Chapter 58: Condition One
Marcus dared not leave Tomie's flesh and blood in the deep space of the Life Box for an extended period.
He could sense everything within that space; Tomie was like a pufferfish—delicious, but also highly poisonous.
He wasn't sure if carrying her around for too long would unknowingly poison him and subject him to her control.
Therefore, he needed to find a secluded place for short-term contact to study and cultivate her.
After dealing with the scene, Marcus turned on the gas valve, went outside intending to casually light a cigarette, and then toss the lighter into the restaurant. But then he worried it wouldn't ignite properly, so he decided against it.
He clenched his fist and flung a grenade behind him, igniting the restaurant with a deafening roar. Amidst the raging flames, he drove back to the police station without looking back.
As for what happened next, those who needed to worry about it would handle it; the detached restaurant wouldn't ignite other buildings.
Inside the police station, Emma was dragged into the interrogation room, her delicate wrists handcuffed. She was furious:
"Why are you arresting me? What did I do? I need a lawyer! Do you have an arrest warrant? Why are you arresting me like this!"
Detective Harper approached Emma with a file related to the dismemberment case from three years ago.
"Ms. Mitchell, Detective Moretti will explain these things when he gets back. What I need to ask you now is about the incident three years ago when you lost your memory. Do you really remember nothing?"
"I remember nothing at all. I have amnesia. I have a medical certificate." Emma thought for a moment, but still couldn't recall anything.
"The disappearance of your ex-boyfriend, Derek Thompson, and the murder of a girl named Tomie, are both related to that incident. This is their group photo. Take a look."
Harper produced the group photo. The girl's face, which had been blurred out, had been filled in by Harper using Tomie's appearance from a case file with similar features. He believed that the Tomie in the photo probably looked like that too.
"Is this a class photo?"
Emma stared at the photo placed before her, her head throbbing with pain, nauseating images of red blood flashing through her mind.
She seemed to hear again the arrogant laughter of a girl, accompanied by gruesome images of dismembered limbs.
Her headache intensified, making her give up trying to remember.
"I don't know, I can't remember, I can't remember anything at all. That horrible accident cost me everything, made me like this, I really can't remember!"
Emma suddenly cried out, then slowly bent over, her hands cuffed, her head pressed against the table, tears streaming down her face.
Click, the interrogation room door opened.
"You don't know? If you don't know, I can tell you!"
Marcus, dressed in a neat uniform, pushed open the door and walked in.
"Detective Moretti, Detective Moretti,"
greetings came from both the doorway and the interrogation room.
Marcus nodded and took the file from Harper's hand. He looked at it and said,
"Three years ago, you were a high school student. Your boyfriend was Derek Thompson, and you were very close. Then, a month later, a girl named Tomie Kawakami transferred to your class."
"All the boys in the class went crazy for her, but Tomie became your friend. Then she stole your boyfriend. Later, you discovered Tomie's secret—that she was a monster—from the photos you took of her."
"To get revenge, you copied Tomie's monster photos and distributed them throughout the school. Tomie led a group to hunt you down, but you were nearly killed by the boys who were obsessed with her."
"The headless Tomie ran away laughing, and because you witnessed these scenes, you suffered amnesia. Your parents lied and said you were in a car accident!"
After Marcus finished speaking, he looked at Emma, who had a terrible headache and was even slightly bumping her head on the table with tears in her eyes, and continued to ask calmly:
"Emma Mitchell, haven't you remembered Tomie, the girl with the beauty mark under her eye? Let me tell you something else: your current boyfriend, Kevin Harris, is dating your best friend, Sarah. Didn't you know?"
"Your love has been betrayed once again!"
"No, no!"
Emma murmured in disbelief. Images from three years ago gradually surfaced in her mind; she remembered.
She remembered that monster, Tomie, and the way she disposed of Tomie's body.
That was why she had lost her memory. Emma's eyes slowly changed, a strange charm emanating from her.
Tomie's charm!
Marcus keenly noticed this.
Tomie's search for Emma wasn't for simple revenge, but to transform Emma into Tomie.
This isn't Tomie growing from the remains of a body after Tomie was killed.
It's a transformation of a person whose very essence and spirit were possessed by Tomie, nourished by Emma's physical consciousness, becoming a new Tomie—a transformation akin to the birth of a baby.
While the reasons for Tomie's actions are unknown, certain girls are always chosen by her.
She tortures them until they are alienated from everyone, then forces them to accept that she is Tomie, thus transforming them into her.
Regardless of the reason, Emma becoming Tomie is inevitable.
She has already been secretly harmed by Tomie, her body tainted with Tomie's cells, not just because of that simple kiss at the end of the story.
Based on Emma's current condition, Marcus estimates that within three days at most, she will grow a beauty mark and become exactly like Tomie.
A Tomie who has just completed the transformation, whose consciousness and body haven't split, is the Tomie Marcus needs.
With Emma transformed into Tomie, one part of the plan is complete; only the second part is missing.
"Alright, I've just investigated this matter. Although she was at the scene, she wasn't involved in the dismemberment. The perpetrator was her boyfriend, Derek Thompson. I'll take her home in a bit."
After Marcus finished speaking, Detective Harper's expression was filled with disappointment.
Another lead had gone cold. Every time he just missed Tomie, he vowed to find Tomie alive.
At this moment, a police officer suddenly came to report that the dive team by the river had not found any remains of the girl, but had caught several strange long-legged fish.
"Ms. Mitchell, please wait in the interrogation room for a moment. I have another question to ask you later."
"Anderson, give Ms. Mitchell's belongings to her first."
Marcus said to the two of them, and together with Harper, followed the person who reported to the evidence room, where there was a fish basket.
Inside the fish basket were two carp, one catfish, and one bass, all about a foot long.
In addition to the four fish, there were also more than a dozen small fish fry less than half an inch long.
These fish, whether large or small, all had four spider-like limbs with exceptionally sharp tips.
They were inside the basket, constantly poking at the basket with their two front limbs.
The basket, lined with sheet metal and hard plastic, was riddled with small holes, as if pierced by scissors.
"Anderson, go to the market across the street and buy a chicken, a big one,"
Marcus instructed the young officer beside him, observing the strange fish in the basket.
"Yes, Detective Moretti!" Anderson nodded and jogged out.
"Is this the strange fish that killed that girl?"
An old man in uniform with a gold badge also came in. He was Chief Williams, the police chief. He took out a pair of glasses from his pocket, put them on, and leaned closer to examine the strange fish.
Perhaps he got too close, because one of the catfish suddenly lunged at the police chief's eye with its right forelimb.
Fortunately, the transparent lid blocked the attack, but it still startled the old man, causing him to stumble.
"Damn it! This strange fish is caused by severe water pollution!"
The old man felt humiliated and angrily brushed himself off and left. He was retiring in half a month and didn't want to bother with such matters. He was furious that he'd lost face just for getting involved.
"Detective Moretti, the chicken's here! A lively rooster!"
Anderson hurried in carrying a cage.
The old police chief had just reached the door when he saw Anderson carrying a chicken to the station and asked curiously, "Anderson, what are you doing? Why did you bring a chicken to the station?"
"Oh, Detective Moretti asked for it earlier. I don't know what it's for,"
Anderson stopped, scratched his head, and replied.
The next step was the experimental operation. Tomie couldn't be taken away by the Crossroads, but it had to be taken!
Tomie couldn't be killed by knives or fire, but it had to be killed!
(End of Chapter)
[500 PS unlocks 2 Extra Chapters]
[10 Reviews unlock 1 Extra Chapter]
Thanks for reading—reviews are appreciated.
P2treon DarkFoxx has 20+ advance chapters