Chapter 31: Anomaly Catching Anomaly

How to Kill What Doesn't Die (5)

―――BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

The siren blared loudly, filling the room.

It was designed to make such an irritating noise to signal danger, but it was so nauseating that it terrified the listeners.

I, too, was forced to sit up because of the sound that pounded in my ears. I glared at the speaker on the ceiling with a look of utter displeasure.

'So noisy.'

I poured out my complaints in my mind, where no one could hear them.

I was finally making plans for the future, and this was just plain rude.

I didn't know if it was a fire drill or a real fire that was causing the siren to blare so loudly.

But if they were going to install a speaker in the room that made so much noise as if a war had broken out, shouldn't they have created a system where the door opened at the same time as the siren?

Really, I don't understand any of this design. Who the hell created modern architecture?

'...Well, if it's really urgent, someone will open the door for me.'

I leaned against the wall with my eyes closed, concentrating on ignoring the sound from the speaker.

I couldn't tell if it was just a fire drill or if something dangerous was really happening, so I couldn't just break down the door and leave.

Even if there was a real fire and everyone had evacuated... I could escape when the smoke started to fill the area. It wouldn't be too late.

Maybe it would be better to escape later.

If the fire started to spread to this room, they would assume I had burned to death.

They wouldn't dig through the ashes to find my bones to see if I was still alive.

'Escape. It's not like I haven't thought about it.'

Actually, the option of escaping this place had been on my mind from the very beginning.

I had finally returned to my hometown, and there was no reason to be trapped in this small room. There were so many things I wanted to do.

But my hometown's science had advanced to the point where they had developed a dimensional gate, and I thought that if I acted clumsily, I might end up in a chase with my own people.

I decided to stay here quietly and watch the situation, leaving escape as a last resort.

'Well, it turned out to be just a lost child center.'

A small chuckle escaped my lips.

I was amused by my past self, who had been so wary for no reason.

Literally, the place I had been looking around was much more ordinary than I had thought.

At least, no secret organization would have built a playroom in their building.

'So, I need to think about what to do after I leave this place.'

After learning that this place was more special than I had thought, escape was no longer a last resort.

It would be a good idea to get proper support from here and go out into society, as I had thought before.

But if there was a way to get out of here without causing a fuss, there was no reason not to take it.

Okay. So, what if I get out of here?

First of all, I'm never going to do this damn mute concept again.

It wasn't fun, and I realized that not being able to communicate my intentions to others was more frustrating than I could have imagined.

No, not just when I get out of here.

Even if I end up staying here, I should let them know that I can speak to some extent soon.

As for why I haven't spoken until now...

I could just say that my memory has returned, or that something mental has been healed, right?

It's just a lost child center, so they won't ask too many questions―――

--Clang

Just as I was thinking of a suitable excuse.

The sound of machinery meshing together began to come from the room's only door.

"Number 19!"

A familiar voice comes from the crack in the door.

I can tell without looking. It must be Sophia. Something similar happened just a while ago.

But now she had a more urgent expression than ever before.

She forced her way through the half-open door and called out to me.

"Haa... You're safe. I'm glad."

And as always, she starts our meeting with a hug.

I'm sorry, but don't you think the skinship is getting more intense these days?

Even most families don't hug each other this often.

When I start talking, the first thing I should do is tell her to stop touching me so much.

"Listen carefully. Something very dangerous is happening outside right now. I know you have a lot of questions, but I'll tell you after we escape to a safe place. Okay?"

She hugged me for a very short time, then grabbed my shoulders and roughly explained to me that something dangerous was happening outside.

I shook my head, having roughly grasped the situation, but Sophia grabbed my arm before she could even see it and tried to take me outside.

What? Was it really an emergency?

"Seonbae!"

As Sophia led me out into the hallway, someone's voice came from the other side of the hallway.

The face of a sturdy young man in a lab coat.

His name was probably... Arthur, yes.

From what I overheard, he was probably Sophia's junior.

I hadn't met him very often, and I had only received candy from him a few times.

Honestly, I felt more comfortable with him than with Sophia, who was so overwhelming.

"Arthur? Why are you here?!"

"That's what I want to know! Why are you here, saying you were going to get something you forgot?"

"Well, I happened to see Number 19 on the way, so I had no choice―――"

--Thump!

While the two were talking, a loud noise came from the other side of the hallway.

The sound of something big hitting the floor hard.

It felt less like a building collapsing and more like a heavy creature stomping its feet.

"...Let's go, it's dangerous here!"

"Do you know the location of the nearest safe house?"

"That's why I came with you! You probably only know a few places anyway, Seonbae!"

Arthur grabbed Sophia's arm and started running.

And I, who was grabbed by Sophia's arm, had no choice but to follow.

I was so curious about what was going on that I wanted to find out right away.

But I decided not to take any action to satisfy my curiosity.

I didn't want to bother the two people who were moving so urgently, and more than anything――

--Crash!

I was able to find out what they were running away from so quickly.

"Waaaaah?!"

"Kyaaaaaaa!"

'Something' suddenly popped out of the side wall of the hallway.

It broke through the wall and blocked our path, scattering debris and dust.

The two screamed and helplessly tumbled down the hallway from the intense shockwave that shook the entire space.

―――Screeeeeech

A nasty sound echoes, like rusty, old iron being forced together.

It was a doll.

To be precise, a dummy doll that was severely twisted and grotesque.

Its original form had been torn apart, and it was covered in dangerous add-ons that seemed to be designed only to kill people.

It faithfully reproduced the human skeleton and appearance in a disgusting way, giving the unpleasant feeling of looking at a corpse turned inside out.

―――Screeeeeech

With the nasty sound from before, the doll's arm, attached to its shoulder, broke through the ceiling and soared high.

A grotesque shape that looked like the fangs of a beast the size of a human torso had been forcibly shoved into the end of the elongated arm.

The two, who had not yet recovered from the previous shock, could only helplessly look up at it without even getting up.

"A, aaaaaaa...!"

Sophia's voice was filled with despair.

Despite her pitiful voice, the doll showed no mercy and swung its huge arm down at us――――――

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