Chapter 1: The Curse of the Red Book

(A faint, eerie background music plays)

Himari was lying in her bed, trembling with fear. She gasped for air, unable to catch her breath. Her body was drenched in sweat. Her heart raced rapidly. "What kind of dream is this?" she muttered to herself.

The red book she had seen in her dream had terrified her. Its gleaming color resembled the light of blood. Slowly, it moved across the table, fluttered, as if coming toward her... That voice, "You can't run away, Himari... I will always follow you!" echoed in her ears.

The old street in her dream, that red book, the shadow of Lily... everything terrified her. She tried to forget the dream, but it would not leave her mind.

She got out of bed and went to the kitchen. She drank a glass of water. For a moment, she remained quiet. Gradually, her fear began to subside.

"It's just a dream," she told herself. "It won't affect me."

But when she returned to her bed, the red book haunted her mind. She was afraid to sleep again. Could she forget that dream? Or would it continue to follow her?

Then she remembered the challenge her friends had given her.

The previous night...

"Hey Himari, are you brave enough? This challenge will scare you!" Fanni asked with a laugh. "Okay, what's the challenge?" Himari asked eagerly, though with a hint of fear. "At midnight, you have to walk down the old street behind the college. But be careful – if someone follows you, you must not look back!" Fanni said as a challenge.

That night... a rainless night, but with lightning flashing in the sky. Himari walked alone. "Thud... thud... thud..." The sound of footsteps. She didn't listen to what her friend had said and didn't turn back – no one was there. But the sound continued, now surrounding her like the shadow of a demon. In the middle of the street, a red book gleamed, its corners stained like blood, its pages turning on their own. "That... that book?" she muttered in her mind.

"Don't touch it... or you'll become like me!" the voice warned.

She ran in fear, but her legs pulled her toward the book. The next day, that red book was in her bed. Himari looked at it in fear, then its pages opened on their own.

She ran to her mother. "Mom! This book..." Her mother, Yuko, looked at her. "What's wrong?" she asked. Himari asked, "Who brought this book here?" "You brought it yourself, Himari," her mother replied.

Himari was stunned, silent. She thought it would be better to read it with her friend than alone, so she went and told Fanni what had happened. Then, together, they opened the book. The first page read: "My name is Himari... I am not alive... but I still follow you."

Thud... thud... thud...! The door rattled. They froze. Himari opened the door – a shadow, a woman's shadow, holding the red book.

"Mom!" Fanni said. "Tell the kids to have tea," Yuko said casually, but there was fear in her voice.

The book spoke: "Please... save me... or you will join me in death!"

The pages burned, and ash spread across their faces. They tried to run, but the doors were shut. The book floated toward them. Lily's shadow appeared, her face distorted, and she screamed, "You did not free me, but now you will die with me!"

The terror reached its peak, and the curse of the red book surrounded them, a hell they couldn't escape...

Himari ran in fear through the house. Her heart raced. Her mother, Yuko, was busy in the kitchen, focused on something.

"Mom! Mom!" Himari screamed in panic.

Yuko turned around. "What, Himari? What's wrong?"

Himari struggled to catch her breath. "That book... it... it..." She was holding the red book in her hands.

Yuko's face grew serious as she looked at it. "How did you get this book?" she asked, concerned.

"I don't know, Mom. It... it just appeared in my bed!" Himari said, terrified.

Yuko took the book and examined it. Her eyes widened in fear. "This book... it's not good. You should never touch it."

"But, Mom... what is it doing? Why is it scaring me?" Himari asked.

Yuko was silent for a moment, as if hesitating to say something.

"Mom, please tell me. I'm scared," Himari begged.

Yuko sighed deeply. "This book carries a curse. It's an old story. But I fear it might be true."

"What curse, Mom?" Himari asked.

"Anyone who touches this book will be followed by a dark force. That force will destroy them," Yuko said.

Himari trembled in fear. "Then, what should I do, Mom?"

"We need to destroy this book immediately. Call Fanni. The three of us need to do something," Yuko said.

At that moment, the door shook violently. Both of them froze in fear.

"What... what is that, Mom?" Himari asked in a soft voice.

Yuko motioned for her to remain silent and slowly moved toward the door.

Himari hid behind her mother, trembling in fear.

Yuko opened the door. There stood a shadowy figure, holding the red book.

"Mom!" Himari cried out.

Yuko pushed Himari back and stood facing the shadow.

"Please... leave me alone," Yuko pleaded.

The book began to speak: "If you don't release me, you will die with me!"

The pages of the book turned into flames. Ash spread across their faces.

Himari and Yuko screamed in fear. They tried to run, but the doors had locked. The shadowy figure approached them. It was Lily's shadow. Her face was mangled.

"You didn't release me. Now you will die with me!" Lily screamed.

The three of them trembled in fear. The curse of the red book surrounded them, trapping them in an inescapable hell.

How will they solve the mystery?

What will they discover about Lily's past?

What challenges await them as they try to break Lily's curse?

To find out how Himari and Fanni will solve the mystery of Lily, read Chapter 2: Death!

To be continued...

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