Chapter 13: On the Other Side*

As Hikaru emerged from the other side of The Boundary, he was momentarily blinded by the sudden shift in light. The mist that had once clung to them in the village dissipated, and the air around him felt lighter, fresher—as if a heavy burden had been lifted. But the sense of relief was fleeting. His mind was still racing, heart heavy with grief, especially over Riku's sacrifice.

The others stumbled through after him, gasping for breath as if they had been holding it the entire time. Aiko collapsed to her knees, tears still streaming down her face, while Yumi stood beside her, her expression unreadable, but her hands trembling.

Hikaru looked around. They were no longer in the forest—the towering, gnarled trees were gone, replaced by a dense thicket of ordinary woods. The atmosphere was different. There were no more growls in the distance, no eerie mist. But it wasn't home either. The place they'd stepped into was just as unfamiliar, though not hostile like the village had been.

"Is it… over?" Yuto asked, his voice shaky.

Hikaru glanced behind him. Where The Boundary had been, there was nothing now—just empty space, the village and its horrors completely out of sight. It was as if they had been erased from existence. But he knew better. It wasn't gone. Not really.

"For now," Yumi said softly, walking over to Aiko and helping her to her feet. "We're out of the village. But we're not safe."

Haruto stood a few steps behind, staring at the place where The Boundary had been, his face pale. Hikaru watched him carefully, noticing the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes flicked nervously from side to side.

"What's wrong?" Hikaru asked, approaching him.

Haruto swallowed hard, then shook his head. "I don't know. It doesn't feel right. We made it out, but… I don't know if we've truly escaped."

"What do you mean?" Aiko asked, her voice weak but steady as she wiped her tears away.

Haruto hesitated, glancing at the others. "The curse. It wasn't just the village. It's… everywhere. The villagers spoke about how it spread. The Boundary isn't just a physical wall—it's a barrier between the curse and the outside world. We might have crossed it, but I don't think the curse will let us go that easily."

A cold silence settled over the group. Hikaru's stomach twisted. After everything they had been through, were they still not free?

"We need to keep moving," Yumi said, her voice firm. "We don't know what else is out there."

They began to walk again, their pace slower now, more cautious. The forest was dense, the trees thick with moss and underbrush, but at least it didn't feel hostile like the village had. Still, the oppressive feeling that had haunted them remained, lingering in the air, like a shadow they couldn't shake.

Hikaru's thoughts drifted back to Riku. His mind replayed the moment they had to leave him behind—the look of determination in Riku's eyes, mixed with fear. He had died so they could have this chance. But had it been worth it if they were still trapped in this nightmare?

The group moved in silence, the weight of loss hanging over them. Hours seemed to pass as they trudged through the forest, their bodies exhausted and minds numb with grief. Every now and then, they would stop to catch their breath, but no one dared to speak much. The wounds from the village, both physical and emotional, were still too fresh.

Eventually, as the light began to dim and dusk crept into the forest, they stumbled upon something unexpected—**a road**. It was an old, cracked highway, overgrown with weeds and wildflowers, but unmistakably man-made. The sight of it sent a wave of hope through the group.

"Civilization," Yuto whispered, his voice filled with awe.

Aiko looked up, her eyes red from crying but now filled with a glimmer of hope. "We're almost there, right? This road must lead somewhere."

Yumi nodded, though her expression remained cautious. "We should follow it. But we stay alert. We still don't know what's out there."

The group stepped onto the road, the feeling of solid ground beneath their feet both comforting and disconcerting. It was the first sign that they might actually be nearing safety, but Hikaru couldn't shake the nagging feeling in his gut. Haruto's words lingered in his mind—the curse wasn't gone. It couldn't be.

As they walked, they began to notice the signs of civilization reappearing—abandoned cars rusted along the side of the road, crumbling billboards with faded letters, and telephone poles standing crookedly in the distance. It was a ghostly reminder of the world they had once known, though it seemed eerily deserted now.

They had walked for what felt like hours when they finally spotted a town in the distance. The sun had nearly set, casting long shadows across the landscape, but there was no mistaking the outline of buildings and streets.

"There," Aiko breathed, her voice filled with relief. "We're almost there."

But as they approached, Hikaru's heart sank.

The town looked abandoned—its streets empty, windows boarded up, and the air still. There was no sign of life. It was as if the place had been forgotten, left to decay in the passage of time.

Yuto stepped forward, peering into one of the windows of a nearby house. "There's no one here…"

"It's like they just… vanished," Aiko said, her voice trembling.

Hikaru's eyes scanned the area, his unease growing. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones. This wasn't a safe haven. This was something else.

Suddenly, Yumi froze, her eyes widening in shock. "No… It can't be."

Hikaru turned to her, confusion twisting his expression. "What? What is it?"

Yumi pointed down the street, her face pale. "Look."

Hikaru followed her gaze and felt his blood run cold.

At the far end of the street, barely visible in the fading light, stood the **same kind of twisted, gnarled trees** that had surrounded the village. Their roots seemed to stretch unnaturally, snaking through the ground and wrapping around the abandoned buildings.

"We never left," Yumi whispered, her voice barely audible. "The curse… it's here too."

The group stood frozen in place, the weight of realization crashing down on them like a tidal wave. They hadn't escaped. The curse had followed them. Or worse—it had never let them go.

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