Aoi collapsed onto the asphalt, her cheek pressed against the cold ground.
The live house's iron door was shut, the black stain writhing through the window cracks like a silent taunt.
Kaz dragged Aoi and Yuto onto the street, shaking his blond head. His tattooed arm glistened with sweat under the moonlight.
"You two alive? What the hell was that?"
Aoi didn't answer, her gaze fixed on the live house. The black threads on her arm were gone, the noise in her head silenced. But the terror pulsing in her chest lingered.
Yuto clutched his red cap, his voice trembling.
"Aoi, that building… it's still got something. We gotta run."
"Running won't stop it chasing us."
Her voice was low, melting into the night air. She stood, gripping her flashlight tightly. The live house's faint hum persisted, the building pulsing like a living thing. Kaz shouted.
"You going back in? That's insane! I'm calling the cops!"
"Cops can't stop that."
Aoi pulled a water bottle from her backpack, gulping it down. The cold liquid sharpened her senses. She glanced at Yuto.
"We killed the generator. Smashed the record. But the stain's still alive. That spiral… it's not just sound. It's waking something."
"So what now? We couldn't beat that shadow."
"We reverse the sound. Break its resonance."
Yuto's eyes widened. Kaz cut in.
"Explain. Now."
"No time. Kaz, stay out here. Yuto, let's go."
Aoi pushed the iron door open. The black membrane was gone, replaced by a rush of damp air.
Inside, the live house was dark, the audience area eerily still. A few bodies lay sprawled, black stains trembling faintly across them.
Aoi averted her eyes, heading for the control panel. Yuto followed, lighter in hand, its flame flickering.
At the panel, Miho was gone. Her leather jacket lay on the floor, coated in black stain.
Aoi worked the mixer, drawing on every scrap of sound tech knowledge she'd picked up from the gig. She set up a low-frequency reverse-phase sound to cancel the live house's resonance. Yuto muttered.
"Aoi, the stain's coming. Hurry."
The stain crept toward the panel, tangling Aoi's sneakers. She finished the settings and flipped the speaker switch. A heavy vibration rumbled, shaking the live house. The stain froze, shrinking back.
But a black shadow appeared on the stage—human-shaped, faceless, a spiral swirling where its face should be. It reached for the speakers, sparks flying.
"Yuto, protect the speakers."
Aoi adjusted the mixer, raising the frequency to disrupt the shadow's movements.
Yuto hurled his lighter's flame at the shadow, pushing it back slightly. But the stain crawled across the floor, spreading to the ceiling.
The live house walls groaned, cracks splitting them. The shadow drew closer, its low voice echoing.
"Resonate…"
A spiral mark bloomed on Aoi's arm, noise invading her mind. She gritted her teeth, cranking the mixer's sliders to max. A deafening roar erupted from the speakers, the live house quaking. The shadow screamed, its form fracturing. The stain sank into the floor, peeling from the walls.
But Aoi's body grew heavy, her vision darkening.
"Aoi, hold on!"
Yuto's shout pierced the storm of noise. Aoi clung to the mixer, her trembling fingers gripping the sliders.
The reverse-phase low-frequency sound shook the live house. The shadow at the stage's center was a void, its spiral pattern swirling.
Aoi closed her eyes, summoning memories of the music event—the late-night heat, the weight of gear, the crowd's sweat and frenzy. Those staff hours fueled her will.
She gritted her teeth, tweaking the mixer's settings, shifting frequencies to shatter the shadow's resonance. The speakers groaned, sparks flying.
Yuto clutched his lighter, tossing flames at the shadow, singeing its edges and forcing it back. But the stain surged toward the control panel's base.
It coiled around Aoi's bare feet, a cold sensation tickling her ankles. She screamed, slamming the mixer. Then, from the stage's depths, a low laugh echoed.
"Pointless, Aoi."
It was Miho's voice.
Aoi spun around. Miho stood on the stage, her purple hair plastered to her sweat-soaked skin, her leather jacket slipping off, revealing a black tank top that hugged her curves. Her eyes gleamed black, her lips blood-red. Spiral stains crawled up her arms, pulsing like living things.
She gripped the mic, stepping closer.
"…Miho? What's going on?"
Aoi's voice shook. Miho smiled, pressing her lips to the mic. Her voice poured from the speakers, shaking the live house—a sweet, poisonous sound, part song, part curse.
The stain surged, engulfing Aoi's feet. Yuto shouted.
"Aoi, she's the shadow!"
Miho's body, consumed by the stain, had merged with the shadow. Her fingers caressed the mic, sliding like a lover's touch. Her eyes locked on Aoi, glinting with invitation.
"Aoi, offer the sound. This live house feeds on sound and desire. Become part of me."
Miho's voice coiled around Aoi's heart. The spiral mark burned, black threads slithering up her arm. Her body flushed, breath ragged. Miho's lips drew near, whispering at Aoi's ear, her sweet scent filling Aoi's senses.
"Let's resonate. Until your ears go deaf."
Aoi screamed, lunging at the mixer. She slammed the sliders to max, unleashing a reverse-phase explosion. The speakers wailed, the live house trembling. Miho laughed, raising the mic. Her song drowned the sound, the stain climbing the ceiling. Aoi shouted.
"Yuto, the mixer! I'll stop Miho!"
Aoi leaped onto the stage, tackling Miho. Her body was hot, soft. Miho's arms wrapped around Aoi, the stain crawling across Aoi's skin. Miho's lips grazed Aoi's neck, a cold jolt piercing her heart.
Aoi drew her cutter, slicing Miho's arm.
Black liquid sprayed, and Miho laughed.
"Good, Aoi. That pain's part of the rhythm."
Yuto worked the mixer, amplifying the sound. The speakers sparked, the walls groaning. Miho's body trembled, the stain shrinking.
Aoi pinned Miho down, driving the cutter into her chest. The blade pierced only the stain. Miho grabbed Aoi's hair, pulling her close.
"You can't escape. You can close your eyes, but not your ears."
Aoi's vision dimmed. But she glared into Miho's eyes, screaming.
"You're not Miho!"
Aoi snatched Miho's mic, smashing it against the stage speakers. It shattered, a deafening blast ringing out. Miho screamed, the stain peeling from her body. The shadow collapsed, its spiral fading. The live house's vibrations stopped, silence falling.
Aoi crumpled, and Yuto rushed to her. Miho lay on the floor, her purple hair damp with sweat. Her eyes were clear, the stain gone. She smiled weakly.
"Aoi… thank you."
Kaz kicked the iron door open, dragging them outside. Fresh air filled their lungs. The live house stood silent, no stain in its windows. The spiral mark on Aoi's arm faded, the noise gone. Yuto readjusted his red cap.
"It's over, right?"
Aoi nodded, glancing at Miho, who walked slowly, supported by Kaz.
Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Aoi started down the alley. Her piercing glinted in the moonlight, her black parka swaying in the breeze. But she stopped. From deep within the live house, a faint hum echoed, dissolving into the city's night, unheard by all.
"Best gig ever."
Aoi's footsteps echoed softly through the midnight streets.
おわり