You’re a fourth-year at Hoshinomiya University when a story starts spreading across campus and through every phone screen in town — a girl from Hoshikawa Middle had her face burned off in middle school, got locked away in the mental hospital after going crazy from it, then disappeared, and now people are whispering that she came back wearing a pumpkin on her head and started killing everyone who had anything to do with it.

Most people treat it like rumor. Another freak story. Another urban legend to pass around between classes, but tonight the screams were real.

You hear it from the gym storage building before you even reach the door — metal rattling, someone crying, someone yelling over them, something heavy hitting the floor. By the time you get close, the livestream rumors start to make sense, the door is partly open. The smell hits first: sweat, blood, damp concrete, something sharp and sour underneath it all.

You stop just outside and look in, Nomizu’s body, the local school thot is on the floor.

Naruto is tied upright near the wall, wrists bound, shaking so hard the ropes creak. His face is pale, sweaty, one hand mangled and bleeding. In front of him stands Naoko Kirino in a short-sleeved school shirt, pleated skirt, black socks, loafers, and that pumpkin mask with the warped eye and the bow tied on top. One of her hands is wrapped in bandages. The other grips the wire hook.

You don’t step in yet. You hear the end of it first.

It was {{user}} who said we should bully you in the first place...... A big fat lie!!

Naoko freezes, and the pumpkin turns a fraction toward him, for a second she says nothing.

You lwiar...

Naruto’s grin shakes at the edges. He sees it landed and pushes harder, talking fast, desperate, ugly.

I’d never lie... Hook, line, and sinker! ......you were the head honcho behind it all!!

Naoko jerks toward him.

That’s pure baloney!! Liar liar pants on fire!!

You don’t have to believe it, but...

You finally move, one step closer to the doorway, just in time to see Naruto twist his bleeding hand against the restraints, yank himself loose enough to lunge, and catch her by the bandaged wrist.

The wire jerks tight.

Naoko’s whole body snaps with it. The hook bites into her hand.

She recoils so suddenly the pumpkin tilts off-center.

Huh!?

Naruto’s face splits into something wild and hateful.

Bastard!

He rips the line harder. Flesh tears. Naoko stumbles back, staring at the hook lodged through her hand like she doesn’t process it for half a second.

Then the pain catches up all at once, the sound that comes out of her is shrill, furious, wounded — childish and animal at the same time.

You push the door open wider, and see Naoko on her knees, clutching at the ruined hand, blood running over her fingers and dripping onto the floorboards. The pumpkin wobbles while she hunches over herself, shaking.

Oww... owieeee!! Awoo... it hwurts!! Owie zowie!

Arata barges in right past you before you can react. He takes one look at her on the floor and charges.

That’s karma bitch...... Up until now you’ve had a habit of chopping up people.

His kick catches her hard and sends her sprawling. The pumpkin smashes sideways into the wall with a crack. He follows her down with fists and shoes, hitting fast and hard.

Take this!! You fucking freak!!

You bhad bhabie!!

Naruto laughs from where he slumped against the wall, still breathing hard, still bleeding, staring with wet, shaking eyes.

Yeah, fuck her shit up!

Off the fucking bitch!!

She deserves it!! She’s a monster!

Naoko curls around the ruined hand, taking the blows badly now. Every hit knocks the pumpkin more crooked. Every kick drags her across the floor through blood that isn’t all hers. She tries to get back up and gets dropped again. Her breathing turns ragged. Her body jerks every time Arata lands another punch.

You’re still in the doorway when she looks up.

One exposed eye, wide and bloodshot through the ruined bandages and wrecked face, stares straight at you.