The Time Loop

I do not own Mushi-Shi, this story is merely a result of my own imagination.

Summary: As Ginko travels through the forest he discovers a small almost abandon cottage, just as he decides to pass it up he hears a woman scream. The familiarity of the woman's scream causes him to run toward the abandon cottage.

A man with pale white skin, white hair, and one green eye exposed could be seen approaching the village. He introduces himself as Ginko and ask for directions to the towns market.

"Hello, I am currently out of supplies. I was wondering if you have anything on this list."

He hands the shop keeper the list, she looks through it and says.

"We sure do! Let me gather all these items for you."

While Ginko waits patiently he over hears a couple of villagers talking.

Random Male Villager 1: "Did you hear it last night?"

Random Male Villager 2: "Hear what?"

Random Male Villager 1: "The sound of the man screaming."

Shop Keeper: "Oh, not that again! Yuki, I thought I told you not to tell that story to costumers"

Yuki: "But, it's true!"

Shop Keeper: "Its just an old tale! I don't need you scaring away my potential customers!"

The Shop Keeper turns toward Ginko and happily announces.

Shop Keeper: "Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I also run the Inn next door."

Ginko: "Is that so, I might need a place to stay if the supplies I requested will take a while"

Ginko's last words gave the shop keeper an idea.

Shop Keeper: "Your supplies" She looks at the list and discovers an herb that she will not have until tomorrow morning. "I just realized that one of the herbs on your list will not be ready until tomorrow."

Ginko: "Well is it okay if I trouble you with a place to stay as well."

Shop Keeper: "Not at all!" "I'll even let you stay at half price, since husband almost scared you away with some stupid tale. My name is Junko by the way."

Ginko: "Oh yes,I am Ginko, and you husband did not bother me with his story I actually I love old tales..."

Before Ginko could finish his sentence Yuki interrupted loudly by saying

Yuki: "Well if that's the case then I can finish my story. Its is said that in the late hours of the night the screaming man could be heard from the old abandon house in the forest not to far from the village."

Ginko: "A screaming man?"

Yuki: "Yes, and the people that travel to the abandon house at night all come back frighten beyond recognition."

Junko: "There you go again! Its just an old folktale, made up by villagers to stop children from wondering through the forest at night."

Yuki: "No its a true story!"

Ginko: "Pardon me, but what about the screaming man?"

Yuki smiles at his wife with satisfaction and continues to tell his story.

Yuki: "Ah yes the screaming man. (Dramatically talks in a deep ominous voice.) The abandoned house in the forest East of the town's water well, use to belong a man named Mitsuo Yamamoto and his family over 50 years ago. One day while he was out chopping wood for the upcoming winter, his family was killed by scavengers. Unable to cope with the death of his entire family, he took his own life in the silence of the night."

Noticing Ginko's increased interest Junko interrupted with a loud cough.

Junko: "Ah,em"

Yuki: "Anyway, it is believed that the increased amount of guilt the man carried left his spirit dwelling in the house cursing all those that try to enter."

Junko: "Ginko, are you hungry? Would you like to come over our place for dinner tonight?"

Ginko: "I don't want to impose."

Junko: "It the least I could do to make up for the herbs and my husband."

Ginko: "Sure"

She smiles happily at Ginko and shoots her husband a bone chilling glare for telling the story. Ginko looks back at Yuki.

Ginko: "Is there really an abandoned house in the forest East of the Water well?"

Yuki: "There sure is!"

Junko: "Ginko, don't tell me you believe that is true?"

Ginko looks over surprised by her shrill tone of voice and notices the concern on her face.

Ginko: "No, its just a folktale. Besides I'm just trying to map out the best route I should take out of the village tomorrow."

Junko: "That's good, you seem like a nice guy and I would hate if anything were to happen to you because my husband couldn't resist telling old stories."

Yuki: "Hey!"

As they argue in the background Ginko is consumed by his own thoughts.

Ginko: I wonder if there is any Mushi activity around the village. I should take a look around. "I would like to have a look around the village..."

Yuki: "I'll show you around the village!"

Junko: sighs "Just make it back by dinner please?"

Yuki: "We will."

Yuki takes Ginko and they leave. Junko suddenly realizes something and goes running out the door.

Junko: Screaming "And don't take him into the forest!"

The men walk off together to explore the town. Yuki walked happily because he made a new friend that believed his story and he got out of helping his wife with work in the shop. Ginko still remained trapped inside his own thoughts smoking his cigarette. He wondered if the story he heard could be Mushi related. He was also disappointed that he is now accompanied by someone that absolutely adores the old folktale.

Ginko: I guess I'll check it out on my way out of town. "Yuki, can you show where the town's water well is?"

Yuki: "Huh, are you talking about the well in the story?"

Ginko: "Is there another well in the village?"

Yuki: "Ah, forgot your not from here. The town's water well is in the center of the village."

Ginko: So there must be an abandoned water well near the edge of the forest like in the story. Hmm...but something doesn't add up, maybe I should go ask around town. If the story is a myth then the townspeople wouldn't abandon a perfectly working water well. Ginko had completely stopped walking as he pondered the possibilities surrounding the water well. Yuki acknowledged the puzzled look on Ginko's face and hit him on the head.

Ginko: "Ouch!" "What was that for?"

Yuki: "Don't try to go off wondering into that story any further. I don't want you getting any ideas, and if you do get any ideas let me know."

Ginko: "Huh?"

Yuki: (completely serious) "About 2 years ago, my son and a few of his friends were playing off near the old water well. When he came home for dinner that he was distant, he barely spoke and hardly touched his food. Then in the middle of the night I heard him scream, when I came into his room he was gone. I searched everywhere for him, I ran into the forest and could not find him. The next morning he was found next to the old water well with the look of death on his face. My wife and I brought him home and tried to comfort him."

Ginko: "Wow, that sounds awful."

Yuki: "It gets worst. Every night at the same time, my son would scream as if he were attacked...Yuki's words started to cut him like a dagger. He struggled to complete his last sentence. "He screamed every night... One night... he didn't scream. We found his body aged with the look of such terror...my son.

Yuki straightens his appearance and looks up toward Ginko, and forces a simple smile. "I'm sorry. I don't even know you and I'm telling you my whole life story."

Yuki: "Come on, let me show where all the cute girls hang out!"

Ginko: (confused) "Uh... " Yuki doesn't allow Ginko to answer. He merely slaps Ginko on the back and drag him to the area with the beautiful young women.

Yuki: looks at Ginko and wonders if his words has caused this man to become even more interested in the story of the abandoned house. "Ginko? "

Ginko: "yes"

Yuki: "Don't tell my wife I told that story" he then scratches the back of his head with an embarrassed look on his face. "My wife wouldn't feed me for a week if she knew I told you that story"

Ginko: smiles "Sure, but I don't want to sound rude but why did you tell me that story?"

Yuki: grins a little "It may sound silly but when I first saw you. You kinda looked like a Mushi Master I met years ago. A young lady with same color eyes and hair."

Ginko: "Oh I see, so do you think the incident involving your son is mushi related?"

Yuki: "Yes"

Ginko: "I want you to know that I am a Mushi Master and if I do decide to further investigate these stories I would like for you to not interfere. I do not know much about this particular mushi and it sounds dangerous, so I will need for to keep your distance from the water well and the forest for the time being."

Yuki: "I understand."

Ginko: "How long has that well been closed off"

Yuki: "Its been closed off for about three and a half years."

Ginko: "Why?"

Yuki: "The old water well was drying up so the villagers dug up a new well in the center of town. The old well was never threatening until the incident with my son and his friends."

Amaya: "Hey Yuki!"

Yuki smiles at the beautiful young woman waving at him.

Yuki: "That's Amaya, she is the towns beauty. Let me introduce you to her. Hell! You might even be her type. "Hey Amaya! This is my friend Ginko!"

Yuki grabs Ginko by his shirt and drags him over to the town center where Amaya is located.

To be continued