TW: Associating humans with food, gore, decapitation, just down-right unsettlinâ
Seconds turned to minutes, and those minutes felt like an eternity. How long, oh how long would you be forced to share breath with thisâŠthis literal monster? How long would he continue to taunt you all, attempting to destroy the remnants of hope you had left, if you even allowed him to break through to you. Apparently, Monobear had enough of his ramblings and finally let the floor swallow him.
It took much longer than anyone would have thought for the monitor to buzz on, so much time had passed that many wondered if Hachiro had died from the fall. It would seem that there was no puddle of blue hair accompanied by an anime jacket, though, but the Hachiro that was on the monitor was much different than the one who had left. Hachiroâs hair was sideswept, somehow making him look more like an anime protagonist than normal. His normal clothes were also replaced, for now he was adorned in a white suit atop a red shirt, a beautiful golden wing emblazoned on his lapel while a silver cross dangled by the zipper. Hachiro examined himself with a mix of terror and awe, somehow understanding the costume he had awoken in, probably more than the majority of the room. But as he dared bring his eyes from his outfit, he was terrified to find an even more familiar scene laid before him.
Or perhaps it wasnât as familiar as he thought. When Hachiro saw the lockers lined underneath the windows and the signs hanging from the doorways, he knew he was in a school, but this was not his school. Though, with how rarely he managed to escape from his classroom, the school could have been an entirely different entity, but the way it was so dilapidated and molded didnât feel right.
Unless this execution had a theme, a theme Hachiro had already been clued into by his outfit.
Just as Hachiro came to this realization, he happened to note that the ground was shaking. Fearing another collapse, he readied himself for the fall only to note that this wasnât an earthquake, it had a pattern of a few seconds between tremors. Taking to trembling knees, he happened to peer around the corner, only to catch the menacing figure of a white creature, tall with floppy ears protruding from its small head. Immediately deciding against that kind of fate, Hachiro launched himself to his feet and sprinted in the opposite direction.
It was only by luck that Hachiro maneuvered away from the creature, luck and the beastâs lack of knowledge that Hachiro was even there. Feeling as though he was a safe distance away, Hachiro ducked into a classroom to catch his breath, realizing how pitifully out of shape he was. As he swallowed down gulps of oxygen, his breath was stolen in his throat as an out of place monitor flickered to life in the room. Behind it sat Monobear, dressed in a white suit highlighting his bulbous shapes, big circular glasses resting on his nose, catching the glare of the light. In the background Monomi sat in her chair, her only change being a spiral shell strapped to her back and a pair of googly eyes glued to the tips of her ears.
âWithout a curse, there will be no God. With a curse, there will be horror. With horror, there shall be worship. Right now is the time where God advents,â Monobear cackled.
From somewhere in the school, a loud and penetrating howl marked the creature, as did the galloping footsteps as it approached, wooden planks snapping underneath its massive weight. Monobearâs broadcast, it was giving away Hachiroâs position! Immediately, Hachiro rushed to the monitor, tugging and snapping just about every wiry vein protruding from it, but it made little difference, Monobear was still on the other side of the glass, laughing in mockery of Hachiroâs feeble attempts to stop the broadcast as he continued his monologue. If anything, Monobear was getting louder, as were the barreling footsteps approaching him.
It was feeble to run, Hachiro knew he was marked for death. But to put off the bloody and painful end he had only come to fear, that was reason enough to keep him on the run, rounding corridors, doing all he could to open doors, knock over lockers, anything that may stop the beast. But as Hachiro continued his run, more and more monitors lit the hallway as Monobear continued his speech, marking the path the monster would need to take to reach Hachiro.
âYou were so handsome in your madness. Gorgeous in your murderous rage. I loved you. But if youâre reverting to a stinking hypocrite who canât save anyone, then Iâll save you myself,â he sneered. âAt first, everyone is disgusted. Afraid to bear the sin of killing people. Afraid to receive punishment for replenishing themselves with the life of another. But, once you realize that you wonât be punished for killing people, you get used to the guilt pretty soon. The guilt of using humans for food. Arenât humans the same?â
âI donât even know what this is referencing anymore!â Hachiro yelled to the screens.
In the next moment, Hachiro was on the ground, his feet tangled in themselves. Such a classic horror trope, to trip over nothing, and of course it happened at such an inopportune time. The footsteps ceased. Though his heart was pounding out of his chest, Hachiro dared to look behind him, the beast lumbering over its prey before taking Hachiro in its mighty clutch.
âNoâŠâ Hachiro pleaded, tears breaking down his cheeks. âNot like this. Please not like this!â
With its free hand, the creature gripped Hachiroâs head, the boy screaming under its grasp as the fiend yanked upwards. The sight, the sounds, it was too much for anyone to bear. Even those with the strongest stomachs were unable to face the visual as Hachiroâs head separated from his body. But the sounds that follow, the crunching, the slurping, the eyrie silence, it was enough to break the horrid reality to everyone. It was easy enough to tell yourself that Hachiro deserved such a fate for what he did, that wasnât what bothered you as much.
Perhaps more terrifying was the realization that this was reality now, and anyone could meet the same bloody end as Hachiro, no matter who they may be.
