All that remains of the cottage are the front door and the stone steps to nowhere. The rest is gone, including its occupants. The woman, the nightmares, Akki. The realization hits the man like a slap to the back of the head. Akki-sama. This yokai must have eaten Akki, as well. So that’s it, then. He’s gone. No one can protect me now. He had always wondered how his pact with Akki would end — he never guessed it would be in the grip of another yokai’s teeth.

The yokai continues to chew and swallow. Smiling, head bobbing side to side in a pleased manner, it lets out a deep moan of satisfaction that shakes the air and the ground. The man recognizes the moaning sound from before. The yokai brings the house to its lips one last time. Then it sees the man staring up at it from the corner of its eye.

He breaks into a furious sweat. He has been spotted. He cannot outrun a creature this size. He is not even sure if he should move; all this monster has to do is stretch out a hand and squeeze. His head would pop like a grape. Then it could slide out his spine and use it for a toothpick. He would feel every sensation of it. Even in dreams, these things hurt. He must do something.

First, he apologizes for disturbing it. He rises to his feet, palms out in a sign of negotiation, speaks in a gentle voice. With all the canned coffee and Cup Noodles he consumes, he assures the monster that he would be far from delicious. He feels like a child again, grovelling to a creature more powerful than himself, but he has no choice. The bracelets on his wrists are useless, now. No one will rescue him, not this time, perhaps ever again. He keeps his eyes on the yokai as he takes his first step, ready to flee.

“Oh, no you don’t.” The yokai twists its body and lifts the giant cottage sandwich higher into the air. “I saw it first!”

The young man feels his heart clench. His arms drop to his sides. Its words were muffled in a mouthful of chocolate, but … he could have sworn … “Uh …”

“What? I’m using plain English, aren’t I? You heard me. It’s MINE.”

He cannot keep his voice from trembling. “I — I’m sorry,” he tries again. “I didn’t mean to intrude. Please. Take all you want. Just don’t hurt me, please.”

The yokai’s angry eyes now widen. “Is this your house?”

“No! Please. By all means. Help yourself. Just let me go. Please, don’t eat me.”

“What?! Why would I do that?! What do you take me for, some kind of monster?!”