For Ritual

The group formed a tight line. Hand in hand, they inched forward. Kensuke at the front, followed by Leon and Mink. Jason was assigned to the rear. The fog was so dense, you could barely see the hand you were holding onto. The cold, wet air made breathing unpleasant and began soaking every piece of clothing that wasn’t water repellant.

The boys could feel Mink shaking. To her, this was pure terror. Robbed of most senses, she drew all her courage from the others' hands she was chained to.

"Jason, I'm scared."

"I know, beb. It'll be over soon. Hang in there."

"Ah, you guys watch too many horror movies. Everything's fine, right, Ken?"

"HAI! Leon-dono. Everything is... VERY GOOD!"

Jason had to stay brave for his girl, but he was regretting everything that led up to this, with each step further they took into this visionless space. Betrayed by his eyes, the other senses began filling in the gaps his mind was providing. The creaking of old wood that surrounded them like a cage. Wind dragging dead leaves across the forest floor as if it was stalking them. The taste of nature and moss in his mouth, climbing down his throat in a gentle attempt to suffocate him.

"HAHAHA, no way really?"

At least the two nutcases in the front were having fun. Jason couldn’t read minds, but he knew Mink well enough to know she was thinking the same.

Then they stopped.

"Whoa, Ken. What's up?"

Jason's heart froze hearing that. Mink’s shaking hand made it worse.

"Ah hmmm. This is... no good."

"W... What do you mean no good? Ken?"

From the back, Jason could only rely on his hearing to piece together what was happening, and what he heard next accelerated his heartbeat to an unhealthy tempo.

He heard something running away ahead.

"KEN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! KEN!"

Jason pulled the screaming Mink to him. Whatever was happening, they needed to stay together.

"MINK!? Fuck, why'd you let go! Don’t scare me like that."

Leon was walking toward them, guided by the screaming, but when he spoke again, he sounded... further away?

"What the fuck is happening here?" Leon’s voice was audibly distancing itself from the two.

"LEON STOP MESSING WITH US AND GET OVER HERE!"

There was no response.

Jason's thoughts were spinning at 200 mph. What’s going on? Where’s Leon? Where’s Kensuke?

As though his thoughts had summoned him, he heard his voice up ahead.

"Jason-san, Mink-chan. This way. FAST, FAST!"

They needed to get out of this mist. "Comon, beb, get up!" he hoisted her onto her feet and began following Kensuke's voice.

"Over here. Hayaku!"

There was impatience and worry nestled in his beckoning.

"Come! Come! Very close!"

Finally, the two cut through the fog. Mink tripped on something and pulled them both to the ground.

"Jason-san, Mink-chan, everything good?"

Jason didn’t waste a second and grabbed the guide by his collar.

"Dafuq did you do!? Why did you abandon us? Where's Leon?"

He would’ve beaten him to a pulp if he wasn't their way out of here.

"Ah. Leon-dono. No worry about him, please."

Jason thought he was hearing things.

"Do you have a deathwish? What do you mean DON'T WORRY!?"

Mink got up and tried separating the men.

"Stop, Jason! Don’t hurt him! We need him!"

Hearing her voice calmed him down, and he dropped the guide.
He looked back at the scared girl, understanding what she was on about. They had no reception here.
"Shit."
Now he was their only way out of here.

"No worry about Leon-dono." Kensuke interjected, dusting wet leaves off his pants. "Now worry about Jason-san and Mink-chan."

His eyes were communicating concern.

"Alright. Kensuke. If you take off again, I swear to god you will be the next person to disappear in these woods. Understand?"

He performed a deep bow and turned.

"Now follow, please."

Because of all that had happened, Jason only now noticed the huge cave entrance they were standing in front of. Kensuke rummaged through his backpack, slipping equipment into his pockets. Then handed each of them a flashlight.

It was freezing inside. Jason, remembering those caving videos he saw months ago, wondered why people would do this as a hobby.

"This is heart of Aokigahara." Kensuke interrupted his thoughts. Maybe wanting to draw attention away from the cool air that felt like it was trying to pull them deeper.

"Here we... offering to forest for a long time. Kensuke family was... very respected. But then people come here, start to disappear."

"Like Leon?"

"No."

A light in front of them disrupted the conversation. From a hole above, a bright cylinder shone onto a large stone stele. Ropes lined with white paper were tightened around it, and as they came closer, they could see intricate symbols carved into it.

"Kensuke prayer is to come here. This is heart of the forest. Kami-sama. God."

Jason and Mink stepped up to get a closer look when Jason heard a weird click behind them.
Kensuke had a knife in his hands, and his eyes were loaded with serious determination.

"What are you doing?"

"You need to give blood to God. Only way to live."

Jason pushed Mink behind himself and got into a fighting stance.

"Wow Ken. You're full of suprises eh?"

"Leon!" Mink would've jumped into his arms if it weren’t for Kensuke.

The guide lowered his weapon and silently backed away from the centre, into the shadows.

"Leon, man! What happened to you?"

He walked up to them, signaling a group hug, but in her excitement, Mink took it for herself.
"Whatever," Jason thought to himself. Glad to be reunited but not taking his eyes off the man in the shadows.

"Creepy fucker. What’s wrong all of a sudden? Scared because you're outnumbered?"

A small chuckle began echoing through the cave. It was weird. Not a chuckle you’d expect after a flat joke. It was the chuckle of an old man close to his end. Brought to life by lungs that were on the verge of collapse and riddled with respiratory problems. Expelled through a throat that was coarse and dry, that tore every ounce of familiarity out of the tone as it passed.

Unsettled, Jason placed his entire focus on Kensuke. He could see his shadow shifting in the darkness. He was inching along the cave walls like a cat that tried sneaking past a pack of rabid dogs. The blade in his hand flashed every time it left the darkness.

CRACK

A chill ran down his spine when he realized the noise wasn’t coming from Kensuke.
He turned around and looked straight into Mink’s lifeless eyes. They were upside down, blood pooling out of the sockets.
Leon was still holding her, but her neck had been snapped backward like the cap of a lighter.