Day 03
[Horses]

Characters:
Miya Atsumu, Miya Osamu

Words:
459

Warning:
Character's death, first POV

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　It had been my habit to stroll around at night. Today was not an exception. Despite the chilly weather, I still decided to go outside and have a nice little walk. The scene of tall trees surrounding me was a normal sight to see. Being way too used to it, I did not think that as terrifying anymore. At least, during the daytime, the environment surrounding my house could easily calm my mind because of how green and cold it was.
Hands inside the pocket of my jacket, I whistled while taking casual steps on the path build among those willows. Somehow, the voice of owls resting on branches calmed me down. I feared nothing might go wrong—I mean, I did this way too many times and never once bad things happened to me.

　My trip halted when my eyes caught a figure standing not too far from the current place I was stopping. A familiar frame of Osamu caused my brow to raise. Taking steps closer, I noticed he was not alone. Four horses were in front of him, belts strapped around their necks, connecting those black horses to a strange looking wagon behind them. What caught my attention was not the rather creepy thing in front of my twin brother, but the way his eyes were widened in horror and how he did not move even an inch.

　What’s wrong with him?

　“Oi, ‘Samu. Ye—“

　He collapsed.

　He. Friggin. Collapsed.

　“OI, ‘SAMU!”

　Without a second thought, I made my way toward his direction. Kneeling beside him, I slowly flipped his body to face me then check his pulse. Panic creeped into myself because his eyes closed and he did not even flinch—he usually would kick me in a second if I did that.

　Then, I found none.

　Osamu was dead.

　“What the—“

　The noises coming from the bushes behind me diverted my attention. I darted my gaze toward the direction and found myself staring in terror at the figure in front of me.

　I cursed myself for not noticing it sooner.

　Those black horses carrying a creepy looking wagon was not part of people’s attempt to participate in Halloween. Candles in skulls, worm-chewed mortcloth, wheels made from bones, every little thing decorating that wagon was just inhuman.

　Well, obviously, since the owner of those horses along with the wagon was the one standing before me.

　The Dullahan.

　The head which was carried in its arm had hideous smile that only grew wider to the point it reached both sides of the head when The Dullahan noticed my presence. Its mouth opened, and called out my name soon after.

　“Miya Atsu—.”

　That was the last thing I heard before darkness covered my vision.

.

Notes:
"The ancient Irish believed that where the Dullahan stops riding, a person is due to die. The Dullahan calls out the person's name, drawing away the soul of his victim, at which point the person immediately drops dead."

Anyway, don't forget to check out Mayu's work in her account, doremi37