Part 19: "Boat"

Chapter 16 - "Boat"


"Do you know this girl?"
His hand, which he had placed on the doorknob, paused for a moment.
And then he looked back at me.

I hold the picture of Alessa in my hand.
Upon seeing it a look of horror appears on Kaufmann's face and he freezes.

"You...just who in the hell are you...?"

I was unable to understand the meaning of his question.
In the next instant Kaufmann turned and then left the room as if he were
sucked through the door.

Doctor Michael Kaufmann,
He definitely has some secret.
While I am not sure whether it is connected to me rescuing Cheryl or not, he
knows the main reason why this town has undergone a transformation.


I followed him so that he did not notice me.


He races through the dark alleys. Perhaps it is because he is familiar with
the geography here?
The sound of the harsh wind blowing down from the mountains as it cuts
through the eaves of the buildings hides my footsteps and my presence.

I continued to carefully tail him, making sure not to lose sight of him.

Finally his small figure opened the door of a certain building and he
disappeared inside.

He went into a motel.
But not into one of the guest rooms.
The door he went through is one that is off limits to outsiders, and only
for use by employees.

I press down on my heart, which feels like it is going to explode, with my
left hand, open the door that Kaufmann just used, and head inside.


Inside ancient dust is everywhere, and the room reeks of mildew.
It looks to be a garage.
Oil, a sprayer, tires, and such have been placed on a dirty metal shelf.

"Odd..."
Kaufmann is nowhere to be found.
There is only one other door in the room, and it is slightly open.
He must have went through there into another room.

However, I did not go after him right away. Instead my attention turned to the
motorcycle near the wall and I stopped.

The gas tank of the motorcycle differs from the rest of motorcycle as it
is oddly clean and shiny.
The motorcycle is so covered in dust that it is not possible to even
distinguish what color it is.
But I get the feeling that the gas tank area alone has been fiddled with
by someone.

I try gently opening the gas tank.


Inside the gas tank there is a black vinyl bag that is protecting a small
glass bottle.
At the moment I was about to reach out to it a familiar voice stopped me.

"Give me that!"

When I turned Kaufmann was just glaring at me, his face white with anger.
His clenched fists are shaking with rage.

"What is this?"

"That's none of your business!
Instead of messing with that, how about coming up with a way to get out
of here?"

"Humph."

"You shouldn't be hanging around here goofing off!
What do you think you are doing?
You want to get yourself killed!?
Get outta here!"

Even if he had not said that I understood.
I didn't know just how important this small bottle was to him, but I
didn't think that it would help me to find Cheryl.
So I gave it to him.

"Okay, take it easy."

"Unless you want to die, keep your mind on business. Got it?"

Saying that Kaufmann acts calm and leaves the garage.
I think, "That guy's got to be involved with the local drug racket.

Man, was he pissed.
And in such a rush, too. That was probably dope in the bottle.
Anyway, better let him do as he pleases.
There's more than my life at stake."

I then realize that I am wasting time, and immediately leave the hotel.


I check the map, and then head to the greatest part of this sightseeing area,
the Lakeside.
My visible breath brushes by my cheeks, drifting in the air as if to mark my
trail, and then finally becoming one with the air around it.

And then the area gradually began turning into that nightmarish world.
I abruptly come to stop.
This time the change is not instant like before. This town, this
world seems like it is being dumped into a demon's body. And I am
filled with a feeling that there is no going back.

Something has changed.
In a way that cannot be undone.

There is a road before me.
So I run along on it.
That is all I can do.
Is there any hope? Is Cheryl alive? In this situation in which I cannot be
sure of anything, I frequently have to fight off the urge to get sick.

However, I believe that I will find something if I continue forward on this
road.
I run across a pier, and without thinking about it I wrench the door of
a small boat stopped midway along the pier open, and then rush inside it.


There was already a passenger inside the boat.

"Cybil!"

"Harry!"

Our voices revealed that we were both relieved.

"How did you get back here?"

"I followed the sewer. Were you the one who cut the fence?"

"Yeah.
I'm glad you made it.
I was worried about you."

"You were worried!?
Where did you disappear to?
Never mind.
I want to know what's going on here.
What is with this town?"

I condensed all the things that had happened to me into one, somewhat unclear
conclusion.
I look at Cybil and begin to speak.

"This may sound really off the wall, but listen to me.
You've got to believe me.
I haven't gone crazy and I'm not fooling around.

At first, I thought I was losing my mind.
But now I know I'm not.
It's not me.
This whole town...
It's being invaded by the otherworld.
By a world of someone's nightmarish delusions come to life...

Little by little, the invasion is spreading...
Trying to swallow up everything in darkness.
I think I'm finally beginning to understand what that lady was talking
about."

"Harry. Hold on a minute. I don't get it?"

"Look, I don't understand it all myself.
I guess I can't explain it."
I honestly revealed how I felt.

"Well, what's making this happen?"

I don't know that either.
But, I do know Cheryl is "there"."

"There...?"

"Under whoever created this darkness.
Cheryl is somewhere. And she needs my help."

Once I finished explaining everything Cybil faintly smiled, and looked
at me as if she was worried.

"Harry. This whole thing's been a major blow to you.
You need to rest."

I was let down.
This world, its state, and the reason it became like this... I understood, and
I wanted Cybil to understand as well.

Even though I am a writer, I am cursed by a limited vocabulary.
This is something that upsets me about myself.

"Cybil, I..."
As I was speaking the door slowly opened and I could see someone enter the
room.
It was not a monster, but a human.


"The demon is awakening!
Spreading those wings."

"Dahlia Gillespie..."

"Was it not as I said?
I see it all, now.
Yes, everything.

Hungry for sacrifice, the demon will swallow up the land. I knew this
day would come.
And what's more, the task is almost finished.


There's only two left. To seal this town to the abyss, the mark of Samael.
When it is completed, all is lost.

Even in daytime, darkness will cover the sun. The dead will walk, and
martyrs will burn in the fires of hell.
Everyone will die."

"So what am I supposed to do?
I've got to save Cheryl."

"It is simple.
Stop the demon.
The demon, the demon taking that child's form.
Stop it before your daughter becomes a sacrifice. Before it is too late.
Stop it. Stop it."

"What do I do?"

"Go to the lighthouse on the lake, and to the center of the amusement park.
Make haste.
You are the only hope."


"Look Harry. I really don't get what's going on. But if there's a chance we
can save your daughter, I'm in.
I'll check out the amusement park. You go to the lighthouse."

"Cybil..."

A ) I will go to the lighthouse.

B ) I will go to the amusement park.