"Have you heard…?"
"Heard what?"
"Another man was found in that old house up in the mountains, dead. People said he was killed by the previous owners of the house who died before because of an incident ."
"Incident? What happened?"
"A father killed a man, his own daughter and four of his brothers after disposing his daughter's body. He then killed himself right in the house after doing such things. It is said that such events repeat themselves over and over even after death."
---December 13th, 1979---
"Where is he?"
It's been weeks since Kirie heard from Huyu. She knew Huyu was making sure not to make contact with her when their father was around since he stopped leaving the house but still…
It would be nice to hear if he's still ok.
Kirie also noticed strange behaviors in her father: when he visits, he shows no emotions on his face and kept his mouth shut the whole time, making Kirie the one who starts up the conversation; whenever he was outside of her room, a laugh can be heard but it wasn't the kind of laugh you would normally expect. No, it was more of a maniacal laugh, as if he went insane. The strangest thing she saw her father ever do now is that every now and then, he would visit the old shed in the backyard with a tray of food and come back empty. It was as if he was hiding…
("…the evidence of his deed…")
…something secretive. But what could it be?
Lately, she wasn't able to open her door either. It was as if….something on the other side was keeping her from going though. Kirie assumed something was wrong with the door but something inside kept telling her that her father was keeping her from coming out…
But he stopped doing that years ago…why would he do it again?
Kirie found herself in a large area, deep beneath the ground. Strangely, a large cherry tree was found standing in the middle of the area, taking most of the space; its beautiful, pink petals can be seen falling one by one.
"Where am I?" Kirie muttered to herself. She looked around, glancing at the walls and the big tree. When she looked up, she saw a familiar face:
It was Huyu.
"Huyu!!" Kirie cried out, running to the wall where he was standing at the top of. Luckily, a ladder was there, intending to go up to the surface; it didn't look like it would be a good thing to be in use however.
Kirie didn't care however. She decided to use the ladder just to get to him.
"Huyu! Wait for me, please!" She cried out, carefully stepping on each block of wood. "Why haven't you been showing up lately? I was so worried about you lately!"
Step.
Step.
Step.
"Did my father do something to you?"
Step.
Step.
Step.
"Did he hurt—"
As Kirie reached closer to the top, she had a better look at her lover's face. It was horrifying.
Huyu's face held a sad expression and on his face, blood can be seen splattered across his skin, even some seen dripping down from his eyes.
"HUYU!!!!" the woman screamed out, reaching out one of her hands as she still climbed the ladder.
Kirie, he mouthed as he held out his bloody hand.
Kirie climbed faster and faster, forgetting the fact a couple of the blocks looked as if they were going to break. As she reaches the top, she grabbed a hold of her dear lover's hand when suddenly…
As the last pedal of the tree fell off, Huyu's hand broke off.
The woman let out a blood-curdling scream as she slipped and fell off the ladder, her entire body heading towards the ground. As she fell, Huyu's image can be seen fading away and in place of him…
…was her father.
"Nooo!!!!!" Kirie cried out as she awakened from her nightmare. She looked around the room and realized she fell off of her bed during slumber, probably the reason why she fell off that ladder in her dream.
However, the dream gave Kirie a horrifying idea.
"Huyu…" Tears can be seen at the corners of her black eyes. "my father…he…he…he did that to you, didn't he. Why…I didn't want you to get hurt…."
Creak…
The door slightly opened, as if someone opened the door so Kirie could go outside. Kirie knew not to go outside unless it was for important matters like personal hygiene but…
The shed her father was visiting lately…she had an urge to investigate the old hut…
Maybe…he was there.
Kirie slowly walked out of her beloved home and into the large garden. She looked around the house, making sure if her father was home or not. When it looked as if he wasn't home, she decided to search the shed…but her legs were shaky and her stomach was tied in a knot. Huyu had told her that if she was feeling like this, then it means you are nervous. It was perfectly normal if you were doing something that was "risk-taking" but what she was doing now…judging by her father's change in personality, she could be risking her life.
("…what Kirie didn't know, however, was that she was also feeling fear as inside, she knew what her fate is coming quickly…")
She took a few steps towards the shed, feeling a malicious presence in the air. As she proceeded further and further, the knot became tighter and tighter, making Kirie a bit nauseous. She softly touched the wooden door of the dark building and peered in, searching for anything suspicious…
Suddenly, something caught her sight and immediately, she turned away, nearly vomiting.
"What are you doing here Kirie."
Kirie turned her head behind her and noticed her father behind her, wearing the demonic mask; a sheath can be seen in his hand. What is that sheath for… Kirie thought to herself, trying not to lose herself.
"Kirie, I said: What are you doing here?!" the man exclaimed; anger can be clearly heard in his voice.
Kirie shook off the thought and looked at her father with intense fury. "Father, just who is that in there?!" She pointed at the wooden door. "I know deeds like that are highly unwelcomed in this world!"
The man walked past the girl and angrily shut the door closed. "Kirie, get back to your room if don't wish to be punished."
Kirie's face hardened. "No!"
("…fate sealed…")
Her father glared at Kirie's stern face with the demon's angry eyes. "What?"
"You heard me. I am getting tired of you locking me up from the outside world. Huyu…he taught me everything about the outside world…and its joy of living and what to live for…something you didn't teach me. I've been missing out on a lot father. Why are you keeping all of this away from me?"
"Kirie, the outside world isn't as beautiful like what you think. What…he implies…that isn't reality. Everyone suffers because of the actual reality of the world so I tried saving you away from reality by keeping you away from knowing of the outside world…"
"You didn't have to hurt the poor man!! I didn't him hurt. He didn't do anything wrong to hurt me!"
Her father let out a loud uproar, hurting Kirie's ears. "You foolish girl, he did the worse sin of all!"
("…he fell in love with you…")
SLAP!
The sheath fell away from his head and landed away from the two beings. Tears were seen falling from Kirie's eyes as held her hand in her other one, hurt from slapping her father. "I loved him too…does that mean I'm a sinner too?!"
"…"
"Does it?!"
"…. Kirie, get inside or you'll be punished severely."
Kirie scoffed as she slowly shook her head. "Punished? What's a punishment far worse than taking Huyu away from this world?!"
("…sending you back to him…")
Suddenly, the insane man charged towards his daughter and tackled her onto the door. Kirie struggled to break free but her father's strength was far too stronger than her. "Father!!" she cried out, trying to move her arms. "What are you doing!?"
("…your punishment…")
As Kirie struggled to break free, her father punched her right in the abdomen, making her fall to the ground. Kirie, in pain from the attack, tried the stand back up but her father's body was on top of her, the demon's face staring straight at her.
("…there are many punishments that a man could do to a defenseless woman…")
Kirie's eyes became full of fear as she thought of some of the stuff the Huyu told her one night: men were able to do to women whenever the women showed some form of weakness. Was her father really that kind of man?
("…be grateful your father is a good man, Kirie…")
…however instead, his hands grabbed Kirie's throat and pressed down on it.
No!!
I can't breath!
Father, why? I thought you were trying to protect me! How will this protect me?! Are you that kind of man?! Did you do this to mother years ago?! Why?! PLEASE FATHER!!! Don't do this!! What will mother think if you did this?! Father…father…please do not take another life…being in love isn't a sin…what you're doing is sin…I do not want you to go to hell…
No.
What I want is for you to stay here on this goddamned earth along with me and anyone else that perishes here. I shall have anyone who visits this place endure all what I suffered these ten years. I shall not have anyone leave this place alive…
Not even you.
With that thought, Kirie took her final breath and continued staring into the dead night sky, life no longer showing in her eyes. Seeing his dear daughter's lifeless body, the man moved away from the corpse and grabbed his fallen sword. He soon unsheathed it and proceeded to do what he did to Huyu's body.
Nearby, a woman in a white dress can be seen glaring at the scene, malice in her eyes. Her black bangs covered her eyes, preventing from anyone seeing the upper half of her face. Red marks can be seen at the joints of her legs and arms; one was even shown on her neck. The air all around her was filled with malice, as the woman was full of revenge.
But not on her father…but on every living being on earth…
Feel my pain……
---End of Himuro---
That's it for Kirie. Hope you enjoyed that tale.