NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Opened Doors
Seeing the happy smile of my beloved daughter, she savored each bite of the luncheon I taught her to cook.
While I was surprised to see her so happy that she burst into tears, it didn't stop me from feeling proud to be her parent. Though there was a minor mishap that caused her to harbor a petty grudge against me, I didn't mind because it looked cute instead.
[I kind of wished for Mouzei to see this.]
With the image of my workaholic husband came to mind, it reminded of the days we spent together as a family. Even if it was not much because of our positions, we still cherished each passing moment we were given.
No matter how much I wished he was here with us, I highly doubt that day would ever come to us.
- - - - -
At the time when Masako brought me down. Just seeing the aftermath of the attack caused cold sweat from my digital body.
"Umm... Sweetie..."
"What is it?"
"Do you know what happened here?"
"No..."
While we walked through the corridors, traces of blood were stained on dusty floors along with the rusted doors from stagnation, caused me to go silent and unable to talk to my daughter.
The unnerving silence that we were the only ones left inside, her footsteps avoiding glass shards echoes through the dim corridor.
I had too much in my mind as I left Masako walk through the stair to the bottom floors.
...
Going back to where I am, Masako finished her share. Looking at her indifferent expression towards this situation made me think she's been used to this. And upon noticing her change into confused look on why I didn't touch my plate, I couldn't help but feel happy towards her consideration towards me.
"Thanks Masako... But-"
I passed her a soft smile as I was about to tell her that I can't physically eat anymore. But before I finished my sentence, she immediately realized it herself making her face beet red. She felt bad about it, but I just teased her to lighten up the mood.
...
After Masako finished eating, I had Masako to wash the dishes since it is unsanitary to leave it laying there on the sink. Though she grumbled about planning to do it later, she eventually gave in to my nagging and washed it.
"I'm done..."
"Great job sweetie!"
As much as I wanted to help her in person, but the way I am right now left me limited ways in supporting her. Though this might also be a good time to teach her on how to be more independent.
"T-thanks."
But I think I should do it one step at a time, given how tired she was after washing it.
"So... where are we going right now, Masako?"
"I'm going to the office area to finish my drawings."
With her grip towards me loosened, she noticed it right away and hugged me instead.
"I see! Can you show some to me sweetie?"
"Sure!"
After picking me up, she took the stairs again despite how breathless she was when climbing up. I thought it was odd that she didn't take the elevator which should've been easier to use.
"Hey Masako. I've been wondering..."
"Hm?"
Placing me in front of her I can see her ears perk up in attention.
"Did something happen to the elevator?"
When she heard my harmless question regarding it, her face paled and start breakdown.
"P-please don't make me remember..."
Was what she said with tears forming in her eyes. It was already too late to take it back, the best I could do is to calm her down by taking her mind off that topic.
Hugging me tightly and not letting go, we slowly made our way to the ninth floor. While she still felt disturbed from what I said, she went and grabbed a chair and pulled it to a certain desk.
Placing me on the desk, I noticed papers written in Eastern Script. At first, I was surprised I somehow able to read it with ease but what took my attention was those drawings of people painted in black ink.
Seeing the drawings, I could say the one who drew them had a skill on par with a professional. Although the quality is amazing, the image itself was truly disturbing.
I wanted to ask Masako where she got these drawings, but I didn't expect to get my answer soon after seeing her pick up a pen.
"HmMm~ MmHmm~"
When she started humming, her facial expression relaxed as she moved her hand at a fluid motion. On a wrinkled paper, was a face of a familiar woman being drawn by Masako. After she drew her main features, I immediately knew who she's drawing.
[That is...]
"... Frolic?"
Seeing her feeling a bit anxious, I gave her my usual warm smile.
"What is it sweetie?"
"Nothing..."
Ending our conversation there, she went back to drawing my old body. Though, I'm glad that she remembers me... But-
With my portrait being the the only that smiled, it was uncanny how the rest looked more distorted compared to mine.
...
While I silently watched Masako's drawing process, her hand stopped every few moments, and in doing so she also took a quick glance at me before going back. When she's doing that I can't help but smile seeing her cute ear flapping.
When she's almost done, she stopped again and looked at me. But this time she said something.
"Umm... Frolic can you wait here for a bit?"
"Sure. Is it something you need to do alone?"
Seeing her troubled expression, I tried to guess what she's hiding. As she fumbled her words unable to properly say her excuse, I noticed her hands between her legs squirming and by that I knew what she needed to do.
"Don't worry I won't leave, so you can go now."
With her relieved expression she made a run for it.
"And don't forget to wipe yourself!"
Following up with a little tease I heard her stumble a little on the way.
...
"She came a long way." I said those words as I remember the progress I made to bring her back smile.
- - - - -
"What to do... What to do... Staring at the dusty office motionlessly can be boring when no one around... The sky is more interesting since I can at least see some interesting cloud formations..."
Sighing at the moldy ceiling, I closed my eyes and thought hard what I should be doing.
[I can give her moral support... But that's all I could think of right now... I wish there's something else I could do to help her.]
And with my thoughts, my wish was suddenly granted by a cluster of white particles blocking my vision.
"Wah!"
{ACCESS TO ALL SYSTEMS IN THE FACILITY AQUIRED!}
Forming a transparent blue panel, it displayed the message while it's being read by a monotone voice of a young woman.
"Huh?! What is this?"
{A SYSTEM GRANTED TO ENTITY FROLIC.MMR.}
"O-okay... Who gave 'this' to me?"
{CANNOT ANSWER.}
Semi expecting that answer, I switched the subject.
"Then... What can you do?"
{HERE ARE THE AUTHORIZED FUNCTIONS FROLIC.MMR CAN USE.}
In response to my question, it showed me a list of features below the text. When I glanced at one of them, it then displayed it function. With nothing left to do, it isn't really a bad idea to test it out.
Imagining myself clicking the option, the text turned yellow before it fades back to white.
{UNLOCKED ALL ACCESSIBLE DOORS}
"..."
Waiting for something to happen which led to nothing really going on around me, I sighed as I should've expected this to happen.
"I'll just Masako if by chance it did work."
And just on time, I saw Masako trotting her way back from the restroom.
"I'm back!"
"So, did you-"
"I did!"
Immediately cutting me off mid-sentence with a flushed face, it seems that my teasing worked too well. But I continued it anyway.
"-wash your hands..."
"..."
Pausing as she realized I said something different from her expectations, she thought about it for a while before avoiding my gaze.
[I guess she didn't.]
After making her go back to the restroom to wash her hands like any responsible parent would. But in doing so, I nearly forgot about the unlocked doors.
"Hey Masako, have you check the other rooms yet?"
"No. Since most of them were locked. Why did you ask?"
"I think I unlocked them."
"Really?!"
Immediately drying her hands with her cloth, she then picked me up and asked which doors I unlocked. I might ask her to change into something better later.
{ACCESSING FLOOR LAYOUTS}
Glancing at the map, I lead the way to those that were unlocked. Though we end up opening my coworkers personal labs, some of which was still locked.
{FROLIC.MMR DOESN'T HAVE PERMISSION TO ACCESS THIS AREA.}
[It already provided me this much... It would be bad if I got too greedy.]
Going through the next door, Masako once again went through the metal screeching. For having good hearing might as well be also a curse.
Upon opening the door just enough for us to pass through, Masako squeezed herself in and grabbed me from inside. Waiting for my camera to focus, I then saw the miniture indoor garden made by one of my juniors.
While Masako looked around the room filled with bizzare herbs and flowers. I immediately saw her pick one of the plant and took a nibble soon after.
"Masako!"
"Hm?! What is it Frolic?"
"Don't go eating anything on the ground!"
"..."
Not listening to a word I said, I demanded that she would spit it out.
"Oh~ And what are you going to do about it."
Seeing her smug aura emanating behind that smile, I already knee she wanted revenge for the teasing I did.
"Sorry Masako this is for your own good."
Activating a feature designated in this room, all the sprayers above us turned on, drenching Masako in muddy water.
"..."
- - - - -
While I'm waiting Masako to finish her bath, I was left staring at the ceiling of the corridor. She was in a foul mood when she dropped and left me outside of the bathroom. I admit it was partially my fault, but that's what she gets for testing my patience.
[While a little bickering wouldn't hurt, I'll still apologize after she finishes.]
As I can hear faint splashing sounds of water behind me, I guess she's having fun playing in her own childish way.
Since it'll take a while for her to finish up, I tried accessing the camera footage. Luckily, I managed to access it as I wanted to know what happened to this place.
{ACCESSING SECURITY FOOTAGE.}
"Today is October 24, 137..."
Navigating through the date and time, I didn't expect for it to pass for almost 4 years since that incident.
As I looked through the footage, I saw a person that wore a hazmat suit knocking the door in our room repeatedly. They kept waiting until the door opened revealing my sleepy daughter.
But after that, I froze as I saw them gripping my daughter's neck while she struggled to free herself.
"Haah... Haa—"
While the video continued to show how they brutally murdered my daughter, I can feel my heart breaking at the sight of her dragged across the room while their knife dug deep in her flesh.
"P-please s-stop..."
{PAUSING VIDEO.}
With a still image of her laying lifelessly on the floor, I skipped the video, I grit my teeth as tears starts to fall on my virtual face.
As the feeling of the cold lifeless body of my daughter lingers in my nonexistent arms. I wanted to exact vengeance along with the burning rage growing inside of me.
But realistically... I couldn't...
I wanted to torture her and put that bastard through the same pain she put through my daughter. I wanted to scream at them why did they do all these...
Why did she have to go through all this...
Not knowing what to do with all this hatred I'm harboring right now.
'If you're willing to draw that hatred in your heart, blame the ones who started all this.'
Their words replayed along with distorted noises.
Regaining a bit of my composure, I have been wondering what they meant by that. During my time working from my company, we were just developing cures for newly discovered diseases caused by anomalies known as the 'Gifted'.
But for all I've known, the possibility of our organization to hold unorthodox experiments in the dark is very likely, and going through her words filled with contempt, I cursed about the thought of my family being collateral for their grudge.
"Tch..."
{PLAYING VIDEO.}
After dismembering Masako's broken limbs, the person that killed me went in and told them the tail is only needed. The look of disappointment in her eye caused me to shudder how twisted they were inside.
I tracked down that bastard filled with contemot. Channel after channel, I did my best to not lose track of them. After a while, I saw her making a complete stop at the the basement room I didn't knew existed.
"..."
With their accomplice knocking out the staff that were about to alert, they soon met up before discussing something.
[What are they talking about?]
With my brows furrowed, there was no audio included in the basement security footage. Ending their conversation, they cautiously went in while gripping Masako's dismembered tail.
"Kh..."
Memories of my daughter's smile along with her tail wagging in excitement washed me...
However, while feeling something missing inside my heart, I immediately saw the pair came out rushing along with the camera shaking like there was a huge tremor originating from the basement.
"... Huh?"
The camera quality then became distorted along with the sudden restoration of the video audio. It didn't help when the feeling of dread kept rising, as distorted noises gradually became louder and louder.
DAAAN!!!
"What the—"
Hoards of countless mutated creatures came rushing out, with different base anatomies ranging from Humanoid to Amalgamates, they kept wailing the same thing over and over again.
'MAAMMAAA!!!!'
'YOU!!! KILLL!!! MOMMY!!!'
'DIIIIEEEE!!!'
Those countless distorted cries of anguish dyed the floor in red and gore. The video then shut down, leaving only static noises after the camera fell down into the stampede.
As the noises haven't subsided, I had so many questions piling up one after another, but before any answers started to surface, I was taken by surprise by Masako's presence.
"Frolic... Are you okay?"
"Ah... Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."
"Hmmm..."
"You don't have to worry about it, And... sorry about before."
"It's okay..."
Picking me up, we both made up and went to the next room to enter.
- - - - -
Before guiding Masako to my room, I checked the the video footage of our room after the attack. I was curious who brought Masako back from the dead which I wanted to thank them for.
Thankfully it was apparently my husband that brought our daughter back, though, arriving at the scene, he was already one step too late as he saw my corpse being devoured by one of the run away monsters.
Though I'm grateful being revived in a way, but I didn't know what to feel when he brought along my decapitated head, even though he already had my archive band from my wrist.
Moving on from my husband's morbid actions, we arrive at our room with a familiar trail of blood stains leading to our room. Fortunately we won't be greeting my remains since I need Masako to go inside and look for something.
As we came near, Masako suddenly trembled the moment we reached the front door.
"Masako..."
"I-Im okay... I just don't know why I feel scared going here..."
"You don't have to force yourself. We can come again when you're ready."
"No... You've been doing so much for me, I think it's right for me to carry to the place you want."
"Thanks..."
Placing her fingers through the gaps, she widened it and start pulling it open. While she did her best tolerating the ear piercing screech, eventually she made it wide enough for us to pass through.
"..."
Upon entering the room, Masako stopped before silently hugging me tight. Taking a deep 'breath', I faced the room filled with our happy memories that became a place of our deaths.
* * *