The Moon Won't Shine for a Dead Man

It is said that if the moon shines brightly in the dead of night yet refuses to cast its light on someone, that person does not truly belong to the mortal world-they are a creature of the dark, an entity from another realm.

But the moon's mystique does not end there. It is also believed that the moon can sense death, and when it withholds its light from someone, it signifies that death lingers close. Their time is running out, and nothing can alter their fate. For no matter how one tries, THE MOON WON'T SHINE FOR A DEAD MAN.

If you were to tell this tale to Makisig "Maki" Kagiwa, a 15-year-old high school student, he would merely dismiss it as a silly superstition. Living in a bustling modern city, Maki sees old beliefs as nothing more than outdated stories. But his skepticism will be tested when he encounters the paranormal firsthand.

Will he become a believer before it's too late? Or will his doubts cost him dearly when he and his older brother find themselves hunted by otherworldly creatures-beings whose motives remain a deadly mystery?

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Out of nowhere, an ominous creature in a tailored suit lunged at me, claws swiping through the air. I stumbled backward to avoid the attack and lost my balance. The creature shrieked and dove toward me, but I managed to block its claws with my baseball bat.

Face-to-face with this monstrosity, panic and exhaustion took hold. Its grotesque features triggered a primal terror I had never experienced before.

I lay flat on the ground, clutching the bat like a lifeline. The other creatures seized the opportunity, racing toward me with murderous intent etched on their twisted faces. My blood ran cold as I saw them close in, clawing and slashing at me from all angles.

A scream tore from my throat as something sharp punctured my stomach. My life flashed before my eyes, just as people always said it would in the face of death. I couldn't believe this was how my life would end-devoured by creatures wrapped in inscrutable mystery.