Title: What You See
Fandom: Corpse Party
Rating: R
Length: 820 Words
Content Notes: Canon character death (... and undeath). Said character is a child.
Author Notes: One of my favorite series, but it is emotionally draining to play.
Summary: Kanau Sachimura finds herself unable to leave Heavenly Host.

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Kanau – her friends called her Kana-chan – remembered the floor collapsing behind her in one of the earthquakes that seemed to hit the school on a minute-to-minute basis. She had been trapped in a corner of one of the hallways, unable to cross any of the gaps the earthquake created around her, already exhausted, already so thirsty that her tongue had started to swell inside her mouth, keeping her from closing her lips. She had no choice but to sit on the floor, too tired to take off her backpack, too tired to do anything but stay put and try to parse her thoughts through a haze of pain and fatigue.

Because her thirst never relented and her pain never ceased, she had no idea of her time of death, only the knowledge that she could no longer blink her eyes, only stare in one direction, aware of happenings only at the edge of her vision. Her thoughts seemed to become less and less jumbled as time passed, but that offered almost no comfort to her, since she had nothing to break up her pain aside from another human being walking down the hallway. Most of the time, it did not end up being a human being at all, only one of the ghosts she had seen – children, like her, but ... not like her at all.

The one in the red dress at least crossed the gaps to visit her, looking down into her face, perhaps seeing if she still had any life left in her, only to give her a dismissive "Hmph" and disappear. Not the first time Kanau had seen her. During her wanderings through the school, she had glimpsed her at a distance, like she had glimpsed the other ghost children, but they did not approach her, as if they already suspected that she had only a little while left before she became like them. But they, at least, could get up and walk around the school if they wanted. She had no choice but to stay where she was.

She thought about her friend Kanzuki. They had performed the charm together, hoping to be friends for all time, but ... it brought her to the school instead, and, if it had brought him there, too, she had not seen him. She had not seen anyone at all, only the ghosts. Calling for other people only brought echoes back to her, and her throat soon became too dry for her voice to be anything more than a croak. After that, she thought more of her father, home alone, waiting for her to come back on the bus like she always did. He had promised to take her back to the town where she had grown up for vacation.

Footsteps again. The ghosts? No, their footsteps made no noise. Kanau belatedly realized that a board had been placed across one of the gaps, that another human being – a real human being, not a ghost – had dropped to one knee next to her, reaching for her name tag to she who she had been. A boy, old enough to be in high school. Blonde hair. Kind eyes – he had come close enough for her to see them. She wanted to introduce herself, to tell him what her name was. ... She wanted to give him a hug. He looked warm. Friendly. Like the big brother she had always wanted to have.

But Kanau could say nothing. It took all of her concentration to look at him, to not think of the thirst that still gnawed at her insides as if she still lived. Desperation filled her. Please take me with you. She wanted to grab his shirt, wanted to will her arms and hands to move, but they could not. Please carry me. I can't move. Like her father had carried her, not so long ago – a big man, he could still pick her up and swing her around with those broad arms of his. Don't leave me here. She wanted to cry, but she had no tears. Don't leave me here! The boy read her name tag and stood up again.

He had heavy eyes, like he wanted to say he was sorry, but ... he did not think there was anyone there to hear him. Say something. Anything. Please. He turned and walked across the board again, pausing for a second, as if he did want to speak. Please! I can hear you! But he said nothing, and his footsteps disappeared down the hall, leaving Kanau alone. Again. As she had been for so long already. Alone, cold, exhausted, and thirsty, so thirsty, and none of those feelings could stop. She thought of her father again, hoped to see him, told herself that he was still waiting for her at home.

The boy had eyes like her father, and that only added to her misery.

END.