Macabre and Mysterious Monsters and metamorphosis

Karada

Alone in my family's homeland of the rising sun hides a silent village where none tread. No man sets foot and no animal does graze in the silent village. The village with two names; Ōtomi, when life still filled its streets and Gensui, now that it lies barren and forgotten to all but those who dare not speak of it anymore.

My grandmother told me stories of her homeland many times but grew silent whenever her home village was brought up. Only in moments of confusion or exhaustion would she give up any secrets she held to herself of the home she fled so very long ago. The secrets of my family's past haunted my curiosity my whole life. I simply wanted to know why. Why did my grandmother leave? Why did she keep it hidden? Why was she so afraid? The only response she would give was, "We left for a reason,"

The village has all but been forgotten in the hope to hide the tragic history and sudden abandonment. Not even found on a map, it took many months to find. Investigating as many survivors as I could, bearing little fruit. The same fear that silenced my grandmother tightened their lips as well but the children and grandchildren, like myself, listened when they best not and when most inconvenient. With every small detail given I led closer and closer until I found it, or at least I hoped I did. I traveled to one of the most traditional areas in Japan. It was amazing to see the modern world all but disappear after the train left my side.

I traveled as close as I could to its possible location with the help of local guides but eventually, no one dared to assist me any further. I felt I must have been on the right track. With machete in hand and a backpack with anything I could manage to pack, I started moving into the forest. The trees began to look exactly the same from all surroundings. Even if someone wanted to search for this village, most would find themselves walking back out, assuming they could find their way out. I kept my eyes forward so that I would not be turned around. Even still I couldn't help but feel I was walking in circles. The further I walked the taller and older the flora around me appeared. The trees keep reaching further and further up to the sky until almost immediately they all stop and the only plants forward were old and dead, only being held up by stubborn roots in tough soil. A dead forest isn't something I wanted to find myself in but I had gone so far that a few rotting plants weren't going to deter me.

As I continued, I noticed that the forest was very quiet now, like there truly was nothing living around anymore. Not a bird in the sky or a squirrel on the ground; I couldn't hear anything but the sound of my feet trekking through the dirt and the deathly silence of this long-dead forest. I stopped to rest. I don't know How long I was walking but my strength had left me far back and I needed to recover. I sat down, keeping my eyes forward so I always saw where I was heading. My eyes felt heavy, though. the beating sun and the keen focus I had to keep myself on track had exhausted not just my body but my mind. A short rest was needed but I feared what would happen if I fell asleep now. As lifeless as this forest was at this point, I couldn't shake off the feeling I was surrounded; and what of my barrings. would I lose track of myself once I wake up? I couldn't help myself though. I took off my pack and laid it behind me as a pillow. I kept myself feet forward to where I needed to go hoping that would keep me on route but all I really cared about was laying back and closing my eyes; feeling as everything just melted away as a void of silence and emptiness took me.

First just a drop and then a small sprinkle. I feel my eyes open but it is like they are not even there. The sprinkles are warm and uncomfortable on my body. I listen but I can hear nothing. I try to wipe the warm liquid off me but it's sticky and only spreads, only being replaced when more sprinkles on top of me. I feel myself choke but my mouth is wide open. I gag but nothing comes out. I can't breathe. with all the emptiness around me, I feel boxed in. Panic fills me. I lash out. I try screaming but I don't even feel the muscles in my throat. I thrash my body around but there's nothing holding me back. The warm liquid floods my skin and it runs down endlessly. Is it blood? Is blood sticky? Is it something else? Is it even sticky anymore? Why is it so warm yet I'm so cold?