Darkness swallowed the surroundings.
No one made a sound. Every gaze was fixed on the fire, their faces blank. But the silence was soon inevitably shattered by the reality of the situation.
"That... T-that's..."
"Sarah... Where is Sarah?"
"She was with me... just a moment ago. Why... I..."
Of the seven total members, only six managed to come out. Mia's hand shook as she covered her mouth.
"O-oh god."
The realization of the situation had finally settled in her mind.
"She..."
Nora, standing quietly beside her, bit her lip and lowered her head. The others did the same, Joanna biting down the hardest. Sarah had been acting strangely all along, and though she wanted to help, the Squad Leader wouldn't let her.
The reason became clear, but—
'What if...?'
There was always that what if.
But in the end, it wasn't the Squad Leader's fault. His choice had been the right one, and realizing that made her bite down on her lips even harder.
