Ch. 8: Be More Afraid (MOON)
The next morning…-.
I awoke and left the room, and could make out the vague form of a person standing in the corner of the hallway.
Curious, I walked closer and…
OO: "Will!"
Will: "Huh…oh, OO?"
Will was leaning against the wall and rubbed the corners of his eyes.
OO: "Are you alright?"
Will: "I'm fine, just fine…I was just a little too enthusiastic and ended up working all through the night."
OO: "Just a little…"
Will stretched, and a look of complete satisfaction filled his face.
Will: "Anyway, I've finally got some time tonight and there's something I want you to see."
OO: "Me? But you should rest…"
Will: "I'll be fine, besides, it's gotta be tonight."
He stared directly at me as he spoke with unusual earnestness.
OO: "Alright, but don't push yourself."
I nodded, and he smiled in delight…-.
…
……
Then that night…-.
The promised time arrived, and Will took me out into town.
OO: "This is…?"
The place we'd finally arrived at was a small mini movie theater in town.
There was a sign outside the entrance that said 'Reserved for the day'.
Will: "You see, tonight, I wanted you to be the first to see my shiny brand-new film!"
OO: "…!"
He was completely different from the worn-out Will I had seen during the day, his back straight as he held his hand out to me.
Will: "I just finished it a little bit ago…and I really want to hear your first thoughts on it."
He held my hand with his tattooed one.
It was a slightly pale, regular hand…
This is the hand that made the movie everyone is looking forward to…
Will's hand, which could make something like this from start to finish…-.
OO: "Alright…!"
I squeezed Will's hand with both of mine, and answered firmly.
I arrived at my seat in the theater, and before long the film started. The numbers projected on the screen started to count down…
Soon, the film started, opening in a deep forest…-.
OO: "…!"
A man and a woman ran through the eerie night forest, and a strange figure chased them from behind.
It really is scary…
I clenched my hand atop my knee…-.
Will: "…"
Will, who sat beside me, grasped me hand.
But my hand continued to shake in fear…
After a while, the scene changed…-.
A small boat moved across a lake in the night, creaking as it went.
Aboard that boat…
OO: "…!!"
The mysterious murderer was bathed with a spurt of blood from their victim, and I gave a silent scream.
It's scary…so scary…
I kept watching, my shoulders shaking as I fought the urge to close my eyes.
Yet as Will held my hand, his gaze was trained not on the screen, but on me, a look of pleasure on his face.
Suddenly, I felt a breath close to my ear, and my heart leaped.
Will: "It's an honor to make you feel so much fear…"
OO: "Will…!"
He whispered close to my ear, as sweet as a lover …
Will: "This afternoon I was thinking how nice your smile is…but I really do love your expression of fear so much more than that."
My heart started beating faster, but not from being afraid.
Will: "OO…it seems I've become completely enthralled by you."
OO: "Eh…?"
Will: "Like how you're scared to the point of tears, and yet you'll watch my film. You really are cute…"
OO: "…"
He kissed the corner of my eye.
But in the next instant, the agonizing death of the character on screen blared through the speakers.
My shoulders stiffened in fear, and Will wrapped his arm around me.
Even though we were as close as a pair of lovers, the screen in front of me continued to play one horrifying scene after the other, and each time I clung to Will's arm.
Will: "You're so assertive."
OO: "Th-that's not it, I'm just scared…"
I went to pull away, but he held onto my shoulder with even greater strength.
Will: "It's fine, get frightened to your heart's content, then turn to me. I want to see even more of those honest expressions of yours…ok?"
OO: "Will…"
I wonder if it's really alright to rely on him like that.
I put all my strength into my fingers as I clung to him, giving myself over…-.
Though only a few days had passed since we'd first met, I was able to do that… and I wondered if it was because my mind was paralyzed with fear.
END