— The Secret
January 13, 2014 — 3:00 p.m.
The wind blew strangely, carrying with it a feeling that was difficult to explain.
Somewhere in Japan, everything seemed completely normal.
People walked through the streets. Some talked among themselves; others went from one place to another without paying much attention to what was happening around them. Vehicles moved normally, and the city continued at its usual pace.
Shibuya was full of life.
But far from there, several kilometres away from the city, the tranquillity was completely different.
In the middle of a remote field stood a medium-sized wooden house.
Inside, a telephone began to ring.
A hand reached out and picked it up.
—誰ですか？
↳ Who is speaking? —the young man asked calmly.
A woman answered on the other end of the line.
—こんにちは。レイ・アストンさんでしょうか？
↳ Hello. Am I speaking with Reigh Azton?
—はい。
↳ Yes.
—あなたは、白血病で入院している母親を持つ、17歳の青年、レイ・アストンさんで間違いありませんか？
↳ Are you Reigh Azton, the seventeen-year-old whose mother is currently hospitalised with leukaemia?
—はい。
↳ Yes.
The woman paused briefly before continuing.
—お母様は化学療法を受ける必要があります。癌はある程度進行しています。治療費については、すでに保険で補償されています。また、必要な薬は薬局で購入することができます。明日、購入証明書を確認するために病院へ来てください。
↳ I have to inform you that your mother will have to undergo chemotherapy. The cancer is somewhat advanced. The treatment is already covered by insurance. You can also purchase the necessary medication at the pharmacy. You will need to come to the hospital tomorrow to have the purchase receipt checked.
Reigh remained calm.
—分かりました。
↳ Alright.
—分かりました。それでは以上です。お電話ありがとうございました――
The call ended.
Reigh had hung up.
He placed the phone back where it had been and walked, slightly staggering, towards the sofa. He dropped onto it and turned on the television.
Japanese news appeared on the screen.
Shibuya was about three kilometres away, the place where Reigh lived.
Suddenly, a plate fell from the table.
CLANG!
Reigh looked at it for a few seconds, but paid it no attention. He turned his gaze back towards the television and continued watching the news.
He remained there for an hour.
⸻
4:00 p.m.
Eventually, he decided to get up and head to his bedroom on the second floor.
The house did not exactly have the typical appearance of a Japanese home.
It was much more Western.
There was a dining room, spoons left in different places, words written in English, and even a British flag. The stairs were not particularly tidy either: batteries, clothes, and other objects were scattered across the steps.
Reigh climbed the stairs without paying much attention to the mess.
When he reached his bedroom, he found the same chaos. There was a desk, a computer, and various things scattered around the room.
He turned on the PC and started playing games while listening to music.
The room fell silent except for the sounds coming from the computer.
There were several expensive trainers, a modern computer, a balcony, and a large bed; a room quite different from what one might expect to find in a Japanese house.
Two hours passed.
Throughout that time, Reigh continued playing.
On the desk were mathematics notes and several open books about general knowledge. Some contained information about humanity.
Eventually, he shut down the computer and dropped onto the floor.
Another thirty minutes passed.
He was bored.
He did not know what to do.
He raised his eyes and looked at the medals hanging on the wall. He stared at them for a few seconds before looking away.
He went downstairs.
When he reached the first floor, he remembered that he had not finished his tea and had left the television on.
He picked up the cup.
The tea was cold.
A small British flag decorated the ceramic.
Reigh returned to the sofa and sat down again. On the table were advanced mathematical equations, a pencil, and a one-dollar American bill.
He looked at them absent-mindedly for a few seconds.
Then he went into the kitchen.
He poured himself more tea and began drinking it.
Beside him was a framed picture.
It read:
“Reigh Azton’s Graduation — 2013, Secondary School”
Reigh barely paid attention to it.
He returned to the living room.
The large modern television was still broadcasting the news. Reigh watched it for a while.
Eventually, he stood up and walked towards the window.
From there, he could see Tokyo in the distance.
He looked at the city.
Everything seemed normal.
But Reigh was bored.
He needed stimulation.
In his own way.
A small smile appeared on his face.
—まあ……少し外を歩いて、何か面白いものでも探してみるか。何か新しいものがあるかもしれない。ハハハ。
↳ Well… maybe I should go outside for a bit and see what’s interesting out there. Maybe I’ll find something new. Haha.
He put on a black jacket over his white shirt and black sweatpants.
Then he left the house.
He would walk to Shibuya.
He just wanted to find something that would entertain him.
Something interesting.
Something new.
⸻
Night had fallen.
Reigh walked calmly across the grass, without any hurry. Shibuya was about three kilometres away.
As he walked, he heard footsteps behind him.
He did not turn around.
He kept walking.
The wind began to intensify. A current of air surrounded him completely.
Reigh paid it no attention and continued forward.
However, shortly afterwards, he began to feel something strange.
He stopped.
Then he turned around.
There was nobody there.
He looked forward again, took a step, and fell to his knees.
A sharp pain pierced his abdomen.
His head began to burn.
Everything started spinning.
He became dizzy.
And suddenly…
The sensation disappeared.
The pain ceased.
The dizziness faded.
Reigh felt normal again.
He did not know what had happened.
Something was wrong.
He began walking faster.
He felt tired, and his vision started to blur.
Even so, he continued.
Then he raised his head.
And stopped.
He was no longer in the field.
He was in Shibuya.
Surrounded by people.
Several of them looked at him strangely.
Reigh remained still for a few seconds.
What the fuck just happened?
—Did I teleport, or did I get amnesia and forget everything? Fuck… I think this is what happens when I don’t sleep. For fuck’s sake.
He stood up and began walking through the crowd.
He ignored the looks.
He was only looking for something to entertain him.
Something interesting.
Something new.
⸻
As he walked, Reigh noticed something strange.
A drop of blood fell to the ground.
Then another.
He did not know where they were coming from.
He raised a hand to his cheek.
He was bleeding.
There was a cut.
He stepped back slightly.
The crowd continued pushing past him as he moved forward. Some looked at him; others simply kept walking.
Taking advantage of his 1.81-metre height, Reigh managed to move away from the crowd.
Then he felt the same pain in his abdomen again.
But he kept walking.
After three blocks, he reached a park where there were few people.
It was 7:43 p.m.
Night had completely covered the city.
Reigh walked calmly.
He was looking for something interesting.
Out of curiosity, he approached a house.
He left the park and crossed to the other side of the street.
He carefully observed the architecture of the house.
Then he continued walking.
He passed an alley.
He went past it.
Then he heard a noise.
He stopped.
His curiosity made him take a few steps backwards.
He looked at the alley again.
It was narrow, approximately 1.20 metres wide. It was also deep and dark. The light barely reached the entrance.
Beyond it, there was only darkness.
Reigh felt the air around his body.
A few drops began to fall.
For some reason, he decided to enter.
⸻
Reigh moved forward.
Then he heard a strange sound.
Something was eating.
Or chewing.
There were crunching noises, accompanied by a wet, liquid sound. Everything was distorted.
It did not sound human.
Nor did it sound like an animal.
Reigh’s curiosity grew.
He tried to find a theoretical explanation for what he was hearing.
He moved a little closer.
Then something shot out of the darkness.
It slammed into the left wall and fell among the rubbish.
The object split open.
It was a human arm.
It had been completely mutilated.
Blood began to pour from it.
Reigh was stunned.
This has to be a mannequin or makeup… right?
He took a step.
The little light allowed him to make out something else.
A human head.
It had also been mutilated.
Reigh stared at it for several seconds.
Then he kicked it.
The head flew forward.
He heard more noises.
He moved closer.
He looked towards the left side of the alley.
He saw a human arm.
And then…
He saw a creature.
It was eating something.
Ignoring the danger directly in front of him, Reigh spoke.
—こんにちは？
↳ Hello?
The creature turned around.
It was deformed.
At first glance, it looked somewhat like a cat, but it had limbs belonging to different animals. It was some kind of impossible hybrid.
It had multiple arms.
In one of them, it held a headless human body.
Its body began to move.
Its organs were exposed.
It was a viscous, deformed orange mass, resembling an enormous living blob of jelly.
Reigh stepped backwards.
—待て……お前、一体何なんだ？
↳ Wait… what the fuck are you?
He stared at it.
For a moment, he wondered if it was real.
Perhaps it was some kind of costume.
—まさか着ぐるみか？ だって……あまりにも本物みたいだ……
↳ Are you some kind of costume? Because… you look way too real…
He became nervous.
Then he let out a nervous laugh.
The creature opened its mouth.
A distorted roar came from it.
Reigh covered his ears.
Then the creature spoke a single word.
—XKTZON.
An enormous light covered the area.
Reigh shielded his eyes.
When he looked again…
The exit of the alley was blocked by a wall.
The ground had become brick.
The walls disappeared in an instant.
The alley no longer existed.
Now there was an infinite, completely flat area.
The noise of Shibuya had disappeared.
There was no signal.
Nothing.
Reigh stood twenty metres away from the creature.
He stared at it.
—Nice costume, I guess, but… WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS PLACE?! THIS VIOLATES EVERY EXISTING LAW OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS!
He took a step backwards.
He was nervous.
⸻
Reigh continued watching the monster.
Then the sky began to change.
Darkness and an intense light merged together.
Until…
BOOM!
A massive expansion shook the area.
The sky transformed.
It was now a clear blue mixed with crimson red. Galaxies and stars appeared distorted above them.
The creature launched itself towards Reigh at incredible speed.
It struck him.
Reigh went flying.
Before he could react, the creature created an enormous arm with fingers and caught him. It pulled him back towards itself.
Then it created a sharp knife.
It drove it towards Reigh.
The cut was deep.
—WHAT THE FUCK?!
Reigh reacted and struck with his right leg.
The creature created some kind of layer around his foot.
Then it formed several knives.
The knives pierced Reigh’s foot.
Reigh kicked again.
He broke the knives and managed to free his foot.
Blood began to fall.
The creature attacked again.
A blow sent him several metres through the air.
Reigh hit the ground.
He looked up at the sky.
I think I’m fucked… maybe. Or I don’t know. This has to be a lie. That thing shouldn’t be able to exist… Why does going out for a walk always have to end with this kind of shit?
A small smile appeared on his face.
—Fuck you, Monster.
Reigh began laughing from the ground.
—I regret not going to Muay Thai classes properly, haha. Or… I think that’s what it was called…
The creature launched itself towards him.
It created a knife automatically and directed it towards his face with enormous speed and force.
It was about to strike.
But Reigh stopped it.
He grabbed it with both hands.
The knife slowly descended.
His hands began to bleed.
Blood ran down onto his forehead.
—That fucking hurts…
The creature struck him again.
Reigh fell to the ground.
He got back up.
His hands were completely covered in blood.
He acted quickly.
He moved his head and managed to release the knives.
They struck the ground.
CRACK!
A deep crack appeared.
Reigh took advantage of the moment and quickly kicked the creature in the face.
He stood up.
But the monster counterattacked.
A tail emerged from its body and struck Reigh.
It sent him flying several metres.
Reigh fell.
He got back up.
He was severely injured.
Even so, he smiled.
—If you were human, I’d have killed you, you fucking cat. But since you’re a coward, you like fighting… I’m not weak, am I, you piece-of-shit cat?
The monster began manipulating its own body.
Its form changed.
It became completely covered in sharp blades.
Then it transformed into an enormous ball of blades.
It began rolling directly towards Reigh.
Reigh’s eyes widened.
—WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?! FIGHT FAIR!
He extended the palms of his hands.
He tried to stop it.
Then…
The sky broke.
Literally.
An enormous crack appeared above them.
Something fell through the broken sky.
It was a person.
He was carrying a katana.
He descended at incredible speed.
He struck the monster directly.
The katana pierced through it.
BOOM!
Everything exploded.
A huge crack appeared in the ground.
Dust rose into the air.
The shockwave knocked Reigh down.
He fell to the ground.
The monster stopped moving.
⸻
The man in the black suit, the one who had fallen from the sky with the katana, remained standing.
He took out a black device.
—Anomaly neutralised.
The radio responded.
The voice was relaxed and calm.
—Eliminate any evidence and any witnesses.
Reigh raised his head.
He looked at the man.
He was an elegant-looking person.
He wore an immaculate black suit and tie. His face was oval-shaped. He had thick, slightly arched eyebrows, abundant black hair that was straight with a slight wave, and brown eyes.
A lightning-shaped scar crossed one of his cheeks.
His lips were thin.
He stood approximately 1.85 metres tall.
The man listened to the words coming from the device.
Reigh’s eyes widened.
—FUCK!
The dimension exploded.
Everything returned to normal.
Neither Reigh nor the man had time to react.
Reigh ran.
But the man reacted first.
His katana cut deeply into Reigh’s abdomen.
Blood began to pour out.
Reigh managed to reach the street.
People saw him.
Some screamed.
The man remained behind.
He could not expose himself any further.
—The man managed to escape. I can’t kill him permanently. People have already noticed.
The radio responded:
—Don’t worry. I’ll send someone I know to finish him off completely.
⸻
Reigh ran while people watched him bleed out. Some screamed, others moved away, and several tried to help him.
The police saw him.
—Stop!
Reigh did not stop.
He kept running until he reached a metro station.
He jumped over the payment barrier and went straight into a train.
He made it just in time.
The people inside the carriage became frightened.
Some called the police.
Others asked for an ambulance.
Reigh continued moving through the crowd.
The train travelled at high speed.
Five minutes passed.
It reached the first stop.
Reigh got off.
He ran, climbed the stairs, and exited the station.
He decided to head directly towards the field, taking a route through the outskirts.
Some police officers saw him.
He was seriously injured.
Reigh escaped.
He kept running.
But the wound in his foot finally worked against him.
He slipped.
He fell beside a river.
⸻
Reigh fell into the water.
He did not try to fight the current.
He let it carry him.
He knew the river would take him somewhere near his house.
Even so, he began swimming to move faster.
Then he struck his forehead against a rock.
The impact opened a deep wound.
Blood began to flow.
He did not care.
He continued swimming.
The current became increasingly violent.
Suddenly, it dragged him beneath the surface.
Reigh began to drown.
He fought against the river.
His wounds worsened.
He bled more and more.
The water around him began to turn red.
Reigh continued fighting.
The current dragged him violently.
Finally, almost miraculously, the river carried him to the bank.
Reigh managed to grab hold of it.
With what little strength he had left, he pulled himself out of the water.
As he did, he tore away a large chunk of earth.
He stared at it in his hand for a few seconds.
Then he dropped it and continued walking.
⸻
Reigh entered a dark forest.
It was 8:43 p.m.
The darkness was complete, making it difficult to see.
He walked for more than thirty minutes.
A large trail of blood followed behind him.
He did not seem to care.
He began climbing a small mountain.
Then he realised.
He was close to home.
Reigh began running.
His wounds worsened with every movement.
He fell.
He hit the ground.
He got back up.
He continued.
He fell again.
He hit the ground again.
But he kept going.
Another fall.
Another impact.
He got back up once more.
After ten minutes of running, his body finally gave out.
Reigh passed out.
⸻
Weakly, Reigh raised his head.
He recognised it.
It was his house.
He had made it back.
He didn’t know what to think.
He didn’t know what had happened.
He didn’t know what that creature was, who the man with the katana was, what that word meant, or what had actually happened in that place.
He began crawling.
With what little strength he had left, he managed to stand.
He opened the door.
He entered.
He closed it.
He began walking towards his bedroom.
He climbed the stairs.
Every step felt like a challenge.
The blood he had lost along the way had left a trail throughout the house.
But Reigh no longer cared.
He reached the second floor.
He ran.
He pushed open the door to his bedroom, sending it crashing against the wall.
Then he saw his bed.
It was the only thing he wanted to see.
With the last of his strength, he fell onto it, lying on his back.
His eyes began to close.
And finally…
He passed out.
The house fell silent.
Covered in blood.
END OF CHAPTER 1
