<Cryptic Life>
The air was unnaturally still, the silence pressing down on the trio like an invisible weight.
Taro’s voice trembled as he asked, “Where’s Mom?” His wide, fearful eyes darted toward Kaito, searching for answers.
“I… I have no idea,” Kaito stammered, his usual calm demeanor shattered. They stood frozen in the middle of an eerily deserted street, the emptiness around them suffocating.
“Wait,” Himeno said, her voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might break something fragile. She pointed toward the barren horizon. “Everythings gone”
A chill ran down their spines as the gravity of the situation sank in.
Their hearts felt like they were plunging into a bottomless abyss.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING??” Taro and Kaito shouted in unison, their voices cracking as panic overtook them.
And then, like a flickering light switch, the world shifted.
The street transformed in an instant. People and matter reappeared as if they had always been there—walking, talking, laughing. Cars honked, and life resumed its chaotic hum.
The trio stood rooted in place, their faces pale with shock. The sheer abruptness of the change was too much to comprehend.
“What… what is happening?!” Taro screamed, his voice barely audible over the sudden noise. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the cold pavement, unconscious.
---
[Scene Shift | Taro in a Void-like Space]
Taro found himself surrounded by an endless void, floating aimlessly. Panic gripped his chest.
"Where am I?" he asked, his voice trembling.
A deep, cryptic voice echoed around him. "You are where you should be, Taro. I brought you here to teach you a lesson. You don’t listen to your elders, do you?"
Taro’s confusion deepened. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" he shouted into the void.
The voice chuckled ominously. "Taro, Taro, Taro! I messaged you so many times to warn you not to go to the village. You thought it was a prank, didn’t you? But no, it’s not."
"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! YOU SENT THE MESSAGES? YOU MADE THE ANONYMOUS CALLS?" Taro screamed, his voice echoing endlessly.
The voice laughed louder. "HAHAHAHA! It seems you grasp concepts easily, Taro."
"WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Taro demanded.
Silence followed.
Taro felt a sudden wave of dizziness overtaking him. His vision blurred, and darkness consumed him once again.
---
[At the House]
[July 15 | 1:30 PM]
"OH YES! You’re awake!" said a voice from the corner of the room.
"WHO ARE YOU?" Taro exclaimed, still groggy.
"What do you mean? It’s me, Kaito," the figure responded.
As Taro’s eyes adjusted, he sighed. "Oh, sorry. I was seeing a little blurry."
"No problem!" Himeno said, walking into the room with a smile.
"Himeno, you’re here too?" Taro asked.
"Why wouldn’t I be?" Himeno replied.
"By the way, where are we?" Taro asked, still disoriented.
"We’re at my old place," Kaito answered casually.
Taro furrowed his brow. "Hmm... what happened while I was asleep?"
"Nothing much... but I think you should rest some more," Kaito said gently.
As Kaito and Himeno left the room, Taro’s mind wandered back to the strange events.
---
[Piecing It Together]
In the hallway, Himeno spoke in a hushed tone. "Okay, so Taro’s mom was taken away, and you said he received anonymous messages warning him not to go to the village, right?"
Kaito nodded.
Himeno pressed further. "Don’t you see the pieces coming together?"
Kaito shook his head, confusion evident on his face.
"How not? Listen," Himeno began, "Taro got the first message on July 14 at 11:50 PM. Then he got another message at the café , right? Both times, the message said the same thing: ‘DO NOT GO TO THE VILLAGE.’ But why? Why doesn’t someone want him to go there?"
---
[A Call from the Police]
Himeno’s thoughts were interrupted by Kaito’s phone ringing.
"Kaito, someone’s calling you," Himeno said.
"It’s the police!" Kaito exclaimed, a mix of relief and anxiety on his face.
He answered quickly. "Hello, this is Kaito, Taro’s friend. Taro’s not in a good state to speak right now."
The officer on the line spoke gravely. "We found something at Taro’s mother’s home that might be connected to her disappearance."
"What is it?" Kaito asked, his heart racing.
"It’s a note. It might have been written by her or someone else. I’ll send you a screenshot," the officer said before ending the call.
---
[The Note]
Kaito’s phone buzzed with a notification.
[New Notification]
[1 file attached]
"Himeno, look at this," Kaito said, showing her the file.
The note read:
“SHE TRIED TO GO TO THE VILLAGE.”
"What could this mean?" Kaito and Himeno exclaimed simultaneously, their voices filled with dread.
---
To be continued......
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