Part 41: Mire, Part 3

Where...am I?

I looked all around me frantically, but saw nothing even remotely familiar. This was definitely someplace new. And it didn't feel much like a school anymore. The walls and floor were made from packed dirt, with only railroad ties keeping it all together.

Mnnngghh... It's...really musty down here.

I knew I was underground. I had to be. It just... felt that way. There were no windows anywhere, and based on the smell, there was no ventilation either.



(Oh no! Big brother!)

Big brother might have gotten caught off-guard by that earthquake too, I thought. He could be down here! It was a big one, after all. Maybe he was injured. Maybe he couldn't move...

(I...I have to find him right away!)

I tried pushing myself up from the pile of rubble, ready to shoot to my feet and continue the search. That didn't last long, however. My hands and feet were still a little numb from the ropes, making it hard to keep my balance. I fell back onto my butt.



My underwear was completely waterlogged, like a full sponge. It squished unpleasantly on the debris, sending a cold chill through my entire body.

What's...going on...?

I reached down and felt it...and it was absolutely soaked through. It would take forever for it to dry.

(That's right... I forgot I...peed myself...)

I was so wrapped up in running for my life and chasing after big brother, I didn't even notice the wetness. But now I couldn't get it out of my mind...

Uuulllggghh... It's so gross...



I wouldn't be able to ignore it for long, though. My panties were noticeably heavier now, and the urine they absorbed was practically ice-cold. I couldn't go on like this. I was going to get a rash or catch pneumonia or something. And every step was going to be its own form of mushy, gushy hell. But what could I do? I could take them off, but then what? Carry them with me? Eww! Leave them on the floor for someone else to find? No thanks!

Mmmmmnnnnnggghhh... Big brother... Big brother!

I swallowed my pride, held back my tears as best as I could and waddled onward.

(Mmmnnngghh... Isn't there anywhere I can go to get these off?)

Music: Bomb Shelter



Hey, remember Piss Quest? This is kind of like that, except instead of finding a place for the little girl to pee, you're looking for a place for her to take her underwear off.

SIGH



First we try the room immediately in front of us.



Is it locked...? Mnnngghh... I'll have to find someplace else.



The storage room is a no-go, so we just keep wandering.



It's a set of skeletal remains. Given its tiny stature, it very likely belonged to an elementary school student in life. There's a student ID name tag halfway lodged inside the poor girl's rib cage:

Chihiro Tamamura Age: 11
Great Harbor Elementary School

Agonizing death from blood loss after eyes gouged out.



We head directly west from Chihiro's body, down a side-hall. We can't go into the boys' room (as usual), so we continue further west and enter the girls' room.



(There are no protective seals...and...*sniff* *sniff*...no weird smells...)

The only bathrooms I'd seen up to this point were unusable. Charms on the door mysteriously sealing the room shut, bodies hanging in the stalls... But this looked to be a completely normal bathroom. Certainly the most normal I'd seen since getting stuck in this place, anyway.



There's a loose piece of wood on the ground here.

Take it
Leave it

Mnngghh... This might be useful for something.

Sound Effect: Item



(I wonder if I can get in the stalls...)

I tried pulling on one of the wooden stall doors.



I listened carefully for any hint of a response, even going so far as to hold my breath.

(I guess if somebody did respond, it would be pretty scary...)

But there wasn't a single sound to be heard. The entire room was dead silent. The walls were made from packed dirt, after all, and there was a lot of moisture in the air. Effectively, this holw place was naturally soundproofed.

(This is perfect. There's nobody else around.)
Ah...!



(This might be a good spot to hide them...)
Ummngh...

Finally, I was able to get out of those waterlogged panties. Depsite being alone, I still crouched down and removed them as discreetly as I could. I then stuffed them tightly into the crack I discovered.



(The hole's not big enough. Some of it's still sticking out.)
If only there were just a bit more space... What do I do now...? I know! I can use this piece of wood to dig in there and make it bigger.



(Mmnnnnggghh... I'm so glad big brother didn't have to see me doing this. Please, don't let anybody find me until I'm done... Especially not big brother...)

Not that big brother would be likely to wander into a girls' bathroom. But it was possible, given the circumstances. So just to be safe, I figured it couldn't hurt to pray that that didn't happen.



(It'd be embarrassing if anyone were to find these, after all.)



My underwear was now totally buried and out of sight. There was no way anyone could come across it if they didn't know it was there. Satisfied, I stood up.

(Mmmmmnnnnngggghhhh... It's so...drafty now... But it's still a lot better than wearing wet panties.)



Mnnnggghh... It's been nothing but earthquakes since we got here!
(I wonder if this place will be okay. It seems even older than the school building...)



(Nobody's out there, right...?)
Big brother! Big broootheeer!

My voice echoed a lot louder than I was expecting. It actually surprised my. Considering the wet dirt walls, I didn't think sound would travel that far.

(Hmmmnngghh... I'm scared... If any of big brother's friends are nearby...please...)
Mmff... I really want to wash my hands.



I never noticed how often Yuka makes "mmmmmf" sounds until transcribing her dialog.



Finished in the bathroom, we head back to the central hallway and head north into the nearby Death Room.



I dunno if the implication here is that it's too dark for Yuka to see all the blood (but lit up for the convenience of the player), or if she's just somehow totally unfazed by this room like no other character has ever been. Even Morishige thought "Huh, what's the deal with this room?" to himself when he ended up here in wrong endings.



There are thoroughly decomposed remains on the table here. Based on general appearance and what's left of the deceased's clothing, they appear to belong to a very young girl. Her name tag is still affixed to her chest:

Mako Sakurai Age: 11
Great Harbor Elementary School

Her kind voice healed her friends' hearts; always the class favorite.



It's a set of skeletal remains. There doesn't seem to be any way to determine gender from clothing or build alone. But there is a student ID name tag nearby, bearing a traditionally feminine name:

Sakura Motoi Age: 17
Komashiro Trade School

Both arms severed in booby trap; bled out.



After collecting the name tags, we investigate the large cabinet.

There's a cabinet here that looks big enough to fit a whole person inside. It might make a good hiding spot.

If anyone comes, maybe I should close myself inside here... But if anyone did come, it would be really scary, so maybe I should just get out of this room while I can...

Sound Effect: Slam

Music: None

...?!



It seemed I'd been locked in.

What do I do? Is there anything in here I can use in place of a doorknob...?

Music: Unrest (A)



We take another look at that cabinet.



Take the key
Leave it

Sound Effect: Item



I wonder if I can use this key to get out... I should at least give it a try.

Sound Effect: Locked

Guess a key doesn't do much good without a doorknob...

Music: Unrest (B)



During this sequence, the darkening meter serves as a timer. There are a couple of wrong solutions to the puzzle, and a correct one. Each time you try to escape in the wrong way, your darkening meter is boosted by 30%. Make a few mistakes, and you get a wrong ending.



There's a nail puller shoved into the sink's drain. Pull it out?

Pull it out
Leave it

Sound Effect: Item



If I stick this into the door, I might just be able to use it like a doorknob...

Sound Effect: Click

It worked! Now I can get out of here!

Music: Bomb Shelter



We're automatically moved out of the death room and cannot re-enter. It's not actually necessary to enter the death room here, and you can safely reach the end of the chapter without seeing that sequence.



We continue west, partially down the protruding hallway.



It's a decayed, skeletal corpse. The clothing and diminutive stature suggest this was likely an elementary school boy. His name tag is still pinned to his breast pocket:

Hiroshi Takano Age: 11
Great Harbor Elementary School

Great Harbor Elementary manga club member. Beloved by everyone.



We continue one more space west.



It's a decaying corpse. Based on outward appearance and uniform, this was likely a junior high school girl. Her student ID name tag seems to have survived intact:

Koi Kawahara Age: 14
Takine Municipal Middle School

Came to investigate and was separated from friends. Left behind many works for the next generation.



We turn around and head east, to one end of this T-shaped hallway.



It's a newly-deceased corpse, practically still warm. It's easy to tell at a glance that this was a female junior high school student. There's a student ID name tag on the ground at her feet:

Michi Moritoshi Age: 13
Shobu University Middle School

Imagined and created many popular games with a blazing blue flame of passion burning in his heart.

I like how this corpse is described as very obviously female, and then the name tag uses a male pronoun to refer to her. Whoops!



Next, we return to the central hallway and head to the far north end.



It's a set of skeletal remains. There doesn't seem to be any way to determine gender or age. But there is a student ID name tag lodged in its eye socket, identifying these remains as likely having belonged to a male junior high student:

Kyugo Shibuya Age: 13
Takine Municipal Middle School

Agonizing death after left eye gouged out.

My favorite name tags are the ones that you can look at and tell exactly who killed them.



With our corpse viewing complete, we enter the body pool.

Video: Body Pool
This video covers the remainder of the update.

Music: None



I think I can open this...

Slowly and hesitantly, I put both hands on the doorknob and started to turn.

I guess I can go in! All right... Let's see what's in here. I hope it connects to an exit somewhere...
Mmnngghh... It smells awful...



(This is...the smell of something rotting.)

I was instantly feeling nauseous and lightheaded, as if I were suddenly deprived of oxygen.

(*gulp* I can't do this. I need to get out of here.)

Sound Effect: Splash

(That sounded like water! Is there water in here?)



If there were water here, maybe I could wash my hands, I thought!

(Where...is it?)

My extreme thirst came back full force as well. Clean water was the greatest thing I could possibly find right now.

Sound Effect: Splash



I accidentally kicked over a bucket, spilling its contents onto the ground in front of me.

Background Sound: Flies

Ngyaaah!

Countless flies immediately flew out from the overturned bucket and began swarming all around me. Their buzzing wings sounded right up against my ears, as if they were attacking me.

Haahh...hngyaaaah!

I let go of my nose and began flailing my arms wildly, attempting in vain to drive them away.

(Mmnngghh... I can't even see my hands in front of my face...)



As I haphazardly stumbled forward, I found my foot splashing in shallow liquid. Mere moments later, my hand came in contact with a wall and brushed against a switch. I heard a faint clicking sound, and then...

Background Sound: None

Music: Horror



...the lights blinked on, and I got a clear look at the room I was standing in.

Wh-What is this place?! A-Are those...bodies?!

A large portion of the floor had been dug out into something resembling a pool, which was filled with stagnant, discolored water and dismembered bodies.

...*whimper*

The bodies were decomposing a lot faster than they naturally would, on account of the wetness. Most of them had swarms of maggots instead of faces. Several bodies had actually 'washed up' on the ground outside the pool as well. Those few that still had limbs looked like they may lose them at any moment. Their torsos were all swollen and black, and everything else was bone white.



The closest body was spurting a sappy mucus from its nose and mouth and staring at me with an ugly, mean expression.

Ahhh...ahhhh!

The thick fluid coming out of it was reddish brown in color, and seemed to be a disgusting mixture of blood and dead bugs.

(What's that sound...?)



(If I climb up here, maybe I can get back into the school building...)

Sound Effect: Chute

Wh-What...is that?
(I-I...can hear something. It's getting closer...)

I was afraid of what might be coming through that hole, so I put some distance between it and myself.

Sound Effect: Splash

...!



A-A body! A body!! Mgyaaaaaahh! Aaaaaaaaaaaggh! Mrnk!

Sound Effect: "It Hurts... It Hurts"

The body that had just fallen into the pool of water was wearing a school uniform. As soon as it touched the liquid, it began bubbling and melting into it as if it were a bag of ingredients tossed into a stew pot.

*gag* *wheeze*

One of the poor victim's lungs floated to the surface, giving the whole scene even more of a sick, soup-like appearance.

*gasp* *wheeze* *gag*



(I c-can't stay in here any longer!)

I dragged my wet foot on a dry part of the ground for a second or two, then made a dash for the door.

Music: None





As soon as I was back out in the hall, I fell to my knees in shock. I couldn't even move. The smell of death and decay was still sticking to me, and still trying to snake its way into my nose. It was all I could do not to throw up on the spot. I hadn't eaten anything for hours, so I'm not even sure what I would've actually thrown up. But I still felt like I had to, more strongly than ever before. Maybe it would've been best just to let it come out. I'm sure I would have felt better afterward. But I honestly didn't want to see my own vomit right now. Not after all the other disgusting things I'd seen. I'd had enough.

*pant* *pant* *pant* *pant* *wheeze*
(Why...has all of this happened?)
*sob* *sob*

At times like this especially, I really longed for my big brother. If only he were here with me... I cried out as if in prayer.

Big brother...please, come save me...



???: I can't move...

...! Is somebody there...?



*sniffle* It hurts...

There was a little girl here with arm outstretched, begging for help. I rushed over to her side.

Wh-What's wrong? Are you all right?

She was faintly glowing.

(Is she...a ghost?)



(She seems to be in a lot of pain. But all I can do for her is...)
Here? I don't see any injuries. Is it painful?
*sob* It hurts...
Uhhh...ummm...



...Thanks.
I'm sorry. This is all I know how to do.
It...feels a little better now.
Does it? I'm so glad to hear that.
...Rrng...

The girl grimaced again, as if she were experiencing some new pain all of a sudden.

You shouldn't push yourself too hard, okay?
Okay.
So did you get lost in here too?
Huh-uh. I don't know. I just woke up in here.
Woke...up?
*sob* And I've...been so alone.
Oh. So you've been all alone, all this time? You've been a real trooper, then.



I'd only just met her, but I already really felt for her. She had it a lot worse than I did.

So tell me, what's your name?
Sachiko.
Sachiko? Your name is Sachiko?
Uh-huh.
I'm Yuka. Yuka Mochida.



Big sister? You want me to be your big sister? Eheheh!
Hmm?
Oh, it's just a little weird to hear somebody call me big sister, that's all! But I like it.

I took Sachiko's tiny little hand in my own and pulled her to her feet.

There we go. You can stand, right?

Sachiko's hand was so thin and light compared to my own. ...Not just light, it almost felt like it was completely weightless.

(I guess she really is...a ghost...)



I'm sure she was worried I'd leave her all by herself again, and I wanted to make sure she knew I was here for her.

What's wrong, big sis?
Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about something else.
I'm sorry.

Sachiko lowered her head and looked like she was about to cry.

Why are you apologizing?



I'm different from you, big sis. So I'm s-sorry...if I scare you.
Ahh...
(Was just my fear really upsetting this little girl so much? That's terrible!)

I took Sachiko's hand in both of mine, turning to face her and ducking down a little so our eyes were level.



You're not scared? For real?
No, I'm not. I'm not scared of you, Sachiko.
Big sis... Are you going to leave me?
Ummm...

I did have to think for a moment, since I knew I couldn't take a ghost with me very far. But in the end, I also knew I couldn't just leave her.



Your big brother?
Yeah! He's a really kind, really dependable person. I'm sure he'll be really nice to you too, Sachiko.

Her head was still down, but her eyes were peeking up at me. She looked nervous, but for the first time since we started talking, she also looked hopeful.

You don't mind...if Sachiko comes with you?
Sure! You're not alone anymore. Yuka... Your big sister is right here for you.



Honestly, I was lonely too. I probably wanted her with me just as badly as she wanted someone with her -- ghost or no!

Come on, Sachiko. Let's go.

I turned to head back down the hall, but was stopped by Sachiko tugging on my uniform. She was wearing a forced smile on her face, but still looked uneasy.



What...you say?
*hic*

What was she going to tell me to do? I was so surprised by the question, I wasn't sure how best to respond. But the longer I thought about it, the more uneasy she looked, so...

Ummm... Your big sister...will listen to any request you make.
Really?
Uh-huh! You can ask me anything you want, anytime.
Okay!

There was clearly something specific she had in mind. But I wasn't going to push her about it. She'd ask me when she was ready.