The Yokai Woman Arc : Episode 2

Time: 4:00 AM

Narrator: It looks like Dhruv finally got his much-needed nap, and he’ll need it, because things are about to get crazy for him. What’s coming will change his actions, his world, and his perception. There are countless possibilities of what might happen—or what might not.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I’ll narrate some details to give you a better idea. I’ve put key lines in *quotes* for clarity.

Hmm? Did I just see something moving in the kitchen? Let’s get back to the story...

What could it be? Maybe a cat or some other animal of similar size. It’s moving again. No, it’s too big for a cat. I need a closer look. Hmm, that doesn’t look like a cat—or anything familiar. It resembles a human head. Yes, it’s a human head, and it’s definitely a human. But who could it be? Why are they here? And most importantly, why are they lying on the floor?

I apologize for asking too many questions, but they’re relevant for the story’s progression.

It’s a woman with long black hair and pale, ghostly skin. But something’s off. Her face is utterly featureless. No eyes, no nose, not even a mouth.

Poor Dhruv didn’t notice her earlier—or maybe he couldn’t. Has she been here all along? But what is she? A skinwalker? A demon? A sprite? Or something entirely unknown? At first, I thought she might be a thief, but her strange appearance and movements suggest otherwise.

Now she’s crawling in an unsettling posture. She’s stopped behind the fridge. But why is she staring at it? We might need another backstory for this moment, but we’ll come back to it later when the time is right.

She’s been in the same position for a while—no movement, no action, nothing at all, like she’s frozen in time.

*She stands up and starts walking toward the narrator.*

Maybe I spoke too soon. She’s walking toward me. But why stop here? What does she want? Is she looking at me? This is strange. It feels like she’s observing me, but how could she? I’m the narrator—I can see these characters, but they can’t see me. I exist outside their universe.

I didn’t notice before, but she’s wearing a white kimono. Could she be a Japanese demon or yokai? She seems to be searching for something else. For a moment, I feared she sensed my presence, but it seems I was wrong. She’s heading towards Dhruv’s room.

Wait—what’s happening to Dhruv? Is he having a nightmare? He looks uncomfortable, sweating profusely. Something’s wrong. And now, what’s happening to her? She looks different—bulky, with veins protruding from her skin, and somehow, she’s grown a mouth filled with vampiric teeth. This is bad. What is she planning? Is she going to attack Dhruv? She’s growling, and her nails are extending into sharp, dagger-like claws. It’s clear—she’s planning to kill him.

I thought Dhruv was going to be the main character, but now, I’m not so sure…

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