[FIC] Blood Moon (part one)
Posted: Fri May 28, 2004 2:14 am
A simple class trip, camping in the Japanese Alps. Things would go wrong. Horribly wrong. Unexpected risks of Black Technology come to roost.
The wood in the roaring campfires crackled and popped, making some of the more edgy campers jump. The dancing flames cast their light this way and that, illuminating the face of laughing and cowering students alike. Shadows grew long and twisted, forming horrid shapes when mischievous boys bent their arms and bodies this way and that. Some girls burrowed their way under the arms of big strong guys, feeling safer with their arms around them.
“Hmmmpppfff!” Kaname sniffed. Such a bunch of scaredy cats. Far be it from her to act that way. Looking over at Sousuke, she wondered what he would do if she reacted that way, sneaking her way under his arms.
‘Kaname, if you are cold, you should sit near the fire, not me.’ Yes. It would be something like that. Or, more like ‘Kaname, what is the purpose of your increased proximity? Have you identified a threat. Are the mountains beset by terrorists or rogue Ninja?’
She sighed.
Someone threw another set of logs on the fire, causing sparks to burst forth in large rolling clouds, looking like a convention of fireflies. The glow of the bonfires painted faces eerily, making them look as if they were covered with blood.
Kaname shivered. She convinced herself it was only the chill night air. She already had two sweaters on.
Looking up the foreboding slope behind her, she saw rolling masses of fog settling in, the leading edges tentatively touching here and there as if the diaphanous form was alive.
Things were quiet.
Too quiet.
There should be some noise in the night.
The monkeys were gone, no longer darting in and out looking for handouts or stray scraps of food.
“ARRR-ARRRR-ARRRRR.....”
A dark shape shambled out of the nearest edge of the clearing, the noise of its passage highlighted by the snap of sticks and the rustle of dry leaves. The shadowy figure was tall, at least nine feet. Its fringes seemed to flap, flow, and retract.
The ghostly call echoed about the dark cabin area.
“ARRR-ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-AAAAAAAAR....”
“Is... is... is that a bear?” One girl squeaked. “The guide said there are wild bears in these mountains.”
“It’s probably a Shikome bandit. A hobgoblin. They are said to be common in the mountains.” The nearest boy wrapped his arms around her, adding a part of his blanket for good measure. He whispered in her ear.
“They’re blood thirsty, and sadistic. Their eyes are bloodshot and piercing. Their teeth are sharp and jagged. That’s why many people won’t come up here without a heavy guard.”
The girl ducked further inside the blanket.
The boy smiled.
The setting was perfect. High in the hills. Dark. Creepy atmosphere. A touch of dampness in the air. The smell of rainy weather on the way. The only thing missing were flashes of lightning and the huge booming drum beats of thunder.
“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-ARRRRRRR-ARRRR-AAAARRRR....”
“I... I... I’ve heard about those....” Another boy grabbed a girl by the arm and tried to lead her into a dark unoccupied cabin. The night was too dark for the young lady to see the look in his eyes.
The small huts offered a destination, a possible place of relief and safety. But, the old wooden structures also held an even greater darkness... a sense of possible claustrophobia.... and only one way out.
Perfect.
One of the perpetrators, hiding behind the bole of a large tree, screeched, his voice changing over to a terrible gurgling sound.
“No. It’s NOT a goblin. It’s an Oni. Those black- hearted demons are hell- bent upon destruction and chaos. Warty. Or slimy. Twisted horns upon their heads. They live to inflict pain on others, especially humans---the perfect playthings. HURRY!!!” The boy mentally applauded the fine acting being done by his unseen classmates.
“No. It can’t be real. There’s no such thing as demons and monsters.” The girl’s voice came out as little more than a whisper.
“That’s what Mr. Yakimato thought....” the boy replied. The Jindai groundskeeper he named was missing one arm.
“O....” The girl began to run fast on her own. She stumbled.
“They especially look for human females...” The boy was going for the kill. “They find them much more desirable than the horrendous females of their own race. We should have listened to that old woman at the bus stop. She said they roamed these hills at night.”
The girl began to tremble uncontrollably.
“ARRR-AAAARRRRRR-ARRRRRR....”
The shadowy formed kicked over a large pile of logs. It grabbed one boy, who let out a blood-curdling scream. Even in the light of the full moon, none of his fellow students could see the smile on his face.
“Sousuke....” Kaname looked around frantically for her protector. Where was that big idiot. He should be making certain she was OK.
Not that she needed an help, of course.
Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam
WHOOOOOOOOOOOMPPPPFFF!!!!!!
The sound of gunfire.
A large blinding flash and the sound of detonation.
“Ahhhhhhh.”
“Ohhhhhhh.”
“My balls....”
A large bag of weapons was dropped on the ground. The metallic clank could not be heard of the collective screams and shouts of the cowering crowd. A dark shadow passed by the fire, headed for the monstrous shape.
Thud thud thud smack whap wham thud
“Stop... stop... please stop.”
The voices were human. And in considerable pain.
“You are not a monster. You are high school students. You are very fortunate I employed great restraint.”
Sousuke.
Kaname ran towards the sound of his voice.
“Sousuke Sagara! What have you done? Did you shoot your another group of classmates?” Her halisen swung out quicker than an adder’s tongue.
Sousuke went tumbling.
A crowd was gathering. Some wanted to scold the tricksters. Others wanted to thank Sousuke. The majority wanted to see what Kaname had in store for the young otaku.
“Kaname. That hurt!” Sousuke rubbed the back of his head.
“I hope so. Shooting other students. You could have killed them. It was only a harmless gag!” Kaname grabbed Sousuke by his collar and threw him up against a tree.
“Negative. I suspected they were students. That is why I used rubber bullets and a concussion grenade. Had I suspected something supernatural. It would have been armor-piercing and white phosphorous.”
“WHAT?!!!” Kaname didn’t want Sousuke’s tendencies to ruin the group trip. What Class Reprsentative wants to explain to parents, school officials, or the authorities why any number of boys and girls are dead or maimed?
“I needed to act before I had official confirmation. I was not about to let you come under any threat, Chidori.” Sousuke’s voice was husky. His breath made large clouds in the frigid air.
“O... I see.” Kaname’s voice softened considerably. She frowned and scowled when a number of nearby girls laughed, giggled, and started to whisper. “Just make certain it does not happen again!”
“I will only act as the situation demands. Shouldn’t you be directing your instructions towards those boys who instigated the trouble?” Sousuke asked.
“I think they learned their lesson.” Ryo laughed, looking down on the squirming boys.
“Yes! I doubt they’ve heard a word anyone has said after that explosion.” Shinji’s eyes were still huge.
“Maybe someone should check to see if they’re OK.” Ren was as considerate as usual.
Eventually the crowd dispersed and headed back to the fires. They began setting up their cold weather sleeping gear near the source of warmth. The dark and dreary cabins that dotted the mountainside did not have fire places. Still, a number of adventuresome guys and gals would venture within them, looking for some form of visceral thrill and a better level of protection from possible rain or dew.
Other couples would make use of the cabins for their own amorous purposes.
A number of groups struggled with large school-supplied tents.
A gust of chill air coursed down the rocky crag, sending chills down the spines of the campers.
The fires gyrated , wavered, and reached out, as if they were straining to escape their bounds.
“So, you probably weren’t scared, were you Sousuke?” Kyouko asked, taking note of the various activities going on throughout the area. Sniffing, she caught the odor of campfires and cook-outs from further down the escarpment. Wow! She wondered what THEY were feasting on.
“Negative. Why would one be afraid?” Sousuke went to work cleaning his pistol.
There was sound far off in the woods. It was a repetitive but subtle pattern. Something was moving.
“It’s dark. Isolated. We’re far away from any help or place of safety.” Shinji began to look around nervously, hearing his own words.
“Night is often dark.” Sousuke said without looking up.
The sound grew fainter. It was headed down slope. No one else seemed to notice it. Likely not a problem. Probably wildlife.
Kaname smacked her forehead.
“Shinji’s right. Who knows what could be hiding out there, looking at us?” Maya looked at Ryo and Ren and shivered.
“Nothing.” Sousuke took off a pair of thermal imaging goggles and placed them back in his bag.
The sound stopped completely. It was too distant to give off a detectable heat signature. It was almost as if something were standing still, undecided.
Kaname growled.
“It’s a big world, Sousuke. And these lands are largely unexplored. There could be creatures out here that your toys won’t help you see.” Mizuke began chewing on her fingernail.
“It is not a problem.” Sousuke was obviously not concerned one whit.
Sousuke shut out all of the sounds directly surrounding him. The heavy breathing. The edge of fear in speakers’ voices. The curse words and exclamations of anger coming from the tent builders. The squeals and sounds of passion from cabins further up the way. Laughter. Joke telling. Pranks. Food preparation and utensil cleaning. The voice of the raging fire.
The sound began again, first heading slightly towards their position.
“I hope it stays that way. There are, of course, the legends of the Yama- Uba, the Snow Women. Credible mountain climbers have claimed to see them. They had oxygen tanks, so it was not merely oxygen deprivation.“Atsunobu stated, sitting near Ren.
“Snow Women?” Shinji’s face blanched.
“Yes,” the Student President answered. “Spirits that inhabit high mountain areas. Evil demonic entities. They appear as hideous crones, dressed in ragged Kimonos, covered with a layer of ice and frost. They knock travelers off of steep trails and into the ravines below. They can then feast on their flesh at their leisure.” He pushed his glasses up with one finger.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
Despite mumbling relaxing words to herself, Kaname felt her heart jump in her chest.
“E-E-Eat...” Shinji’s eyes grew large.
“Yes...”
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“...But, they would rather fill their bloated bellies with LIVING meat...”
“Eeek!!!” Mizuke grabbed ahold of Shinji’s arm.
“Exactly...” The tale teller’s glasses seemed to glow in the light of the bonfire.
A loud impact could be heard just below their position.
A huge rotten tree branch had finally found its way to the ground below.
Everyone but Sousuke and Atsunobu jumped. They were each getting a bit nervy. Each looked at the others, subconciously feeling some need to check everyone else’s mood.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“They can smell human flesh from miles away, easily locating them in the vast mountain ranges. They will pursue their prey until the kill, or until the potential victim leaves the mountains.”
“I...I...I knew you shouldn’t have worn perfume into the mountains, Maya!” Ryo looked cross.
“They would likely only eat the slow, the infirmed, or the incautious” Sousuke added helpfully.
The sound off in the forest stopped again.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“It is said that they are spell casters of considerable power, experts in potions, poisons, and concoctions of every conceivable type.”
Kyouko dumped her tea into the fire.
Mizuke spat.
Poisons can also be incorporated into the ground one sits on.” Sousuke added, counting the number of rounds in one clip.
The sound began again. A group of monkeys was startled, giving off a chorus or barks and hoots. Something had spooked them enough to cause them to vocalize.
Maya, Ryo, Mizuke, and Kyouko stood up. They looked at one another uneasily.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
“And, they will often act as merchants, selling wares that travelers need, setting a high price. If someone fails to make the purchase...”
Shinji gasped. “That woman. At the shop near the bus station. She offered me film at ridiculous prices...”
Mizuke moved to the side of the fire opposite Shinji.
“I saw her. She didn‘t have any frost,” Atsunobu said, reassuring Shinji.
Shinji breathed a sigh of relief.
“I took note of her dentition. Her teeth were jagged and rotting. In addition, her nose was crooked. Her features were twisted and malformed.” Sousuke was merely making an observation.
The mysterious sound was headed down slope again.
Shinji came close to passing out.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“But, we shouldn’t worry. The old man in the stone hut said that no one around these parts has been lured to their deaths...”
Just about everyone sighed with relief.
“...for the last two weeks. I guess they might be overdue...”
You could have heard a pin drop.
A scream sounded from up above their position. The girls all huddled together. Shinji looked for a hole to crawl into. Sousuke looked calm and unrattled.
A laughing girl ran down the slope, carrying a boy’s clothing. Shouting, the boy ran after, trying to stay out of the light. He was naked except for a pair of socks.
Everyone sat up, straightening their posture as if nothing had happened, and they were not alarmed.
“Is that story true?” Ren asked calmly. There was a knowing twinkle in her eye.
Atsunobu smiled.
Everyone threw twigs, pebbled, and food wrappers at the trouble maker.
“It is OK. You can stop being afraid now, Kaname.” Sousuke said.
Kaname frowned. She reached for her paper fan. Maya laughed. She had snuck it away from her.
“Who says I was scared? It takes a lot to scare ME, Sousuke Sagara! Hmmppff!!!”
“ARRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”
A fearful howl split the night, drifting through the tall evergreens like a trail of smoke blown on a swirling wind.
“AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”
A terrible scream followed not too long thereafter.
The sounds had come from further down the mountain slope, in another cluster of cabins and cleared campsites.
“Looks like boys will be boys. Must be a bunch of jokers down there too.” Ryo seemed uncertain whether or not she believed her own supposition.
Sousuke stood up.
He took a submachine gun and a pistol out of his bag.
“Here. Watch after the women.” He gave the pistol to Atsunobu.
Slamming a fresh clip home, Sousuke took out a homing beacon and hammered it into the ground of the camp area. He began to walk away.
“Sousuke! What are you doing? This is no time for games....” Kaname sounded cross. There was a slight catch in her voice.
“AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... URRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...”
More screams and fearful noises crept their way up from below.
“I have seen too much death, Kaname. I have heard too many cries. Those were real.”
The young soldier disappeared into the darkness.
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Kaname didn’t know how many of her fellow classmates took notice of the noises that had drawn Sousuke away from the fire. Most seemed intent on going about business as usual. Still, the crowd around their fire had nearly doubled. The conversations were hushed, not jovial.
The trip had all started out so favorably. The charter buses had dropped the class off in the historic castle town of Matsumoto. She had been forced to school a certain sergeant repeatedly with the halisen, to get him to stop wandering off towards the castle. That was NOT why they had all come this far.
Now, she wished more than anything she was behind the thick walls of that fortification.
She wished that Sousuke was by her side.
It was hard to force her thoughts back to the memories earlier that day and the days before.
Kamikochi was a beautiful park, situated on a plateau 2000 meters above sea level in the center of the northern Japanese Alps. The drive up to the park in the smaller town busses was breathtaking. It had almost felt like being in a different world. A wild bear was seen running across the road. Monkeys scampered hither and yon. A wide variety of birds were readily seen.
It looked like paradise.
The type of paradise where everything was peaceful, and nothing could possibly go wrong.
The boys and girls on the school sponsored trip had stopped one night at a facility of rotenburos---outside hot-spring baths. Unlike Kaname, some of the students had racy tales to tell after that.
Kaname threw a stick into the fire. Sparks flew upward, taking on the shape of Sousuke’s face to her eye. Damn him! She had even brought the white bikini!
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!
Oooooh, Sousuke!!!
“Sousuke, please be OK...” No one heard her whispered plea. “Think about something else, girl.”
They had all stayed at a small hotel, wandering outside to take in the scenery and barbeque their meals at the adjacent camp site. It was a wonderful time, full of teenage tomfoolery and surging hormones. The initial hike after that was slow and easy.
Before stocking up on food and had hiking further up the mountain, they all stayed the next night in a large hiker’s hut. Hundreds of campers from other walks of life were staying there, sleeping in the seemingly endless number of cots and hammocks. Sherpas discussed their trade... families listened to tales from across the country and around the world... youths talked excitedly about the adventure ahead of them.
Some of the older men had frightening stories to tell, but no one wanted to waste their time listening to old wive’s tales or musty and moldy legends.
At the insistence of the girls in the group, the Jindai High School classes strolled along the river, visited scenic ponds and shrines, and took in the wide expanse of wildflowers peeking out from under the leaves on the forest floor. After that, the boys were intent on scaling the tall peaks and navigating the knifelike ridges. Not content with the first few groups of cabins they had come across, the kept pushing onward and upward.
Finally, they reached a lovely series of huts and cabins just before night fell. The view was spectacular. The air smelled so crisp and clean. Even the food they bought tasted heavenly after the long and arduous climb. A few groups of boys went out exploring, making certain the class wasn’t anywhere near the edge of any worrisome chasm.
Before she knew it, the more industrious students had a large area cleared, and Sousuke had helped start a number of huge fires. Kaname had been in such a wonderful mood---and had been somewhat weary in the limb---that she did not chastise Sousuke for using incendiary devices to initaiate the blazes. The boys who snuck such devices from Sousuke’s bag deserved singed eyebrows and smoking hair.
When night fell heavily, and the cold crept in so quickly, Kaname began to feel uneasy. This was a rugged area. Comfort was not a standard item. As an athlete---and a student representative---she was determined to lead by example. She would keep a cheerful face and deal with the hardships as they came.
It was hard to keep a smile on now. The scary stories. The frightful prank. The howling and the screams. Sousuke’s departure. Things were not quite the way she had imagined when she voted to approve this trip.
Kaname bit her lip. She had almost vetoed the trip. Why? Because of Sousuke. He was certain that the excursion would be a good way to improve the strength and endurance of the entire group. Also, one could never tell when mountaineering skills would come in handy. Terrorists did not confine themselves to flat ground.
For the rest of that afternoon, Kaname had confined HIM to a garbage can she tossed him into.
She sighed repeatedly.
Kaname didn’t want to listen to the conversation taking place at the fire.
She couldn’t help herself.
“The Orient is plagued by many forms of spirits,” one girl claimed. He father and grandfather ran a temple outside of Tokyo. “Or I should say, stories about spirits and the undead. Most of them do not have corporeal bodies. Many are just free-floating souls. But, some ARE capable of taking on a tangible form.”
One boy snuck up behind Kyouko and growled. She screamed and grabbed onto Shinji. Shinji promptly fainted.
“Yes, like the Sennin. Looking like ordinary men who are too lightly dressed, they wander the mountains, held in the mortal realm as a punishment for misdemeanors carried out by one of their kind eons ago. The offer a wish to anyone who can find their missing soul, but no one has ever been successful. They often give a gift to those kind enough to try.” The girl smiled. As a child, she had always dreamed about winning a wish.
“That doesn’t sound so bad...” Maya said, looking around the campsite.
“I know what Mizuke would wish for!” One boy said.
“You mean other than someone whose name rhymes with Shirai?” A girl smiled wickedly.
Mizuke looked ready to go ballistic.
“Yes.” The boy held his hands out in front of his chest. “Mountains instead of molehills.”
The boys all laughed. So did some of the girls.
Mizuke blushed.
“Ah, but most spirits aren’t so benevolent.” The girl’s answer shattered the temporary mood.
“The Baku aren’t so bad.” When the one boy mentioned the word ‘Baku,” Kaname thought of another meaning.
Sousuke.
“They looked like large majestic lions, with elephant heads. When they came across a sleeper in their dream realm, they would challenge them to a fight. If they were victorious, they would devour the sleeper’s nightmares.”
“I’m still awake,” Ryo said, bighting her nails. “But I have a nightmare I wish they would take away.”
A number of girls nodded their heads.
“She’s not talking about Sousuke,” Kyouko said, trying to reassure Kaname.
“Hmmppff!” That was all Kaname could manage. Kyouko’s expression showed that she knew her friend’s reaction had been forced.
She began to worry too.
AHHHROOOoooooooooooo AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooo
The howl came from far down the hillside.
“W-What i-is t-t-that....” Shinji almost sprained his neck turning around.
“A dog. It’s probably just someone’s dog.” One boy sounded certain.
“A big dog. A really REALLY big dog....” Another boy’s eyes said he wasn’t so certain. His clenched fist was a clear indication that he wished he was.
For a long moment, the only sounds at the campsite came from the other fires and their surrounding students.
“Then there were the Kappa. They lived in stagnant pools and meres, close to human settlements. They considered meat of all forms to be food. Grappling with victims and displaying hideous strength, they would drag the unfortunates to the depths of their lairs.”
The girl had a strong need to hear herself talk. That was the only thing she wanted to hear.
“Only if the water spilled out of the bowl-like depression oh their head, would they be weakened enough to deal with successfully. Unbelievably polite, they would always return a bow, spilling the water and temporarily crippling themselves. The trick only worked once for each opponent.” The girl yawned. Like many of the other students, she was growing very sleepy.
But, like some of the others, she didn’t know if she would be able to get any sleep... or if she wanted to close her eyes for more than a couple of seconds that night.
“What about the Tengu?” One boy asked. “I heard they were part man and part crow. Or something like that.”
“Yes, they looked like winged humans with huge beaks or terribly long noses. They relish the appearance of men in their mountain ranges, considering them fair game for the pranks and practical jokes they so love. They often like to steal items of great beauty.”
“Well, that means Chidori is safe.”
Kaname looked around. That had sounded suspiciously like Shirai. Where had he crept in from? It would be in his best interest if he had crept away soon after. Maybe his group had booted him out.
Some things never change.
“The Tengu are otherwise harmless, content to live a peaceful existence. The same could not be said for the Buso.” The girl shuddered saying that name. She had suffered numerous nightmares after her grandfather’s tales of the ghoul-like creatures.
“B-B-Buso?” Shinji didn’t really want to know, but he couldn’t control his own curiosity.
“Yes. Flesh-eating spirits. Thought to be the spirit of someone who died of starvation. They roam the dark alleys and deserted areas of cities and camps looking for a walking meal. Vicious talons and sharp pointed teeth make short work of the unfortunate men or women they come across.”
A number of the girls moved closer to the fire.
AHHHH-ROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The howling noise in the distance now had one girl in tears and a couple of more close to it. A number of the boys looked decidedly uncomfortable. Every sound in the dark forest seemed magnified one hundredfold.
The fog began to drift in amongst the fires, tents, and sleeping bags. Some of the cabins further up the hill had become difficult to make out.
The one girl was finally content to leave her descriptions of spirits where she had finished. The boy nearest her smiled, seeing the looks on his comrades' faces. He decided to continue the conversation.
“The Rokiro-Kubi were nothing we want to run into around here either.” The boy laughed. “I hope that howling noise is not one of THEM.”
He paused, drinking in the sound of whimpering. “Creepy fog, isn’t it?”
Kaname rummaged through her rucksack. It looked like the halisen might prove useful again.
“Death by hanging lead to the creation of such spirits. As a result, they had very long necks. They are creatures of pure vengeance, existing only to inflict torment and death upon the living. Especially girls.” The last part was pure improvisation. It was also an invitation to Kaname of sorts.
SMACCCKKK!!!
The boy nearly fell into the fire. He remembered laughing repeatedly whenever he had seen Sousuke struck in the past. It didn’t seem so funny now.
Kaname sniffed. For a moment, the old Kaname was back in all her glory.
“Ow!!!”
The boy was defiant.
No girl was going to show him up.
“They look like gaunt raggedly individuals dressed in the clothes they wore at their execution. Their skin is cold and grey... their fingers end in long talons... they tear their victims into small pieces.... or they use the rope they were hanged with to strangle their prey.” The boy put the rope from his sleeping bag around Maya’s neck. She nearly leaped out of her skin.
SMACCCKKK!!! WHACKKK!!!
Kaname almost felt as if she were being unfaithful. The paper fan was usually reserved for Sousuke. Thinking that name made her deeply worried again. What if there WAS something out there. Sousuke was alone, in the dark...
The boy was obviously a slow learner.
“We also shouldn’t forget the Gaki. Evil spirits of possession, thought to be the souls of bodies that were not dispatched the proper way, as set down by Buddhist strictures. Appearing as dark humanoids, with bloated bellies and sickly glowing skin...”
He stood up quickly and pointed into the forest, calling everyones' attention to an eerie glowing form.
Before they realized it was a boy holding a lantern up near his face, a number of girls dove under nearby sleeping rolls.
“...Their eyes are wild. Like many ghosts, they seem to merely float through the air. The cause pain and misery to everyone they come across, attacking anyone who attempts to stand in their way. They may possess humans, forcing them to do their bidding, killing them through over- exertion and injury as they seek to put their original body to rest properly.” The boy paused again for effect.
He was in complete control.
He relished the power.
“As I understand it, there were countless gallows at the castle. And, Buddhist communities used to dot these hills like warts on a toad. A spooky coincidence, isn’t it....”
His victory was short-lived.
SMACCCKKK!!!
The third halisen salvo ended the boy’s thirst for mischief.
AHHHROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo AHROO AROOooooooooooooooooo
The unease had clearly spread to other campfires. One girl stood up, nearly hysterical. “God, I wish it would stop. I just wish it would stop!!!” He friends and fellow classmates looked to comfort her, but she was not the only one who was frantic with fear and unease.
With each reverberating howl, the night seemed darker and forest seemed deeper. With each falling branch in the woods, heart rates jumped. The brief hoot of an owl caused more than one student to drop their plates or bowls of food. The never-ending fog almost seemed suffocating.
Even a number of couples who had more earthy endeavors in mind left their cabin hideaways to seek a greater degree of companionship.
Most intrepid boys and their female counterparts seemed unconcerned, but the number of worried faces grew steadily.
“Well... any one up for some good gossip?” Kaname took it upon herself to change the mood. Even so, she didn’t feel up for chit chat herself.
No one answered.
“I see. Let me put in a few words of reassurance.” Atsunobu spoke in a self- assured quiet voice. “Even if the creatures of legend DID exist, they weren’t all malevolent or evil.” He took a moment to wipe off his glasses, and put down the novel he was reading.
“That’s good...” Kaname said, trying to calm everybody down.
“The Hengeyokai.... some folks just refer to them as Henge.... were members of the animal kingdom who could shape shift and take human form. They usually dwelled alone, and were able to change their appearance at will. For example, one type of Henge went about in cat form, no different than any other cat. In human form, they would appear as slender and extremely agile men or women.”
Kaname stood up and pirouetted, arms away from her sides.
A number of guys and girls looked at her and shook their heads. Kyouko got her camera ready.
“WHAT?” Kaname asked.
No one was foolish enough to answer.
“Quick-witted and highly perceptive, with the added benefit of their agility, several Cat Henge became members of the Ninja....”
One boy looked at Kaname again, and began to snicker.
WHAMMMMM!
“Anyone else?” Kaname asked. She wasn’t just doing her usual routine. There was a method to her madness---the familiarity of the halisen attack might distract her classmates for a while.
One log within the fire snapped and popped exceedingly loud. Mizuke jumped, accidentally landing in Shinji’s lap. Neither made any effort to move.
“The Dog Henge appeared as huge hounds, about the size of small ponies. In human form, they are highly muscular. Bad tempered and unimaginative, they make good warriors, but not a great deal else. Their minds are very basic, and they often resort to physical means to achieve their goals. They are fiercely loyal, protecting their friends with their lives.”
“Sousuke” a number of people said or thought at once.
The words ‘protecting’ and ‘with their lives’ echoed in Kaname’s head.
“Monkey Henges are mischievous and inquisitive by nature, but have a fierce temper, even greater than the Dogs. When fully angry, they were a sight to behold.”
Everybody looked at Kaname again. She stuck out her tongue. Someone even ventured a laugh. A few others joined in.
“There were other types written about, including Rat, Crane, Fox, and Spiders. There are plenty of stories about Kitsune, the fox women.” The student council president wisely did not mention that the Spider Henge were the size of a large hound.... had razor sharp mandibles.... and slaughtered unsuspecting humans mercilessly.
“Other types were probably imagined as well. Like the Tanuki. We’ve all seen the statues and idols of the creatures looking somewhat like a dog, racoon, or badger.”
A number of students smiled at that.
Their smiles were short lived.
AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The sound was closer.
A good deal closer.
“Nooooo no arrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”
The scream was faint, but the words could be made out. The end of the vocalization spoke of hideous pain and anguish. Why would anyone pretend like that?
“Sousuke. Where is Sousuke?” Kaname blurted out her thoughts. That didn’t sound like him, did it?
And just what was out there?
Where was it headed?
Why?
“T-That’s no dog....” One girl began to shiver uncontrollably. “I’ve heard something like that before. Visiting a pen pal in Russia. It sounds like a wolf.”
“No. Uh uh. No way.” Shinji was insistent. “I’ve read about wolves in this country. The last wolf in Hokkaido was shot in 1896. The last one on Honshu was killed in 1905. There are no more okami in Japan.”
“That is quite correct,” Atsonobu agreed, patting Ren’s hand. “However, a number of groups have made an effort to reintroduce wolves, especially in areas where dear and monkeys greatly threaten farm crops. Perhaps this was one such area.”
No one looked hopeful. If it WERE wolves, would the wolves attack people, especially in such a large group? If it were not wolves, than what was it?
AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The sound was closer yet.
A group of monkeys screeched. Their troop moved from tree to tree. Some settled high above the camp.
AHHH AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
That noise was further down the hill.
Either the creature---or prankster---was very quick....
...Or, there was more than one.
The monkeys called out again, quickly moving away from the camp and further up the hill.
What had them so frightened?
“Please... God.... nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”
Rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata at rata tat rata tat
Gunfire.
Submachine gun, to be precise.
It sounded awfully familiar to Kaname.
Steyr TMP.
That’s what Sousuke had been carrying.
Just about everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing. The ante had been upped considerably. Now, only a few students were unconcerned. That minority assumed it was Sousuke over-reacting again.
Most, however, began to talk in frightened voices, wondering what they should do.
That luxury would not last much longer.
**************************************
**************************************
**************************************
The cascading beams from the leering full moon filtered haphazardly through the boughs and branches of the towering ever green and ash trees. The squares and rectangles of light painted an eerie patchwork quilt on the lush forest floor.
The view was surreal.
Any painter worth his salt would sell his very soul to be able to paint it as it was.
Sousuke ran as quickly as the reduced visibility allowed. It made no sense to twist an ankle or break a limb now. It would also be unwise to run head on into a foe or dangerous situation totally unawares. As he passed through the shifting streamers of light, the strobe effect put his mind in a false sense of ease.
Screams came in slow motion. If felt as if it took forever to hit the ground, every time he vaulted over a fallen tree or tangle of shrubs. Smells registered on his senses long after he passed them by.
The distance he had to cover would take some time. Fortunately, it was a down hill run. Speed would be important. There might be lives at stake. Below, and later at his own camp. But, the minutes felt like seconds. His mind was concerned more about where he was going and what he would find, than it was about where he was and where he had just been.
He had felt this way on missions many times. This time, for some reason, the effect was magnified.
With each howl, his senses sped up. His mind became more focused. The cold night air felt sent goosebumps racing along his body, making him feel more alive than he could remember. The adrenalin rush felt as if it might set him alight.
He was now a creature of instinct and intuition. His steps were guided by something other than conscious thought.
Jumping through a large bramble patch, thorns carved into his flesh.
He didn’t feel it.
Rushing through a tangled mass of vines, twigs and leaves filled his shirt and clung to his hair.
He didn’t even know they were there.
The further he ran, the stronger the odor of a late night’s feast teased his nostrils.
He took no notice.
Every molecule in his body shouted ‘danger!’
His subconscious laughed and shouted back ‘good!’
The TMP felt good in his hands. No, it felt as if it were part of his hands. The Heavy bag bouncing off his back could have been a tail or wings, It was part of him too. So was the forest. So was the night.
There was something dangerous in the forest.
Sousuke knew that, even if he had no idea yet what it was.
There was something else dangerous in the forest.
Sousuke.
There was someone he needed to protect.
Kaname.
Woe betide ANYTHING that threatened harm to her.
They would find out who was the most dangerous.
A different light snuck between leaf, needle, branch, and bough. It danced and beckoned. It peeked, then hid. Fires. Campfires. He was nearing the next encampment.
Finally, he was close enough to clearly make out and words that someone might call out.
The sounds were far from favorable.
His mind pulled in one direction while his heart leaned towards another. He should be at Kaname’s side. But, he needed to know what was going on in order to best prepare.
“Help... somebody... ANYBODY.... Help.... Ahhhhhhgrgrgllllahhhhhh.”
Human.
Probably dead or dying now.
Sousuke rolled after jumping too high over an outcropping of stone.
AHHHHRRROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The young sergeant switched off the safety on his gun.
AHROOooo AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo
He activated his communicator, so the radioman on the TDD-1 could record everything that was about to happen.
“Mommy.... MOMMMMMMYYYYY...”
A young child. Frightened. Close to shock.
Sousuke began a running commentary of what he saw and what he was doing. Even if no one was currently at the console, the words would all be burned to disc.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
He was close enough to see the clearing. Shapes ran about. Humans. Others shapes followed. NOT human. Something was banging hard against locked doors, sending drum-like beats echoing to the tree tops. The sound of shattering wood was followed by brief shouts and hideous gurgling screams.
“No... nononononno noooooooooooooooooo....”
A well-dressed woman was pounced on from behind. The dark shape on her back had blurry outlines. It was furred. The crunch of bones brought gorge into Sousuke’s throat.
The enemy was not human.
It treated humans as livestock. Prey. Dinner.
ARRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRR RRRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR
More movement. A man momentarily had his arms around the necks of s-o-m-e- t-h-i-n-g, trying to hold it back from a fallen boy. Before Sousuke realized what had happened, one of that man’s detached arms was in the thing’s jaws.
“Ohhhhhh eeeeeeeeeeeee oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh....”
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR ARRR ARRRRRRRRRRR
The armless and throatless victim stumbled dumbly a few steps before falling down forever. His killer began to rip into the flesh of his abdomen, reddening its muzzle with fresh blood and torn strips of muscle and skin.
It suddenly stopped.
It knew something came.
It got up into a bestial crouch, then stood up on two limbs and howled a challenge.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO AR AR AR OOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO
Sousuke slid to a halt, his senses revolting against his mind. His body froze momentarily. The animal instincts of his earliest ancestors shouted ‘run away you fool. RUN!!!’
This was a scene from a movie.
A horror film.
A veritable page out of Hell’s finest script.
The howling beast in front of him was man-shaped, dark, and lithely muscled. Fine black hairs covered every inch of the body, from the taloned fingers and toes, up the canine-like snout and its razor-sharp fangs.
The long pointed ears swiveled towards him.
A horrendous black tongue ran over its teeth, dripping blood-tinged slobber all over its heaving matted chest.
The nostrils flared, sniffed, and sniffed again.
The yes narrowed, showing only small slits of glowing red, as if a supernatural fire burned within.
OOOOOOOOOOO AR AR AR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Its posture changed. Somehow, Sousuke knew it was about to charge. If his weapons proved ineffective.... If he missed.... or if the creature could withstand a lot of punishment before dying.... he realized full well that his life would end here.
Now.
Horribly.
Unthinkably.
The voices clamoring for his attention over his communicator would not be answered any time soon.
Like a coach reviewing film at slow speed, he was able to take note of other similar creatures scattered around the campsite. One was under an overturned table, the fancy linen table clothes and candelabras scattered amongst the china plates, crystal bowls, and fancy silver ware. The meal it ate once ate the food now covered with dirt.
Another beast sat crouched on the roof of one of the huts, vigilant. It stared at Sousuke.
“Is there someone out there? Please. Answer! Are you help?” A frantic woman’s voice came from the largest of the cabins. Deep furrows were scratched into its door, but the wood planking was stern stuff.
“NO! Run away. For God’s sake, save yourself. If you can, bring help. Oh, God... can ANYTHING help us....”
Similar calls came from the few remaining huts and edifices with intact doors and shudders. Sousuke paid them no heed. There was only one place he could afford to look. Something---he knew not what---kept him from striking first.
Without making a sound, the beast moved. Its’ first step was followed by an amazing bound, a full thirty feet in the air, its open jaws aimed right at the junction of Sousuke’s neck and head. Any other man’s lifeblood would have been containing skyward one heartbeat later.
“NO!!!” Sousuke’s shout caused the creature on the roof to sit a little higher on its haunches, ears lifting and muzzle retracting. It too looked prepared to join the fray.
Sousuke’s quickest move proved barely sufficient. Clawed arms passed close to his body and furred feet dug furrows where he was last standing.
Rolling across burning coals knocked out of a nearby barbeque pit, Sousuke fought back.
Rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat
A well-placed stream of 9mm slugs tore through the side and neck of the incomprehensible monster. Red blood spurted out and began trickling along slick fur. The beasts growl turned into a whimper, but it did not collapse and it did not die.
Looking at Sousuke, as if memorizing his sight and smell, the creature made a sound somewhere between a cough and a howl and stumbled off into the woods, trailing small crimson beads behind it like breadcrumbs in a fairy tale.
“WHO’S NEXT!!!” Sousuke felt the blood pounding in his head. He was NOT prey. He too was a hunter. They had picked the wrong night. They had chosen the wrong forest! “I’m a Specialist!!!”
“Sergeant Sagara.... Urzu 7, report.... Sagara, what is going on....”
The voice on the communicator wanted answers. Sousuke had no time for that. Unchracteristically, he shouted out. “THERE’S... NO... DAMN... TIME........THERE BE M-O-N-S-T-E-R-S!!!”
There was no time to take out a clip and change it into the SMG. His questing hand found just what he wanted, however.
The beast on top of the hut waited too long. Its ears folded back in curiosity when the grey cylindrical canister landed at its feet. The yellow band on it and the yellow markings meant nothing to the creature.
The M206A2 delayed fuse in the White Phosporus grenade did its thing. Right as the monster began to spring, the ‘Willie Pete’ went off, sending 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit burning particles for a blast radius of 17 meters.
The horrifically effective weapon sent huge octopus arms of igniting phosphorus and smoke outward, setting the night alight and touching off blazes on the wooden and thatched rooves of the nearest adjacent buildings. Trees glowed like neon white fingers reaching skyward in supplicating, the fire clinging to them like a living thing.
AR OH AGH AGH AR OO AR OHHH ARRRR OOOOOOOO AR AR AHHH OOOO
A flaming white figure---humanoid in shape, with its arms trying to brush away deeply embedded particles---wavered in its steps, weaving and stumbling, before collapsing in a burning mass of fur and bone.
THAT monster would not be going anywhere!
The top of a 200 pound picnic table was flung off into the woods as if it were made of balsa. The monster that stood high on its hind legs was a good bit larger than the two that Sousuke had already fought. An adult? A parent? A mate? Teacher?
Who could say?
ARRRR ARRRR ARRRR ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ARRR ARRRRRRRRRRRR
Sousuke shivered. He almost froze, fatally. It was as if the beast were trying to communicate. Perhaps it was promising Sousuke that unspeakable pain was coming his way. Maybe it was beseeching some unholy agency for assistance.
Again, who could say?
And who had time to ponder the question?
Sousuke used the brief respite to grab his M1911 pistol. He also took extra time to locate one of two very special clips.
Two illegal clips.
Clips he had never been able to bring himself to use against a human enemy.
Why had he even kept them in his bag?
It didn’t matter.
The real question was whether or not they would work.
He wouldn’t wait this time. Lightning quick, he raised the .45 caliber pistol and fired.
Bang bang
Even quicker, the monster stepped back and to the side. It’s muzzle split in a canine smile. Its ears flicked forward briefly, twice.
“Shit!” Sousuke’s aim had been perfect. The creature was smart. It had anticipated his action. Or---even worse---it had been able to follow his moves de novo and dodge them without any time for thought.
Instinct and reflexes like that were phenomenal.
Superhuman.
He swallowed hard.
There was no doubt what he needed to do.
He had to get closer. Much closer. So close that if he missed, there would be no time for HIM to dodge.
“Now!” Sousuke sprinted forward, gun in two hands held straight out in front of him.
Bang bang
The monster leaped upward and back. It landed in a crouch snarling. It was uncertain. But it was certainly not defeated.
A brief bit of movement caught Sousuke’s eye as something passed in front of a distant fire. Another creature. It stood staring.
AHHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooo AHH AHH AHHRRROOOooooooooooooooooooooooo
The creature ran off up the hill.
Back towards Sousuke’s camp.
A series of howls sounded from that direction.
“Kaname!” Sousuke gasped. He had to get back up there. If he could make it through the woods alive.
First, he would have to defeat the beast in front of him. He had no foolish belief that he could outrun it.
‘In front of him?’
He had only turned his head for a half a heart beat.
The creature had slipped away like the breeze.
Where?
Sousuke ran quickly to the center of the clearing. He needed as much distance and space as he could obtain. Crouching down, he half-closed his eyes, letting his hearing take control. Nothing. Not a single noise could be heard over the din of the survivors; the rush and crackle of the fires; or the distant howling noises.
Was the creature out there watching him, waiting for the ideal opportunity to strike.
Had it gone off towards his camp?
Could it have hidden in one of the deserted buildings.
WHERE WAS IT?!!!
“Calm down. Peace. Be at peace.” Sousuke needed to calm his nerves.
“What was that? Please repeat, Urzu-7. Please repeat your message.”
The radioman would not give up. He was doing his job.
“Sagara. Sergeant Sagara, are you there?” It was Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin’s voice. “Are you able to speak? Sagara, answer!”
Panting like a dog himself, Sousuke mopped his brow, eyes darting left and right. Crablike, he crouched and walked behind a line of old stone benches. Gun out in front of him, he made a number of quick moves, hoping to lure the monster back into his field of fire.
No movement.
Nothing.
The reflection of firelight off of some item caught his attention. Forks. Knives. Spoons. Scattered around the wreckage of the ostentatious picnic. A sign of conspicuous consumption. So much silver. For a camping trip. Far away from civilization.
Silver?
A thought clamored for attention. Unwilling to be distracted further, Sousuke still found himself filling his bag with the dirty and blood covered utensils.
Reaching for one, he almost gagged.
An eye looked back at him.
And eye and nothing more.
The only remaining sign that yet another life had been torn away.
Life.
Torn away.
Kaname!
DAMN! KANAME COULD BE IN DANGER! AND HE WAS STUCK HERE!
“Calm down. Peace. Be at peace.”
He walked slowly. He measured every breath. Without going to far into darkness or too close to any tree or structure, he looked around and between the huts, tables, fire pits, and isolated trees.
Nothing.
Nothing still living.
His subconscious acted like an automatic camera system, recording images he would have no choice but to relive later, if he survived. Headless bodies. Parts of bodies. Shredded bodies. Expensive shoes. Hand carved picnic baskets and coolers. Shattered vases and trampled flowers. A pacifier. A doll. A lit cigar. An upended and dripping bottle of wine.
The pool of wine flowed into a puddle of blood.
“Sagara. This is an order. Say something. Do you require back-up. What is the situation.”
Back-up.
Help.
Maybe.
Maybe it would only be mop up. Forensics. The men and women with the plastic bags, tarps, and tweezers.
More hope than nothing, though.
“Sagara here. Under attack. Locator beacon set at upper camp location. Chidori and other students there. My position down hill. Camp ofr strangers under assault. Monsters. Real monsters. Wolves. Walking wolves. Intelligent creatures. Killers. Eaters of men. Women. Children. Predators.”
With each forced word, Sousuke stepped and turned. His senses were failing him. He was outmatched. Handicapped. Observed. Targeted.
He might be able to last the night like this.
Might.
If so, he would probably be the only one.
Unacceptable.
“Repeat. Are you injured? Focus. Are you hallucinating? Answer, soldier. We need details.” Kalinin’s voice worked Sousuke like a marionette. The conditioning of habit took over.
“Urzu-7 reporting. Bipedal creatures, capable of going on all fours. Quicker than human. Amazing strength. Phenomenal leaping ability. Red blood. Harmed by 9mm in large numbers, but not stopped. Killed by incendiary bombs. Smart enough to dodge shots. Hiding. Watching and waiting. No more time to talk. I must stop the one. NOW!”
Sousuke could no longer afford to play it smart. It was time to move. There was no avoiding risks. Horrible risks. The dice must roll. The pips must fall just right. Only Kaname mattered. He wanted to save as many as he could, but Kaname came first.
“Sousuke, please. Monsters? Sousuke...” Captain Testarossa’s voice. “Sergeant Sagara... how can there be monsters?”
Perhaps the stress was getting to Sousuke.
Maybe he had been around Sgt. Mao too much in the past month.
Whatever the reason, his final transmission was sure to be brought to his attention later, if he lived.
“YOU...... TELL...... ME...... I have no need for distractions now!!!”
He left the communicator opened, but would give it no more attention for now. The stammering and sounds of disbelief on the other end meant nothing to him then.
Looking at the candelabras laying amongst food and fresh corpses, he noticed that they too seemed to be made of silver. He stuffed them into his bag.
Yes, silver.
There was a word on his tongue, but he was not ready to use it yet.
Ringing his hands together in a quick prayer, Sousuke took off running up the hill, full speed. Abruptly, he stopped. No noise.
He ran again, for a longer length. Again he stopped and listened. No sounds.
Once more he ran, faster, harder, further. He stopped just in time. There was a sound. Something stopped. Something was breathing great steaming breaths. A twig cracked.
Bang bang.
WHAM!
Urf!!!
A hit.
Quickly, Sousuke put on his thermal goggles.
There!
Bang bang
Misses.
“Damn it to Hell!”
The thermal image was gone. But foot marks still glowed with faint heat. Time to turn the tables.
He jogged for a bit, then slowed. He walked, then picked up his pace. It was instinct alone that drove him. Kill or be killed. Kill and move on to save others. Kill and send a message to whatever walked the night.
Sousuke followed the trail quickly, running as wide of it as possible, so not to be surprised. The creature was obviously not dead, but the round had done damage. He had drilled out the tips of the .45 caliber bullets. Into the hollow, he had poured mercury, before capping things off with more lead.
The force of the mercury slamming would cause the bullet to fragment tremendously, expanding the projectile and the wound. In the right instances, the round would explode.
Moving as quietly as he could, Sousuke realized that each step could be his last... each breath could be his final breath.
There were so many things he never had a chance to do.
So many things he didn’t understand.
Things he wanted that he hadn’t completely figured out yet.
Hunting the hunter, Sousuke thought back to something he had read. About the word he did not want to use yet. Something he never had reason to take for fact. Legends. Myths. Scary stories. Things that go bump in the night.
There were tales of an unholy beast that walked beneath the full moon. The stories said that it was silver the monster feared. But one text had suggest a mistranslation. Not ‘silver,’ but instead ‘silvered metal.’
Mercury.
There was no way yet to tell exactly what he faced.
He could not be certain if mercury...or silver...would have any effect.
But, there was certainly no harm in trying, was there?
“I’m coming. Time for YOU to be afraid!” He meant the words when he growled them. They fell impotently from his tongue. Still, the thought kept him going.
The creature could be luring him to a trap. A hole. A deadfall. A sudden deadly drop. A pack of its brethren.
Anything.
He stopped. No sound. Either the creature was completely still, or it could move with a stealth he could never equal.
He slowed to a walk.
His heartbeat was loud in his ears.
Too loud.
His breath caught in his throat.
His hands began to tremble.
There was only so much that training, desperation, and willpower could do.
He was afraid.
More afraid than he had ever been in his life.
Where was it?
Where was the cursed beast?!!
Sousuke tripped over an unseen log, just as he lost sight of the trail. That accidental tumble saved his life. Flat on his back, he say a heat source up in a shadowy tree. The creature!
Bang bang bang bang
WHUMP! Thud Thud WHUMP!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO URRRRRRRRRRRRR AAAAAAAAAAAAH
Something fell heavy at Sousuke feet. He scampered back quickly like a crustacean. Stars filled his eyes ad his head banged hard against a large rock.
The shape moved up on to its arms, then collapsed without a sound.
Taking out a flashlight, Sousuke risked a moment of examination. A large hole was in the middle of the creatures chest. The chest was not moving. Unless it was clever enough to be holding its breath, the creature was dead. A poke with a sharp stick did not illicit any response.
So.
They COULD be killed.
That had been close, however.
Much too close.
Sousuke’s legs burned. His arms were exhausted. The bag felt as if it were filled with led and stones instead of weapons and silver.
That didn’t matter.
He would not feel any of it.
The camp was in danger. The students were in danger. Sousuke did not want to see up there what he had seen below.
Kaname.
“I’m coming....”
The wood in the roaring campfires crackled and popped, making some of the more edgy campers jump. The dancing flames cast their light this way and that, illuminating the face of laughing and cowering students alike. Shadows grew long and twisted, forming horrid shapes when mischievous boys bent their arms and bodies this way and that. Some girls burrowed their way under the arms of big strong guys, feeling safer with their arms around them.
“Hmmmpppfff!” Kaname sniffed. Such a bunch of scaredy cats. Far be it from her to act that way. Looking over at Sousuke, she wondered what he would do if she reacted that way, sneaking her way under his arms.
‘Kaname, if you are cold, you should sit near the fire, not me.’ Yes. It would be something like that. Or, more like ‘Kaname, what is the purpose of your increased proximity? Have you identified a threat. Are the mountains beset by terrorists or rogue Ninja?’
She sighed.
Someone threw another set of logs on the fire, causing sparks to burst forth in large rolling clouds, looking like a convention of fireflies. The glow of the bonfires painted faces eerily, making them look as if they were covered with blood.
Kaname shivered. She convinced herself it was only the chill night air. She already had two sweaters on.
Looking up the foreboding slope behind her, she saw rolling masses of fog settling in, the leading edges tentatively touching here and there as if the diaphanous form was alive.
Things were quiet.
Too quiet.
There should be some noise in the night.
The monkeys were gone, no longer darting in and out looking for handouts or stray scraps of food.
“ARRR-ARRRR-ARRRRR.....”
A dark shape shambled out of the nearest edge of the clearing, the noise of its passage highlighted by the snap of sticks and the rustle of dry leaves. The shadowy figure was tall, at least nine feet. Its fringes seemed to flap, flow, and retract.
The ghostly call echoed about the dark cabin area.
“ARRR-ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-AAAAAAAAR....”
“Is... is... is that a bear?” One girl squeaked. “The guide said there are wild bears in these mountains.”
“It’s probably a Shikome bandit. A hobgoblin. They are said to be common in the mountains.” The nearest boy wrapped his arms around her, adding a part of his blanket for good measure. He whispered in her ear.
“They’re blood thirsty, and sadistic. Their eyes are bloodshot and piercing. Their teeth are sharp and jagged. That’s why many people won’t come up here without a heavy guard.”
The girl ducked further inside the blanket.
The boy smiled.
The setting was perfect. High in the hills. Dark. Creepy atmosphere. A touch of dampness in the air. The smell of rainy weather on the way. The only thing missing were flashes of lightning and the huge booming drum beats of thunder.
“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-ARRRRRRR-ARRRR-AAAARRRR....”
“I... I... I’ve heard about those....” Another boy grabbed a girl by the arm and tried to lead her into a dark unoccupied cabin. The night was too dark for the young lady to see the look in his eyes.
The small huts offered a destination, a possible place of relief and safety. But, the old wooden structures also held an even greater darkness... a sense of possible claustrophobia.... and only one way out.
Perfect.
One of the perpetrators, hiding behind the bole of a large tree, screeched, his voice changing over to a terrible gurgling sound.
“No. It’s NOT a goblin. It’s an Oni. Those black- hearted demons are hell- bent upon destruction and chaos. Warty. Or slimy. Twisted horns upon their heads. They live to inflict pain on others, especially humans---the perfect playthings. HURRY!!!” The boy mentally applauded the fine acting being done by his unseen classmates.
“No. It can’t be real. There’s no such thing as demons and monsters.” The girl’s voice came out as little more than a whisper.
“That’s what Mr. Yakimato thought....” the boy replied. The Jindai groundskeeper he named was missing one arm.
“O....” The girl began to run fast on her own. She stumbled.
“They especially look for human females...” The boy was going for the kill. “They find them much more desirable than the horrendous females of their own race. We should have listened to that old woman at the bus stop. She said they roamed these hills at night.”
The girl began to tremble uncontrollably.
“ARRR-AAAARRRRRR-ARRRRRR....”
The shadowy formed kicked over a large pile of logs. It grabbed one boy, who let out a blood-curdling scream. Even in the light of the full moon, none of his fellow students could see the smile on his face.
“Sousuke....” Kaname looked around frantically for her protector. Where was that big idiot. He should be making certain she was OK.
Not that she needed an help, of course.
Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam
WHOOOOOOOOOOOMPPPPFFF!!!!!!
The sound of gunfire.
A large blinding flash and the sound of detonation.
“Ahhhhhhh.”
“Ohhhhhhh.”
“My balls....”
A large bag of weapons was dropped on the ground. The metallic clank could not be heard of the collective screams and shouts of the cowering crowd. A dark shadow passed by the fire, headed for the monstrous shape.
Thud thud thud smack whap wham thud
“Stop... stop... please stop.”
The voices were human. And in considerable pain.
“You are not a monster. You are high school students. You are very fortunate I employed great restraint.”
Sousuke.
Kaname ran towards the sound of his voice.
“Sousuke Sagara! What have you done? Did you shoot your another group of classmates?” Her halisen swung out quicker than an adder’s tongue.
Sousuke went tumbling.
A crowd was gathering. Some wanted to scold the tricksters. Others wanted to thank Sousuke. The majority wanted to see what Kaname had in store for the young otaku.
“Kaname. That hurt!” Sousuke rubbed the back of his head.
“I hope so. Shooting other students. You could have killed them. It was only a harmless gag!” Kaname grabbed Sousuke by his collar and threw him up against a tree.
“Negative. I suspected they were students. That is why I used rubber bullets and a concussion grenade. Had I suspected something supernatural. It would have been armor-piercing and white phosphorous.”
“WHAT?!!!” Kaname didn’t want Sousuke’s tendencies to ruin the group trip. What Class Reprsentative wants to explain to parents, school officials, or the authorities why any number of boys and girls are dead or maimed?
“I needed to act before I had official confirmation. I was not about to let you come under any threat, Chidori.” Sousuke’s voice was husky. His breath made large clouds in the frigid air.
“O... I see.” Kaname’s voice softened considerably. She frowned and scowled when a number of nearby girls laughed, giggled, and started to whisper. “Just make certain it does not happen again!”
“I will only act as the situation demands. Shouldn’t you be directing your instructions towards those boys who instigated the trouble?” Sousuke asked.
“I think they learned their lesson.” Ryo laughed, looking down on the squirming boys.
“Yes! I doubt they’ve heard a word anyone has said after that explosion.” Shinji’s eyes were still huge.
“Maybe someone should check to see if they’re OK.” Ren was as considerate as usual.
Eventually the crowd dispersed and headed back to the fires. They began setting up their cold weather sleeping gear near the source of warmth. The dark and dreary cabins that dotted the mountainside did not have fire places. Still, a number of adventuresome guys and gals would venture within them, looking for some form of visceral thrill and a better level of protection from possible rain or dew.
Other couples would make use of the cabins for their own amorous purposes.
A number of groups struggled with large school-supplied tents.
A gust of chill air coursed down the rocky crag, sending chills down the spines of the campers.
The fires gyrated , wavered, and reached out, as if they were straining to escape their bounds.
“So, you probably weren’t scared, were you Sousuke?” Kyouko asked, taking note of the various activities going on throughout the area. Sniffing, she caught the odor of campfires and cook-outs from further down the escarpment. Wow! She wondered what THEY were feasting on.
“Negative. Why would one be afraid?” Sousuke went to work cleaning his pistol.
There was sound far off in the woods. It was a repetitive but subtle pattern. Something was moving.
“It’s dark. Isolated. We’re far away from any help or place of safety.” Shinji began to look around nervously, hearing his own words.
“Night is often dark.” Sousuke said without looking up.
The sound grew fainter. It was headed down slope. No one else seemed to notice it. Likely not a problem. Probably wildlife.
Kaname smacked her forehead.
“Shinji’s right. Who knows what could be hiding out there, looking at us?” Maya looked at Ryo and Ren and shivered.
“Nothing.” Sousuke took off a pair of thermal imaging goggles and placed them back in his bag.
The sound stopped completely. It was too distant to give off a detectable heat signature. It was almost as if something were standing still, undecided.
Kaname growled.
“It’s a big world, Sousuke. And these lands are largely unexplored. There could be creatures out here that your toys won’t help you see.” Mizuke began chewing on her fingernail.
“It is not a problem.” Sousuke was obviously not concerned one whit.
Sousuke shut out all of the sounds directly surrounding him. The heavy breathing. The edge of fear in speakers’ voices. The curse words and exclamations of anger coming from the tent builders. The squeals and sounds of passion from cabins further up the way. Laughter. Joke telling. Pranks. Food preparation and utensil cleaning. The voice of the raging fire.
The sound began again, first heading slightly towards their position.
“I hope it stays that way. There are, of course, the legends of the Yama- Uba, the Snow Women. Credible mountain climbers have claimed to see them. They had oxygen tanks, so it was not merely oxygen deprivation.“Atsunobu stated, sitting near Ren.
“Snow Women?” Shinji’s face blanched.
“Yes,” the Student President answered. “Spirits that inhabit high mountain areas. Evil demonic entities. They appear as hideous crones, dressed in ragged Kimonos, covered with a layer of ice and frost. They knock travelers off of steep trails and into the ravines below. They can then feast on their flesh at their leisure.” He pushed his glasses up with one finger.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
Despite mumbling relaxing words to herself, Kaname felt her heart jump in her chest.
“E-E-Eat...” Shinji’s eyes grew large.
“Yes...”
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“...But, they would rather fill their bloated bellies with LIVING meat...”
“Eeek!!!” Mizuke grabbed ahold of Shinji’s arm.
“Exactly...” The tale teller’s glasses seemed to glow in the light of the bonfire.
A loud impact could be heard just below their position.
A huge rotten tree branch had finally found its way to the ground below.
Everyone but Sousuke and Atsunobu jumped. They were each getting a bit nervy. Each looked at the others, subconciously feeling some need to check everyone else’s mood.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“They can smell human flesh from miles away, easily locating them in the vast mountain ranges. They will pursue their prey until the kill, or until the potential victim leaves the mountains.”
“I...I...I knew you shouldn’t have worn perfume into the mountains, Maya!” Ryo looked cross.
“They would likely only eat the slow, the infirmed, or the incautious” Sousuke added helpfully.
The sound off in the forest stopped again.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“It is said that they are spell casters of considerable power, experts in potions, poisons, and concoctions of every conceivable type.”
Kyouko dumped her tea into the fire.
Mizuke spat.
Poisons can also be incorporated into the ground one sits on.” Sousuke added, counting the number of rounds in one clip.
The sound began again. A group of monkeys was startled, giving off a chorus or barks and hoots. Something had spooked them enough to cause them to vocalize.
Maya, Ryo, Mizuke, and Kyouko stood up. They looked at one another uneasily.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
“And, they will often act as merchants, selling wares that travelers need, setting a high price. If someone fails to make the purchase...”
Shinji gasped. “That woman. At the shop near the bus station. She offered me film at ridiculous prices...”
Mizuke moved to the side of the fire opposite Shinji.
“I saw her. She didn‘t have any frost,” Atsunobu said, reassuring Shinji.
Shinji breathed a sigh of relief.
“I took note of her dentition. Her teeth were jagged and rotting. In addition, her nose was crooked. Her features were twisted and malformed.” Sousuke was merely making an observation.
The mysterious sound was headed down slope again.
Shinji came close to passing out.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
“But, we shouldn’t worry. The old man in the stone hut said that no one around these parts has been lured to their deaths...”
Just about everyone sighed with relief.
“...for the last two weeks. I guess they might be overdue...”
You could have heard a pin drop.
A scream sounded from up above their position. The girls all huddled together. Shinji looked for a hole to crawl into. Sousuke looked calm and unrattled.
A laughing girl ran down the slope, carrying a boy’s clothing. Shouting, the boy ran after, trying to stay out of the light. He was naked except for a pair of socks.
Everyone sat up, straightening their posture as if nothing had happened, and they were not alarmed.
“Is that story true?” Ren asked calmly. There was a knowing twinkle in her eye.
Atsunobu smiled.
Everyone threw twigs, pebbled, and food wrappers at the trouble maker.
“It is OK. You can stop being afraid now, Kaname.” Sousuke said.
Kaname frowned. She reached for her paper fan. Maya laughed. She had snuck it away from her.
“Who says I was scared? It takes a lot to scare ME, Sousuke Sagara! Hmmppff!!!”
“ARRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”
A fearful howl split the night, drifting through the tall evergreens like a trail of smoke blown on a swirling wind.
“AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”
A terrible scream followed not too long thereafter.
The sounds had come from further down the mountain slope, in another cluster of cabins and cleared campsites.
“Looks like boys will be boys. Must be a bunch of jokers down there too.” Ryo seemed uncertain whether or not she believed her own supposition.
Sousuke stood up.
He took a submachine gun and a pistol out of his bag.
“Here. Watch after the women.” He gave the pistol to Atsunobu.
Slamming a fresh clip home, Sousuke took out a homing beacon and hammered it into the ground of the camp area. He began to walk away.
“Sousuke! What are you doing? This is no time for games....” Kaname sounded cross. There was a slight catch in her voice.
“AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... URRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...”
More screams and fearful noises crept their way up from below.
“I have seen too much death, Kaname. I have heard too many cries. Those were real.”
The young soldier disappeared into the darkness.
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Kaname didn’t know how many of her fellow classmates took notice of the noises that had drawn Sousuke away from the fire. Most seemed intent on going about business as usual. Still, the crowd around their fire had nearly doubled. The conversations were hushed, not jovial.
The trip had all started out so favorably. The charter buses had dropped the class off in the historic castle town of Matsumoto. She had been forced to school a certain sergeant repeatedly with the halisen, to get him to stop wandering off towards the castle. That was NOT why they had all come this far.
Now, she wished more than anything she was behind the thick walls of that fortification.
She wished that Sousuke was by her side.
It was hard to force her thoughts back to the memories earlier that day and the days before.
Kamikochi was a beautiful park, situated on a plateau 2000 meters above sea level in the center of the northern Japanese Alps. The drive up to the park in the smaller town busses was breathtaking. It had almost felt like being in a different world. A wild bear was seen running across the road. Monkeys scampered hither and yon. A wide variety of birds were readily seen.
It looked like paradise.
The type of paradise where everything was peaceful, and nothing could possibly go wrong.
The boys and girls on the school sponsored trip had stopped one night at a facility of rotenburos---outside hot-spring baths. Unlike Kaname, some of the students had racy tales to tell after that.
Kaname threw a stick into the fire. Sparks flew upward, taking on the shape of Sousuke’s face to her eye. Damn him! She had even brought the white bikini!
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!
Oooooh, Sousuke!!!
“Sousuke, please be OK...” No one heard her whispered plea. “Think about something else, girl.”
They had all stayed at a small hotel, wandering outside to take in the scenery and barbeque their meals at the adjacent camp site. It was a wonderful time, full of teenage tomfoolery and surging hormones. The initial hike after that was slow and easy.
Before stocking up on food and had hiking further up the mountain, they all stayed the next night in a large hiker’s hut. Hundreds of campers from other walks of life were staying there, sleeping in the seemingly endless number of cots and hammocks. Sherpas discussed their trade... families listened to tales from across the country and around the world... youths talked excitedly about the adventure ahead of them.
Some of the older men had frightening stories to tell, but no one wanted to waste their time listening to old wive’s tales or musty and moldy legends.
At the insistence of the girls in the group, the Jindai High School classes strolled along the river, visited scenic ponds and shrines, and took in the wide expanse of wildflowers peeking out from under the leaves on the forest floor. After that, the boys were intent on scaling the tall peaks and navigating the knifelike ridges. Not content with the first few groups of cabins they had come across, the kept pushing onward and upward.
Finally, they reached a lovely series of huts and cabins just before night fell. The view was spectacular. The air smelled so crisp and clean. Even the food they bought tasted heavenly after the long and arduous climb. A few groups of boys went out exploring, making certain the class wasn’t anywhere near the edge of any worrisome chasm.
Before she knew it, the more industrious students had a large area cleared, and Sousuke had helped start a number of huge fires. Kaname had been in such a wonderful mood---and had been somewhat weary in the limb---that she did not chastise Sousuke for using incendiary devices to initaiate the blazes. The boys who snuck such devices from Sousuke’s bag deserved singed eyebrows and smoking hair.
When night fell heavily, and the cold crept in so quickly, Kaname began to feel uneasy. This was a rugged area. Comfort was not a standard item. As an athlete---and a student representative---she was determined to lead by example. She would keep a cheerful face and deal with the hardships as they came.
It was hard to keep a smile on now. The scary stories. The frightful prank. The howling and the screams. Sousuke’s departure. Things were not quite the way she had imagined when she voted to approve this trip.
Kaname bit her lip. She had almost vetoed the trip. Why? Because of Sousuke. He was certain that the excursion would be a good way to improve the strength and endurance of the entire group. Also, one could never tell when mountaineering skills would come in handy. Terrorists did not confine themselves to flat ground.
For the rest of that afternoon, Kaname had confined HIM to a garbage can she tossed him into.
She sighed repeatedly.
Kaname didn’t want to listen to the conversation taking place at the fire.
She couldn’t help herself.
“The Orient is plagued by many forms of spirits,” one girl claimed. He father and grandfather ran a temple outside of Tokyo. “Or I should say, stories about spirits and the undead. Most of them do not have corporeal bodies. Many are just free-floating souls. But, some ARE capable of taking on a tangible form.”
One boy snuck up behind Kyouko and growled. She screamed and grabbed onto Shinji. Shinji promptly fainted.
“Yes, like the Sennin. Looking like ordinary men who are too lightly dressed, they wander the mountains, held in the mortal realm as a punishment for misdemeanors carried out by one of their kind eons ago. The offer a wish to anyone who can find their missing soul, but no one has ever been successful. They often give a gift to those kind enough to try.” The girl smiled. As a child, she had always dreamed about winning a wish.
“That doesn’t sound so bad...” Maya said, looking around the campsite.
“I know what Mizuke would wish for!” One boy said.
“You mean other than someone whose name rhymes with Shirai?” A girl smiled wickedly.
Mizuke looked ready to go ballistic.
“Yes.” The boy held his hands out in front of his chest. “Mountains instead of molehills.”
The boys all laughed. So did some of the girls.
Mizuke blushed.
“Ah, but most spirits aren’t so benevolent.” The girl’s answer shattered the temporary mood.
“The Baku aren’t so bad.” When the one boy mentioned the word ‘Baku,” Kaname thought of another meaning.
Sousuke.
“They looked like large majestic lions, with elephant heads. When they came across a sleeper in their dream realm, they would challenge them to a fight. If they were victorious, they would devour the sleeper’s nightmares.”
“I’m still awake,” Ryo said, bighting her nails. “But I have a nightmare I wish they would take away.”
A number of girls nodded their heads.
“She’s not talking about Sousuke,” Kyouko said, trying to reassure Kaname.
“Hmmppff!” That was all Kaname could manage. Kyouko’s expression showed that she knew her friend’s reaction had been forced.
She began to worry too.
AHHHROOOoooooooooooo AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooo
The howl came from far down the hillside.
“W-What i-is t-t-that....” Shinji almost sprained his neck turning around.
“A dog. It’s probably just someone’s dog.” One boy sounded certain.
“A big dog. A really REALLY big dog....” Another boy’s eyes said he wasn’t so certain. His clenched fist was a clear indication that he wished he was.
For a long moment, the only sounds at the campsite came from the other fires and their surrounding students.
“Then there were the Kappa. They lived in stagnant pools and meres, close to human settlements. They considered meat of all forms to be food. Grappling with victims and displaying hideous strength, they would drag the unfortunates to the depths of their lairs.”
The girl had a strong need to hear herself talk. That was the only thing she wanted to hear.
“Only if the water spilled out of the bowl-like depression oh their head, would they be weakened enough to deal with successfully. Unbelievably polite, they would always return a bow, spilling the water and temporarily crippling themselves. The trick only worked once for each opponent.” The girl yawned. Like many of the other students, she was growing very sleepy.
But, like some of the others, she didn’t know if she would be able to get any sleep... or if she wanted to close her eyes for more than a couple of seconds that night.
“What about the Tengu?” One boy asked. “I heard they were part man and part crow. Or something like that.”
“Yes, they looked like winged humans with huge beaks or terribly long noses. They relish the appearance of men in their mountain ranges, considering them fair game for the pranks and practical jokes they so love. They often like to steal items of great beauty.”
“Well, that means Chidori is safe.”
Kaname looked around. That had sounded suspiciously like Shirai. Where had he crept in from? It would be in his best interest if he had crept away soon after. Maybe his group had booted him out.
Some things never change.
“The Tengu are otherwise harmless, content to live a peaceful existence. The same could not be said for the Buso.” The girl shuddered saying that name. She had suffered numerous nightmares after her grandfather’s tales of the ghoul-like creatures.
“B-B-Buso?” Shinji didn’t really want to know, but he couldn’t control his own curiosity.
“Yes. Flesh-eating spirits. Thought to be the spirit of someone who died of starvation. They roam the dark alleys and deserted areas of cities and camps looking for a walking meal. Vicious talons and sharp pointed teeth make short work of the unfortunate men or women they come across.”
A number of the girls moved closer to the fire.
AHHHH-ROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The howling noise in the distance now had one girl in tears and a couple of more close to it. A number of the boys looked decidedly uncomfortable. Every sound in the dark forest seemed magnified one hundredfold.
The fog began to drift in amongst the fires, tents, and sleeping bags. Some of the cabins further up the hill had become difficult to make out.
The one girl was finally content to leave her descriptions of spirits where she had finished. The boy nearest her smiled, seeing the looks on his comrades' faces. He decided to continue the conversation.
“The Rokiro-Kubi were nothing we want to run into around here either.” The boy laughed. “I hope that howling noise is not one of THEM.”
He paused, drinking in the sound of whimpering. “Creepy fog, isn’t it?”
Kaname rummaged through her rucksack. It looked like the halisen might prove useful again.
“Death by hanging lead to the creation of such spirits. As a result, they had very long necks. They are creatures of pure vengeance, existing only to inflict torment and death upon the living. Especially girls.” The last part was pure improvisation. It was also an invitation to Kaname of sorts.
SMACCCKKK!!!
The boy nearly fell into the fire. He remembered laughing repeatedly whenever he had seen Sousuke struck in the past. It didn’t seem so funny now.
Kaname sniffed. For a moment, the old Kaname was back in all her glory.
“Ow!!!”
The boy was defiant.
No girl was going to show him up.
“They look like gaunt raggedly individuals dressed in the clothes they wore at their execution. Their skin is cold and grey... their fingers end in long talons... they tear their victims into small pieces.... or they use the rope they were hanged with to strangle their prey.” The boy put the rope from his sleeping bag around Maya’s neck. She nearly leaped out of her skin.
SMACCCKKK!!! WHACKKK!!!
Kaname almost felt as if she were being unfaithful. The paper fan was usually reserved for Sousuke. Thinking that name made her deeply worried again. What if there WAS something out there. Sousuke was alone, in the dark...
The boy was obviously a slow learner.
“We also shouldn’t forget the Gaki. Evil spirits of possession, thought to be the souls of bodies that were not dispatched the proper way, as set down by Buddhist strictures. Appearing as dark humanoids, with bloated bellies and sickly glowing skin...”
He stood up quickly and pointed into the forest, calling everyones' attention to an eerie glowing form.
Before they realized it was a boy holding a lantern up near his face, a number of girls dove under nearby sleeping rolls.
“...Their eyes are wild. Like many ghosts, they seem to merely float through the air. The cause pain and misery to everyone they come across, attacking anyone who attempts to stand in their way. They may possess humans, forcing them to do their bidding, killing them through over- exertion and injury as they seek to put their original body to rest properly.” The boy paused again for effect.
He was in complete control.
He relished the power.
“As I understand it, there were countless gallows at the castle. And, Buddhist communities used to dot these hills like warts on a toad. A spooky coincidence, isn’t it....”
His victory was short-lived.
SMACCCKKK!!!
The third halisen salvo ended the boy’s thirst for mischief.
AHHHROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo AHROO AROOooooooooooooooooo
The unease had clearly spread to other campfires. One girl stood up, nearly hysterical. “God, I wish it would stop. I just wish it would stop!!!” He friends and fellow classmates looked to comfort her, but she was not the only one who was frantic with fear and unease.
With each reverberating howl, the night seemed darker and forest seemed deeper. With each falling branch in the woods, heart rates jumped. The brief hoot of an owl caused more than one student to drop their plates or bowls of food. The never-ending fog almost seemed suffocating.
Even a number of couples who had more earthy endeavors in mind left their cabin hideaways to seek a greater degree of companionship.
Most intrepid boys and their female counterparts seemed unconcerned, but the number of worried faces grew steadily.
“Well... any one up for some good gossip?” Kaname took it upon herself to change the mood. Even so, she didn’t feel up for chit chat herself.
No one answered.
“I see. Let me put in a few words of reassurance.” Atsunobu spoke in a self- assured quiet voice. “Even if the creatures of legend DID exist, they weren’t all malevolent or evil.” He took a moment to wipe off his glasses, and put down the novel he was reading.
“That’s good...” Kaname said, trying to calm everybody down.
“The Hengeyokai.... some folks just refer to them as Henge.... were members of the animal kingdom who could shape shift and take human form. They usually dwelled alone, and were able to change their appearance at will. For example, one type of Henge went about in cat form, no different than any other cat. In human form, they would appear as slender and extremely agile men or women.”
Kaname stood up and pirouetted, arms away from her sides.
A number of guys and girls looked at her and shook their heads. Kyouko got her camera ready.
“WHAT?” Kaname asked.
No one was foolish enough to answer.
“Quick-witted and highly perceptive, with the added benefit of their agility, several Cat Henge became members of the Ninja....”
One boy looked at Kaname again, and began to snicker.
WHAMMMMM!
“Anyone else?” Kaname asked. She wasn’t just doing her usual routine. There was a method to her madness---the familiarity of the halisen attack might distract her classmates for a while.
One log within the fire snapped and popped exceedingly loud. Mizuke jumped, accidentally landing in Shinji’s lap. Neither made any effort to move.
“The Dog Henge appeared as huge hounds, about the size of small ponies. In human form, they are highly muscular. Bad tempered and unimaginative, they make good warriors, but not a great deal else. Their minds are very basic, and they often resort to physical means to achieve their goals. They are fiercely loyal, protecting their friends with their lives.”
“Sousuke” a number of people said or thought at once.
The words ‘protecting’ and ‘with their lives’ echoed in Kaname’s head.
“Monkey Henges are mischievous and inquisitive by nature, but have a fierce temper, even greater than the Dogs. When fully angry, they were a sight to behold.”
Everybody looked at Kaname again. She stuck out her tongue. Someone even ventured a laugh. A few others joined in.
“There were other types written about, including Rat, Crane, Fox, and Spiders. There are plenty of stories about Kitsune, the fox women.” The student council president wisely did not mention that the Spider Henge were the size of a large hound.... had razor sharp mandibles.... and slaughtered unsuspecting humans mercilessly.
“Other types were probably imagined as well. Like the Tanuki. We’ve all seen the statues and idols of the creatures looking somewhat like a dog, racoon, or badger.”
A number of students smiled at that.
Their smiles were short lived.
AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The sound was closer.
A good deal closer.
“Nooooo no arrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”
The scream was faint, but the words could be made out. The end of the vocalization spoke of hideous pain and anguish. Why would anyone pretend like that?
“Sousuke. Where is Sousuke?” Kaname blurted out her thoughts. That didn’t sound like him, did it?
And just what was out there?
Where was it headed?
Why?
“T-That’s no dog....” One girl began to shiver uncontrollably. “I’ve heard something like that before. Visiting a pen pal in Russia. It sounds like a wolf.”
“No. Uh uh. No way.” Shinji was insistent. “I’ve read about wolves in this country. The last wolf in Hokkaido was shot in 1896. The last one on Honshu was killed in 1905. There are no more okami in Japan.”
“That is quite correct,” Atsonobu agreed, patting Ren’s hand. “However, a number of groups have made an effort to reintroduce wolves, especially in areas where dear and monkeys greatly threaten farm crops. Perhaps this was one such area.”
No one looked hopeful. If it WERE wolves, would the wolves attack people, especially in such a large group? If it were not wolves, than what was it?
AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The sound was closer yet.
A group of monkeys screeched. Their troop moved from tree to tree. Some settled high above the camp.
AHHH AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
That noise was further down the hill.
Either the creature---or prankster---was very quick....
...Or, there was more than one.
The monkeys called out again, quickly moving away from the camp and further up the hill.
What had them so frightened?
“Please... God.... nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”
Rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata at rata tat rata tat
Gunfire.
Submachine gun, to be precise.
It sounded awfully familiar to Kaname.
Steyr TMP.
That’s what Sousuke had been carrying.
Just about everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing. The ante had been upped considerably. Now, only a few students were unconcerned. That minority assumed it was Sousuke over-reacting again.
Most, however, began to talk in frightened voices, wondering what they should do.
That luxury would not last much longer.
**************************************
**************************************
**************************************
The cascading beams from the leering full moon filtered haphazardly through the boughs and branches of the towering ever green and ash trees. The squares and rectangles of light painted an eerie patchwork quilt on the lush forest floor.
The view was surreal.
Any painter worth his salt would sell his very soul to be able to paint it as it was.
Sousuke ran as quickly as the reduced visibility allowed. It made no sense to twist an ankle or break a limb now. It would also be unwise to run head on into a foe or dangerous situation totally unawares. As he passed through the shifting streamers of light, the strobe effect put his mind in a false sense of ease.
Screams came in slow motion. If felt as if it took forever to hit the ground, every time he vaulted over a fallen tree or tangle of shrubs. Smells registered on his senses long after he passed them by.
The distance he had to cover would take some time. Fortunately, it was a down hill run. Speed would be important. There might be lives at stake. Below, and later at his own camp. But, the minutes felt like seconds. His mind was concerned more about where he was going and what he would find, than it was about where he was and where he had just been.
He had felt this way on missions many times. This time, for some reason, the effect was magnified.
With each howl, his senses sped up. His mind became more focused. The cold night air felt sent goosebumps racing along his body, making him feel more alive than he could remember. The adrenalin rush felt as if it might set him alight.
He was now a creature of instinct and intuition. His steps were guided by something other than conscious thought.
Jumping through a large bramble patch, thorns carved into his flesh.
He didn’t feel it.
Rushing through a tangled mass of vines, twigs and leaves filled his shirt and clung to his hair.
He didn’t even know they were there.
The further he ran, the stronger the odor of a late night’s feast teased his nostrils.
He took no notice.
Every molecule in his body shouted ‘danger!’
His subconscious laughed and shouted back ‘good!’
The TMP felt good in his hands. No, it felt as if it were part of his hands. The Heavy bag bouncing off his back could have been a tail or wings, It was part of him too. So was the forest. So was the night.
There was something dangerous in the forest.
Sousuke knew that, even if he had no idea yet what it was.
There was something else dangerous in the forest.
Sousuke.
There was someone he needed to protect.
Kaname.
Woe betide ANYTHING that threatened harm to her.
They would find out who was the most dangerous.
A different light snuck between leaf, needle, branch, and bough. It danced and beckoned. It peeked, then hid. Fires. Campfires. He was nearing the next encampment.
Finally, he was close enough to clearly make out and words that someone might call out.
The sounds were far from favorable.
His mind pulled in one direction while his heart leaned towards another. He should be at Kaname’s side. But, he needed to know what was going on in order to best prepare.
“Help... somebody... ANYBODY.... Help.... Ahhhhhhgrgrgllllahhhhhh.”
Human.
Probably dead or dying now.
Sousuke rolled after jumping too high over an outcropping of stone.
AHHHHRRROOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The young sergeant switched off the safety on his gun.
AHROOooo AHHH AHHHRRROOOoooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo oooo
He activated his communicator, so the radioman on the TDD-1 could record everything that was about to happen.
“Mommy.... MOMMMMMMYYYYY...”
A young child. Frightened. Close to shock.
Sousuke began a running commentary of what he saw and what he was doing. Even if no one was currently at the console, the words would all be burned to disc.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
He was close enough to see the clearing. Shapes ran about. Humans. Others shapes followed. NOT human. Something was banging hard against locked doors, sending drum-like beats echoing to the tree tops. The sound of shattering wood was followed by brief shouts and hideous gurgling screams.
“No... nononononno noooooooooooooooooo....”
A well-dressed woman was pounced on from behind. The dark shape on her back had blurry outlines. It was furred. The crunch of bones brought gorge into Sousuke’s throat.
The enemy was not human.
It treated humans as livestock. Prey. Dinner.
ARRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRR RRRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR
More movement. A man momentarily had his arms around the necks of s-o-m-e- t-h-i-n-g, trying to hold it back from a fallen boy. Before Sousuke realized what had happened, one of that man’s detached arms was in the thing’s jaws.
“Ohhhhhh eeeeeeeeeeeee oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh....”
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR ARRR ARRRRRRRRRRR
The armless and throatless victim stumbled dumbly a few steps before falling down forever. His killer began to rip into the flesh of his abdomen, reddening its muzzle with fresh blood and torn strips of muscle and skin.
It suddenly stopped.
It knew something came.
It got up into a bestial crouch, then stood up on two limbs and howled a challenge.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO AR AR AR OOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO
Sousuke slid to a halt, his senses revolting against his mind. His body froze momentarily. The animal instincts of his earliest ancestors shouted ‘run away you fool. RUN!!!’
This was a scene from a movie.
A horror film.
A veritable page out of Hell’s finest script.
The howling beast in front of him was man-shaped, dark, and lithely muscled. Fine black hairs covered every inch of the body, from the taloned fingers and toes, up the canine-like snout and its razor-sharp fangs.
The long pointed ears swiveled towards him.
A horrendous black tongue ran over its teeth, dripping blood-tinged slobber all over its heaving matted chest.
The nostrils flared, sniffed, and sniffed again.
The yes narrowed, showing only small slits of glowing red, as if a supernatural fire burned within.
OOOOOOOOOOO AR AR AR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Its posture changed. Somehow, Sousuke knew it was about to charge. If his weapons proved ineffective.... If he missed.... or if the creature could withstand a lot of punishment before dying.... he realized full well that his life would end here.
Now.
Horribly.
Unthinkably.
The voices clamoring for his attention over his communicator would not be answered any time soon.
Like a coach reviewing film at slow speed, he was able to take note of other similar creatures scattered around the campsite. One was under an overturned table, the fancy linen table clothes and candelabras scattered amongst the china plates, crystal bowls, and fancy silver ware. The meal it ate once ate the food now covered with dirt.
Another beast sat crouched on the roof of one of the huts, vigilant. It stared at Sousuke.
“Is there someone out there? Please. Answer! Are you help?” A frantic woman’s voice came from the largest of the cabins. Deep furrows were scratched into its door, but the wood planking was stern stuff.
“NO! Run away. For God’s sake, save yourself. If you can, bring help. Oh, God... can ANYTHING help us....”
Similar calls came from the few remaining huts and edifices with intact doors and shudders. Sousuke paid them no heed. There was only one place he could afford to look. Something---he knew not what---kept him from striking first.
Without making a sound, the beast moved. Its’ first step was followed by an amazing bound, a full thirty feet in the air, its open jaws aimed right at the junction of Sousuke’s neck and head. Any other man’s lifeblood would have been containing skyward one heartbeat later.
“NO!!!” Sousuke’s shout caused the creature on the roof to sit a little higher on its haunches, ears lifting and muzzle retracting. It too looked prepared to join the fray.
Sousuke’s quickest move proved barely sufficient. Clawed arms passed close to his body and furred feet dug furrows where he was last standing.
Rolling across burning coals knocked out of a nearby barbeque pit, Sousuke fought back.
Rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat rata tat
A well-placed stream of 9mm slugs tore through the side and neck of the incomprehensible monster. Red blood spurted out and began trickling along slick fur. The beasts growl turned into a whimper, but it did not collapse and it did not die.
Looking at Sousuke, as if memorizing his sight and smell, the creature made a sound somewhere between a cough and a howl and stumbled off into the woods, trailing small crimson beads behind it like breadcrumbs in a fairy tale.
“WHO’S NEXT!!!” Sousuke felt the blood pounding in his head. He was NOT prey. He too was a hunter. They had picked the wrong night. They had chosen the wrong forest! “I’m a Specialist!!!”
“Sergeant Sagara.... Urzu 7, report.... Sagara, what is going on....”
The voice on the communicator wanted answers. Sousuke had no time for that. Unchracteristically, he shouted out. “THERE’S... NO... DAMN... TIME........THERE BE M-O-N-S-T-E-R-S!!!”
There was no time to take out a clip and change it into the SMG. His questing hand found just what he wanted, however.
The beast on top of the hut waited too long. Its ears folded back in curiosity when the grey cylindrical canister landed at its feet. The yellow band on it and the yellow markings meant nothing to the creature.
The M206A2 delayed fuse in the White Phosporus grenade did its thing. Right as the monster began to spring, the ‘Willie Pete’ went off, sending 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit burning particles for a blast radius of 17 meters.
The horrifically effective weapon sent huge octopus arms of igniting phosphorus and smoke outward, setting the night alight and touching off blazes on the wooden and thatched rooves of the nearest adjacent buildings. Trees glowed like neon white fingers reaching skyward in supplicating, the fire clinging to them like a living thing.
AR OH AGH AGH AR OO AR OHHH ARRRR OOOOOOOO AR AR AHHH OOOO
A flaming white figure---humanoid in shape, with its arms trying to brush away deeply embedded particles---wavered in its steps, weaving and stumbling, before collapsing in a burning mass of fur and bone.
THAT monster would not be going anywhere!
The top of a 200 pound picnic table was flung off into the woods as if it were made of balsa. The monster that stood high on its hind legs was a good bit larger than the two that Sousuke had already fought. An adult? A parent? A mate? Teacher?
Who could say?
ARRRR ARRRR ARRRR ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ARRR ARRRRRRRRRRRR
Sousuke shivered. He almost froze, fatally. It was as if the beast were trying to communicate. Perhaps it was promising Sousuke that unspeakable pain was coming his way. Maybe it was beseeching some unholy agency for assistance.
Again, who could say?
And who had time to ponder the question?
Sousuke used the brief respite to grab his M1911 pistol. He also took extra time to locate one of two very special clips.
Two illegal clips.
Clips he had never been able to bring himself to use against a human enemy.
Why had he even kept them in his bag?
It didn’t matter.
The real question was whether or not they would work.
He wouldn’t wait this time. Lightning quick, he raised the .45 caliber pistol and fired.
Bang bang
Even quicker, the monster stepped back and to the side. It’s muzzle split in a canine smile. Its ears flicked forward briefly, twice.
“Shit!” Sousuke’s aim had been perfect. The creature was smart. It had anticipated his action. Or---even worse---it had been able to follow his moves de novo and dodge them without any time for thought.
Instinct and reflexes like that were phenomenal.
Superhuman.
He swallowed hard.
There was no doubt what he needed to do.
He had to get closer. Much closer. So close that if he missed, there would be no time for HIM to dodge.
“Now!” Sousuke sprinted forward, gun in two hands held straight out in front of him.
Bang bang
The monster leaped upward and back. It landed in a crouch snarling. It was uncertain. But it was certainly not defeated.
A brief bit of movement caught Sousuke’s eye as something passed in front of a distant fire. Another creature. It stood staring.
AHHHHRRROOOoooooooooooooooooooo AHH AHH AHHRRROOOooooooooooooooooooooooo
The creature ran off up the hill.
Back towards Sousuke’s camp.
A series of howls sounded from that direction.
“Kaname!” Sousuke gasped. He had to get back up there. If he could make it through the woods alive.
First, he would have to defeat the beast in front of him. He had no foolish belief that he could outrun it.
‘In front of him?’
He had only turned his head for a half a heart beat.
The creature had slipped away like the breeze.
Where?
Sousuke ran quickly to the center of the clearing. He needed as much distance and space as he could obtain. Crouching down, he half-closed his eyes, letting his hearing take control. Nothing. Not a single noise could be heard over the din of the survivors; the rush and crackle of the fires; or the distant howling noises.
Was the creature out there watching him, waiting for the ideal opportunity to strike.
Had it gone off towards his camp?
Could it have hidden in one of the deserted buildings.
WHERE WAS IT?!!!
“Calm down. Peace. Be at peace.” Sousuke needed to calm his nerves.
“What was that? Please repeat, Urzu-7. Please repeat your message.”
The radioman would not give up. He was doing his job.
“Sagara. Sergeant Sagara, are you there?” It was Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin’s voice. “Are you able to speak? Sagara, answer!”
Panting like a dog himself, Sousuke mopped his brow, eyes darting left and right. Crablike, he crouched and walked behind a line of old stone benches. Gun out in front of him, he made a number of quick moves, hoping to lure the monster back into his field of fire.
No movement.
Nothing.
The reflection of firelight off of some item caught his attention. Forks. Knives. Spoons. Scattered around the wreckage of the ostentatious picnic. A sign of conspicuous consumption. So much silver. For a camping trip. Far away from civilization.
Silver?
A thought clamored for attention. Unwilling to be distracted further, Sousuke still found himself filling his bag with the dirty and blood covered utensils.
Reaching for one, he almost gagged.
An eye looked back at him.
And eye and nothing more.
The only remaining sign that yet another life had been torn away.
Life.
Torn away.
Kaname!
DAMN! KANAME COULD BE IN DANGER! AND HE WAS STUCK HERE!
“Calm down. Peace. Be at peace.”
He walked slowly. He measured every breath. Without going to far into darkness or too close to any tree or structure, he looked around and between the huts, tables, fire pits, and isolated trees.
Nothing.
Nothing still living.
His subconscious acted like an automatic camera system, recording images he would have no choice but to relive later, if he survived. Headless bodies. Parts of bodies. Shredded bodies. Expensive shoes. Hand carved picnic baskets and coolers. Shattered vases and trampled flowers. A pacifier. A doll. A lit cigar. An upended and dripping bottle of wine.
The pool of wine flowed into a puddle of blood.
“Sagara. This is an order. Say something. Do you require back-up. What is the situation.”
Back-up.
Help.
Maybe.
Maybe it would only be mop up. Forensics. The men and women with the plastic bags, tarps, and tweezers.
More hope than nothing, though.
“Sagara here. Under attack. Locator beacon set at upper camp location. Chidori and other students there. My position down hill. Camp ofr strangers under assault. Monsters. Real monsters. Wolves. Walking wolves. Intelligent creatures. Killers. Eaters of men. Women. Children. Predators.”
With each forced word, Sousuke stepped and turned. His senses were failing him. He was outmatched. Handicapped. Observed. Targeted.
He might be able to last the night like this.
Might.
If so, he would probably be the only one.
Unacceptable.
“Repeat. Are you injured? Focus. Are you hallucinating? Answer, soldier. We need details.” Kalinin’s voice worked Sousuke like a marionette. The conditioning of habit took over.
“Urzu-7 reporting. Bipedal creatures, capable of going on all fours. Quicker than human. Amazing strength. Phenomenal leaping ability. Red blood. Harmed by 9mm in large numbers, but not stopped. Killed by incendiary bombs. Smart enough to dodge shots. Hiding. Watching and waiting. No more time to talk. I must stop the one. NOW!”
Sousuke could no longer afford to play it smart. It was time to move. There was no avoiding risks. Horrible risks. The dice must roll. The pips must fall just right. Only Kaname mattered. He wanted to save as many as he could, but Kaname came first.
“Sousuke, please. Monsters? Sousuke...” Captain Testarossa’s voice. “Sergeant Sagara... how can there be monsters?”
Perhaps the stress was getting to Sousuke.
Maybe he had been around Sgt. Mao too much in the past month.
Whatever the reason, his final transmission was sure to be brought to his attention later, if he lived.
“YOU...... TELL...... ME...... I have no need for distractions now!!!”
He left the communicator opened, but would give it no more attention for now. The stammering and sounds of disbelief on the other end meant nothing to him then.
Looking at the candelabras laying amongst food and fresh corpses, he noticed that they too seemed to be made of silver. He stuffed them into his bag.
Yes, silver.
There was a word on his tongue, but he was not ready to use it yet.
Ringing his hands together in a quick prayer, Sousuke took off running up the hill, full speed. Abruptly, he stopped. No noise.
He ran again, for a longer length. Again he stopped and listened. No sounds.
Once more he ran, faster, harder, further. He stopped just in time. There was a sound. Something stopped. Something was breathing great steaming breaths. A twig cracked.
Bang bang.
WHAM!
Urf!!!
A hit.
Quickly, Sousuke put on his thermal goggles.
There!
Bang bang
Misses.
“Damn it to Hell!”
The thermal image was gone. But foot marks still glowed with faint heat. Time to turn the tables.
He jogged for a bit, then slowed. He walked, then picked up his pace. It was instinct alone that drove him. Kill or be killed. Kill and move on to save others. Kill and send a message to whatever walked the night.
Sousuke followed the trail quickly, running as wide of it as possible, so not to be surprised. The creature was obviously not dead, but the round had done damage. He had drilled out the tips of the .45 caliber bullets. Into the hollow, he had poured mercury, before capping things off with more lead.
The force of the mercury slamming would cause the bullet to fragment tremendously, expanding the projectile and the wound. In the right instances, the round would explode.
Moving as quietly as he could, Sousuke realized that each step could be his last... each breath could be his final breath.
There were so many things he never had a chance to do.
So many things he didn’t understand.
Things he wanted that he hadn’t completely figured out yet.
Hunting the hunter, Sousuke thought back to something he had read. About the word he did not want to use yet. Something he never had reason to take for fact. Legends. Myths. Scary stories. Things that go bump in the night.
There were tales of an unholy beast that walked beneath the full moon. The stories said that it was silver the monster feared. But one text had suggest a mistranslation. Not ‘silver,’ but instead ‘silvered metal.’
Mercury.
There was no way yet to tell exactly what he faced.
He could not be certain if mercury...or silver...would have any effect.
But, there was certainly no harm in trying, was there?
“I’m coming. Time for YOU to be afraid!” He meant the words when he growled them. They fell impotently from his tongue. Still, the thought kept him going.
The creature could be luring him to a trap. A hole. A deadfall. A sudden deadly drop. A pack of its brethren.
Anything.
He stopped. No sound. Either the creature was completely still, or it could move with a stealth he could never equal.
He slowed to a walk.
His heartbeat was loud in his ears.
Too loud.
His breath caught in his throat.
His hands began to tremble.
There was only so much that training, desperation, and willpower could do.
He was afraid.
More afraid than he had ever been in his life.
Where was it?
Where was the cursed beast?!!
Sousuke tripped over an unseen log, just as he lost sight of the trail. That accidental tumble saved his life. Flat on his back, he say a heat source up in a shadowy tree. The creature!
Bang bang bang bang
WHUMP! Thud Thud WHUMP!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO URRRRRRRRRRRRR AAAAAAAAAAAAH
Something fell heavy at Sousuke feet. He scampered back quickly like a crustacean. Stars filled his eyes ad his head banged hard against a large rock.
The shape moved up on to its arms, then collapsed without a sound.
Taking out a flashlight, Sousuke risked a moment of examination. A large hole was in the middle of the creatures chest. The chest was not moving. Unless it was clever enough to be holding its breath, the creature was dead. A poke with a sharp stick did not illicit any response.
So.
They COULD be killed.
That had been close, however.
Much too close.
Sousuke’s legs burned. His arms were exhausted. The bag felt as if it were filled with led and stones instead of weapons and silver.
That didn’t matter.
He would not feel any of it.
The camp was in danger. The students were in danger. Sousuke did not want to see up there what he had seen below.
Kaname.
“I’m coming....”
