Kenta
He took the baby in his cold hands and pressed the child to the cold bare skin of his chest. The crying resumed louder than ever. The baby was hot, so she felt cold. “You’re cold too.”
> Don’t you miss her?
Kenta played with his younger sibling, Harumi, his abundant black hair tossing the fair-skinned eight-year-old high as she screamed in delight. Her animated hair twinned into his as he swung her in circles, the two of them haloed in a cloud of fluffy black wisps.
Entangled in ropes of black demon flesh, Kenta sank into the dark masses along with the sister he held above the muck with his hair. “Take her!” he shouted to Nes.
Cloth ribbons caught the little girl as Cale wrapped his centipede arm around Nes’ waist and leaped onto the cicada.
“No!” Harumi said, “I’m not leaving him!” Her hair tips knotted to the last strands of her brother’s but ripped as Cale pulled her and Nes to safety. The cicada lifted above the battlefield and sped away as Kenta was swallowed.
> Don’t you miss her?
He took the baby in his cold hands and pressed the child to the cold bare skin of his chest. The crying resumed louder than ever. The baby was hot, so she felt cold. “You’re cold too.”
Entangled in ropes of black demon flesh, Kenta sank into the dark masses along with the sister he held above the muck with his hair. “Take her!” he shouted to Nes.
> Don’t you miss her?
He took the baby in his cold hands and pressed the child to the cold bare skin of his chest. The crying resumed louder than ever. The baby was hot, so she felt cold. “You’re cold too.”
Entangled in ropes of black demon flesh, Kenta sank into the dark masses along with the sister he held above the muck with his hair. “Take her!” he shouted to Nes.
> Isn’t it funny, how everything revolves around this moment?
What?
> If you ask me, this is the pivot point for your little group’s story.
Who are you?
> You’re thinking I’m Moloch. He’s gone. I’m just a fragment. That woman put an end to him… but she died in vain. She sacrificed herself to cut off one head, not seeing the hydra beneath.
>
> We’re all connected.
What did you mean, this moment?
He took the baby in his cold hands and pressed the child to the cold bare skin of his chest. The crying resumed louder than ever. The baby was hot, so she felt cold. “You’re cold too.”
Entangled in ropes of black demon flesh, Kenta sank into the dark masses along with the sister he held above the muck with his hair. “Take her!” he shouted to Nes.
Stop it!
> This is what destroyed you and all your friends.
Don’t you dare toy with me. That was the best thing I ever did!
> You did what I wanted you to.
You told me I should keep her! You said I could never let her go because I needed to control her to feel whole. I beat you! I gave her away to protect her. I never let you touch her!
> I said what I did knowing you would resist me. I needed Harumi out of the way.
That makes no sense! She’s a little girl, even more vulnerable than the rest of us were.
> Remember, I barely had time to infect the seven of you. I got a little bit more into you than the others, but I couldn’t quite reach her with you in the way.
She has nothing to do with this!
> Wrong.
>
> Harumi’s influence was critical.
>
> Consider the story so far.
>
> You nobly sacrifice your internal need to ‘own’ your sister by giving her away to protect her. Congratulations.
>
> Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
>
> You then spend years regretting the decision.
>
> You break the tie vote in favor of ignoring Wendi’s dark side.
>
> You tell the others not to trust Daniel after he calls Perses.
>
> You almost convince them to leave Wendi behind.
“And some people aren’t worth saving. She wasted an opportunity for escape and made things worse for all of us. She’ll jeopardize our survival.”
> You push them into the Wilderness on a fool’s errand.
>
> You scare them into lying to you, all the while refusing to help heal your friends’ mental wounds.
Kenta screwed up his face and punched a hole in the wall, cutting his fist so it bled, “I know you and Daniel don’t want to split the group, but I can’t stay here forever! At this rate, those two will never get better. How long do I have to wait before you’re satisfied?”
I said those things? How did it all seem like common sense in the moment?
> You’re the one the Tsukumogami attack.
>
> You push Rana to the brink.
“Because we’re not people to you, we’re your possessions. And you can’t stand the thought of one of your toys being taken away.”
Why did I say that? Was I talking about myself?
> Now, imagine for me another story…
>
> I convince you to keep Harumi. Your single act of selfishness is a poison in your soul for years, but as Harumi grows older and wiser she proves to be the antidote in an act of forgiveness.
>
> Harumi takes your vote with hers, breaking the tie in favor of the Caprid and the six of you manage to give Wendigo a little therapy.
>
> Harumi convinces you to trust Daniel from the beginning and the time saved allows Wendi to be rescued with minutes to spare.
>
> You decide the Wilderness is too dangerous for your sister and the group stays in the world next to Eastwood.
>
> No abandoned flag.
>
> No Red Tail.
>
> No finding out Gaja and John died.
>
> No Lea becoming obsessed with revenge.
>
> No mages chasing you.
>
> No Paul losing his Pathfinding magic.
>
> No pushing Rana.
>
> No confrontation where she retaliates, and you lose control.
>
> Not to say this story has no obstacles or petty dramas, but they are all much more easily surmounted.
>
> Overall, I’d say that’s the more boring story. I prefer this one. It’s more entertaining, don’t you agree?
This is insane. You can’t say for certain things would have gone that way. You couldn’t have taken everything into account. It’s impossible. And yet, everything the demon mentioned about this alternate story seemed eerily plausible. You can’t have known.
I saved Harumi.
> Perhaps… but you were so focused on the sister who wasn’t there you ignored the siblings right in front of you. Kenta, you were supposed to take care of them. You were supposed to be their big brother.
Kenta fell to his knees, defeated.
> True, the bat and the candle proved more resilient than expected. The Libra and the Caprid, however, aren’t yet out of my reach. The frog was doomed from the beginning; you merely advanced the timetable. None of the others realize how close to the tipping point she is. She’s more fragile than any of you suspect. Her resistance won’t last much longer.
Why are you telling me this?
> Don’t you understand, boy? It doesn’t matter what I tell you because you’re not going to warn them. It’s too late for you to change their story. Here, let me prove it. I’m going to tell you something you’re not supposed to know.
>
> Something secret.
>
> This is how I knew the tale of a boring story…
He could feel the demon’s cold, rank breath on his neck as It whispered in his ear.
No. You’re lying. He bit his lip and tasted blood. YOU BASTARD!
Kenta slammed his fists into the grass. He bashed his head against the ground and bit the dirt with his human face. Any pain in his body a balm to overcome the pain in his heart.
Then he opened his fists into palms, spat to clear his mouth, and rose to one knee.
Fine.
> What?
I admit it. I’m an asshole, an idiot, and a worthless older brother. I’ll own up to all that and more—but you don’t get to eat my soul or whatever just because you won an argument!
> You can’t change anything, boy.
Kenta stood.
Nothing needs to be changed. I may be a moron, but I noticed a few things while you were talking.
First, you never mentioned Tarō.
I know for a fact Cass saved him, and I have a feeling the boy died offscreen in your ‘boring story.’ You can’t predict all outcomes, and you can’t stop us finding good in a mistake you tricked me into.
Second, just because this story isn’t as nice as the ‘boring’ version doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. My friends haven’t given up on a happy ending, and neither should I. Harumi isn’t gone. I know she’s out there.
Third, I figured out where I am.
The curtain tore.
The black void engulfing the Kenta in his mind ripped open—coalescing into strands of hair that pooled around him—ambient light revealing a second figure. An oil-slick black tar man stood before him.
Kenta grabbed the demon with a fist of hair and the two of them rose from the pit. They emerged into a dilapidated hotel room with dusty dolls strewn about the corners, torn crayon drawings, a faded pink teacup, and the cracked remains of colorful paint. Furious, he squeezed the demon tighter.
“GET OUT OF HER ROOM!”
His Maw swallowed the demon whole.
The Kenta standing in the grass lurched and his Maw violently spewed a wave of oily black. He staggered forward.
Everyone, I’m sorry for being such a jerk. Daniel, I’m sorry I ever doubted you—you’ll be a better leader than I ever could’ve been. Wendi, Ziege, I’m sorry I made a terrible situation worse on you both. Cassie, I’m sorry I won’t get to see you grow into the amazing woman you’re meant to be. Paul, I’m sorry for what I said—you always did your best. Lea, I’m sorry I was so obsessed with my own bullcrap I never saw the real you.
And Rana, I’m sorry I’ll never get the chance to apologize properly. But I don’t believe what the demon said about you for a second. I know you’re stronger than anyone gives you credit for. You can beat It.
Everyone, don’t follow me. You’ll have a shot at that happy ending without me dragging you down this path. I have to see her. I have to find Harumi, no matter what it takes. No matter what I become. If I give up on being a gentleman, on being human, I know I have a chance. I have to take it.
Alone.
Wait for me, Harumi. Big brother is on his way.