Dead Man's Tales: HSOTD

( More chapters on [email protected]/LordCampione. )

Rei tried to pace herself, walking at a steady speed so she'd get to the theater just a little before the movie started. She didn't want to arrive too early and be stuck standing around awkwardly by herself. It's not like she had anyone to chat with while waiting. She was going solo tonight, and the idea of hanging around outside the theater, looking like she was waiting for someone who wasn't going to show up, didn't sit well with her.

On the way, she started thinking about Kozen and whether he'd arrive at the same time. That would be too lucky though, wouldn't it? She debated with herself—should she wait outside and risk looking awkward, or should she just go in, grab a seat, and get comfortable? Both options had their pros and cons. Waiting outside might make her look like she didn't know what to do with herself, but walking in alone felt a little exposed, too. She couldn't decide.

While she was grappling with that, she noticed something strange. The usual blur of passing car lights that had been rushing by her on the road was gone. Instead, there was a single, constant spotlight behind her. It didn't move. It just hung there, casting its harsh light on the dark road.

She was walking in the grass, maybe two feet away from the road, since there were no streetlights around here. The darkness was thick, swallowing everything beyond the small patches of light from the passing cars. But this car—this one wasn't passing. She felt the tension in her chest build as she took a step to her right, further away from the road. She craned her neck over her left shoulder to get a better look at what was going on.

There it was, a car stopped about ten feet behind her, headlights blazing into the night. The beams cut through the darkness so violently that she couldn't make out much besides those blinding lights. She squinted, trying to get a better look. 

Maybe it's Takashi or Hisashi's parents, she thought. They always had a habit of sending someone to keep an eye on me. She rolled her eyes at the thought. While she knew they did it out of concern, sometimes it felt like she was being babysat. She didn't need protecting.

Still, she took a step toward the car, just in case. That's when it broke its pause and started rolling forward, slowly, creeping toward her like it was testing the waters. As it passed, she saw that it wasn't their parents' car. In fact, it wasn't any car she recognized at all. 

She tried to peer through the window to catch a glimpse of the driver, but it was too dark. Her pupils were still recovering from being blasted by those intense headlights. Her vision blurred and took a moment to adjust, but by the time it did, the car was already pulling away. As it drove off, she noticed something odd—a huge crack in the back window. The jagged lines splintered across the glass, and for some reason, it made her feel uneasy.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the feeling. It's nothing, she told herself. Some people just like messing with others, especially at night. Takashi, Hisashi, and she used to pull pranks on people all the time when they were kids, jumping out from behind corners, hiding in shadows to give someone a scare. This was probably no different, just some idiot trying to freak her out.

But despite her efforts to brush it off, the unsettled feeling lingered in the back of her mind, gnawing at her as she continued walking.

Rei nailed the timing and arrived at the theater about ten minutes before the movie started. She had decided to wait outside until 9:57, giving her just enough time to spot Kozen and Kohta inside if they had already grabbed their seats. 

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw them. Not Kohta and Kozen, but Takashi and Hisashi. Great, she groaned internally. Hisashi wasn't even a fan of horror films, something about his older sister traumatizing him with gore movies as a kid. Rei always thought he was exaggerating a bit, but she respected his feelings. If those two were here, it could only mean Takashi had dragged Hisashi along, probably thinking he was doing her a favor.

Goddamn, Takashi, she thought, irritation prickling at her. He could be so overprotective and stubborn, pretending indifference but always ready to leap into action over nothing. 

Let me guess, he's here for my 'safety.'

Deciding to ignore them for now, Rei made a beeline for the ticket booth. Just as she reached it, Kozen and Kohta showed up, Kohta looking like he'd just sprinted a marathon, draped over Kozen's back. 

"Sorry, someone here couldn't arrive on time," Kozen apologized with a slight smirk.

"Blame the bus," Kohta managed between huffs.

Rei just smiled at their antics. 

"Okay, so who's paying?" Kozen asked.

Rei raised her hand eagerly. She had done her research before coming here and was ready to make this a memorable evening. "Dawn of the Dead," she announced, handing over the money.

The movie choice was a classic, and as they settled into their seats, Rei could see why this theater offered tickets for 200 yen. The place had seen better days, the seats a bit worn, the screen slightly faded. It added a certain charm to the experience, though. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

"Funny meeting you three here," Takashi's voice cut through the chatter as the lights began to dim. Hisashi was beside him, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world.

Kozen glanced at Takashi and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do I know you?" 

Takashi froze, and Rei couldn't help but snort. 

"Shh, the movie's starting."

Dawn of the Dead rolled onto the screen, the opening scenes gripping as she had heard in the reviews.

As the movie unfolded, Rei occasionally glanced over at her friends. Hisashi had his eyes closed, clearly trying to shut out the horror. Kohta, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the crowd than the screen, jotting down notes as he observed couples around them. 

Dude, watch the movie, she wanted to say. Meanwhile, Kozen was completely absorbed, his attention fixed on the action, thoroughly enjoying the cinematic carnage while completely ignoring Takashi's existence.

The movie was great, but Takashi's odd behavior was gnawing at her. 

Okay, I need to talk to this idiot. What the hell is his problem?

After the movie, the group made their way to the bus stop. It was quiet, but not the uncomfortable kind of quiet—more like everyone was just processing the film. Thankfully, the movie had been great, so even if things felt a little awkward between them all, the overall mood was positive. At least, that's what Rei thought.

In the distance, she heard a faint screeching sound, but it quickly faded. She didn't think much of it, until a low rumble replaced it—like thunder rolling closer. Her heart sank when she realized what it was. 

A car. 

The growling of the engine got louder. Then, a sudden thought struck Rei—No, not louder… closer.

Her stomach twisted as the realization hit her. The car was coming for them. Fast. 

She started to back away, her eyes flicking to Kozen, who had already noticed. His eyes narrowed, and she could see Kohta hurriedly dialing the police, his hands shaking as he pressed the buttons. Takashi and Hisashi braced themselves, ready for anything, their usual carefree demeanor replaced with a sense of urgency. 

For a brief second, she thought maybe the group could intimidate whoever was behind the wheel into backing off. But then she heard it—a scream. Brief, cut off, like it had been swallowed by the roaring engine. Her body froze for a moment, fear gripping her in its icy claws.

Move, Rei, she screamed at herself, but before she could get very far, her foot caught on something—a loose piece of stone—and she stumbled. Everything seemed to slow down. She hit the concrete hard, her head smacking against the corner of a chair as she went down. 

Pain exploded across her skull, dazing her. For what felt like an eternity but was probably no more than thirty seconds, she couldn't move. Her mind swam, the world around her fading in and out of focus. 

Then the sound—the rumbling growl of the engine—snapped her back to reality, the adrenaline surging through her like lightning. The car was right there, just upon her. The headlights blinded her, casting long shadows in the darkness as the vehicle charged forward, its tires squealing against the pavement. She could see the grill of the car now, inches from her, the front bumper ready to strike.

This is it, she thought, panic rising in her throat, her limbs paralyzed by fear. 

I'm going to get run over.

But before she could brace for the impact, she felt something—someone—grab her. In one swift motion, she was yanked out of the way, just in time for the car to miss her by inches. The air rushed past her, and she realized she was safe—for the moment.

Takashi. He had saved her.

Her breath was ragged, her heart hammering in her chest. She barely had time to register what had just happened when, like in slow motion, she caught sight of the back of the car as it sped away. A massive crack ran along the back window. And then it clicked.

Oh… It was that car. The one from earlier. 

Suddenly, a stone slammed into the back window, deepening the crack. She looked up just in time to see another rock, this time shattering the glass completely. Kozen and Hisashi had thrown the rocks with precision. Meanwhile, Kohta, always quick to think, was recording everything on his phone, capturing the evidence.

As the car roared away, they quickly checked on each other, making sure no one was seriously hurt. Once they were sure everyone was okay, they made their way to the nearest police station, the adrenaline still buzzing in her veins.

She sat there in the lobby while Kozen and the others spoke to the officers, taking care of the formalities. Kozen mentioned something about the 24-hour rule for filing reports being a myth, which, apparently, it was. She barely paid attention, though. She just sat there, her body still trembling, her mind replaying the events over and over.

She had almost been run over. Not by accident, but by someone who meant harm. Someone who was targeting her.

Why? Why her? 

She glanced around the station, the harsh fluorescent lights overhead casting everything in a sterile, impersonal glow. The officers were calm, chatting with her friends, but all she could think about was how close she had come to being… gone.

She tried to shake the feeling, tried to tell herself it was just a scare, but deep down, something gnawed at her. This wasn't over. Whoever was driving that car… they wanted something from her. And she had no idea why.

Rei stood there, Takashi offering her a kiwi-flavored soda—her favorite. She nodded, taking a sip, the familiar taste calming her slightly.

"I'll live," she muttered, staring down at the can. 

"Thanks for saving my life." 

"Of course, I'll always be there to save you," Takashi responded, his tone intended to be reassuring.

Normally, such a statement would have been sweet, something Rei might have smiled at, perhaps even laughed about later. But under the current circumstances, with her mind still spinning from the attack, it felt wrong. It wasn't comforting. It carried an undertone that she couldn't shake, something dark, something suffocating.

"Don't," Rei whispered, the word slipping out before she could stop it.

"What?" Takashi's voice was confused, and he looked at her, seeking clarification.

"I'm thankful that you saved me," Rei began, her voice low, struggling to maintain composure. "But don't act like you're my protector."

"But I am," he replied, firm in his conviction.

Rei felt the aluminum can bend slightly in her grip, the pressure of her fingers warping the metal. She knew why Takashi acted this way. It all stemmed from that naive promise they made as children, where they swore they'd marry each other when they grew up. Such promises were typical of playful childhood fantasies, not meant to be taken seriously.

But Takashi had never let it go. He clung to that idea, believing he had a duty to fulfill, that he was supposed to be there as her "husband." Rei despised it, how it made her feel indebted, as if she had to live up to that silly promise. It felt like she didn't have a choice in her own life.

But she did have a choice. She always had a choice.

For the past year, she'd been hinting, trying to make him see that the idealized version of her in his head wasn't real. But now, sitting in this cold, sterile police station, it became clear that subtlety was no longer enough.

"I didn't want this," she realized, her patience wearing thin.

"Takashi," Rei said, her voice almost pleading. "Grow up."

He stiffened, his tone turning sharp. "What the hell do you mean, grow up?! I saved you because I needed to."

"Needed to because I'm your bride in your make-believe fantasy!" Rei's voice rose, her frustration boiling over, drawing the attention of others around them.

Takashi looked heartbroken, but Rei felt nothing but disgust. Disgust that he expected her to fulfill a childhood promise, that he thought she owed him for his actions.

"What kind of loser expects a childhood promise to define their whole life, especially one about love and commitment?" she spat out, her voice trembling with anger. "Do I have to sacrifice my choice because you can't get over it? Do I have to be embarrassed every time I hang out with friends because you feel the need to insert yourself into my life?"

Takashi stared at her, pale and shocked, but she continued. "Takashi, just leave me alone." The words were clear, final.

Then, the unimaginable happened.

Slap.

The sound echoed through the station. Rei's cheek burned with a sharp pain. She touched her face in disbelief. Did Takashi just slap me?

She looked up at him, her mind reeling from the shock. His eyes—once filled with concern—now burned with betrayal and hurt.

Tears welled in her eyes, not from the pain but from the sheer disbelief. 

Before she could respond, Kozen stepped forward. Takashi, blinded by rage, threw a punch at him. But Kozen, unflinching, countered swiftly, his fist connecting with Takashi's nose with a sickening crack. Takashi fell, unconscious before he hit the ground.

Rei watched, her chest tight with conflicting emotions. Everything felt so wrong. She didn't want any of this. But she knew one thing for certain: there was no going back.