The rattling of the chain-link fence had me on edge as we were trespassing on a private area. I had to help Toby squeezing through because his uniform got caught on the fence.
"Ah! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" he complains, as we try to pull him to our side. His clothes got snagged and was ripped a little as he came tumbling towards us.
"Aw, danggit. Now I have to explain to mom why my clothes got torn again.." Toby frowns while inspecting the shredded fabric on his shoulder. I chuckled as I help him up. We both dusted ourselves off before looking behind us. Scott, Eliza, and Christy already had their mouth hung open as we see the huge buildings with domed rooftops in the afternoon glow.
"S-so these are what observatories are... I've never seen one up close.." said Eliza, her face still in shock at seeing the view. Christy giggles and takes Eliza's hand.
"Why don't we see it much closer then?" she teased as she pulls Eliza and runs off ahead.
"Catch up, boys!" she called behind her, both of them already making their way towards the entrance of the facility.
"Better stop sulking and start running, Toby! We're leaving you behind!" I said as me and Scott started sprinting towards the abandoned labs.
"Wait! Ack! I'm coming!" Toby quickly fixed his clothes and slung his bag over his shoulder and chased after us.
We were out of breath as soon as we reached the front doors. Eliza and Christy were already there. Eliza looks like she was about to throw up from all the running while Christy looks as if it was just a morning jog.
"Took you guys long enough." she said, smugly.
"We checked the door and to no surprise, it has chains and a lock. Guess we gotta find another entrance."
"Wait! *huff* *huff* Let us rest first!" pleaded Toby, his hands on his knees while panting like a dog. Scott placed his backpack to the side and unzips it.
"Well, while we're resting, better wear equipment before going in." he said, pulling out masks, gloves, flashlights, and some other stuff.
"I took these from my wardrobe so you better return this after okay?" he pulls out coats and jackets and hands them to the others. I'm already wearing my jacket so I didn't need one.
"You seem to know a lot about preparing for these kind of exploration, Scott." I asked. I watched him check batteries on the flashlights while leaning on the wall.
"It's because my big sister is quite the influencer. She and her friends tend to do a lot of these stuff. They'd explore abandoned places and have fun. I didn't understand her at first but..." he looked at me and smiled. "I'm kinda feeling excited for this one."
"Heyyy!! Guysss!!! I found an entrance on the side!! It's unlocked!" We heard Christy call from the side of the building. We circled around the building and saw Christy standing beside an open door with her hands behind her back smiling at us. "See?"
"Christy! You didn't break anything or forced it open did you?!" said Scott, nervously.
"Meanie. Of course I didn't! It was already unlocked!" replied Christy, pouting. I wore my mask and stepped inside.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I called to them as I head further in. It was rather dusty and dark. We all held flashlights as we continued to explore. Room after room, we saw places with pictures of the skies. We saw rooms with drawing boards with weird things scribbled in it that we couldn't understand. We had fun. It felt like it was just us in the world and I enjoyed every second of it. After exploring for a while, we stumbled upon a large room with overturned tables and a demolished wall overlooking the large grassy planes stretching endlessly in the horizon.
"This base really was built on the edge of the city huh?" I heard Eliza's voice as she stood next to me. Her arms wrapping around herself as if she's cold.
"It makes sense. There's a lot less light here so you can really see the sky." I replied, looking up.
"The sky huh.." Eliza looked up as well. The orange hues of the afternoon blending perfectly with the dark shades of the night slowly seeping in.
"I've... been interested in it recently. There's this old man. Mr. Shan. He asked me if there's anything beyond the skies. I didn't know what to say. But... It also made me wonder." I lowered my head in deep thought. My mind ran on and on.
"Hey! Do you think we can spot Drakais from here? It's an open plain there!" Toby interrupted my train of thought as the others begin to enjoy the view as well.
"There won't be any Drakai here idiot! We're in the city!" replied Scott. "But we're on the edge of the city!"
"Alright then, let's have a contest on who can spot one first then!" chimed in Christy. The three were bickering and I couldn't help but laugh and enjoy this moment. To my surprise, Eliza grabbed my hand and took off her mask.
"Happy Birthday, Hikori.." she said, looking at me with a warm smile. The rays of the sun hitting her skin making her glow. My heart skipped a beat as I struggle to form a sentence.
"E-Eliza... Thank you.." I replied, feeling my face heat up. She soon realized what she was doing as well and immediately retracted. Covering her face with her hands.
I rubbed the back of my neck and chuckled, I listened to their laughter as Toby is getting teased by Christy again. I felt something building up in my nether regions. 'Crap, I feel like a need to find a place to release'. I walked past Scott and made my way towards the door to outside.
"Hikori? Where are you going?" asked Eliza.
"I'm just.. gonna take a leak." replied Hikori.
Eliza looked like she was about to say something until Christy interrupted her.
"Eliza, don't be such a bore! Come join us!" she started pestering Eliza more.
He turned the knob and stepped outside. 'Restrooms. Got to find a restroom..' he thought to himself, turning on the flashlight. He walked along the corridor, looking for signs leading towards the restroom. He eventually found a broken sign pointing towards the restroom and followed it.
Hikori took his time in the restroom, feeling relieved afterwards. He stepped outside and was about to make his way back to his friends until something caught his attention. The observatory was nearby.
'To be honest.. I want to see what the sky would look like just by myself...' he bit his lower lip as he thought hard. In the end, he decided to go by himself. 'Just this once.. Just a quick one. I'll bring them here after.'
He took a flight of stairs upwards, following the signs while beginning to jog from the thrill and excitement. He saw the door at the far end, slightly open with the light leaking from it. His breath quickens as he bursts through the door.
The room was large. It has a domed roof that's split open slightly. It was the top of the observatory. The stars in the night sky is already beginning to become visible. He takes a deep breath and looks at the heavens. It was beautiful. He can feel the cold breeze of the wind brush over him and the soft afterglow of the sun.
BANG!
A loud noise filled the area as his ears rung from the sound. His eyes immediately went wide and his body froze in fear. 'What... What was that.. That was...' His muscles tensed as his eyes slowly drops to the room and scans the area. His heart immediately dropped when he saw a man on the other side of the observatory.
"God damn it... I.. I'm still alive..." came from a voice in the room. It was Mr. Shan sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall. He had a gun on his right hand and blood gushing from his head. There was a hole on the area near his right ear and another hole just above his left eyebrow. The blood was too much that Hikori froze on his spot. He gagged as he felt like he was about to puke from the sight. He ran to the side and threw up.
"Bakers?... Is that... you?... Why are you.. here?" he called out to Hikori. His voice weak. His bloody eyes scanned the room till it landed on Hikori.
"Mr. Shan... Why... Why did you do this?" Hikori cried out. Wiping his mouth as tears flow from his own eyes.
"You're.. You're bleeding out too much, Mr. Shan.."
Mr. Shan looks at his hand, blood smeared all over it. The light on his face slowly fading. His breath ragged and labored.
"The people I owed money to came yesterday.. I didn't have enough to pay... They took everything. Including my daughter's ashes.. I tried to fight for it.. And while doing so.. They broke it..." he explained between breathes. A streak of tear dropped from his eye.
"I'm.. slowly forgetting her, Bakers... That was the only thing that made me remember her.." he started coughing out blood.
Hikori rushed to his side crying.
"Mr. Shan. Please keep it together. Your daughter.. She's.." Hikori tries to find the words to say but the sight of Mr. Shan bleeding out in front him makes his mind blank. His heart tightens. This man was the only one he talked to about his mother. Because deep down, he knows he understands. Mr. Shan looks at Hikori with eyes slowly going cold.
"You're the one who made me feel as if she was still here, Bakers.. I didn't ever want you to see me like this..." Mr. Shan looked up and sighs deeply. "People say that heaven is what lies beyond the skies. I wonder what the world is like there.."
Hikori sniffles and sobs.
"Mr. Shan.. Please call me.. Hikori... That's.. That's my real name.. I want you to call me Hikori.."
He wipes his tears and turned his head to look at the old man.
"Mr. Shan..?" he noticed his eyes were already lifeless. His body lay motionless while looking at the sky. Hikori wailed more, witnessing Mr. Shan's lifeless body in front of him.
After a while, he noticed Mr. Shan's left hand. It was clutching something. It was the same locket yesterday. It was now open. Inside, there was nothing but a white wood piece. Hikori sniffles and slowly reaches out to take it.
As soon as he did, everything went dark. It felt like he was falling. He flails his arms around. He felt himself drop into deep cold waters, he now felt like he was swimming. Drowning. He opens his eyes and in front of him, he sees Mr. Shan. He was holding his hand. 'Mr. Shan?! Mr. Shan!' He tried to call out, only realizing he's only thinking to himself. He grips his hand tighter. Mr. Shan's eyes flew open. He took a look at Hikori and immediately, his eyes turn into panic. "It wants you... It wants you! Unhand me now, boy! Before it's-" he begins to speak. Although his voice keeps getting more distant.. More muffled. Hikori gave him a confused look as visions begin flashing in his mind. His mother in the hospital. His father leaving him. An image of Akio, and Haru. And eventually, he saw himself. Lying down on a pool of black waters.
'Why.. Why am I seeing myself..' He approached the body. He carefully looked at his own self and noticed something off. His eyes widen and gasped. Suddenly, he was sitting on the back of an ambulance with a towel draped over him. An EMT was checking up on him if he was alright.
'What did I dream about again?' I struggled to remember. 'We were... exploring.. Eliza! Toby! The others! Are they safe?' Memories slowly begin to flood back to me. My face dropped once more as I remembered Mr. Shan. I hugged my legs and lowered my head.
"It seemed that they were exploring this old abandoned sight when there was a simulataneous suicide event.... Yes, it has been confirmed it was a suicide incident. Poor kids having to see something like that. Quite unfortunate really." The EMTs were talking amongst each other.
I began to tear up once more as I know I won't be seeing Mr. Shan anymore. While looking down, I noticed I was wearing the locket that belonged to Mr. Shan. I clutched the locket tightly and wept.
I sat there in the sofa of their apartment, clutching the locket closely to my chest. The woman was talking with the police officer on the door.