2 - Encounter Part 2

"Did you hear that Yua-"

"Krkkkk…"

The screeching sound of the double-panel wooden door opening spread through the library cutting Yama's question. Unexpectedly, there's not a single soul standing on the other side of the door after it opens. Not even a breeze of wind can be felt by them to conclude that that door is being opened by a strong wind. They can see the cloud scenery beyond the door.

"Read us...read us…" the whisper still happens but it can't be heard by them as it is too slow.

Two of them standing and looking at each other.

"Am I hearing someone's voice? Hm... That must be wind...let's go Yua," Yama said with a worried face.

"Hm, I think so," Yua nodded.

She can feel Yama's hand shivering a bit.

"Shiuuu...shiu...shiu…."

An unknown noise attracts their attention.

A flicker yet gloomy dark circle with an undetectable symbol suddenly occurs on the floor right between the wide-opened door.

A man wearing a full black butler outfit with a black tie emerges his upper body followed by his bottom from the dark circle. With pale-looking white skin, highlighted with dark purple hair in a side fringe hairstyle that covered his right eye.

Yama's eyes widened.

"Hm? Y-Yua? Who's that?"

The man bowed down a little bit as an act of greeting toward them while his right hand was placed right on his heart and his left hand was at his back.

Not a single word came from his pale-looking mouth. His presence blocked the path for them to get out of the library. Right after his full body can be seen, the circle lost its flicker before disappearing like ash.

The eerie feeling gets into Yama's nerves. Shivering on his own. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened like a child looking at a ghost. Terrified by the existence of a man that just emerged out of nowhere from the shadows. Yet he still stands without any urge to run.

Yua, in contrast to Yama, seems unnerved. She can feel Yama's trembling hand. She takes Yama closer to her and holds his hand tightly.

Urgh...Are these the things that are supposed to happen? Who is this man? Yama's monologue.

"Uhm, what a weird guy, open the door but not even use it...is he filming some horror video or what?" Yama whispered Yua a question to calm himself.

"Hm, maybe. It can be some prank too," Yua said.

“I think you raise your voice a bit too loud...or do you intend to let me hear your conversation?” the man asked calmly while looking at them with a peaceful smile and gaze.

"Oh, my bad…" Yama said.

Yama closes himself more to Yua.

"What are we supposed to do Yua?" He whispered to her but it was too loud.

"Unfortunately, I can hear that too…" suddenly he raised his right index finger towards them but slightly more towards Yama like he wanted to point something out.

"Hm? Why are you pointing at me?"

"Secare…"

An unknown word comes from the man's mouth. He said it serenely. The same dark circle with a different symbol starts to appear on his fingertips. This time, they can identify the symbol in it. A simple dark hand symbol, just like a high five sign in a black circle.

"Zup! SCREECH!"

It shoots something like a sharp wind past Yama's left body but they can't see it.

"Ha...ha? Argh...arghh...ARGHHHHHH!"

Yama screams as loud as he can, deafening others' hearing. His left arm was completely chopped from his body idle on the floor. A terrifying sight of a part of his body vacating its place traumatises Yama. He let go of Yua's hand instantly and tried to check if his left arm was still intact with his body by waving the space in the place where it should be, using his right hand. He can't accept the reality that he sees that the arm on the floor indeed belongs to him.

"Ya-Yama?"

Yua, who is still standing beside Yama, seems confused by his actions.

"What happened Yama? Yama? Let me see what's wrong."

"M-my hand...my...my hand!"

"What's wrong with your hand?"

I-is that...v-vistal? But there are no weapons...it can't be vistal...Yama is speculating in his head.

He knelt on the floor, "I-It's cut off...he cut my hand…" Yama said while trembling with fear.

Yua is still confused. She looks at Yama's left hand which is still intact with his body. Nothing happened to Yama in her eyes. Nothing terrifying like his hand getting chopped can be detected by her eyes. Their eyes don't see the same thing.

"What are you doing to him?!" Yua asked in an angry tone while knelt to comfort Yama.

"I'm just fulfilling my job…" the man said.

"M-my hand…" Yama stuttered, his eyes widened, representing his frightened face to Yua.

Awakened by the man’s action, the prey's instincts finally kick into Yua's body. As she doesn't know how to help Yama, or how to deal with the man in front of them who seems like someone with bad intentions.

In a hurry, Yua grabs Yama's shaking right hand. She forces Yama to run with her toward the library's back door. Yama, who is dragged by Yua behind her left side, struggles to follow her pace and seems wavy behind her, just waiting for his body to lose its balance. They run as they live on the line. Once Yua reaches the doorknob, she unlocks it immediately.

They exit the library and go through the school corridor. The man stands still just looking at their act with a calm smiling face without trying to chase them.

****

"Hah… Huh… Hah..."

Their mind just goes blank through running. Yua tries to search for help, wandering her eyes around the school but there's no one left. Then she just decides to lead Yama to get out of the building.

Yama follows Yua with his left arm still gone in his eyes. He left it behind as he still can't get over the shock.

"Hah… Huh… Hah..."

Searching for extra breath to keep their pace. They run without turning back. Run and run, sweat already covers their face. Yet they still don't reach the exit door from the building.

Wh-what happened? Where's the exit?

Yua just ran using her instinct, she was sure they should have already reached the exit door by now. For some odd reason, they are still stuck in that building running in a never never-ending corridor.

"Hah...hah...Yama? Where's the exit?"

Yua asked with her tight breath. She is still running and refuses to stop.

"..."

Yet Yama doesn't answer anything. She still can feel Yama's hand in her grip.

Out of curiosity, Yua turns her face toward Yama at her back.

In an instant, she ends her run without hesitation. There's indeed a hand in her grip. But that's all it is. An arm without a body. Surprisingly, it floats like there's a body connected to it.

"Hah...hah...huh? Where's Yama?"