Cursed Land Chapter 3 Ami

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...

There was the sound of bubbles floating to the surface of the water and popping. Ami crouched down and peered into the viscous surface. The water was pitch black, as if ink had been dissolved in it. It had a tar-like consistency, and the bubbles did not pop easily.

Glug, glug...

Before she knew it, the quality of the water sounds had changed. Large bubbles floated to the surface of the pitch-black water and collapsed, each one different in shape and size. She noticed that what she thought were bubbles had a black film stretched over them. Things that looked like balloons inflated and rose from the surface little by little. In an instant, the surface was covered in round objects. They were not perfect circles, but slightly oval and distorted. As she stared intently, she saw four small, thin, black, caterpillar-like things lined up on the edge of the water. They writhed and squirmed, and soon, many more appeared in groups of four along the edge. She immediately realized they were not insects. Four small fingers were gripping the edge, feeling around stickily. A hand covered in black slime suddenly emerged from the water and clung to Ami's leg.

Ami gasped, unable to make a sound.

On the distorted oval shapes, eyes and noses formed—black as if they had sucked in the darkness, and bumpy with a glossy gray sheen—and then, large, pitch-black mouths opened. While spewing black water with a gurgling sound, they let out a cry that pierced the darkness.

It felt like her eardrums were going to burst. Ami covered her ears.

Making a wet, slapping sound, the black, slime-covered hands of babies crawled up Ami's legs. Crying babies were swarming up from the bottom of the water, climbing over one another.

Ami let out a silent scream.

When she opened her eyes, the pitch-black darkness was still spreading. Aside from her own ragged breathing, she could hear quiet, steady breathing from her left. She groped for her smartphone by the pillow and felt relieved. The time displayed on the screen was just past midnight. It had not been long since she fell asleep. She had had a creepy dream. Her throat was parched.

She quietly got up to drink some water and decided to go to the bathroom while she was at it, stepping out into the hallway. Suddenly, she noticed light shining through a thin gap in the sliding door. Without thinking, Ami peered into the Buddhist altar room.

Jusho was sitting formally in the Buddhist altar room. She was holding a Japanese doll in her arms. A muttering voice could be heard, sounding as if it were saying, "It's almost time... Your friends will be here soon..." She held the doll as if it were a baby, rocking it gently to soothe it. Even though the room was lit, a dim shadow fell over her hunched back.

Feeling as though she had seen something she shouldn't have, Ami hurried back to the living room.

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