Searching for the Bride [Short Short #144] (850 characters)
It was on the day of the wedding. At the moment of the ring exchange at the outdoor venue, just as the ring bearer brought the ring pillow forward, a sudden evening shower struck the ceremony. Amidst the chaos of thunder and heavy rain as the guests fled indoors, the bride, Naoko, suddenly vanished.
The ceremony was canceled, and I continued a desperate search with Naoko's relatives. However, more than a month passed without a single clue. Then one day, I received a report that someone had seen a woman in a wedding dress deep in the mountains. Ordered by my father-in-law, I slipped the wedding ring into my bag and headed into the mountains alone.
But I lost contact with the witness and ended up wandering through the mountains. There, I discovered a mud-stained wedding dress. I then met an old woman holding Naoko's shoes and was told a shocking truth. It is said that demons live in these mountains, and they snatch young women from the villages under the cover of evening thunderstorms to make them their brides. The old woman herself said she was once a demon's bride.
I told her my story through tears. The old woman then lent me a fox mask. She said that if I threw all my belongings into the "swamp of strong acid," the demons would not be able to see through my disguise. I complied, but I could not bring myself to throw away the ring, so I kept it hidden.
Wearing the fox mask, I snuck into the demon village and found Naoko in a white kimono at the head of the demons' bridal procession. I seized a chance to rescue her, but the demons began to pursue us. When I reached the swamp with Naoko, the old woman asked why my identity had been revealed, so I honestly showed her the ring I had hidden.
With the pursuers closing in, Naoko and I exchanged the rings, fulfilled our marriage vows, and then threw the rings into the swamp of strong acid. The rings melted and vanished instantly. The demons lost track of us, and we were able to escape the mountains safely. Later, we were able to hold our wedding ceremony properly––––.
Monthly "Paranormal Journal" June 202■ Issue
Special Feature: Forbidden True Occult Files
Excerpt from "Track Down the Bride Who Vanished in the ■■ Mountains!"
*This story is fiction.
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