Chapter 10: The Dead Person Who Was Reborn (2):
Hiroshi's POV:
"Hey, I have a question," says Mayako, "about Ryūji... what is his motive?"
"Motive," I asked.
"He has to have some ulterior motive," says Mayako, "and if so, haven't we been fooled by him?"
"I'm sure it's not what you think," I said. But she does have a point.
"I'll pay the bill," says Mayako.
Mayako's POV:
Just as I was paying the bill, I looked and saw a woman with her baby, and she was singing the song from the video. "Excuse me," I said. I then ran into that woman with the baby.
...
"May I ask what song you were singing," I asked.
"It's a lullaby called 'Sentiments of the Little Island'." She gets back to singing.
"Yes, this is the phrase," I said, "what does 'Dasen' mean?"
"'Dasen' refers to lion'."
"What about the phrase," says Hiroshi, "the last phrase."
"It means giving birth," says the woman.
We then took a look. "I will be giving birth next year," Hiroshi reads.
Hiroshi's POV:
"What does giving birth refer to," asks Mayako, "could Sadako have been pregnant when she died?"
"Perhaps after watching the videotape, people will develop the illusion of giving birth," I said.
Dr. Domyoji's POV:
I went into the lab. Someone was in there. "You are..."
"You read my thesis over the internet?"
"So, it's Mr. Ryūji Takayama. Have you come specially to meet me?"
"I've read through your thesis in detail. I enjoyed it."
"Thank you," I said.
"Were you the one who told the police about the Gebray," asks Ryūji.
"Yes," I said.
"A pity you're wrong. That matter has nothing to do with the Gebray."
"You could help the police with their investigation," I said.
"Don't pin such high hopes," says Ryūji.
"Then we've nothing to talk about," I said.
"Do you know Hiroshi Tôyama," asks Ryūji. I then looked at him. "You should. Do you know he's facing impending trouble?"
"What has this got to do with you," I asked.
"He is next in line because he has watched the tape," says Ryūji, "his investigation will get him nowhere. He's acting according to his own conjectures, turning a deaf ear to me."
I then chuckled a little. "He's merely investigating a few death causes of myocardial infraction," I said.
"Those five people died of curses," says Ryūji.
"They were not cursed," I said, "tumors were found in their arteries."
"How did the tumors come about then? The abnormality of DNA increased the speed of disintegration of the cells. What caused the abnormality of DNA? Is it a virus? How did it begin? You can never find the answer. You can only use prima facie evidence to make partial assumptions. This is the limitation of science. I have given up hope on it. Hiroshi's life will depend on you."
"Are you done," I asked.
"Can you stop the tissue culture now? These are produced through curses not something you can cope with."
"Stop uttering nonsense," I said.
"No matter how you analyze the cells, there's no way to break the curse. You will the be entangled in the curse eventually."
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe in curses," I said.
"You will fail," says Ryūji.
"Looks like you can prophesize," I said.
"I know your future like a book," says Ryūji, "I'd advise you not to pin too much hope on science. We can never conquer curses. It's not too late to turn back."
"I think we have nothing to talk about," I said.
"Something is brewing," says Ryūji, "just that you have yet to realize it." He then left.
Hiroshi's POV:
It was getting late, so we decided to stay at the Inn for another night. I was still thinking about that well. "There's a record of what happened to Sadako," I said, "as she grew older, her powers unintentionally spiraled out of control. This caused her to be the perfect scapegoat by the local community who blamed her for this island's misfortunes such as freak accidents, bitter winters, red tides, and small fish hauls. Her own mother became mentally unstable and distant towards her! She spent her time alone. It also said she developed a fear of water!"
"Isn't there a rumor that her dad is the God of the Seas," asks Mayako.
"I know," I said, "it also says that..."
"What," asks Mayako.
"The person who caused her death was... her mother! She finally snapped, suffocating her with a garbage bag and throwing her into the well in order stop her from mentally tormenting her!"
"That's horrible," says Mayako, "I mean, I guess I would do whatever it took to keep my mind safe, but still... But what about her mother?"
"According to this, her mother died," I said, "her grave is somewhere in Tokyo."
"Figures," says Mayako, "wait, what am I doing? There's no way she could have done any of that! You said she was blamed for all the natural disasters! Her mother was probably just a psycho who killed her own kid just to blame her for it all!"
"There is one thing," I said, "I kept seeing her after I first watched the tape! Now, I'm going to describe her, she's a woman in a white dress with long black hair."
"So, what," asks Mayako, "I've seen her after I watched that tape too."
"But here's the thing, you and I are the only ones that can see her," I said.
"What," asks Mayako, "that's crazy!"
"Go to the halls," I said, "I saw her there!"
Mayako then goes to the halls.
Mayako's POV:
I was in the halls, and I saw her. What Hiroshi said was ridiculous! There is no way I'm the only one who can see her! A housekeeper then comes out of a room. "Hey, what room is she staying in," I asked.
The woman looks. "Who?"
I then checked and her eyesight was good!
Hiroshi's POV:
"No one else can see her," says Mayako.
"Only the cursed can," I said, "if I'm right, back home, Chisuzu is probably seeing Sadako, but the rest of the family probably thinks she has an imaginary friend."
"When I get home, the first thing I'm going to do is make Norihiko watch that stupid tape," says Mayako, "we're in this mess because of him in the first place! The one time he actually does a real dare!"
I then thought I saw something and took a look. It was nothing.
Dr. Domyoji's POV:
"This is an important finding," I said.
"Leave it to the police. They can investigate further with this clue. Perhaps any internal hemorrhage can be detected beforehand. Death can be prevented then. You needn't take Ryūji Takayama's words to heart. Things are not that way." Director Inawashiro then walked away.
I then backed into the wall. I then thought about what Ryūji said.
Ryūji's POV:
Mai had that music box again. "What's the matter," I asked. She then hugged me. "Mai... Don't be afraid. There's nothing to worry about, Mai." She then tackled me to the ground...
Hiroshi's POV:
I was talking to Mom on the phone. "When are you coming back," asks Mom, "the last time you were at that inn, you... I'm worried about you! We all are!"
"As soon as possible," I said.
"Well, you should know, I think Chisuzu has an imaginary friend, but I thought she was too old for that at least. The thing is... she seems scared of this friend! What is going on?"
"I can't tell you," I said, "but don't worry, I'll get rid of her friend soon! I might come back tomorrow."
"Alright, I love you," says Mom.
"Love you too," I said. We then hung up.
...
I was in bed. Ten more days... As I was trying to sleep, someone snuck in. It was Sadako! I was scared! I thought she was going to kill me early, but she came down to me and her face was getting closer to mine... until we shared a long, passionate kiss...
...
I then woke up! I realized, to my horror, that I wasn't under some kind of evil spell... I was falling in love with the creature that is going to kill me!
Mayako's POV:
I couldn't sleep! I looked at this oni mask on the wall. I then looked in the eye holes and saw two human eyes looking back. I then hid under the covers. I then looked at the oni mask. Maybe it was just my imagination. I then heard a sound. I think someone was leaving...
Hiroshi's POV:
Mayako came in to wake me up. "Get up," says Mayako.
...
I then investigated. "There's nothing at all," I said, "you must be hallucinating."
"I wasn't even asleep yet," says Mayako, "I discovered someone peeping into my room. He ran away when I found out."
"Look, I had trouble sleeping too," I said.
"Bad dream," asks Mayako.
"There is no easy way to answer that," I said.
She then heard something and made us hide. We saw someone with a flashlight. We then followed them.
...
We lost them. "Where did he go," asks Mayako.
...
It was the next day. We got into the car.
"The sooner we get rid of that horrible Sadako the better," says Mayako.
"Yeah," I said. Why am I feeling this way? Maybe Sadako did do something to me! We then drove off.
...
"He disappeared here," says Mayako, "look over there!"
We saw some sort of cabin. We then ran to it. The door was locked. We searched, but we couldn't find another way in. "Nothing at all," I said.
We then started walking, but Mayako stopped. "Hiroshi!"
"What's the matter," I asked.
"Look..."
There was mysterious writing. I then grabbed a rock and banged it on the lock. We were then able to get in. Someone was singing. We found a man. "Who are you," I asked.
"Can't you tell?" He then grabbed a trident. "I am Poseidon, God of the Seas, and Earthquakes, and I gave the world horses! Why is it, people usually affiliate me with water?"
"We saw your name carved on the door," I said.
"Yes, it took me years to learn to write in Japanese," says Poseidon, "Japanese is Greek to this Greek God!"
"Was it your daughter that casted the curse," I asked.
Poseidon looks down. "Yes," says Poseidon, "you see, sometimes, when a God has a child with a mortal... it can create a mistake! Sadako was never able to control her powers, and she began attacking her mother with images that drove her mad! That's why her mother killed her! Sadako's not a bad person, she's just angry! You can save her from herself!"
"How," I asked.
"I believe you know how!" Poseidon then leaves.
"We just met a God," says Mayako, "the only God I have ever believed in is God himself! And we just met an Olympian! Wait, how does he expect you to stop Sadako?"
Ryūji's POV:
I was walking. I then stopped and had a vision. It then stopped.
Dr. Domyoji's POV:
I entered the lab, but one accident after another happened.
Hiroshi's POV:
As we were walking, we saw Sadako, but then she left...
To Be Continued
In the next chapter, Hiroshi and Mayako are left with less answers.