[hip-hop music]
[woman] Thank you so much once again for coming, Ishida.
Lately, it seems students prefer living in condos and apartments.
I wasn't sure if people would want to stay in a board house like this.
It's a well-kept room.
My only daughter, Shinobu, has been using it until now.
Oh! Um, I didn't force her out, did I?
Oh no, not at all. The room started as a room for boarders.
She's staying in another room now.
Your boarding includes breakfast and dinner.
-Please join us every morning and evening. -Right. Sure.
Also, I head out to work each weekday,
so I apologize in advance, but dinner may be late every so often.
No worries, that's fine. The rest of my belongings arrive tomorrow.
[landlady] Sounds good.
Um… it was very nice to meet you!
[landlady] Likewise!
[sighs]
"ALLEY"
I'm gonna walk around a bit.
All right, then. See you.
That fence is super tall.
[eerie music]
[landlady] Ishida! It's time for dinner. Uh, come on down.
[footsteps]
[Ishida] Hey. Thanks!
[landlady] Of course. You can sit over there.
Great. Thank you.
Honey, this is Ishida, our brand-new tenant.
Very nice to meet you.
Shinobu. It's nice to meet you, too.
I'm gonna take a guess that you're in high school?
[landlady] She's 14. She's in middle school.
Oh, really? Middle school, huh?
That's right. Now, don't hold back.
-Eat as much as you like. -[Ishida] Okay.
It's so nice to have you here.
[dog barking]
[crickets chirping]
[yawns]
HELL OF THORNS
[laughter outside]
-Huh? -[girl] Stop it!
-[girl] That's not fair! -[sighs]
It's too late for playtime.
-[girl] No! Wait a minute! -[Ishida growls]
[girl] Oh, you can't get away!
Hey! You're too noisy!
-[boy] Someone's saying something. -Ugh. Little punks.
[grunting]
[girl] No, you can't!
[boy] Oh! Too fast!
[girl] Come on! You can't do that!
-[boy] I'm next. -[Ishida gasps]
[children laughing]
[grunting]
That was a close one.
Hey, shut up, alrea--
[creepy music]
-[Shinobu] Excuse me… -[gasps]
[Shinobu] Can I help with that?
Ah, Shinobu, hey. You surprised me.
There isn't much to help with, so I think I'll be okay.
THOUGHTS OF A MONOLITH THE BARD'S FATE
Thanks a lot.
This bookshelf, it used to be mine, you know.
Hmm. Uh, yes, I'd heard that.
Oh, I should tell you, something weird happened last night.
I heard the voices of children playing on the other side of this wall.
It sounded like they were in that alleyway over there, surrounded by a fence.
I checked it out, but I didn't see anybody.
Oh yeah. About that.
There are lots of alleyways around here,
so sounds from far away can feel like they're really close.
I heard the same sorts of things while I was in this room.
Sounded like they were on the other side of this wall, didn't it?
Uh, yeah.
-Uh, it did. -Wait.
Mr. Ishida, you said you checked it out earlier. What did you mean?
Oh! I mean I jumped onto the fence from that window.
But it was dark and I couldn't see anything.
[Shinobu]That's dangerous…
Please don't do anything like that again, okay?
No! Oh, I won't, I promise.
To tell you the truth, I almost fell down to the ground.
-I won't risk that again. -I'll hold you to that.
I'm glad you weren't hurt. I'm relieved, honestly.
One's life is far too precious.
[laughs] You sound like a grandma.
[both laughing]
[crickets chirping]
-[children laughing outside] -Hmm.
Huh?
-[deep snarling sound] -[laughter stops]
-[gasps] -[deep growling]
[growling]
Hmm?
[growling voice] Shinobu…
[Ishida gasps]
-Shinobu… -[shudders]
Shinobu!
[growling continues]
[gasps]
Shinobu…
-[man] Excuse me… -[grunts]
You're boarding in the second floor of Mrs. Uchiyama's place, aren't you?
Yeah, that's right…
[sighs]
There's something I need to tell you. Do you have a moment?
[Ishida] Okay. Who are you, exactly?
[man] Right. I was a boarder in that room about ten years ago.
[Ishida] And? What do you wanna talk about?
I tried to stay quiet about this, but I just can't do it anymore.
The memories play over and over in my head.
I have nightmares about it every single night.
I presume you're familiar with that tall, narrow fence right next to the house?
-You had to have seen it. -The one with the barbed wire?
That's it. From everything I've discovered,
a murder took place on the other side of it.
What? A murder?
[man] In a corner of that closed-off alley
is an iron lid that leads to an underground area.
I opened that lid and found the rotting corpses of three children down below.
[Ishida] Are you serious?
[man] And on that alley wall behind the lid
were three stains in the shape of children.
Each night when the sun goes down, those stains, they escape from the wall.
You can see and hear them running around playing.
Every night, I'd watch it all happen from my window and tremble in fear.
I don't know what your deal is, but if this is a joke, it isn't funny.
You were just having a bad dream.
I wish it was a bad dream, but it's not.
These horrifying memories are ingrained in my mind.
I don't know. There aren't any windows in that room with a view of the alley anyway.
That's not possible. I swear, I saw it! [shuddering]
There's a window there, I'm sure of it!
Please inspect the room closely!
[trembling]
I'm in no mood to entertain any of your delusions.
CAUTION: INTERSECTION CITY OF ECHIZEN
That guy was completely off his rocker.
Hmm.
Hmm…
[gasps]
[grunts]
So… [gasps]
[eerie music]
[gasps]
But…
[shudders]
[trembling]
[gasps]
IDIOT. I'LL STAB YOU.
I WANT TO KILL.
DIE OLD MAN. SHUT UP.
DIE DIE. I DID IT, I DID IT.
[breathing unsteadily]
-[thumping] -[Ishida grunting]
[shivers]
[metal groans]
[Ishida gasps]
[cries out]
[echoing slam]
Everything he said was true… [shivering]
[panting]
[gasps]
[yells]
[screams]
[groaning]
[trembling]
Uh… Shinobu?
So you found the hidden window. Man, you are nosy.
Those corpses down there. Did you kill them?
When I was little, I decided to trap three mean bullies in a hole,
because they were hogging that alleyway as if it was their own personal property.
You see, this wasn't just some old alleyway to me.
It was a special playground.
One just for me.
About a week after I trapped them inside,
the shadows of those same three bullies appeared on the wall.
I thought, "Oh, I guess they must've died."
Later on, my dad happened to take a look down inside that hole,
and found the three corpses.
He must have realized quickly that I was the one that did it,
because he put up that tall fence to this area almost immediately.
[humming]
[Shinobu] After that, we couldn't keep new boarders around.
They all freaked out and left this place right away.
It's because those bullies come out of the wall to yell and play at night.
That's why this became my room.
So years later, once again, this alleyway became my space that only I can enter.
Not long after, I invited over two classmates I hated and killed them.
And my nagging dad, too…
But each one of them is so persistent.
Everyone who dies in this alleyway shows up as stains on the wall.
They sneak out of those spots each night to throw curses up at me.
They're discussing various plans on how to go about dragging me down there.
Too bad. I make it a point to never go into the alley at night,
so those apparitions will never catch me.
I have to admit, watching those specters get really frustrated
is quite entertaining for me.
So when Mom said she would start looking for boarders again,
I was obviously against it.
Mr. Ishida?
I guess the poor guy passed out. [giggles]
[gasps]
Huh?
[eerie music]
[whimpers]
[stone grinding]
[gasps]
ART ROOM
[boy] Rumi, head home without me. I wanna stay and help our teacher.
[Rumi] But it's time for us to leave campus.
She's right, you really should be going, Shimada. Your parents will be worried.
Nah, it'll be fine, sir. My parents are on vacation right now.
Besides, what will you do if you don't finish in time for your exhibition?
I can find a way to manage on my own from here.
[Shimada] You don't have many days left, sir.
As an art club member, I want to help and do my part!
[teacher] All right, fine. Thank you.
Wow, you have an art exhibition coming up, Mr. Okabe?
How wonderful! I haven't seen work like yours anywhere.
These headless statues are unique!
Thank you! The theme I'm going for is that by getting rid of faces,
you can create infinite possibilities.
You don't need faces for art.
Human faces express such an abundance of various emotions,
but look at all the faces drawn on famous paintings of past and present.
Most have no emotion, or no more than a faint smile.
If that's the case, then why don't we simply get rid of faces altogether?
The only face you need's the one at the bottom of your glass.
Oh, wow. What a concept, sir!
Sounds like an artist.
[laughs] Well, I do fancy myself an artist.
Who knows? Maybe someday, I will make a statue with a head.
"HEADLESS STATUE"
[murmuring]
[boy] I had his class today.
Hey, Masami, Sanae, did something happen?
Rumi! Mr. Okabe was murdered last night!
What did you say?
It's just awful. One of the third years found him in the art room this morning.
And he was missing…
missing his head.
No way!
[Masami] The rest of his body was found lying in the art room.
But the head was gone.
[echoing] All right, Shimada, I'll be going home now.
-Bye! -Oh! Hold on!
Please don't tell anyone that I'll be staying late on campus.
[Rumi] I won't. See ya later!
[Masami] Rumi? Hey, Rumi, you okay?
Uh, yeah.
Have either of you seen Shimada?
Uh, not today, not yet. Is he late?
Maybe…
DO NOT ENTER
[doorbell rings]
[sighs]
-[intercom picks up] -[gasps]
[Shimada] Yes? Who is it?
Shimada! It's Rumi!
Oh, Rumi… Is something wrong?
You heard about Mr. Okabe, right?
You and I just talked to him yesterday.
I didn't think something like that would happen.
-Hey, is there anything-- -[hangs up]
Huh?
[door creaks]
[gasps]
Shimada? What…
Rumi, you don't think I'm the murderer, do you?
No way! That's not why I'm stopping by here.
You're acting strange!
Strange? Everyone becomes strange if they fall in love.
Rumi… you're so beautiful…
What's come over you? I'm what?
I confess that I've always eagerly awaited your presence over in the art room.
I can't believe you never realized
just how much my heart raced each time I saw you.
Let's walk a bit. I promise to tell you everything.
[whimpers]
[girl shivers] This is so creepy.
[Masami] I'm sorry, I need my study guide because I have an English test tomorrow.
[Sanae] I get it, but why'd you have to leave it in the art room?
ART ROOM
Look there.
That's where Mr. Okabe's corpse was found.
[Sanae] Why would anyone kill him?
[Masami] Maybe someone had some kind of grudge against him?
You'd have to if you did that.
[Sanae] Whatever, just hurry and grab your study guide.
[Masami] Such a horrific way to go… having your head cut off like that?
-And the head is still missing… -[Sanae] Not another word about that!
Come on, Masami, hurry up.
I'm looking! Where did I put it, anyway?
-[echoing thump] -[gasps]
-Someone's here… -[shivering]
[door creaks]
[girls whimpering]
[in unison] Mr. Okabe?
[both crying and screaming]
[Rumi] Mr. Okabe is still alive?
[Shimada] He's hiding in the old campus building.
I'm meeting him later tonight.
Now, take my hand…
[Rumi] Uh…
[creaking]
[whimpers]
[Rumi] Shimada, where's Mr. Okabe?
[Shimada] He'll be along. Let's wait inside for him.
It smells really strange in here.
Ugh, like rotting meat.
Or is it just me?
Wait up. All of the statues are missing.
Strange. The only thing left are the pedestals.
-[lock clicks] -Huh?
Hey, why did you lock the door?
[creepy music]
[gasps]
Shimada… Is something wrong?
[Shimada, muffled] No, it's nothing…
Wh-- Where did your voice just come from?
Where is he? What happened to Mr. Okabe? Tell me!
-[gasps] -He's right there. He's been here.
See?
[Rumi screams]
-[gasping] -The great artist himself, Mr. Okabe.
[Rumi whimpering]
[Shimada] Oh, Rumi… Your face is so beautiful…
-[shrieks] -Rumi…
Rumi…
[trembling]
Rumi.
[gasps]
Get back! [screams]
[squelching]
[Rumi gasping]
[screaming]
-Rumi… -[whimpering]
Rumi…
Someone! Someone, help me!
-[gasping] -Rumi.
Rumi…
[gasps]
[screams]
Huh?
It's… just a plaster statue?
[whimpers]
It won't open! Why won't it open?
Please, just open!
[whimpering]
[rumbling and grinding]
[crashing]
[gasps] Huh?
[whimpers]
[screaming]
[screaming] No, no!
[gasps]
-[crunching] -[gasping]
No! No! [panting]
[crunching]
[continues gasping]
Huh?
[screaming]
-[whimpering] -[stone tapping]
[crunching]
[Rumi screaming]
[continues screaming]
[stone cracking]
[woman 1] Hey! Look over there!
[woman 2] There's another one right there!
[woman 1] That beautiful face will be mine!
[woman 2] No way! It will be mine!
-[Rumi screaming] -[crashing]
[girl] Give it to me.
Go away! Go away!
-[girl] Your head. -[Rumi screaming]
[girl] Give it to me!
[cheerful pop music]
[man] I decided to head to the room next door through a new gaping hole.
The insects were whispering, and that made me realize.
"Ah! What a fool I've been!"
"I've only been following the orders of the insects until now."
I won't listen to what they have to say anymore.
I rammed my bony body through the open hole
and jumped out of the room.