Death's Edict

12th Floor

As I opened the door to the twelfth floor, we emerged into a lavish corridor that seemed to belong in a century-old mansion. Soft wood flooring creaked beneath my feet as I tentatively moved forward, the gentle pastel greens on the walls and murky antique lamps creating a strange atmosphere. Everything was immaculately clean, as if untouched by anyone or anything.

I shielded my eyes as fire suddenly rose from the floor, and letters materialised revealing the next message.

"Mondai bukken," I read.

House of Pain.

I cautiously proceeded down the corridor, stealing a glance into a nearby bedroom. It was like a little girl's sanctuary, with childish pink sheets, striped wallpaper, and purple fluffy pillows. A large white dollhouse rested on a pedestal beside the bed, with an Ichimatsu doll seated in front. The girly doll wore a miniature red kimono, and its white clay face, bobbed black hair, and dark glassy eyes were unsettling. I noticed peculiar imperfections on its surface, as if someone had dug their nails into it. As Yuna approached, I blocked her path with my arm.

"I wouldn't," I said.

"It's the only thing in this room that I can bare to look at," she replied.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," she responded.

Moving past the bedroom I inspected the nearest bathroom. It was spotless, with neat white, hexagonal tiles and a fresh aroma. There were flowery mosaic tiles across the wall and an elegant rose-gold shower curtain draped over the bathtub. A smell of sandalwood calmed my nerves. Nothing out of the ordinary caught my eye, and I stepped back. It was disarming to be in such a room of luxury, with everything appearing so normal. The burning message from before rang ominously in my mind, and yet I felt an undeniable sense of peace. Looking over at my reluctant companion, however, I could see that she did not share my feelings. Yuna's face was pulled in repulsion.

"This place is disgusting," she muttered.

I stared at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's so filthy and ugly," she complained.

I observed my surroundings again in confusion. Every inch of the corridor was immaculate, without blemish or fault.

"What are you talking about, Yuna?"

She turned away, giving me the silent treatment once more. I felt a pang of nervousness. It surely was not possible that she could have such a strong reaction to our environment. Was she being petulant or was there something that I was not seeing?

We carried on walking and turned a nearby corner. It took us to a beautiful lounge area with a warm, cosy fireplace. The adjacent kitchen was modern and fully equipped, with a stark white refrigerator - bewildered, I opened its door and saw mouth-watering groceries neatly packed. Who could have been living in such a place? A paranoid voice sang that it could be a trap, the food poisoned. I retreated, unwilling to find out.

Backing away from the kitchen I saw that above the fireplace was a second-floor corridor, but no visible way to access it. The only other place to go was onward, beyond the kitchen. It was a long, brightly lit corridor with nothing but a mirror along the ceiling and a white door on the opposite end. I approached it, reached for the handle and opened it. I was greeted by nothing. It was an abyss of darkness, without a glimmer of light. I could not see anything beyond the door. It had to be the exit.

"Come," I said to Yuna.

Apprehensively I began to wade into the darkness.

Yuna did not follow me.