1st August
Darkness pressed against Yuki's eyelids, a suffocating weight that sleep refused to lift. Three nights had crawled by since Naomi's unsettling revelation about Avalon, each one punctuated by fragmented dreams and jolting awakenings. The memory of the screamーa chilling echo that lingered in the deepest recesses of his mind. “First, it's that scream… or nightmare… I don't even know. Since then, there hasn't been one night where I have been able to sleep properly.” The lines between reality and fantasy had blurred ever since Naomi had introduced him to the idea of a hidden world.
Heat radiated from his futon, a stark contrast to the coolness that clung to the shadows at the edges of his vision. Naomi's absence was a hollow ache in his chest. Anger flared, hot and immediate, at the way she'd manipulated him, her words laced with a truth he couldn't grasp and a hidden agenda he couldn't decipher. But the anger was quickly overshadowed by a flicker of worry. “It's been around 3 days since I've seen Naomi. I wonder what happened.” Naomi's thoughts plagued him. “Was I wrong to scream at her like that… but then she played that stupid prank with me… uhh I can't think straight.” He shoved the thought aside, a defensive measure against the unwelcome vulnerability it exposed.
Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on his breathing, willing himself to succumb to sleep. But the image of Naomi and the letter kept appearing before his eyes. He woke up and sat on his futon with his legs folded. Unable to sleep, he pulled his laptop from the corner of his room, its light illuminating the dark room as it burned over his pupils.
He fired up ‘Readit’, a forum based social media website where users over the world created threads by making different communities. As he surfed through the website he came across a community called “Urban Legends”. As the name suggested, it was all about people discussing popular urban legends and a few even sharing their experience.
A wave of scepticism washed over him as he scrolled through the first few posts. There were stories about a tall, faceless figure, some about a blood-sucking beast that attacked livestock. After scrolling for a while he came across a post that was written in Japanese, finding it intriguing he clicked on it. The post was about “The Slit-mouthed woman” also known as, “Kuchisake-onna” 「口裂け女」
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2nd August
The grand hall buzzed with an unseen energy, a symphony of whispers and exhilaration that vibrated through Yuki. A surge of euphoria coursed through him, chasing away the lingering fear from the twisted streets. He couldn't quite grasp the strangeness of it all, the fantastical shift from his familiar world to this magnificent hall. But before his thoughts could solidify, Naomi, a radiant smile illuminating her face, shattered the silence.
“This, my dear Yuki,” she declared, her voice echoing through the cavernous space, “is Avalon! And I get to be your guide!”
Yuki, his head still throbbing from the disorienting passage, could barely manage a croak in response. He rose unsteadily, his gaze sweeping across the breathtaking architecture. Stained glass windows cast vibrant colours onto the polished marble floor, and intricate carvings adorned the high walls. Naomi, her enthusiasm bubbling over, her eyes sparkling with an infectious excitement. “Now, come on, let's not waste another moment!”
Confusion still clung to Yuki, yet a strange sense of trust, a seed planted during their past encounters, urged him to follow. “Where are we going?” he asked, his own curiosity piqued.
Naomi's mischievous grin widened. “Avalon, my dear Yuki,” she teased, "is far more than just this grand hall." With a theatrical flourish, she swept her arm towards a hallway that branched out from the main chamber, leading towards a sprawling balcony bathed in an ethereal glow. Yuki followed close behind, anticipation twisting in his gut. Reaching the balcony, Naomi stepped aside, and the sight before him stole the breath from his lungs.
Stepping out onto the balcony, Yuki's breath caught in his throat. The grand hall was but a speck on a vast canvas. A shimmering bridge, like a rainbow woven from sunlight and mist, connected them to a colossal landmass suspended amidst a sea of clouds. Scattered around this central giant were smaller islands, each adorned with fantastical structures that glittered like scattered jewels.
But it was the central landmass that truly held his gaze. Its surface was dominated by a magnificent castle complex, a gothic masterpiece mirrored in the shape of the peninsular landmass itself. Unlike the whimsical castles of storybooks, this one thrummed with an imposing beauty. Graphite-like bricks, dark yet strangely reflective like stained glass shimmering with gasoline sheen, formed the imposing walls. Tall windows, guarded by ferocious phoenix-shaped gargoyles, were spaced at regular intervals, casting long, dramatic shadows across the stone.
While undeniably imposing, the castle wasn't devoid of beauty. Delicate tracery adorned the arches above the windows, intricate and whimsical despite their surroundings. Towers, reaching towards the heavens, were capped with gleaming spires that glittered like scattered diamonds. Massive fortified gates, the vertex of the castle's triangular layout, were trimmed with bands of shimmering purple and gold, adding an ethereal touch to the gothic grandeur.
Naomi, her eyes sparkling with pride, gestured towards the magnificent structure. “Welcome to Avalon, Yuki.” she announced, her voice filled with a touch of reverence. “And that,” she continued, pointing towards the gothic castle, “is the Avalon Athenaeum, the heart and soul of this wondrous realm.”
Yuki gaped at the magnificent scene before him, speechless for a moment. He slowly turned to Naomi, his eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and suspicion. “Hey Naomi…” he finally managed to speak.
Naomi, her smile faltering slightly, tilted her head questioningly. "Yes? What is it? Cat got your tongue?” A playful glint flickered in her eyes.
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“Before all this…” Yuki started, his voice gaining strength. “Did you ever consider why I decided to give you a chance with such a crazy story?”
Naomi's smile dimmed further, “Well, I thought you were mostly terrified after your little run around the block.” she said, a touch of sarcasm lacing her voice.
“A normal person wouldn't exactly be chatty after what they thought was a horrifying prank.” Yuki countered.
Naomi studied him intently, “You're right.” she conceded softly. “So, why did you decide to play along, Yuki?”
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Yuki had only heard about the legend of The Slit-mouthed Woman before. His curious mind started to flash though the text. The title of the post read 「口裂け女の遭遇」[Encounter with The Slit-mouthed Woman]. His attention was sucked into his screen as he slowly began to read it. The familiar legend, one whispered in hushed tones throughout his childhood, took on a new, unsettling edge presented as a firsthand account. With a morbid curiosity, he clicked on the post, the screen illuminating his face in an eerie blue glow.
The words swam before his eyes for a moment, distorted by a glitching effect. Then, they resolved into a chilling narrative, signed simply as ‘Ş̷̛̛̣̃̍͂̇̊̈́͗̽̈́͆a̷̡͓̳̯͈̺̰̠̒̚k̷͚̻͚̱̯̜͌̍̃̐a̷̧͕̗̝̠͇̰͖̩͆̅͊̓̅́̈́̕͜͝͠͝r̸̡̛̝̺̮̻͇͉̞̟̭͈̿̔̚e̶̯̓́͌̓͒̑̅͜t̴̨̺́̄a̶̢̬̙̿̿̑͋̌̽̒̀.’ The username itself seemed to writhe on the screen, a digital manifestation of the horror to come.
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I'm an old man now, living in the quiet countryside of Japan. Eighty-nine years weigh heavy on my bones, but the memory of that encounter, all those years ago, remains as vivid as a fresh scar. We were young then, full of the boundless energy of youth. The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the rice fields into shimmering mirrors reflecting the endless blue sky.
One such afternoon, I found myself wandering through a park, the air thick with the scent of summer blooms. A melody, like wind chimes kissed by the breeze, drifted towards me. It was a woman's voice, impossibly sweet, calling out my name.
She emerged from the shadows, a vision in simple village garb. Her midnight hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes, like pools of deepest midnight, held an unsettling glint. A mask veiled her face, yet an undeniable allure emanated from her.
Her voice, like honey dripping from a comb, asked a single question, 'Do you think I'm beautiful?'
Entranced by her beauty, I could not even, 'Yes, you are beautiful.' I said, without processing a thought in my mind. With a flourish, she ripped away the mask, revealing a sight that curdled my blood. Her face was split wide open, a grotesque gash that stretched from ear to ear.
I froze by the sight in front of me. My heart, overflowing with adrenaline. I suddenly remembered the stories I had heard throughout my childhood, the stories of the Slit-mouthed Woman. She slowly revealed a knife she had been hiding behind her back, opening her disfigured mouth she asked again, “Do you think I'm beautiful?”
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ガシャンッー
A loud crash pierced the night, a stray cat scaling the fire escaped outside his window. Yuki yelped, his breath catching in his throat, before forcing himself to look back at the screen.
The story unfolded with a nightmarish clarityーthe glint of a hidden blade, the monstrous question repeated with a voice dripping with venom. Terror flooded Yuki's senses. He could smell the metallic tang of blood, feel the cold sweat clammy on his palms.
He devoured the remaining lines, desperate to know the outcome.
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According to the legends, if someone responded to this question by saying “No.”, she would kill them, instantly on the spot, same with giving out a frightened scream too. Even trying to run away was futile as it would also result in death. Someone who prides over being smart would respond with “Yes.” Thinking it would be over after that.
No, saying yes would just end up with her slitting your mouth like hers. The only real way to escape this supernatural being was to confuse it. I uttered a single, nonsensical word, a desperate gamble against the supernatural. 'Perhaps?' Confusion clouded her face for a fleeting moment, and that's all I needed. I ran. I turned around and ran as fast as my feet could take me. I could see no obstacle coming in my way. I could see no road I was running on. I could see nothing. I could only feel. Feel immense fear.
Even though I escaped her that day, even till now I am haunted by her. I always feel like I'm being watched by someone. Out of her fear I've refrained from marrying any woman, thinking she would try getting back to me.
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Dread had settled over Yuki like a shroud, a suffocating weight that transcended the mere fear of the story. It was a primal echo, a tremor of terror that resonated deep within his bones.
He blinked, the room blurring slightly at the edges. For a horrifying moment, he could have sworn he saw a flash of midnight hair and a hint of a chilling smile reflected in the darkened screen. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat that echoed in the sudden silence of the room. Was it just the creepypasta playing tricks on his overactive mind? No. A prickle of unease, cold and sharp as a spider's bite, crawled up his spine, settling between his shoulder blades.
He darted his eyes around the room, his gaze flitting from the inky shadows beneath his desk to the fluttering curtains at the window, their dance now a menacing ballet in the dim light. Every rustle, every creak of the old building seemed amplified a thousandfold, his mind twisting them into menacing whispers and approaching footsteps. He forced himself to look back at the screen, the story's chilling narrative a stark reminder of the potential horror that lurked just beyond the veil of reality.
A part of him, the logical part, desperately wanted to dismiss it all as a creepypasta, a fabricated story designed to shock and terrify. But another, deeper part, a more primal instinct, couldn't shake the feeling that there was a sliver of truth buried within the words. The story resonated with a chilling familiarity, a feeling that something dark and dangerous was watching him from the shadows, waiting for the moment his guard slipped.
He closed the post, the image of the Slit-mouthed Woman's horrifying visage burned into his retinas. The cursor, a mocking white blink on the dark screen, hovered over the red ‘×’ Yuki's finger trembled over the mouse button, the urge to shut out the story warring with a morbid curiosity. The story resonated with a chilling familiarity. The woman's voice, deceptively sweet, offering a choiceーit mirrored Naomi's words, spoken with a similar, unsettling allure that had promised a hidden world in exchange for his trust. A memory flickeredーNaomi's smile, wide and unwavering, her eyes sparkling with an almost feverish excitement as she spoke of Avalon. Now, it felt like a facade, a mask hiding something far more unsettling. He couldn't shake the feeling he was trapped in a twisted game, a pawn manipulated by unseen forces. Just as he was about to click the 'x', a new title flashed into existence below the closed post, this time written in English, its title appearing very familiar to Yuki, 「The calling to Avalon」. The familiar phrase, the very words Naomi had spoken that night, sent a shiver down his spine. Was this a coincidence, or something more? The title pulsed with an eerie invitation. He couldn't ignore it. With a deep breath, Yuki clicked on the new title, the horror story momentarily forgotten, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread as he delved deeper into the mystery of Avalon.
<7 - Run, run, run away, babyーEpisode 1 - Fin>