[Folk Horror] Ten Days of Mourning

"...Tian Yu is referring to a snake? My grandfather, let a snake renew my life? My grandfather recognized the snake as his grandfather and offered it a spiritual seat?" You repeated the conclusion of Goddess Zhao, and couldn't believe what you said. "But—why?"

Goddess Zhao said in a muffled voice, "This... I don't know..."

The friend was a little anxious: "It doesn't matter whether it's a snake, a ghost or a god, if it's true, Goddess Zhao, there must be a way to crack it, right?"

In fact, the balance in your heart is already leaning more toward the "yin gods haunting" side.Goddess Zhao can do other things, but what about the strange tablet in the ancestral hall in your yard?What will Goddess Zhao do?Could it be that you picked the lock and entered while your parents were away?If she can pick the lock and get into your house, what is she going to do with all this fuss? Wouldn't it be faster to just take the money and leave?

"Witch's Fraud Theory" begins to be in jeopardy in your heart, and it seems that it will collapse completely at any moment.The only thing that holds it together is your instinctive avoidance of those unknown horrors, your unwillingness to admit them.Even so, despite this... You were bitten by a snake this morning, and Goddess Zhao just told you that Tian Yuqu was a snake, so how do you explain it?You didn't tell her all about your injury this morning!

While your brain was running wildly, Goddess Zhao began to answer your friend's question about the cracking method: "I said yesterday that the best way is to do what your grandfather did back then, and contact Yinshen again, to show you how to solve it." A filial daughter, please don’t get angry with the Yin God, but I have protected you for decades. It’s just...just...the way to invite the Yin God is not fixed, and I have never invited it. My master has helped people ask the Yin God to borrow their lives. So I looked through master's account book yesterday, but I didn't see your grandpa's name. Your family only came to see my master twice. One was after your father was born, and your grandpa asked my master to count his longevity; the other was..."

"So I want to find out how my grandfather invited the Yin God back then, and then discuss it with the Yin God?" You couldn't bear the emotions surging in your heart, and interrupted Goddess Zhao, only to feel that things were getting weirder and weirder .

"That's right, that's right. But, girl, I still suggest you move faster," Zhao Mistress emphasized again, "Ten days of continuous mourning, filial daughters take their hearts. People will die from the fifth day onwards."

You and your friends want to ask again, but Goddess Zhao has already asked three questions, and you have no choice but to leave.

Before leaving, Goddess Zhao stopped you.

"There's something I didn't tell you," she said, with an ugly, almost distorted expression, as if she was enduring too much fear and anxiety. "Last night, when I got home, I found that all my yellow paper slips were gone. A At first I didn't think much about it, I thought I just dropped my old bones, and I just planned to look for it this morning. Then... I have to deal with those things... I took the thin thread from the hearts of those birds Once the thread was untied, the heart was completely torn apart. I saw that the stick was inside, and it was a wish come true. Then I cut off the other hearts, and the sticks were all stuffed inside, neat and tidy... ..."

She finally opened the small box on the table, and you can see dozens of crumpled yellow papers inside, which are all covered with blood. Auspicious words such as "Family reunion", "Promotion and wealth", "Join the case with eyebrows", "Full of children and grandchildren" and other auspicious words, the "Lan Xinhui quality" that the friend drew is also included.

But you already know what went wrong.

"The sheet of 'Ten Days of Mourning, A Filial Daughter Takes Her Heart' is gone." Goddess Zhao announced in a low voice.

------

Leaving Goddess Zhao's house and facing the sun, you feel a little dazed.

Too much information fills your brain, a mess, making you unable to do anything, feeling irritable, and staring at the sky in a daze.After an unknown amount of time, you finally regain your sense of reality: you're fine, and there's still a lot you can do.

"Let's go back. Since my grandfather invited some yin god, then first check to see if there is anything available in my house." You suggested.

"I'm fine," said the friend, who seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then held your hand slowly and shyly, "...Are you okay?"

"What can I do, don't worry about me. Let's go, I don't know what delicious food my parents will make at noon!" You tried your best to answer in the briskest tone.

"That's good, if you feel uncomfortable, you must tell me!"

You nodded without thinking, and started walking back with your friend.Friends may have forgotten that you are still holding hands, and you are struggling and swimming in the endless sea of ​​confusion, doubt, death, and fear, and you need to obey your heart's thoughts occasionally-the closer you are to your friends, the better, naturally Impossible to take the initiative to remind.You think, it's normal for girls to hold hands anyway...

When thinking this way, my friend unscrewed the stainless steel thermos cup that your parents stuffed in the morning with the other hand, took a few sips out of curiosity, and was full of praise immediately: "Uncle and auntie are so good at craftsmanship! This herbal tea is really delicious, refreshing and refreshing." , and a little sweet—you drink it too!"

You smiled: "It's strange that you are so rare. I have been drinking this herbal tea since I was a child. How can it be so exaggerated?"

"Didn't I intend to make you happy?" The friend said confidently.

Your heart is warm and your mood has improved a lot. You took the cup with a smile and took a sip yourself.

Ever since you were young, you have always liked the herbal tea made by your parents. You can put licorice in it, and there are herbs grown in your hometown that can clear away heat and improve eyesight. Infinity is the best drink under the hot sun.

But this time, after you took a sip, you couldn't help but spit it out.

Bitter, very bitter.

The bitterness exploded in the mouth, and besides that, there was an indescribable taste: fishy, ​​astringent, disgustingly sticky and thick, like green water boiled from carrion, your whole tongue felt like it was stuffed Into the rotting mold, hot and swollen, provoking more nausea.You spit it out, and then, you freeze:

What you spit out, what you just drank...is a mouthful of black and red blood.

You stared blankly at the thermos in your hand.This vacuum flask is also something that you have used in your home for many years. It is quite old. It was originally given to outstanding workers in the textile factory where grandma worked. It has been used until today, and everyone loves it and washes it clean.When your father used to farm by himself, you used to bring water to him with this.

"What's wrong? Grass, what is this?!" My friend cried out in shock.

The thermos is on, you lower your head, and you can't see anything clearly.

It was dark inside, like a malevolent eye.

Whatever it is, you'll soon find out.

You hold the thermos and slowly pour it over.

It shouldn't be... there should only be tea in the cup. Your friend drank a few sips before you. If there is a problem, she will definitely shout at that time... Your parents poured the tea in the morning, and you carry the cup with you all day , no one has ever opened it, so it's impossible...only tea...but why...you still feel something solid...flowing out?

It shouldn't be...you always think so.

The appearance of that thing finally leaking from the mouth of the cup... is it, Feather?

Yes, boiled, messy wet feathers, then meat, beak, pat, one of those things fell to the ground.Just like after being placed at high temperature for several days, it seemed to be boiled, a sparrow's carcass fell out, and then some of its internal organs, which should have no heart.You feel as if it has just been boiled, it is still steaming, the aroma of meat and the disgusting stench of rot, the smell of blood, get into your nose together.

The friend seems to throw up, but it's not over yet.

Your cup is not big, in fact, it is beyond your imagination that a sparrow can be stuffed into it, but the second such sparrow fell out, and the third... your arm seems to be frozen, just hold it like this Drink the cup until the carcasses of sparrows pile up at your feet.You are counting, eighteen, not one.It's impossible because your cups aren't that big, but...

Their bodies are all here.

You put down the glass and finally spit it out.