Haunted
By Guardian795
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Thank you to all who reviewed the first chapter. I'm trying to go for long and descriptive, so if it takes some time coming up, I'm sorry. I'm also writing a horror screenplay that a friend and I are going to direct, produce, and create. It's going to be hard. Try to bear with me.
The warning is the same as the first chapter, so, again, if you're a baby and feel the need to run away and cry, feel free. This is rated Mature, though I let it be PG-13 because it's interesting.
Author's Note: Older here is by the old Japanese standard, which means that the child was born second. Older meant you were born second, younger meant you were born first. Don't be confused, just keep remembering this.
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Chapter 2: Kiryu's Demise
Yoshitatsu Kiryu was visibly upset. In the town, many noticed his sorrowful behavior. Anyone could understand his suffering – his younger daughter had to be sacrificed. But, they noticed how proud and honored he was to still have Akane, the older sister. He was more upset because Akane now refused to eat, sleep, or speak. She would stay in the room she shared with Akane, curled up on her side, crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she hardly ever blinked. When her father would try to comfort her, she would not move, and hardly breathe, as though she had become one of his lifeless dolls. Villagers came to see The Remaining, but Yoshitatsu ushered them away. Akane would be more withdrawn than before when others were around. She would never let them into the room where she and Azami stayed. Yoshitatsu needed to find a way to help his daughter. He needed to find a way…
When Yoshitatsu came home, he looked around first. Something always seemed out of place now, in the old house. When Azami was sacrificed, it seemed that all life was sucked out of the house. But something else seemed to be wrong, not just that Azami was gone. He rounded the corner and walked down the hall. A little girl in a violet kimono ran by, her long black hair was the last thing he saw before she disappeared behind the wall. "Akane?" he called. Akane always wore the same violet kimono, like Azami used to. It was Azami's favorite, and Akane's too. Had Akane been out of their room, finally? Yoshitatsu ran down the hall and turned the corner, but no one was there. He continued in that direction until he came to the door at the end. He froze. The door was locked from the outside, just like he had left it. How could Akane have come this way, if the door was locked? His eyes widened. How could she have gone back this way, through this door, if it had been locked?
He unlocked the door, and then hurried to the twin's room. He stopped, peering through an opening in the paper window. Akane was there, sitting on her mat like always, as though expecting Azami to come and sit on her mat beside her. Yoshitatsu sighed. He must have been seeing things. Rather, he must have imagined Azami and Akane playing tag in the house, like they used to. He shook his head, then noticed Akane moving. Her hand was quickly moving in her lap. He opened the door and walked inside. "Akane?" The girl did not answer him, only continued with what she was doing. As he neared her, he saw her writing in a small, violet notebook. Her hand was feverishly scrawling in it, then he noticed that she was writing with Azami's brush. He peered over her shoulder to see what she had written. His eyes widened as he read.
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
why kill? why kill? why kill?
"Akane!!" he cried, grabbing hold of her hand. Instantly, she started to cry, dropping the book and pen. She took her hand back from him and curled up in a ball, continuing to cry. Yoshitatsu, scared that he had actually hurt the frail child, looked her over. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, but she continued to sob. He let Akane go, and she slowly quieted down to just crying softly. Yoshitatsu stood and walked out. He needed to find something, and now, to help his daughter.
He walked down to his workshop and sat there, looking at his belongings. He sighed softly, not being able to think of what to do. He looked over at all of the doll parts he had, and got an idea. He smiled, pleased with himself. He grabbed some doll parts and set to work.
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Akane has become a Remaining. To comfort her, I'll make a doll that looks like Azami. She has been emotionless since the day of the ritual. I'll make the doll look exactly like Azami, so that when they are together, no one will be able to tell them apart.
Yoshitatsu set the doll of Azami down in front of Akane before she woke. He pulled up a mat and sat down, then nudged his eldest daughter awake. Akane woke up, sitting straight. Her eyes widened at the sight of the doll, her sister. "Azami!!" she cried, hugging the doll around the waist. Yoshitatsu smiled. Akane looked at him, and looked more human for the first time in weeks. "Papa…you brought Azami back?" Unable to deny his daughter in that voice, he nodded. Akane smiled, hugging Azami again.
Feeling so proud, Yoshitatsu stood up and walked to the door. He felt like he had actually done something good. But then, he heard something behind him. Sobbing. He turned around and saw Akane crying. "Oh Azami…please, forgive me! I never meant to hurt you!" Akane continued to cry. Yoshitatsu sighed slowly, knowing this would happen. He walked out the door and closed it. Stopping only momentarily to look at his livelier daughter, he saw the doll stretch out its hand and lay it on Akane's hand. Yoshitatsu gasped, then blinked. The doll's hand was still on his daughter's head. He shook his head. He was too tired from making this doll.
Akane never leaves Azami's side for even a second, always whispering things to her. I don't know what she says, but at least she seems to be slowly returning to her former self.
If we didn't have this ritual, Azami wouldn't have become a butterfly, and Akane wouldn't have lost her spirit.
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Yoshitatsu came home a week later, feeling happy. Akane was beginning to be like her old self. She ate, talked, and walked around. She only did these things with the Azami-doll, but it was better than nothing. His daughter had her life back. He walked into the house, happy like a young boy. He continued down the main hall, going to the twin's room. He peeked in the window, seeing Akane asleep, a smile on her face. She slept like that now, knowing the Azami-doll would be there when she awakened. He smiled himself, then walked back down the hall to his room. Once he came to the hall that led to his room, he froze. At the end of the hall stood the Azami-doll. "Did Akane put you there?" he questioned aloud. The doll took a step towards him. Yoshitatsu jumped in fright. The doll looked up at him, and the eyes seemed to hold some kind of life to them. She's mine… he heard. He quickly turned around and ducked into his workshop, closing and locking the door. He pressed his back against the wall, shivering with fright.
A small banging on the wall began over where the doll was. The banging continued slowly, pounding on each frame of the wall, until it rounded the corner. It continued once more until it got to the door, then stopped. Yoshitatsu backed away from the door, shivering in fright. After a few minutes of no noise, he crawled to the door, sitting next to it. "Hello…?" he called.
Why…? he heard. He quickly moved away from the door once again. KiLL ThAt sTUpId doLL!
Azami's voice…but…how? He hurried to the door, opening it. No one was there, not even the doll. He stepped out into the hall and turned the corner. The doll was no where to be seen. He quickly got back into his room, thinking. He quickly grabbed his notebook and began to write.
Last night, I heard footsteps. I thought it was Akane, but it was really Azami - walking by herself. Akane has spent so much time thinking of her sister, a spirit must have taken over the doll. It is said that when a spirit takes residence in a doll, it can steal the soul of others.
Yoshitatsu quickly set the book down and hurried down the hall to Akane's room. He stopped at the entrance. The doll was on its side, curled up like Akane was, facing her. Yoshitatsu walked into the room, then made to grab the doll. A hand grasped onto his. He looked down, and saw Akane, wide awake, gripping his arm tightly. "Don't touch her…" Akane hissed. Her father sprang back from them. "Akane, the doll, it's…"
"It's Azami, Papa. Why are you trying to hurt her?" His daughter looked up at him with empty eyes. He gasped, realizing what was happening. Akane was being controlled. He scrambled backwards, then ran out the door.
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Father brought Azami back. All I could do was apologize. She forgave me. The killing is over now. No more. I'll never hurt anyone again. I'll never let anyone kill again.
Father says Azami has been possessed, and he's trying to kill her. He's trying to kill Azami. I won't let him do it. I won't let that happen anymore.
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Yoshitatsu was upset. He could hardly leave his workshop, for fear that the Azami-doll would be waiting outside the door. However, that morning, he saw Akane tear up the passageway to the Malice, the X. She took off the head, arms, and eyes, hiding them. But, before he could stop her, the Azami-doll tried to hurt him, so he ran back to his workshop to write.
As he sat there and wrote, he heard something at the door. He slammed his book shut, trembling. Carefully picking up his short sword for defense, he drew it and walked to the door. He stepped out into the hallway, the short sword half-raised. He glanced around, shivering with cold and fright. Cold? How could it be cold? He walked down the hall slowly, keeping his eyes out for Akane and the Azami-doll. As he reached the hallway that led to the front door, it got extremely cold. He shivered again, before hearing a noise behind him. Spinning quickly, there stood Azami. He raised his sword, but then stopped as he heard: PaPA…Im sO SOrRy…
He lowered the sword. Azami never moved, but her form seemed to blur and fade slightly. A ghost? Azami walked forward, going through him. She walked down the hall, then stopped by a closet. She turned around and looked at him. KiLL tHAT sTupID dOll! She disappeared, a crimson butterfly appearing where she stood, then fading away as well.
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Yoshitatsu found several dolls in the form of Akane in the next week. He hanged them in the opening room to the house, but nothing happened. He couldn't find the actual doll. Frustrated, he returned to his workshop and locked the door like he always did. He was too afraid to go to many other parts of the house, for fear that he would run into Akane and Azami-doll. He sighed, facing the door, then turned around to go back to work. He froze in his tracks. Akane and Azami-doll stood there, holding hands. He couldn't tell them apart. They both took a step forward towards him at the same time, and he jumped in fright.
One of them let go of the other's hand, walking towards Yoshitatsu. She walked to him slowly. Frozen in fear, he gripped the wall behind him. He ran to the door, trying to open it, but it was locked. Locked from the outside. He turned around, and found Akane there, grabbing his throat…
She's mine now
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Days later, Azami stood in the hallway, looking into the twin's room. Akane was hugging the Azami-doll, but suddenly, the doll put its hand on her head. Akane looked up. "Azami, what are you..." The doll began to take her life. Akane gasped, as though drowning, for air. She turned to the side and saw the real Azami, her sister. We are one, Akane...
"Azami..." she breathed, before her eyes glazed over. And her sister, her true sister, looked on in sadness.
Deep within the village, a crimson butterfly wept.