"Hehe... He."
It wasn’t something that I was able to control.
The laugh.
"Ha... Haha."
It echoed loudly within the venue, coming from me and the people around. None of us could stop it. As if we had been possessed by something, we all began to laugh.
The world began to stretch, and I could hear my own breath pounding inside my head.
I didn’t know what was going on, nor did I know what was happening; however, in the brief moments of clarity, I was able to notice the shaking of the other people’s eyes and realized it was exactly like the attendants.
BANG—!
The hammer struck down, the squelching sound echoing loudly within the venue as blood spurted everywhere.
The tune in the background shifted, growing faster.
More upbeat.
The people in white moved at the beat of the music, their movements just as synchronized as before but faster.
BANG! BANG—!
The world continued to stretch around me.
It almost felt like I was on drugs, the entire situation setting my mind on a buzz. Everything felt hazy, and for a moment, I felt numb.
But—
’I have to snap out of it!’
Ziiiii~
Within the music that played, one of the strings was pulled a little too tight, and the beat went off tune for a split second. That was all it took for me to snap out of it as the haze that clouded my vision faded completely.
"....!?"
But it looked like I was the only one to snap out of it.
"He... hehe."
"Hahaha."
The laughs continued to echo around me, the eyes of everyone around me still shaking. While I was still unsure of what was happening, I knew that I had to keep up the act as I laughed alongside everyone present.
"Hehe."
The moment I turned toward the band, my heart clenched. Among them stood a figure in white clothes and a white hat, a violin in its hand. Slowly, it lifted its head, revealing a face I knew too well... Its eyes stitched shut, its mouth sewn closed.
Ah.
I understood then what had happened as the conductor lowered its head once more, its hand gently guiding the bow stick.
Ziiii~
"Ahh."
Finally done smashing down, the old man took out a towel and wiped his hands clean.
As he did, he turned his attention towards us once more.
"The first sacrifice had to be made. In order to be accepted by us, you must be pure. One’s body must not be tainted by external objects like those strange rings. The skin must also be completely pure and clean from any blemishes."
Giving the bloodstained towel away, the old man turned his attention towards the people dancing.
"...In that case, the dance is in full swing. Why don’t we all start to dance?"
The laughter died at once.
However, as if their bodies were no longer their own, everyone accepted the order, turning their attention toward the music and the dance. One by one, everyone started to stand up.
I also stood up.
’What should I do? Should I get the Conductor to get everyone to snap out of it...? Will that help?’
This felt like the most obvious solution. However, once I turned my attention towards the band again, the conductor who had been present moments prior was gone. At the same time, a voice whispered in my ears.
’...Given my limited strength, I can only help you.’
Ah...
My heart sank.
Ziii~ Ziii~
At the same time, the sound of the violin grew more shrill. I began to follow everyone else, moving towards the other people in white and joining them in a circle.
"Please hold the hand of the person next to you."
I reached for Mia and Joanna’s hands.
The moment I touched their hands, my face nearly cracked.
Cold...
Extremely cold.
Still, I held onto them as the old man stood in the middle of the circle.
"Within our tradition, we like to dance not just to display purity, but also to ward away all the evil spirits. In particular..."
The old man paused, lifting his head to gaze at the mural above. Suddenly, the temperature in the room plummeted, a strange, suffocating tension filling the air. Chills ran down my spine, as if some sinister presence had silently materialized among us.
It was enough to make my breathing grow heavier, and as the tension reached an all-time high, the old man mumbled, "The Keeper."
BANG! BANG!
Suddenly, the doors of the venue shut with a thunderous sound.
"....!?"
The sinister presence that lingered within the room grew even more pronounced, the chill running down the room growing even more pronounced as the old man’s face started to twist, his eyes opening wide alongside his eyes.
"Dance! Dance...!"
He began to shout.
Immediately after, the music in the background grew more forceful, and everyone began to move, holding hands while moving from side to side.
’Just what the hell is happening?!’
I followed the dance, flustered and confused by the entire situation. I didn’t know what was going on, but if there was one thing that I understood, it was that I needed to dance with everyone else.
I could feel the sinister presence all too vividly, and sweat drenched my back, clinging to me like a cold, heavy weight.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
At first, the steps and rhythm were off. Not everyone was able to get in rhythm with the others, causing the air to grow even colder.
"D-dance...!" The old man’s voice came out as a shrill, his face turning pale, and his mouth widening to the point where it felt unnatural.
I didn’t know what was happening, but I could feel the heavy palpitations of my heart.
They rang loudly in my mind, and I followed the instructions.
No, it was more like...
I started to follow them again as the strange haze from before started to return.
’W-what...?’
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Dance! D-ance...!"
The old man’s face grew more and more desperate with each second that passed, his jaw opening wider, and the presence within the room growing ever present. I tightened my grip on Joanna’s and Mia’s hands as my eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to determine where the source of it all was coming from.
Just where was it?
I looked left and right, keeping my head straight while I moved with the others present.
I could tell that there was something present, but I couldn’t tell where. It was watching.
It was—
"....."
A thought suddenly struck me, and all of a sudden, it was as if all sound had faded from my mind, time slowing down at the same time. I didn’t know when, but my head slowly and subconsciously lifted towards the ceiling.
Towards the mural.
And it was there that I saw it.
A dessicated face. Just like the one from before. Only this time, it was different. The nose ring was gone, replaced by messy white hair and hollow eyes. A thick white beard framed the gaunt, decayed features, giving it a twisted, unnatural presence.
But the creepiest part of it all was its jaw.
It was open... stretched to a point beyond recognition, almost as if it had been pulled apart.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
The low, yet steady rhythm of my heartbeat echoed loudly within my mind. One that grew faster with each progressive second that passed, and slowly, time started to resume.
No, it started to become faster.
"Dance!"
The old man’s voice echoed, his voice filled with desperation.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
"Dance!"
He screamed, his voice turning shrill. Almost as if he was being chased by something.
"Dance!!!"
His eyes turned hollow, his expression twisted.
"Da—ukh!"
Spurt!
Blood suddenly spurted out from the old man as his jaw pulled apart, weird gurgling sounds coming from his mouth. The atmosphere froze over at the sudden action, until...
Thump!
He fell face-first against the floor, blood pooling around his body.
And yet—
Ziii~
Despite his sudden death, nobody stopped.
We all continued to dance. The music continued to play.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
But at the same time, staring at the old man and recalling the vision from before, my heart pressed tightly against my chest.
I suddenly understood.
That was no hallucination.
That was a premonition.
A premonition about the next victim.
Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!