The Even Bigger Island of Giant Insects Chapter 1

**Public Enemy** is the first chapter of The Even Bigger Island of Giant Insects.

## Summary

The chapter briefly recaps the events of the previous story from Mutsumi Oribe's perspective; how she survived an airplane crash on a school trip only to find herself and several of her classmates stranded on an island dominated by giant insects. How humans were no longer at the top of the food chain and the insects had consumed nearly everyone on the island. How she and her surviving classmates managed to escape the island after many losses. And how the island on which they made port at is also dominated by giant insects. The survivors are forced to take shelter in a nearby building away from the boat as giant dragonflies loom in the air. Ryoko Shikimori consults with Mutsumi on how to deal with the darners outside. According to Mutsumi, it should be safe when it gets dark as darners are not active during the night. However, Nozomi Aoyama, blinded by the death of her beloved teacher, refuses to listen to her advice. Chitose Naruse and Kazuhiko Kai ignore her as Mutsumi's knowledge is the only thing that's kept them alive so far. Mami Miura and Kasumi Momosaki are also willing to follow Mutsumi if it means that they'll be able to get home. Ryoko tells everyone that for now they should look for food and fuel while waiting for the sun to set. With the extra supplies on the boat the coast guard official warns that it will be a tight fit but they should be found since the lifeboat's quite sturdy. For now the older woman tells them to stick to the shadows to find supplies.

As the group heads out, unknown to them they are being spied upon by a man named Kyosuke and another woman. The woman pleads to Kyosuke to attack, but he suggests they pick them off one by one as he is not sure if it's just the seven of them. His female companion disagrees as she wants to get off the island soon, but Kyosuke has an idea to take one of them hostage to figure out which one can steer the boat.

Royoko leads the group to a pier which is empty and notes that the last time the coast guard was at the island it was full of ships. Suddenly Kyosuke comes behind Kasumi and holds her hostage with a handgun. The two menace the group telling them that they intend to take their boat. Ryoko tries to negotiate so that they all can survive but Kyosuke states he knows that the boat isn't big enough for all of them. Kazuhiko aims his automatic rifle at the strangers and demands them to release Kasumi. The woman sneakily uses a camera to blind Kazuhiko momentarily and then she and her partner in crime duck into a store with their hostage and pull the metal grate down.

Kazuhiko tries to open the grate but finds it to be locked from the inside. Elsewhere in an abandoned warehouse Kasumi is stripped to her underwear. Forced to stand on a wooden box and hung from the rafters by her captors, the female crook begins to grope the young girl for fun. Kasumi tries to put on a brave face but that only makes the other woman more eager to humiliate her captive; she cuts off her bra and pulls down her panties. The other girl then begins to torment Kasumi with a feather, tickling her body. Kasumi's pleads for her to stop, to which the girl says she will if Kasumi tells her who can pilot the boat. Kasumi refuses to sell out her friends, and the other girl proceeds to kick the lid off the box underneath the captive, revealing it to contain giant earthworms. The woman taunts Kasumi over what will happen if the worms get into her body and cut rope connecting her to the ceiling, dropping her into the crate. Kasumi sinks into the crate screaming as the worms cover her body, only to be yanked back up by her captor, taunting her. Kyosuke, indifferent to the inhuman psychological torture, busies himself by sharpening his knife.

A dog enters the room and barks, alerting someone in the next room. Seeing what Kyosuke and the girl, whose named is revealed to be Norika, are doing a man demands them to stop the senseless torture. Not wanting to hear Kyosuke's excuses, he pushes past them to lift Kasumi out of the crate. Kyosuke attempts to justify his actions by stating that the girl's group has a boat they can take, but the argument is shallow to the man's ears due to their behavior. He quickly covers Kasumi with his jacket and tries to ask her about her companions. Wary of the stranger, Kasumi refuses to talk, but the man shouts that it's imperative because her friends are in danger.

## Characters in order of appearance

* Mutsumi Oribe
* Ai Ino (Flashback)
* Ryoko Shikimori
* Nozomi Aoyama
* Chitose Naruse
* Kazuhiko Kai
* Mami Miura
* Kasumi Momosaki
* Pops (Corpse)
* Kyosuke (Debut)
* Norika (Debut)
* Kirishima (Debut)
* Hyoe Nakumo (Debut)

## Featured Insect

* Giant Papilio maackii (Briefly) (Flashback)
* Giant Scolopendra subspinipes (Briefly) (Flashback)
* Giant Darner (Briefly)
* Giant Earthworm