NEFELIBATA

.kuchisake-onna 6.

Akio rubbed his eyes. For a moment, he thought the sakura tree in the painting was flowing with an imaginary wind. 

Hesitant, he held his gaze on the illustration before shifting toward the room. 

Inside was the same woman with yet another man. However, the pair were not lying together but sitting and fronting each other. A white kimono secured by a black obi draped over the woman as though she was to be executed tomorrow. 

Perplexed, Akio drew closer to the room. He clasped the edge of the door, cautious not to accidentally slide it further. The couple murmured words of concern and trepidation. Their muffled worries muddied Akio's thoughts as he pushed the door. 

The hushed noise ceased. 

The woman's head twisted as a scarred grin clawed his vision. 

The mononoke stood in front of Akio.

Before Akio could react, the mononoke began to speak. 

"Even with this?" The mononoke questioned. Akio released a dazed whimper before realizing she was continuing off her previous question. 

She appeared to be smiling; however, Akio knew it was an illusion constructed by the injury. The cut was fresh; crimson spilled from the mononoke's mouth, tainting her white kimono. Strings of flesh barely fastened her mouth; any excessive movement and her jaw would sever. 

Unlike the recent wound, her teeth were yellow with age and withering in decay. Akio's eyes shifted from the bloody sight and noticed something peculiar; no other injuries were discernible. His eyes were unknowingly drawn back to the woman's grotesque face. Her tongue was not of a human but a beast; it was lengthy and sharp, closer to a claw than a tongue. The beauty from before was no longer present. 

Akio gripped the bekko ame in his pocket; the rustling of the wrapper steadied his chaotic mind. 

His mind rang dangerously. Though he could not prove his beliefs, he felt no matter the response; his life would end painfully. 

His knees buckled as he covered his mouth.  

"Ah...ah..." despite how hard he pushed, only an incomprehensible mess escaped his lips. The tears which he prevented began to prickle his eyes. 

Death. 

Akio was facing his demise. 

I still need to apologize to...

Akio's eyes fell toward the mononoke's claws, then to the mononoke's scared face. 

His breath hastened. 

With an aggrieved shout, Akio hurled the piece of candy from his pocket and tossed his body away from the distracted mononoke. 

Rugged pants crept from his throat as he hurried to the stairs. His arms flailed as though he was attempting to swim away. Akio stumbled over his feet multiple times yet always caught himself before falling. His chest heaved vigorously with a blazing discomfort seizing his heart. It hurt to breathe; however, such a thing didn't matter when life and death were on the line. 

Tears gushed pathetically when he misheard a floorboard groan behind him. 

Is she following?!

The question bashed Akio's head, desperate to be satisfied. Fortunately, Akio was too gutless to check; fearful turning would seal his fate. Akio leaped down the stairs. He wailed curses whenever he landed on a step incorrectly. A bitter grimace soured his expression; there was no time to deal with the pain.