Splash—
She turned on the faucet and reached out to catch the flowing tap water.
Miko lowered her head, splashed the clear water onto her face, and rubbed it vigorously.
The water was cold.
It even caused a slight stinging sensation when it hit her face.
Relying on this method, Miko felt she could sober up a little, and the dizziness buzzing in her head might alleviate slightly.
For some reason, her mental state had been poor all day today. She had zoned out several times during class, not even hearing the teacher call her name.
It seemed as though her ears were constantly covered by a faint, elusive singing.
Yet, whenever she tried to listen carefully, she would find that she had simply misheard—that she had merely mistaken other noises for singing.
However, if she deliberately tried not to pay attention to those sounds, intentionally pretending not to hear them, she would find the singing becoming louder and louder. It would grow increasingly noisy and shrill until she couldn't hear anything else, and even then, it wouldn't stop.
Is it a hallucination?
Or is something wrong with me?
Lifting her head to gaze at her obviously hagard face in the mirror, Miko couldn't help but sigh softly.
A girl passed behind Miko at that moment, walking into the restrooms to the side.
Miko didn't pay attention to her; she just reached out to wipe the water stains from her face.
It was break time right now, and the noisy sounds of many students could be heard in the corridor. It was perfectly normal for girls to come into the restroom at this time, so there was no need to pay special attention.
Miko had also taken this opportunity to come to the school restroom to wash her face, hoping this would help her clear her head so she wouldn't be so listless.
Speaking of which, a lot of people in class have taken leave recently.
After washing her face and feeling her spirit soothe a bit, Miko couldn't help but start thinking.
There were quite a few people absent due to illness.
After all, there were many empty seats in the classroom—it seemed like almost half?
However, the classes were continuing as usual; the teaching progress hadn't stopped because of this.
Come to think of it, if too many people in the class take leave, the homeroom teacher should do something about it, right? A situation like this, where all the teachers continue class as if nothing is happening, completely disregarding the reduction in student numbers... it just feels not quite right.
Should I go and report this issue?
By the way, which classmates took leave to go home and didn't come to class?
Miko turned around, thinking as she prepared to take a step and leave.
Then, her footsteps suddenly halted, and she froze in place.
That's a bit strange... I can't remember those classmates' names.
Is it because they are classmates I don't interact with much usually, so it's hard to notice even if they disappear?
This feeling is quite uncomfortable. Remembering the names of everyone in the class—I should still be able to do that, right?
But, I really can't recall which classmates took leave to go home.
Speaking of the classmate sitting next to me... it's Hana? That's right, it should be Hana.
Why do I have so little impression of it? Even though she's noisy by my side every day...
Could it be... I'm actually still dreaming?
Snap!
The moment Miko had such an absurd thought, the lights in the restroom beside her suddenly went out.
When the startled Miko turned around, she saw that the entire restroom had been shrouded in darkness; she couldn't see her fingers in front of her face.
Why did the lights break all of a sudden?
Also, isn't it daytime? There should be windows in the restroom. Why is everything invisible just because the lights went out?
Miko, feeling somewhat doubtful, didn't plan to stay here. She turned around, intending to leave and return to the classroom.
[...]
The girl took a step, then stopped.
Just now, she seemed to hear a sound rising from the darkness. It sounded like... breathing?
Come to think of it, someone seemed to have gone into the restroom just now.
Miko silently took a step back.
She couldn't see what existed inside the pitch-black restroom, but she felt an instinctive fear toward that gloomy, oppressive environment. She didn't dare approach it no matter what.
[...]
Is that... someone crying?
It sounded like weeping coming from inside.
Is it because the lights went out, so they can't find the latch for the stall door and can't get out?
Thud— Thud—
While Miko was thinking this, she heard the sound of something dull hitting the wooden restroom stall door in the darkness.
Thud— Thud—
In the darkness devoid of any light, the noise continued incessantly, one sound after another, as if it would never cease.
Miko had already retreated to the entrance of the restroom.
She had considered asking about the situation of the girl who entered the restroom earlier, but a horror that words could hardly describe completely enveloped all her senses in this moment. The only thing she could do was retreat.
And it was right at this moment that her footsteps involuntarily stopped, because she had bumped into someone coming up from behind.
"What's wrong? Why are you blocking the doorway?"
A puzzled voice rang out from the girl behind her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice."
Miko Yotsuya apologized hurriedly and tried to leave, but the other person reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
"What's wrong? Did something happen inside the restroom?"
That girl asked again with some curiosity.
"Just the lights broke, it's a bit dark inside now."
Driven by an increasingly strong instinct to flee this place, Miko answered offhandedly, but she suddenly felt that one of her shoulders had become wet.
"Is it? Is it really? Why can't I see it?"
That girl was still asking.
And Miko's movements had already stopped.
She turned her head to look at the hands gripping her shoulder—those hands with all the fingernails pulled out, the skin peeled off, a bloody mess of flesh.
She raised her head further to look at that girl.
She looked at that girl whose eyes had been gouged out, eyelids sewn onto the scalp, directly exposing two massive eye sockets.
Dark red blood flowed ceaselessly from the other's eye sockets.
Yet she just stood there, holding Miko's shoulder, continuing to grin with a wide, open mouth as she asked her:
"Is it? Is it really? Why can't I see it?"
In the very next instant, Miko jerked her head up violently, propping up her body that had been lying on the desk.
Her whole body was breaking out in a cold sweat, and she was breathing uncontrollably hard.
Was that a dream just now?
She looked around. The surrounding students were gathered in groups of two or three, chatting about their own affairs. No one noticed her sudden awakening just now.
"What's wrong, what's wrong? Why do you suddenly look so out of it?"
An orange head leaned in suddenly from the side at this moment, staring at Miko with great curiosity.
She was Miko Yotsuya's classmate and also her best friend in the class, named Hana Yurikawa. She was an energetic, seemingly somewhat goofy, and rather exceptionally endowed cute girl.
"No... it's nothing..."
Miko Yotsuya shook her head, forcing a smile as she spoke to her good friend.
Ding-dong—
The class bell rang at this moment.
The students returned to their seats one by one. Although Hana Yurikawa was still very worried about Miko and wanted to ask a few more questions, she could only obediently return to her seat and sit properly for now.
Did I sleep through the break time just now?
Miko's gaze swept around.
The girls' academy she attended only had female students. A class usually had about 30 people, but now, the number of students seated... was a total of 12.
When was this class left with only this many people?
Why is everyone acting so unconcerned, as if less than half the class showing up for lessons is completely irrelevant?
Something must be wrong.
The hand Miko placed under the desk silently gripped the hem of her skirt tight.
The things happening in this classroom, the things happening to everyone... something must be wrong.
amidst the silence, the time at school ended hurriedly just like that.
After that eerie and terrifying nightmare, nothing noteworthy happened in the school. The only thing to mention was seeing more students discussing [Alice's Game].
Everyone was in such high spirits.
Everyone looked extremely excited, full of interest.
Yet Miko inexplicably felt that the smiling faces of these people she saw seemed to be twisting apart bit by bit, gradually distorting into appearances that humans simply couldn't achieve and shouldn't have.
I must do something.
As school dismissal approached, gazing at the twilight gradually drawing near outside the window, Miko couldn't help but generate this thought in the bottom of her heart.
Something terrible is happening in this school.
She had no way to find the cause, nor a way to stop this eerie event.
But she was already the only one here who could realize something was wrong, who could detect that something was happening.
So, if anyone is to do something, only she can do it.
But what should be done?
Aside from being able to sense that things are wrong, she didn't possess any other skills.
What exactly should be done?
Go look for someone who can help me?
Go share what's happening here with others and find an adult who can help me?
Such thoughts emerged in the girl's heart and spread rapidly.
It was as if someone was whispering quietly to her, causing her to involuntarily form these thoughts.
I [I] want [need] to [to] go [find] seek [a] help [person] from [who] the [can] person [be] who [my] can [friend] help [is] me [needed]...
Who can help me?
[Who can come and be my friend?]
Hana... No, she doesn't know anything. I can't ask her for help; she can't help me...
Ask Mom for help... No, Mom can't deal with things like this either. If I have to say who I know—the only one who might possibly know how to deal with the current situation... that's right, maybe that person can do it...
After all, he can see the world I see. He can see those terrible things just like me. Maybe after he knows what's happening here, he can help me. The only person I can ask for help right now is probably him.
[So let him come and become my friend.]
Miko took a deep breath, secretly making up her mind in this moment.
After the dismissal bell rang, she packed her things at the fastest speed and left the school, not even caring to walk part of the way with Hana Yurikawa.
Running past quiet street corners, crossing pedestrian crosswalks.
The girl sensed somewhat strange aspects; specifically, the streets today were too quiet—so quiet that she unexpectedly barely encountered any pedestrians or vehicles along the way.
It was as if the entire city had fallen silent, leaving only her alone running forward within it.
So Miko accelerated even more, running to the door of her own home with almost all her might. Then, after supporting herself against the wall to pant and rest for a moment, she continued forward, passing her own house's gate and walking toward the house next door.
Walking toward the front door of the only person she could think of now who could help.
Ding-dong—
The girl reached out and rang Gao Hai's doorbell.
Then, after a moment of somewhat nervous waiting, she heard the response sounding from the intercom.
"Who is it?"
Amidst the lazy voice, Miko could even hear the sound of the other person yawning, as if he had just woken up.
"It's me, Miko Yotsuya. Um, hello. You... you told me before that you can see the same things as me, right? I... I have something I hope to ask for your help with. May I come in?"
Miko, who hadn't spoken much with males, spoke with a bit of nervousness.
"Oh, then come in."
As for Gao Hai, having just finished his hot spring hotel trip, he was very relaxed at this moment and didn't think too much. He replied very casually with that single sentence, then unlocked the main door, allowing Miko to enter his home.
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉