The rain grew heavier and heavier as the night went on. The sound of raindrops hitting the roofs of buildings and stores became louder and more persistent, creating a soothing ambiance. The streets outside gradually transformed into glistening streams, reflecting the glow of streetlights.
Hanako's pace is growing weaker and weaker. Drenched from the relentless downpour, each step became a struggle as she battled against the force of the wind and the weight of her soaked clothing. The once vibrant city now seemed deserted, with only the occasional flicker of a distant streetlight guiding her way through the storm.
I feel as if I've been walking in circles; there's not one sign of an open area where I can get out of this rain. Hanako's heart sank as she realized she was lost in the labyrinth of city streets. Panic started to set in, her mind racing to find a solution before exhaustion and hypothermia took over.
She desperately searched for any shelter, hoping for a glimpse of an open doorway or an inviting awning that could provide temporary respite from the relentless rain. The raindrops continue to pelt her face, blurring her vision and making it even harder to navigate. Hanako's hope begins to wane as she realizes that finding shelter may be more challenging than she initially thought.
Taking another step forward, she loses her balance, falling to the ground with a thud and a splash. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her body, causing her to wince. As she lies there, wet and defeated, she contemplates whether it's worth continuing her search or if she should just surrender to the rain and accept her fate.
She begins to cry again at the misfortune she's been dealt, asking her body to endure just a little more and keep pushing forward. Despite the pain and discouragement, she knows deep down that giving up is not an option. With renewed determination, she slowly gets back on her feet, wiping away the tears from her face. She takes a deep breath, reminding herself that she is stronger than this setback and that finding shelter is still within her reach.
She notices a flickering light in the distance, giving her a glimmer of hope that there might be a nearby building where she can take refuge. She starts to run in the direction of the distant, flickering light, a rush coursing through her veins. As she gets closer, her heart pounds with anticipation, fueled by the possibility of finding safety and solace. With each step, the flickering light grows brighter, illuminating her path and guiding her toward a potential haven. But the light goes out just as she gets close enough.
Confusion began to overwhelm her as she searched for the light. Looking to her right, where the light had gone out, she observed an empty alleyway. The silence in the alleyway was eerie, making her question if the light had ever been there at all. Doubt crept into her mind as she debated whether to continue her search or just keep on moving forward, unsure of what lay ahead in the darkness.
Hanako stares down the darkness of the alleyway. Even though the pouring rain and the darkness of the night are making it difficult to fully see, she can hear the harsh tapping sound of the rain. Her eyes adjusted enough to the night that it looked like a rain cover. She cautiously takes a step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. As she gets closer, the tapping sound grows louder and more distinct, sending shivers down her spine.
The tapping sound grew louder and more distinct, causing Hanako's heart to race even more. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was lurking in the shadows, watching her every move. Her instincts urged her to turn around, but she persisted and moved forward, prepared to face whatever awaited her in the dark alleyway.
Her body jumps back on its own as the light above her flickers on, giving her enough light to fully observe her surroundings. She was grateful that there was a light, but it was definitely not the one she followed here. Instead, the light revealed a graffiti-covered wall and scattered trash, creating an eerie atmosphere. Hanako's heart eased up a bit.
Above her was the light, and indeed, a rain cover. She quickly went under it, looking behind her and finding the rain cover attached to a door of the building. Thinking about the light that she had followed, her anxiety picked up again, questioning who or what had lured her into this unsettling place.
Not thinking twice, she quickly grabbed the door handle, pulling it forward to see if the door would open. The doorknob clanked, but the door wouldn't open.
"Of course, it wasn't going to open." Shiro sulked as she realized that the building was likely abandoned or locked. Disappointed, she released her grip on the door handle and turned her attention back to the rain cover, contemplating whether she should wait out the rain or continue looking for an open building she could go into.
She moans, "Crap." Even though I would love to be inside the building, this will have to suffice. If I leave now, I doubt I'll be able to find another rain cover on this street. Shiro resigned herself to staying under the rain cover for the time being, hoping that the rain would eventually let up. Looking down at the floor, she noticed that the door was a step too far, and lucky for her, it looked dry. "Yes," she smiled, letting herself relax with her back up against the door.
Now let's just pray I don't die from hyperthermia tonight. I wish the orphanage would have let me take my clothes with me; they probably already gave them to the other girls or threw them away. It's not like they gave me the best clothing compared to everyone else. She shivered, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, trying to generate some warmth. She wondered if anyone would come looking for her in this storm or if she would be forgotten like so many other times before.
She looked to her right at the wall with the graffiti painted on it. The graffiti seemed to tell a story of its own, a silent reminder of the forgotten souls who had sought solace in this desolate place. As the wind howled through the alley, she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of kinship with those who had left their mark on that wall, as if they too had once felt abandoned and lost. noting the scattered trash and trash bags lying there. An idea made its way into her mind: maybe there was something useful thrown out in the bags.
She sprang to her feet, dashed over to the bags, grabbed the three that were there, and dashed back under the rain cover, sitting on the step. Curiosity consumed her as she tore open the first bag, revealing a jumble of discarded items. Among the debris, she discovered a worn-out notebook, its pages filled with faded words and forgotten dreams.
Intrigued, she eagerly reached for the second bag, wondering what other hidden treasures awaited her in this desolate place. her heart pounding with anticipation. To her surprise, she found a discarded jacket that appeared to be in decent condition. Eagerly, she rummaged through the other bags, hoping to find more hidden treasures amidst the trash.
The third and final bag included more clothing than the others, and luckily, they were wrapped in some kind of plastic, so despite the bag being saturated, the clothing appeared dry and in good condition. Her entire body was covered by the rain cover. She was about to change out of her soaked clothes when she abruptly halted. In the corner of her eye, she noticed the same glow that she had seen earlier, the one she had followed all the way into the alley. Not only was there only a glow, but there was also a screechy grouchy sound coming from behind her.
Fear engulfed her entire being as the light above her began to flicker uncontrollably. She instinctively turned around, her heart pounding in her chest. The screechy, grouchy sound grew louder, echoing through the alley and sending shivers down her spine. Panic set in as she realized she was not alone; something or someone was lurking in the darkness, causing the flickering light above to dance erratically.
The owner of the horrifying sound was right behind her. It was a disgusting monster-like thing; its whole body was deformed, and it was red. and the yellow-like glow was coming off of its head. It spoke incoherent words.
As she stood frozen in fear, the creature's grotesque appearance and incomprehensible speech only intensified her terror. Its eyes glowed with an eerie yellow light, casting an unsettling aura around it. The words it uttered were a jumble of unintelligible sounds, heightening her fear.
She screamed at the top of her lungs as adrenaline surged through her veins. Her instincts kicked in, propelling her to run as fast as she could, desperate to escape the clutches of the monstrous being on her own. But the monster was too fast, taking one of its arms and grabbing Hanako by the leg, slamming her hard into the ground. Blood splattered out of her mouth.
As Hanako lay on the ground, pain coursing through her body, she could feel the monster's grip tightening around her leg. The weight of its arm pressed down on her, making it difficult to breathe. Desperation consumed her as she fought against the excruciating pain, desperately searching for a way to break free from its grasp.
Akki! Hanako coughed as more blood came from her mouth. ''Akki,'' she called for her cursed spirit again. Hanako never calls on Akki for her help, and she knows she wouldn't willingly give it to her except for situations like this. She was on the brink of death. This time, Akki still refused to respond. Hanako's heart sank as she realized that even Akki, her last hope, had abandoned her. With tears streaming down her face.
The light continued to flicker even more violently as the monster started pulling Hanako toward it. Hanako's desperate cries for help echoed through the empty alleyway, but there was no one to hear her. The monster's grip tightened, and Hanako could feel her strength fading rapidly. She knew that if she didn't find a way to escape soon, it would be the end of her. At the same time, she felt like giving up, not wanting to fight anymore. as she felt the strength she had to try and escape leave her.
The monsters slammed down hard against her back, and a screeching of agony left her mouth. Hanako's vision blurred as tears streamed down her face, her body trembling with pain. She desperately searched her surroundings for any sign of hope, but the alleyway remained desolate and silent. With every passing moment, the weight of defeat threatened to consume her.
'I don't want to die, please." She hardly managed to say anything as her vision faded in and out, looking up ahead toward the alley's entrance. The last thing she saw was a black crow flying through the air as the light from all directions broke forth, erasing everything, including Hanakso's surroundings, as she couldn't keep her eyelids open any longer.
As her consciousness slipped away, she couldn't help but wonder if anyone would find her in time. Would her plea for help go unanswered? The sound of her own shallow breaths echoed in her ears, a haunting reminder of the fragility of life.