I stumbled slowly through the forest, all the while calling, "Masumi!" I saw a small orange glow far in the distance. Maybe that was him! I gasped. As I passed a small gray stone, the entire forest grew dark. I stupidly ran, and lost the way back to the light part of the forest. through my confusion, I heard soft ceremonial singing. It frightened me. I ran toward the glow, screaming. "MASUMI!" I knew it was of no use. After being missing for so long... well, he... I ran. I couldn't admit it. "MASUMI!" I couldn't bear it. I Reached the glow. It was gone. So was the singing. A girl in a white Kimono, wearing a red sash, was still here. I called out to her. "Hello?! Little girl?" She did not respond. "Hello!? Hello?!" I was becoming frantic. I grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. She was staring at me with a look of terror. There was blood all over her Kimono. Then she dissappeared. "Don't come near me." I shrieked. I heard the voice call those four frightening words and spun around. a fleeting gray image was running- no- flying through the trees. Then it was gone. I was spooked. I examined my surroundings. small lamp, nothing unusual about it, but it was glowing red. A Giant stone pile in the center of the hill was roped off. I approached it, and felt cool air through the cracks in the cover. Was it an entrance? A small, bright red butterfly flew over and hovered upon the stone. It was so beautiful. It transfixed me. I reached out to touch it. As i did, I saw the most terrfiying thing I had ever seen.

MIYAKO'S STORY--------------------------

"hm. hmm hmm hmm. ha... haa haa... HAA HAA HAA HAAA HAAA!" Crazy laughter echoed throughout a bloodstained room. A girl. In a bloody white kimono. laughing amid a sea of bloody corpses. A giant ghost, approaching behind her, killing everyone in the room. Masumi. Dead. Slashed terribly. Herself, dead. Attacking and following two innocent girls who had stumbled into the village.

"MASUMI!" I screamed. I awoke from the trance. I was lying on the rock. As i awoke, i heard sobbing noises. I saw another girl, virtually exactly alike the last one, save for the blood and sash, sobbing by the gate. "Are you... Are you that girl I saw before?" I asked. She ignored me. "Sae... Sae.... Sae..... SAE!" She screamed, then dissappeared. I was scared beyond belief. I saw small lights coming from the village. I took out my red notebook and wrote.

I've heard rumors about the lost village before. Long ago, a massacre occured on the day of a ceremony, and the village was wiped from the map. Twin Deities Statues in the forest lead lost people to the village entrance. Once you passed the gate however, you cannot go back.

The village eternally relives that night of death. The insane laughter of a woman is said to echo throughout the village. The only survivor of the massacre at the village was a lone woman.

I walked into the village, scared to the point of madness. Please let Masumi be here... I thought desperately. "M-M-Miyako..." Another voice, just like Masumi's, penetrated my stunned silence. I screamed and ran, dropping my black bag. In my fear, I ran blindly into a large house. It was very scary. I was in a small, dirt floor room with a lattice leading into a kimono room. Oddly, I thought I heard a baby's cries coming from a kimono box inside. I ignored it. I entered the room with the Kimono Box . Everything was destroyed. I walked further, but stopped. I saw a light coming from outside. I heard muttering. I marked this in my journal.

Sometimes I sense someone passing by the window. He carries a torch, and mutter things. He seems to be searching for somebody. but it is not Masumi.

In the distance, I can hear some kind of sad ceremonial song being sung. They say that this village vanished on the day of a ceremony, and that day is repeated over and over again.

I began my search for Masumi again. I walked down a hallway draped in cloth. I was scared by the cloth. It was like a ghost. Further down, there were two intersections in the hallway, one leading upstairs. I ignored it. The room at the end seemed to call to me. As I walked towards it, I got a really odd feeling, like something was beyond the door. I pressed my ear to it. I heard Masumi's voice! "M-M-Miyako... Do-Don't c-come.. n-near..." I ignored Masumi's warning and barged in."Masumi!" I yelled. The room was empty. I began to cry. Maybe he left into the atrium off the deck... I didn't feel brave enough to search. I wrote some more. Each time I wrote I left the page for someone to find. If anyone was here.

Masumi... It's me, Miyako.

I came to look for you.

Let's go home together.

Together, we can make it.

Call for me if you find this.

I'll be nearby.

Miss you!

I left the room, back into a large room with a sunken fireplace pit. I walked directly across to a pair of double doors. There was a mosquito net here, and beyond it was a human shaped lump wrapped in a tatami mat. It smelled terribly. I wrote about how I was stuck in the village. It was another note.

Someone! Anyone!

Whoever sees this, look for me.

I'm trapped in this village.

HELP ME!

Miyako Sudo

I remembered the intersections I missed in the hall. I went back to them, and entered the one on my right. I was in a neat altar room. I ransacked it. I tore papers from the Drawers. I scattered them, looking for something to help me. I felt a ominous presence in a small camera on the floor, but it was just a camera! What would that do for me? Sadly i wrote once more into my book. Before writing, I felt an odd sound. It came from the wall! It was like a moan... I rapped on the wall with my knuckles. The wall was hollow! Maybe there was an exit. Before leaving to attempt to open it, I wrote in my book to anyone who might find this paper.

Sometimes I hear an eerie song-like sound coming from the family altar. It sounds like it's coming from deep below. Maybe it's just the wind? Or maybe there really is something behind that wall...

I left and walked upstairs. There was a door. I opened it and, after making sure there wasn't anyone, or anything, inside, I locked the door. I walked around. I sat at the table and wrote in my journal.

How much time has passed since I came here? How long will this night last?

I can't take the darkness. It's driving me crazy... I have to get out of here! I have to see Masumi.

After writing, I walked into a guest room. I sat down, and passed out. I had another vision.

Blood ran everywhere. People were dead. The girl in the bloody Kimono laughing. Two young, about seven year old girls throttling eachother. One screaming, "I don't want to kill!" The other, "I don't want to die!"

I woke hurriedly. I was so scared. I heard laughing on the other side of the door. The doorknob shook and rattled. After whatever was there had passed, I wrote about my dream.

I must be tired. If I start to relax, I pass out. Even in a crazy place like this. The darkness here is creeping into my dreams. Slaughter, rivers of blood, fallen people, a woman in a bloodstained kimono, insane laughter, and twin sisters calling out "Don't kill me!".

That woman's laugh is seared into my mind. I don't want to sleep anymore.

I heard Masumi outside. Calling my name! I got up. I decided to wait for Masumi. I unlocked the door. He burst in. "Miyako! You're alive!" He screamed. We both hugged. "Masumi, we-" I began, but he interrupted. "Miyako, please wait here! I think I know where the exit is!" I agreed and bade him farewell. "Don't die..." I whispered. As he left, I marked in my journal.

Masumi found my note.

He WAS in the village!

I can see him soon.

I can't move...

I'll wait here.

He'll be back

He'll find the way out.

If he comes back

(empty page)

(empty page)

He came

The door opened and I jumped up. Masumi rushed in. But... "OH MY GOD!" I screamed. He was slashed. Like in my dream. Masumi! I rushed over as he collapsed. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed. His body went limp. Before he breathed his last, we shared parting words. "I love you..." And he died. I backed away from his body. It seemed to shimmer. A white-gray mist rose from it. It was shapeless, until it formed into the shape of Masumi. "YAAAAAAH!" Masumi-ghost lunged at me, and his hands reached around my neck.

"Why?"

And then... Miyako Sudo died.

"And when we could finally meet... Masumi... Why?"

Well? How was it? Plz RR Thank you!