Chapter 3: Escaping the Utility Room
"You don't need to be so afraid," Haruto said, his tone casual. "In my experience, every one of these instances has a way out. Besides, this is probably just a beginner's level, so it won't be too difficult."
"...I understand." Yotsuya Miko bit her lower lip, forcing the tremor from her limbs and willing herself to calm down. Though she understood nothing about this so-called "Death Game," she knew one universal truth: in situations like this, the more you panicked, the faster you died.
Realizing Haruto was a 'carry'—someone who had likely survived many of these trials before—she fixed her gaze on him, her eyes burning with a desperate intensity.
"So, what should we do now?"
"Find the key, open that door, and see if there are any clues outside." Haruto pointed a thumb at the heavy lock on the iron door. "I've already searched most of this room. There are only two places left: that wardrobe and that doll."
Following his gaze, Miko saw the 'doll' he was referring to. It sat on a high-legged wooden table, its body facing them. From a distance, it looked disturbingly like a tiny child perched there, watching them. As she focused on its painted, eerie smile, a cold dread surged up from the soles of her feet. Even without her unique sight, she could tell something was deeply wrong with it.
"Let's search the wardrobe first," Haruto suggested. "If the key is in there, we won't have to touch the doll."
"Okay."
Eager to be useful, Miko immediately began to search, carefully checking every pocket of the clothes strewn across the floor. Haruto wasn't idle either, picking up discarded garments and patting them down one by one.
Unfortunately, Lady Luck was not on their side.
Even after they had turned every piece of clothing inside out, there was still no sign of the key.
"Looks like the key is on the doll," Haruto said, stopping Miko as she was about to start her search all over again. He stated the harsh reality with a sigh.
"So, what's the plan? You go, or I go?"
"Will... will that doll be dangerous?" Miko couldn't bring herself to touch that thing. From the bottom of her heart, she felt its painted smile was fixed directly on her.
"How should I know? I didn't put it there," Haruto replied irritably. As his gaze swept over the doll, he could have sworn it shifted, an almost imperceptible turn to keep its head facing them. He couldn't help but shrink his neck back.
"I thought you'd encountered this kind of thing before... Didn't you say you were a veteran player?"
"Veteran player?" Haruto pointed at himself, a look of genuine confusion on his face. 'No. When did I become a veteran? Is this a second playthrough? Why didn't I get the memo?'
"This is my first time being thrown into a hellhole like this," he clarified. "I'm a newcomer, same as you."
Miko was stunned. "Then where did all your 'experience' come from?"
"Games."
"G-Games?"
Miko stared at him, baffled. When the meaning of his word finally registered, the corners of her mouth couldn't stop twitching.
"Stop talking nonsense," he grumbled, cutting her off. "I'm afraid something will happen if we wait too long. We have to deal with that doll, and soon."
"...I'll go."
After a fierce internal struggle, Miko finally gritted her teeth and walked quickly toward the table.
Seeing her take the initiative, Haruto was naturally happy to let her. He followed close behind, watching her. From the uncontrollable trembling of her body and the way she bit her lower lip until it was white, he could tell she was terrified.
"Look at the pocket on the front of its overalls," Haruto reminded her in a low voice. "There seems to be something in there."
"Okay."
Miko had also noticed the slight bulge in the fabric. Suppressing the wave of fear rising in her throat, she reached out with trembling fingers and carefully pulled open the small pocket. Sure enough, a small, metallic key was lying inside.
"I found the key!" she whispered, a spark of surprised relief in her voice.
That spark was extinguished in the very next second, frozen over by absolute horror. A small hand suddenly shot out from the side and clamped down on her wrist.
The touch was cold and soft, nothing like plastic or fabric. It felt distinctly... like human skin.
Miko's entire body went rigid. Tears instantly welled in her eyes, but she stood frozen in place, completely motionless. Her past experiences dealing with evil spirits had conditioned her, creating a subconscious belief that as long as she didn't move, as long as she pretended not to see, she wouldn't be "discovered" and wouldn't be harmed.
She carefully stole a glance from the corner of her eye, only to meet the doll's vacant stare. Then, as if caught in a sudden gust of wind, its head lolled to the side and dropped.
Clack—
The head landed on the wooden floor with a heavy, hollow thud. Whether by coincidence or design, it rolled directly toward Haruto.
"Holy crap!"
His pupils constricted. Reacting in a flash, he kicked the rolling head away. A metal baseball bat had appeared in his hand from nowhere. He lunged in front of Miko and, without a moment's hesitation, swung it with all his might.
The bat whistled through the air. The eerie, now headless doll was sent flying, hitting the far wall with a sickening crunch.
"Run!"
Haruto grabbed the shaken Miko, snatched the key from her still-outstretched hand, and dragged her toward the iron door.
They stumbled out into the darkness beyond. Haruto immediately spun around and slammed the heavy door shut with all his strength.
The instant the lock clicked—
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Violent, percussive banging erupted from behind the door, punctuated by the sharp, frantic sound of something scratching at the metal. The noise was coming from the very bottom of the door; it was terrifyingly obvious what their attacker was.
The two of them pressed their weight against the door, hearts hammering in their chests.
Only after a long moment, when they were certain the iron door was secure and the ghost doll couldn't force it open, did they finally sag against it, breathing a collective sigh of relief.
"Th... thank you," Miko managed to say after a while, her voice still trembling as she recovered from the shock.
"It's fine. We're teammates. If I don't help you, who will?" Haruto smiled and patted his chest with a reassuring air.
'It wasn't really about being teammates,'he thought to himself.'It was mainly because I don't want to be stuck in this hellhole alone. It's too damn terrifying.'
It was pitch black and crawling with danger. Having a living companion meant they could at least watch each other's backs, a small comfort that offered a sliver of courage and warmth.
Besides, his impression of Yotsuya Miko was quite good. It wasn't just because of the anime from his previous life; it was because she had gritted her teeth and taken the initiative to approach the doll even when she was scared to death. She understood what needed to be done and, once her mind was made up, she acted despite her fear. That alone made her far better than the types who would freeze up for ages or try to guilt-trip others into doing the dirty work.
Hearing his words, Miko couldn't help but feel a small warmth spread through her chest.
As if remembering something, Haruto's expression turned serious. "But next time, don't apply your methods for dealing with evil spirits to a horror instance. You should have noticed by now—whether you ignore them or not, they can still touch you. Pretending not to see them will only get you killed faster."
"Okay, I'll remember." Miko nodded vigorously. She knew that if it hadn't been for him, she might have died right there, standing foolishly still.
The area around them was utterly dark. A long corridor stretched out to their left and right. Haruto swept his flashlight across both paths, but the beam was swallowed by the oppressive blackness before it could reveal either end.
"Miko, do you trust me?" Haruto asked abruptly.
The sudden question startled her, but she nodded subconsciously.
"I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
The gravity in his voice made Miko gulp. A terrible premonition bloomed in her heart. If the situation weren't so dire, she would have wanted to ask if she could choose neither.
"Then... the good news."
"Alright, it's the same either way." Haruto pointed his flashlight down the right passage. "Although I can't see the end of either path, there's a faint bit of light coming from the right side, compared to the left."
Miko squinted, comparing the two abyssal tunnels. She honestly couldn't tell the difference, but she chose to believe him.
"And feel carefully. Do you feel a breeze coming from the left?" Haruto asked. He pulled a tissue from somewhere, and as he held it up, the flimsy paper swayed gently, confirming his words.
"Do you mean... there's an exit?" Miko understood his implication, and a hint of excitement flared in her eyes.
"It's just a possibility," he cautioned. "Even if there's no exit, there's likely a window or something."
The utility room had also had a window, but it had been sealed with thick iron bars. Haruto had tried to pry them open earlier, but they hadn't budged at all. He had a feeling that even if there was an exit or a window down the right path, they wouldn't be able to get out—or rather, they shouldn't.
"Then what's the bad news?" Miko asked, suppressing her excitement with a sense of apprehension.
"Actually, it's not really bad news. It's more like... half-good news." Haruto shrugged.
"Good news?" Miko grew even more excited; she hadn't expected both to be good news.
"Someone is watching us from the left."
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