The Sunset Seen From The Abandoned Meat Processing Plant Was Red - Chapter 2

The person who greeted me at Chie-chan’s house was auntie with a haggard expression.

Could her cold really be that bad?

Auntie took my hand and tightly gripped it, then asked me.

“Chie left yesterday and hasn’t come back. Do you have any idea where she might be?”

They consulted the police, but since she’s not a small child, they decided to wait and see for a day. At that time, the police said that they had informed the school that she was ‘absent due to illness.’

“Chie is not the kind of girl who would stay out without permission. Something must have happened…”

Auntie, who had collapsed in despair, started sniffing.

It’s that place.

Chie-chan must have gone there alone.

“I’ll go find her!”

“Wait! Where are…”

–

Behind me, I could hear auntie shouting something, but I couldn’t wait. A sense of urgency pushed me forward, telling me that something terrible would happen if I didn’t get to Chie-chan soon.

The abandoned factory that we were supposed to visit together yesterday.

Bathed in the red light of the sunset, the remaining window panes gleam brightly.

I squeeze through the narrow gap in the gate, just wide enough to pass sideways, and step onto the cracked asphalt where weeds are growing.

I squint, looking for any footprints, but I can’t find any trace.

The large two-story building, towering and factory-like, has a platform where trucks can park. The large entrance is closed with a shutter, and it looks like it can’t be opened, but what about the side door?

I climb up the concrete steps and try turning the rusty brown door knob. It moves a little, but no further. I’ll try over there.

I step off the platform and turn the corner to find an office-like area.

The door, slightly ajar, sways in the wind and seems to be calling me, saying ‘This is it.’

Chie-chan must have entered through here as well.

“Chie-chan, are you here?”

“I cautiously peek inside, but the office-like room is cluttered with various things, and there’s no one there.

Maybe because the sunset is shining through the gap in the closed blinds, it’s not as dark as I expected.

“Sorry to intrude…”

I sneak inside, trying to make as little noise as possible. I knew no one would be there, but for some reason, it just felt like the right thing to do.

The room, with gray desks lined up, resembles a school staff room. However, the desks are cluttered with telephones, files, and yellowed scraps of paper, showing that they’ve been neglected for a long time. Looking around, I notice one desk at the far end, by the window, standing apart from the rest.

“Is that…?”

The reason that desk caught my attention was because I saw a familiar color that shouldn’t be in this office like ruin.

A navy blazer, a gray checkered skirt, a white blouse carelessly piled up, with a small red ribbon placed on top. It was the uniform of the girls at our school.

“Chie-chan, you really came here after all.”

But why did she take off her uniform? Her school bag is also placed beside the desk.

Screeeech!

“Whoa!”

My body freezes, unable to move. I hear a thumping sound deep inside my ears.

But I don’t hear any other sounds.

I quietly turn towards the source of the sound, and find the aluminum door is slightly ajar.

“It must have been just the wind, right?”

The area beyond the door is dark, possibly due to the lack of windows. I think it’s the factory side.

The office I’m in right now isn’t very big. There’s no place to hide, so if Chie-chan is here, she’d probably be in the back factory area.

I approach the door’s gap and listen carefully. It’s completely silent, and I hear nothing. The faint flow of air carries a smell like rust.

“O-okay…”

With renewed determination, I slowly step beyond the door. The short corridor-like passage has shoe racks on both sides, like in a school, but they seem mostly empty. The glass near the ceiling is broken, probably fallen from the window. Every step I take makes a crunching, cracking sound under my shoes, and my heart starts pounding.

At the end of the corridor, there was a vast factory space. Along the left wall, there was a wash area with several faucets, but now there are only old, dusty buckets scattered around.

At the far end, there was probably a freezer. The white walls towered up to the ceiling.

From there, towards the right, several rails fixed to the overhead steel beams branch out, connecting large pot-like objects and machinery arranged in rows. Thick chains hang from the rails here and there, with large iron hooks attached to their ends.

“Chie-chan? Are you there?”

I tried to shout, but only a hoarse whisper came out.

Maybe she’s really not here after all?

I wanted to turn back, but the uniform I saw on the desk in the office is proof that Chie-chan was here.

“…I have to make sure.”

Taking my time to look around, I move between the machines that are lined up.

I don’t know the details, but I heard they used to make things like ham and sausages, so these are probably machines for that. Inside, there are also large pots and cauldrons I’ve seen in the school kitchen.

“Could it be…?”

A sudden idea comes to me, and I grab the handle of the silver pot. It lifts easily, and the lid opens with little effort, almost disappointingly so.

“Phew.”

Since it’s Chie-chan, I thought maybe she was hiding in the pot to surprise me. But it was empty inside.

As I continue inspecting each row, the strong rust smell starts to mix with a fishy odor.

“Maybe there’s still some meat left over?”

That’s definitely spoiled. No, it’s been a long time since this place closed down, so there couldn’t be…

While thinking about that, I move forward cautiously. Then, beyond a particularly large cauldron, I see several tables lined up. Is this where they cut the meat?

I turned the corner and found myself in a large open space.

Rows of stainless-steel tables. Chains hanging from the rails, each with several hooks attached.

I look around, but there’s nothing, nothing at all…

“Chie-chan?”

At the end of the row of tables, through the frosted glass, I saw the silhouette of a girl against the setting sun. She stood, slightly looking down, staring at something intently, just like that day.

“Chie-chan, what’s wrong? Auntie is worried about you.”

As I ran toward her, a cold chill settled deep in my stomach.

Something’s wrong.

She should be able to hear me, so why isn’t Chie-chan looking at me?

This doesn’t make sense.

Her silhouette, with arms stretched out as if in a banzai pose, looked strange.

From below her stomach, the setting sun shone brightly, making it hard to see.

Something’s wrong.

Chie-chan is… standing in the center of the table…?

Something’s… wrong…

From her stomach… down… where are her legs?

“Ughh!”

I threw up, the bile rising from my twisted stomach, onto the floor. The sharp smell stung my nose and eyes.

“Ugh… cough… ugh… cough, cough! Ugh!”

My feet slipped, and I almost tripped. I grabbed the edge of the table and managed to steady myself.

“Ah…”

Our eyes met. Her gaze was vacant and dry, not seeming to look at anything in particular.

From her slightly parted lips, there was a stain of something dark and half-dried.

Her hair, disheveled and tangled, hung loosely, brushing against her nose.

Her exposed shoulder, with skin that had lost its color, had small n1pples perched on her pale, swollen peaks.

Below it… there’s a short tube, like a twisted rubber one, dark red and… just hanging…

Thud!

Collapsing onto the floor, I look into Chie-chan’s eyes.

It’s strange, my head… throbbing… but…

Now that I think about it, when was the last time I looked at her face like this…?

I always felt kind of embarrassed and couldn’t look, but now… maybe it’s not so bad?

Hey, Chie-chan.

Can you try smiling? Just like that evening.

That… it feels like… it’s getting a bit darker… right?

Shall we… go home… together…?

Chapter length 3526 characters.

This work has an illustration that inspired the author to write this story. However, due to the gore elements I am not allowed to post here, like I have done for my previous illustrated works.  For those of you interested, you can see it here