Enshrined in Darkness

Still no sign of Hanyū. There are some clouds in the sky and the air feels a little colder. While I walk towards my home in the late afternoon, the higurashi start their mournful chorus. I know this sound so well ... it's my birthday song and my requiem at the same time. I wonder if these little creatures know about my fate or Hinamizawa's. Their song is so sad. I don't meet anyone after Makino went away, so I walk alone, still reassuring myself that she's going to turn up soon. With that in mind, I reach the stairs of the shrine premises. Today, the stairs seem endless to me, though I remember vividly how I used to jump from step to step joyfully. I still remember the movement, but I can't feel that emotion anymore.

I know why I don't feel it. I can't fool myself. Many times when I climbed these stairs, Hanyū used to fly ahead of me, with a beautiful smile. And trying to get ahead of her was so funny. Sometimes I really outran her. I was really proud then. Now I think she just let me win to make me happy. But that's not important. I wish she would appear now. I would eat as many cream puffs as she wants, just to see her face.

Well - maybe she's not so far away. The Saiguden is Hanyū's favourite hiding place. The sacred storage room, where the tall Oyashiro-sama statue and many strange devices are kept. Some of them look quite ghastly, but to Hanyū they are sweet souvenirs from the past. Lingering among them, she gets into a reminiscent mood, dreaming of the cruel old times. What a contradictory little being, I think with a smile on my lips. I decide to walk straight to the small building. No, I'm not walking anymore. Expecting to see her, I start to run, almost cheerfully.

When I reach the Saiguden, I'm running out of breath. Almost there, Hanyū ...

... wait. Why is this heavy lock still there? I talked to Father Kimiyoshi about this lock in the past. I don't like it, heavy and stiff as it is. So we changed it to a smaller one. But that easy lock was not good as well. Because Takano and Tomitake are two bad kitties, nyan. It's always the same. Foolishly entering the Saiguden on the night of Watanagashi, they contract Oyashiro-sama's curse. So everyone says. And they die, over and over again. I get so bored of their silly behaviour.

Now there's a problem. I can't open that big and heavy lock. Maybe the key is in the small house where Satoko and I live. But I feel I must see Hanyū right now, so I do something stupid. When you climb up the tree next to the Saiguden, you can enter the room through a window. In fact, my father beat me up once because he thought I had played around foolishly and damaged something inside. He was so furious then. The fact that he was generally such a silent and considerate person made it even worse. I heard that things had been broken inside the Saiguden and Oyashiro-sama was supposed to be in a rage. But my father was wrong. I had not done anything. I had just played hide and seek with Satoko and some of my friends. But he would not listen to me and he hit me really hard. That was the only time he was so angry. But he's not around anymore, so now I'm going to do just what he punished me for. After all, I received my floggings already.

The tree is very knobbly and there are many spots you can tread on. This is not a problem. Ouch ... I should not hurry too much. A broken branch scraped my leg. Anyway, the window is coming near. It won't be so easy now because I've grown since the time I got that beating. Sticking my head through the window, I look into the darkness of the Saiguden. I know there are candles and matches inside, so I take hold of a strong chain which dangles from the ceiling. Astonished at my own courage - what if the chain comes loose? - I crawl through the window. I must do it. This is Hanyū's test, I think. Is this really necessary, Oyashiro-sama?

Woo-hoo! I cling to the chain which swings back and forth inside the storage room. Luckily I don't damage anything. I swing towards an old cabinet and sit on it, then I step on a stool standing next to the cabinet. It works out nicely, as if someone had arranged these things for someone to get inside easily through the window. Easily? Well ... I look at my right thigh, which is scratched and bleeds a little. Whatever ... I've been through much worse in my past lives. Now, welcome to the dark Saiguden. You can come out now, Hanyū.

I feel no presence of her at all. Disappointed, I look for candles and light one of them. Ah, the smell is quite pleasant. Looking around, I see the blunt old torturing implements, things I know quite well, so I don't give them any further attention. Wait ... no, something is different. Everything looks tidier than I remember it from my last worlds. I don't see very much dust, and the instruments even glint a little. They are neatly arranged. It seems someone takes good care of them in this Hinamizawa. Well, someone - it means: me. Maybe Hanyū treats me more strictly in this world. This would explain while she does not show herself to me.

I take a whole turn in the Saiguden, casting the candle's light in every direction. Finally, I illuminate the statue, which is a bit scary. Oyashiro-sama, depicted as a strong, male god, standing tall and gazing severely at the little intruder. I look at the stern features, the lowered left arm, the raised right arm, the hand which points at something hidden in the darkness. Involuntarily I turn around to look where it points. The candlelight falls on the broad blade of a beautiful ritual knife, which looks really sharp and sends a bright flash through the darkness. I wonder what it was used for, although it does not require much imagination to picture how human bodies used to be mutilated with these instruments. Once more, I recognize the neatness with which the tools are kept in the storage room. Well done, Rika, you seem to be much more careful around here. For there's no-one else who would do it these days.

Something is not right here, though. Something is different ... I just can't tell what it is. Not just the instruments. But I can't spot the difference at the moment. My desire to find Hanyū fades away as I get tired. With a big yawn, I walk back towards the window, climbing the stool and the cabinet to leave through the window. My right leg hurts a little, but it does not matter. I reach towards the chain and try to reach the window. This proves to be much harder than getting in. I wish my body was stronger and more flexible. Finally, I manage to stick my legs out of the window and catch hold of the frame, though I almost lose my balance. If I fell back into the storage room now, it would really hurt. Shifting my right foot on top of a knob, I try to take a safe position on the tree. One, two, three ... here I come!

I push myself off the window and try to clutch the trunk tightly. Ah, this hurts! My body slides down the tree and the rough bark almost peels my skin off. I must look pathetic, not only because I hold fast to the trunk clumsily, but also because my skirt rode up and my panties are showing. I move my feet carefully to take a better position and climb down the tree, while my belly and my legs feel as if they were on fire. It's time to go to sleep and forget about this.

Though my visit to the Saiguden was fruitless, I feel some kind of satisfaction while I walk towards the house I share with my best friend Satoko. Before we moved in, it was a storage for the profane things we need at the shrine. As always, I don't bother to look at the main house where I used to live with my parents when they were alive. These memories are no good. As long as Satoko is around, I have everything I need. Even if Crybaby-sama prefers to hide her face somewhere in the bushes.

The sliding door is open, as we trust the people in Hinamizawa not to break in and steal our dinner or something. I cross the basement, which does not look very tidy - is it Satoko's turn to clean up this week? -, and climb up the stairs towards the first floor where we spend the nights. Satoko seems to have gone out, maybe visiting Rena or Mion. I wish I was there too, having a good laugh about recent club games. Something fun. But as I feel really tired, I just open the closet we keep our futons in.

Just a moment ... just one futon? What about Satoko? Is she going to spend the night somewhere else? While this is highly unlikely, I can't see why she should carry her futon around instead of using her host's. Nonsense. When I notice Satoko's absence, this is always highly alarming - because it means that maybe she is forced to stay in that dreaded house with ... no, I don't want to picture the horrible scenes I remember about that bastard Teppei. Maybe the futon is outside for a good airing? At this time? I have a look anyway, but I can't find it.

There must be an explanation. I look into the bathroom ... there's only one toothbrush. And now I remember that when I entered, I saw only one pair of indoor shoes. Only me? I hardly have come to terms with Hanyū not being here, but Satoko? This would be really cruel. I think I must look for her, visit her old home, give my friends a call ... what if this pervert really got hold of her? Then a chain of gruesome events will start soon. Pictures of sick behaviour start to appear before me. Satoko with an empty, lifeless expression. Keiichi, driven by madness, attempting to save her by using mindless violence which will only make things worse. And soon after that, everything will be shrouded in darkness.

Haunted by fears, I stick my head out of the window, not giving real attention to the buildings I see ... the shrine, the main house, the Saiguden ...

... light. There's light in the main house. That's impossible. At least it seems an eternity ago since I last saw it. Who has entered that abandoned building? What do they think they're going to find there? I can't imagine any burglar would break into the Furude house. For there's nothing inside except the notion of death and some sad memories, lingering in the air. But if I look at the house now, it doesn't look very different from an ordinary home with people in it. Wait. I saw some strange things in this world already. But this is the weirdest sight of them all. I don't want to face the possibility that ... my parents ... are alive?

Which means - the curse of the third year did not happen? So maybe there is no curse at all in this Hinamizawa? That would be too good to be true. However, I would have to stand up to my mother, who could not accept Hanyū. Neither did she accept my desperate attempts to help Irie fight the Hinamizawa syndrome. That's why the institution finally got rid of her. Serves her right! Serves her right! That's what I kept telling myself over and over! She had hit me several times, though I could not understand why! And my father ... he hit me too, after he had blamed me for the damages in the Saiguden! I recalled these cruel memories again and again. And finally, I could get over my parents. My friends are the most important persons in my life now.

If - though I still can't believe it - mom and dad survived the year of the third curse ... has Hanyū's absence got something to do with them being here? No, it can't! For she was always there, even when my parents were around ... though mom always tried to talk me out of believing in her!

Anyway, I just can't stay here now. Since I belong here, I must find out who it is. Come on. Hanyū ... stay away if you want, I'll do this without you. I brush some dirt off my dress and walk through the door. I feel something awkward in my stomach. The nearer I get to the main house, the more I get scared of whatever will happen. I approach the door hesitantly. But faltering will not improve my situation. So I ring the doorbell.

Soon, I hear steps. My heart beats hastily. Someone opens the door with a strong movement.

It's my mother. With a stern glance, she looks right down at me. I feel my eyes widen with disbelief while I force myself to get some words out of my trembling mouth.

"Hi mom, I'm sorry for staying away so long ... Look, I hurt myself when I was playing, and it hurt a lot. Mion made us climb some trees. I became last, so I took a punishment. It was embarrassing. I had to wear a dog leash and crawl on all fours ... but I'm okay now, nipaa~"

While I'm talking pathetically, my mother does not react the way I thought she would. Instead of getting angry, she looks a little surprised. And at last she answers - - -

"Who ... are you?"