The day had started off peacefully, as was usual for a Sunday. Outside,
the birds were chirping, the sun shone, and the breeze was gently
playing with the grass. While there was work to be done, it was
certainly a pleasant day.
In retrospect, he should never have played that videotape lying on the
floor. He'd had bad experiences with one tape before, but he'd figured
that he wasn't in for any repeat performance of the last time.
He was right. What was on the tape was far worse than the last time. A
dizzying jumble of images assaulted his eyes, rooting him to the spot.
He couldn't pick up the remote to turn it all off until the very end,
which promised salvation if only-
-and then that last message was denied him, cut off by a commercial.
He blinked. He wasn't certain of what he'd experienced, but he had the
unsettling feeling that wasn't the end of it. His suspicions were
confirmed by the phone ringing, only to be answered by the woman he
loved. A few moments later, she rushed to his side, looking more than a
little distraught.
The caller had told her that they had seven days to live.
Sadako was ready. Seven days had passed since someone had played her
tape. It was her form of immortality, a last gasp at walking once more
in the land of the living. The price was someone's life, something she
accepted gleefully. She didn't care about anyone else's life-only the
approximation of her own that was left to her.
On countless times, she emerged from the grey netherworld of her own
making to briefly taste freedom. It was a reprieve and it was never
long enough, but it was all she had. If she had to still the hearts of
the entire world, she would.
Once more, she thrust herself through the barrier between worlds. She
expected to see a pallid face, gasping for breath when she emerged.
They would be in the throes of agony as their heart stopped. That was
how it always worked.
Today was different. The last thing she expected was a calm,
dusky-skinned woman with long white hair. Strange markings adorned her
cheekbones and forehead. Sadako could sense great power from her behind
the bemused face, power that even she barely comprehended. The oddest
thing of the whole situation was that the woman was floating
upside-down.
"Oi," said Urd, "Next time, you might want to try going out with your
legs first. It's more stable."
While Sadako was trying to piece that together, Urd streaked up to the
ceiling. The next thing that the ghost saw was a stream of wards being
fired her way by some ludicrous-looking automaton.
Pulling herself fully out of the television, Sadako didn't quite dodge
the barrage. Several wards held fast to her, paralyzing her. Escape
had never been an option before-she had always been the one in control,
the one who inspired fear. Now, frozen like this, she was the helpless
little girl once more, bereft of any power.
"Good shot, Banpei-kun!" A youngish, dark-haired girl exclaimed.
That was the last that anyone heard of Sadako Yamamura.
THE END
This has been a presentation of
"The Wrong TV"
A Ring/Oh My Goddess Crossover
by
The Strange Medium Guy with a Bad Haircut
(AKA Pearson Mui)