Chaper 1: A guy named Sukko

|Sukko's POV|

-hey---

---Hey---

"HEY!!!"

Miza shouted.

"Give it to me now or forget about me helping you in your meeting later!"

I fell asleep.

I asked Miza to go to 'my' meeting instead and talk to the council because I am too lazy to talk. Apparently, she wasn't doing it for free this time. Usually she would.

"When is the math class starting by the way?"

"The professor just went out of the room moron. You slept through the whole class! Now may I ask you to give it to me already?" Miza replied.

Well, the professor didn't care much. Back seats are oasis. As long as my grades are up, there isn't any problems.

"Ok ok. Here's the contraption. Seems that the pointed edge of the second valve was the problem. I smoothed it for you. That's enough for our trade, right?"

"Hmm hmm hmm... I knew it! Ok!" She replied.

I'm not really good at contraptions, but Miza always asks me to look for any problems in her inventions when she is a lot times better than me in that regard. I wonder what's the point?

It was basically a small contraption that uses gravity and magnets to move water upwards. What a genius.

3:00 p.m.

I rode my bike out of school after making sure that Miza actually came to our office because she often forgets her obligations. Also, she is talkative. I trust her for my meetings.

I went to Kiama's place. He is a friend of mine. Addicted to anything related to computers. He is tweaking with it right now.

"Hey, can I rest for a while?"

"Well, no." Kiama replied.

"Oh. Ok. I'll just sleep then."

"Ok. Just make sure to close your eyes." Kiama replied.

So I slept in his bed. He is a sarcastic human being who enjoys mild verbal bullying. I like his ways though.

5:30 p.m.

I woke up. It is already evening.

"You know the news?" Kiama asked.

"Yeah. They show up in televisions, right?"

"Yes. Apparently there is a killing spree happening in this area, particularly inside that supposedly haunted abandoned store." Kiama said.

"You mean in that store just before the bridge to the northside?"

"Yes. You better be careful in passing through there now, unless you want to be killed or something. You should take the longer route eastwards." Kiama warned.

"Ok. Thanks."

I went out and rode my bike. I am planning to just go straight through that bridge with more caution.

I wonder why I haven't had an idea about the killing spree. I should watch the news more often now.

*biking*

I see the bridge. Looks just the same as it always had been. The lights are busted, turning on and off. Nice effect for a horror movie, haha.

Well, I haven't been this vigilant for so long. Good thing I know some things about self defense. Also, I'd sometimes imagine an enemy and try to defeat it.

The store looks like it is just staring at me now. I am just in front of its abandoned door. Seems like forever. I wish I have the power to teleport.

'POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS' Yeah yeah whatever. Seems that the police are active in this area. Where are they by the way?

There's also the burnt house just at the other side of the road. I like how everything became a little bit more terrifying now. D*mn that Kiama. Just kidding.

I passed the store. Nothing weird happened. But this area really does seem dangerous, as there are no people around to help just in case.

I'll just be taking the east route next time evening catches me.

--arrrghhh--

Was that a child? I heard a struggling child just inside the burnt house in front of the abandoned store. It's probably a girl.

Whatever, just bike away to safety.

--Get off me monster!--

--My arms! Why is it there?!--

I stopped. That seemed serious.

I parked my bike, not worrying about locking it for now. I went to the burnt house. The sound isn't coming from there.

"*step step step* Help!!!" the child screamed. The sound came from the manhole.

I quickly tried opening the manhole. The ground is shaking. Is it a vehicle?

"Please open the manhole. FASTEEER" the child desperately shouted.

I checked the surroundings and there is no vehicle. I tried sliding the metal lid open with all my might.

It opened. The girl's left arm is missing.

"THANK YOU MIST-- NOOOOO!!! Please take my hand, mister!"

I stood in shock.

What...? Something weird happened. A gigantic tentacle gripped the girl's body and pulled the girl. The girl deliberately bit her hands until it bled, and after less that a couple of seconds, decapitated.

"You are gonna die, Rakasa Mikka! Hahahaha" a weird but demonic voice was heard in the manhole.

The girl's voice is gone, and her bloody hand gripping on the ladder is the only thing I see right now.

Should I call the police? The hand is here as an evidence. I should be safe as long as I don't do anything to it, right?

I called the cops and told them what happened and where I am.

The sirens quickly got here just after a few minutes. The cops are here. They quickly went to the manhole and saw the hand.

"May I ask you again about the name you have heard in the manhole?" asked one of the cops.

"Rakasa Mikka. A tentacle-like stuff somehow pulled her down into the manhole. I haven't heard the girl since then."

The cop went to what looks like their chief. He then went back to me.

"So apparently, a girl named Rakasa Mikka was killed in that abandoned house 4 years ago. This can give us leads as to where the culprit is. Thank you for your cooperation, kid."

Kid, my ass. Don't I deserve any award for this? Anyways, I told the police that I want to go home, but they want to interrogate me all about what happened here.

I went with the police and told them everything that happened. The tentacle thing was ridiculous according to the police. Well, that is what I saw, so I don't care.

They also made sure my name is clean.

They speculated that the culprit mistaken the girl as Rakasa Mikka. They wanted to investigate Mikka's background. At the meantime, they were DNA testing to know the owner of the decapitated hands.

Why not check the fingerprints though? Is it because the girl left without any fingerprint records?

Regardless, I don't care.

I went home, exhausted. Can I die now? Please weird tentacle, kill me too. Too exhausted. I don't even want to get to my bed anymore. I'll just sleep on the floor...

Next day. 6:00 a.m.

My neck hurts a little bit. Sleeping on the floor again is a bad idea. I never learn.

I got myself ready for school. I also brought a liter of my beloved coffee. Good thing my parents are away, I can do whatever I want inside this house.

I saw Miza going to school too. We have been neighbors since college years.

"Hey, can I get a ride?" Miza called me.

*Sigh*. I stopped and waited for her without saying anything. She sat with a smile. Seems like she is thinking of something, maybe a contraption again.

*biking*

"Oh, by the way, they want you to recheck their plans for the next event in school. Seems that they are struggling and just went and stuffed the programs in there." Miza said.

*sigh* "Is that for the whole sports event?"

"Yes. I think that the volleyball before chess is ridiculous. They should make the energy of the event go up as the event runs." Miza replied.

I do agree a little bit, but they might have a reason why the council did just that. Although why did she look at the program? Was she bored? Maybe she was just being her typical curious woman trait.

"Well, haven't you told them that?"

"I did tell them, but some members are too hard-headed."

They just dumped the decision on me, huh? Well, it's not like Miza doesn't know anything about what happens in the council. She probably knows more than me at this point.

Im just the vice president. Well, I don't care. The council likes doing work with me after all for some reason.

We took the east route to the school because the north road is currently under police investigation. We should arrive shortly.

9:00 a.m.

Language class is boring. But at least it is the last subject of the day, and I have plenty of time to spare. Do I sleep?

I went to Kiama's place. He knew all that happened to me last night.

"The police set you free already? Wow, you must be a model prisoner." Kiama said.

I was genuinely curious as to who this Rakasa Mikka is. That night can't stop bothering me.

"Yeah, also, can I use your other computer?"

"Of course. You want me to teach you the basics?" Kiama asked.

"Nah, I'm good." I replied.

I turned on the PC. After it went fully on, I searched for the name 'Rakasa Mikka'. There are some social media posts with this name in the search results.

She was decapitated according to one social media post, and her grave was just in a nearby graveyard. They also have a picture of the grave its---

---What?---

What?

There is the hand. Exactly like what I saw last night. Just at the bottom right of the gravestone.

"Kiama, hey. Look at this."

"Yeah, awesome, right?" Kiama replied without actually looking at the picture.

"I'm serious though. This looks exactly like the decapitated hand I saw last night."

"Maybe the police posted them for decoration." Kiama sarcastically stated.

"No, this dated back like four years ago."

"Tch. Are you sure?" Kiama went to my computer and looked at the picture. "There's no hand in there. Are you on hallucinogens or something?"

"Yeah, and how did the hand survive the four years without at least changing color though?"

"Sukko, I don't see any hand. Seriously." Kiama replied.

What?

It's clear that it is there.

"Are you actually being serious right now?"

"Haha just kidding. I'm actually more than serious right now." Kiama replied. "I don't know man, but you might as well just sleep for today. Maybe last night messed you up, I don't know."

...

"Really?"

"Sleep. You are creeping me out." Kiama replied.

What?

I don't understand.

Hmmm...

Maybe Kiama is right. Maybe I should just sleep this off.

---hmmm...

*clock ticks*

I can't sleep.

Annoying.

"Hey Kiama... Can you sing me a lullaby or something?"

*monoblock chair sounds*

He actually took the chair and sat right at my side. Yes, sing for me.

"Are you really going to sing for me? Haha."

He is silent.

"Hey?!"

I sense his movements. He's probably dancing or whatever and not singing. Yes, exhaust yourself, I don't care.

*some monoblock chair sounds*

Aren't you stopping? You are starting to weird me out now.

*some wooden instrument clanging with each other*

Ok. Enough. This is becoming creepy. I turned my head towards him and opened my trying-hard-to-sleep eyes.

"Hey, what the heck ar---"

I see a skull. With blood all over it. The body is intact. Dancing. Wearing red robes that looks like that of a priest.

I instinctively twitched away from bed out of shock.

"What the f---"

It's skull mouth is moving as if it is singing something. I only hear the wood-like clanging sound of his mouth. His body is intact.

"H-hey, that was a good one. Will you let me sleep peacefully now?"

It still isn't stopping.

"Exhaust yourself, I don't care."

I went back to his bed, pretending not to care anymore.

Just as I was about to place my knees on the bed, the skullhead took a scalpel out of its pocket and swung it towards me.

It's appearance became more brutal. Blood-like substance squirted upward like fountain water from his neck.

"Hey! That is not funny anymore." I replied in anger.

I instantly looked under the bed.

No one is there.

I tried going near the skull-headed dancing mannequin, which now looks like a skull-headed brutality. But it'd swing its scalpel towards me.

I can't get near it.

"Scum you! Not all jokes you can think are funny, man." I shouted at the skull-headed figure and towards the the ceiling.

It is still doing its dancing and singing actions repeatedly.

I really think I should get out of here now. This is going overboard.

I took the knob and turned it. The door opened. I went out of his room and saw the windows at the living room.

It is all black.

I opened the living room door to go outside the house, but there is a problem.

There is nothing outside. No stars, trees, just void.

I looked down. There is a fiery circle underneath the house, like 30 meters below the house's foundation.

What the heck is this?

...

I felt someone push me down. I haven't felt anyone go behind me.

...

I am falling. I am falling towards the middle of the fiery circle.

I looked at the door. It was the skull-headed figure. When did he get there?

I was nearing the floor. It is covered with what looks like medieval swords. They are all pointing towards me.

I saw a hand just appeared randomly. It looks exactly like the decapitated hand of the girl. It appeared on the tip of middlemost sword that was about to stab me, as if it was trying to prevent me from being stabbed by that sword.

Is it protecting me? Well, there are many more swords around. I guess I'll die.

"f*ck this sh---"

My body fell.

Wait, is this the bed?

I opened my eyes. Kiama is still playing his computer.

It was just a dream.

A nightmarish one. I'd hate to have one of these dreams again.

"Hey, Kiama. I think I should go--"

*thud*

Kiama just suddenly collapsed to the ground.

...

I just had this weird dream. Please don't make it any worse.

I looked at Kiama. He does seem unconscious. I checked his vitals and--

His eyes were gauged out of their sockets.

...

Hey.

I was standing in shock, again.

...

Hey hey hey hey hey!

I kneeled out of fearful despair. Is this another dream?

Man, I hate this world. I just want to cry and die.

WHY ARE HIS EYES GAUGED OUT FOR NO REASON? IS THIS JUST A DREAM? PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE MY REAL BODY ALREADY!

I'm not waking up. I can't wake up.

Is this the reality? I hate waking up.

...

I don't know.

...

Please, anyone. Kill me already.

...

Should I get out of this house?

I looked down, disgusted. I saw the decapitated hand again.

...

What? Are you going to help me? Are you going to put those eyes back inside that dead socket?

Forget it, I--

*slap*

The hand slapped me out of the house. Through its concrete walls.

I don't care anymore.

Everything is nonsensical.

My body isn't feeling anything.

Now I'm just falling. Falling, deeper, and deeper---

*thud*

I fell on the floor. I woke up again. Why?

I went and checked if this is the reality.

I pinched myself, it felt so real. I looked at myself at the mirror. Everything is real. I am real.

One thing just bugs me.

I am in MY home.

From what I remembered, I slept in Kiama's house. So why am I here?

I should ask Kiama about this. Maybe I'll just phone him.

*krrrrt krrrrt*

Kiama: *hey sukko? wuzzup? how do you feel?*

"Hey, when did I get here?"

Kiama: *Where?*

"Home."

Kiama: *You said you were going to investigate the hand yourself. Told you, there is no hand.*

"You mean the hand that I searched yesterday?"

I checked the date. It was yesterday. It's now 8:00 a.m.

Kiama: *Yes. Fortunately, some adventurous kid saw a zombie in a graveyard.*

"Zombie?"

Well, with all the beautiful nightmares I dreamt just a while ago, I am more inclined to believe that a zombie may actually exist.

Kiama: *Yes. You were the zombie though. Asleep on the graveyard, near the gravestone of Rakasa Mikka.*

What?

My mind seems all jumbled right now.

Kiama: *Miza and I brought you all the way there. Be grateful to Miza, cuz she actually knows where your home keys are. Also, you can't stop mumbling about 'Please help me hand please help me' yeah and you were actually creeping me out a little bit, but not out of the ordinary. Good thing Miza did not care.*

"Thanks man. I think I'm just going to rest for now."

Kiama: *Ok man. See you in school. You should eat more iron. It should make you look better than a zombie.*

*teeet*

The phone call ended.

But for some reason, something started to haunt my mind.

I must investigate this decapitated hand, specifically that of a girl named Rakasa Mikka.