Staring into the Miharayama range in front of him, Takayama hears the words from the video tape "unu wa da-sen...." Looking around, Takayama starts walking, as if in a trance......

 

Asakawa lies on the floor, unconscious, hands bound behind him, tied to a wooden stake running from ceiling to floor of the hut. Yoshino struggles as the man with the ax binds her up "Let me go! Owwww!" The man finishes tying Yoshino up & leaves, shutting the door firmly behind him. Yoshino gets to her feet & bangs at the door, yelling "Open the door!" Sliding over to Asakawa, Yoshino tries to wake him up "Senpai! Senpai? Looks like he's gone, senpai...."

 

Urgently rushing down the hallway, Nagao says to Miyashita "Those cells are of utmost importance!" Miyashita apologizes "I'm really sorry." "Why did something like this happen again?" "The lock was pried open, I'm certain it has been stolen....." "But who would want to steal cultivated cells?" "Those cells were showing unusual characteristics. What I'm afraid of is that it could be a contagious virus. If it gets out....." "Follow the standard emergency procedures!" "Understood." "However, just who would do this?" Nagao says, looking at the empty shelf where the cells were being cultivated. Miyashita wonders....

 

The phone in Takayama's office rings but no one is there to answer. Sitting at her desk, Miyashita surfs over to Takayama's website while trying to get in touch with him on the phone. Not getting a reply, she hangs up with a worried sigh......

 

Imprisoned in a shed, hands & feet bound, Yoshino says "What's going to happen to us? The people of Oshima owe their lives to Yamamura Shizuko, why did they treat her like that? Why did things turn out like this? If we die here no one's going to know....." Asakawa tells her "I'm trying to think, stop muttering & think of something!" "I'm trying. Can't you tell? Just when we managed to find Yamamura Shizuko. Just a little bit more....." "I wonder, why didn't Yamamura Shizuko tell us what we had to do?" ponders Asakawa, recalling Shizuko saying "There is one thing you must do...." Asakawa mutters "What is it that we have to do?" "Ah!" "What is it?" "Senpai! Cell phone! Cell phone! Where's your cell phone?" Yoshino struggles to get the phone out of Asakawa's jacket with her hands behind her back. "We'll be fine if we use this!" Frantically punching the buttons, Yoshino starts shouting "Hello! Hello! Can you hear us? Hello! Senpai, speak! Hello! Can you hear us?" Asakawa looks at the phone "We're out of range." Yoshino's shoulders sag in disappointment muttering "Come save us...." Looking around, Yoshino suggests "If we had fireworks, we could send out emergency signals, then outsiders would know.....it's not possible......" Asakawa sighs "Do you even know what the emergency signals are?" giving her a look of exasperation.....

 

Miyashita rushes down the corridor, bumping into other colleagues, scattering documents all over the place "I'm sorry!" Entering the  room with the sign on the door indicating it's under quarantine, she finds Nagao & another doctor waiting for her "It's Dr Ayano from the Pathology department. He suddenly collapsed with a high fever & has broken out in lesions all over his body. It's something we've never seen before." Miyashita looks in shock at her colleague through the glass panel "This can't be....." Nagao turns away "But....."

 

Takayama continues walking through the woods when he suddenly stops. Looking around, he sees the hut where Yamamura Shizuko was living in. Suddenly, feeling a force of some sort, he staggers & sways, struggling to keep upright. Someone from behind the trees, watches him silently......

 

In the hut, Yamamura Shizuko sits motionless. Suddenly, bright light falls over her, flashing. Turning around with fear on her face, she says "You! No! Don't do this!"

 

Sitting in her room on the floor, Mai stares unseeingly into space. Suddenly the music box stops playing & she stares at it. Winding it, shaking it, no sound comes out from it. In anger, she flings it through the window, smashing the glass....

 

Back in the shed, Asakawa says "Don't you have anything in your bag?" "Hm?" "Anything that is sharp?" "Why would I have anything like that with me?" "A nail clipper or something?" Yoshino suddenly recalls "There's a pair of scissors in my sewing kit!" Sliding over to Asakawa, she says "Get the zip!" Fiddling around, they finally pour the contents of her purse onto the floor. Among them, her sewing kit & a compact mirror. Getting the scissors out, Yoshino says "Alright." but Asakawa doesn't move. "What's wrong?" "That's not going to be of any help." Asakawa replies, looking at the tiny scissors in her hands. Suddenly Yoshino sniffs "Senpai..." "What?" "Do you smell something?" Outside, someone is dousing the shed with gasoline. Asakawa says urgently "They're going to set fire to this place!" Yoshino starts screaming hysterical "What do you think you're doing?! What are you doing?!"

 

Over at the lab, Miyashita says to Nagao "So you think it's this too....." "Yes, I couldn't believe it at first but with those symptoms, I'm sure it is smallpox..." Nagao replies, looking at the reference book in front of him. Miyashita ponders "But in 1980, the WHO proclaimed that smallpox had been eradicated. The virus isn't suppose to exist anymore." "But the vaccine is still part of the virus that was researched on." "This could be the virus' strategy." "What? A strategy?" "Think about the Maruburuku virus. It seems to disappear for a while, remaining hidden somewhere unknown until its next appearance, perhaps hiding in cells of insects & monkeys, even human beings, propagating itself without our knowledge. That's the way the virus continues to live....." "So you're suggesting that the smallpox virus has now reappeared?" "Yes." "Waiting for the human race to be at its most susceptible........" Something occurs to Miyashita "What if that's got something to do with the stolen cultured cells of the guy from Yatsugatake?" "How could that be....." "If the cells are of a variation of the virus....." "If it's smallpox, it'll be a disaster!" "Why do you say it's smallpox? That's just not possible! There are many reasons for cells to proliferate itself & mutate into a variant virus!" "This is ridiculous! If a virus like this exists, we are no match for it. It'll be the end of the human race....."

 

Outside the lab, the assistant eavesdrop on Miyashita & Nagao's conversation. Hearing someone approaching, he quickly runs off. The door opens & Miyashita looks out, suspicion on her face.......

 

With a lighted torch, the man with the ax sets fire to the straw & kindling he's placed around the shed. Inside, Yoshino screams in a panic "Senpai! He's lighted the fire! Senpai!" struggling to break free of the bonds. Asakawa orders "Yoshino! Get out of the way!" As she slides away, Asakawa brings his bound feet on to the compact mirror on the floor. "Pick up the mirror! Look! Pick it up!" Gingerly Yoshino picks it up & shuffles over to Asakawa. Asakawa tells her "Don't move!" "ok!" "Senpai!" "Don't move! Just a bit more!" Outside the fire rages, filling up the shed with smoke. Asakawa finally manages to cut through the ropes binding Yoshino's hands. Freeing herself, she attempts to free Asakawa but struggles, fumbling with the knots, coughing & gasping for air. Asakawa barks "What's wrong!?" & then as fire eats into the wood, entering the shed, tells her "Run! Leave first! I'll figure something out!" "What are you saying!!" "Leave!" "How can I leave alone?!" "What's the use if we both die?! You can still try to find a way to counter the curse!" "Senpai!" Asakawa grimaces, closing his eyes "Take care of Yoichi!" His words break into Yoshino's hysteria & she stares at him. Asakawa motions her to leave & reluctantly she gets up. However after a couple of steps, Yoshino suddenly turns back, as if in a trance. Asakawa yells "What are you doing?! Leave!" Yoshino doesn't appear to hear him & suddenly raises an ax. Asakawa's eyes widen in shock "You! No~~~!!!!" & tries to lunge away. The ax crunches into the wooden stake behind him.......

 

Banging through the door, both Asakawa & Yoshino escape from the burning shed, falling onto the ground. Asakawa helps Yoshino to her feet "Are you alright?" "Yes." Running off, they scramble down the side of a rugged cliff & head back towards the woods.....

 

At Musashino Medical University, Miyashita, in a protective suit, looks at Ayano's record "How's his pulse?" Another doctor replies "At present, it appears normal." Miyashita stares at the lesions on Ayano's face, taking his hand & looking at all the blisters on it....

 

Running through the woods, Asakawa pants "We're going to ask Yamamura Shizuko how we can be saved." Yoshino finally falls to the ground in exhaustion "Senpai, wait..." Asakawa helps her to her feet "Are you alright?" Yoshino gasps for air "I thought we were done for just now." "You're surprisingly strong. When you suddenly raised that ax, I was shocked. I thought you were going to kill me." "An ax?" "Yes." "What did I do with the ax?" Asakawa looks at her in surprised "What?" Yoshino tilts her head "I don't really remember too well. Let's go." She walks off ahead, leaving Asakawa wondering when she calls out "Senpai!" "What?" "I just saw Takayama Ryuji!" "What?" Running forward, Yoshino says "He was right here!" Asakawa however, doesn't believe her "Idiot, what would he be doing here on Oshima? Let's go." They head off towards the hut..... 

 

Entering the hut, they see Yamamura Shizuko sitting alone, a candle flickering nearby. Asakawa calls out "Yamamura-san." Not getting a response, he reaches out & touches her. To his shock, the old lady falls to the ground, hands holding her head, eyes open in death. Asakawa scrambles forward "Yamamura-san!" as Yoshino barely suppresses rising hysteria "Why?!" Asakawa gives a growl of frustration "Damn it!" Yoshino speaks in a trembling voice "Another one dead from heart failure." "Probably." "Why did this happen?!" Throwing his head back in despair, Asakawa notices something written on the ceiling "Look at that." Yoshino reads the character "Tei. Another nensha?" Asakawa thinks, staring at Yamamura "It's like a hint..." "What if it's telling us the way to be saved? Maybe Shizuko left this for us just before she died!" Asakawa reaches for his cell phone "I'll call the police. Once she's examined in Tokyo, we'll know what caused her death." However Yoshino stops him "Wait a minute! If we tell the police, we'll be detained by them. They'll ask us all sorts of questions, what were we doing here & all that. They might even think that we were the murderers!" "& so?" "I know who the murderer is." "What are you saying?" "It's Takayama! I saw him for sure just now! Let's go look for him, if not he'll go back to Tokyo! I'm sure it's him! Senpai! Senpai!" "Alright! Let's do this. I'll stay behind & get in touch with the police. No matter what, I want this body examined." "& what about me?" "You go back into the city. If you see him there, if you find him, call me right away. Even if you wrong, I don't want you taking him on by yourself." Yoshino nods & Asakawa hands her the car keys....

 

Running our of the woods & getting into the car, Yoshino drives off.....

 

Left alone, Asakawa stares at Shizuko & then at the word on the ceiling. Turning his cell phone one, he finds it out of range. With disgust, he turns it off & leaves the hut, running through the woods.....

 

Yoshino heads back towards town.....

 

Asakawa comes running back with a policeman who's following on a bicycle "Where's this place?!" Asakawa yells "Over there!" As they head off into the woods, the policeman leaves his bike & runs after Asakawa "How can someone die...." Reaching the hut, Asakawa says "Inside." The policeman slowly opens the door & enters, looking around "Where's the body?" Asakawa looks around in shock "It was right here!" "What? But there's nothing strange here." "But it was here!" Asakawa looks around in disbelief & frustration. Suddenly he stares up at the ceiling. There's nothing there. Asakawa frowns, thinking......

 

The policeman makes a call back to headquarters "Thanks for your help." & then looks at Asakawa "Are you sure you didn't dream the whole thing? Yamamura Shizuko has been dead for over 50 years!" Asakawa replies furious "She died right here! Her body was right here!" "Ridiculous!" "So, it must be him!" "What?" "Go ask the Yamamuras, they will know about this." "Stop it, how do you expect us to check up on someone who died 50 years ago? Are you alright?" A call comes in for the policeman & he replies "Yes, yes, you're sure that that is what's recorded? I see...no, I heard something rather unbelievable so just wanted to make sure....." Asakawa sneaks out without the policeman noticing. When the policeman turns around, Asakawa's gone "Hey, where did he...."

 

Asakawa runs back to the Minshuki Yamamura Villa & sees Yamamura Keiichiro's daughter-in-law tidying up the firewood pile. He pants "Is Yamamura Keiichiro around?" "Asakawa-san! He just left in a rush a while ago. & he left this on the table." She takes a letter & gives it to Asakawa. He rips it open & reads it.....

 

 

By the time you read this letter, 

we'll have buried Shizuko's body deep in the Miharayama range.

In the year Showa 32nd, Shizuko predicted the eruption of Miyarayama. 

Thanks to her, the entire village was saved.

But because of that, Shizuko was seen as something strange & to be feared by the villagers.

They said that the disaster was because of her, they even ordered me to kill her.

But because I couldn't bring myself to, I told everyone that Shizuko had died &

decided to keep her locked away in those hills in that hut. 

When you were locked up in the shed, 

& we discovered that Shizuko had died,

I realized that everything has ended.

I don't know how Shizuko died or why.

But this is finally the end.

My daughter-in-law knows nothing about this.

For her sake, please forget everything you've seen here.

This is my final wish.

 

 

Asakawa walks down Miharayama, pondering when he sees someone in the distance. The man turns around & it's Kashiwada "What are you doing?" Asakawa asks "You too. That case has been closed." Stones beneath his feet crunching, Kashiwada walks up towards Aakawa "Not for me it hasn't. I've quit the police force, thanks to you. Right now I'm here on a personal basis, looking around. I followed Takayama onto the ferry, arrived on this island, & then met you here..." "I see. So Takayama's really here." Kashiwada gives him a hard look "Don't act dumb. You & Takayama are in this together." Asakawa doesn't reply.....

 

At the square in town, Yoshino suddenly spots Takayama in the distance. Whipping out her cell phone, she makes a call to Asakawa, only to get the message "The number you've tried to call is out of range...." Hanging up, Yoshino frowns. A moment's hesitation & then decision made, she walks towards Takamaya, firmness of purpose in her steps. Waiting for her, Takayama asks "What do you want?" "You know what I want." 

 

Walking by the port, Yoshino asks "What's your motive in all this? What are you using us for?" Takayama doesn't reply, merely looks out into the water. Yoshino continues "You know that Yamamura Shizuko is dead, don't you. Were you the one that killed her?" Takayama gives her a glance & then looks away "If that's what you think, it doesn't bother me." "Are you admitting that you did?" "If I did, what do you think my next step would be? You haven't even given it a thought." Yoshino can't find an answer. Takayama tells her "If I really did have those powers, I could silence you easily." Takayama starts approaching her, giving her an intimidating look "Would you like to find out for yourself?" Frightened, Yoshino starts walking backwards "Stay away from me!" Her foot slips on a crack in the pavement & as she falls backwards, Takayama reaches out & grabs her, staring at her intently "You can't stay here on this island for much longer."  

 

Asakawa arrives at the square having hitched a ride from a local resident "Thank you." He sees Yoshino in the waiting in the distance & walks up. He puts his hand on her shoulder, startling her. "What's wrong? Did you see Takayama? Why didn't you call?" "I tried." "I see. & where is he?" "He left on the earlier ferry." "What did he say?" "He said that this island is dangerous & that he was wrong." "Wrong?" "The one who imposed the images onto the video wasn't Yamamura Shizuko. The one who cast the curse is someone else. That person killed Yamamura Shizuko. Yamamura Shizuko was killed trying to stop that person & that we are no match for that person...." 

 

On the ferry leaving Ohshima, Takayama stares out to sea, looking long & hard at the island in the distance....

 

In her lab, Miyashita gets a phone call "Hello?" "This is Ogaki from the surgical department." "Ogaki-sensei?" Miyashita walks down the corridor looking around. Someone calls out "Miyashita-sensei! Over here." Miyashita looks up to see Ohgaki waving at her. Sitting down in a corner, Miyashita asks "What is it?" Ogaki replies "I hear that you've got some problems over at the lab." "Oh, well, we still don't know for sure yet." "It's no point hiding. The university presidential election is coming up soon. I'd just like to give you a word of advice. Nagao-sensei has gone absolutely no chance of winning. Professor Hiyama has control of all the votes." Miyashita looks decidedly uneasy "& what has that got to do with me?" "Will you join us?" "What did you say?!" "If you stay with Professor Nagao, you'll have no future. Once he's gone, you'll be in charge of the pathology department. This is Professor Hiyama's intention." Miyashita remains silent & he says "What do you think? I don't think it's a bad idea." Miyashita however, replies "Is that all you wanted to discuss?" "What?!" "Excuse me." Miyashita gets up & leaves without a further word......

 

At the ferry terminal, Yoshino reads Yamamura Keiichiro's letter "Keichiro-san must have loved Shizuko to live that way for all these years. What shall we do now?" Asakawa ponders out loud "Why didn't Yamamura Shuzuko tell us how we could be saved? Maybe she couldn't tell us because she didn't know?" "Then why did she lie & admitted that she was the one that created the video?" "Maybe she knew the person that did it & is protecting that person? Wait a minute....that word left behind on the ceiling." "The word Tei?" "What if that's not telling us what it is we have to do but the name of the murderer who killed her? If at the moment of her death, she wanted us to know who that person was who made that video...." "Thinking about it, that word Tei.....can also be read as Sada......" "Let's go look for Professor Ikuma." "Professor Ikuma?" "That video we saw before." "Ah, that news film." "If there's anyone who knows of someone more powerful than Yamamura Shizuko, they would have had to have met at Professor Ikuma's place." Yoshino thinks "Once we reach Tokyo....."

 

Asakawa makes a call to Miyashita "Uhm, something happened unexpectedly yesterday." Miyashita asks hesitatingly "Did you find the one who cast the curse?" "What?" "Takayama Ryuji came by yesterday." "He did? Whatever for?" "To tell me that you'll be dying soon." Asakawa grimaces. Miyashita asks "Why didn't you tell me?" "Well, actually I don't really know all that much myself." "You can't possibly believe in curses?!" "It's not a matter of believing." "Then why didn't you say anything? Tell me everything that's happened!" "I can't do that. I don't want to get you involved." "So it's just like Takayama said. I won't be able to save you, that science will lose. That's what he said!" "In exchange for telling you, there's is one thing you have to promise me." "What?" "I saw a video tape that had to do with that incident. That video tape is extremely dangerous. Please don't say that you want to see it." "What? What dangerous video tape?" "People who have seen it die after 13 days." Miyashita starts laughing but stops when she hears the grave silence on the other end of the line......

 

While waiting for the ferry, Asakawa enters everything he knows into his Sony Vaio. Yoshino asks "What are you doing?" Asakawa explains "I've asked a friend who's a pathologist to find out the cause of those 'heart failure' deaths. I've promised to tell her everything. I'm sure she'll be able to find a hint or two." "What is this?" "Hm?" "So you've even thought about writing letters just in case you died. To my beloved Yoichi, & then to Yoshino, the junior who doesn't know anything." Asakawa looks at her, smiling "Idiot." Suddenly pensive, Yoshino stares out the window. "Yoshino." Yoshino doesn't reply & Asakawa goes & stands beside her, seeing her in tears "What's wrong?" Yoshino quickly wipes her tears away "Nothing. It's strange, now that we've got a glimmer of hope, I wonder why I'm crying. When we were locked up in that shed, I thought that was the end, that we'd both die. But because you're desperately trying to find a way to survive, I forced myself to pretend that I was fine. On top of that you don't understand my feelings at all, made me mad. In the end, I didn't even have time to cry & we made it out. I should have cried then. Alone with you, I should have cried then." Asakawa looks a little uncomfortable but Yoshino quickly says "I'm sorry." Cheering up suddenly, Yoshino says "Ah, in the meantime we can check up on Professor Ikuma." Taking out her cell phone, she makes a call "Hello, Kawamura-kun? I'd like you to check up something for me, a Professor Ikuma Heihachiro. He was from the literature faculty about 50 years ago at Teito University....it's 'kuma kuma'....I-ku-ma....got it?" The announcement for the ferry departure comes on & Yoshino hurriedly finishes off "Ah, I'm running out of time, thanks, I'll call you again." Back to her normal bubbly self, Yoshino quickly grabs her things "Senpai, let's go! If we miss this we'll wait another day!" 

 

Arriving in Tokyo, Kawamura calls out "Yoshino-san!" Yoshino greets him "How was it? Find anything?" Taking out some documents from his bag, Kawamura gives them to her "Professor Ikuma passed away 10 years ago. However his wife is still alive, living here..." Yoshino takes the address from him & smiles "I see, thanks." Yoshino turns to leave but Kawamura asks hesitatingly "What are you plans for tonight?" Yoshino grins "If there's anything else I need I'll give you a call. Bye!" running off, leaving a disappointed Kawamura behind.....

 

Asakawa makes a call home "Are you being good Yoichi?" "Papa, when are you coming home?" "I'll be back tonight. But, I might be late so you go on to bed first." "I don't want to, I'm stay up." "If you're going to be stubborn I might forget our promise." "Even if you do I'll stay up!" "Hey...." Seeing Yoshino approaching, Asakawa finishes the call "Yoichi, I've got to go...alright, stay with grandma.....I'll come back as soon as I can....bye...." Hanging up, Asakawa says "Right, let's go." "Senpai, I can go check up on Professor Ikuma alone." Asakawa stops in his tracks "What's wrong?" "Since we've returned from Oshima, spend some time with Yoichi-kun. If I find anything I'll call you right away." Yoshino starts to leave but Asakawa says "Wait. I'll go with you." "But...." "I'm the one that got you into this. I am responsible." "I don't think of it like that." "Never mind. We'll work together to beat this, we won't die." Asakawa starts walking. Yoshino, a smile reappearing on her face, follows....

 

Miyashita's assistant enters in lab without turning on the light. Going to Miyashita's computer, he checks up on what Miyashita's been working on recently. The pages of Takayama Ryuji appear on screen, & then the analysis of cancer cells that Nagao & Miyashita have worked on. Staring intently at the screent, he doesn't hear Miyashita enter "What are you doing? So it was you who stole those cell cultures. Who asked you to do that? Was it Ogaki-sensei?" Grimacing at being caught, he doesn't reply. Miyashita quietly adds "Or was it Takayama Ryuji?" 

 

Takayama returns home to a dark house. Walking to the Mai's room, he doesn't see her there. Noticing the broken window, he runs about the house looking for her "Mai!" Not seeing her anywhere, he mutters in anxiety "Mai....." worry in his eyes....

 

Over at the Ikuma residence, the professor's wife says "My husband Heihachiro died 10 years ago from an illness. None of his colleagues or academic peers acknowledge his beliefs. He was even ostracized by those at the university he worked." Asakawa asks "Did Ikuma-sensei believe the existence of supernatural powers to the very end?" "Yes he did. Right up to the moment of his death, he kept muttering the same words over & over. 'Now I know. But now that I know, it's too late.'" Asakawa asks "Could you tell us more?" "Say what you want, it was that woman. After meeting that woman Yamamura Shizuko, my husband started behaving strangely." Asakawa's eyes widen......

 

Showing Asakawa & Yoshino into a study, Ikuma's wife says "This was my husband's study. I've left it as it was when he was alive. To me, these are all things that I don't understand at all.  Ah, please go ahead & look at anything you want." Asakawa & Yoshino bow politely "Thank you." Left alone, they start looking around. Asakawa opens a cabinet & runs his fingers down the row of the Professor's journals. Stopping at one, he pulls it out & an old photograph falls out from between the pages. Picking it up from the floor, Yoshino says "Hey, isn't this Shizuko-san?" Asakawa looks at it, recalling the picture of Shizuko Yamamura Keiichiro showed them earlier. Yoshino adds "It must be her." Asakawa agrees "Yes." Thinking about it, Asakawa then asks "But how come she was here when she was a child?" Turning the picture around, they see the date written behind "Showa 24th year" (1949). Asakawa mutters, puzzled "Wait a minute. Yamamura Shizuko was born in Taisho 10th year (1924). This would mean she would have been 25 years old at the time." "Then who is this?" 

 

Asakawa shows Ikuma's wife the photograph of Ikuma & a young girl "Do you recall this photograph?" "This is my husband & daughter Sadako." Shock appears on Asakawa's face "Sadako?!" exchanging glances with Yoshino. Asakawa asks "The character for "Sada" in Sadako, is it written like this?" Asakawa writes the word on his palm. "Yes it is." Yoshino barely keeps the anxiety out of her voice "Senpai!" Asakawa asks "Where is your daughter? We'd like to meet her right away!" However, Sadako's mother suddenly appears troubled as Asakawa & Yoshino anxiously wait for her answer......

 

 

 

 

8 days left.....