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V11 Story I – Part 11

I recalled the golden liquor. I had drunk it myself without giving it to Tatenashi, and that simple oversight triggered a catastrophic chain of events. And then, while I was asleep, the cook hurried to me.

“He came to verify the switch and, if needed, deal with Odagiri,” Mayuzumi continued. “I stopped him, though. I have no interest in watching acquaintances be dissected before my eyes. I find such spectacles uninteresting. If Odagiri-kun’s belly was opened, it would’ve been the cook who died. We’re not even guests.”

Mayuzumi’s matter-of-fact tone sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t shake the memory of that terrifying moment when I had nearly become the next victim. And as I grappled with the horrors, Mayuzumi peeled back another layer of the nightmare.

“He had to sedate Tatenashi, but he made an error in dosage because of the unusual circumstances. The drug wasn’t strong enough, and Tatenashi stayed awake. After removing part of his lung, Towa sealed the wound, and the cook took the lung to the kitchen. But then he heard a noise, so he quickly stored the lungs in the fridge and hurried over. That’s when the cook saw Tatenashi awake and standing. And, knowing the truth, he attacked the cook. Using this.”

Mayuzumi brought out the arm she’d concealed under the table. In her hand was a slender cane that belonged to Tatenashi. Skillfully twirling the handle, a flat, long blade emerged with a sharp sound.

Shwing!

She casually swung the weapon around.

“It’s for self-defense. He planned to kill the hosts after dinner and then escape the island without resorting to suicide.”

It came back to me. When we exchanged rooms, he said, “I don’t need anything else,” while swinging his cane. And then he left swiftly. He probably never needed a cane to walk at all.

Next came Mayuzumi’s words.

“Leave him be. He won’t go through with it. The rest is up to him.”

“The cook fought back, slashing his assailant’s belly with a knife. He wiped away the blood, disposed of the weapon, and returned to the kitchen to regain composure. But in that window, she discovered Tatenashi.”

Mayuzumi pointed towards Kaya. She had noticed the slightly ajar door and, on a whim, decided to enter. There, she stumbled upon the body. The cook would have been accused of the murder.

“But even after the body was discovered, no one made a fuss. Following procedure, the cook went ahead and disposed of the body in plain view of everyone. And he would’ve gotten away with it too if it weren’t for one annoying guest, leading us to the current situation. That’s the long and short of it.”

Mayuzumi paused, then casually reached for another piece of chocolate and tossed it into her mouth.

“Are you satisfied now, Odagiri-kun? We’ve got a body on the island with both guests and hosts around, so I figured it’s best to make things clear. It’d be a pain to explain later, and I know you’d ask eventually… Anyway, let’s go through the motions. Any rebuttals?”

Mayuzumi turned her gaze to Towa, who remained silent, wearing a faint smile as she stood her ground. The guests were dumbfounded. The old woman’s jaw hung open, while the brother trembled uncontrollably.

Kaya closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them, fixing a clear gaze on Towa.

“Is what she’s saying… true?” she asked.

“Well, it might be. But even if it is, so what?” Towa shrugged, an angelic smile playing on her lips. “You lot wouldn’t even know good meat if it hit you on the face,” she added, her tone bright and fitting for her youthful appearance.

Kaya tightened her grip on the knife, and her brother brandished the champagne bottle. Covering her mouth, the old woman gazed longingly at Towa.

Someone muttered in a disturbing tone, “Screw you… Give it to me… Give me that meat!”

Saliva dribbled from the guests’ mouths, their reaction far from ordinary. I recalled Mayuzumi’s words. Were they not merely under the influence of some drug infused in the flesh?

I opened my mouth to speak, but at that moment, the cook moved for the first time. His unnaturally large body moved forward, imposing. I bit back my words, fearing that any utterance in this tense atmosphere could set off a disastrous chain of events.

The guests and the cook remained frozen, weapons at the ready. Sweat trickled down my cheek. Hunger, anger, reluctance to engage in combat—they all hung in a delicate balance. The tense air gradually settled, the malice momentarily easing. I attempted to speak again.

Thunk!

Suddenly, everything went dark. I let out a scream, uncertain of what had just occurred. It took me a moment to realize that the lights had gone out. Then, something sliced through the air.

Whoosh! Thud!

Screams erupted, and champagne bottle shattered. I frantically scanned the darkness but saw nothing. The old woman’s howl echoed in the dark.

“No, no! I haven’t eaten yet! Give it to me! Give me that meat!”

There was a squish, and the voice faded away. Bewildered people began engaging in deadly combat.

Animalistic screams rose from all directions. I searched for Mayuzumi and Towa, but I couldn’t see anything. In the next moment, someone firmly gripped my wrist. A small hand desperately pulled me.

“They were meant to die anyway. It’s all the same in the end,” Towa whispered softly.

But it couldn’t be the same. Could it? I tried to free my hand, attempting to calm her in the darkness. There came another slice.

Whoosh! Thud!

It missed me. A squelch sounded nearby, and my body was lifted into the air. The nauseating stench of blood enveloped me completely. Someone hoisted me up and dashed away like a tempest.

I was carried off in the darkness. Deep fear gripped me. I felt as though the darkness would swallow me whole without a trace. But then, the door swung open abruptly. The sea breeze caressed my cheek, and cold air filled my lungs.

The black sea and the silhouettes of the trees welcomed us. The pale light of the thin moon, invisible through the windows, cast a dim light on the island.

Suddenly, I was pushed aside, and crashed into the cracked stairs. I raised my head. The cook stood before me, an arrow embedded in his shoulder. He took a step back.

Thunk!

I heard footfalls. Towa stood at the top of the stairs, her legs close together as she peered down at me. Her red skirt fluttered gently in the breeze. She stared at me in silence.

Moments later, a gentle smile graced her lips, and the host of the dinner party gave a graceful bow.

“Goodbye, and take care. Never return to this place ever again, okay? Those who can live normal lives should live in peace.”

She lifted her face gently. For a brief moment, she looked like she was about to cry, but she bit her lip to hold back the tears.

Accompanied by her servant, Towa turned, and the two disappeared behind the door.

I hurled a stone through the window, sending glass fragments scattering into the darkness.

No matter how hard I pounded on it, the front door remained firmly shut. So, I opted to break in through the window, frantically searching for the lock amidst the shattered glass. Finally locating it, I unlocked the window and pushed it open with a creak. As I clambered through the frame, a sharp piece of glass cut into my foot. Ignoring the pain, I jumped into the hallway, my eyes darting around the darkness.

“Fuck. What the hell… What the hell happened?” I muttered to myself, as I leaned against the wall. Fumbling in the dark, I moved forward.

In the murky darkness, the throbbing ache in my left hand was the only sensation that felt real. Gritting my teeth against the searing pain, I pressed on down the hallway, the journey seeming endless. Then, in the next moment, the lights flickered to life, momentarily blinding me. Despite the discomfort, I quickened my pace.

Blood oozed from my injured ankle as I dragged my damp foot along, rushing into the dining hall.

Crack.

It was all over by the time I arrived.

A heavy silence engulfed the room. Mayuzumi sat alone at the dining table covered in red tablecloth, calmly chewing on chocolate as if nothing had occurred.

At her feet lay the lifeless bodies of Kaya, her brother, and the old woman. Arrows jutted from their throats. Their heads were crushed, their arms twisted.

Towa and the cook were absent, having vanished without a trace.

And amidst the aftermath…

Crack!

Mayuzumi continued her solitary banquet.