Number 7

On opening the door, a grand office greeted the two.

It was locked, however as soon as she touched the rusted handle, it broke open with ease due to the rust that covered it.

"Well... I suppose that's one way to get into somewhere that you're not allowed to be.", Sylvia sighed.

"Hey, are we not allowed to go in here?"

The girl looked at Sylvia with excitement as they walked into the extravagant office to see the corpse of a man sitting at a desk.

"Probably not."

His head was face down, and he wore a high class suit.

The man appeared to be old, as even his hair was grayed.

"Rrgh..."

The zombie slowly sat up, barely even having the energy to do that much.

It looked at the two with strangely tired eyes, as if it didn't even care any more about living.

It’s rotten mouth growled.

"The Principal. Most likely."

Splat.

Before Sylvia could even speak, Amy was behind the creature, whose head was now detached from it's head, having fallen to the desk with a squishing noise.

"Miss Sylvia, this man is no longer alive to own this office. That means that we're allowed to be in here now, right?"

Insanity.

This was the single word which came to mind as Sylvia gazed into the eyes of the girl, who smiled as she killed without hesitation.

Such insane eyes were enough to make Sylvia shiver as she held her own heart, barely even able to look at the child.

"I... suppose that's right."

"Then we can explore the secret passage, right!"

"Eh?"

It was then that the girl rushed over to a filing cabinet, dragging it to the side with brute strength.

'What... is she doing?'

'No, forget about why... she is just a girl... how is she-'

[I guess even that much rubbed off on her. See now... there are certain aspects of my cells which make me quite durable.]

Sylvia found herself surprised and shocked, however even more surprising than the young child who dragged an entire filing cabinet to the side, was the fact that there was a door behind it.

'Eh?'

"What... is this?", the woman whispered.

"Don't you think this is a treasure room, Miss Sylvia? I wanna see what treasure is in here! Can we go in!? Please!!"

Before the two was an iron door.

It appeared to be heavily padded, as if it's very existence was something which should not be tampered with.

'A safe? A room where the finances or classified documents of the school are stored? I have absolutely no idea what such a room could be for.'

Sylvia began to run the possibilities in her head, but none of them seemed correct.

Why on earth would a school have a hidden chamber?

"Hmm.... if I push this here..."

Pushing open the door, the chains and bolts which kept it shut snapped in moments as the girl forced it open.

"Hahaha! Look! It opened!!" The girl chirped.

As the door opened, it revealed a dark stairway - one which Sylvia felt that she should not descend.

'Why on earth... would a school have something like this?'

"Hey Miss Sylvia... you look a little... pale."

Underneath her.

The girl had stepped right under Sylvia before she could even realize.

She looked up to the woman with a smile that tore into her mind.

"If you're scared... then why don't you let Number 1 explore with me? After all... I'm sure she’ll protect me."

----

Sylvia felt as if she had been stabbed.

The words which the child spoke just now were enough to make her teeter on the brink of consciousness as her mind went hazy with thoughts.

'She just... said that... it would be better for that thing to come out?'

It was too much.

'I....'

Grabbing her forehead, Sylvia grit her teeth.

'I haven't been good enough for her.'

Looking at the child, a smile crept across Sylvia's face.

'I've been too weak.'

"Heh...."

Her eyes filled with madness, and she stepped forward.

'I've been too scared.'

Fixing her hair, the woman tied it again, this time into a short ponytail.

'I've been too pathetic.'

Wiping her hands on her already bloodied t-shirt, Sylvia stepped into the darkness, looking back at the child.

"I'm sorry, Amy. I was too scared. But don't worry. I'm alright now. There's no need to call out that thing."

The girl smiled widely, opening her mouth with excitement as she rushed forward, to the side of the woman as they both descended the stairs.

'Arrogance... pride... whatever it may be... I'm not about to let a monster take my place in the hearts of the few people who care about me.'

With these thoughts, Sylvia forgot about all caution and reason, and she led the girl straight into the heart of the unknown.

"Let's go exploring."

----

'What....'

Her stomach grew uneasy.

'Is....'

Nausea rose up.

'This....'

Her stomach turned, and Sylvia retched.

Sylvia found herself unable to stop throwing up.

Too many sounds filled the room.

The clattering of chains.

The bellowing of zombies.

The unsightly sound of Sylvia vomiting.

"Ah... look at all these pathetic worms."

And the demented, bloodthirsty words - of a child.

When she entered the room, Sylvia was greeted with a scene straight out of hell.

Chained to the walls were countless female zombies.

Their arms and legs were bound, and they were all hanging by their weakened arms.

Wounds covered the bodies of the girls, painting their skin like tattoos.

Lacerations oozing with blood and puss, scars lacing their arms, stomachs, and backs - all of which were exposed as they wriggled about in what seemed to be agony.

'A... torture chamber.'

This was the first thought that Sylvia had before she fell to the ground, unable to handle the immense evil which surrounded her.

'Who... could have done this?'

[Ah... ah ah ah... ah. Do you see now?]

While she was throwing up on the ground, her entire body felt numb.

Her arms became weak, and her breathing was a complete disaster.

She began to spit on the ground, unable to handle the situation as she looked up once more with terrified eyes.

'The... the girl... no... she... I can't let her see-'

Scratching as she tried to stumble up, Sylvia saw it.

Standing right in front of one of the zombies who was clattering the chains as it tried to hack at the girl - was Amy.

And without a hint of fear, nor even the playful smile which she normally took, she stood before this mutilated creature.

"You... must have had it hard."

Then, holding out her hand, she grabbed the zombie by the hair.

"Now die."

Rip.

The tearing of flesh and the thud of a head falling to the ground were the only sounds that Sylvia heard.

'She... just... oh... oh my goodness...'

Weak.

Sylvia was beyond weak.

How could she let such a child do such a thing?

No matter how demented, no matter how insane, how could she have allowed this child to be in such a position?

'I... I....'

[You're pathetic. And yet... perhaps you understand just a bit more now. Humans... are much more disgusting creatures than you may have thought.]

The voice spoke, causing Sylvia to shake with realization as the girl grabbed the hair of another zombie.

Rip.

Thud.

[This... is what humanity has created.]

"It must have felt so much better... right?"

Rip.

Thud.

As the girl went from zombie to zombie along the chain laden walls, tearing their heads off one by one, she spoke quietly in a strangely sympathetic tone.

"When you became a monster, that is."

Rip.

Thud.

Amassing a pile of heads, the girl went from creature to creature, robbing them of their lives without effort.

[If you wish to understand us for even a moment... then you must first understand this.]

Rip.

Thud.

[Humans will always speak of love... kindness... respect... and heroism.]

[However such things cannot be highlighted.... if they do not overshadow the darkness that engulfs the rest of the world.]

[Therefore, we have not come to repair humanity of it's wrongs.]

[We have come to show them their wrongdoings... and to destroy both the good and the evil... alongside one another.]

[For there can be no light without darkness.]

[And there can be no darkness without light.]

[Therefore... heh...]

[We will become the overwhelming darkness which blocks out all light.]

Standing up, Sylvia looked forward with tear filled eyes.

Wiping her tears, she stepped forward - grabbing Amy's shoulder right before she ripped the head of another off.

"Let me do it."

"You want to do it too, Miss Sylvia?"

The girl looked to her with a smile, blood covering her hands.

Then, grabbing the head of the writhing zombie before her, she thrusted her spear through the creature's neck, slicing it's head clean off and adding it to the pile.

"Heh..."

Bending down to the ground, the woman picked up the head and threw it into the pile.

"I'll... do it."

Thus began a slaughter.

A slaughter of girls who had been chained, tormented, and destroyed.

She knew not of what horrors these girls had faced in their lives, but as she killed them, Sylvia understood one thing.

No matter how evil the experiments were, no matter how much destruction they had caused, and no matter how unintentional it was - to these girls, Number 7 was likely nothing less than their savior.

For by spreading the virus, he had allowed them to leave their lives as humans.

And only by becoming monsters could they be relieved of their suffering.

"I'm... sorry."

Slice.

Slice.

Slice.

"Hahaha.... I'm sorry."

Slice.

Slice.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The heads piled up, and Sylvia fell to the ground as tears streamed from her eyes.

"Hahaha.... how... hahaha... how...."

"Miss Sylvia, are you alright?"

"Am I alright?", the woman crackled.

With a pained smile, Sylvia looked up to the girl who placed a hand on her shoulder.

Holding in her emotions, she let out a whisper.

"How could I be alright... when such disgusting things have been happening in this world?"

Standing up, the girl gripped her spear as she looked up, madness and suffering filling her expression.

"I understand, Number 1. I finally... understand."

Then, walking forward, the woman stepped towards the exit to the room.

"There are some humans who are... unredeemable. And if you want to destroy all of humanity... then why don't we start with the one responsible for this?"

[Hahaha! Interesting! Ah… but Sylvia, there is something you should know.]

With a chuckle, Number one whispered into the mind of Sylvia.

[Without a doubt… there is a culprit. Yet to pinpoint this on merely one person… would not be correct.]

Without turning back, nor acknowledging the laughing creature in her head, Sylvia continued to walk towards the exit as she called out to the girl, who was currently wiping her bloodied hands on her gown as she faced the pile of heads.

"Come on, Amy. Let's get out of here."

"Ok, Miss Sylvia."

The two began ascending, however as she made that first step Sylvia was stopped in her tracks by the wretched voice inside her head.

[Ah... but what if I were to tell you that the man who did this... is not only alive, but is nearby?]

Freezing her movements, Sylvia clenched her spear.

"Is that true?"

[Ah... I just received some information from Number 7 as well. Sylvia... what if I were to tell you that the one who did this... is on the way here as we speak?]

The amount of emotions which exploded inside of Sylvia at that moment were immeasurable.

She felt as if she was going to blow a fuse, however she kept her cool, looking forward as a distorted smile crept upon her face.

"Then... I suppose we'll have to give him a warm welcome. Isn't that right, Amy?"

"Yes!"

The child giggled, and the insanity was infectious as the giggling grew to cackling.

Grabbing her head, Sylvia began to laugh alongside the child, who giggled as well as she gripped her knife.

[Hahaha....]

"Hahaha..."

"Ehehe...."

The three fell into madness together, unable to stop themselves.

And at some point, the laughter merged - and Sylvia no longer knew whether the one laughing was herself or the voice inside her head.

[Ah... I can't wait.]

----

'My girls...'

'My beautiful girls...'

'I... won't allow them to be defiled.'

A man rushed forward, dragging himself through the school grounds.

His arms had been torn off.

Blood covered him, and his prettyboy smile was nowhere to be found.

'I cannot allow that thing... that creature.... to lay it's filthy hands on them.'

'Stella... my girls... wait for me.'

'I'm coming for you.'

‘I’m coming to save you.’

Bursting into the school, the man rushed through the halls to find that the door to the teachers lounge was opened.

Rushing into the back office, he took but a single glance at the principal who lay dead in his seat, yet without a care he frantically turned to the side to see an opened passageway.

"No... it... cannot be.... he's already here?"

[Ah... don't worry. I haven't actually made it there yet.]

A voice spoke from behind the man, causing him to slowly turn around as the overconfident creature said such things.

As he looked to the door behind him, standing there was a man.

He wore a ragged suit, laced with blood.

His hair was styled in a professional manner, and the whites of his eyes were pitch black - as if tar swirled about within them.

Thud.

Dropping to the ground, three children fell with blank expressions.

Two boys, and one girl.

"You...."

Glaring at the monster with rage, the man grit his teeth as he was unable to even raise his fists - for he had none.

[Such an ugly expression. Based on your memories... I would think that you would want to show those girls... a handsome smile. No?]

Looking to the girl on the ground, the man gazed at the unconscious student with irritation as he furrowed his brow.

"You... dare to touch my student?"

[Do you believe that you have some sort of monopoly on them? After all... you are the same... no... you are far worse than me.]

It was then that the instructor’s sclera became black, and the whites of the businessman's eyes returned to their normal color.

And then, his mind having been overtaken, the instructor now spoke.

[After all... we are both monsters. But there is a difference between us. For you are a monster... who has no purpose... aside from fulfilling your disgusting desires.]

[You are a pursuer of pleasure.]

[And it is my role in this world... to ensure that such pleasures no longer exist.]

----