02: The Slit-Mouthed Woman
(Japanese Urban Legend)

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

KUCHISAKE-ONNA, ALSO KNOWN as the Slit-Mouthed Woman, is a vengeful spirit from Japanese folklore. She has a horrifying, wide gash across her face, and she appears in the dark to scare people. She wears a mask or covers her mouth with a fan or handkerchief.

Kuchisake-onna approaches people and asks if they think she's beautiful. If they say yes, she reveals her gruesome, bloody mouth and asks again. If they say no or scream, she inflicts the same mouth disfigurement on them, and if they lie and say yes again, she follows them home and kills them later.

The latter explains the case of the second victim, who was murdered in his home and during his sleep last night. Sinundan siya ng Kuchisake-onna sa bahay nila.

Hindi ako makapaniwalang nangyari na nga talaga ang kinatatakutan namin. Nagsisimula nang makawala sa mga pahina ng Monsters Playbook ang mga Urban Legend at nagsisimula nang maghasik ng lagim sa Westwood City.

"Naniniwala po ako sa inyo, Tito," pagbasag ni Raegan sa katahimikang ilang minuto ring bumalot sa aming apat. "Is there any way we can defeat it?"

"There's no way that you can defeat an Urban Legend," seryosong tugon naman ni Papa na maging kami ni Tavleen ay ikinagulat din. We did not know about this fact.

Itinuro ni Papa ang sentido niya. "These Urban Legends are what we call the Monsters of Imagination. As long as there is someone out there, even just one person, who believes, reads, talks about, and is aware of them, they will never cease to exist."

When I fully grasped the severity of our situation, I realized why our clan had always protected those special books. The monsters that leaped out of the pages never really vanished, no matter how powerful and strong their opponents could be.

I couldn't help but compare them to my regenerative abilities. Others could attack and sever me, but they could never end my life, no matter what. Only old age could take me out and nothing else.

However, if I am only capable of dying from old age, then surely there must also be a way to stop these Urban Legends, like a countermeasure.

"But we can seal these Urban Legends back to the Monsters Playbook. That's the only way to stop them," dugtong naman ni Papa sa naunang paliwanag niya. "My family and other Bibliokinetics possess the ability to do that."

"Ilang Urban Legends po ba ang laman ng librong sinasabi niyo?" Raegan asked.

He was too young to remember the details when we read the Monsters Playbook here before.

"The Monsters Playbook contains Urban Legends from all over the world. There are approximately a hundred of them."

"Po?! Gano'n po karami?" gulat na gulat na bulalas ni Raegan sa naging sagot ni Papa.

Bakas sa mga mata ni Papa ang matinding pag-aalala at kaba. Tahimik na itinuko niya ang mga siko sa ibabaw ng lamesa saka pinagsalikop ang mga kamay niya at seryosong sinabi, "More Urban Legends will come out and wreak havoc in the city as long the original Monsters Playbook is in the hands of the Book Thief. You need us to seal these monsters, and we need your help in retrieving that book from that mysterious thief."

Tumango si Raegan kay Papa. His eyes seemed determined to cooperate with us to protect the residents and restore the peace of Westwood City.

"Lahat ng mga bagong update ay ipapasa ko po sa inyo, Tito. Please help us keep the Westwood City safe and peaceful."

"Makakaasa ka sa amin, hijo. Iyon ang pinakaresponsibilidad at tungkulin ng pamilya namin," Papa reassured Raegan.

Pagkaalis ni Raegan ay kinuha rin ni Papa ang tungkod niya at sinuot ang fedora hat niya.

"Pa, saan po kayo pupunta?" I asked him.

"I will try to search for the Kuchisake-onna," aniya. "Ikaw na muna ang bahala rito sa Library at sa kapatid mo. Please tell your Ate Keena to start writing the second half of the Monsters Playbook's copy. We need it the soonest time possible to seal those Urban Legends back."

Kahit na gusto ko siyang pigilan ay tumango na lamang ako. Marami na ang inaalala ni Papa ngayon, kapansin-pansin iyon sa mga mata niyang walang tulog at tinging binabagabag. Hindi siya makakampante kung mananatili lamang siya rito gayung may dalawang biktima na ang Kuchisake-onna kahit na wala pang isang araw ang lumilipas sila nang mawala sa amin ang Monsters Playbook.

Bago pa man makaalis si Papa ay hinabol ko siya sa may pinto at hinarangan.

"Bakit, anak? May problema ba?"

"Pa, alam kong mahirap at delikado 'yong sitwasyon natin ngayon. Alam ko rin pong gusto niyo kaming protektahang tatlo pero huwag niyo pong solohin lahat," I told him. "Kayo na lang po ang mayro'n kami at nandito po kami para sa inyo, Pa. Hayaan niyo po kaming tulungan kayo."

"Tama po si Ate Alohi, Papa," saad naman ni Tavleen na nakalapit na rin sa amin. "Sasamahan ka po namin sa labang 'to dahil laban po 'to ng pamilya natin. Hindi ka po namin pababayaan, Pa."

Tumango-tango ako at idinugtong, "Kakayanin po natin 'to nang magkakasama, Pa. Pagsubok lang 'to. Malalampasan natin 'to."

Papa's eyes welled up with tears, and he swiftly enveloped us in a warm, tight hug.

"Kakayanin natin 'to nang magkasama, mga anak," he repeated, trying to hide the croak in his voice.

He silently wept out of fear, not for the Urban Legends, but for the safety of his children. He knew that our extraordinary powers carry significant responsibilities, and this was one of them. He needed to witness us fighting for the well-being of others and risking ourselves to shield ordinary people and everyone else from the monsters he had struggled so tirelessly to contain over the years.

This was our destiny, our solemn vow to our family, and our ancestral commitment that had spanned generations, and the moment had arrived for us to honor it.

Bata pa lamang kami ni Ate Keena at sanggol naman si Tavleen nang pumanaw si Mama. Hindi biro ang pinagdaanan ni Papa sa pagpapalaki sa aming mag-isa habang inaalagaan din ang Library. Tingin ko ay panahon na upang bumawi naman kami sa kanya.

He was no longer just a single parent managing both parenting and work, as he now had three capable, resilient, and grown daughters ready to fight for and with him.

Niyakap rin namin ni Tavleen si Papa nang mahigpit pabalik.

"Mag-iingat po kayo," we reminded him.

KINABUKASAN PAGGISING KO ay kami na lang ni Papa ang naiwang magkasabay sa almusal. Ate Keena and Tavleen both went to work and school, respectively.

"Good morning, Pa," bati ko kay Papa bago siya sinamahang mag-almusal. "Absent po muna ako ngayong araw kasi parang lalagnatin po ako," pagsisinungaling ko kahit na hindi pa naman siya nagtatanong. May pahawak pa akong nalalaman sa leeg ko para mas effective iyong acting.

"Alohi, alam ko nang nawalan ka ng trabaho," diretsahang pambubuko ni Papa at bago pa man ako makapagtanong kung paano niya nalaman ay nagpaliwanag na siya, "Nakita ko iyong mga gamit sa opisina mo na itinago mo sa pinakadulong book shelf kahapon. Napatunayan ko 'yon ngayon dahil hindi ka naman umaabsent kahit na nilalagnat ka noon. Nadulas din kanina si Tavleen, nabanggit niyang sinibak kayong lahat sa kompanya niyo."

Ano pa bang masasabi ko? Mukhang nakuwento na lahat ni Tavleen sa kanya kaninang umaga.

"Sorry, Pa. Plano ko sanang sabihin sa inyo kapag ka may bagong trabaho na ako."

Biglang sumagi sa isipan ko ang mga sinabi no'ng marketing head namin kahapon. Nasampal na naman ako ng katotohanan na sinayang ko ang mga panahon na dapat sana ay ginugol ko sa mas mahalagang mga bagay kaysa sa paghahabol ng deadline at pagpapabuti ng kompanyang sa huli ay papalitan lang ako nang ganoon kadali.

This may be the break I desperately needed. Perhaps this was God's way of urging me to pause and realize that there's more to life than just work.

Napabuntong-hininga ako at inaming, "Ang totoo niyan, Pa, balak ko sanang magpahinga muna at tumulong dito sa Library. Gusto ko pong maging hands-on sa pagtulong sa inyo."

Unti-unting gumuhit ang ngiti sa seryosong mukha ni Papa. Hindi masyadong halata na tuwang-tuwa siya sa narinig dahil sa wakas ay dalawa na sa mga anak niya ang nagpapakita ng interes sa pamamahala ng Library.

"Get all the rest you need while staying at home, anak. I will not pressure you to find a new job. Mas maigi ngang may maiwan dito sa Library habang tumutulong ako sa paghahanap ng Kuchisake-onna."

Papa left me in charge of the library and hurried off after receiving an update from Raegan. The authorities had found the bodies of the three missing children from the previous day, all marked with the same mouth slit as the first two victims. I couldn't help but wonder, how many victims can this Kuchisake-onna claim in a single day? Nakakaalarma na ang pagiging uhaw nito sa karahasan.

Pero ang mas pinakanaalarma ay si Papa. Dali-dali niyang kinuha ang itim niyang tungkod at fedora hat upang tunguhin ang police station para sa kabuuang detalye.

In just two days, the count of Kuchisake-onna's victims surged from two to a shocking five. I was getting more desperate to assist my father and prevent more killings. I kept on urging Raegan to share all the details with me so that I could investigate the Japanese Urban Legend's location.

Nang mainis na nang tuluyan si Raegan sa pangungulit ko sa kanya ay finorward na niya sa akin ang mga detalyeng nakuha nila. I listed them on my notebook while I was manning the Library from the counter.

1st victim - Itaewon Street (alley) - 42 - Male

2nd victim - Manolo Subdivision (at home) - 23 - Male

3rd victim - Belvedere Homes (at home) - 14 - Male

4th victim - Aurora Drive (at the back of an abandoned building) - 11 - Male

5th victim - Civoleg Hills (at the back of an abandoned building) - 11 - Female

"What are you doing?"

Mabilis pa sa kidlat na sinara ko ang notebook at nag-angat ng tingin sa higanteng nakadungaw sa akin. Hindi rin naman ako kinulang sa height na 5'9" feet, but the giant freaking Griffin towered over me at 6'3" feet.

"Ginulat mo ako!" I told him and stood up from standing. Napi-pressure ako sa height niya. "Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

May lahing sa-pusa talaga 'to minsan kasi bigla-bigla na lang pumapasok ng Library nang hindi ko napapansin.

He handed me a box of his blueberry cheesecake and an iced caramel macchiato. "In exchange for the spicy chicken adobo you cooked last night."

Ganito kami rito sa neighbhorhood namin sa Pitong Gatang. Kapag ka nagluluto kami nang masarap na ulam ay binibigyan namin ang mga kapitbahay namin, kabilang na sina Griffin at ang pamilya ni Raegan. Siyempre ay matik nang si Tavleen ang maghahatid ng ulam sa pad ni Griffin na nasa second floor ng café niya.

Kinuha ko ang box na inaabot ni Griffin at yumuko saka nagpasalamat sa kanya, "Maraming salamat po sa grasya."

He chuckled and rested his arms on the high countertop. "Levi seems stressed these days. Is he alright?"

Griffin doesn't use formalities when addressing older people like Papa. Levi lang ang tawag niya rito. Laking-abroad kasi itong si Goliath kaya iba ang kulturang kinalakihan. Bumabawi lang sa politeness ng tono niya at mga salita na sinamahan pa nang matamis na ngiti. Kaya nga tingin ko ay tinuruan niya akong huwag na siyang tawaging kuya dahil doon.

"May trobol kasi na kailangan ayusin kaya gano'n. Kaya nga tinutulungan ko siya."

"So that's what you're doing earlier?" aniya at tinapunan ng tingin ang notebook kong mabilis ko namang kinuha mula sa lamesa. "And what's in that notebook?"

"Death note ng mga may utang sa akin. Sisingilin ko na kasi wala na akong trabaho," pagbibiro ko na lang upang mapabaling sa iba ang atensyon niya.

He suddenly leaned in close to me and smiled, then said, "Just let me know if you need any help."

"Sure," kalmadong sagot ko naman sa kanya kahit na nagwawala na iyong loob-loob ko dahil sa distansya namin. "Sa 'yo ako uutang kapag ka gipit na gipit na ako."

He chuckled again and then stood upright. "Well, organized killers don't typically document their plans because it could incriminate them. You should probably get rid of that 'death note' of yours. But if you want to display your intelligence to provoke your target, you can use patterns."

"What are you talking about?" nakakunot-noong tanong ko sa kanya.

Ngumiti lang siya at tinalikuran ako saka kinawayan. "I'd love to receive a bulalo next time, Alohi. Bye."

"At nag-request ka pa talaga ha?" pahabol ko nang nasa may pinto na siya.

Patterns.

There must be a pattern somewhere in these details that would help me locate the Kuchisake-onna or... predict her next target location.

Muli kong binuklat ang notebook ko at tiningnang maigi ang mga detalyeng isinulat ko.

Patterns, patterns, patterns. I need to check if there is a pattern.

Nang may mapansin ako ay dali-dali kong isinulat ang posibleng lugar na aatakehin ng Kuchisake-onna. Binaba ko ang notebook at kinuha ang phone ko upang tawagan si Papa.

"Hello, Pa. I found the next two possible target locations of the Kuchisake-onna."

Since there was two potential locations for the Kuchisake-onna's next murder, Papa and I decided to separate in two groups. Sasamahan niya si Raegan sa unang address dahil mas malapit sila roon at hihintayin ko naman si Tavleen o Ate Keena nang sa gano'n ay may kasama akong Bibliokinetic na magbabalik sa Urban Legend na 'yon sa Monsters Playbook.

Nang dumating si Tavleen mula sa eskuwelahan ay naghanda na agad kami upang umalis bitbit ang bagong kopya ng Monsters Playbook. May dalang espesyal na libro si Papa upang pansamantalang ikulong doon ang Kuchisake-onna. He's the Librarian, so he had the ability to temporarily seal those monsters in a different book. Saka na namin ililipat dito mamaya sa Library, sa mismong teritoryo namin.

Sinigurado muna naming naka-lock nang maayos ang Library bago kami lumabas ng gate ng kapatid ko. Kumakagat na ang dilim kaya kailangan naming magmadali papunta sa pangalawang posibleng lokasyon bago pa man makapang-biktima ang Kuchisake-onna.

"Ate, sasakay ba tayo ng taxi papunta r-"

"Woah..." manghang usal namin nang sabay ni Tavleen nang tiyempong huminto sa tapat namin ang isang mamahaling kotse. Lalo na nang bumaba ang bubong nito at inilabas ang nakangising pagmumukha ni Ate Keena.

"Get in, losers. We're going to catch that Kuchisake-bitch."

「 ✦ 𝓛𝓸𝔀𝓵𝓪 𝓟𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓸 ✦ 」

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