Found Footage

Chapter 4

Chapter 4“Did you get a load of that guy?” Momoka asked loudly, her face filled with delight at the absurdity of this new turn of events. She turned and looked over her shoulder as the group filed out of the gates. “What a weirdo!”

From the crowd, there was an uncomfortable murmur of assent, other members of her class, each in their different uniforms nodding in agreement, each more comfortable with one another than Miki could ever imagine being with them; each adding little comments as they passed by, bidding their farewells, fragments of conversation, snippets of exchanges, a word mentioned again and again:

“—tape.”

With a broad smile, Momoka turned on her heel directly and looked at Miki, and she became uncomfortably aware that Yuusuke was not far behind her.

“Hey! How about karaoke?”

Miki frowned, and quickly shook her head.

“I have work.”

Again, Momoka pouted.

“You’re always working.”

“Tell me about it,” Miki muttered, walking past the other girl. “Some other time, maybe.”

“Miki! Wait!” she heard Yuusuke call out from behind her.

She felt something twist inside her, some sign of her frustration making itself known upon her features despite her desires to conceal it, and she made to turn when she saw the child, frail and blonde, her feet moving in an improvised dance pattern on imaginary squares, ken-ken-pa perhaps.

She took a step forward, close enough to hear the child as she looked down at her heels, muttering softly to herself.

“Five, six, pick up sticks.”

Once more, she heard Yuusuke’s voice behind her, calling her name, summoning her back. The child lifted her head, her complexion as pale as their strange new English teacher’s, her striking blue eyes unflinchingly meeting Miki’s gaze.

“Seven, eight, lay them straight.”

“Miki!” Yuusuke called.

She turned, unable now to keep the annoyance from her features.

“Yes? What is it?” she demanded.

The boy halted before her, faltering, embarrassed.

“Shall I walk you back?” he asked, smiling sheepishly. “I mean, it’s on my way too.”

Over his shoulder, she caught sight of another of her peers, a tall girl a year or so older than her, hair so bleached that it was almost white, a heavy leather jacket two sizes too big for her worn over her school uniform. Their eyes met, and behind her, she heard the rhythm of the child’s feet tapping against the pavement.

“Sure,” she said, not looking at him, her eyes fixed solely on the girl in the leather jacket as she passed, her heart beating with sudden forcefulness in her chest. “Sure. Whatever.”