That Dreadful Nights

"What?!" I replied as soon as I heard that we are going to a town in Japan this year. Now, I'm not surprised to know that we are going for a vacay but in my group there's a boy and he has got a talent to ruin everything. I'm sort of in fear as we previously visited a ghostly forest, he had left our tents and slept on a tree without letting anyone know, he's a true nuisance.This time we are planning to actually visit a cursed temple. Honestly, I was not ready to fill yes since I don't want to move to a place like this again and want to spend my holidays peacefully with parents. Oh! I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Shrisay and I live in Russia. I've got a couple of friends and among them, my best pal is Robin. Rest all are kinda petulant, but in the end they're my friends.

-"Gosh, jeans look ugly, get'em ironed, Kevin!" Veniz groaned."My hair dryer!?", "AH, where's my backpack!" While everyone was packing up for the trip, I was sitting in the chair looking at them. "Shrisay! We're tired here and you're resting like a fatso!"- "She thinks her help is of no need!?" ,"O yeah witch ,come help us out".

"I'm staying here." (Everyone fell silent ) "WHAT!?", screamed Kevin. Veniz already had a short temperament and others rebuked me, too. They all looked at me as if I murdered someone."TRIP CANCELLED!" Rosa announced. I was relaxed and barely affected but then Robin came up and tried to convince me. -"Please" ,she requested."No means no!", I replied to her. "Please for me, Shrisay"― after a minute or two I agreed to go with them. "OK! I'm coming!." "WHOA!" ( everyone exclaimed in a unison ). I packed my clothes, some ointments, sunscreen, snacks and a torch. Our flight was booked for the early morning. Everyone had a heavy dinner at an indoor dining, Veniz and Kevin swallowed the entire chicken breast and salad. We went our ways to home and wished goodnight as we were to meet at the airport. I came back, washed my weary face, removed my clothes, set an alarm and went straight for a sound sleep [ 5:30 a.m.] Robin- "Hey Shrisay, Good morning, you ready?"-"Yeah, I'm just about to leave the house" I reverted, ended the call and carried my bags to the cab. We all reached the airport. I got my window seat with Robin, Veniz sat with Rosa and Kane behind us " JUICE, PLEASE!", Kevin shouted. "Oh stop Kevin!", Rosa scolded him ,"Hey, why ? we paid for the service, didn't we?" "Flight attendants, prepare for take-off please, fasten your seat belts." The flight was of 10 hours. Meanwhile everyone was having fun talking to each other, I was wondering about the place we were going to."Couldn't they plan for visiting an amusement park or a beach instead?", I spoke to myself in the head. Our journey went with everyone snoring.

[ 8:49 p.m. Japanese International Airport ] "Hah! Finally reached", said everyone. Before we could go further Rosa said that we shall go to a restaurant and eat something first."It is already night and if we decided to stop somewhere for dinner then we'd be ultra late for the way ahead" said Robin. But everyone was hungry so we all agreed to have the dinner nearby and then proceed for the journey. Soon after eating we all headed to our cab to reach the town as soon as possible. Kevin asked the driver," Hello, could you drive us to Tsumago-juku?" At that very moment I got to know that the place we're going to is Tsumago-juku and it's got two or three temples where it's believed that a curse possesses the area.The driver stared at us with a dramatic face and told," Why there? The population of the town is negligible and you kids seem to be going for a holiday or something like that. Better to choose bright place in this city or else get some other taxi." I was thinking that why did he say "bright place"? Is it dark in that town even during the day? Everybody began to wonder about the taxi driver's words. "How about asking other cabs if they could take us ?",Robin said. We approached another taxi and asked him for the ride." Sir, we want to reach a town." The driver asked," name of the place?" ―"Tsumago-juku ", said Kevin. "He drove so fast as if his wife was awaiting him for the night" ( everyone laughs ). I was worried about the time running. It was 10:45 and we had still not arranged any means to travel."Let's walk then?", I said. I thought that instead of just waiting for help we shall ourselves start moving towards the town using a map. Robin had carried a map of the city along.Later, we discovered that the way will be 3 hours long. We decided to walk for at least we'd reach a place where resting for the night will be suitable.The sky was covered with grey clouds and it was seeming like rain might happen tonight.Everyone was worn out after a long journey. Only fifteen minutes had passed and we heard stray dogs barking. We were already scared at the night and the barking dogs added on the fear. Kevin and Rosa had phobia of dogs, so Robin and Kane started to mock them in the face. We continued to move , laughing and tired at the same time. The dark clouds started to darken even more, the winds blowing were too fast and the roads entirely deserted. Moving for like two hours now had been tiring but we thought it's just one hour left, we must show a little more energy. "Freak! my legs are giving up", I said. I was already having an injury in my ankle, now if I walked any longer, I'll be in a wheelchair instead.

I sat on a bench nearby to relax myself. I had accidentally got my foot stuck in the bushes which stripped off my skin and soon my ankle began to bleed. Before I could ask anyone for help, Kane raised his hand." Hey, you all right?".Kane was actually a new member in our group so he didn't speak a lot, even I had not noticed him much. His black eyes sparkled in the night. I was looking at him wondering of how sweet gesture he showed and he said,"Shrisay? You all right?" I woke up from the dream, smiled giving my hand in his. Instead of just helping me stand he held me in his arms straight up. I was numb. "Thank you for the help" -" Jeez, it's okay I'm your friend", he replied. He was such a gentleman, I felt as if others in the circle were of no damn use. While he was carrying me, I forgot that we were not alone. When everyone looked at the back and started to laugh, it made me embarrassed.My cheeks turned red while Kane was calm. Robin said," Aww look at that couple walking behind us guys!" Honestly, it was shameful to listen this all so I asked Kane to drop me down but he refused and continued to walk. "Kevin, could you pick me up now?", Rosa pleaded with an innocent face, but Kevin said," O! You're already an overweight cow!" Yeah how could he lift a cow. I had almost fallen asleep during the way but kept my eyes open. Three hours had passed, soon , we saw a board. The board was red colored with "Tsumago-juku 妻籠 village ahead" written in bold. Kane finally put me down. We all were now relaxed that we reached. It was just five minute walk from the jungle to have the entire view of the town we entered in." Whoa, no wait now ,run guys!" My legs were also relieved. Kevin, Rosa started to run but Robin called us from back." Guys, stop!" Kevin got furious because he even couldn't take it anymore and everyone wanted to reach to the earliest as it was already midnight. "Robin what's wrong, why did you stop?", Rosa shouted. "Look....look at the board", Robin spoke in a fearful voice."Look where? It's the name of the town which is written, what else?"- "NO! Look at the edge of the board!!". After we inspected the board our eyes fell on one of it's corners, we saw garnet red blood dripping down in ripples of the water. More blood was getting collected into a muddy hole and overflowing onto the ground covering dead body of a bird which was stinking awfully. Rosa, Kevin, Robin, Veniz and I screamed in a single tone! It was horrific to see something like that. But Kane, who din't even say a word, suggested that some animal might have hit the board and would have got injured, there's no need to worry about this. We calmed ourselves down and hurried to the streets in the village, all composed and silent. I felt a strange energy after stepping into the village. The noticeable thing was that there were no lights switched on even in a single house. "I have never seen such a darkness in a place like this ever before," said Kevin. Gradually, we all had no other choice but to knock the doors and seek for help.Then we knocked on people's houses. Due to the darkness, nothing could be seen properly. After a lot of effort, a woman came out."Hi, can you help us?" Kane asked, but we were all terrified when she said, "Get out of here!" and that woman then slammed the door shut. Robin was affronted and cursed that woman wordily. Kane said," Come along with me." We all followed him meanwhile Kevin was being jealous of him because Kane was acting like a leader and no doubt he was being responsible so firmly. Sooner then I spotted a man." Hey, uncle!?" , I shouted. We quickly ran towards him, this time I had a hope inside that we might get a place to stay for the night." Hello, we have come for a vacation, sir and we are looking for a room or hotel or something..."

That man pulled us all in his hut before Kevin could finish-" It's dangerous walking outside like that, what's your purpose of coming here, idiots?" the man provoked. I was in an unpleasant surprise, he looked like in his 50's wearing a rough shirt and slender torn jeans, blonde-white hair and a rudeness in his voice. Kane," Sir, actually we have come for a holiday, we got late in the arrival to this town and now we are struggling to find a place for the stay"- "O, I see. So ignoring the whole Japan, you found this town for your fucking holiday?".We didn't utter a word and ended the talk laughing awkwardly. He was so cheeky yet we didn't have any other preference but to stay at his house tonight.

[ 2 a.m. Everyone shares the room, unpack their bags and about to sleep ]

"Would you sleep with me, Shrisay?", Robin asked me. I was obviously not going to defy but suddenly uncle came in our rooms." ATTENTION, girls can't sleep with girls, choose the opposite genders as there are energies that flow from female to female hence you're not supposed to make any girl rest next to you if you're a girl,too." Everyone was like," What the hell?" That uncle immediately left the rooms putting us into deeper thoughts. Yet, considering his order , as we were staying in his house, I decided to sleep near Kevin. Kevin said," Oh where's Kane!". I understood that he was mocking me so I approached Kane myself and he agreed. "To protect ourselves from negative energies is quintessential as per what the owner of this house told", Veniz remarked and right after Rosa closed his mouth with the pillow. All were in their beds and I was awake." Why are you unable to sleep", Kane asked. I told him that I was feeling extremely uncomfortable about this place but he told me that we'll figure out the next morning. I agreed with whatever he said and closed my eyes to sleep in the hope that we all will be welcomed well by the new day coming up.

"It's a rainy day." Clouds gathering in the coal-black sky didn't really energize anyone this morning. "Could you even sleep, Shrisu"?, Robin yawningly asked. "Hmm, It was quite uneasy yesterday." Kane and everyone had just awakened. "Ah, did you guys hear some bells ringing in the last deadly silent night?", Rosa jumped off her bed and squeezed Veniz's neck. Nobody shook a head in agreement to what Rosa said. I was not on her side, even when none of us had a comfortable hour of sleep which could justify if anyone have had heard the bells. "Probably yes",Kane replied. Out of nowhere, he must have been thinking a lot to say yes. It was funny. Rosa immediately looked at Kane with her eyes squinted in curiosity. "Yes! Kane is with me on this, who else?" -"I didn't hear a pin drop", I interrupted. Robin locked my hand and whispered to not to speak anything about this. I had no idea of what she felt but I didn't interrogate either. "Kids, Come down for your breakfast!" We heard a voice and for sure it was the Uncle." Thanking God", said Kevin. Everyone gargled with the water that was available to us and hurried on the stairs laughing and pushing each other in a rush to have a meal. Meanwhile, Kane looked a little thoughtful. "You okay?", I asked him firmly. He nodded his head but still there was something off about him however I still should not ignore the fact that he's always quiet. Rosa kicked Kevin and Veniz out of her table and sat in a position as if a Queen was being served. Robin, I and Kane sat next to each other. "I anticipate that your first night at my residence was peaceful", the Uncle chuckled. They three on the other side made a disagreeable face. I was silent because I had no complaints. "It was not peaceful", Kane spoke up. "I wanted to talk about this with everybody which is why I did not say a word till yet. Last night , nearly at 2 a.m. I heard bells ringing." Before Rosa could add on to his explanation, Veniz shut her up without uttering a word. " I woke up from my sleep due to this. The bells ring was loud so I stood up to close the windows. The very moment I saw a filthily dressed in black woman, her eyes shone in the moonlight, hair open and some red thick liquid dripping down her lips, I'm not sure if it was - 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥! "It was blood!" , the Uncle said. Everyone froze. "It was the same lady who has been sent to this town as a messenger to kill new comers!", he shouted. "Messenger"? I was stunned and held Robin's hands tightly locked in mine. "You kids need to run from here, it is not safe for you to stay here tonight, I've been living in this place for five years so there is no harm to me but to you." I was feeling uncomfortable and wanted to ask everyone about leaving this house but immediately Veniz emerged. "We set for our next journey guys", he commanded. "He's right, we need to hurry up, get packing!", Kane ended.