Chap 74: Subduing the Man
The group ran desperately for a while. Rapid breaths mingled with footsteps so small and faint they were nearly inaudible. They successfully reached their first house.
Everyone gasped for air repeatedly. Some leaned against the wall; others collapsed onto the stairs.
Takeshi: "S-So... tired... almost died."
Ayaka spoke while breathing, her words cut by gasps:
"T-Thought... it was an abandoned house with no one, didn't expect someone to be there..."
Elyssia stuffed the paper and pen into her clothes; apparently, she had been writing even while running. She sat on the stairs and exhaled a long sigh.
"Yeah... seeing it so ruined and old, I thought it was abandoned too."
"That was a man's voice. Could it be the man who killed Takeshi in another memory wipe?"
Airi's breathing slowed. She spoke calmly:
"Highly possible. Plus, there's a tunnel connecting to our house. I'm very suspicious."
As she spoke, she stepped onto the stairs and walked up slowly, as if taking a stroll with nothing better to do.
Takeshi: "If so, will he come looking for us soon?"
Ayaka sighed: "How would he know?"
Elyssia: "We shut the door when we ran earlier. He probably doesn't know. If he creeps over here later, I'm at my wit's end."
Airi stood on the hallway, looking down with both hands gripping the railing. She called down:
"If he comes, there must be a reason, but I can't think of any logical hypothesis."
Right then, Airi glanced toward the door. She saw something flash past the small crack above the door.
Airi furrowed her brows, watching silently.
Knock... knock…
A knock echoed from outside. A sense of urgency could be felt through the rhythm.
The group chatting below immediately turned. Wary eyes locked onto the door simultaneously. Everyone fell silent, listening, eyes darting between one another.
Airi stood above and waved, signaling everyone to come up to her.
The three took silent steps that made no sound, slowly ascending the stairs.
When they stood with Airi, she placed a finger over her lips, signaling silence. Her eyes showed clear alertness.
She leaned closer, whispering in a tiny voice:
"Listen. I saw something flash past that door crack earlier. Then the knocking started."
"From what I saw: it looked like a child. Flash, then knock. Only a child has that frame; they ran into the line of sight of the crack, then stood close so the crack couldn't see them."
The three listened silently to Airi's analysis.
Ayaka: "Could it be some creature with a small body?"
Airi nodded slightly. "I used a child's frame as an example."
Elyssia: "Probably a monster."
Takeshi still felt quite vague. "So you only saw a shadow flash by?"
Airi nodded. "Only that."
Takeshi narrowed his eyes. "Assume it's a monster, then we definitely won't open the door. But the paper said there was a noise, likely the door being smashed in."
Elyssia: "But if it can smash the door, why knock? It could just break in. Does it want to play, or is there a deeper purpose?"
Elyssia began writing more on the paper: Someone outside looking like a child knocked.
Ayaka: "Right now, I can't think of any deep purpose either."
An idea sparked in Takeshi's mind: "How about we hide somewhere and observe?"
Airi nodded; it seemed reasonable. "Yeah, I think that works."
Everyone scanned their surroundings simultaneously, trying to find a logical hiding spot, a hint of urgency visible.
Ayaka's voice betrayed clear worry: "This house is too bare, I don't see any good spot."
Elyssia finished writing and was also searching. "Keep trying, I think that door won't hold much longer."
Takeshi searched but found nothing. Instinctively, he looked up at the ceiling.
There were many large wooden beams, supports against winds that could blow the roof away.
Takeshi saw the top was quite logical. He lowered his head.
"Hey guys, the ceiling beams would work."
The four looked up together and saw it was feasible. But the problem remained: how to get up there?
Airi: "How do we get up now?"
No one could think of a way.
But another idea flashed in Takeshi's head.
"How about we stand on each other's shoulders? I see that as the most logical way."
In their rush, they had to accept.
Airi nodded slightly. "Fine, let's do it."
Elyssia and Ayaka also nodded in agreement.
The ceiling wasn't too high, only a bit over one 'tharn' away.
Takeshi knelt on the floor against the wall, directly beneath a large beam. His voice was urgent: "Hurry, no time left."
Airi spoke quickly: "I'll go next."
Airi stepped forward, her eyes showing a bit of worry for Takeshi. "Endure it."
Takeshi nodded. "Yeah."
Airi stepped her right foot onto Takeshi's shoulder, then lifted her left, while pushing off with her right to hop onto his shoulders. The heavy sensation made him struggle to endure... Airi successfully stood on Takeshi's shoulders.
Airi spoke down: "Done."
Takeshi stood up slowly with great difficulty and immense weight. Their muscular strength had been reduced to that of normal humans, making even one person on the shoulders a grueling burden.
Takeshi stood up trembling and swaying. Airi above lost some balance; she tried to brace her hands against the wall. Elyssia and Ayaka ran over in worry, trying to keep Takeshi from tilting too sharply.
Takeshi's teeth clamped shut and ground together, his face contorting as he used all his strength. His eyes flew wide, pupils dilating…
Takeshi successfully stood straight. Airi above was a bit afraid of falling but let out a breath of relief. Both stood facing the wall.
Takeshi hurried them. "Fast."
Elyssia pointed at herself and looked at Ayaka. "Me next?"
Ayaka nodded. "Go."
Takeshi stood close to the wall, facing it. He moved his hands behind his back and locked them tight, creating a step for Elyssia.
Takeshi slowly widened his stance and readied himself.
Elyssia raised her right foot and placed it on Takeshi's interlocked hands.
She stepped down, hands gripping Takeshi's shoulders. Takeshi grit his teeth; he tried to lean forward, fighting not to be pulled backward. Airi above looked down; she felt clearly that Takeshi was tilting.
Elyssia successfully lifted her left foot, her right foot now set in the palms of Takeshi's locked hands.
She trembled slightly along with Takeshi; every movement was very slow. She knew if she fell, everyone would fall, and having no defense was very dangerous.
Elyssia slowly straightened a bit but kept her back hunched. Her left foot stepped onto Takeshi's shoulder, where Airi's foot was already placed near Takeshi's neck.
Takeshi below had to shoulder a terrifying weight that made his body vibrate slightly. His teeth remained clamped, head bowed low as he exerted his strength to endure.
Elyssia pushed off Takeshi's left shoulder; her left foot successfully stood right next to Airi's. Her right foot lifted and dangled in the air. She stood right next to Airi in a cramped space.
Elyssia spoke slowly and carefully: "I'm going to step on your foot, Airi. Hold on."
Airi watched and nodded without hesitation. "Go."
Elyssia's right foot, hovering in mid-air, slowly moved close and stepped onto Airi's left foot which was on Takeshi's shoulder. Airi didn't flinch; she slowly removed her hands from the wall carefully.
Then, Airi locked her hands together, but placed them in front.
Ayaka below still watched up with worry, her hands placed on Takeshi's back to steady him.
Though Elyssia stepping on Airi's shoe was difficult, luckily Airi's shoes were cloth.
With her right foot on Airi's left, Elyssia's left foot left Takeshi's shoulder and slowly lifted.
She tilted toward the wall. Airi also tilted her locked hands toward Elyssia.
Elyssia stepped on Airi's locked hands. Her left hand touched the wall; her right hand gripped Airi's shoulder as if digging in deep.
Airi grimaced at the weight; she grit her teeth, straining to endure.
Elyssia pushed hard, and her right foot left Airi's foot. Elyssia was now standing on Airi's hands.
She successfully moved close to the large beam on the ceiling. Elyssia tried to stand straight; she slowly reached out her trembling hands. She gripped the beam, hands clutching the rough wood surface; luckily, where she grabbed had a bend in the wood, making it easier to hold.
Elyssia slowly climbed onto the beam successfully.
Below, Ayaka also began to climb cautiously.
Airi: "Keep going..."
A short moment later, Ayaka successfully stood on Airi's locked hands. She grabbed the beam like Elyssia and slowly climbed up.
At the top, as soon as Ayaka was up, Elyssia and Ayaka immediately lay flat on the large beam, legs hooked behind. They reached their hands down.
Elyssia: "Hurry."
Takeshi below moved his hands level with his shoulders on both sides, voice urgent:
"Airi, step up."
Airi looked down; she moved her left foot from the shoulder out to Takeshi's palm placed at the edge of his shoulder.
Takeshi knew it wouldn't be stable; he widened his legs to act as a brace.
The moment Airi placed her foot on Takeshi's left hand, his body tilted to one side; the supporting arm buckled.
Takeshi grit his teeth, giving it his all.
Airi was worried, but she knew now wasn't the time. Her right foot immediately stepped onto Takeshi's right hand.
Now, Takeshi's body shook visibly. He strained, trying to lift Airi higher.
Inch by inch, inch by inch. His arms trembled as they rose against that weight. His teeth clamped shut; it felt like he might crush his own teeth. His eyes bulged as if about to pop out.
Airi stood straight above in worry. She reached her hands up high. Ayaka and Elyssia above immediately grabbed Airi's hands. Now came the difficult part.
Feeling the weight lighten, Takeshi knew it had worked. He slowly backed away; Airi was being pulled up. He immediately stood on his toes and reached up, grabbing Airi's feet above his head.
"Endure it, Airi!"
Now, Ayaka and Elyssia had to exert all their strength to pull Airi up. Airi was gripping the edge of the beam. Elyssia and Ayaka leaned down, clutching Airi's waist and shoulders to haul her up.
The terrifying weight from Airi and Takeshi below made Ayaka and Elyssia exhaust their strength; sweat poured in the struggle.
Airi grimaced against the pain and discomfort. It felt as if her body was about to be pulled in half.
Then they pulled Airi higher. Ayaka and Elyssia reached down, grabbing Takeshi's hands which were holding Airi's feet.
Airi successfully climbed up, but she didn't get to breathe. She immediately turned and lay flat like Ayaka and Elyssia. She split her hands, one for each side to help.
Takeshi was finally pulled up with great effort. Everyone sat there gasping for air; their breathing sounded like a faint symphony.
Airi, her voice trembling and interrupted by gasps:
"S-So... So damn tired..."
Click-clack…
The sound of the door opening rang softly. The four on the ceiling stopped breathing and immediately looked down.
The door slowly opened a crack. A small boy with a slight frame, body drenched in water that dripped onto the stone floor, ran inside urgently, as if fleeing something. He looked around bewildered, scanning the house, trying to find a place to hide.
Small footsteps ran up the stairs; his rapid breathing was clearly audible.
The four on the beams watched from above, all confused, brows furrowed.
Airi thought:
—"Huh? A kid for real? Why is there a kid? Why did he want to enter?"
—"Isn't it the man?"
—"Or a monster?"
The boy ran to the end of the hallway and into the last room, clearly to hide.
A short while after the boy entered the room, silence filled the house, save for the screaming rain outside.
The four stayed silent, no one said a word, only exchanging looks.
Thump... thump…
The door was pushed open slowly. A man with a somewhat large build stepped in. It was the man who had killed Takeshi and Elyssia in one of the past memory wipes.
He stepped onto the stone floor; the sound drew the attention of the four on the ceiling who were silently watching the room where the boy ran.
The strange man took a few steps and stopped, silently surveying the house. His eyes rolled naturally in their sockets.
He went silent and took light steps on the stone; the faint sound blended into the rain outside, making it hard to hear.
He turned and checked behind the open door, thinking someone might be hiding there to ambush him... but there was no one.
He turned and continued into the small kitchen, surveyed it, and opened each cabinet. Only bowls and plates; nothing else.
He turned, still observing silently. Then he moved toward the stairs. Seemingly not noticing the small crack in the stairs, he continued upward…
Elyssia above watched continuously and wrote on the paper.
He stepped to the first room, the room where the group had initially appeared.
Knock... knock…
He knocked slowly, not fast or urgent like the beginning. It seemed he knew the boy was here.
Airi leaned close to Ayaka's ear, whispering:
"Could it be he wants to kill that boy?"
Airi thought:
—"I think it's likely. Given the current situation, if we were in there, he'd probably kill us too..."
Ayaka nodded; she also felt he had ill intentions.
He knocked for a while without sensing any sign or sound in the room. He grew slightly impatient, his brow furrowing.
He drew his sword from its scabbard; the sound of metal friction echoed, its sharpness palpable through the sound. The blade gleamed in the house's dim light.
He exerted force and thrust into the wooden door; the blade pierced through.
Releasing the hilt, he gripped the sword in reverse and jerked it down hard.
Clang!!
The sharp blade cut through the iron bolt inside.
He raised his right foot and kicked hard; the door immediately flew inward as he withdrew the sword. The wooden door slammed against the wall.
He frowned, glancing around. He stepped inside slowly and opened the wardrobe. But there was nothing. His face darkened; he turned and went toward the bed.
He leaned down to look, but there was only darkness.
Agitated, he stepped back out and surveyed everything once more.
He walked to the end of the hallway and stood before the door of the adjacent room.
Knock knock…
He knocked lightly, testing the reaction of whoever was inside.
Knock... knock…
But after two knocks, he grew bored. The sword in his hand thrust violently into the door; the blade jerked again, severing the iron bolt.
He kicked the door open. Small footsteps blended with the rain like the heartbeat of prey fleeing as fear rose.
He thrust his sword into the wardrobe; the blade pierced through instantly, then he immediately withdrew it and stabbed the other side. But there was no sensation of the blade hitting a body. He pulled the sword out; only the space under the bed remained unchecked.
He smiled slightly, sensing the trembling beneath.
He leaned down, but his mistake was tilting his head inside while his buttocks faced outward.
Right then, a loud noise erupted like someone running. He immediately looked up, turning toward the door.
But what awaited him was Takeshi's foot flying in.
A powerful kick landed straight on his face, forcing his body back. His face contorted in pain, eyes clamped shut.
Takeshi grabbed the blanket on the bed and pulled it, throwing it over the man's head. Airi and Ayaka charged right behind; together with Takeshi, the three tackled and subdued him.
Elyssia was writing the final words. On the paper it said:
We hid on the roof. A boy knocked, then ran to the last room of the hallway. A man appeared looking for the boy, likely to kill him. We subdued him when he reached the last room.
Right as she finished the word "room."
Elyssia hurriedly hid the paper and pen in her shoe.
Takeshi, Airi, and Ayaka were trying to pin down the man with the blanket over his head. Ayaka struggled to hold his right arm which gripped the sword.
The four scrambled on the floor; one side trying to escape, the other trying to restrain.
Takeshi pressed down on him, knees pinning the man's shoulders, but the man's resistance was fierce.
Elyssia ran over to help.
At that moment, Takeshi jumped off him. Airi and Ayaka couldn't match his great strength. He surged up and tore the blanket off.
But Takeshi leaped behind him, his arm wrapping around the man's neck like a weak snake. He immediately constricted.
The man was strangled, pain and discomfort surfacing; his hand dropped the sword as his limbs flailed. Face twisted, the blanket was finally pulled away.
The man's eyes widened when he saw the four; he looked shocked, but he had no strength to resist while being strangled.
Suddenly, from under the bed, a noise sounded; a boy crawled out, fear still filling his eyes.
The man's hands clawed at the air in futility, eyes wide. He tried to speak in a hoarse, broken voice while being choked:
"I... will kill…
The four immediately turned and saw the boy. Everyone frowned, still wary. But sensing the man's clear objective, the group lowered their guard slightly.
The man tried to use his strength to break free. His hands repeatedly punched backward, forcing Takeshi to dodge while straining to maintain the chokehold.
Airi and Ayaka tried to hold his arms, but they couldn't; his arms were too strong.
Elyssia approached the bewildered boy. Her voice was soft:
"Hey, are you okay?"
The boy stood silent, suddenly flinching when Elyssia asked. He smiled slightly.
"I'm fine, but we need to kill him."
Elyssia was confused; she didn't expect a kid to say that, or perhaps the man had done something to him.
Ayaka tried to grab his arm but he escaped. A powerful punch was thrown when Takeshi let his guard down; the blow sent Takeshi back, nose bleeding, eyes stunned.
—"Too careless."
He successfully broke free as Takeshi was punched and lost focus.
The group's eyes widened in panic; they didn't expect him to escape. The boy retreated a few steps in terror.
The man stood up shakily with difficulty, but Takeshi on the floor wouldn't allow it.
Takeshi, lying on the ground, kicked straight at his right leg. The man lost balance and fell backward. Seizing the chance, Airi delivered a hard kick to his face; he collapsed, clutching his face in pain.
Takeshi ran past him and grabbed the bewildered boy after the man was downed.
"Run now, we can't beat him."
The three girls followed immediately.
The boy still looked back at the man. His voice was urgent:
"He's very dangerous... must kill him."
Takeshi spoke as he ran:
"No way to kill him, we're too weak."
Running along the hallway, Takeshi carried the boy and jumped down the stairs. He grabbed the stick with the glowing stone and opened the door, plunging out without hesitation.
The three girls followed right behind.
The man charged out of the door, his face fierce with rage; his teeth grit hard. His eyes darted in their sockets... then stopped at a crack. The door was still swaying from Takeshi's forceful exit.
Hand gripping his sword, he chased after them.
"I will kill all of you... you monsters."
Takeshi led the group through the tunnel. They ran out the other side, arriving at that man's house.
The group surveyed the house.
Ayaka, her voice panicked: "Where do we hide now?"
Takeshi pointed at the door; he knew time didn't allow for hesitation.
"Run outside."
Takeshi held the boy in his arms. The boy silently watched everyone.
Takeshi and the others had no choice but to run outside. Takeshi carried the boy out first; the three girls followed right behind.
Click-clack…