POV: Isozaki Izumi

As soon as I opened the door to my room, something thirsted into my stomach,

"Haa haa haa."

My stomach started aching, I put my hand on it, then felt a liquid rushing out,

"Haa haa."

I move my eyes toward the thing that stabbed me to see it's unmistakably a knife moreover, the person who thirsted it was no one other than, Nao.

"W-Why?"

I asked as I stumble trying to stay up, the knife is still inside of me, I could feel it.

"N-Nao, i-it hurts."

I said while groaning in discomfort but when I tried to push Nao back, he stabbed it further inside, and I screamed in pain.

No matter how much I look at it, how hard it is to believe, Nao is stabbing me and with such force.

The probability of it being an accident is zero.

Nao is genuinely trying to kill me at this moment.

I tried to pull every ounce of my strength and pushed Nao down, I took the knife out and started running heading downstairs.

My vision is starting to blur.

If this carry on I'll probably faint before I reach the front door and call for help.

"phone..."

I mumbled as I realized I could call for help, my phone sadly was in my room, where I pushed Nao, I can't go back in that direction. I should just put all my hopes into getting out of the house.

Suddenly, I trip over some books lying in the hallway, and I scream in pain when one of the books hit the spot Nao stabbed me in.

I can't feel my left foot anymore, was it because I lost too much blood?

"there you are."

Hearing Nao's voice sent shivers down my spine, and made me forget the pain I was in,

"I should run!"

With only that thought in mind, I stood after struggling a bit and dragged my foot toward the stairs.

Every step I take down, felt like my guts are spilling out.

But the choice of stopping wasn't available,

'run away!'

'escape!'

'don't want to die!'

My feelings of wanting to live rushed me to keep moving.

And while I was walking with sheer determination, I caught a glimpse of Nao's phone lying on the table in the living room.

Luckily, I could hear a big bang from upstairs looks like Nao tripped because of the books in the hallway, which was enough time to grab the phone.

And I start heading toward the door, and when I tried to pull it open, I realized it's locked.

"Shit shit shit!"

I muttered while panicking, I look around me and my eyes focus on the window, I run towards it and slide it open,

"What?!"

I cuss as I see the iron bars blocking all the windows.

Last week, after news about a burglary in our area, we agreed on putting them up on the first floor just in case.

I remember Nao saying something about them today at the company.

To think the bars, we put to protect us from outside threats, will end up being the reason I'm trapped inside.

I started hearing steps going downstairs, seeing no escape to outside, I hid in the closet in the living room.

I put my hand above my mouth that is breathing irregularly to block any sound.

'I'll die.'

'He'll kill me.'

'I can't escape.'

I began to panic as I started losing the hope of getting out.

Luckily, one of my trembling hands clashed with something hard inside my pocket, which lit a fire inside my eyes as I realized that I had taken Nao's phone.

I froze, confused between the two options I had,

I see a choice of calling the police, but they might take too long, as I'll need to explain the situation, my place, and Nao might come before I finish giving them full details.

Another one was, to call the only number which I memorized.

I started dialing the number of the one person, who saved me before, extended the hand of salvation to me, the chairman.

I smiled.

I have a dim hope.

The phone began ringing.

It felt like it rang forever, the first beep, the second beep, the third beep and kept ringing.

Will he even answer?

What if he didn't?

Did I just waste my chance to call the police?

What about Nao?

It has got quiet outside, what is he doing?

My heart started beating rapidly, realizing that my whole life depends on this call, has put me into a panic mode yet again.

Calming my nervous heart was the clinking sound which meant that the call is finally connected,

"Chair...chairman..."

My eyes started tearing up, as my final hope picked up.

"I•umi?"

An unfamiliar voice responded, it wasn't the chairman, it was the psycho from this morning and with that my final hope crumbled into tiny pieces.

"Are you alright?"

The psycho asked, but the hope in my eyes had already disappeared,

"I got it! I'll be right there, just wait!"

He screamed on the other side of the phone,

'that's right, this guy can read minds.'

"calm down, Izumi! listen, is there anyone near you?"

"Do you mean, Nao?"

"Never mind, I'll be right there, don't be reckless."

And he hanged up.

I started sobbing and panicking.

I don't think he understood the whole situation but to think I would ask a psycho to help me in this situation is not reassuring.

My eyes kept filling with tears and as I wipe my tears I see Nao smiling in front of me.

My heart starts beating rapidly, and I couldn't get a word out of my mouth.

I pushed Nao, to try and get out of the closet, but he pushed me back inside and kicked me in the stomach, I started coughing blood and my cries filled the house,

"he...el...lp."

I desperately tried to call out for help, but after my vision started blurring from losing so much blood, I fell down unable to get an ounce of strength in my lower half.

I felt Nao carrying me, as I try to struggle with the little strength I have left, before fainting to pitch black.

-End of Chapter 7-