Sounds of Horror

1

Trauma:-

　Death.

　Flames.

　Darkness.

　Insects.

　These are acquired traumas that are distinct from the fears we instinctively feel.

　The causes of these traumas vary widely. Some are caused by human relationships, such as bullying, power harassment, or sexual harassment, while others may be triggered by witnessing a shocking scene in an accident or incident.

　In short, it’s different for each person.

　What is most troubling is that while it may appear like nothing to the observer, however, it can cause tremendous pain and stress to the affected individual.

　Certain objects, places, smells, sounds, and situations ……

　They bring back traumas from the past and bind those individuals to them who live in the present.

　Hopefully, the world will become a kinder, gentler place where people can respect others.

　2

　When it was around 10:30 in the afternoon. My cell phone rang.

　*Prrrrrrrrr.

『Hi–ku』

[TL notes: perhaps a trauma?]

　When I look at the display and see that it is an incoming call from my boss, the sales manager.

　Cold sweat runs down my armpits and my chest starts to ache. Even though I have a bad feeling about this, yet I have no choice other than to pick up the phone.

『Hey, am I talking to Arizuki?』

『Ah, yes, thank you always for your hard work.』

『Is now a good time?』

　His voice is unusually mild.

『Ye, yes, well…』

『I just now got a call from the center about a shortage. It seems they G** store’s short on of the 500ml bottle of sauce.』

『Haa…』

Life sucks.

『I’m sorry, but could you go over there and deliver it for me now?』

『Wha-? Right now?』

『Yes.』

　My job is delivery sales for a medium-sized food manufacturer. Our sales department is responsible for sales as well as delivery to nearby stores.

　We deliver products made at the factory directly to retailers, but some stores collect the products once at the distribution center and then the transporter delivers them to each store.

『Please, I beg you.』

『FUhm, to the G*** store, customer?』

　Suddenly the boss’s voice changed into a scary one.

『You idiot! Think about the time Goddamnit! Even if I want to, there’s no one at the store right now!』

（You need to think about the time.)

『I’m really sorry, Boss.』

『Seriously.』

　When missing items are discovered during the picking process at the center, as was the case this time, there are claims that are sent directly to the center to deliver them. If the store is flexible, it is possible to manage the situation by delivering the product first thing in the morning and apologizing, but in the end, the fact that there was a complaint of a missing product remains.

　Perhaps because they don’t like that, our sales department’s motto is to respond on the same day as much as possible.

　Damn it, who the heck is this guy in charge of shipping?

『But if I leave for the center from here now, it will take me at least five hours to get ther—-.』

『Why don’t you just go straight to work after that? If I remember correctly, the trucks leave at three o’clock. We can easily make it in time, rather with plenty at hand. Besides, I’ll let you take a nap before work.』

『B, but…』

『’B, but’ as if you have a deer or a horse with you, fu—ing idiot! You’re wasting our time dilly-dallying like this. Just get out there already damn it! Fu—ing fool!』

　＊

“Ugh, this is the worst.”

　I had a bad dream.

　It was a dream about my former company.

　And moreover, in all possibilities, it was that scene.

　In the company I previously worked at, I was treated really badly, but even in that, the dealing with missing products late at night took the cake.

　They made me drive for hours without getting any sleep. Because of which, I can’t even begin telling you how many times I almost got into accidents.

　In the sales department, The calls we used to get from the manager after 9:00 p.m, we termed it as “The devil’s call.” If I remember it correctly. And if we didn’t answer that, we would get scolded black and blue on the next day. ……

　For the past few years, just the sound of the ringtone was enough to give me heart palpitations.

　Looking back on it now, I wonder why I even continued working at that company for ten long years.

　My precious ten years in my twenties.

　Enough time for a child to grow up into a good adult.

　In those ten years, did I grow up in any way? ……

　I looked at the clock.

　It was just 4:00 in the morning.

　Outside the window, darkness envelops the room, and the cold night wind ruffles the curtains.

　I crawled under the covers and tried to sleep, but I couldn’t fall asleep at all.

“A~ah, this is just no good.”

　As I close my eyes and try to sleep, I almost had a flashback of the dream I previously had today.

　In the end, that day as well, I worked throughout with no sleep, but that was something I was already used to by then.

　3

“It’s been so long since I’ve come to Yuu-nii’s room.”

　When Mahiru came by the store after her club activities, she asked if she could go visit up my room after a long time, so I let her in. If the wider community knew about this, that I brought a high school student into my room, it would become a really huge problem. But since she was Mahiru, it was safe.

“There’s nothing special here though.”

“Un, it’s just like old times.”

Mahiru falls onto the bed with her back facing the bed. Her voluptuous bre—ts swayed making a *tayun sound.

[TL notes: I just didn’t want to let go of such sounds, I think even you would love to hear this. So, ehehe, enjoy.]

“I’m so tired today because of today.”

“Good work, Captain.”

“Don’t call me like that, it’s really embarrassing.”

“Ha-ha-ha.”

I sit on the edge of the bed.

Back then, there still used to be plenty of room even after these three idiot runts sat besides me altogether, but right now, only one of them with me already takes away more than half of the area.

“You are thinking of something really rude right now, aren’t you?”

“Idiot. As if I would.”

“Hmmnnn~.”

Mahiru smiles devilishly at me.

“That’s right, Yuu-nii~, tell me your contact info~.”

　Mahiru gets up with a *pyon and sits down right next to me. I smelled something really nice and fluffy coming from her. Is it perhaps the mixed smell of her antiperspirant, with a bit of her own and her sweat mixing together in just the right quantities to make up this indescribable sce—- ……. Am I perhaps a pervert?

“We still haven’t exchanged numbers yet, have we? Give me your cell phone number, line, and even your e-mail address as well”

Manahi pulls her smartphone out of her pocket.

“Sure.”

“I wouldn’t want you to be gone for too long again so…”

“Stupid. I’m not leaving this town ever again. Oh, but I’m not on line though.”

“Eh? Why?”

Mahiru tilted her head in an understandable cute manner. As if wanting to know

“Because it’s so easy to get a read on a message even if you have yet to read it.”

“What is with that reason leaking dark energies? Well, whatever. Just give me your number for now then.”

　I gave Mahiru my cell phone number.

“Well then, I’ll call you once, you can register my number with that as well.”

“Eh? Wait a minute, Mahiru.”

　Manami’s white finger taps on the screen of her phone.

　A ringtone echoes throughout the room.

And it was this time that…

Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

“――！”

　The moment I heard that inorganic sound, my eyes went blank. The feeling of discomfort hit me as if the flow of blood was suddenly reversed, and with that, my breath became erratic.

『Oh, Is this Aritsuki?』

　A hallucination whispers in my ear.

　As my eyes unfocused, a feeling of bewildering malice welled up in me.

“Ugh, hah, hah.”

I put my hands on my chest and lean forward.

“Eh? Yu, Yuu-nii?”

　Sticky sweat erupted from my body, making it hard to breathe.

Sticky sweat erupted from my body and it was hard to breathe. Mahiru was so shocked by this sudden change in me, that immediately went pale.

“A–are you okay? Sh–should I call an ambulance?”

“No, no, I, I’m fine. Haa—-Haa”

No need to go so far. I stopped her from dialing 119. 

[TL notes: those who couldn’t figure out, public hospital codes for Japan]

“B, but.. Wha-what is going on?”

Mahiru stares at me with concern.

Right, I hadn’t told her yet.

“I — I am afraid of the sound of my cell phone ringing.”

　For the past few years, the ringtone of my cell phone has been the devil’s declaration to make unreasonable demands.

　One time I had to go to a neighboring prefecture to respond to a complaint for someone else’s mistake, and another time I had to make a late-night delivery with a missing item in my hand.

“Um… I know this is kind of an embarrassing tale by itself, but ……”

　I withstand my shame and tell the story to Mahiru.

　The suffocating feeling, the trauma that I was yet to withstand.

“ —- and that was the reason I was—-”

　You must have been disillusioned with myself, aren’t you?

　How can a grown man get frightened only by the sound of a ringtone……

“It’s not embarrassing at all!”

“Eh?”

　Mahiru takes hold of my arm and pulls me into a hug.

　My face is strongly buried in her soft plump br—ts.

“Wai— Mahiru…”

“Yott~o”

　And with that, she leans over and gets me on the bed embracing me tightly.

　My face was wrapped around her chest like a mother embracing her child.

“I know, it has been so hard on you. Yuu–ni.

Saying that, she continues on to pat my head gently.

“There’s nothing to be afraid about anymore, there’s only me and Yuu-nii over here afterall.”

　I felt her, Mahiru’s warm feelings soaking into my body.

“If it ever becomes really tough on you, you can share it with me, no matter what. Isn’t it just between Yuu-nii and me? I’ll take care of it all, no matter what it is.”

“Mahiru ……”

“10 years ago, I was only in the position of getting help every time. But this time on, it’s not the same anymore, got it?”

The power of the embrace becomes stronger.

“Thank you, …….”

“Eh heh heh.”

Before I was even conscious about it, my heart palpitations had already subsided.