The Enigma of Amigara Fault

[cyberghostface]

Posting this has become sort a semi-Halloween tradition so without further do, Junji Ito's most famous story.

Following an earthquake in an unnamed prefecture, a fault near to the epicentre of the quake is discovered on Amigara Mountain (the name Amigara meaning "empty shell").

Owaki, a hiker, is lost on the mountain.







Scientists examining the holes announce that there is no way to find out how deep into the mountain the holes go. The holes are not natural and must have been dug from the inside. They figure that the accumulation of soil over the centuries eventually sealed up the entrance, yet they have no way of knowing why the holes were made or who would have the technology to do it.

Owaki sees Yoshida looking for something, and asks what. She explains she came here because on TV, she had seen a hole in her own shape. She swears it is her exact silhouette and was meant for her. Owaki's sceptical, but another man called Nakagaki overhears and says that the same thing happened to him.



The scientists' equipment can find no trace of Nakagaki. A rescue squad is dispatched, but have to retreat after getting no more than five meters inside the hole.

Owaki camps out overnight and has a nightmare in which he is Nakagaki.



When Owaki awakes, Nakagaki hasn't been found. Yoshida tells Owaki that she has found her own hole at the foot of the mountain.

In front of a news crew reporting on Nakagaki's disappearance, a man climbs up to one of the holes. He shouts "This is my hole! It was made for me!" and disappears inside. All the people present at the site begin climbing into "their" holes.







They kiss.

That night, Owaki has another dream. In this one, he is a criminal in the past who has committed a horrific crime. His sentence is to enter inside a hole in the mountain that was dug out for him.



Owaki wakes to find that Yoshida has unblocked her hole and disappeared into it.



As he sits mournfully by the mountain, he hears a noise and to his horror sees his own hole beside him.







As a bonus... from Gunshow Comic...



Happy Halloween!

Comments

[kurenai_tenka]

Oh god I'm scared! D=