Connections #1-2

Omi sat in class the next morning when he received an e-mail. The address was fake. Omi seemed wary about the whole thing at first. He looked around the classroom for a moment. The other students were still engaged in their chatter. Omi slowly turned back to his screen. The subject line held his attention hostage.

�I know about the number on your back,� it said. Omi�s eyes widened nervously. He quickly looked at his back. How is that possible? Nobody knew the on his back. Not the rest of Weiss. Not his teachers or classmates. Omi stared at the screen harder. Who was this person? Was this e-mail a trap? Unfortunately to answer all of that was to open the message. The boy steadied himself. �Okay�� he thought. He clicked on the message.

�Open IM,� the e-mail read. Omi read it a couple times more. Okay� Where was this going? Omi opened instant messaging and logged in. One offline message came up.

�What number is on your back?� Omi hesitated at first. Rather direct. No chit-chat or introduction. Just a blunt question. He couldn�t answer yet. But, had to reply. Omi drew in a mouthful of air and began to type.

�Do you have a number?� he sent off. He waited for a few seconds. A reply came back.

�Yes.�

�What is your number?�

�22. What�s yours?� Omi hesitated at first. Still could be a trap�

�Who are you?� There was a long pause. The seconds ticked louder. Okay� Thinking about the answer? Then, the next reply threw him for a loop.

�Meet me at Anna Miller�s at three o�clock.� Then, the messages stopped. Omi sat back. A meeting after school, huh? Good thing he brought his darts today. A little defense doesn�t that these days.

The day just didn�t want to end. Omi kept thinking about that chat. There was going to be thirty-seven of them to die next year. Could this be one of them? He glanced at the clock. It�s not moving. Oh well, time to look busy. Why did school have to be so long today?

Three o�clock finally came around. Omi got on his moped and rode to Anna Miller. Before he left school, he received another e-mail.

�I�ll be at the counter. Look for a red ribbon waving in the air.� Omi made it a couple of minutes early. He scanned the setting around him. Looks normal so far. Omi still looked around. The sender could be anywhere. A flash of red caught his eye up ahead. Omi looked and saw the red ribbon waving in the air. Alarm came over his face. �There!� he thought. He quickly walked over to the counter. A thirteen-year-old girl looked up as he approached her. Omi took a moment to stare at her. This girl looked smaller than her age. Her blonde-orange hair was in a twist to one side. Judging by her uniform, this girl came from junior high. A private school no less. The girl zoned in on him.

�You got my messages?� she asked. Omi nodded slowly.

�Show me your number,� he said. The girl�s face grimaced. She looked around for a moment. So many people here at this hour. The girl looked at Omi again. She bit her lip as she turned her back to him.

�Lower my blouse,� she whispered. Omi slightly panicked.

�Shhh,� she whispered. �It�s okay. Just take a look.� The boy glanced around again. He swallowed a bit. The boy slowly reached forward and lowered her blouse. Shock met his face. The number twenty-two was burned into the back of her right shoulder. Omi couldn�t speak at all. The girl glanced at him.

�Now do you believe me?� she asked.

�Yeah�� the boy mumbled. He let go of her blouse. She turned to face him.

�What number do you have?� she asked. Omi�s eyes looked away some.

�Twenty-one�� he mumbled. The girl nodded.

�What�s your name?� she asked.

�Tsukiyono Omi.�

�Phoenix Finch.� Omi�s eyes widened in shock.

�Finch?� he asked. �Are you�� Phoenix nodded.

�Yes,� she said. �She was my sister.�

�Oh�� Omi mumbled. Both were silent. Phoenix clinched her fists.

�It wasn�t suicide,� she mumbled. The boy looked over at her.

�Sorry?� he asked. Phoenix turned to him.

�Katie wouldn�t kill herself!� she protested. �She planned her future too much!� The girl reached into her bag and pulled out the chart. She set it on the counter. Omi looked on with her.

�Look!� Phoenix told him. �Five years, she wanted to get married and have a kid. Ten years, she wanted to coach swimming. Fifteen years, visit Montana. See? She planned so much! Why would she kill herself?�

�Okay�� Omi said. �So what do you say?� Phoenix looked deep into his eyes.

�Katie was murdered,� she said in a creepy tone. Omi�s eyes widened in shock.

�Murdered?� he asked. �Why would you tell me this?� Phoenix shrugged at him.

�Dunno,� she replied. �Just felt like telling somebody the truth after so long.�

Outside, another number was watching them closely. Nerves held her back. But, not for long�