Part 85: Sara Good End - Part 1

Video: Kid/Sara – Bonds

Track—Kopfsprung



I didn't know why but I was sure of it. She was probably somewhere in Zweite Stock...I knew it might be a meaningless hunch. But maybe it was our sibling bond talking to me. Sara and I had the same blood in our veins. That was my thinking. It was probably my imagination, but it was all I had to bet on.



Without hesitating, I threw myself in. The water flowed unpredictably, with whirlpools forming here and there. I endured the pain in my right arm and swam desperately.

First I looked in the Security Office. There was no source of heat that looked like Sara. From there I made for the warehouse, but Sara wasn't there. I checked the merry-go-round, but she wasn't there either. Ahead of me was the elevator hall. Again, no Sara.

I swam back up the corridor. Water had completely covered the entrance to the infirmary. I took a breath and dove under water. I put my hand on the door and peered inside. And there...

[Music—Stop]



Sara's body heat made her stand out brightly against the cool, surrounding darkness. I went into the infirmary and floated to the surface. Sara looked surprised when I broke through to the surface.


"Kid...I mean brother."


"Sara....you're alright."


"Why are you...?"


"I promised, didn't I? I told you that I come find you, didn't I?"





The squeaking and screeching of metal on metal also died down. It seemed that the flooding had stopped.

Track—Der Mond Das Meer



It was kind of like a cup flipped upside down filled mostly with water. Sara and I were floating there.


"It looks like things have quieted down a bit..."

I looked at Sara. In the darkness, the only thing throwing off a gentle aura of light was Sara.


"Sara, you alright?"


"Yeah. I'm okay...just...a little cold."

Sara forced a smile for me.


"Sara...why did you come back? All you had to do was go a little more and you would have been safe..."


"Uh...I...Do you promise you won't get mad?"


"Mad? Why would I get mad?"


"Well..."


"Just tell me."






"This..."

Sara lifted her right hand. Pinched between her fingers was the shard of the mirror from my finger.


"Hey...it's that piece of the mirror."


"Yeah. I realized when we were running that this had been left here."


"So you came back for something like this!?"


"It's not just anything! This was something that you fought so hard to protect!"


"Sara...But this isn't something worth risking your life to come back for! You had the pendant anyway!"


"You're right...I'm sorry. I got you involved in all of this..."


"I chose to turn back. You can't blame yourself for that."


"No, I'm sorry..."

After that, Sara didn't speak for a while.


"Sara?"




"Huh?"


"I was scared...to go outside..."


"Scared? Of what...?"


"I thought that once I got outside, everything would return to like it was...And once I thought about that I couldn't move anymore..."


"Like it was? What are you talking about...?"


"I thought that Leiblich would start controlling us again. And all my freedom would be taken away...When I thought that I'd never be free again, I was paralyzed."


"Paralyzed...?"


"Ever since we've been trapped in LeMU...everyone has been trying to escape, but..."




"Nobody was looking over me, and I've been able to decide things for myself...When I thought about that, I was so happy."


"Ever since I entered Leiblich's research institute, I haven't felt free even once..."

Sara's words left me stunned.








"When all of this started I thought this accident was just some kind of test of my abilities or something...And when I found out that Sora was RSD-generated, I suspected that she was here to observe me...But since Nakkyu was here...I realized that it was probably just an accident...And it made me happy...Until now, everywhere I've gone, there's been someone watching me...Even in high school, or when I went out around town. It was pointless trying to escape...the only place I had to go back to was the research lab. And back at the lab the only thing waiting for me was more experiments and tests...I've never had an ounce of freedom. I suppose that's why I was happy about the accident..."




"But I'd never had freedom like this..."


"Sara..."

[Music—Stop]



Sara's each and every word made my heart ache. I knew that wasn't Sara's intention. But it felt like every word of hers was a confession to me.

Of course, I had been under surveillance as well, but it had been nowhere near as strict. As long as I didn't do anything out of the ordinary it was like there was no one there. The whole time I had been living carefree.

But Sara had...been under Leiblich's careful watch the whole time, their guinea pig. Why hadn't I gone to help Sara earlier...I promised that I would...but I hadn't...Of course, I had tried. But everything I did was blocked by Leiblich's far-reaching influence.

Still, I knew there could be no excuses. Why hadn't I tried harder? Why...?


"Brother...?"



I had been daydreaming in my own world.




"For what..."


"Because...you came..."


"No! I left you there by yourself. I didn't...come for you."


"Yes you did. And I want to thank you..."

Sara said this and smiled. The smile also seemed tinged with resignation.


"I don't care anymore...It's okay to die here..."


"Sara, what are you saying!?"


"I've finally tasted freedom...And I was able to meet you. If it means going back to the life I had before, then I'd rather...Dying here and now would be...better..."


"Up until now...I never even had the freedom to die..."

Her words shocked me into silence. I had had no idea that Sara's life up until now had been so hard. But...


"No, Sara."

Track—Heilmittel




"Don't talk like that! We're going to live! No matter what!"

I wasn't about to let Sara die here! There was absolutely no way that I would let Sara die.


"If you die here, then it means you've lost to THEM! You're going to live! Survive! No matter what!"

It was my responsibility to help Sara live.


"Sara, let's go."

I said -




"To the ocean surface."


"How?"


"We'll swim."


"It's impossible. The pressure will..."


"We'll be okay. The air pressure here's been compressed by the water pressure. We're at about 4.5 atmospheres here. Even if we go out into the ocean from here, our lungs will be okay."




"We don't know that help will come for us. And even if it does, it might be too late...Besides, it is too dangerous for us to stay here. Listen, Sara? We're breathing at 4.5 atmospheres. If we stay here we are in danger of oxygen poisoning or nitrogen narcosis. And we have no idea how long LeMU will hold. If LeMU collapses then we'll get dragged down with it...It's too dangerous to stay here."


"........."


"........."




"What?"


"You know I can't swim, right?"


"You'll be okay. You're kind of swimming right now, aren't you? You'll just have to remember the lessons I gave you."


"But...it isn't the same. I'm just floating, right now. It's different than swimming in the ocean!"


"Sara, you'll be okay! Don't worry! I'll lead you. I'll pull you all the way."




"We can do it. Believe in your brother. I came here...I came to help you, Sara!"


"Brother..."


"Sara, believe in me."

Sara clasped the pendant she was wearing around her neck.


"Let's go, Sara!"





We moved from air pocket to air pocket looking desperately for a place where the wall had collapsed in. When we finally found a tear big enough for us to squeeze through, we doubled back to the nearest air pocket. We took a number of short breaths to boost the oxygen level in our blood. And finally taking a big breath, I grabbed onto Sara's hand and led her through the hole and into the ocean.



Soon I saw a faint light in the water above. I held Sara under my arm and headed for that light. I desperately thrashed my legs and swam with my broken arm. The water pressure was slowly pushing the air from my lungs. Sara's face was twisted in pain. I was in agony. Still, I swam, struggling to pull Sara toward the light. I kept kicking, believing that if I could make it to the source of the light then everything would be okay. Even if all of the oxygen were squeezed out of my lungs, I was not about to let Sara die here. That thought kept me moving.



Sara's arms squeezed me in desperation. Hoping to give Sara courage, I gripped her tighter with my left arm. As if in response, Sara gave me a smile and started trying to swim upward. I matched her movements, swimming desperately.

Come Sara...



I was never going to let Sara go again. I was never going to leave my precious sister behind again.

Never again...

Sara...