Chapter Nine: Main Island, Summation (2)

The whole group looked down at a perfect, clear ocean. The waves were still high, but the sea looked to finally be calming down.

They were all holding a hoodie, within which was wrapped the Visitor. The sphere was unusually heavy... just as Eiko's notes had said, it felt to weigh about twenty kilograms.

Motegi, exhausted from the heat, leaned against Saijou, and Fuwawa poked her head out of Yuki's bag. However... Tara wasn't with them. He hadn't been released from the waiting room before the explosion.

Saijou and Yanagawa both showed clear regret that they'd forgotten about Tara in the heat of the moment.

But Yuki had known that was inevitable. Nobody could make calm, level-headed decisions like that while their own lives hung in the balance.

Black smoke continued to rise from the former community center. The scene was still visible from the port. By the time they'd left, the entire building was engulfed in raging flames. It was only a matter of time until the building collapsed.

Of all the equipment they'd brought to the island, all that remained was the generator.

It had been placed directly to the right of the front entrance just before the  explosion, and Yanagawa had found the presence of mind to move it when she escaped.

Yuki felt nothing but gratitude to her. That was why he didn't want her to be consumed by her regrets over what had happened to Tara.

The six of them looked at each other, clutching the hoodie containing the Visitor.

There was nothing left to say.

They gave it a few pendulous swings to build momentum before tossing the sphere into the sea. With a light splash, the Visitor sank into the endless blue sea.

Just before the sphere was completely pulled beneath the surface, it let out another shriek. For just a moment, the Visitor had regained consciousness.

But the sphere sank without resistance, eventually rolling across the ocean floor to stop against a rock. ...Silence. A few bubbles rose from the Visitor, but they quickly disappeared.

 

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