KUROUZU HOSPITAL
GOSHIMA, KIRIE
The cochlea.
It's the organ inside the ear that senses sounds.
It's probably the most conspicuous spiral in the human body.
HOSPITAL DIRECTOR
How are you feeling, Mrs. Saito?
Much better now, Doctor.
Does the thought of spirals still frighten you?
Yes. They terrify me.
I see. Let's try this, then.
Why don't we have them examine you at the psychiatric hospital in Midoriyama-shi?
But that's a hospital for, well... Right, Shuichi?
You don't want to go there?
You're worried about the stigma of going to a "psychiatric" hospital?
There's absolutely nothing to worry about.
I remembered it when I saw an old chart in the hospital director's office this morning.
My mother shaved her head and cut off her fingerprints.
Now that she thinks she's gotten rid of all the spirals on her body,
what would she do if she found out there are spirals inside her ears?
Damn it! It's another mosquito swarm!
Male mosquitoes form a swarm as part of their mating behavior.
It's a spiral shape.
Now that you mention it, I've been seeing a lot of those.
Is that why there have been so many mosquitoes lately?
It's the curse. It's the curse of the spiral.
Another ambulance!
They say that more than ten pregnant women have been brought in this morning alone,
complaining of feeling sick after being fed on by a swarm of mosquitoes.
Ms. Goshima?
The maternity ward is full, so we need you to share your room, okay?
Sure, of course.
Keiko?
Oh, do you know her?
Yes, she's my cousin!
NAKAYAMA, KEIKO GOSHIMA, KIRIE
- Thanks, Kirie. - Don't mention it.
Keiko, what's this? It weighs a ton.
Just go ahead and put it in the dresser, okay?
Sure.
KUROUZU HOSPITAL
Oh my god! This patient is dead!
Two more are dead in this room!
What happened to them?!
They seem to be
completely covered in insect bites.
Yes.
Whatever happened, their bodies
seem to be completely drained of blood.
W-We need to call the police!
Were they murdered?
I didn't hear anything last night, though.
About all I remember hearing was the buzzing of mosquitoes.
NAKAYAMA, KEIKO GOSHIMA, KIRIE
I can't believe there was a murder in a hospital!
- And three of them! - I know...
More importantly, listen to this, Kirie!
The baby's started to move.
It has?
Kirie, how are you feeling?
Shuichi!
Oh no you don't!
You're not getting a drop out of me!
Shuichi!
Did you know this, Kirie?
Only female mosquitoes that are carrying eggs suck blood.
They gorge on the blood of animals
to nurture the eggs they're carrying in their bellies.
What do you think you're doing?!
You need to leave! Now!
I'm so sorry, Keiko!
He's been acting a little strangely lately.
That's okay, Kirie.
KUROUZU HOSPITAL
Keiko, try not to let the mosquitoes get you, okay?
Thanks. It's fine, though.
I don't mind mosquitoes.
I like them.
I like them a lot...
What on earth are they doing?
You shouldn't have seen that!
No!
Hey, what's all the racket?!
Stay back!
Your blood! Give us your blood!
What's all this commotion? What's going on out here?
- Give us blood! - No!
I think that's enough for tonight.
That was delicious!
Let's go back to our rooms.
Right, let's get some sleep.
Not so fast!
You think you can steal a peek at other people's secrets and just walk away?
Stop it! Keiko, I need your help!
Blood... Give me your blood!
Keiko...?
Don't do this!
Die!
SAITO, YUKIE
Hurry, dear...
Become a spiral like me!
No... Never!
I want to crawl into the spiral inside your ear!
I want to curl up in it and fall asleep!
KUROUZU HOSPITAL
I saw it with my own two eyes!
- That seems far-fetched... - Are you sure you weren't dreaming?
It's the truth! Those pregnant women were drinking blood!
Your father said something strange. About there being a spiral in my ears.
Dad is dead!
It was just a dream, Mom.
I have to be sure!
- I have to look at that chart! - Mom!
Doctor!
Oh, dear...
It's gone! That anatomical chart is gone!
Oh, that was too old to be useful, so I got rid of it.
You did what?!
Then I'll come out and ask you directly! Is there a spiral in the human ear?
A spiral?
Of course not, how could there be?
Really?
More importantly, Mrs. Saito, the cuts on your feet must hurt.
- Give her something for the pain. - Right away, Doctor.
Let's go back to your room, Mrs. Saito.
Is it true? There really aren't any?
SAITO, YUKIE
Oh no... No!
They're in your ears!
No!
They're there!
There are spirals!
He's in my ears! He crawled into the spirals in my ears!
Have to hurry... Have to get him out...
I thought we had dodged a bullet when I took that chart down,
but I think we need to have a specialist look at her right away.
I think you're right.
Everything is spinning...
My body is twisting around and around...
No! I don't want to become a spiral!
Those look like--
KUROUZU HOSPITAL
NEWBORN ROOM
GOSHIMA, KIRIE
Thanks, I'm done eating.
But you hardly touched it!
I don't like these mushrooms. They kind of smell like blood.
Those mushrooms are delicious!
Our obstetrician, Dr. Kawamoto, says they're good for you, so eat all we want!
- I'd eat them anyway! - I know, right?
NURSERY
I wonder what's going on...
I want to go back!
Back to the warm place!
Can we go back, though?
Sure we can! That man took us out, he can put us back in.
I bet he's putting Makio back inside as we speak!
I hope my turn will come soon!
I can't wait!
You're so naughty!
That was Keiko's voice!
DELIVERY ROOM
It came from here!
Dr. Kawamoto! I heard Keiko scream just now!
A baby's cuteness
is a weapon meant to allow it to mature into independence.
But with them, I cut their umbilical cord again and again,
and it keeps regenerating the placenta.
They regenerate the placenta at end of their umbilical cord.
That's how determined they are to return to their former abode.
Their former state of existence.
Then... these mushroom-like things with the spiral patterns on them...
Yes. They're placentas.
They started growing spontaneously as we were delivering them in this room.
Keiko!
Dr. Kawamoto... Give me blood!
What are you doing? Let go of me!
Now! Give me blood now!
Delicious...
So delicious...
- Mushrooms! - Look at them all!
More...
I need more!
Thank you for everything.
Please take care, okay?
- Let's get out of here! Hurry! - Ow, you're hurting me!
We're having a welcome home party for Kirie tonight!
We expect you to be there, Shuichi.
A party?! Yahoo!
Your house is right next to Dragonfly Pond!
That pond is contaminated with spirals through and through!
Party! Party! C'mon!
- Welcome home! - Welcome home, Sis!
Thanks...
Shuichi, don't be shy! Dig right in!
Thanks, I will...
Wow, you must have been starving!
Shuichi, you should come by more often.
I will.
What's the matter, Shuichi?
You see it, don't you, Shuichi?
I'm especially proud of that piece!
Your father was a man who truly understood art!
Before he died, he said that pottery is the art of the spiral.
His words opened my eyes to what true art is!
What can we expect Typhoon #1 to do after it makes landfall soon in Japan?
Shuichi didn't eat very much, did he?
Yeah...
They're super creepy.
Stuff like that is all he's been making lately.
A face...
They look like Shuichi's mom and dad...!
It burns! We're burning up!
- Shuichi! Shuichi, help us! - Shuichi! Shuichi!
Let me see what's inside that kiln!
Oh, you were still here?
They're calling to me.
Someone's calling out to me from inside that kiln!
Don't be silly, that's not possible.
Shuichi!
- Help us, Shuichi! - Shuichi!
Why?! How can my mom and dad be inside that kiln?!
- Shuichi! It burns! - Shuichi! Shuichi! Shuichi!
Shuichi!
I'll call the fire department!
The powerful Typhoon #1, which formed at an unusual timing in the season,
is expected to proceed north after making landfall, and--
- Dad, come down! It's dangerous! - I'm done!
The monster Typhoon #1 has inexplicably stalled out over Kurouzu-cho,
and fierce winds continue to rage within that town.
The Japan Meteorological Agency is unsure what is keeping it from moving--
I'm coming to you from Kurouzu-cho. The typhoon still shows no sign of--
Kobayashi? We're seeing something on the utility pole behind you.
What's that? The utility pole behind me?
- Are you seeing this? - Could the typhoon have caused that?
- Is that a woman? She's dead? - Kobayashi?
- Are you there, Kobayashi? - Yes, I'm right here!
What's going on? It's just been sitting there for nearly two hours!
And not even the JMA can explain why!
- What was that just now? - Beats me.
Who's there?
It's the eye of the typhoon! The eye is searching for you, Sis!
Don't be silly, Mitsuo. It's called the eye of the storm,
but storms don't have an actual eye.
Ki... ri... e...
Coming!
- Shuichi?! - Kirie!
Come with me!
If you stay, your house and your family will both be wiped out!
Look! That's the eye of the typhoon!
Look at those sinister, coiling storm clouds!
Haven't you heard it? It's calling your name!
It was love at first sight!
Typhoon #1 is head over heels for you!
A-Are you kidding me?
Hurry! This way!
Ki... ri... e...
Kirie!
- My leg! It's pinned! - What?! Damn it!
Are you okay?!
Hang on, I'll give you a hand!
She was swallowed up by the eye of the storm?!
Why?!
Ki... ri... e...
The storm must have taken her, thinking she was me...
If the storm stays here, the whole city will be--
Ki... ri... e...
Get down!
This way!
Ki... ri... e...
Typhoon #1, which had dealt tremendous damage to Kurouzu-cho
while it was stalled there, has disappeared without warning.
This sudden disappearance remains unexplained. What's more, Typhoon #2 has already--
Did you hear that?
I think it's mice! I'm so sick of them!
If you believe the stories, these row houses predate the Meiji era!
I wonder how a crude row house like this wasn't destroyed by the typhoon.
I guess it's tougher than it looks.
It's him! It's the monster!
I knew it, it's true! There are rumors that a monster lives here!
Every night, it kills and eats pet dogs in the neighborhood!
That's the last thing I expected to hear from you. There's no such thing as monsters.
It's true! They say a whole bunch have already been killed and eaten!
Coming!
Mrs. Goshima? It's Wakabayashi, your neighbor.
Hello, Mr. Wakabayashi!
A friend of your mom's?
He lives to the left of us. We introduced ourselves this afternoon.
He said he lost his house in the storm, same as us.
Good evening!
Good evening. It was nice to meet you this afternoon.
I heard this from the real estate agent who found this place for me,
but a poor old woman and her son live in the unit to the right of you.
Apparently, it's the son that's doing all this moaning.
What? So it's not a monster?
Oh, you've heard those rumors too?
Hush!
They say he looks rather strange due to a chronic illness.
That's how the monster rumors got started. There's nothing to worry about.
Well, I should go.
Thanks, that's very kind of you!
Well, I'm glad to hear that there's no monster.
What a nice young man.
It's strange, though. I went by a bunch of times this afternoon to say hello,
and it seemed like no one was home.
She might be hard of hearing. It sounds like she's up there in years.
Yeah, that might explain it.
The son's moaning again!
No, that's not...
Don't you think that's an old woman's voice?
That crying doesn't sound right!
Something might have happened to her!
Kirie!
Wait, Kirie! I'll come with you!
I'll go check on her!
Ma'am!
Ma'am, what's wrong?
My son! My son is dead!
What did he look like? The son, I mean.
It's not my place to say.
I took a quick peek through the back window a minute ago.
There were little holes in the floor where the son would have slept.
Lots of them!
What could have caused them?
I'm sorry. I don't want to talk about it.
Kirie... What a beautiful, strong-willed woman.
I can't take my eyes off of her.
Wh-What's that?!
M-Mr. Wakabayashi?!
Sis!
Wh-What the hell is that?!
Yamaguchi?!
Boo!
A spring is sticking out from his body!
That's a car's suspension spring!
Doujou-ji, Doujou-ji
All dried up
Doujou-ji, Doujou-ji
A spiral swirls above
A spiral swirls below
Beneath the pond of the dragonfly,
go down the stairs and complete the cycle
All dried up
Doujou-ji, Doujou-ji
What is that? That's so creepy!
- Come on, let's go. - Okay.
Inexplicable events kept happening again and again.
To this city. To us.
Looking back on it, I might have already become numb to them by that point.