"They say that this is the most haunted house in all of Japan. And anyone who goes inside...gets the curse."
"Sweet, let's go in."
"You're not scared, Dahlia?"
"Um, no. It's just some stupid legend."
Everyone knew the story; how Takako's husband went crazy one night, snapped her neck, and drowned their little boy in the bathtub. The story went on to say that Takako still resided in the house, in the attic, where her husband left the body. Supposedly, if you sat in the entrance to the attic and counted to ten, you would see her. And then, days later, you would disappear.
Dahlia had always been curious. Were the stories true? She had never personally known of anyone who had gone into the house and proceeded to disappear. Most people were too afraid to find out...but not Dahlia.
"Olivia. Come in with me."
"Like hell! I'm too afraid to even stick around and wait for you. Just don't disappear, okay?"
"You mean like you?"
Dahlia watched Olivia tear down the road on her bicycle. She shook her head and pushed open the gate.
"Come at me, spookies. You don't scare me."
The house was dark. The paint was all cracked, and a musty smell hung in the air. The floorboards creaked and groaned with every step the dark-haired girl took.
Up the stairs and through the hallway. There it was. Beyond that door was the small crawlspace that led to the attic. The crawlspace, her destination.
She pulled open the small door, stepped over the threshold, and shut herself inside.
One, two, three...
The air turned cold. Dahlia shuddered and rubbed her arms, trying to shove the goosebumps back into her skin.
Four, five, six...
There were sounds coming from up above her head. The unmistakable sounds of footsteps on old floorboards, weakened by the ages.
Seven, eight, nine...
Dahlia's breath caught in her throat at the next sound; a low croaking, like someone gasping for air. Closer and louder, until it was almost like a screaming in her ears. Dahlia fixed her eyes on the spot where the sound seemed to be coming from and stood rigid.
A thick mane of dark hair draped down from the attic, forming a sheet in front of Dahlia's face. It was wiry and old...and dead.
The low croaking became louder still.
"Ohh my god."
Dahlia suddenly found herself staring into another pair of wide, empty eyes. The face they occupied was drawn, tight, and blue. The eyes never left Dahlia's own, and Dahlia in turn stayed just as persistent.
Two long, thin, blue arms dropped down from the attic and groped for something to hold onto. The movements were erratic, forced, and spastic. Dahlia didn't move, studying every last detail; totally entranced. She only snapped out of her stupor when one of the wiry, suffocated limbs began to reach for her.
"Oh, HELL no!"
Right, left, the punches flew. Right in the old hag's face. A guttural sound emitted from Takako's throat as she slipped from the attic and to the floor at Dahlia's feet. Dahlia hopped up and down, her hands balled into fists.
"Yeah, come at me again! I dare you!"
Takako's body swayed back and forth as she got to her feet, her hair whipping the walls noisily. She was obviously angry, furious even, but her expression had not changed. She twisted her mouth into an 'O' shape and lunged.
Dahlia yanked open the door to the crawlspace and laughed with glee as the vengeful spirit smashed into the wall behind the spot Dahlia had occupied just seconds before.
"Yeeeah! What now?!"
The head snapped around, but Dahlia was ready; and Takako was greeted with a sharp spray of mace. Long spindly fingers like little spider legs clawed at the ever-open eyes. The body thrashed and bashed against the walls.
"HAHAHAAHAHA! That's what you GET!"
Dahlia pulled an instant camera out of her bag and snapped a picture. The flash blinded Takako, and the ghost-woman flopped to the floor like a fish, and then lay there, twitching. Dahlia snapped a few more pictures before skipping out of the house, waving her camera high above her head like a trophy.
Takako never bothered anyone else after that.