Demise Game

19.hanako-san

There was no doubt that you were in some sort of alternate space of Tokiwadai Technical School.  Everything felt just off enough to have your skin crawling as you stepped down the hallways, wary of the blackened fog that seemed ever-present at your feet.  Even though this was your school, and you had been here almost every day for the past three years of your life, nothing seemed familiar.  These were the same hallways you saw during school, and yet they weren't.

        It truly was the Elevator Game all over again, and shudders racked down your body.

        You had to find Jinsei as soon as possible.

        Unlike the Elevator Game, though, you weren't sure what exactly Jinsei's game entailed.  Hanako-san had a few different variations, and A-me had a mission within her game, to find that straw doll.  Shiki hadn't given any other information than that he had read it was Hanako-san.  Perhaps that's all Shiki could see.

        It was still something to go off of though.  You had a start.  Somewhere, Jinsei was in one of the bathrooms of this school, getting ready to initiate the game if he hadn't already.  With how everything seemed to have warped in the school, perhaps he already had initiated it, making everybody stuck.

        You could only theorize for now.  Until you found Jinsei, you would have to rely on your own knowledge of urban legends and Hanako-san.

        Shuffling to a stop, you took a deep breath and closed your eyes, trying to focus.

        What all did you know about Hanako-san?

        The origins tended to vary; for the most part, the general consensus was that Hanako-san was a vengeful, bathroom-dwelling spirit of a little girl that had been killed too young.  Of course, there were retellings where she wasn't malicious, but considering the nature of the Demise Game, you had a feeling Jinsei wasn't going to be too lucky in that department.

        While Hanako-san's origins varied, it was common knowledge that you could find her in the women's restrooms at schools.  Wasn't it a specific bathroom, though?  A specific stall?

        Think.  Think!

        Your knowledge of urban legends was vast, but your brain was drawing blanks in such a stressful situation.  Your mind kept wandering, going back to how you felt throughout the Elevator Game and how you had lost A-me at the very end of it.  The look of her face, and her just...  Disappearing.

        Fuck!

        Crouching down in the middle of the hallway, you held your head in your hands.  You couldn't do this, you couldn't do this.  You couldn't remember, couldn't think, couldn't remember anything.  Even with you, Hanami, and Shiki looking throughout the entire school, there wasn't any way you could find Jinsei in time.  Tokiwadai was a large school, and you had a feeling you three were working against and not with Isora.  Hell, even if Isora had pure intentions, it would be pure, dumb luck if one of you managed to stumble upon Jinsei on time.

        You couldn't rely on luck.  Not in a game like this, where you were fighting against a demon that would do everything in its power to win.

        You had to think.

        You forced yourself to take another deep breath.  You couldn't fail now.  Grudge or not against Jinsei, you couldn't fail him like you failed A-me.

        Get it together!

        Slapping your cheeks, you stood up, a more determined look in your eyes.  It was still just you in this hallway as you muttered everything you could remember about Hanako-san.