The doors to the house slid open with barely a sound as Aki crept inside, doing his best to avoid alerting his father. Though their house wasn't particularly large, it was enough for just the two. He had been sneaking out with his friends every day after school, despite his father's objections. His father, who had always been protective of him, especially after Aki's mother passed away just months after his birth, couldn't seem to persuade Aki to stay close to home.
Aki didn't have any memories of his mother—those were stories told by his father, about a life he never knew. But his father had done his best to raise him well, providing for him in every way he could.
"Stop right there," his father's voice cut through the silence.
Aki froze.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, already feeling the familiar tension rise.
"Where were you?"
Aki hesitated. "Uh… just around here."
"You were hanging around those woods again, weren't you?"
Aki shifted uncomfortably. "What if I was?"
His father's voice grew sharper. "How many times do I have to tell you not to go into those woods?"
Aki's father wasn't being overprotective for no reason. The woods beyond the hills near Gary's farm were steeped in eerie tales—stories of hauntings and things that went bump in the night. Even though Aki's father wasn't a firm believer in the supernatural, he knew that bad reputations didn't come from nowhere. But Aki was fearless, or at least he liked to think he was. He didn't mind the stories; in fact, he found them thrilling. His friends Henry and Steven, however, weren't so keen. Still, Aki always managed to convince them to come along.
"Can't we just go somewhere else today, Aki? Please?" Henry begged one afternoon.
"We always find cool stuff out there. One day, I'm going to make my own collection of things," Aki insisted, eyes bright with excitement.
The three of them sat on the sports ground, watching the kindergarteners race around in carefree chaos. They had no classes after lunch and nothing else to do.
"Henry's right, Aki. Maybe we should go somewhere else," Steven added, his voice laced with caution. Steven was the logical one—practical and grounded. He didn't believe in ghosts or curses, but he valued his safety above all else.
Aki scoffed, brushing off their concerns. "I don't think we'd find anything in those woods anyway. It's all just old stories—folklore passed down from one generation to the next."
He thought back to the stories his grandpa used to tell—stories about a one-eyed monster that only appeared at night, lurking in the dark corners of those very woods. If it ever saw you, you would be good as dead. It is said that it's eye is dreadful, big and scary, an eye that would never once blink.
Aki didn't admit but as a child he would get uncomfortable each time he heard that story.
"We'll meet at 4pm in the woods, don't be late."- Aki told the two.
Aki was dead set on completing his collection of weird items - lost books, toy cars, wallets and what not. When his friends asked him why he would collect those things, his reply was always the same- "Each object that you hold has a history of it's own, They all deserve to have an owner even when they get discarded."
The dead leaves made a crunch sound each time Aki stepped on one. the gentle cool breeze that seeped through the trees of the forest hit Aki's face. He loved the silent walk that went from his house to the forest- a silent path with not many people around. No matter how full of energy he may have been in his youth, he still enjoyed the silent ambient of the road. Gary's farm was situated right in front of the forest. It was the main source of animal products for the town and had been there since before he was born. The man who owned the farm was called Gary, at the age of 25 he took ownership of his father's work as a farmer and turned it into what it is now- a huge production farm.
Aki saw Henry and Steven waiting right in front of the road that led into the forest, a nervous expression hung in both of their faces. they were always creeped out by the sheer eeriness of the forest. The rumor's that went around about the forest were no help either.
"Aki I have my tuition early today so we need to leave early okay?" said Henry.
Growing up, Aki didn't have many friends. if you had seen him as a middle schooler, you wouldn't even have recognized him. A silent kid who rarely even uttered a word. Henry was one of the first kids who came up to him.
"do you speak English?" asked the 11 year old Henry.
Aki nodded as if he wanted to say yes.
"I have never heard you say a single word, are you not able to speak at all?"
"no" Said Aki.
Henry was surprised, a few seconds later a smile crept into his face.
"Cool, you're going to be my friend from now onwards, I'm Henry and you?"
"Aki".
The December breeze hit the 3 of them pretty quick. Even though the 3 of them were no strangers to the cold weather of Hisako, there was something strange about the woods that day. the cool breeze was strikingly cold- it almost felt as if cold iron needles ran into their skins.
"I don't feel so good Aki"- said Stevens.
Stevens usually wasn't so paranoid about being in the woods. He wondered what was so different about the forest that day.
Aki didn't say anything.
"There's seriously something wrong with this, you know what, fuck this!"
"what now Stevens!" Aki exclaimed. This was the first time Aki saw Stevens this paranoid.
"well, have you ever thought, that maybe for just once, we should listen to our elders"-Stevens found himself overwhelmed by his own emotions"
Henry was shocked to see Stevens like that. Henry wanted to agree with Stevens but a part of him didn't want to leave his dear friend Aki alone.
"well then, Just leave you two"-said Aki.
"bu-but"- Henry found himself struggling to find words. He hated to see the two of his dear friends fight.
The huge trees that stood beside them suddenly started to shake. A fourth pair of eyes emerged from the woods- The three of them stood there in absolute shock, trying to comprehend what they were witnessing.
It was a baby with a huge masculine figure. some of the places on it's body looked like it was swelling from it's insides, almost as if it's organs had exploded. the face connected to the body looked a little too unsettling to be there- a baby that looked no older than 3 months, It looked as pale as a dead body,. It's face was full of blood indicating that it had it's last meal not too long ago. the hands of the beast looked masculine- though draped red in fresh blood.
Henry and Stevens froze still in their places-barely being able to look elsewhere other then the huge beast that stood in front of them. Aki being immediately intimidated by it- rose to his feet and grabbed his 2 friends by their hands. both of them could barely move their legs.
"Do the 2 of you want to get fucking eaten? Let's go!"-yelled Aki.
Aki had barely taken another step when the huge beast appeared right in front of his eyes. It's baby face started to giggle as a human baby would when it finds it's favorite toy.
The beast slowly raised it's hand getting ready to slash it's three new toys in half. Aki stared at the nails on the fingers of the beast- so sharp that it could cut a huge tree right in half. Aki froze in his place.
"Slash!"