Chapter 16: Someone Will Die When the Curse is Solved (2):
Hiroshi's POV:
I paid another visit to Ryūji. "Sadako showed up at the hospital," I said, "I need to know, who else is her target, besides us?"
"I don't know," says Ryūji, "why are you asking me? What I want to know is- where is Sadako?"
"We've found a lead," I said.
"You should know the answer, then," says Ryūji.
"It was Mayako who told me," I said, "she really used the method you taught her to look for clues."
"And what did she find out," asks Ryūji.
"Pass the tape to two other people in 13 days and one will be saved," I said.
"That's true," says Ryūji.
"Not necessarily so," I said, "it still won't solve the problem. Besides, I'm not sure if Sadako said that."
"It was indeed what she said," says Ryūji, "I have no reason to lie to you."
"Why did the first four people all die then," I asked, "it goes to prove you're wrong."
"You overlooked something important," says Ryūji, "passing the tape to other people isn't enough. The message that she wants to convey is hatred. 'You'll have a baby next year'. That's the core of it. She wants you to produce someone the same as you. That way hatred will grow and spread."
"All we have to do is pass the tape to other people," I asked.
"Yes," says Ryūji, "we must let everybody in Japan see the tape in 13 days. Hatred is passed on from one person to another. That's how it spreads." He then draws on the white board. "If this is the world population, these people will be the last batch. And because they won't be able to pass the tape to any more people, the second last batch will die for sure. If this represents the number of people who will die, the total number will be..." He writes the number down. "If the number of people whose viewed the tape isn't enough, it'll be a quarter. In other words, a quarter of the population will die. That's one out of 4 people. But if the last batch reveals he truth and refuses to watch the tape, greater harm will be done."
"What if the process has stopped halfway," I asked.
"It won't do any good," says Ryūji, "no matter how many times the process was stopped, the outcome will be the same. Actually, we've found a way to stop spreading hatred, and that's love. If you can't bring yourself to hate your beloved, the tape won't work. And the game won't be over. It's only then these people realize they belong to the one quarter of the population who will have to die. Nobody believes in love anymore. Hatred will spread. That's Sadako's ulterior motive. Any more questions? You only passed the tape to me. According to the rule, you need to pass it on to one more person. And to save your sister, you have to find two more victims."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier," I asked, "why must you tell Mayako first? Does it make you happy to see others suffer?"
"If you were me, what would you have done," asks Ryūji, "if you were in this alone, then the game would be over."
...
I was walking to my car when my phone started to ring. "This is Mayako. Any news on your side? Is what I found out correct?"
...
"You mean clone someone," asks Mayako, "I suddenly have a new idea. Have a look at this. I've calculated the time it takes to let a quarter of the population watch the tape The 26th power of 2 is 67108864. And the 27th power of 2 is 134217728. In other words, when we come to the stage which is the 26th power of 2, if they each wait for 13 days, the time it'll take is 13 times 26 which is 338 days. That'll be a year from now. Before that, not everybody will have watched the tape. But to save you, Chizusu, and myself, who should we pass the tape to? I'm still thinking. I'm sure I'll have an answer soon."
"Are you serious about this," I asked, "based on your calculation, do you know how many lives you'll be harming to save yourself?"
"I do," says Mayako, "I calculated, and it took me a day."
"Don't try to be smart," I asked, "must you do that to save yourself?"
"That's not what I intend to..."
"It is," I said.
"At least we have a year to find a solution..."
"Are you confident," I asked, "what if anything happens halfway? What if we can't find a solution in a year? I know your intention. The content of the tape will be known eventually. Don't tell anyone about it. Just pretend you don't know anything."
"But don't you care about Chizusu," asks Mayako.
"I'll find Sadako and get her to stop this silly game," I said.
"Are you sure you can find her and make her lift the curse," asks Mayako, "it'll be too late to try and look for a solution by then. You think I enjoy racking my brains for a solution? This thing is getting on my nerves, but I don't get a word of comfort from you! I don't know what else I should do!"
"Don't do anything more then," I said, "you're more of a hindrance!" I then walked away.
Mayako's POV:
I started to cry.
...
I was at Ryūji's place, but then I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Ryūji! "What brings you over at this hour," asks Ryūji.
"What should I do," I asked, "I'm really at a loss! Do we really have to die? It's human nature to save oneself. What's wrong with that? Where is Sadako? I'm sure you know!" He then started walking. "Don't walk away! Why won't you tell me? Does it make you happy to see us in such agony? Don't you think that's cruel? Will you tell me?" He then started to laugh.
"You're too self-opinionated," says Ryūji, "you keep thinking I killed the professor! Am I right? You drew your own conclusions. Isn't that as hurting? Just because of some clues, you judge me as guilty. How do you expect me to trust you?"
"I don't suspect you," I said"
"Prove it to me then. Prove to me you don't suspect me."
...
We were inside. "My girlfriend just took her medicine and fell asleep," says Ryūji, "she was rather high today."
"You want me to..."
"I must get her out of here. The police will come any time to take her away."
"But why," I asked.
"They suspect she killed the professor," says Ryūji, "if she's taken away, she'll be treated like a criminal for sure."
"How come," I asked.
"She's never left home," says Ryūji, "but now there's no time for explanations."
"Do you really mean to help us lift the curse," I asked.
"On condition that you stop suspecting me," says Ryūji, "well?" I said nothing. "We have a deal. I'll give you some clues which might help you find Sadako. There's a simple rule in telekinetic-writing."
"A rule," I asked.
"Its magnetic force and gravitational force are the same," says Ryūji, "they function the same way if a distance is kept."
"Its magnetic force functions the same way as the gravitational force?"
"I'll leave Mai in your care," says Ryūji, "nobody must know about this, including Hiroshi. If you let the secret out, I won't let you off."
Dr. Domyoji's POV:
"Maybe the people from Pharmacy took it away. We'll just have to redo it."
"I beg to differ," I said, "I think it's Hydra! I think they stole the cells."
"Yes, we've been hearing about your theory, there's just one thing..."
"I know, stealing cells from an ordinary hospital they've probably never even heard of would be beneath them..."
"Not only that, but... someone would've noticed a suspicious looking person stealing cells!"
He's right! Hydra's good at covering their tracks, but someone would've seen someone! But if not Hydra... "They might realize how fast the bacteria multiplies," I said.
"You mean..."
"These are cells taken from a firefly," I said, "my idea was to let the cells ferment so the bacteria could reproduce. So the cells contained the bacteria actually."
"You mean the cells might be stolen for the purpose of reproducing the bacteria for some criminal purpose?"
Mayako's POV:
Now I have to keep Mai safe. She's still in bed. The phone rang, but I let the machine get it. I then looked at this doll and its eyes started to move. "It's me," says Hiroshi, "sorry about just now. I was too much. Please forgive me. I'm sorry. Tomorrow, I'd like to..."
I answered. "It's me," I said.
"You're in," asks Hiroshi, "why didn't you answer the phone sooner?"
"I thought you were appeased," I said, "you even called to say sorry. Go on apologizing. I'll listen patiently."
"Does that make you happy," asks Hiroshi.
"Have you heard of telekinetic-writing," I asked, "I heard the greater the distance, the weaker it becomes."
"What does that mean," asks Hiroshi.
"I don't have any substantial idea yet," I said.
"What's holding you back from speaking your mind," asks Hiroshi.
"Just pretend I didn't say anything," I said, "goodnight, I'm turning in." I then hung up. I then looked at Mai.
Hiroshi's POV:
"Telekinetic-writing gets weaker as the distance increases," I said, "don't tell me..." I then called Mayako again. "Mayako?"
...
"This is a survey," says Mayako, "it's conducted based on when first learnt about the curse, and how the curse spread."
"We should also find out where the rumor first started," I said.
"It's where telekinetic-writing was first applied to the tape," says Mayako.
"If the greater the distance, the weaker it is," I said, "Sadako must be somewhere nearby."
"This might be the place," says Mayako, "it's said that Sadako is nearby, and anybody who watches the tape will die for sure. But this was where the rumor first started. But I still can't figure it out. That was 3 months ago."
"What could have happened at that time," I asked.
"Guess where the rumor first started," says Mayako, "it was in a school. We could put up some notices in the school."
We then got to work. "Hachioji is around here," I said, "here and here. You're right. We'll start from this place. Keep in touch."
"I'm sorry about today," says Mayako, "I shouldn't have said what I did."
"I shouldn't have said what I did either," I said.
"Once we find Sadako, we won't have to do this anymore," says Mayako.
"We will find her," I said, "call this number if anything happens. I know this doctor very well. You can tell her anything." I handed her the number.
"Sure," says Mayako. I then drove off.
Mayako's POV:
I returned home, only to find Mai out of bed. I started looking for her. I then found her. "A trap," says Mai, "a rope trap..."
To Be Continued
In the next chapter, Sadako refuses to give in.