Satsujin Valley

Chapter 1: The Train ride from Tokyo

I was on my way from my university which was in Tokyo. I thought about my family and childhood friends and how i missed them so much. i was far away from home. I missed the warm breeze i felt, the smell of trees and the touch of rain. Even though it rained over here, it still didn't feel like home at all. But luckily, I was only taking a semester at the University Of Tokyo.

I received a text from my mom, saying "stay safe and we'll see you next month". I heard the news while i was replying back to her. "The infectious Haisogusu virus has been spreading around across half of Japan and is now spreading to Tokyo, doctors are asking people to not share drinks, food, or anything that can be passed around and to be cautious about others. If you see someone coughing or scratching a lot, please contact your local policeman or doctor", the reporter said. Now why would she ask people to contact the police? The police have nothing to do with this virus.

I did what i had to do and i took caution. They called for the train ride to Satsujin Valley. i didn't know what Satsujin was but, that's where i had to go for my paper i had to write for history class. I had to take pictures and ask questions to the people who lived in Satsujin. I went on the train and i saw a woman putting up a missing girl poster.

As soon as she got off the train, I took a look at the poster. The girl was my age, 19, had long black hair and she was last seen where i'm about to head to, Satsujin Valley. I was a little nervous but i had hope that i'll be able to come home alive. The train sped off and i was reading a book about the history behind Japan. I asked a boy that looked like he was 22 about the word Satsujin. "Excuse me, what does the word 'Satsujin' mean?", i asked the boy.

His eyes widened and the color from his skin drained to a pale white. "why are you heading there?", The man asked. I closed my book and looked at him as his face continued to flush from his rosy cheeks to snow white. "I have to write an article about the town" i told him. His look went from concerned to scared. " Are you a foreigner?", The boy asked.

"Yes, i'm from America", I said as i began to look concerned. He looks from left to right to see if any people are watching and he writes a note and passes it to me. The note said 'Don't head to that town! it's dangerous! If you go to that town, your chances of living are scarce' I chose to ball up the paper and put it in my bag. The boy writes me another note and this time the note says 'i know you think i am crazy but please follow these steps and it'll help you survive Satsujin Valley

1) Never use the flash on your camera to take a picture

2) Be quick

3) Use Night vision on your camera

4) Don't take an artifact with you

5) The last rule that you MUST follow is... to HIDE and DO NOT FIGHT BACK, they'll kill you

I read these rules and i was terrified about going to the valley. I kept the rules in my back pocket and i wrote back to him and said ' thank you' but when i tried to give him the note, he vanished like a ghost. "That was weird, he was just here", i said. After everybody got off of the train, i was the last passenger on the train. I was alone for awhile until a girl with white hair who looked like she was 16 got on and sat in the front of the train and she played a sad song on her violin. Then she sang 'Shinpaishinaide, shinpaishinaide kudasai. Sugu ni subete ga owarudeshou. Shi wa subete no itami to kurushimi o owara semasu'.

The thought of hearing a child sing that was disturbing. The song says 'Don't worry, Don't worry; Everything will be over soon, Death will end all the pain and suffering'. I knew that song because when i was 15 years old, my brother, Harry, was in the hospital and i passed an old woman's room and i heard her saying those lyrics in English and Japanese. It haunted me for the rest of my life. I stared at her and i began to look in fear. I knew that at that moment, that i have to stay on this train until it turns back to Tokyo.

The train stopped at a village and a sign that said Satsujin Valley. I continued to sit in the train and the girl with the violin got off the train while i stayed on. I was afraid to even get off the train, i don't know what i'm about to encounter. "Hey, you need to get off the train", the train conductor said.  "listen, there's a mistake. i just got a call from my mom and she got into a really bad accident and she needs me in Tokyo", i lied. I was hoping  the train conductor can take me back to Tokyo.

"Sorry but you'll have to wait until 9:00am for the next train, i am off duty for tonight", he said. My heart sunk like a boat. I didn't want to stay the night in a creepy village. I was afraid of what might happened to me. But i had no choice but to get off the train, i was scared and alone. The girl with the violin stared at me from across the train tracks and as soon as the train left, she disappeared.  Now, i have to follow the rules on how to survive the haunting of Satsujin Valley.