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Chapter 11: Isolated City


As soon as I left the store, I turn to the right according to the red signboard that I saw.
It is somehow dim, maybe because the building is fading.
There is little traffic, but there are no people at all.
An aunt who seem to go shopping and some people who seem to be student walking while reading books.

It certainly has a different atmosphere from the southern part, but it is a sight that prove that there is a life around here in this neighbourhood. It is rude to say it is a scary place.

The park where Natta had said was discovered soon. The place of interest is just near the entrance. There are graffiti written on the wall such as skull pattern, or an ancient word that does not make sense at all.
...... Even though I think that I should not think so, when I see this kind of thing, I think that it a scary place after all.

It’s, it's okay. Because I just want to use a public toilet.
Even inside, I could not compliment or say it beautiful. To say it clearly, it is dirty. There was almost no evidence that the floor and the wall were almost cleaned, and it was full of cracks and graffiti. Coming to such a place somewhat make me feel depressed.

Since I do not want to stay as long as possible, I entered a private room and finished it quickly.
As I went outside, the clouds were cloudy. Even though it was so sunny until a while ago. 
Besides, it is the worst if it is shaken and rain fall down. I decided to run and return to the old clothing store.

“It’s hurt.”

After leaving the park and turning down to the street, I collided with someone from the side.
What? Already.
Looking back to complain, a tiny child with the rice cake is on the ground.

"Oh, are you OK?"

I am not angry with the kid, and I am worried about injuries than that.
He grasps the hand I extended out looking terrified.

"Thank, thank you."

A boy whose cute face was about ten years old.  
However, the hair is rusty and the clothes are very dirty.

"It’s dangerous to run without looking in the front."

I squat down and adjust the eyes' height. Then, the boy’s expression changed instantaneously.

"O, onee-chan, please help me"
"Huh?"

With a grieving face mixed with sorrow and anxiety, the boy rocked my shoulder.

"It's terrible, my sister, my little sister"
"Calm down first, okay? Please talk to your sister?"

This is not a moment to be panic. I try to rest assured by embracing his shoulders, but the boy does not calm down at all.

"My little sister is over there, a lot of blood is coming out, she does not reply even if I call, but I want to take her to the hospital but I cannot carry her, I'm looking for someone else who is an adult"
"Where is it?"

The boy kept getting distraught, but I got to the point of his saying.
It seems that his sister is in serious injury and is looking for someone to help.
If she is a younger sister of this boy, she may be even smaller, seven or eight years old.

"Since I will go, tell me the place. You go searched for more adults."

There is no reason to leave such an injured child.

"Oh, but, because I cannot explain it, follow me,"

I get lost a little. For me alone, probably I cannot take any appropriate measures.
Rather than that, it would be better to call more adults.

"Please, faster, please believe me!"

At least Natta ... Un, I do not have such a time!

"I understand, show me around!"

While being guided by the boy, I ran towards the opposite direction to the old clothing store.
There are many vacant houses when I come around here, even though there is a building but there is no people at all.
I ran about 300 meters, but never passed by anyone.
If I look closely at the boy who runs in front, the clothes were full of patchwork, rather than old, I did not think he was living a very decent life.
As I approached him, I found out, it smelled a little.
It seems he have not washed the hair a lot.

House is poor ... No, maybe there is no house either.  
It is a place where these people live together in an isolated city.
Residents told us that every day that these people live to the utmost, and only those who cannot afford to be surrounded are all alone.
Therefore, even this child cannot borrow the help of others satisfactorily ... ...
I feel so sorry for him.

As I went further, the road was gone.
No, there are roads, but the stone pavement so far has been broken and the ground is exposed.
The buildings around me are very simple like they were made from the suitable woods.
There is a bad smell from nowhere.
It hardly seem to be an environment where people can live.

An isolated city.
Perhaps, from here onwards. From here on, the common sense of the city will not pass.
I hesitated to exceed the line for a moment but he gave me courage when I saw the boy rushing without hesitation.
That's right. My little baby got hurt and tough. It is not the case that say I am scared!

Even if we enter the narrow back alley, the boy keeps running.

"Wait, are you still?"

I have come all the way back.
I became uneasy when the boy's leg stopped and asked with a loud voice.

"What's wrong? Is this around here or the wrong way?"
"Ahahahahahahahahaha"
"What, what?"

To a boy who laughed suddenly, I felt the crackle and my back is trembling.
The boy who looked back slowly did not seem to be the same person as the child who was disturbed earlier. He narrowed his eyes coldly, and his mouth is distorted disgustingly.

"Onee-chan, are you stupid, have you not noticed yet?"
"What, what?"

I understood that the voice that I heard was trembling. An unpleasant premonition runs through the whole body.
People gathered around the alley.

“Hi~tsu”

The men who have appeared uniformly have a dark expression with no ambition. There are only six men. Everyone wears clumsy clothes and I found that they did not have a decent life at first glance.

"I do not have a sister. Onee-chan, do you not notice that you had been deceived yet? It was my purpose to bring people from the beginning"

The boy told me in a cold tone like a different person from a while ago.

- What is it? Was it a joke?
What I mean is that nobody was hurt.
It was good. Onee-chan has been deceived.
But I seriously worried about it.
You should not lie about such a thing anymore. Promise with your sister.

It is not a situation done with a laugh like that.
Natta was saying that I should be careful.
It seems that I am truly was deceived.
But this little boy ... ...

"Hey, how about you? It smells a bit odd, but it's a good one out there ... Because I will hand it over, so forgive me for the shortage of the payment"

The boy told a big man that appeared looks like a rapist. The next moment, the boy was kicked off suddenly.

"... ... Eh?"

My head cannot catch up with the rapidly changing situation.

"This, stupid brats! Who told you to bring down the woman! How did you plan to take responsibility if the guard see it!"
"Gya~tsu!"

A large man trampled the stomach of a fallen boy. Place the swinging feet on his head and apply weight and dance.

"Do you try like returning an opponent with an enemy, do not think you can do it with free things"
"Ouch it hurts, I am sorry, I am sorry!"

The boy repeats the word of apology with a sorrowful voice.
See this unbelievable sight, my consciousness, which was being awkward, awakens.

“Stop, stop it!”

I was screaming unintentionally.
The gaze of everyone concentrates on me. Dark, nasty six pairs of eyes saw me.

"How are you, ojou-chan" 
"Please take off your feet from that child"

My voice trembles. My knees get shaky. scared. Such a big and brutal person, even looking at the face properly is horrible.  
Moreover, this place does not exceed the law of the city.  
If they get angry, I do not know what to look for. 
 
I am not joking.  
But I cannot help saying that! 

"Roughly, he is a child, so please be kind to him"

Although I try desperately to make a voice, it gets scratched. The men laugh. 

"What, is something wrong?" 
“Ojou-chan, you are a good girl, you were brought to me by being cheated by this brat and you are not just a mischief. The woman who steps in here I guess you can imagine what kind of eyes it will fit?" 
 
I understand his meaning somewhat. I do not want to imagine such a thing, but I understand what kind of position I am. 

"B, but it is the worst of violence against children."
"I do not have to be told, from your viewpoint, we just a garbage."

A big man gently scratches his teeth and stares at me.

"Well, that's the reason ... ..." 
"Well, I mean that I do not like violence, I can stop it. " 
"Ho, really?"

I was surprised by the surprising words. The man's foot slowly dismissed from the boy.
I understood! That's right, violence is useless. Since I live in such a place, I think that there are various strict rules. But, in fact, anyone would not want to do this.
Somebody had to say it. My thoughts came through.

"Ah, there is ... ..."
"However,"

Approaching to say thank you, a big man grasped my chestnut for the first time.

"Hit"
"If you miss it with free stuff, you cannot show it to anyone else, you have to admit your efforts."
"What, what...?" 
"Do you understand? I'm going to buy you, ojou-chan. How about paying for killing the kid and forgiving me? '

I crunched as if I was hit by the ice on my back.
Can you buy it? I? Does that mean that I will be taken to be the things for these people?

"I, I don’t like it!”

Although I try to escape, a large man grabs me firmly and does not let me go.

"Shut up. Whichever way you came here, it was decided what to do. If you hurt, you must hate the cheated brat who deceived you." 
“I, I don’t like it! S…stop it”

A big man's fist sniffed in the stomach. I cannot speak because of the pain, and my consciousness sinks.

"Hey, let's have a little drink"

END OF CHAPTER 11

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