Rain fell in relentless sheets, pouring down in a constant deluge from the darkened sky, soaking everything in its path and obscuring vision. The pounding rain was accompanied by the earth-shaking roars of thunder that rolled through the atmosphere, rumbling ominously and seeming to shake the very ground beneath her feet with each powerful crack.
Bright, jagged flashes of lightning split the darkness, illuminating the chaotic scene briefly and casting stark and eerie shadows that danced across the landscape. In those fleeting instants of brightness, it became painfully clear that the storm showed no mercy for the young woman who raced valiantly through the tempest, determined to navigate the tumultuous conditions despite the overwhelming fury of nature.
The relentless downpour drenched her to the bone, and the chaotic sounds of the storm engulfed her, amplifying the urgency of her flight amidst the swirling winds and torrential rain.
Her once-pristine white dress was now marred by splotches of crimson, a stark contrast to her pale, drawn face. In her small, trembling hand, she gripped a bloodied knife, its blade reflecting the sporadic bursts of light. Panic surged within her, filling her wide eyes with terror as they darted around, searching for any hint of safety amidst the storm.
"You think you can escape from us? You won't get away," came a voice from behind her, calm yet laced with sinister malice that sent chills down her spine. The speaker seemed to revel in the palpable fear that radiated from her very being, their dark pleasure only fueling her escalating sense of dread. Each word dripped with a menacing satisfaction that made her blood run cold, amplifying the anxiety that overwhelmed her.
As her panic set in, she suddenly tripped over a gnarled branch that jutted out from the ground, a twisted remnant of the chaotic underbrush around her. She lost her balance and tumbled down a small incline, crashing to a halt at the bottom with a bone-jarring thud. Breathless and disoriented, she lay there, her body feeling heavy and weak.
In a cruel twist of fate, her leg had been skewered by a sharp, jagged piece of wood that thrust up wickedly from the earth beneath her. The agony of her predicament surged through her, creating waves of pain that mingled with her rising terror.
As if in response to her plight, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed ominously around her, rhythmic and relentless, matching the pouring rain that drummed against the earth.
From the gloom, a shadowy figure emerged, outlined against the dark sky, holding a baseball bat wrapped in razor-sharp barbed wire that glinted menacingly in the dim light. A dark hat obscured the details of their face, leaving only a cloak of intimidation that enveloped them, but the intent behind their dreadful presence was unmistakably clear. The beating of Kiyoko's heart felt like a drum, each thump reverberating in her ears as dread took hold of her.
"We warned you, Kiyoko," the figure said with a chilling calmness, kneeling beside her with an unsettling ease that set her on edge. Their voice was flat, void of any hint of empathy or compassion as they surveyed her horrifying predicament with cold, detached interest.
"If you hadn't decided to run, you wouldn't be in such agonizing pain right now." The words hung in the air, heavy with accusation and a sadistic lack of concern for her suffering.
Despite the overwhelming fear that clawed at her insides, Kiyoko's heart raced with a surge of defiance that ignited her spirit. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she shot back,
"I'd rather die falling from a mountain than be killed by someone like you!" The tremor in her voice betrayed her, yet she remained resolute, unwilling to show any sign of weakness.
Even with the darkness closing in and her strength waning, she was determined not to crumble before her tormentor, fighting against the very real terror that threatened to engulf her.
The figure let out a chilling chuckle, their amusement almost palpable as they straightened up and moved away briefly to retrieve something from a nearby bag. When they returned, her breath caught in her throat as they held up the severed head of one of her classmates, the reflection of the lightning flashing unsettlingly off the ghastly trophy.
As they tossed it towards her with a leisurely flick of their wrist, Kiyoko's eyes widened in horror, recognition dawning with sickening clarity that sent waves of nausea through her.
"If you win, you live,"
The voice on the screen had proclaimed, its ominous message haunting Kiyoko ever since she had first heard it echo through the TV, a grim reminder of the stakes involved in the twisted game she found herself trapped in. Regret washed over her like the relentless rain, but it was too late to turn back now. Every second felt like a lifetime as acceptance flooded her mind, and with a weak, trembling smile, she braced herself for the inevitable.
As the grip tightened cruelly around her neck, she felt the darkness begin to close in, swallowing her hope and plunging her into a chilling void where escape was no longer an option.
He observed everything with a calm, stoic gaze as the rain intensified. After a moment, he turned away from the body and approached a girl in a red dress holding an umbrella.
He nodded, and as she turned to walk, he glanced back briefly before following her and said,
"Who will be Cinderella?"