The Library’s Embrace

….

The first thing to greet my eyes was a warm, comforting yellow light.

Then, my gaze settled on the wooden bookshelves that lined the room.

Yet, in the very next instant, the scene plunged into utter darkness.

What could have possibly happened…?

I strained my ears, listening intently…

From somewhere ahead, a sound drifted towards me—a chime, perhaps, or a bell?

It seemed imbued with an ethereal quality, yet it was far from beautiful; instead, it sent a shiver down my spine, conjuring a truly bone-chilling sense of dread.

But then, as if severed by an unseen hand, the sound abruptly vanished, leaving me enveloped in a profound silence.

Just as suddenly, a completely different sound registered in my ears.

Listen…

Were those… footsteps?

They differed subtly from typical steps, resonating as if someone were pacing across a wooden floor on an upper level.

Thump… thump… thump… rhythmic, light, yet imbued with a strange power.

A creak… the sound of a door opening, perhaps?

Immediately, the distinct patter of heavy rain joined the symphony of sounds.

A low rumble… distant thunder, faintly accompanying the relentless drumming of the rain.

Then, with an earth-shattering CRASH, deafening thunder ripped through the sky, as if tearing it asunder!

In the fleeting brilliance of the lightning, a terrifying tableau was illuminated in a mirror.

A figure stood there, their face smeared with a thick, crimson liquid that reeked of blood.

Their pristine white neck was equally stained with splatters of fresh blood, and the very center of their immaculate white clothing had been dyed a shocking, deep red.

This girl, whose features were obscured by the gore, had her eyes unnaturally wide.

The corners of her mouth stretched upwards in an exaggerated, grotesque manner, forming a truly horrifying smile.

“Guh?!!!… Hah, hah, hah…”

Suddenly, I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open as I gasped for air, my heart hammering furiously, its frantic rhythm reverberating throughout my entire body.

What… was that… just now…?

What kind of nightmare had I stumbled into?

It had left me drenched in a cold sweat once more.

Rising from bed, I made my way to the bathroom, splashing my upper body with a warm, damp towel.

As I did, a sudden jolt of realization invigorated me, as if recalling something of paramount importance!

Ah! That scene from my dream… it felt so familiar!

It was… the library?!

Damn it! I had instructed everyone to be vigilant about the kitchen and small storage room on the first floor, but I completely overlooked the third floor!

Always keenly aware of time, I hastily pulled out my student ID to check the hour—it was ten fifty-five.

With time of the essence, I had to rush to the library immediately!

The killer might be preparing to strike someone even now!

I quickly dressed, grabbed the hammer from my bedside drawer, and bolted towards the door.

Yet, at that crucial moment, I paused, not from a fear of death itself, but from a chilling warning echoing within my mind.

Could I… truly… manage to avert this unfolding tragedy…?

I was never one to dwell in an ideal world; every meticulously crafted plan, I knew, harbored potential flaws and vulnerabilities.

Even the most minuscule oversight could unravel an entire strategy, leading to utter failure.

Driven by caution, I hastily scribbled a note:

[When you read this note, please come to my room immediately. If there is no response, it means a murder has occurred in the third-floor library. Remember! Do not act rashly alone! Above all, ensure your own safety.]

Kamimura Anko

After opening my door, I slid the note under Takagi Masahiko’s door, ensuring it was securely delivered.

With that precaution taken, I clutched the hammer and sprinted towards the elevator in the first-floor lobby.

Despite having faced numerous unsettling situations in the dark before, a profound unease still gnawed at me.

“Ding!” The elevator doors slowly parted.

My nerves taut, I swiftly scanned my surroundings, and only after confirming no immediate danger lurked outside did I quietly step towards the library.

I held the hammer defensively before me, then, in the next second, I swiftly twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

An overwhelming stench of blood immediately assailed my nostrils!

Such a heavy scent!

What horrors had unfolded here?!

Clutching the hammer tightly in both hands, my vision sharpened as I cautiously surveyed my surroundings, slowly moving forward.

So quiet… a silence that was truly unnerving.

With each cautious step, the pungent scent of blood grew more intense, and I keenly sensed the gravity of the situation escalating.

The sight that met my eyes next made me freeze in shock for a moment, an instinctive human terror of death seizing me.

Lying in a pool of blood on the floor was Amemiya Wakaba, the girl who had always enjoyed her adult comics.

Now, the back of her head was a horrifying, mangled mess of flesh and gore.

Tentatively, I knelt and reached a trembling hand towards her nostrils.

No… there was no breath.

My heart pounded even more frantically than before, each beat a violent tremor.

The palpable dread emanating from the death before me caused cold sweat to trickle down my spine, and my outstretched hand, along with my entire arm, shook uncontrollably.

Suddenly!!! The scene before me plunged into immediate darkness!

This abrupt power outage felt as though my very heart had ceased to beat!

A power outage?!

How could the electricity suddenly fail?

This was highly irregular, an impossible coincidence at such a critical juncture!

Could it be?!

Frantically, I pulled out my student ID, using its screen to cast a faint light on the door ahead.

In that fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of a figure in a dark green raincoat, just as they darted out of the room!

“Who?!” I hastily aimed the student ID’s light in the direction the raincoat-clad figure had fled.

But the light was immediately obstructed by the wooden bookshelves ahead!

Should I make a break for it now?

No, that wouldn’t work!

If I simply bolted, the person in the raincoat would surely intercept me.

They, too, likely wielded a blunt weapon, just as I did.

Suddenly, a chilling sense of murderous intent prickled at my back!

In an instant, fueled by adrenaline, I spun around with the hammer, swinging it with all my might.

Yet, the raincoat-clad assailant proved remarkably agile!

My strike sailed through empty air; they had dodged it without a scratch.

Seizing the momentary opening after my single-handed swing, they unexpectedly lunged, delivering a forceful blow with an unknown blunt object.

I, too, mustered every ounce of my strength, blocking the attack with my hammer.

“CLANG!!! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” Our blunt weapons met with a violent clash, followed by a faint, resonant hum.

But then, they began to swing at me with frantic intensity!

The relentless assault forced me to retreat, especially since I was defending with only one hand.

In that desperate moment, I aimed the student ID in my other hand directly at the assailant’s face!

They instantly ceased their attack, shielding their face with a hand, clearly fearful of being identified.

Now was my chance!

I, without hesitation, swung the hammer in my right hand, aiming for their head.

The raincoat-clad assailant, caught off guard, attempted to block my attack with their blunt weapon.

However, I had already anticipated their defensive move.

With a cunning adjustment, I altered the trajectory of my attack, smashing the hammer directly into their right arm!

“Ugh?!” A heavy groan of pain escaped them, a voice neither distinctly male nor female, leaving me unable to discern their gender.

Perceiving the unfavorable turn of events, the raincoat-clad assailant swiftly distanced themselves from me.

I wanted to press my advantage, to knock them unconscious, but I felt utterly drained!

Since the power outage, I didn’t know how many gasps of breath I had taken.

Fighting and running around with a blunt weapon in one hand was proving too difficult for me.

In that very moment, a brilliant idea sparked in my mind: I could transform our recent exchange into a trap that would serve both our purposes!

I placed my student ID, screen glowing brightly, facing the library door, positioning it squarely in the middle of a wooden bookshelf.

Then, I stealthily crept towards a nearby desk, hiding underneath it, patiently awaiting my opportune moment.

Less than a minute later, the raincoat-clad assailant’s movements appeared on the wall, illuminated by the student ID’s light.

Without a word, I lunged, swinging both hands furiously at them!

But they perfectly evaded my trap!

Had they anticipated my ambush as well?!

The raincoat-clad assailant once again seized an opening, lunging at me with a swift, powerful strike!

With sharp reflexes, I managed to retract my hammer in time, raising it to block the blow.

But in the very next second…

“Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!!!!” A ferocious kick landed squarely in my abdomen, sending me sprawling to the ground.

The pain… it was excruciating!

Instinctively, I clutched my abdomen with both hands, curling into a tight ball.

The searing pain and the overwhelming nausea left me unable to rise and counterattack the assailant for a long moment.

No… this was bad…

My blunt weapon… it had slipped… from my grasp…

Quick… get up quickly… pick up… the hammer…

Like a wounded insect, I painstakingly crawled towards the hammer on the floor.

Almost there… just a little more… only the last bit of distance!

Just as the hammer seemed within my grasp, the faint outline of the raincoat-clad assailant’s hand entered my vision…

They had snatched the hammer first…

!!… It’s… over…

At this moment, I could physically feel death closing in on me.

Fear… anxiety… helplessness… despair…

Was my life… truly going to end here…?

I… haven’t… even experienced love… And there are… so many games… I haven’t played…

I… don’t… want… to die…

The hammer in the raincoat-clad assailant’s hand hung suspended in the air, poised to descend upon my head.

“Guh!!!” In that critical moment, a surge of adrenaline propelled me to roll backward, narrowly evading the hammer as it crashed into the floor.

Run!

Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run!

If I didn’t run, I would die here forever!

Driven by a desperate craving for survival, I scrambled back to my feet, then frantically sprinted elsewhere, searching for a place to hide.

Ultimately… I managed to narrowly escape the raincoat-clad assailant’s pursuit… for now, at least…

Hiding under a desk, I trembled with fear.

My abdomen still throbbed with a dull ache from the powerful kick I had received.

I suddenly recalled the times I had spent with everyone, their bright smiles, how precious they seemed now.

I longed… to see them… just one more time…

Ugh… ugh… ugh…

My eyes gradually welled with tears, and in that moment, they finally overflowed, large, crystalline drops rolling down my pale cheeks and splashing onto the floor.

The raincoat-clad assailant’s footsteps grew louder and louder, and I hastily clamped a hand over my mouth, terrified of being discovered.

They strolled past the desk… and I, hidden beneath it, once again held my breath, frozen by the fear of death.

Get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away!

As the assailant’s footsteps gradually faded, my racing heart slowly began to calm.

I decided to use this window of opportunity to quietly slip out of the library.

Once the footsteps had almost completely disappeared, I moved swiftly and silently towards the door.

“Thud!” In my haste, I accidentally kicked something hard, and a loud echo reverberated from beneath my feet.

Had the raincoat-clad assailant deliberately left their blunt weapon here to prevent my escape?!

In that instant, I disregarded everything, summoning every ounce of strength I possessed, and lunged towards the door!

If I didn’t escape, I had absolutely no hope of survival!

The metallic sensation of the doorknob against my hand filled me with an immense surge of excitement.

I immediately twisted the handle, preparing to open the door and run…

“Thump!”

…out…?

Strange…?

Why… was my head… spinning…?

My body collapsed uncontrollably to the floor, an overwhelming wave of weakness washing over me.

No matter how hard I tried, my limbs refused to obey, as if… the god of death had seized control.

So, it seemed… from the moment I stepped into the library… I had already… been cruelly condemned to death by the grim reaper…

Was it… my time to go…?

Ah… I’m so tired…

Just let me rest for a while… just for a little while…

Goodnight, night.