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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

Seishin suddenly came to his senses. Having lost his sense of orientation for a moment he looked about. In a small room with white walls, across from him before the door was Toshio at his post with his head hung where he sat. He must be tired, so he tried not to wake him but at the same time he'd realized he himself had been tired and had fallen asleep.

At the very least he had to be awake, he thought. When his eyes roamed the recovery room door was open. The last time Toshio had gone to check on Setsuko, the door had been open so that it would be heard if anything were to happen. The dark room was narrowly partitioned off by the white screen.

There was nothing abnormal, not a thing.

Straining his ears, he realized he heard the faint sound of a pulse and oxygen but at the same time he was aware that such sounds shouldn't reach the station room. He was still half in a dream. He had to wake up.

Seishin's head was still in his arms as he turned his eyes to the coffee maker. --Or rather, he intended to turn his eyes towards it.

Wake up, stand up, set the beans, pump the water. That would wake him up, certainly. While deciding to do as much, Seishin's eyes were closed. His body moved as if packed under dirt, as if held in place by prudence.

While thinking he had to awaken, Seishin was drawn deeper into sleep. This isn't good, the thought floated to mind like a bubble just before Seishin felt the wind blow through.

The wind blew in quietly from the darkness of the recovery room. It flowed into the station room and swished through warmly and disappeared.

Chapter 3.7