16:32 PM - August 23rd, 2009
Japan • Nara City • Heijō Line No. 2 Street (平城2号線)
[Article Excerpt]
"The sighting of the 'Ghost Girl' has been reported multiple times by urban explorers, particularly near the broken glass window on the third floor of the abandoned asylum.
Some witnesses have described her in unsettling detail:
She appears to be a teenager, estimated between 17 to 19 years old.
Her hair is long, wavy, and silver-grey, though unkempt.
Due to the limited visibility from peeking sightings, she seems unusually tall—her figure taking up nearly half the height of the window when she passes by.
She wears a white gown, eerily similar to the patient uniforms once used in psychiatric institutions.
The frequency and consistency of these reports suggest that this is not just an elaborate prank. Several explorers have claimed to see her before even stepping foot inside the building—sometimes just as they were leaving.
One thing remains consistent: she always stands by that broken third-floor window… watching."
---
A Flickering Screen
"Let me see the picture again..."
Satou muttered under his breath, walking along the sidewalk, his thumb pressing the button on his flip phone. The dim screen flickered as he scrolled.
Click.
And again.
Just another grainy, low-resolution shot of the asylum.
A white, three-story building.
Faded walls defaced with graffiti, likely left behind by other explorers.
Moss creeping along the cracks, green pigments blending with the peeling paint.
A massive oak tree loomed nearby, its roots entangling with the overgrown grass that swallowed most of the right side of the structure.
Satou squinted, trying to gauge the window's height through the pixelated mess. No use. Zooming in only made the image worse.
"Tch... worthless."
Annoyed, he flipped his phone shut with a soft snap. The weight of his satchel bag pressed against his side as he crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Kyoto Line. Below, the fading sound of a passing train echoed before vanishing into the warm afternoon air.
A breeze swept past him, stirring his long hair, but his focus remained locked on the building ahead.
"Who the hell took this picture? Were they shaking? Or was their camera just some thrift store junk?"
Still, there was only one way to get better evidence.
"Guess I'll just check it out myself later."
Annoyed, he clicked his flip phone shut with a soft snap.
His dull purple eyes lifted, gazing at the world before him. Trees swayed lazily under the golden summer light. The air was thick with humidity, the kind that clung to your skin—heavy, dry, suffocating.
The school's summer festival had ended two weeks ago. Not that it mattered. He hadn't enjoyed it like everyone else.
He only bought a tray of takoyaki from one of the student-run stalls before slipping away to the school rooftop—spending the entire event alone.
Sounded like the perfect plan isn't it?...
He smirk thought to himself..
---
[...shriek...]
The noise didn't come from around him.
It came from inside.
A sudden, sharp pain tore through his chest.
He gasped, stumbling mid-step. His fingers instinctively clutched his shirt, pressing against the ache spreading like a thin needle puncturing his heart. His knees buckled slightly, forcing him to crouch.
It lasted only a few seconds.
Then, just as abruptly as it had struck, the pain eased—fading into a dull, lingering sensation.
Slowly, he straightened. His gaze flickered around. The sidewalk was empty. No one had seen him.
Good.
This wasn't the first time. The pain had started three days ago. The first time it hit, he had been alone in his room, lying on his futon, mindlessly staring at the ceiling. Then—out of nowhere—the same unbearable sting had pierced his heart, forcing him to bite down on his pillow to keep from screaming.
Since then, it had come and gone at random.
For a moment, he wondered if each time it happened would be his last.
But rather than fear, the thought only solidified something inside him.
If his time was running out, then he might as well keep going.
He wouldn't tell anyone. What was the point?
If anything, it was a reminder—a warning to make the most of what little time he had left.
-.-..-....-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-..-....-.-.-.-.-.-.
Satou ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling as he shoved his flip phone into his pocket. The wind was warm, carrying the scent of late summer, yet a lingering sense of unease still clung to him.
"That ache again…"
He muttered the words under his breath.
A part of him wanted to ignore it.
But another part—the one that always whispered in the back of his mind—told him that something was wrong.
Regardless, he shook off the feeling and refocused on his plans.
"Right… I need to stop by the convenience store for a rechargeable battery."
His fingers tightened slightly on the strap of his satchel.
He couldn't afford to forget that.
The thought of being left in complete darkness inside an abandoned asylum sent an involuntary chill down his spine.
Even now, just imagining it made his blood run cold.
"Tch… I really don't wanna be trapped in there without light."
He shuddered, pushing the thought aside as he resumed walking, his mind slowly shifting back to his upcoming exploration.
Whatever was waiting inside that asylum—ghost or not—he was determined to see it for himself.
Even if it meant facing the unknown.
Even if it meant ignoring the pain in his chest.
For now, his adventure was only just beginning.