夏のスペシャル ２０２５年度 夏の怖い話 その８ (Part2)
"Considering analog broadcasting ended in 2011, excluding three prefectures, it wouldn't be strange if there were still regions or households that haven't made the switch."
As we discussed this, I decided to change the channel.
"This is OJ News at 11:00 AM."
A crisp, clear voice suddenly resonated through the living room.
"It's on."
"It really is."
Taiki and I stared at the television in astonishment. Riel and the others were equally transfixed, their gazes locked onto the screen.
"Today, August 4th, we are broadcasting live from within Daijo City."
With that, the scene shifted.
"Yes, today in Daijo City..."
It seemed to have started a standard local interest segment. Or rather...
"I've never heard of a city called Daijo."
"Neither have I. Do you think they just made it up?"
"Well, that’s likely a matter of voice recognition, so it could be anything. But as for the cityscape, they must have pulled it from somewhere... Tell me, does it match the newspaper?"
"Oh, uh, what is this?"
"Hm? Ah, that’s blatant."
When we took another look to see which local paper it was, the space where the name should have been was blacked out.
"Well, they’ve turned this into the stage for a supernatural incident. If they didn't show some consideration, it would leave a bad impression on Riel and the others, let alone us."
"Right, true. But the fact that the television is working like this means..."
"I’d like to think there’s some kind of hint hidden in there."
For now, I focused on the screen to gather information, but so far, it was just a segment on local delicacies.
"Oh, that ramen shop looks delicious."
"I wish we could go there."
Unfortunately, since this town was essentially a cut-out reality, I doubted restaurants actually existed or that anyone was there to serve us. Just as I was thinking that, the scene cut back to the studio.
Wait, there hadn't been any mention of a transition. It felt like it had suddenly snapped back to the studio. As I pondered that...
"Breaking news. We have received reports of a murder within Daijo City, and the perpetrator is currently at large. According to a statement from the police..."
The screen showed the very same abandoned house we had visited earlier. The house that had surprised Prol was clearly visible.
"The victim has been identified as Chinatsu Ohno, and the body was found in a severely mutilated state..."
A photograph of a young girl appeared on screen, and in the background, police tape was visible around the house, with investigators moving in and out.
"Yuki-sama, that's the house from earlier, isn't it? But there wasn't anyone there."
Riel and the others must have realized it was the same place.
"The time must be different," I said.
"Time?"
"Taiki, did you find it?"
"Yes. Here it is. I was wondering why the dates on these newspapers were all over the place, but it's on the front page—it seems like it was quite the commotion back then."
The date on the newspaper he handed me read 1989.
"The paper we saw earlier was from 2009, so there’s a gap of roughly twenty years."
"Twenty years? What does that mean?"
Riel tilted her head, and Orelia and the others seemed equally confused.
"Ah—well, it seems this television is broadcasting events from the time of the incident, likely staged by Luna. She’s trying to stir up our fear."
"...I see. So, what I witnessed was indeed the truth."
"That’s about the size of it. Which means..."
I took the remote from Taiki and immediately turned the television off.
"Ah!"
Riel and the others let out a collective cry.
"Let's have a meeting. Watching this news might tell us what kind of ghosts or supernatural entities we're dealing with, but it also increases the terror—it makes us brace ourselves. The question is whether we want to accept that."
"Right, it’s essentially getting spoiled. Though, from Luna’s perspective, she probably finds it entertaining either way."
"Either way, I don't like playing into her hands."
And so, before we could gather any more information, we began a meeting to decide whether or not it was wise to keep watching something that served only to spoil the mystery and stoke our fear.