Toshi didn't feel normal anymore.
Not even a little.
The world around him had started to lose its shape.
Not physically—
But mentally.
Voices sounded distant.
Faces felt unfamiliar.
Even his own thoughts didn't feel like they belonged to him sometimes.
That morning, he almost didn't go to school.
But staying home felt worse.
At least outside, there were people.
Even if they didn't understand.
Classes blurred together.
He couldn't focus.
Couldn't listen.
The whispers had started again.
Soft.
Broken.
Not clear words.
But close enough to feel like they meant something.
He turned his head slightly.
Nothing.
"…Stop…"
The whispering didn't stop.
During lunch, his friend sat across from him again.
This time—
He didn't joke.
"…You still seeing things?" he asked quietly.
Toshi looked up slowly.
"…Yeah."
No denial.
No hesitation.
His friend frowned.
"…Alright. Then listen."
Toshi stayed silent.
"There's a temple near my place. My cousin went there once. Said it helped him when he was going through… stuff."
"…Stuff?"
"Yeah. Nightmares. Seeing things. Whatever you wanna call it."
Toshi stared at him.
"You're telling me to go to a priest?"
"I'm telling you to try something," his friend said firmly. "Because whatever you're doing right now—it's not working."
Toshi didn't reply.
But the words stayed.
A way out.
Even if it sounded stupid—
He didn't have anything else.
"…Fine," Toshi muttered.
"Good," his friend said. "Go tomorrow."
Tomorrow.
That meant one more night.
That evening, everything felt heavier.
The air in his room felt thick.
Hard to breathe.
Shadows stretched longer than they should.
Even with the lights on.
Toshi sat on his bed, staring at the wall.
"…One more night…"
He repeated it quietly.
Just one.
When sleep came—
It came fast.
Too fast.
His eyes opened.
Paralysis.
But this time—
The whispers were louder.
Not around him.
Inside his head.
Overlapping.
Broken.
"…don't…"
"…look…"
"…stay…"
"…mine…"
Toshi's breathing broke instantly.
"STOP—!"
No sound came out.
The shadows moved again.
But now—
They weren't just shapes.
They looked like people.
Tall.
Still.
Watching.
Dozens of them.
Surrounding him.
And in front of all of them—
She stood.
Closer than ever before.
Almost within reach.
Toshi's eyes locked onto her.
"…Why me…"
For the first time—
She reacted differently.
Her head tilted slowly.
But this time—
She stepped closer.
Until she stood right beside him.
And then—
She raised her hand.
Slowly.
Toward his face.
Toshi's eyes widened.
"No—"
Her fingers brushed his cheek.
Cold.
So cold it burned.
His entire body shook violently.
And then—
Everything went silent.
Completely silent.
No whispers.
No shadows.
Just her.
Right in front of him.
Watching.
Toshi woke up gasping.
His hand flew to his face instantly.
Cold.
Still cold.
"…That wasn't a dream…"
His voice trembled.
Tomorrow.
He had to go.
Because if he didn't—
He knew.
He wouldn't last much longer.