What's Next?

Rain hits the earth. Rain to the extent that you will want an umbrella.

Where Izanami is unconscious: an alleyway.

—a place where the unsavory is ideal.

—a place where disposal is the pride.

A lack of visibility, avoidance, and isolation. Some people may avoid, especially if there are blind corners. But it also serves as an escape route.

Which is why, still, no one has seen Izanami.

No sound or word utters from her. Breathing of slender means, similar to her heart and blood vessels, are all in desire to stop.

Slender streams of blood filling in the cracks of concrete ground, all coming from her opened head to begin with. The damage from the sudden fall is severe. I mean, she landed on her head.

However, the building is at least two stories high. From that, a person would die, if landed on their head…right? Would one call this a miracle? Or just inevitability?

A minuscule portal opens up to what-seems-to-be a black blob. It twirled and stumbled to Izanami once it got out.

The black blob faced her. I…need…to…! It thought. Struggling to pick itself back up, the portal closed, but the black blob didn’t even nudge to witness its closure.

…I won’t make it. I have to do it!

With that, the black blob made its rash decision to cage It and Izanami inside a void of nothing but nothingness. From the outside, it shaped into a circular orb.

Inside, a contract had emerged. Contract, ready.

—Yes, the one where a binding agreement is set between at least two parties. It is a promise. Except this contract only has one agreeing party.

It flipped through the sheets of paper quick. I don’t even have a chance to see the rules. Not that I want to. But I mean, what could go wrong?

For a contract to be valid, it must contain at least four: an offer, acceptance of that offer, consideration (something of value exchanged), and the intention to create relations. However, this is the opposite of what the spirit is doing…

The black spirit started to emit out little sparks of itself that glistened as they softly drizzled down. I don’t have much time.

With It about to disappear and Izanami dying, there was no other choice. The contract has to be made, or else, the black spirit and Izanami would decease. So…

With a faint and tired voice, It recited, “—By my will and this hum…contract, I bind to this soul and It shall bind to me, though no approval shall witness this. Not the lawful, nor the endorsed.”

It’s almost clear and direct statement authorized validity, but instead of the usual heroic light that shines—darkness took place instead, emitting from the contract.

Next, the acceptance became authorized.

“Witness now—”

And lastly, without the other party’s consent—

“, the words I forge, and seal this pact with silent oath.”

The next moment, the contract was complete. The once present spirit vanished upon its successful completion. The void disappeared; the rain diminished, and Izanami’s fatality began diminishing slowly but faintly.

———᯽———

Its past dusk.

The sun has set but there is still some light in the sky before it becomes completely dark.

Its quiet.

The wind became silent but it still whispers.

Oi!

Though a troubled voice can no longer stay silent.

Wake up!

By chance, Izanami sluggishly opened her dark eyes. She grunted. Not knowing anything, nor vividly remembering. “What happened…?”

You were on the ground, almost dying.

Sitting up, she replied, “What?” Her ears rang; her vision blurred further for a slight moment, then recovered after.

Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Just wait a moment.

She listened. It also prompted her to back against the filthy wall, resulting in her hands to be smeared in grease.

A moment later, she says, “It’s not getting any better.”

Wai-

She stood up—disrupting the black spirit—and used the wall as leverage.

The black spirit didn’t stop her, but it also feels like It isn’t showing any empathy at all. Considering her state, any other would at least show sympathy, though Its initial concern could just be It trying to protect Its vessel.

She struggles to walk to the point of staggering. But even so, she continues on through the alleyway, as to her, making it past the wall, means she won.

Shortly after, she encounters a group. A group of three guys that are all wearing streetwear. Though, they have a particular difference, as one is wearing an oversized jumper, the other cargo pants, and the one behind the two is wearing a beanie.

Speaking of the beanie-head, next to him is a particular boy sitting awkwardly against the wall like he’s being forced to. His attire is simple, with just a white top and black pants.

“Oi,” The baggy jumper called. He proudly comes forward. “What’s a girl like you doing here? Did you have a good time alone or something?”

“Ooo! We have a naughty girl in sight!”

“Too naughty for a high school girl!”

Following Jumper Man’s question, the other two added their comment.

These troublemakers surrounding another guy and the bruises on him was the least she’d worry about. Including their pest.

She heats up and pants.

“Ay, did you not hear me?!”

He steps closer to Izanami. Her mind, however, isn’t in the right place. Any other girl like her would be scared, trying to go back the other way, or at least something. But to be fair, would one be in her current situation without fault? …The injured guy sitting against the wall had changed his posture, more calming he is.

“Are you shitting me…,” he muttered.

Because of Izanami’s state, she didn’t budge or even react to anything. Even after a few more rude callings. The injured guy looked up at Izanami. Staring deeply, he had noticed that there is something deeper within her.

“Don’t you dare move or we’ll knock your block off,” said the beanie-head.

The injured guy knew he was talking to him. Now, no one turned to the injured guy, probably thinking he’s all done for. So, as they’re attention was all on Izanami, her eyes widened, though barely visible due to her soaked bangs. Jumper Man’s patience ran lower. “..Fuckin' weirdo.”

With no hesitation, he shouted. “So, bitch, what is it?!” Then, threw a punch directed at Izanami’s face.

At the same time, he fell down. And this was just before Izanami almost started to lose it.

“Y-Yo, Rin?”

Rin, the one wearing the oversized jumper and the same guy who attempted to assault Izanami, collapsed to the floor. But his friends don’t want to believe it.

The last thing to come out of Rin’s mouth was a sound of shock.

“Wha-What the—?”

Next, the one with cargo pants dropped; a similar sound of shock was heard. Only one guy remained. And he, out of everyone present, was in a sheer state of fear. He turned his head to the wall, directly looking at where the injured guy was once there. Squeezing his beanie in frustration, he loudly says, “What the hell is going on!!?”

He stepped back many times, but slowly. Whatever he’s thinking, it for sure doesn’t seem to change much. Suddenly, his eyes rolled upward, showing only white. His head tilted to the side in an abnormal way, revealing his neck bone that looks to be jammed. As foam came out of his mouth, a few more strikes to his neck, head, and temple were done. He collapsed.

“Well, It’s nice seeing another one of you,” said the figure behind the collapsed man in Joy.

The figure stood comfortably with his hands tucked in his pockets and a simple attire to be shown.

Izanami collapsed just before she could process what happened and a pair of hands caught her just before contact. Just before another fatal injury would occur.

“Gotcha’.”

———᯽———

Waking up, Izanami shrieked. At the same time, she raised herself.

She could hear a continuous beeping sound, though faint. To her surprise, the bed she’s in is quite comfy. The soft and mellow pillows had her hair sunk in. The room itself is inside a hospital.

“Excuse me.”

Her room door slid open to a fine nurse walking in.

“Isa-san, are you awake? Ah, you are!”

After confirmation, the nurse checks her pulse and then puts her hand on her forehead while checking the machine next to her with her free hand.

“Everything seems good to go and your bpm is back to normal.”

“Yes…”

The nurse said that with reassurance, though to Izanami, she wouldn’t think it would make a difference in her perplexed reaction.

“The boy brought you here. You were already passed out, so the doctor and a few nurses… It was quite a rush.”

“I see…”

“Do you by chance know him?”

“The one that brought me? No.”

After her direct answer, the nurse stepped away from her, and gestured to her bag. This was to Izanami’s surprise. I mean, after all that I don’t think she would’ve gave it a thought.

“Without a word, he left your belongings,” the nurse says, faintly smiling at Izanami, then leaves the room. “I will come again.”

After a few hours of staying, she went home, currently at her front apartment door. Things had kept her busy, which helped her get past yesterday’s situation. Dealing with a difficult situation is one thing, but the after effect can be much worse…

…Except the fact that one of those “things” she did was watching TV programmes. She held out the remote while slightly positioned up, though still laying down due to her lifting the hospital bed a little with its remote.

She turned on the TV and flipped channels until one stuck out. “In local business news, a new aroma is filling the air in the downtown district...” said a anchorwoman.

She vividly remembers that specific programme continuing on, “'Neko Peko,' a locally-owned coffee shop, is celebrating its grand opening today, bringing a fresh buzz to Tokyo.” And in response, she said, “Oo! That sounds interesting!” It took a while for her to express such emotion, even with no one else in the room.

So she’s probably fine. Good for her.

Izanami entered her apartment and closed the door behind. Since its a Friday, she decided to stay home for the rest of the day. Not worth going since its almost late afternoon.

The welcoming of silence and absence settled inside her apartment. Every morning and every evening it’s like this after school. That even in a time like this, where she’d experienced too much, nothing changed. The two persons she’d expect to be here. Its her one and only wish, its agonizing.

…Can it get any worse?

Izanami stood still.

Are you gonna keep being still? The black spirit prompted. Clearly, It doesn’t know good timing nor know how much she has on her plate right now.

“No…”

Then keep moving. Your body may be healed, but it still suffers internally.

And It definitely can’t express words with feeling. It responded with no attitude, but it struck her by no doubt, and it struck her to how different she was to It.

“…Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?!”

After the black spirit told her such cold words, she crashed out, yelling and tightly gripping her head.

“No, no, no! You don’t understand!” She shrieks. “So why? Why the hell…!”

I-

“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” She yelled. “…What the hell have I done…?” She sobs.

The noise she created in her head engulfed her hearing.

Humans are too complicated.

“But why?! Why me?!” She slid down against her apartment door, while the black spirit remained silent. “…Dammit…!”

Look—

“Why choose me?!”

She wasn’t having any of it. Nothing was going through. One word spoken then she cut off. Even an attempt to utter more than a word would be generous. So, the black spirit intends on making sure Its next message would finally go through her head.

To be frank, you weren’t chosen. We were both unlucky and met in a unlucky situation. So really: we were unlucky.

Continuing to sob, she didn’t reply but definitely heard. With that, no one spoke. Not a single word, only her cries, and the black spirit’s silence.