Abandoned | Jujutsu Kaisen

Chapter 35

I feel the sharp rod plunge into my skin, piercing through the layers of muscle and into my body

"Wah eeh wu wu?!?!" Ichika yells at the top of her lungs, frightened. Of course, I couldn't understand a thing she said, with her tongue missing and everything.

"Huh?" I ask, tasting blood in my mouth. I feel it trickle down my chin. My hands feel a bit wet and sticky, too.

[What did you do?!]_Ichika

[Wh- Why did you do that?!?!]_Ichika

[You're bleeding!]_Ichika

As if she wasn't bleeding herself...

"Just wanted to try it out..." I mumble. Past memories suddenly flash at the back of my mind as Ichika starts reminding me of Mom. I swipe those memories further back, ensuring it wouldn't change how I saw Ichika. Ichika is just Ichika, after all. Mom is dead.

Because of me.

I instantly get rid of that thought too.

[Please take it out]_Ichika

Seeing Ichika looking at me so beggingly, I sigh and put a hand on the rod. I secretly put some force on it as I push down a bit, but she notices that, and gives me a glare.

"Sorry," I apologize, then start pulling at the rod slowly. I need the pain to last longer. This rod, surprisingly, is the most painful thing I've tried so far. Maybe I should bring some back to school.

[Hurry up. You'll die at this rate. I don't need my life savior to die in front of me]_Ichika

[So take it out RIGHT NOW!]_Ichika

Ichika's calm face totally doesn't match her raging mind.

I sigh and say in a flat voice, "You'll be a great mom," But I take out the rods and drop them a good few inches away from me. I immediately get that tingling feeling again as the skin starts closing up.

"Now what?" I ask, shrugging.

"Ha. Ne. Ki~!" I hear a familiar voice beside me, and I turn around, letting out a groan.

[Who... is that?]_Ichika

[Will he kill us?]_Ichika

[What's up with the blindfold?]_Ichika

"Sensei," I give Gojo-sensei a look of confusion, "Why are you-"

"Just wanted to see how you were doing," He says casually, tucking his hands in his pockets, "I found Fushiguro on my way in, and you were closer to me than Inumaki so... here I am!"

Whew. So Fushiguro's safe. Good to hear, I guess. But what about Inumaki?

"And that's a survivor, I assume?" He asks. I nod. Gojo-sensei then closes up on Ichika until they are only an arm's length away from each other. Ichika glances up, staring at his covered eyes.

[How does he see?]_Ichika

[She... gon' dice. Inumaki-]_Gojo-sensei

And I still can't fully listen to Sensei's thoughts. F*ck.

"Well... we can bring her back to Shoko," Gojo-sensei takes a step back and twirls around once on his heels, facing the door, "Fushiguro's already in the car,"

"You think you can hold her back to school?" He asks me without turning around.

"Probably," I answer, slowly walking toward Ichika. But I know she won't make it. Blood still trickles out of her veins, and oozes out at where her limbs disconnect. The area around Ichika is almost entirely covered in blood, like a red sea surrounding her body. Her face has gone even paler, and I can see that although she's smiling, it's taking her quite some effort.

"Then let's go," Gojo-sensei says, grinning. I can tell he also knows she will die before we get there. His grin doesn't quite reach his eyes as it used to, and the usual energy in his voice is drained a bit.

[Maybe I'll still live]_Ichika

At least someone is hopeful. I extend my arms and tuck them under Ichika's.

"Is it okay?" I ask. When I earn a nod, I carefully lift her up, making her wince in pain. I shift my arms around a bit so that at the end, I'm cradling her. It's easier to move people this way.

(626 words)