I crawl on all fours.

It feels just like moving forward inside a water pipe.

Still, the roar is way too loud.

I feel like a giant sewer rat.


I can't see what's ahead in the gloom.

I can't see behind me either.
Can't I turn my neck more than this?
I should have gone to a chiropractor.

I keep hitting my head on the ceiling.
When I stretch my arms, my elbows hit the sides.

I can feel the stone and dirt.
My palms are covered in marks from the pebbles.
It hurts.

For a child, this might be a wonderland.
To me, it just feels like a health spa with bad taste.

Anyway, I have no choice but to keep moving forward.
There's no reason to go back.
Am I going to end my life here...

Still, it's sweltering.
My undershirt is sticking to me.

My back is itchy.
I try to stretch my arm, but I can't reach the itchy spot.
I want a back scratcher.
I'd pay 10,000 or whatever it takes right now.


One, crawl on all fours.
Two, move forward.
Three, lie face down.
Four, rest.

This repetition is just too exhausting.

As I was doing that, I saw a shadow ahead.


A person!


They are crawling slowly on all fours.
Judging by their build, it's probably an elderly woman.

I'll call out to her.

I raised my voice so it wouldn't be drowned out by the roar.


“Excuse me! Sorry!”


The elderly woman tries to turn around.
But her neck won't turn.
So, I can't see her face.
I can see her backside, though.


“Oh, you're behind me.”

“Yes.”

“I'm sorry, I'm just so tired...”
“I can't seem to move forward.”

“It's okay, I'll rest here for a bit too.”

“Thank you.”

“Um, you're the first person I've met...”

“Oh, is that so?”

“I've met people many times.”
“Their backsides, that is, hehe.”

Trying to ease the tension, she joked a little, then continued.

“But I couldn't keep up, and the backsides just kept getting further away.”

“I see...”

“I don't know what we should do, but...”
“We have no choice but to keep moving forward, right?”

“That's true.”

“We just have to do it.”


Then, we introduced ourselves.
I learned her name was Sachiko.

“To have such bad luck and be named Sachiko, it's funny, isn't it?”

I can't see her joking face.
But Sachiko's backside seems to be saying it.

We made small talk, but it didn't really go anywhere.
We just wanted to share our anxiety.
We talked a little bit about how annoying the sand in our shoes was.

Finally, it seems Sachiko is going to move.
I'll follow her.


“My knees hurt. I'm sorry I'm so slow.”

“No, it's fine.”

“Let me know if you're having a hard time too.”

“Yes.”


Even though she must be struggling herself, her kindness made me happy.
I thought that even in this situation, we could still have human interactions without becoming cold.

We move forward, slowly, slowly.
The same scenery, the same backside.
How much time has passed?

I'm tired, so I decided to rest again.


“Hey!”


I heard a man's voice from behind.

It seems he's been admiring my backside.
I could hear him approaching with heavy thuds.


“Why are you stopping! Keep moving!”

His irritation was palpable. What a rude way to speak.

“I'm just taking a break right now.”

I said, sounding a bit grumpy.


“Move out of the way.”

“No, there's no space to move out of the way, is there?”

“Lie face down, I'm going to go over you.”

“What! Are you serious?”

“Then just keep moving.”


After that, a similar exchange continued, but he really seemed determined to get ahead.

I consulted with Sachiko, and we decided to lie face down to let him pass.


“Alright, here I go.”
“It might be cramped, but just bear with it.”


His upper body climbed onto my legs.


“Ugh.”


Heavy, way too heavy.
Are people usually this heavy?
At this rate, he must be well over 100 kilos.
This pressure is too painful.


“Wait a second! Wait!”


Ignoring my cries, he crawled over me.


“Ughhh.”
“No! No! No!”


I close my eyes tightly to escape reality.
I keep praying for it to end soon.


“Ugh, ugh.”


His body slowly bears down on me.
I couldn't take it and was thrashing around in agony when,


“Don't move, it just takes longer, geez.”


Acting all high and mighty.
Without even knowing my situation.


“J-just hurry up and go!”

“I know!”


His body keeps piling on, and I lose any room to escape.
Why am I being pressed by a man I don't even know?
Why do I have to be under this much pressure?


It's too painful...


He stopped moving halfway across my back.
His breath hits my neck.


“Huff, huff, this is bad...”
“I can't move.”

“Hey, hey, you're kidding, right?”


I tensed my body and strained as hard as I could.
Even so, it didn't last long.


The situation reached a stalemate.


No matter how much I tried to convey my feelings, it was useless.
Since my body wouldn't move, there was nothing I could do.
We both stopped talking as much.

The sand in my shoes,
the stickiness of my undershirt,
his huffing and puffing,
it all stopped mattering.

Pressure.
Heat.
Time passed where I couldn't move.


I've reached my limit...


My consciousness began to fade.
So this is what dying feels like.

When I looked ahead, I could see Sachiko's backside moving further away.


There's nothing I can do.
I'm sorry.
But you really did your best.


Her backside seemed to be saying that.

He moves his body, trying to get out somehow.
My body sinks in even further.


“Alright, it'll be over soon.”
“Can you move?”

“How could I possibly move...”


My pained, thin voice is drowned out by the roar.


“It's over, hey, are you okay?”


My life.
To end up crushed by a fat rat...


I'm tired now.
My eyelids are heavy.
Goodbye...



Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz



A buzzer sound like an electronic tone rang out.
Is this the signal that the game is over?

I don't care anymore...



When I opened my eyes, the ceiling was too close.

What, what is this.
They're dragging me down.
Give me a break.
Is it still going to continue...


When I exited the white space, a giant doctor and an elderly nurse greeted me.

“It's over. Are you okay?”

“You really did your best.”