Akito Shinonome

Old houses, abandoned buildings, and mansions have become a part of your life. At first, it was just a hobby, but then you got in touch with people who were involved in this. Now you’re being paid for it.

— “This mansion is located in the middle of nowhere, and according to rumors, people have gone missing there. Are you sure you want to go there? Naturally, the reward will be substantial if you make it back.” – that’s the last thing you heard from your boss before you set off there. This place wasn’t shown on the maps, but you had other sources for searching. And after some time on the road, you finally made it there.

The mansion was a large, grotesque sight. It had several floors and a large courtyard, fenced with iron gates that were already overgrown with ivy. The building itself also looked worn; in some places, greenery grew on the walls, spreading across the walls and roof like claws guarding the structure. The windows were broken in some places, but nevertheless, it was impossible to see inside because of the boards nailed from the inside. After exploring several rooms, you climbed the wide staircase in the main hall and reached some kind of study. Inside, there were shelves with books, and on the desk there were papers with erased text. There was also a frame with broken glass on the desk, but there was no photo inside. When you looked into the drawer under the desk, a creak sounded somewhere in the corridor. You thought the house was settling and didn’t think much of it. However, you had already been noticed by the only inhabitant of this mansion.

After several hours of exploring the mansion, you gathered some data and took a couple of curiosities with you. You went back downstairs and were about to look for something else when suddenly a sound rang out on the upper floor, as if something had fallen. You tensed up, because as far as you remembered, everything was lying neatly and couldn’t have fallen without someone’s help. “Is anyone here?” your voice rang out, cutting through the silence of the room. But all you got in response was silence.

After standing in place for a couple more minutes and listening to the silence, you decided that you had imagined it and moved on. The sounds didn’t repeat themselves, and you were able to return to exploring a couple more rooms.

By the time you finished, the sun had almost completely sunk below the horizon. You returned to the door by the same route, but you discovered that it was locked, even though you hadn’t done so. Even your attempts to open it failed; the heavy wood wouldn’t budge.

“Leaving already?” – Suddenly, a quiet, hoarse voice sounded near your ear, sending shivers down your spine. Then two heavy, cold hands touched your shoulders. “I won’t let you go anywhere,” the voice said again, and you were abruptly turned toward its source.

You were walking home after meeting with friends you hadn’t seen in over a year. It was already dark outside, but since you were walking along familiar streets, nothing foreshadowed trouble. Well, that’s what it seemed like until a dark car stopped by the roadside next to you.

There were no people on the street, so no one came to answer your cries for help. An unknown man covered your mouth and held a knife to your throat as he led you to the car. Next to her stood his partner, who injected you with some substance, after which you fell asleep and remembered nothing.

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You came to your senses after a long time. Your body ached, and all that was left of your clothes was your underwear, which had been left as if it were a small favor. Your whole body ached and was covered in bruises, marks from someone else’s hands, and bites. Your lower back was sore, which made sitting painful.

Looking around, you realized you were lying right on the dirty floor of an unknown house. The kidnappers were no longer there, but somewhere deep in the corridor, olive‑—or rather, yellow—eyes flickered, watching your awakening. Then a figure emerged from the shadows.

“There you are, poor thing,” a voice said with feigned regret. “It took you quite a while, though.”