There are many misconceptions about Tokyo. Believe it or not, it’s not a city but a collection of smaller ones. It’s also not the capital of Japan, well, at least not officially. I live in the most northern part of Tokyo in a city called Adachi. It’s a nice place, but not as exciting as the rest of Tokyo. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great place to live and plenty to do with beautiful parks, and the city is still amazing. But it doesn’t beat the atmosphere of Tokyo’s more populated areas. Shinjuku is a personal favorite of mine. It's close by, and it has plenty of things to do and eat. It’s enjoyable to go with Taiki. It just so happens to be where my grandmother lives with her shop. In fact, I probably spent most of my free time in Shinjuku than back at home.

Chapter 2

Dead end

Red frightful eyes, odd pain in the arm, and a foul odor infesting the nose. Haru never forgot about his nightmare as he traveled on the train to Shinjuku. Considering that his memories were missing and that he felt the same ache in his arm that he felt in his dream, the silly idea popped into his head telling him that maybe his dream was real. Perhaps, his forgotten nightmare was his memories.

No. That was just stupid.

Usually, during his trips to Shinjuku, he would read his comics to help pass the time, but he spent it thinking about that dream instead. It was fuzzy, but there was something he remembered. In his dream, he was sprinting down a tight alleyway. He didn’t know exactly what he was running from, but whatever it was, it was terrifiing.

Haru could also distinctly remember the moon from his dream. It was a bright, crescent moon that shined down on him as he ran. It felt as if it was watching every movement Haru made, mocking him during his distress. There was not a lot of information to go off on, but if he really believed that his dream was real, it raised more questions than answers.

Once the monorail reached its destination, Haru strode off the train and escaped the crowd to make his way to the city's heart. It was nighttime, so the streets glowed from the neon lights and electronic billboards that showered the buildings. Haru took the moment to relax his gaze on the city around him. Shinjuku city truly felt alive. For a brief second, Haru wanted to put his investigation on hold so he might enjoy his time in the town, but he quickly reconsidered.

If what Taiki said was right, then there should be police swarming the place he wanted to visit first. Haru was skittish at first; maybe he would find something unsettling. He thought it would be a good idea to comfort his nerves, and what better way to do so than to visit his grandmother?

His trip to his grandmother was interrupted by weird sensations that started to take over Haru’s body. His skin began to itch. He started to salivate mildly. His head felt light. And he began to tremble uncontrollably all over his body. And most noticeably, he was feeling famished, but not for food.

He didn’t know what he craved exactly, but he knew a proper meal wouldn’t do the trick.

And now he was getting the strange sensation of being watched. Paranoia? Or was it a vivid imagination caused by his hunger?

The street where his grandmother’s shop resided was quiet. Very few people came through this road. There was a noticeable lack of bright lights, and there weren’t many shops in the area. If anyone were following Haru, they would stick out like a sore thumb.

But there was nobody around.

He approached the shop down the quiet road. This location wasn’t good for business, but it didn’t matter to granny as she enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. The facade of her shop was covered with cat decors and ornaments. The doorbell rang as he entered the front, but it was drowned out by the cats' purring and meowing, who all walked up to greet Haru.

“Hello, granny, it’s me!” Haru called out inside the shop. She wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so Haru presumed she was somewhere in the back room.

The scent of the shop was nostalgic, even if it was a tad bit stuffy. It reminded Haru of his childhood and, more particularly, his father. His dad adored cats and would bring home some of his favorite felines.

“Hi, sweetie,” Granny responded as she walked into view from the backroom. “It’s so nice of you to visit.”

With Haru’s father gone and his mother always out working, Haru and his sister were raised by their grandmother instead. She even left her shop temporarily to take care of the siblings. She was very sweet and took care of them passionately. She even baked all sorts of snacks for the kids. However, she eventually returned to her shop as Haru got older, leaving him and Kana to watch over their mother's house.

It wasn’t as bad, however. Haru would receive a set allowance from his mother that let him buy groceries and take care of his younger sister, even if Kana didn’t appreciate much of what he did. He would even keep an extra to use for himself.

“How is Kana?” Granny asked, expressing concern.

“You know how she is. She still keeps to herself.”

“Oh, I see,” Granny responded with a frown. “I haven’t seen her in over a year now. Tell her to visit me sometimes, won’t you, dear?”

Haru’s grandmother tidied up the place as she prepared to close her shop for the day. She walked around to the various cat bowls around the room to clean and refill. Haru didn’t want to interrupt because he knew she enjoyed such tasks, but in her old age, he couldn’t resist but help.

“I baked some fresh cookies. Would you like one, dear?” She asked as she walked into the back room before hearing a response.

She would consider this a second home for her. Everything she needed to survive was located in the shop. There was a bed, a bathroom, and even a kitchen. She would sometimes spend days here without leaving the company of her precious cats.

She returned with a plate full of her specialty, cat-shaped sugar cookies. Haru smacked his lips in anticipation as he expressed his thanks and reached out for one.

He could feel the warmth of the treat. It was soft and delicate as he held it tight in his hand. The sweet aroma that he remembered from his childhood entered his nose. Crumbs trickled onto the floor as he hoisted the treat into his mouth.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

YUCK!!

Haru spat out the chewed-up bite as it slapped the floor. The cats quickly surrounded the mush and ate it up within a few seconds.

It was a repulsive taste. It tasted almost like metal. It reminded Haru of his breakfast this morning, but the same iron taste was much stronger this time. Haru watched as the cats slurped up the remaining pieces with no issue.

“Oh, my word!” Haru’s grandmother cried out. “You’ve never done such a thing!”

“I’m s-so sorry!” Haru said as he bent down to clean the residue with his bare hands. The cats had already eaten most of it, so all that remained were a few crumbs. However, Haru's hands trembled so much that picking up the pieces became a challenge.

His condition worsened, but he refused to worry his grandmother anymore.

He continued to apologize as he helped her close shop for the day.

“You must feel lonely, Granny. Next time I’ll bring Kana, even if I have to drag her.” Haru said, trying to change the topic.

“Oh, don’t worry, dear,” She chuckled. “I don’t feel lonely at all.”

Haru walked off and traversed his way to the destination. He looked down at his hands. Maybe it was his nerves, but he was trembling profusely. He had never felt anything like this before. He wanted to go home and calm himself, but he needed answers to his missing memories and about his strange dream.

However, that feeling of being watched stalked him during his travels.

*****

“Why am I so itchy!” Haru hopelessly scraped his prickly arm. The long scratch marks on his arms were hard to cover with his sleeves. He was afraid that if he continued scratching that he would bleed. So with every fiber in his being, he resisted that urge.

He couldn’t help but notice his skin had become pale. He wasn’t the type to go out and get a tan, but this was ridiculous. It came to a point that he was self-conscious about it.

But there was little he could do about it.

Once he had finally reached the Yokocho, cops had already blocked off any entrance into the alleyway. There were barricades and police tape everywhere. Haru couldn’t keep count of how many police officers were. They all stood on guard, making sure nobody was too close to the crime scene.

Haru was here last night, but he knew there weren’t any cops.

The police were intimidating, but the only way for him to gather more details was to converse with an officer. His social anxiety almost paralyzed him in place, but he gulped his hesitation and approached the one closest to the barricades.

“Um …. Excuse me,” Haru asked as politely as he could. “What happened here?”

“Can’t say, kid,” The officer replied with a scornful look. “Not until the investigation is completed.”

Haru took a peek down past the barricades. A dark red color covered most of the alleyway, which Haru quickly assumed was blood. It covered the walls and signs inside the alley. There were also multiple chalk outlines scattered across the floor. Some of the outlines didn’t look humanoid, almost like someone's body had been torn apart. And not only that, there were around five people dressed in black protective gear. There wasn’t an inch of their bodies that wasn’t covered. But oddly enough, there weren’t any markings to indicate who these people were.

The strange men seemed to be searching the area for evidence with technology Haru didn’t recognize. There was a small box on the floor with dials and a scanner attached to it. One of the men collected samples, placed them into a petri dish, and put them into a small black container. Another man was speaking into a phone while directing the others on what to do.

“Get out of here, kid! Adults are working!” Another officer yelled out as he shoved Haru away from the scene. But Haru managed to sneak in one more glance. His heart almost stopped as he saw the man on the phone pointing directly at him, indicating him to the rest of the crew.

*****

Haru’s lightheadedness didn’t wear off, and his trembling continued. He became so dizzy that he would fade in and out of consciousness. And his hunger only grew.

He felt defeated and wanted nothing more than to be at home so that he could recover from whatever sickness he was feeling.

Red frightening eyes, odd pain in the arm, and a foul odor. That was all he could think about as he staggered his way home. Maybe it would be best to relax and read some of his favorite comics.

Sniff Sniff

A sudden familiar scent hit his nose. It was an awful smell that he remembered very well. Haru slowly turned his head and saw himself staring down a familiar alleyway. It was long and dank, with trash scattered throughout the floor, which would explain the terrible smell.

There was no doubt. This alley was from his dream.

This discovery almost awakened him from his lightheadedness, but part of him was too frightened to venture forward. As adventurous as Haru was, he would never travel through the dark alleyways of Tokyo city. Who knew what awaited him around every corner.

Haru took a huge nervous gulp as he took his first step into the dark corridor.

He was careful with every step he took, avoiding the trash and the liquid that oozed from garbage bags that covered the ground. It was utterly disgusting. Haru thought there would be no way he would venture down a horrible place, but if his dream was correct, he was here last night.

The longer he trekked forward, the least recognizable everything was, to the point that Haru doubted himself. He thought about returning and heading home before noticing a dim light at the end of the alley. It was the only source of light he saw. It wasn’t much, but it still ignited Haru’s curiosity once more.

Once he had finally made it out of the tight alley, he saw himself on an empty backroad. It was much broader, causing Haru some relief not to be in such a claustrophobic pathway, but this place looked completely deserted. The dim light turned out to be an old vending machine that looked as if it had been forgotten many years ago. The asphalt below his feet was cracked, and weeds were growing between the crevices. With every step he took down the dark path, he could feel the gravel under his feet.

Haru felt he was close to finding something, but his heart was almost beating out of his chest.

Inhale ………………… Exhale.

Was it too late to go back?

He had no choice as a tall wire fence sat at the end of the road, blocking any forward progression. It was roughly four times his height, with a slightly lit but empty parking lot on the other side. Part of him felt relieved he didn’t have to continue forward, but he knew that his missing memories would continue to gnaw at his mind.

Haru started to turn back, but not before the sounds of snickering and gravel crunching enclosed him.

The boy stood in fright as he was approached by four men with masks and tattoos. They all laughed as one dragged a metal bat across the ground, causing tiny sparks to fly from the asphalt.

“Hey there, bud!” One of them taunted as the rest began to snicker loudly. “We’ve been following you around for some time now, and you found yourself in a dead-end. Thanks for making it so easy for us!”

If the roughness of his voice didn’t scare Haru, then the knife in his hand would. The four gang members all brandished weapons tainted with blood, showing off their previous services. Two men had bats, and the last man had a rusty hammer.

Haru’s trembling legs gave out beneath him as he crawled back, only to be stopped by the wire fence.

“Wh-wh-what do you wa-want?” His voice quivered as he spoke.

“Our job is to make sure you die tonight. That’s all you need to know!” The man cackled.

Tears flowed down Haru’s face as he continually begged the men not to kill him. But it was futile. The terrifying men all laughed as they raised their weapons and approached Haru for their assault.