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Shiki ("Corpse Demon" or "Death Spirit") is a Japanese horror novel written by Fuyumi Ono. It was originally published in two parts by Shinchosha in 1998.
The story takes place during a particularly hot summer in 1994, in a small quiet Japanese village called Sotoba. A series of mysterious deaths begin to spread in the village, at the same time when a strange family moves into the long-abandoned Kanemasa mansion on top of a hill. Megumi Shimizu, a young girl who wanted to leave the village and move to the city, pays them a visit never to return. She is later found lying in the forest and tragically dies. Doctor Toshio Ozaki, director of Sotoba's only hospital, initially suspects an epidemic; however, as investigations continue and the deaths begin to pile up, he learns—and becomes convinced—that they are the work of the "shiki", vampire-like creatures, plaguing the village. A young teenager named Natsuno Yuuki, who hates living in the village, begins to be pursued and becomes surrounded by death.

Shiki

On Saturday Toshio drove his car towards Kami-Sotoba. Searching for Gyouda's house with a vague memory, his car drove onto their property. A dried up, wrinkly old man in front of the shed stood looking surprised. It was likely Etsuko's husband Bungo.


"How is Etsuko-san's condition?" Toshio asked as he stepped out of the car. Gyouda nodded, his back hunched.


"Haa..." Gyouda answered seeming bewildered. "Thanks to you, today she seems good..."


"Good?" Toshio looked at Gyouda's face. "Is she sleeping right now?"


"Who knows... just a bit ago, she was cleaning up after lunch, but."


"So she's in a state where she can clean up," he said, to which Gyouda gave a leisurely nod. "I'm sure I told her to come first thing in the morning, but?"


Gyouda blinked as if he didn't know what he'd meant. "Uhm.... but, today you are closed."


"Yes. Saturday's a national holiday. But still she was told to come. You didn't hear that from Etsuko-san?"


Leaving behind Gyouda who seemed to be nothing but bewildered, Toshio started on his own towards the entryway. Heading inside he called out, and shortly after Etsuko had come out, looking as if doing so were troublesome for her.


"No, not 'oh my.' Why did you not come even though you had an appointment made?"


"But," Etsuko said sitting on the raised door frame, blinking. "I feel well today."


"That's not what it's about. I had said let us look at how it progresses, did I not? If you do not come as you are supposed to, it is a problem for me."


Toshio was irritated. While Gyouda and Etsuko showed no signs of any sense of impending danger at all, his own nerves were on edge. Enough to make him want to just tell them everything in one outburst. Etsuko had that very disease. Etsuko was without a doubt in an outbreak. And to day, none who had had an outbreak had been cured. Within a few days all of them were dead.


Rather than spitting out all of that, Toshio let out a sigh.


"-----And, you're feeling well, aren't you?"


Etsuko gave a seemingly slow, stupid like nod. It seemed she was still spaced out. Toshio sat himself down on the frame with her, holding his hand out to Etsuko. Taking her pulse it was indeed lower than yesterday. Her color was also better than yesterday.


Iron supplements, vitamins, and antibiotics had shown no effect to this point. If so, was the full blood transfusion what was working?


"Indeed, you are a little better. I'm taking blood."


"Haa..." Etsuko seemed indeed very unwilling in holding out her arm. He preemptively took the blood sample. With that done, Toshio tried to press upon her.


"It'd be better for you not to let your guard down. Even though you're more or less feeling good, don't decide for yourself that you're cured. Come in again tomorrow, all right?"


"It's fine. Tomorrow morning. If that's too much trouble then the afternoon's fine too. Either way, be sure to come. If you don't come, I'll be intruding again."


Haa, Etsuko nodded. Gyouda who stood in the entryway watched the scene, dumbfounded.


Chapter 6.3