.
(.........It's not true. No, no, no...it's a lie... This can't be true......! It has to be a lie...! This is a lie......!)
I let go the last breath from my lungs. I closed my eyes to avert them from reality.
Track—Karma
"Yeah, I promise."
"And what if......you break it?"
"I won't. I'll see that you're safe."
"For sure? There's not even a 1 percent chance you're wrong?"
"There is not even a 0.00000000000000001 percent possibility."
"......"
"Oh well, I suppose I'll have to trust you."
(I couldn't keep my promise......I couldn't protect her.....I was a liar...... A damn liar!!!)
A light? A ray of light sliced through the plain dark world. The door of Himmel started to open... Beyond the door spread a dazzling white world. Heaven.... Heaven...was it an illusion?
......No, it wasn't. This was reality. This was undoubtedly the truth of my world. I knew that...... If we went to the place... On the other side of the door...... We could meet again. This time I might be able to protect her.
......You.
[Music—Stop]
I......
Quietly......
Opened my eyes.
