Main Nation Ministry's Writing Thread

[Main Nation Ministry]

Welcome to my Writing Thread! This is where I dabble into some ideas in fiction, where I write them up here. Many would know me for my shenangins with the workings of Main Nation Ministry itself, along with being a notable RPer of Washington fame. In here, this is my little paradise. Not a Twilight Zone, but a place of different worlds.

So sit down. Get a drink or a snack. And enjoy yourselves. Make sure to leave your coats and extra limbs on that post over there, also.

Table of Contents

• Short Stories
  
• Strawberry Fields

[Main Nation Ministry]

Short Stories

The following stories are merely of horror and of science fiction. I might post a different type of stories, however this is merely a collection of some short work I done.

"They Stood There" is a story that I presented back around the end of 2018. It was for a short horror story contest presented by Sacara for fun. This was made during the end of my first semester in college, though I participated in the contest for some fun. I didn't expect my entry to win, since it was rushed in a bit of a rush, plus I thought the narrative was disorganized. Seeing the praise though, I gave myself a pat on the back.

Here it is in it's unedited glory.

---

I don't know how long it has been. I don't have a lot of time left. I don't know what will happen when they all be trapped there, but it might affect others outside of town. All I can start with is that it began in that dreaded zoo. Years before it happened, it was just like any other zoo that can be found in a town. When the storms came, all of the animals nearly drowned and worst. After it became ruined, it just became the hideout for the kids who can drink and smoke in perfect harmony. Every now and then, a kid would bring a Playboy magazine to get things interesting. Stuff there was normal.

Until it happened.

A quick reminder. I'm at the age of a typical 14 year old, who got graduated from middle school. My parents are probably gone at the time of this message. I know you're thinking that it's odd that I'm typing this. But by the time I finish, no one is going to be safe. It's not some virus or act of God. It's more like something has caused things to go to hell in a hand basket, but then again, it could be demons. It started after Ricky, one of the other kids who frequented the spot was exploring the empty zoo. It was easy to get in there, as no one in town seemed to have plans on trying to renovate it. All that was needed was a hop over the chain-link fence and someone can just do whatever inside. Where this evil I'm about to tell you was in this storage shed made out of concrete with no windows and just a single door. Ricky must have noticed the door being slightly ajar, as he was the first one to enter. Now, all of the other kids knew where he was. When the sun was setting, the others thought that Ricky had headed home, since whenever they called out for him, there was no noise. Those who searched for him on the first day were lucky. They didn't check the shed.

The next morning, Ricky's brother who was much younger than Ricky said that his own parents seemed to not worry about what happened to their own son. Me and the others didn't believe it at first, until he brought us to his house. I can't describe what happened to his parents. When we got there, his parents were devoid of any emotion. Looking indifferent, as if they didn't seem to care that we were there. I watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers once and I can compare the body snatchers to Ricky's parents. They didn't seem to register any emotional response. I asked the mother that Ricky was missing to which she simply replied in an apathetic voice, "I know." Eventually, the police were involved, where Ricky's parents were interviewed. The police started to do a sweep of the town for Ricky. Even at the zoo, where everyone hung out. That was when it only got worst.

I remember getting a call from a fellow friend, who said that the police had simply didn't do their jobs. A robbery by some drifter happened at the drugstore, where even though there was an officer nearby, he managed to get the whole cash register, while the cop stood idly by. When the owner attempted to call for back-up, it took almost 20 minutes for a single cop to arrive. Rumors were already spreading that the cops apparently found Ricky, but they had simply lacked emotion. It was like a plague, almost. After that, the lack of security led to more kids going missing. Those who were their parents ended up in the same state. My parents attempted to get help from outside town, which took several hours, since our town was rural. It wasn't until the day after they left was when Pete arrived with some news. He explained that him and his friends were at the zoo, when they saw what looked like a kid that was missing. Discovering the storage shed, one of Pete's friends entered to see what was inside. There was immediate silence, as Pete thought that something had managed to silence the poor kid when he went inside. After getting a flashlight, Pete opened the door and shined inside the storage shed.

He tells me, he saw dozens, if not almost half the population of the town's kids inside the shed. They were all crowded around standing. All of them were staring at nothing. Staring at blank space. Pete's friend was in there, just as the rest of them. Another of Pete's friends who were outside the shed ran in to try to get one of the kids out of there. However, Pete said the moment they stepped in, it looked like they were unable to control their body. It looked like a wave of fatigue immediately struck though who entered. Their bodies immediately stop moving, as they end up as the human statues that were inside. I didn't believe it when Pete told me. But since I was the only one who knew something was wrong, I decided to have him show me as proof. As we got to the zoo, the place that was a hangout now gave off a sinister vibe. A simple hop over the fence and we both walked to the shed. I was planning on going into the shed, until Pete immediately put a hand on my shoulder, where I remembered about what happened in his story. Wanting to believe Pete, I took the flashlight that Pete had and shine it through the opening of the door.

Sure enough, he was right. I was surprised at first, since Pete was wrong about the amount of kids inside the shed. Pete said that it looked like there were about half the kids in the town that were in that shed. However, when I checked, it looked like a whole lot more. "We need to call the police." I said to him, until I remembered about what was happening to them. What if the police did found Ricky, but stepping into the room didn't cause them to become statues. But rather voyeurs. But how did Ricky's parents end up as voyeurs, also? Unless, what was happening was due to their hereditary being affected, since they were his birth parents. Too many questions that seemed to be answered were flooding my mind. Pete and I were about to leave. Until one of the kids from inside spoke.

From inside and from where the flashlight shined, a kid appeared looking scared. "Where am I? Please help. It hurts." the kid pleaded. Pete was about to enter, until he remembered about what would happen. "Please help me." the kid kept saying, till he started to walk over to the door. Was he not under the control of the room? As the kid was almost at the door, the kid extended his hand, trying to reach at Pete, where he stepped back. A scowl began to appear on the boy's face. The expression of a hunter enraged that his prey was about to escape to their annoyance. I was probably the first to hear the kid's arm breaking, as it was extending towards- Oh god - it managed to grab Pete and pull him in. I immediately started to run, where I can hear the boy screaming at me, "We can learn! You will be with us as one! We will skin you alive, while your mind rots, you filthy cub!" I was almost at the chain-link fence, where I turned to look at the shed one last time. The kid was outside, where he was smiling as far as his mouth can allow him. It looked like he was about to get himself a Glasgow smile from how far the muscles near his mouth were pulling apart from each other. I hopped the fence and immediately ran straight home.
I was a coward, as if those who were still not affected did and didn't believe me, they would have ended up at the shed. Of course, this is pointless, as whatever has happened in there has learned to extend it's grasp outside of the zoo. I heard several police cruisers speeding by, but I imagined that the effect from whatever was in the shed was now happening outside of the zoo, continuing to grow, as much as it could. I can hear banging from my front door. By now, they were going to burst inside. I guessing what will happen will make me a slave. Yet I hope what the entity that is controlling everyone will ease my pain. I'm sorry.

Don't go to the shed.

Don't go to the shed.

Go to the shed.

Somewhere around this month or last month, another horror story contest occurred. It's prompt and theme was that it had to use a specific quote in it. Unfortunately, the contest ended without a winner, due to inactivity from the OP. As a pure Halloween gift, I wish to share the story that I have submitted for the contest.

My main inspiration and basis was from the game Stories Untold, focusing on The House Abandon. A fun game with a story that I will recommend. For now, let me have you play a text adventure of my own...

This is Mystery Mine.

---

...

> Load MysteryMine.exe

THE MYSTERY MINE - Interactive Text Game

> Start

- Please enter a name.

> Kenneth.

- You end up at the start of the Mystery Maze. A set of old mine tunnels that have been abandoned for decades. People in town would say that the tunnels were haunted, starting in the 60's, after the mine collapse. It was the town's only source for silver, but it's now forsaken ground. In your inventory is your flashlight and your phone. The entrance stands in front of you with a wall of darkness in front of you.

> Enter Tunnels

- The air quality immediately becomes damp, the moment you enter the tunnel. Graffiti is scrawled all over the wooden walls, as old electric lighting is left to hang without a spark on the dirt ceiling. It is dark and your vision is black.

> Use Flashlight

- The flashlight flickers on with the press of a button. You shine your flashlight down the tunnel, as you can see the remnants of an old mine cart track. Old planks of woods can be seen as supports. There is only one other direction to go. That direction is forward.

> Go Forward

- You continue forward, going deeper and deeper into the mine. The tunnel would widen until you end up in a large open cavern in a mess of wooden scaffolding. Brimstone and coal are etched into the stone walls, as you can smell what appears to be sulfur. It's like being in a room covered in matchsticks. You feel a sense of nostalgia, as you remember what the other teens would do for fun here. This used to be a hangout here. Everyone would go here to drink cheap watered down beer and smoke joints. The state hadn't legalized pot around that point.

You remembered the story of a young woman who went missing here. You forgotten her name, but she used to attend Capricorn High. A bit of a heartbreaker from what you heard about her. A breeze of cold air fills the cavern briefly, as it's source is traced to a downward pathway. It was the only path that didn't cave in, but a sense of interest fills you.

> Go Down Pathway

- The air grew colder, as you venture down the pathway, which became narrower. Your flashlight still had tons of battery power, regardless, as you shined down the path to see where you were going. A small opening to crouch through can be seen. It's hidden behind a piece of old sheet metal, but you can easily see it, knowing how the sheet metal is positioned, leaning and exposing some of the empty space.

> Enter Opening

- The old sheet metal blocks you from entering the opening.

> Move Sheet Metal Aside

- You move the old sheet metal aside, exposing more of the opening. A breeze of cold air blows into your face, beckoning you through the opening.

> Enter Opening

- You crouch with your body and enter the opening. With your flashlight, you can see a small room surrounded by dirt walls and a dirt floor. Several old mining tools can be seen in the corner. As you shine your flashlight, the beam exposes a large mound of dirt in another corner of the room. There appears to be something buried there.

> Examine Mining Tools

- You check the set of mining tools to use. Aside from an old pickaxe and some mining pans, you see a shovel that sticks out. It's tip covered in dried blood and some specks of old hair.

> Take Shovel

- You take the shovel. It's metal grip is cold in your hands.

> Use Shovel on Mound

- You start to dig up the mound, as you feel a familiar feeling. A sense of deja vu, as you dig up piles of dirt, after piles of dirt. Soon, the shovel starts to hit something, as you dig. You shine your flashlight, as you see some discolored and broken bones uncovered from the mound. You dig up the dirt around it, exposing more bones, as a cracked skull can be seen, it's jaw smashed to pieces. Old ragged scraps of a dress can be seen, it's color becoming muted from exposure to dirt. A silver necklace can be seen wrapped around the bottom of the skull.

> Take Necklace

- You reach down to grab the necklace. It's caught around what was left of a spine that was supposed to represent the neck. As you try to move the necklace up over the skull, you feel something clamp down onto your arm. A skeletal hand, almost reminiscent of a claw grips your wrist tighter and tighter, as you drop your flashlight. It's bulb now starting to flick, as the bones started to move on their own accord. A look into the eyes of the skull show nothing, but black voids as what teeth was left on the upper jaw shook briefly. The bones partially reassembled, lunged towards you as ERROR

ERROR

ERROR

---

THE MYSTERY MINE - Interactive Text Game

> Start

- Your name is Kenneth Yates. Aged 19. You're a pathetic human being who has brought the love of his life that he struggles to keep the flame kindled. Her name is Cherry Patterson. Both of you had previously attended Capricorn High, though you both graduated, where your plans for college were starting to cause a rift, among other issues. You try to rekindle things at the old mine, which everyone like to call the Mystery Mine. Everyone likes to say that the mine is haunted, but it's all just rumors. You practically drag your girlfriend inside, as the other kids party inside with their red plastic cups and joints.

> WTF

- Your girlfriend Cherry is frigid. You go somewhere quiet in the mine that you two know of. It was a small room that could be accessed by an opening. Of course, you keep this secret between the two of you. Currently, the opening to enter the room is blocked with an old piece of sheet metal. Your girlfriend Cherry expects you to move the metal sheet aside.

> EXIT GAME

- Input Invalid. An error has occurred.

> EXIT GAME

- Input Invalid. An error has occurred.

> EXIT THE FUCKING GAME

- What's the matter, Kenneth? Something's familiar? Can't leave the game? Wondering why your computer is still on, even though you're ripping off cables from the sockets? Play the game, Kenneth. You're wasting your time. Maybe you'll be lucky.

...

- Well? We can do this all day and night. Have you even looked outside your window? You hadn't even notice that void without stars?

> Move Sheet Metal Aside

- You move the sheet metal aside, as the opening is visible. Your girlfriend enters the opening, waiting for you.

> Enter Opening

- As you enter the opening, you can hear someone outside has raised the volume off a boombox. Party music is blaring outside of the room, as you are now in your secret meeting spot with Cherry. Cherry had discovered the spot before you and before you fell in love with her. The two of you open up about the topic at hand. You try to talk about how you need to leave town for the college that you're going to attending. Far from this town. Far from her. You try to remain sensual, but that's not what Cherry wants to hear. It was another thing that you don't want to talk about, Kenneth. Admit it.

Or better yet. How about admit it for you? Cherry knows about the affair. She knows you were digging under Lindsey's skirt after that one time you brought her to the drive-in. She mentions the silver necklace that you brought her that she is wearing. She demands to know why you have been in so much denial over the affair. Even when you started to abandon her, when she needed you the most. Especially after her parents have been seeing you as a negative influence and even were on the verge of disowning their very own daughter.

You couldn't really help yourself, can you.. Kenneth? Soon, as the music blared on outside of the meeting spot, the two of you start a row, as you make up excuse after excuse. Something was crawling inside of you that day. You were seeing things differently that night, Kenneth. You didn't even see Cherry as a human, anymore. Only an annoyance. You felt compelled to get rid of the source.

> LEAVE

- You like to make things difficult than they are supposed to. Isn't that right, Kenneth? Maybe we can do the same choices that you did for you?

> NO

- There was a breaking point for you, Kenneth. You end up backing up against a pile of mining tools. There was a rusty metal shovel leaning against the dirt wall. You end up feeling the cold metal grip on your fingers, as you start to grip. A sense of rage and cowardice fills you, as you end up swinging the shovel at Cherry. It's tip hits her on the side of her head, as she falls the ground. She survives this, but you hit her again. And again. And again.

You feel yourself slowly becoming a monster, but you can't help yourself. All you see of Cherry's once beautiful face is that it's missing it's lower jaw, having been knocked out of it's sockets, due to you repeatedly hitting her face with the shovel. Bruised and battered, you can hear her draw her final breath, as she dies in your hands. You knew to get rid of the body. So, you used the shovel to dig up a hole and dump Cherry's body inside. Then, you left the meeting spot, as the party went on. That was the last time anyone had seen Cherry Patterson. The town knew you had something to do with it, but you kept your mouth shut as they were trying to find the body.

Then, you continued your pathetic life. You go to college, but you ended up dropping out anyways. Your relationship with your other girlfriend Lindsey wilted out, nearly shortly before it began. You ended up working as some blue shirt at Walmart, basically affording a profit, especially since you ended up in prison once for some other felonies. Your only hobby now was mindlessly playing at your computer, as you play random text adventures saved onto your system. You can't take a break for something you could have avoided. You were desperate. You went to the Mystery Mine to dig up evidence. So you ended up digging up your dead ex, wanting to pawn off the necklace.

Isn't that what happened, Kenneth? Before you felt Cherry's dead hands rip you to shreds?

> NO

- Kenneth. Just admit it.

> yes

- Louder, Kenneth.

> YES

- ... You realize that it's too late for an apology. How about we let Cherry play?

> NO

- Starting a new game...

> EXIT GAME FEHUIOEHFW

---

THE MYSTERY MINE - Interactive Text Game

> Start

- Please enter a name.

> Cherry Patterson.

- You are what's left of Cherry Patterson. With despair and injustice within your dead body, you had dragged the soul of your tainted past love with you to Hell. It would only be fitting for you to exact your eternal revenge in the form of a text adventure game. You always hear Kenneth brag about his fascination with them, so why not put him in a text adventure of his own?

After all, things are much more fun when it's all a game..

> Flay Kenneth Patterson

[Infected Mushroom]

Short Stories

The following stories are merely of horror and of science fiction. I might post a different type of stories, however this is merely a collection of some short work I done.

"They Stood There" is a story that I presented back around the end of 2018. It was for a short horror story contest presented by Sacara for fun. This was made during the end of my first semester in college, though I participated in the contest for some fun. I didn't expect my entry to win, since it was rushed in a bit of a rush, plus I thought the narrative was disorganized. Seeing the praise though, I gave myself a pat on the back.

Here it is in it's unedited glory.

---

I don't know how long it has been. I don't have a lot of time left. I don't know what will happen when they all be trapped there, but it might affect others outside of town. All I can start with is that it began in that dreaded zoo. Years before it happened, it was just like any other zoo that can be found in a town. When the storms came, all of the animals nearly drowned and worst. After it became ruined, it just became the hideout for the kids who can drink and smoke in perfect harmony. Every now and then, a kid would bring a Playboy magazine to get things interesting. Stuff there was normal.

Until it happened.

A quick reminder. I'm at the age of a typical 14 year old, who got graduated from middle school. My parents are probably gone at the time of this message. I know you're thinking that it's odd that I'm typing this. But by the time I finish, no one is going to be safe. It's not some virus or act of God. It's more like something has caused things to go to hell in a hand basket, but then again, it could be demons. It started after Ricky, one of the other kids who frequented the spot was exploring the empty zoo. It was easy to get in there, as no one in town seemed to have plans on trying to renovate it. All that was needed was a hop over the chain-link fence and someone can just do whatever inside. Where this evil I'm about to tell you was in this storage shed made out of concrete with no windows and just a single door. Ricky must have noticed the door being slightly ajar, as he was the first one to enter. Now, all of the other kids knew where he was. When the sun was setting, the others thought that Ricky had headed home, since whenever they called out for him, there was no noise. Those who searched for him on the first day were lucky. They didn't check the shed.

The next morning, Ricky's brother who was much younger than Ricky said that his own parents seemed to not worry about what happened to their own son. Me and the others didn't believe it at first, until he brought us to his house. I can't describe what happened to his parents. When we got there, his parents were devoid of any emotion. Looking indifferent, as if they didn't seem to care that we were there. I watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers once and I can compare the body snatchers to Ricky's parents. They didn't seem to register any emotional response. I asked the mother that Ricky was missing to which she simply replied in an apathetic voice, "I know." Eventually, the police were involved, where Ricky's parents were interviewed. The police started to do a sweep of the town for Ricky. Even at the zoo, where everyone hung out. That was when it only got worst.

I remember getting a call from a fellow friend, who said that the police had simply didn't do their jobs. A robbery by some drifter happened at the drugstore, where even though there was an officer nearby, he managed to get the whole cash register, while the cop stood idly by. When the owner attempted to call for back-up, it took almost 20 minutes for a single cop to arrive. Rumors were already spreading that the cops apparently found Ricky, but they had simply lacked emotion. It was like a plague, almost. After that, the lack of security led to more kids going missing. Those who were their parents ended up in the same state. My parents attempted to get help from outside town, which took several hours, since our town was rural. It wasn't until the day after they left was when Pete arrived with some news. He explained that him and his friends were at the zoo, when they saw what looked like a kid that was missing. Discovering the storage shed, one of Pete's friends entered to see what was inside. There was immediate silence, as Pete thought that something had managed to silence the poor kid when he went inside. After getting a flashlight, Pete opened the door and shined inside the storage shed.

He tells me, he saw dozens, if not almost half the population of the town's kids inside the shed. They were all crowded around standing. All of them were staring at nothing. Staring at blank space. Pete's friend was in there, just as the rest of them. Another of Pete's friends who were outside the shed ran in to try to get one of the kids out of there. However, Pete said the moment they stepped in, it looked like they were unable to control their body. It looked like a wave of fatigue immediately struck though who entered. Their bodies immediately stop moving, as they end up as the human statues that were inside. I didn't believe it when Pete told me. But since I was the only one who knew something was wrong, I decided to have him show me as proof. As we got to the zoo, the place that was a hangout now gave off a sinister vibe. A simple hop over the fence and we both walked to the shed. I was planning on going into the shed, until Pete immediately put a hand on my shoulder, where I remembered about what happened in his story. Wanting to believe Pete, I took the flashlight that Pete had and shine it through the opening of the door.

Sure enough, he was right. I was surprised at first, since Pete was wrong about the amount of kids inside the shed. Pete said that it looked like there were about half the kids in the town that were in that shed. However, when I checked, it looked like a whole lot more. "We need to call the police." I said to him, until I remembered about what was happening to them. What if the police did found Ricky, but stepping into the room didn't cause them to become statues. But rather voyeurs. But how did Ricky's parents end up as voyeurs, also? Unless, what was happening was due to their hereditary being affected, since they were his birth parents. Too many questions that seemed to be answered were flooding my mind. Pete and I were about to leave. Until one of the kids from inside spoke.

From inside and from where the flashlight shined, a kid appeared looking scared. "Where am I? Please help. It hurts." the kid pleaded. Pete was about to enter, until he remembered about what would happen. "Please help me." the kid kept saying, till he started to walk over to the door. Was he not under the control of the room? As the kid was almost at the door, the kid extended his hand, trying to reach at Pete, where he stepped back. A scowl began to appear on the boy's face. The expression of a hunter enraged that his prey was about to escape to their annoyance. I was probably the first to hear the kid's arm breaking, as it was extending towards- Oh god - it managed to grab Pete and pull him in. I immediately started to run, where I can hear the boy screaming at me, "We can learn! You will be with us as one! We will skin you alive, while your mind rots, you filthy cub!" I was almost at the chain-link fence, where I turned to look at the shed one last time. The kid was outside, where he was smiling as far as his mouth can allow him. It looked like he was about to get himself a Glasgow smile from how far the muscles near his mouth were pulling apart from each other. I hopped the fence and immediately ran straight home.
I was a coward, as if those who were still not affected did and didn't believe me, they would have ended up at the shed. Of course, this is pointless, as whatever has happened in there has learned to extend it's grasp outside of the zoo. I heard several police cruisers speeding by, but I imagined that the effect from whatever was in the shed was now happening outside of the zoo, continuing to grow, as much as it could. I can hear banging from my front door. By now, they were going to burst inside. I guessing what will happen will make me a slave. Yet I hope what the entity that is controlling everyone will ease my pain. I'm sorry.

Don't go to the shed.

Don't go to the shed.

Go to the shed.

Coming Soon: The Sky Bleeds Blue

OH MY GOD

This is a CLASSIC!

I remember that story so clearly. It's good! Thanks for posting again!

[Main Nation Ministry]

Strawberry Fields

About: Strawberry Fields is a slice-of-life RP set in modern day Japan, which is a practice and somewhat sequel to my slice of life posts of Taylor Cox in Japan for the RP Washington 2017. In this story, it revolves around the coming of age of a Japanese teenager referred to as Mr. Kite who survives getting hit by a truck, where he starts to realize that he has managed to develop strange powers from telepathy to talking to cats. He idolizes another student of Sgt. Pepper and develops a love interest towards a girl who shares a different set of powers. While there is some fictional elements, it's mainly has to do with Mr. Kite trying to readjust to his life, along with trying to make a realistic environment based on Tokyo, Japan.

Prologue

February 29, 2016

For the sake of storytelling, any Japanese words and spoken language has been translated to English. Especially the meows of cats.

It was a normal day in Tokyo, Japan. For the morning, it was the start of a routine that would be common, until past noon. At a grocery store, a woman was getting groceries for tonight, as someone had left their dog on a black trolley, as they went to look at some produce. A young girl wearing a bright pink and red jacket approached the dog for a quick pet, before she left through the automatic doors with her mother. For Mrs. Kataoka, the end of February was good, as spring was finally arriving. She carried white plastic bags of produce, as she went to the cashier to pay. Simple and quick. If she had enough time, she could catch the train to return home before her son Tsuneo arrives home.

It wasn't until she gotten a phone call from her husband, while walking down the sidewalk was when things had changed differently. "Suki? Suki, are you there?" her husband answered with a tone of urgent attention. "Yes? What is it, Ren?"

"It's..it's Tsuneo. He was hit by a car while riding home from school. They told me they are taking him to JR Tokyo General Hospital. Suki, are you there? Suki? Suki?" Ren tried to tell Suki, however the sudden news was already taking a toll of her. She had taught Tsuneo to be careful, but this is something that came out of the blue. She nearly dropped her groceries as she started to go into a state of shock.

---

The site of Tsuneo's accident had several policemen nearby, directing people and traffic away from the site. A single white car with a cracked windshield was stopped in the middle of the road. Small drips of blood were on the asphalt from Kataoka's where a smashed up bicycle was looking to be on the verge of scrap metal. A beefy police officer was interviewing the driver, where it appeared the driver was intoxicated. Among the crowd, who were noticing the aftermath of a spectacle, Sergeant Pepper stood in the midst of the crowd. Looking onwards towards the area of the accident with a sense of uncomfort within him.

---

March 14th, 2016

It took around 13 days for Tsuneo to heal. Tsuneo's injuries were minor, except for his head. Even though no one saw Tsuneo getting hit, there was already evidence that Kataoka struck the windshield of the car with his head. Head trauma was obvious, though Tsuneo was in a mini coma for a whole week. Both of the Kataoka's were convincing the doctor and staff to save their son, but time was hard to tell. X-rays and examinations were made before and after he woke up. After Tsuneo woke up, he started to request for his headphones and MP3 player.

Tsuneo was propped up on his hospital cot, watching TV of all sorts of variety shows and comedians, when a doctor arrived to check up on Kataoka.
"Mr. Kataoka? I see that you're awake. You were out of it for a while." the doctor told Tsuneo, as he had a bandage wrapped around his head. His hair was all coming from the top of the wrapped bandages.
"How many days had it been?"
"We notificated your parents that you were awake. You were out for about a week. We took X-rays, but we didn't find signs of serious trauma. You're lucky that you managed to survive an accident like this."
"My body still feels like rubber, doctor."
"We put you on painkillers, Kataoka. We're trying to make sure that your body is better than it once was when we found you."
"Do you have my MP3 player, though? I want to make sure it isn't damaged."
"We are not in charge of your possessions, Mr. Kataoka. Only your health."

Eventually, Tsuneo's parents visited when the doctors and nurses reported that he was being in good state. Over the course of days, Kataoka was adjusting his somewhat healing head with the help of a soft pillow to sooth his recovering skull. According to his parents, they couldn't find his MP3 player that he enjoyed so much. Even if they did find it, it would most likely be broken. Hospital food wasn't really that good, but the checkups and tests to make sure nothing was permeantly damaged, since Tsuneo was out for a good while was to make sure nothing bad was in him. Some nurses would put some get well cards from some students next to him. Reading them with the hope you get better was something to have some positive mood in Tsuneo. On the day of his release, Tsuneo was given a release form. Some paperwork, though he didn't care to read it. He just wanted to go home.

He used a black pen to sign the empty line. His father made sure that he remembered to walk. "Don't worry, Dad. I can still walk." Tsuneo tried to explain to his father. "I'm making sure that we don't have any more accidents in this family. Your mother nearly had a heart attack. Come. I'm making sure you are in the car." Tsuneo's father was about to leave with his son, however the doctor stopped him.
"Mr. Kataoka. Your son needs his proper name." the doctor said, where Ren examined the release form. A little grunt emerged from his mouth. Not of annoyance, but more of something typical that he knows of that was briefly forgotten. "Yes. He likes to have his friends play him by nicknames. Let me sign his name here..and there you go." Ren said, as he had to sign Tsuneo's actual name in the release form.

The release form now had two names on the line.

Tsuneo Kataoka Mr. Kite

The Kataoka family and Kite lived in a small home in suburbian Shibuya. Ren drove the car down the narrow road, where he parked it in front of the house. Kite's father opened the door for his son, as his father unlocked the front door to the house. Kite took off his shoes with his father, as Kite sat down on the couch. "Tsuneo! You need to come to your mother. She's already worried you got disfigured from last minute surgery!" Kite's father yelled from the kitchen, as Kite went to check up on his mother. Already, Kite was greeted with a tight hug from his mother. "Tsuneo! You had the whole family concerned!"
"Mother. We went over this at the hospital." Kite couldn't help but feel some annoyance.
"You're lucky we have insurance, Tsuneo. Come on. We're not having dinner without you at the table." his father said, as Kite wanted to groan.

Kneeling on the pillow at the table, Kite's sister Sumiko joined the family, as they ate their meal. "Big brother? How is it at the hospital?" Sumiko asked Kite, as he just wanted to go into his room. "Boring. How has stuff been while I was away at home?"
"Your father and I have been meaning to tell you about how the school reacted, Tsuneo." Kite's mother said, steering the conversation. "Your principal called. You're aren't suspended, however they are requesting you don't attend school until you are now officially starting your 9th year." Kite's father explained.
"So I have an extra break?"
"You're still going to help me with the mochi stand, every now and then. Can't let my son of mine become lazy."
"I still know how to use the kine, Dad."

"I wanted to go to Takao-san to watch the firewalking, but I guess I need to stay home for now."
"They still show it online. Maybe on Instagram?" Sumiko said to Kite, though it's mainly uncommon for him to use social media.
"My friends near the stand helped with the parade for St. Patrick's Day. For the Irish Network." Kite's father took the family, explaining his stories about his fellow Kayōkyoku playing friends.
"Any performances for them schuleded?" his sister added. "Not yet. Summer is be coming soon. I want you all to be on some good behavior, however. Especially you, Tsuneo. You're becoming a young man, than just a kid to people. I know you to be more careful."

"I understand, Dad." Kite said to his father, where the family proceeded to finish up dinner. Kite went up to his room, hadn't seeing in for a while. He flicked on a switch. His room lit up, showing his colorful room. Kite had a fascination with some Western pop culture from both the United States and the United Kingdom. His biggest interest were the Beatles that he discovered, when his father gave him a computer to use for the first time. While his parents were interested in kayōkyoku, Kite was a fan of the classicals around the same time. Kite was pretty much a fan of a late Beatlemania. He digged into his drawer to see if there was a spare MP3 player that he didn't know he had. Nothing. He didn't want to go looking for one. There could be a cheap one he could get at a store at the station tomorrow.

He went over to his window to make sure it was closed completely. A little gap, but through it, Kite could hear a strange voice. It sounded like a man, but all the man outside could talk about was food. Food food food. It was all the voice was saying. Kite pushed open the window to see who was outside. It was hard to know where it was coming from, since it was dark, but all Kite could do was shut the window completely, blocking out the voice.

He laid down on his bed. He drifted off into a sleep. He was glad to be back home.

[Infected Mushroom]

Interesting, I wonder what will happen next. I like the Japanese setting and the premise.

Why is it called Strawberry Fields? I like the title.