My vision faded again as I nearly passed out. I breathed evenly, softly. I played dead, and was nearly so. When the light flickered back to life around me, I didn’t believe it. My mind was playing tricks on me, baiting me with an impossibility. I knew a monster capable of tormenting a person to this extent wouldn’t simply give up on its prey.

After a while of remaining still, I heard the recording play. It announced the train was approaching the station. It sounded a bit off, but it was a normal female voice. Since my eardrums were injured, I thought it was likely my ability to hear was impaired. I limped and struggled to get to my feet, leaning against the bank of the seats, swallowing air. My heart pounded desperately. I was ready to scream for help, primarily medical assistance. People would soon see me and they would do something. At least my scary face was injured and masked in my blood.

I finally allowed my eyes to open, swiveling my head limply towards where I could see the door across from where I was. I’d landed near enough to it. It was still closed. I sighed, crying. I dared not look at anything but that door. I would escape! I waited for the door to open.

Then there was a blur of motion to my side. I lashed out with my fists and legs unsteadily. They contacted nothing this time. The lights flickered again. It was just a cruel ruse.

“Nononono! Let me off this train!” I screamed, using my last energy to charge the door again. I reached it, though I collapsed after slamming into it. I smeared the glass with my blood as I fell to my knees.

I gazed through it longingly. The light continued to flicker in the car. This was just a trick. But, if only the door would open, I’d be safe. Just a little longer...

I closed my eyes again as I breathed slowly, leaning back onto my wrists.

I heard a noise like the doors opening. I instinctively pushed up weakly, running into the door again. I rebounded and collapsed, stunned on the floor. Pain bloomed in the center of my face. Blood poured down into my mouth. I heard cackling as the car went pitch black again. I felt its dark surging motion as my suit was seized in its iron grip. I was glad it didn’t grab my neck again. I’d have died instantly if it did. My relief was dashed when it seized my face. It drew my face upwards and now that my mind wasn’t rational anymore, I opened my eyes by reflex. It captured my gaze with its own. I was paralyzed instantly as though my spine snapped. I went limp, unable to twitch even.

“W-What are you d-doing to me, you s--?” I gurgled. “Please... Ahhhhhh!”

I screamed when it grimaced terrifyingly at me, moaning a last time. Its cry escalating to a roar.

“Auuuuugghhhhhhlllllllliiiiiiiiiii!” The shadows dancing in its eyes leapt towards me. It struck my face forcefully and ripped it off in a smooth grasping motion. I was already racked by more pain than I’d ever felt in my whole life, but now I was on fire on top of everything else; particularly my face hurt. The pain only grew greater to the point where I wanted to die. I can’t describe it adequately, now. The physical pain I suffered from was worse than all the emotional pain I felt when Reiko-chan died. It hurt so much, I felt I might go insane.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” I screamed seemingly endlessly. Agony was all I knew. I thrashed and rolled, slamming back and forth, hitting everything in sight, and it gradually grew stronger as time passed. My whole body felt aflame. I thought I’d burn to ashes in mere seconds. I continued to scream and flail helplessly.

My back arched finally, my fingers hooking as the rictus of pain concluded as though it’d reached a crescendo.

I took a deep ragged breath. The pain disappeared as though nothing happened to me. Even my face felt normal. It was as though I’d been healed, or as though it were a strange dream. The lights flooded the car and blinded me. It took time for them to adjust. I first heard the train doors slide open again as the jingle played again, announcing the station was reached. I’d been fooled before, so I waited, clutching my face until I could see that door open. Outside, the station was bustling, full of people, just as the station should be. I fought to keep my eyes open, looking around the car in a panic. People were inside the car now. It wasn’t packed as it normally should be, but I wasn’t alone anymore.

More than this, for some reason they were staring at me. Not that such a reaction wasn’t something I wasn’t used to. I sighed and lowered my hands, tried a weak grin, though I wanted to sob. The reactions of the people around me were more exaggerated than I usually saw from others. So began my hellish day.