Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Footsteps of the CentipedeAuthor: Ōkura Teruko
| Original Title | むかでの跫音 |
|---|---|
| Author | 大倉 燁子 |
| Genre | Detective & Mystery |
| Author Type | Female Author |
| Summary | A weary widow returns from her uncle-in-law’s funeral, burdened by family whispers of scandal: the revered priest died by suicide in a rival cult’s inner sanctum, entangled in debt and rumors of occult forces. On a rain-soaked train ride home, she encounters an enigmatic cult leader linked to the tragedy—a man whose calm demeanor belies unsettling secrets. As twilight deepens, he recounts the priest’s torment: recurring nightmares of a murdered woman, her vengeful spirit haunting his nights, and a grotesque death where laughter echoed like a stranger’s voice. Shadows of centipedes, fragmented confessions, and unresolved guilt weave through their conversation, blurring lines between madness and supernatural retribution. The widow’s skepticism falters as chilling details emerge—visions of past lives, spectral whispers, and a ritual suicide steeped in dread. Yet answers remain elusive, leaving her to wonder: Was her uncle’s demise a sin of this world or the next? The train hurtles onward through darkness, its clattering rhythm a metronome for unspeakable truths still coiled in silence. |
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