Chapter Three: The First Signs:

It all started with dead cats. Aiko and Ayame were playing outside after lunch near the woods. Their grandparents told them not to go into the woods. They didn’t want their girls to get lost or hurt. Aiko stood there the back door listening to her music while watching her little sister play. She still couldn’t understand why their parents made her come along in the first place. The older girl just wanted to stay home and play on her computer in the summer. Maybe go to the beach. Or flirt with some cute boys in Tokyo…

A loud scream interrupted her thoughts. Aiko looked up right away. Ayame stood near the edge of the woods trembling. Worried, Aiko raced over to the younger sister.

“Ayame-chan,” she called. “What’s wrong?” The girl turned to her looking worried. Her little eyes filled with fear. Aiko looked at her confused.

“What’s the matter?” she asked in genuine concern. The little girl didn’t say anything at all. She just pointed at the ground in front of her. Aiko looked at where her sister pointed. A cute little black and white cat lied dead on the ground. Its throat had been gutted out with such violence. Ayame looked up at her sister with tears in her eyes.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” she asked in worry. “Shinji’s coming to kill us, isn’t he? Isn’t he?” Aiko thought the same thing at first. But then, she forced herself to toughen up for her sister. She shook her head quickly.

“No, no!” Aiko called aloud. “Maybe the dumb thing got killed by a dog or something!” She didn’t seem to believe her own words. Ayame didn’t seem to believe her either. Aiko forced herself to breathe again.

“Right,” she said aloud. “Let’s go to the front and I’ll go tell grandpa about the dead kitty, okay?” Ayame nodded with pale fright. Aiko forced herself to smile a little bit.

“Good,” she replied. “Now go on. I’ll catch up with you.” Ayame raced through the house right away. Aiko took one more look at the dead cat. She began to shutter once again at the sight of the poor creature. One just had to wonder…

Aiko shook her head once again. “No!” she thought quickly. “I can’t get wrapped up in a silly little ghost story! I have to think with a clear head here!” Aiko became serious again and marched up to their grandparents’ house. She came all the way to his room and pounded on the door.

“Grandpa!” Aiko cried out loud. “We have a little problem! Please open up!” The girl kept on pounding on the door. At last, the door slid right open. Hideo looked at his granddaughter up and down. He had just woken up from a peaceful dream and wanted so badly to go back to sleep. But yet, Aiko looked at him so worried. Might as well hear her out real quick and go back to bed.

“What’s wrong, Aiko-chan?” he asked. The older girl forced herself to calm down and told him the whole story of the dead cat. At first, Hideo didn’t think much about it.

“Maybe a dog attacked it or something…” he mumbled to her. Aiko opened her mouth to speak when they heard another scream. Both grandfather and granddaughter looked up right away.

“Ayame-chan!!!” they both cried out. Hideo and Aiko raced all the way to the front door. They found the little girl staring out into the yard trembling. The older girl raced over to her sister.

“Ayame-chan!!!” she cried out. “What’s wrong?” She didn’t speak at all. The little girl just pointed out into the open country yard. Aiko and Hideo looked out where she pointed. They too became pale with terror. A sea of dead cats lied out on the lawn. They were all gutted in the throat like the first one. Ayame squeaked in terror and covered her eyes. Aiko felt like throwing up all over herself. Hideo stood there in a heavy cloud of worry. “Oh no!” he thought. “It’s happening again after all!” And it would only get more petrifying. The curse had begun once again and looking for new blood.