The Awakening
"Takemoto! Are you okay? Answer me if you can!" The two boys had snuck off from their school trip to grab a quick smoke, when the ground had given way beneath one of them. The other hollered down into the opening.

"Yeah.... just landed on my ass. I'm okay..." The boy looked around. He was in some sort of excavated cave. There were half-rotted beams here and there. Too dark to see much. "Take off your jacket so I can reach something. Dark as hell down here." With the other boy's help, he was hoisted out, and the two of them headed back towards the group before they were noticed missing.

As he was climbing out, however, a stone came loose and fell down the hole. It bounced across the opening before thudding into some wood that was not rotted.

Two eyes slowly became illuminated.

----


"Scientists and public officials still have no explanation for the number of wild animals suddenly roaming the streets of Kyoto. Residents are advised to secure all food waste in their garbage, in the hopes that this will avoid encouraging the animals."