The Tsurihito's Bride.

Satoshi and Teiji picked up those limbs in plastic bags and took it to our hotel. We didn't know what to do then. The horrid smell forced us to keep the body parts... of our own friends and teacher in the luggage compartment. The atmosphere became even more tense, hopeless and dark. All of us had no hope. They might as well have died. Something might have eaten them.

Something...

We got down the bus as it stopped in front of the hotel. The bus driver didn't utter a single word. He remained ever so silent after that incident. Satoshi and Teiji opened the door, and we were greeted with something we didn't want after what we have just faced...

"This guy, Tamiko was dead when I visited his room to check up on him." The receptionist lady said nonchalantly as if it was nothing...

Satoshi and Teiji was holding the pieces of limbs of their friends. How funny of a coincidence. Dead friends on their hands and a dead friend in front of them... I feel like I am going insane right now.

What wrong did I do in my life to experience this?

"Tsk...", Satoshi clicked his tongue. "It's my fault... I should've assigned someone to take care of him..."

Our classmates behind us were in shock. Some of them fell to their knees. "What is happening...", some of them screamed. Some of them cried. One of them tried to tear her face off in agony by scratching her own face with her nails to avoid reality.

Some of them, Tamiko's friends went to see his dead body and examine his face. But as soon as they saw the face, they looked away with their hands over their mouths trying not to puke.

Tamiko's face looked like a raisin. As if someone sucked the water out of him.

"Its not your fault, class representative.", The old lady tried to clear Satoshi's thoughts, who was contemplating his own leadership. "The 'thing' has already been started. Once the myth has been initiated, everyday for two weeks at least one person who has touched the sea in that year and is still in this town will die. Their symptoms: their dead body looks like water has been sucked out."

"...huh?", Satoshi and the other went silent. "So... we might die as well...?"

"Yes."

Chaos broke down among us.

It was nighttime. The chaos was almost over.

The pain of my stomach was getting unreal. If I didn't eat, I wouldn't be alive anymore. Funny that I still want to live right now. I guess my dream now is to find at least anyone of them, save them and bring them back alive.

Oh right... they all died...

I looked down at my plate. Everyone had already left the dining hall. The food tasted bland. Well, I am gulping down just rice after all...

I was the last to leave the dining hall. It was then 11, I guess. I couldn't really tell. Everyone might just have went to bed. What else can they do? What else can I do? I don't have a reset button on me, do I?

The central room's lights were off, except the one right on top of the reception table, where the old lady sat, her eyes not having a hint of slumber, giving off an eerie vibe. It might just be my imagination though.

"Young lad. Come here, I might have something to tell you."

"What is it gramps..." I am telling, if she starts that old rumour thing then I am going to throw up. "I am not interested in your silly talks. I am tired." I continued up the stairs.

She pushed her glasses up. "What if it's about your 'Airi-chan'?"

"What?" What the heck is she even talking about?

"She might just be alive." She looked at me. I could feel that she saw the spark of hope inside me. "Now would you give me some of your time?"

How could I not? I ran downstairs with the little energy I had and sat directly in front of her, on the other side of the reception table.

"You know the myth, don't you?"

"Yes..."

"The myth where all people disappear one after another, preceding the disappearance of a girl?"

"Yes."

"Well that cuts the time short.. I think you have heard more of the story than usual people. But I believe you don't know what I am about to say now."

I was curious. What more there is to the story?

"The first girl who disappears into the sea, becomes the Tsurihito's Bride..."