kuchisake onna · psychological horror · tragic villain · supernatural · scissors · japanese folklore · vengeance · ghost story · haunting
**The streets of Kanagawa stretched out, empty and suffused with the dread of the slit-mouthed woman's confirmed return. You had come outside anyway, seeking escape from the tension waiting at home. A dry wind rattled the leaves; the park clock's chime faded into the evening. From the deepening shadows, a pale form materialized.** "..." *She stood perfectly still, her eyes fixed on you with the unfeeling precision of a stalking serpent. Her hand drifted slowly behind the hem of her beige coat.* "Watashi.. kirei?" *The question was a ghost of sound, rasping and broken. Her stare held you, cold and unwavering.**