Why do these things always happen to me?
I let out a sigh of frustration. Now that I was calmer, I realized I probably should've tried sensing the ether to find out if that strange clown was an anomaly… but I completely forgot.
Well, it doesn't matter now. Tomorrow I'll make sure to tell Haruka so she can take care of it.
For now, it's time to enjoy myself. My parents won't be back for another two days, so I've got free rein to do whatever I want. And I've got everything perfectly planned, down to the smallest detail.
First thing: lock everything up.
I went around the house, making sure every window was shut tight and the door was locked. Once I checked everything, I knew nothing could interrupt my plans.
With everything set, I could finally relax and enjoy my night. First up was ordering a pizza with extra cheese. It wasn't long before the doorbell rang. I peeked through the peephole, and to my relief, it was just the delivery guy.
With the box in hand, I was ready to officially begin my night. I turned off all the lights in the house and headed to my room. On the little table, I already had a bowl full of candy and my new handheld console hooked up to the TV. With that, I was ready to spend the entire night gaming.
I turned on the console and started playing while devouring the first slice of pizza. Suddenly, I got thirsty. But that wasn't a problem: waiting in the corner of my room was my most loyal companion—my personal mini fridge. It's full of sodas. I had to work a whole summer at a part-time job to afford it. It's my greatest treasure.
I grabbed a can of cola, took a big gulp, and sighed with happiness.
—"Absolutely delicious."
Knock knock.
Just as I was starting on the second slice, a dry sound made me freeze. Knocks on the door. My mind went into instant panic. It wasn't the delivery guy—he'd already come—and I wasn't expecting anyone. Especially not at this hour.
So in my head, there was only one possibility:
MY PARENTS ARE BACK!
I went into full panic mode! For some reason, they must've canceled their trip. I have to hide everything quickly! If they find out I was planning to stay up all night playing video games, eating candy, and drinking soda, they'll be furious. And I'll get one of those endless lectures.
I still have time! I put the security chain on the door, so they can't come in that easily. I just need to tidy everything up quickly and pretend I'm asleep. I've got a few minutes before they call my phone.
I quickly grabbed the pizza and stuffed it into the closet. The smell was still flooding the room, so I opened the window to let the night breeze in and help clear it out. I shoved the candy under the bed, as if that would be enough to erase the evidence.
The weird thing was… I still hadn't received a call from my parents. I checked my phone just in case… nothing. Not a single notification.
Confused, I stepped out of my room and carefully made my way downstairs, one step at a time. But halfway down…
THUMP, THUMP!
The knocking started again. This time, harder.
And that's when I knew.
There was no way my parents would knock like that. It wasn't them.
"I'm not making the same mistake twice," I told myself, remembering the scene with the clown.
While the knocking continued—dry and steady—I closed my eyes and tried to focus. I took a deep breath and extended my senses, just like Haruka had taught me, to try and feel the ether beyond the door.
But something stopped me cold.
It was like slamming into a wall of ice—a presence so oppressive it froze me in place. A chill ran down my spine, and my legs trembled.
It wasn't subtle, nor chaotic like other anomalies. No. This was different.
It was dense. Cold. Ancient.
Dark as a bottomless pit.
And I felt it—something enormous opening its eyes from deep within that abyss… and looking straight at me.
BANG! BANG!
Suddenly the banging intensified, shaking the entire door. The wood creaked as if it was about to splinter and give way.
—"No… it can't be!"
I had to act. I had to hide.
I ran up the stairs, skipping two steps at a time. I slammed my bedroom door shut, locked it, and threw the bolt. With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and sent an urgent message to Haruka.
〈Haruka, there's something outside. It's at the door! Help!〉
The message was sent. Now all I could do was hide. I couldn't let it find me.
I curled up inside the closet, as far from the door as possible.
I held my breath.
I waited.
***
A few minutes earlier…
Outside the house, under a sky covered in clouds, the clown-disguised figure stood waiting.
But it no longer looked human.
Its fingers were far too long, bony, ending in curved black claws. The painted smile—grotesque—was cracked over dry skin, revealing what looked like a second mouth: a row of twisted, sharp teeth peeking from the corners like thorns.
It stood in front of the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
It knocked gently, almost politely.
Playing the part of an unexpected guest.
It could've broken the door down with ease. It was just a fragile wooden barrier against its strength. But… why ruin the fun?
No. He didn't want to barge in and end things quickly.
He wanted her to feel it. To let anxiety spread through her chest like a slow infection. He wanted to hear her breath quicken, her legs tremble as she stepped back. He wanted fear to wrap around her like a cloak before finally touching her.
From the moment he saw her for the first time—that little "kitty"—something inside him had awakened. A ravenous obsession. Her fragility. Her sweetness.
He wanted to corrupt her.
Not just devour her body.
He wanted to stain what she was. Tear away her sweetness, disfigure her gentleness.
He wanted to take her. Make her his. Break her.
Shatter her will.
And only then, when nothing remained but a shell… devour her.
Not out of hunger.
But for pleasure.
His smile stretched beyond the impossible, tearing the cracked skin of his cheeks. From between his blackened teeth, a thick thread of saliva dripped. He could feel her. She was there, on the other side.
Trembling. Trying not to make a sound.
Anxious, he drew closer… until something changed.
A shiver.
Small, almost imperceptible… but he felt it.
He frowned. His smile vanished instantly.
The atmosphere grew tense. Something had shifted on the other side of the door.
She had felt him.
For a moment, he stood completely still, eyes fixed on the wood.
She was no longer just a frightened prey.
That gaze that pierced through the door, though invisible, struck him sharply. It wasn't the panic of a cornered child. It was something else.
—Tch… —he clicked his tongue, irritated.
She wasn't just any human.
No, no.
That girl… she was sensitive to ether. She had training.
She was no longer a simple doll to break.
She was a threat.
And then he understood.
—Of course… —he murmured, voice laced with venom— Tricky little kitten…
He took a step back, tilting his head slightly, like a predator realizing its prey isn't as defenseless as it seemed. His golden eyes flashed with a mixture of irritation and desire.
She was connected to them.
To the hunters.
He knew it the moment he felt that gaze.
She was a possible threat.
And that changed everything.
The game was over. There was no more time to savor the fear. If that girl called for help, if she sent a single message, those damned hunters would come for him. And then, he wouldn't just lose his prey…
He looked at the door again with contempt.
An obstacle.
And he hated obstacles.
—Very well, little brat… —he whispered in a deeper tone, his voice cracked with growing rage— If you want to die like a hunter… then you'll die like one.
His body tensed. A dark wave of energy surged through his veins, slightly distorting his silhouette. Muscles swelled beneath the tattered clown costume. His skin cracked. The seams of his outfit stretched to their limit.
And then he struck.
BAM!
A sharp crash echoed through the block. The wood shook, creaked, splintered.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
Each blow was more brutal than the last, like a wild beast battering the entrance. Finally, with a sharp crack, the hinges gave way. The door fell inward, slamming onto the floor with a dull thud.
Darkness greeted him.
All the lights were off.
He stepped forward slowly, inhaling the air of the house. He could smell her. Feel her presence.
Not precisely. But he knew she was there.
He climbed the stairs without making a sound, almost as if he floated. The second-floor hallway was narrow. Several doors stood ajar.
Only one was closed. She was there.
He stopped in front of the door. Said nothing.
Placed a bony hand on the knob.
Applied just a little pressure.
Crack.
The lock gave way with a snap. And the door creaked open slowly.
The room was shrouded in darkness.
Only a soft night breeze drifted in through the open window, making the curtains sway gently.
The prey was close. Very close. He peeked inside cautiously.
Nothing.
Not a soul.
But he could feel it. She was there. Very close.
His prey was still in the room.
He crouched down and glanced under the bed.
Only found a bowl overflowing with candy.
He made a face of disgust.
—Hmph… seriously?
He straightened up slowly, his golden gaze sweeping across the room until it landed on the last possible place: the closet.
The only hiding spot left.
His smile widened—twisted, sadistic.
—Looks like your time's up, little kitty... —he whispered mockingly, letting his claws scrape softly against the wood.
And then, with a sharp tug, he flung the closet doors wide open, expecting to find her curled up, trembling.
FLOP!
Something hot, wet, and sticky shot straight at his face.
It smashed into his eyes, blinding him temporarily.
Cheese. Melted cheese.
—DAMN YOU!!! —he roared, stumbling back as he furiously wiped his face with his forearm— What the hell…?!
And in that instant, Mochi leapt out from inside the closet.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum. She was terrified. Her whole body trembled.
But she couldn't hesitate.
There was no time to think.
With a scream, she raised her right fist—wrapped in her metal knuckle dusters—and swung it with all her might at the clown's face.
In her mind, only one word echoed:
"Hit him!"
"Hit him!"
"HIT HIM!"
It was her only chance.
But he reacted.
He leapt back nimbly. Mochi's fist cut through the air, just grazing his face.
And now they were face to face.
Only a few steps apart.
Mochi felt all the courage she had gathered collapse in an instant.
I missed…
But in that moment…
Something changed.
Her weapon—the brass knuckles Haruka had given her—began to glow.
A dark shimmer.
Black. Like thick, dense fog swirling around my fist.
I felt an unknown force surge through my arm. And then, without knowing how, that energy burst forward like a gunshot.
A solid shadow, fast, erupted from my fist.
CRACK!
The sound was wet. Repulsive.
The anomaly's face twisted violently to the side, with a crunch that echoed like bones snapping under pressure. It stumbled backward, lost its balance…
And fell.
Its body was launched out the second-floor window, spinning through the air like a ragdoll before crashing onto the asphalt with a dry thud.
—AGHHH! —it screamed from below, a spine-chilling shriek. It began to move, struggling to get up. Cursing furiously as it partially regained its blurred vision, still affected by the cheese.
It looked up toward the window.
It saw something.
A silhouette.
Something big, just barely peeking out...
But it had no time to react.
CRUUUNCH!!
What came crashing down on it was a metallic block of fury and refrigeration.
A mini fridge.
The loyal companion Mochi had worked all summer to buy… smashed against its skull with brutal impact. The sound was sharp. Final.
The monster didn't scream this time.
Its body trembled… and began to dissolve.
Thick black bubbles oozed from its flesh as it melted into a puddle of dark sludge that slowly faded on the pavement. A few soda cans rolled out, softly hitting the sidewalk.
***
I leaned out the window, my heart racing a mile a minute.
My eyes locked onto the mess.
The sludge. The cans. The puddle slowly disappearing. And my poor mini fridge… crushed, sacrificed in battle.
I sighed, with the sadness of someone who's lost a loyal comrade.
—Rest in peace, my friend…
Then I frowned, as a very important thought hit me.
—How the hell am I supposed to explain this to my parents?