Chapter 5: The Anatomical Model
Aya ran down the hallway, panting heavily as tears streamed down her face. She couldn't stay around; the second Ayumi was attacked by that thing, she knew she was no longer protected.
She eventually slowed to a walk, too out of breath. Her best bet was to hide. As she walked down the hallway, she realized that she had run to the hall with the bloody wall. Gulping, she walked past it, trying her best to ignore it.
Suddenly, a roar broke out across the school, and she let out a yelp. Frantically looking around, she noticed that the closest room was open. She ran in, not taking any chances with that creature again.
She blinked, glancing around at the room. It wasn't like any of the other classrooms. Large tables were lined up in rows, metal gas burners on one end on each. At the back of the room, there were cabinets, lined with glass tubes and other small objects. In the front of the room, there was something covered in a white sheet. She didn't think much about it as she started to explore the classroom.
Aya blinked as she passed each table, each covered in dust, the gas burners rusted. She gasped when loud footsteps came from outside, in the hallway. Fearing for her life, she quickly crouched, using the table's cupboards to shield herself.
Outside, the creature was moving quickly, his talons scraping the wood with each step he took. He was angered that his first victim escaped with minor wounds. As he passed the Science room, he smirked, hoping that the spirit he had assigned would do his job. He disappeared down the hallway, the air turning cold again.
When the footsteps grew faint, Aya rose again, sighing. She really wanted to find her family. Pressing a fisted hand to her chest, she felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Momma… papa… RuRu… Koji…" She murmured, sniffing as some tears fell. She was so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the sheet slip off from the figure behind her. It was a model, but it was clearly alive. A creepy smirk crossed his face as he spied on the young girl, his eyes glowing from the dim light outside. Slowly, he made his way over to her, his footsteps quiet.
She jumped when she heard the floor creak behind her, and turned. She let out a cry before the model grabbed her, covering her mouth with one of his hands. She tried to fight him, but he was too strong for her small body. All she could get out were muffled whimpers as he grabbed her and took her over to one of the tables. The breath was knocked out of her when he slammed her down onto it's surface, cackling as he tied her up to the gas burner behind. Her flailing legs were soon to follow, the rope used dug into her skin. Her mouth was released, and she cried for help, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Quite the loud one, aren't we?" He finally spoke, and she stopped, tears streaming down her face. He moved to the front of her, a glint in his eyes. She couldn't speak, she was too frightened. He was an anatomical model, half of his body covered in skin, while the other half showed the muscle and organs.
"It's so nice to meet you again… little sister," He spoke with a calming tone, before he held up a pocketknife. The blade was dull from years of use, dried blood coating every inch of silver.
"P-Please… get away!" She cried out, her tears uncontrollable. His smirk only widened. He leaned over her small form, the knife coming down and landing next to her head, the tip deep in the wood.
"Oh, but don't you want to die with your brother, little sister?" He asked, pulling the blade out again. Her chest heaved, feeling that she wasn't going to get out of this. Her only hope was that her family would find her now. And she would take that chance.
"MOMMY! DADDY! RURU!" She screamed out, his eye twitching as he grew irritated. Taking the blade, he sliced it across her cheek, the cut deep enough as blood started to trickle out. She cried out as pain shot through her right cheek, tears mixing with the blood.
Getting off the table, he readjusted the knife in his hands.
"I was going to have fun, but now, time is off the essence," He replied, rearing the blade up as a crash of lightning broke through the skies, the room brightening. The blade went back down in a swift movement. She let out a scream of agony as the blade cut through her knee…
Somewhere else in the school…
The small group perked up when a cry echoed off the walls.
"Didn't that sound like…?" Satoshi questioned, looking back to his wife.
"It's Aya! I think she's in trouble!" Naomi answered, starting to quickly limp towards the direction of the noise.
"MOMMY! DADDY! RURU!"
"Aya!" Satoshi started to run down the hall, but stopped abruptly, looking back at Naomi and Shigeru.
"Go! We'll catch up!" Naomi yelled at him, and he nodded, turning sharply.
Back in the science lab, she was sobbing, her body shivering at the new pain in her leg. Blood pooled underneath her wound and dripped off the side of the table. The pain was excruciating, the ropes on her arms and ankles dug deeper, her skin rubbed raw.
"You are quite the screamer… Sweet music to my ears," The model replied, cackling as he raised the bloody knife again, this time aiming for her stomach. Her small body wouldn't be able to handle it. She would certainly bleed out after the next wound.
Aya was a crying mess, she wished her parents were here.
"Momma… papa…" She muttered out, and the model glared at her.
"Don't worry, big brother will protect you," He cooed, and she sniffled again. The knife came down on her stomach, the tip pressing into her dress and skin. She whimpered out, more tears spilling over.
Just as the model was about to stab her, the door to the room slid open, a man running in with a thin pipe in his hands. He swung the piece of metal at the model, jerking the ghastly spirit away from Aya.
"Stay away from her!" Satoshi screamed out, swinging the pipe. The model stood back, not daring to get in the way of the pipe. Reaching his hand out, he grabbed the pipe, holding it in place.
"Just because you're older than me doesn't mean I'm not stronger than you," He replied, his hand pressing into the metal; the pipe wasn't thick enough as it caved in.
"W-What?" Satoshi blinked, mouth agape as the pipe was crushed under the model's strength. His teeth clenched, glaring at the figure.
"You bastard…" He murmured, and the model smirked. He gripped the pipe and ripped it out of the man's hands, throwing it away from them. He then raised the pocketknife.
"Looks like daddy is defenseless," He cackled, swiping forward with the knife in hand. But with his strength, the older male had swiftness. He quickly dodged the attack, the blade catching his jacket and slicing through it.
"Daddy…" Aya whimpered out, looking over as her father battled the figure that had injured her. She didn't hear the other footsteps enter the room, her mind too clouded to pay attention.
"Aya!" Naomi entered the room, quickly limping over to her daughter. Shigeru was close behind his mother, not wanting to separate from his parents. Naomi let out a gasp as she saw the wound on Aya's knee. Looking around frantically, she noticed sharp objects in the back of the room. One of them had to cut the ropes; Satoshi wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
While their mother ran to the back of the room, Shigeru stayed with his sister. He was barely tall enough to look over the tabletop, but he could see his sister was distressed.
"Big sis…" He muttered under his breath. He could see the blood drip off the edge of the table, and he held back a sob. She was hurt, very hurt.
Naomi ran back with a pair of dull scissors, quickly going to the ropes holding Aya's hands together. Once they were cut off, she moved to her feet, trying her best to ignore her daughter's blood that had soaked into the rope. When her feet were free, she placed the bloody scissors on a nearby table. She came back over, picking up her daughter as one hand went under her knees, the other supporting her back.
"Satoshi!" The brunette yelled to her husband, seeing him struggle with the model as both fought for dominance in the fight. He glanced over to her, before going back to the model. Taking his chances, he swept his foot out, catching the other's leg, causing him to falter. With his guard down, the brun male kicked his foot out, hitting the model's chest. The impact was hard enough to send the spirit back, his back hitting the wall.
Satoshi took this chance, and turned, running after his wife and children. The small family escaped into the hallways, leaving the model to pant heavily.
"I see… so this is how we're going to play… Game on then," The figure spoke, letting out a few heavy laughs.
Running down the hallway, they stopped, panting as they peered behind them. The figure didn't seem to be chasing them.
"You okay?" Satoshi turned to Naomi and she nodded. Aya whimpered, pressing her head into her mother's chest as another wave of pain shot through her leg. Blood was all over Naomi's clothes, her hands soaked in the warm liquid. It made her sick to think that this was her daughter's blood.
"We need to get her to the infirmary, you can hopefully try to clean that wound," Satoshi spoke, and turned, grabbing Shigeru's hand. The family walked off towards the direction of the stairs.
When they were gone from sight, the spirit from before appeared. She frowned sadly, her brows furrowing. Her hands clenched together, as she looked down.
'I failed to protect your family… I hope you can forgive me, my dear Naomi…' She soon disappeared into thin air.
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