Part 43: Mire, Part 5

Big sis... Big sis!
Wh-What is it...?

She was on the verge of tears. Something seemed to have really spooked her. Did that huge man find us? Was she attacked?!

It's okay! Tell me what happened, nice and slow.



Your...hair pin?
When I woke up, it was gone! *sob*
Oh, okay. So that's all, then?



Ah, I'm sorry! I thought it might have been something more scary.
...
Where did you lose it? If we look, I'm sure we'll find it.
...

The two of us searched every last inch of the room -- me with a wounded foot -- but we came up empty-handed.

Music: Unrest (A)



The entire time we searched, Sachiko hadn't said a word. I was hoping invoking our sisterly bond might help cheer her up.

...
Hair keeps getting in my eyes, and it hurts. Give me that thing you're wearing.

She raised her right hand slowly and pointed to my headband.

That's...ummm... I'm sorry, but that's the one thing I can't give away.

As soon as I refused, Sachiko let out a faint, otherworldly groan.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrggg...



S-Sachiko...?
Give it to me.
...!
Give it to me!
Ahhh...aahhh...ahhhhhh...

The look in her eyes alone sent chills down my spine. These were the eyes of someone who meant me harm...and was perfectly capable of inflicting it.



Give it
Stand firm



Sachiko, please... I want you to listen. This is something my mom just bought for me, and it's a very important reminder of her. That's why I can't give it to you.
Your mom...?



That's right. I'm really sorry, but I have to turn you down on this one.
That's from your mom?

She was oddly receptive to this explanation, and even seemed fascinated by it. Maybe I'd caused her to remember something about her own mother. She was a little girl, after all, so her mom was probably really dear to her in life.



She looked like she was on the verge of tears again. I was beginning to feel bad that I'd even broached the subject.

Mngh... I'm sorry...
No, it's okay.

She still seemed a bit sad, but she nodded. Maybe she understood that I wouldn't give her my headband, and maybe she was okay with it...

Music: Chapter 5's Second Theme



We automatically exit the storage room and are put back into control once again. For some reason the soundtrack starts rocking out, too.



We resume our exploration by visiting the bathroom again.



Is there something in here, big sis?
N-No, there's nothing hidden in here at all!
Hmmmm...?
...
(I really don't want Sachiko to see my wet panties. It would be so embarrassing...)
I'm not sure I believe you. I know you're hiding something.



Continuing our re-exploration, we head north into the death room.



Mm-hmm. Let's just go.
(She's still mad at me, huh? I probably should have been more sisterly and just given her the headband...but...but this headband is...)



And we continue north, finally ending up at the body pool.



Sachiko? Hey, Sachiko!
...

She wasn't even looking at me anymore. I must have really upset her.

Listen, Sachiko. I can't give you my headband, but I can give you something else. Anything you want.
Something else?
Uh-huh. There's not a lot I can do, but if I can make you feel more at ease, I'd be glad to help.
Something else...



But, this room is...
(I really don't want to go back in there...)
Ah, Sachiko...!

Without a moment's hesitation, Sachiko just opened the door and walked right in. I didn't even have an opportunity to stop her.

(What do I do now...?)


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

Music: None



She was twitching a bit and moaning again, but this time it sounded more like a moan of pain than of anger.

Mmmmrrrrrrggghh...
Sachiko?! Sachiko! Are you all right? Sachiko?!

I stepped over her and turned around, so as to put the decaying bodies behind my back and out of my sight, then started shaking her. I felt like I absolutely needed to snap her out of...whatever this was...before something terrible happened.

Big sis...




I could feel her tiny, cold hand on my abdomen, through the thin cloth of my skirt. She was pushing me backwards, with tremendous force.



I lost my balance almost instantly and toppled over. It somehow felt like my fall occurred in slow motion. The walls and ceiling of the room grew more and more distant, but it happened gradually.

Eeeaaagghh!

Sound Effect: Splash





Music: Unavoidable Tragedy



*gurgle* *gulp*

Because I'd fallen backwards, it took me far too long to regain my bearings. I was submerged in that horrible, tainted water, close to drowning...

*gasp* *shriek*

I finally broke through the surface, dodging the many dislodged eyeballs that were floating on it like peas in chicken soup...each one wrapped in dull red, bulging veins. I didn't even want to think about what was in all the water I'd swallowed. Unfortunately, much of it was still on my tongue. My mouth was filled with tiny bits and pieces of other human beings. The taste was overpowering.



I was gagging and belching so hard, it felt like I was going to regurgitate all my internal organs. I tried to scream, but could barely get any sound past the foul, lumpy stew in my mouth.

...Gghhhhllgghhh...
*giggle* Big sis, you're disgusting! So gross... *giggle* So chunky!

I was losing consciousness fast, and I remember silently praying, silently hoping, that this was all just a dream. As the world faded around me, I just kept focusing on that one, last wish. Please, let me wake up in my bed...



(S-Sachiko...!)

I had no other choice. I grabbed Sachiko's outstretched arm and marveled again at her strength as she effortlessly pulled me out of the water.

Music: None



My entire body, from head to toe, was covered in sticky, goopy chunks of unidentifiable human flesh, from countless different people.

Big sis, you've got something on your head.
*cough* *hack* ...Something...?

Slowly, hesitantly, I raised my hand to my head to feel around and determine what this 'something' might be. I wasn't looking forward to the answer. What I felt was a huge clump of...matter...stuck to my hair. And just touching it lightly caused some of it to stick to my hand as well.

GYAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!



GAAAAAHHH!! AHHHHHAHHHAHHHHHHHHH!!
*giggle* Dis-gusting! Big sis... There's still lots more on you.
Euuuaagghh..!

The severed digits were all so sticky and slimy that they'd gotten completely wrapped up in my hair, like rollers. They weren't coming out easily.

*whimper*
*giggle* *cackle*
Calm down, big sis! Big sis!

The screen slowly fades to black...





...!
Big sis. I'm sorry...

She was on the verge of tears again. But wasn't that her voice I heard giggling at me? If not...then whose was it?

(Was I just...hearing things?)



No... It's okay.

I didn't care how filthy I was. As long as Sachiko was all right, that was all that mattered. Yes... She was my little sister now, after all. I had to take care of her. I had to look after her.

*cackle*



Music: Oddity



Uh-huh. Wait for me, please, Sachiko.
(What's wrong with me? My legs feel so heavy...)

Somehow, Sachiko had wound up in the lead, and I was following her blindly, struggling to keep up with her blistering pace.

*pant* *pant*



Ahh...

I looked down at my uniform. Sure enough, it was soaked through with the blood of those poor victims in the body pool, and smelled really awful.

Y-You're right, I am gross. Heheh. I'm sorry.

...I didn't recall saying that. Or even trying to say that. It's like my mouth was moving on its own, speaking someone else's thoughts.



Yeah. I sure am.

If this was how she was going to treat me, then why was I being so nice to her? Why was I doing whatever she asked of me? It was bothering me...and yet, it wasn't. I honestly didn't care anymore. I was content just to follow this abusive little girl to the ends of the earth...



Sachiko... Are you still okay to walk?
...

I was following Sachiko despite myself. I had no idea how much time had passed, but it felt like an eternity. And she'd completely stopped answering any of my questions.

*sigh* I guess that's enough.

She came to a halt.

What's wrong, Sachiko?



There's something Sachiko wants you to give her.
Wh-What is it?

What was it going to be this time? I honestly didn't want to know. But the question came out of my mouth anyway. And so did this:



Well, in that case...



Music: The Onset of Demise

My...life...?

Somehow, some part of me knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time.

I... I can't...give...you...

Once again, I couldn't seem to control the words coming out of my mouth. It just said whatever it wanted to say, regardless of how I felt.



*giggle* *cackle*

She was laughing again. It was wild, crazy laughter. She was ecstatic.

Ahhh... No... No!
Why not? You said you'd give me anything I wanted!



Sachiko's smile almost seemed to twinkle in the dull light of the corridor. She had the face of an angel. But it was all just a mask...

(I'm scared... I'm scared, I'm scared! No, please!)

I mustered all the strength I had, trying with whatever life was left in me to denounce her words and resist her pull. There was no hope for me anymore...but I still clung to what I could. If I could just reject her statement, and tell her she was wrong...



...Hahh?
Please don't...joke about...things like that...okay? Let's just hurry and find my big brother. Big brother will be able to help us somehow. I know he will. So let's just...keep sear...ching...
Your big brother?
Th-That's right! I'll never be like big brother, but...I'll try my best...



Just give it to me! I'm going to kill you...kill you kill you kill you! I'll make you wrap those hands around your neck and die! Just DIE ALREADY!!
S-S-Sachiko...?
*gag* *choke*

My body shook and spasmed uncontrollably. I was being overtaken by an invisible force. It was compelling me to speak...to say what would be my very last words on this earth. ...A suicide note, when you get right down to it.

Aahh...aahahhhgghh...



I'll give it to you. I'll give my life to you, Sachiko.



HAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Hahahahahahaha... hahahahaha...



Sound Effect: Smash

Music: None



With one single blow, my skull was cracked wide open and blood splattered far and wide.

GGHHHLLLAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH...GGGHHHhhhhaaaahhh...

I could feel blood trickling out from my nostrils and my right ear. My brain was jutting out from inside my head, fully exposed to the air. But I was still conscious. I could still feel everything.

*giggle*

Sound Effect: Camera

I saw a bright flash of light and realized she'd just taken my picture with that instant camera she'd been holding on to.



Hee hee... Hahahahaha! What a pretty picture this is!
*gasp* *gag* *wheeze*
I'll title it, "Lowly Woman."

Sachiko was such a cute little girl before. But now her face was twisted into a hateful, spiteful grimace as she looked down on me in contempt.

*cough* *gag*



You told me I could have anything I wanted, right? Well, he's my big brother now.



*giggle*

Sachiko began petting my sticky, matted head with her coarse, sticky hands in a mockery of my previous gentleness with her.

What a filthy face! ...Getting this was my goal all along, you know.



I want to play with you again, big sis...so I'll spare you from your fate. For now.



Let's do this again real soon, big sister Yuka!