Red Mask?
A subway station where thousands passed through every day.
But even such a place grew quiet as night deepened, foot traffic dwindling until it stopped entirely.
“Chilly... When's the last train?”
The sun had long set, the moon high in the sky.
After school, she'd holed up in a study cafe, cramming until now.
She finally stepped out and checked the time on her phone.
She wanted to stay all night if she could.
But her family insisted on taking care of her health too.
So she at least aimed to catch the last train.
Even normally, the platform was sparse at this hour.
But today, it felt eerily empty.
Standing alone, she slipped in her earbuds and pocketed her phone as the battery ticked down.
Links! Links! Links zwo drei vier!
The blaring music drowned out the wind, the machinery hums.
It built a thin wall between her and the world.
So as she waited for the train—still no sign—she hummed softly along.
She never noticed the rustling overhead.
One gray-white ceiling tile trembled.
Then tore loose.
Long hair dangled down slowly.
Kann man Herzen brechen
Over the strands, two eyes—pure black pupils—peered slyly.
They turned toward the oblivious girl.
Doch sehe ich dann nach unten weg
As its head fully emerged below the ceiling, the station lights flickered in unison.
“What... blackout?”
Darkness and light pulsed.
Anxious, she whipped her head around.
Then she froze.
A woman stood beside her.
Waiting for the train too.
She trembled.
“Sorry, didn't hear you come with these in,” she said with an awkward smile.
She faced forward again.
Then glimpsed the screen door reflection.
She swallowed hard.
A long coat and mask shrouded the woman's body.
Sunglasses—odd for night—hid her eyes.
The woman had turned.
Staring right at her.
No mistaking it for a glance.
Instinctively, she dropped her gaze.
Turned slightly toward the woman.
Her eyes caught a sharp blade, glinting brownish.
“C-Cold... huh...”
Pretending about the weather, she shoved her hand in her pocket.
The one with her phone.
Praying the woman wouldn't notice.
She mashed the side power button frantically.
Not something she'd looked up.
She'd discovered it smashing buttons on a laggy old phone in frustration.
The emergency call trick.
Hoping she remembered right, her fingers flew.
Music cut out.
Dial tone replaced it.
She exhaled in relief.
But she'd focused solely on the call.
Too late, she sensed movement.
The woman beside her—gone.
Breath grazed her nape.
“Eek!”
The earbuds blared questions about the problem.
She couldn't answer.
The flickering lights died completely.
Darkness swallowed girl and woman alike.
“Flashbang!”
And there was light.
[KIIIEEEEEEK!]
Blinding flash erupted with a boom.
A beastly screech followed.
Soldiers in heavy gear swarmed in.
They ringed the platform.
“Team 1, secure civilian!”
“Ugh? Ueek?”
Earbuds couldn't block the blast.
Ringing filled her ears.
Dazed, soldiers grabbed her arm, pulled her aside.
She babbled nonsense.
Ahead, flashes burst in sequence.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Chaos: blasts, booms, nets flying from soldiers.
A figure with blue cross on his ballistic helmet approached.
Earplugs for her.
Led her out.
Up the stairs, out of the station.
Cold night air wrapped her.
Blue cross removed her headset.
“Student?! Hear me?!”
“Y-Yeah... Y-yes... I hear you.”
“Pain? Injury? Throat, jaw, anywhere?”
“No... I'm fine...”
“You contacted an anomaly. But we're here—no worries. We'll get you home.”
She nodded blankly.
“Call the Anomaly Response and Management Agency if issues later.”
He loaded her into a car.
Radioed.
“Civilian evacuated.”
‘Roger. Site status...’
Ops room queried success.
Perfect timing—agents reported.
‘Capture failed.’
‘...Roger.’
Lights flickered back on.
Entry Team agents stared up.
Huge hole in the ceiling—adult-sized.
Broken tiles rained down.
Sparking wires dangled, swaying.
“Tougher than expected? Should've sent team leads?”
In the Anomaly Response and Management Agency ops room.
A Support Team agent sighed at the report.
Others shook their heads.
“Complaints would flood in.”
“Total wipeout.”
Team lead meant experience elsewhere.
But here? Plus the mental scars from anomalies.
Handling the weird broke you somewhere.
Survivors climbing ranks? Definitely broken.
“Last year, brass pushed for speed—team leads only. Survivors sued.”
“That one?”
Devil-like entities seized a building.
Team leads “efficiently” desecrated civilian corpses.
Drew symbols with fluids.
Rule: Entities blind inside.
Protected survivors.
But civilians watched “rescuers” mutilate loved ones amid flying demons.
Sane-eyed.
“Freed manpower, cleared fast. But shocking—even for us.”
“Yeah... Couldn't stomach the tomato spaghetti lunch.”
“Inhaled it next day.”
“Day later—good.”
Ops agents reminisced briefly.
Pursuit query came.
Denied per brass.
Wrapped it up.
Next morning.
J briefed Arin on the failed op.
Called her to the office.
“Capture failed. No live ammo—location. But they struggled.”
“Net gun drops bears in one, right?”
“Yes. Appendages sharper than expected.”
Photos in the report: sliced nets clean.
Claw gouges in concrete, gear.
Easy to picture.
“Photos, testimony... Arthropod traits, as guessed.”
“Insect human...! Kinda cool?”
Arin eyed J's sparkle.
Almost launched into Kamen Rider belts from childhood.
Embarrassed, waved it off.
“Now what?”
Arin shut the slim report.
No ammo? Traps?
J looked mildly surprised.
Nodded.
“Spot on. Slow and stable now.”
“How?”
“Simple. Sturdy trap. Not dumb—needs good bait.”
“Bait... No clue for these. Why stare?”
Midway subway tunnel.
Management access.
Always open for emergencies.
But rust screamed long neglected—even by staff.
Ugh, dust...!
Small voice from beyond.
Rusty door creaked open, screaming metal.
“Any lonely cuties rolling around?”
Arm through the gap.
Kicked the wall.
Bodied it open.
Short kiai, stretched joints.
Chem lights snapped, tossed around.
Small lamps at intervals on floor.
Cleared throat.
Peeked out.
Cupped hands to mouth.
“Ah~! Pretty young thing with a fine mouth here...! Sigh...”
Self-loathing crept up.
Face flushed.
Shouted again into the tunnel.
Echo mocked her.
Ducked back in.
Kicked pre-op tools aside gently.
Sat.
Stared at the lamps ahead.
“When'll you show~?”
Moments later.
Bulbs flickered—nearest first.
Arin stood, brushed butt.
Backed to glow tape mark.
Rustling trailed it.
Rusty door rattled.
Shrieking metal pierced ears.
“Capture op starting.”
“Hm... Roger, yeah?”
Lamps and rugged phone glitching hard.
Static only.
Arin ignored it.
Long, sharp fingers slipped through the door slit.
One by one.
Black eyes in dark reflected chem light.
Staring at her.
Door she'd muscled open—pushed aside easily.
It squeezed through, long hair dangling.
Forcing its body.
Arin watched unblinking.
Backed one careful step.
It sped up.
Scared? Fleeing?
Limp fingers twitched up.
Toward her face.
Ready to rip the mouth.
“Hnnngh...”
[KEEK KIK KIIIIIK]
Laughter? Speech?
Hard to tell.
Sharp appendage grazed her cheek.
Blood trickled down.
Arin grimaced.
Stepped on glow tape.
“Hah... Gotcha.”
[KIIIIIK?]
Boom—iron grate slammed down.
Trapped her and it together.
“Phew~ Never thought I'd be locked in with a girl... Wish it was Auntie instead.”