A figure is standing in the distance, fogged by the alley’s darkness. Its slender, pale body is covered by a thin layer of black cloth. With the figure’s hair being long, slick blackness, the only other color in this painting is its glittering red eyes, piercing right through me.

As soon as our eyes met, my body has been overrun by shivers from top to bottom. Without understanding much of anything, my instincts keep helplessly crying.

Danger

Though the figure has been motionless for a few seconds now, the suffocating sense of danger refuses to leave me. My eyes frantically scan my surroundings to reassure myself.

The road is dim, with some of the lights dying out and others flickering dimly as they struggle to stay alive. No passengers can be seen around me. No cars are driving through this dark alley so late into the night.

I’m alone here.

My attempt to reassure myself ended up backfiring boldly. My petrification has reached the point where I can’t take a single step forward. Thoughts of bursting into running occasionally strike me.

Why won’t it leave?

Why does that creepy figure keep standing there with its piercing gaze directed at me?

Why... am I so scared of it?

“A-ah!”

Suddenly, the static figure takes a step forward. My whole body anxiously jumps at the sudden development. My wish that this step would have no following is mercilessly crushed to bits as the figure takes further steps in my direction.

Don’t come

I should run.

I should run.

I should run.

I repeat that in my head, over and over. No matter how strongly I focus on that thought, my body refuses to act upon it.

Stop...

Stop.

Stop!

Unable to budge, I try to scare away the approaching figure with my thoughts. The only one who gets intimidated by these barks is none other than me.

“W-w-who?”

My stuttering voice reaches the figure. My knee starts shaking wildly at the thought that my outburst might anger it.

“...........”

There’s no answer.

There’s only that unwavering gaze that reduces me to a snake’s prey.

As the figure now stands closer, the flickering road lights occasionally cast their rays in its direction. The figure is that of a pale woman with tender curves. Her age escapes me, for she bears both a sense of freshness and a hint of adultery.

Though fear insists on choking me, I can’t help but find this woman... beautiful. Her dark clothes and her milky skin both serve to mix her with the night and to make her glow in it. Her long dress conceals most of her body, but that’s precisely why the exposed parts are so efficient at catching my attention.

Her palms, her neck, and her face. These are the only parts that lay bare in front of me. Normally, looking at any of those would bear no weight. Yet, in my head, I can see myself melting from a mere touch by any of those.

Bit by bit, her attractiveness is invading my senses and is seeding a bewilderment. Fear and the desire to run away are blurred by awe. Though I know I should flee, my eyes can’t help but stay glued to this mysterious woman’s figure.

“Ah!”

Slowly, her right arm rises in my direction. My heart starts beating wildly at the thought that her soft hand will touch my skin.

“Ah... ah...”

Her palm reaches out to my cheek and lightly lands upon it. My body slightly jumps at the cool touch of her hand. My consciousness is thrown into a daze as I keep tasting her tender skin. My body is growing numb as all of my senses shift their focus toward sensing the woman’s hand.

It’s as if my whole body ceased to exist and my consciousness is fueled only by her soft touch. If her hand leaves me... will I disappear?

As my mind is drifting in vivid thoughts, her grasp is suddenly tightened.

“Huh!?”

As soon as I react, I can feel her long, sharp nails touching the tip of my neck. My eyes try to inform me of the unfolding, yet fail to cut through the sight of her palm being pressed against my cheek.

“G-gahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”

The fingernails dig into my flesh without a warning.

Foreign blades invade my body.

As soon as they are satisfied with the depth, the blades move in a swift arc across my face,

My flesh is ravaged by the sharp nails.

“Gahhh!!! Ughhh!!!”

I collapse onto the floor while covering my assaulted face. Moans and cries of pain escape me restlessly. My body trembles as it tries to deal with the overflowing pain that haunts it.

Amidst the confusion and distress, my spared eyes slowly turn toward the assaulter.

“..............”

She is silent, just as before. However, the thin smile on her face has grown into a wide grin of ecstasy. Her pink tongue is fervently cleaning the blood from her hand as if savoring the taste of every drop.

My eyelids are forced open by my shock of the sight in front of me. On top of the fierce pain that spouts from my injuries, a sharp sense of terror grips me.

I’m going to be killed

This woman is insane.

No, it’s beyond that.

She is... a monster.

Using every ounce of strength I can gather, I try to backpaddle. After a few successful, though short, steps - I turn my back to the woman, ready to flee at a moment’s notice. My left hand insists on being glued to my injured face, for I fear that my face will fall apart unless I hold it tightly. I press my right hand against the cold floor and try to raise my body.

“Ugh-!”

My body crashes into the ground as soon as I put strength into my right arm. Weight is thrown on top of me from behind without any warning. Struggling against the labor, I slowly turn my covered face backward to scout the circumstances.

“Ugh...”

All I can see is red glow in the corner of my eye.

But that’s enough.

Enough to determine what currently lays on top of me.

“W-why...?”

Tears start flowing as I slowly turn my eyes toward the ground. I haven’t done a single thing to deserve that woman’s hate. Why does she hunt me? Why me!?

The more I try to lift her, the heavier she seems to become. This short struggle meets its end with my defeat; her body is now pressed tightly against my back.

“Release me... please...”

My voice slowly dies. My throat is dry. My body lacks strength.

My ability to resist is fickle and weak.

There’s no way for me to overthrow her.

Daze yet again strikes me as I can sense her body. Though we are separated by layers of clothing, the cool sensation that touched my cheek now spreads all over my back. I get goosebumps from the image of her pretty curves resting on top of my back.

“Whatever... do what you want with me...

My will to resist is extinguished. I loosen my body and let it rest while pressing the numb arm buried beneath it. My left arm, too, loses its force and slowly detaches itself from my bloody face.

As expected, the palm is dyed in sickening red. Though I know that this blood comes from me, my hazy mind will not process that information.

Nothing matters anymore...