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This can’t be happening Naomi stared ahead of her in pure horror. Bucket falling from her shaking hands as she just stared.
“Se…Seiko….?” Her voice trailed off as she stared at the girl in front of her. She felt her knees buckle but didn’t even realize she was falling till she was on the floor. She couldn’t look away, just kept staring into Seikos wide, glassy eyes. Her body was still swaying a little, making a small creaking sound on the rope.
Naomi heard a scream, and it took her a few seconds to realize it was her screaming. This couldn’t be happening Seiko was JUST with me. We were having a sleepover. We were fine, she was fine, she was laughing. Naomi’s body crumpled in on itself, as if it could protect her from what she was seeing. She just kept screaming, hands gripping at her hair, as if she could pull her very skull apart to release the pressure burning and bubbling through her body.
She didn’t know how long she had been screaming, her voice was hoarse and slowly refused to come out. Instead being changed for silent sobs as her body wracks. She eventually pries her head from the safety between her knees. Looking up at Seiko, her body is no longer swaying, just staring at her with wide bloodshot glassy eyes.
She tears her eyes away from Seiko finally noticing she’s not alone. A small girl stands beside her. Her skin is way too pale and grey, deep purple bruising all around her thin throat. Long black hair messily in front of her face, her bright red dress ripped and torn. She tilts her head innocently looking at Naomi then Seiko. She couldn’t be any older than 7, maybe 8.
“Is your friend hurt?” She asked in a soft tone, fidgeting with her hands a bit. Naomi just stared at her silently, slowly blinking her eyes as if the child in front of her would disappear if she did. The girl reached out slowly and stroked Naomi’s cheek, softly cleaning the still flowing tears.
“There there… it’s okay…” she softly whispered slowly moving her other hand to pet Naomi’s disheveled hair. Smoothing it down softly.
“Do you want to help her…? To save her?” She asked, tilting her head again, a small smile on her face.
Naomi slowly nodded “yes” her voice came out as a hoarse whisper, cracking and barley being able to be forced out of her tight throat.
The girl in front of her smiled wide. If Naomi wasn’t so desperate for any shred of hope she might have caught that it was a bit too wide. A bit too gleeful. A cruel sinister grin.
She reached behind her and pulled out a small pocket watch. Naomi slowly reached for it but the girl held it away from her.
“There’s a couple rules first.” Naomi nodded a little bit, swallowing down the bile that was slowly creeping up her already burning throat.
“You can’t prevent you guys from coming here.” She said softly.
Naomi stared at her gripping her shirt above her stomach tightly “why not…?”
The girl shook her head putting her hands on her hips “because you just can’t! It won’t work if you do, you won’t be able to save her.” She seemed to refuse to explain further than that.
Naomi kept staring at her, waiting for more rules but they just silently stared at each other. The young girl shrugged “that’s it” she held her hand out to Naomi, palm open with the clock resting on it.
Before gasping “no wait one more rule!” She said quickly. Naomi felt her lips pull up slightly at this despite the situation, she always did have a soft spot for kids.
“You can’t break the watch!” She looked up with just her eyes as it in thought. “Or lose it. Or give it away” she thought for a few more seconds before shifting it in her hands. “Oh it’s tied to her life! When it stops ticking she’s not alive!”
Naomi watched her silently for a few seconds. Waiting for the young girl to remember any other rules. She was just so tired, not allowing her brain to question why this girl was helping her, or how. She just wanted Seiko, she needed Seiko. The girl didn’t say anything else, so Naomi reached out and took the watch.
“How do I…?” She trailed off in question, tilting her head a bit. The young girl giggled taking Naomi’s hands into her own cold hands, slowly guiding her hands to the crown, pulling it up and spinning it backwards a bit. Holding their hands together not letting Naomi let go for a few seconds.
Naomi’s focus was entirely on the clock in her hands. The girl grinned wildly, this was going to be so fun. “Good luck” she said, putting on her best innocent voice. Before pushing Naomi’s fingers down again, and letting go. Naomi squeezed her eyes shut as a bright light exploded before her eyes.