Ooh, is it Y?

This is a story I heard from my friend Y. Y's grandad died about two years ago. Y loved his granddad almost too much, and at the funeral he cried like a baby, not caring that other people were watching.

It happened on the seventh day after his granddad's death. On that day there was a storm warning for the area where Y lived and in spite of the murderous wind Y didn't have enough money on him to take a bus and had to walk home from school. He struggled all the way to keep himself from getting blown away and it was already past seven in the evening when he finally arrived home. He took out the key from the bag and opened the front door.

As soon as he was inside, he saw the door to his own room, which was visible from the front door, open, as if to welcome him. He could see from the opening that the light and the TV had been switched on, as well as the halogen heater, which was the sole source of heat in his room.

It must be mum. She was considerate enough to have my room warmed up before I got home. Y thought happily, and he called out to her in a voice more cheerful than usual.

But strangely, no one answered Y. He looked around the front door and noticed there was only one pair of shoes that belonged to Y (note:Japanese people leave shoes at the front door before entering the house) and neither his mum's nor dad's shoes were there. Then Y remembered everyone in the family apart from Y was going to be home late, due to them attending a memorial service that was being held for his granddad. Who could be home then? Y was afraid that it might be a burglar.

Y tiptoed to his room, and fearfully peeked inside through the door. In the room there sat Y's dead granddad with his back to the door.
The moment Y realized that it was his granddad, his fear vanished into thin air. Y was the sort who could never watch horror movies without having someone beside him, but although he knew he was seeing a ghost it was different when the ghost was his granddad's.

Tears rushed to his eyes out of love and gratitude that his granddad cared enough about him to visit him even after death.
Granddad gave a few of his characteristic coughs and clumsily scratched at the back of his head.
"Granddad." When Y called, grandad slowly stood up and turned around.
And as he turned, as if by a trick, the outline of his body became slightly blurred.

Granddad's face looked as if covered in red ink.
"Oh...Oooh, Y. Is it Y?" Granddad called Y's name.
The voice was as he remembered it, but the intonation was somewhat strange. It was too monotonous. Granddad used to speak with a strong accent, but his voice sounded artificial as if it had been computer-generated.
Granddad took one feeble step towards Y.
"What happened to you, granddad?"
Y said, growing anxious because granddad was acting strange.
Granddad again coughed a few times and scratched his head.

"Granddad, did you try to come home?"
When Y asked, grandad looked up at the ceiling as if he was trying to think a little, and said;
"Oh...Oooh, Y. Is it Y?," uttering exactly the same phrase and in the same intonation as before. Y found that disturbing, and began to think maybe what he was seeing in front of him was not his granddad at all.
Granddad was still staring at the ceiling. From his fingers some purplish-red liquid trickled to the floor, making a small pool on the carpet. Moreover, when Y looked at him more closely, he noticed that granddad's arm was bent at an unnatural angle; and the length between the shoulder and the elbow was longer than a normal person's upper arm should be. Granddad wasn't like that at all when he was alive. Maybe this thing was something that was pretending to be his grandad.

Y slowly started to back away, being careful not to make any noises. But despite his effort the thing that was pretending to be his granddad seemed to have realized Y's intention and, stretching only its neck, it stared at Y.
Oh no, it's looking at me - the moment Y thought that, the thing's face appeared right in front of him.
Its body was still standing where it was; the only parts that moved were its head and neck. The neck was now like a over-stretched rubber band. Before his eyes, purplish-red bubbles formed around its mouth.
"Oh...Oooh, Y. Is it Y?"
Y screamed.

He ran for his life and took refuge in the nearest bookshop. He was scared to be alone in the house. He couldn't go back until the rest of the family was home, by which time it was past 9pm. He told them what happened to him but no one took him seriously.

That night he was forced to sleep in his own room where the red granddad had appeared. Y felt uneasy. Whenever he closed his eyes he feared that he would see that red face the moment he opened his eyes again. But in the end fatigue took the better of him and he fell asleep.

When he woke up the next morning, his face somehow felt itchy. He went to the bathroom and looked himself in the mirror; his face was wet with purplish-red juice.

From then on he stopped sleeping in his room. Because he wasn't sure if he could manage to escape like the last time if the thing appeared to him again.


To this day Y still says, "that was definitely not my granddad."

Comments

Anonymous said…
woohoo! a new one! thanks, saya!
Anonymous said…
very nice story, saya! where did you find it?
Hello everyone, thank you for your comments!!

Nick - I found this on a Japanese site. I had hell of a time translating it, as usual.
Ribbon Black said…
Maybe Y wanted to see his granddad again so much that he sent out a mental "invitation" to anything that might have been out there, sort of like how a ouija board works? Thanks for the story!
Hi Jeremy!
That's a very interesting explanaiton! Thanks!
Unknown said…
Another gem, Ms. Saya... is there cultural significance to this one? Thank you so much!
Hi William!
I don't know if there's any cultural significance. I can only say there are alot of people in Japan who belive in ghosts and love ghost stories! I thought this story was good because at first glance it seems like another old story of dead relatives coming back to see you, but then it turns out different. I enjoyed reading it myself.
Anonymous said…
Saya, do you have a facebook or other ways of contact?
Nick - no, not at the moment, dear. I never thought about joining the facebook. Is it fun? I suppose it is.
Anonymous said…
Yes, it really is very fun. You can post messages, chat with friends, join groups, use different applications, and share lots of photos.
Nick - that sounds good. That got me interested. You might see me there one day!
Adorably Dead said…
Ghosts that leak...things. Definatly scary and not something I'd want to be covered with or meet.
Anonymous said…
AAAAAAHHHHHH!You're back!!!!!Hahahahaha!Anyway,I loved this one.....
Anonymous said…
Saya, if you had a hell of a time transalating? why not use Yahoo Babel Fish transalating? It's quite simple, really. Want a link?
Adorably Dead - my sentiments exactly! Maybe it wasn't a ghost but an alien!

Sugar - good, good!

Catty - I never knew about Babel Fish translating! I just googled it! Is it this one? http://babelfish.yahoo.com/
It's very helpful of you to let me know of this page!

It's difficult to translate, one because English is my second language, two the original Japanese text is often not well written and they sometimes conatain slangs and words that have no counterparts in English, and three Japanese is a quite ambiguous language by nature. So the problem is maniforld!

Nevertheless, I'm sure Babel Fish will no doubt help me! I've just tried it and it was pretty good!! THANKS BILLON TIMES FOR YOUR HELP!!! :D x
Anonymous said…
Yeah, it's babelfish.yahoo.com . Whenever transalating, I use that.
BECAUSE I'M ULTRA LAZY. X3
Tani said…
My grandfather hated me, and he's dead! Will he do something like that to me?
Tani - No sweat, pal.
Read this simple syllogism and you will feel fine:

1.This monster thing only appears to someone who had a good relationship with their grandfather.

2.Tani didn't have a good relationship with his grandfather.

3(conclusion).This monster thing will not appear to Tani.

Feeling better? (and just so that you know I know nothing about logics and don't sue me if this syllogism is wrong)
Tani said…
*hugs* I feel better now! Thanks!! ^^ My grandfather is definitely not going to appear to me. Umm... I'm a girl, though. That's actually why my grandfather hated me.
Oh Tani, you are a girl?
Please accept my sincerest apologies, dear.
Tani said…
Is OK. XD You won't believe how many people think I'm a boy.
Anonymous said…
saya! why do you have this awesome talent of story telling?? hah! x D

ur stories are so great. i think im gonna have toruble sleeping tonight.
: D
Miaou said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Miaou said…
Hi Saya, I was just referred to your site and I am hooked!

This story was very good. I'm very interested in what sort of apparition it was. The neck stretching reminds me of Rokuro-kubi, but the purple and red fluids, I'm not sure.
Anonymous said…
hi saya i just stumbled upon your site just now and i love it since i'll be needing a few scary stories to tell my nephew (for his bedtime stories which is kinda weird) this story kinda reminds me of an incident with my grandma or grandads mom i was i think around 11 or 12 when she died. anyways i liked her so much but she died funny thing is my pet pupy got into an accident 3 days after she died my dad said she liked dogs hence i know that there both happy. around her 40 days i was in my parents room i (i forgot what i was doing at thata time) but suddenly i smelled the scent of a flower we ussually buy after mass thinking it was strange i was about to look in our small alter downstairs but as my head was a few inches out the scent was gone going back and forth to see if it was true. i finally stop it and presume to ask my dad (oh if your wondering we don't have that flower in our garden and our neighbor doesn't have a garden) as i go down i peeked in our alter and there was no flowers there i asked my dad if he could he smell it he remained silent i ask my mom she said no i went back into my parents room again surely the scent was still there since i couldn't see ghosts (which i'm glad i don't) oddly enough i seem to relax.

forgot what happened next but i went downstairs again since the scent was gone i sat next to my dad he said do you that your great grandma loved those flowers and she was here with you he said with a smile since then every souls day i make it sure to pray to her and light a candle especially for her

well since my parents got divorced iand the awkward athmosphere i never went there again but she appaered in my dreams with my puppy and i was lying next to her she was softly stroking my hair and asking why i haven't visited her then i woke up

it's not scary but like i said i don't and can't see ghosts there was only 1 time i saw one but i'm not sure if it was my imagination

oddly enough i now live in my grandmas house(from my mother side) there are a lot of ghosts here but i stay here alone in the house from around 4pm until 7sometime till 8pm and i don't get scared well until i was working in our living room i could hear soemone walking it creeped me out (well who could blame me it was around 3/4am) i cried until i got into my room which i share with my mom

it's not scary sorry but
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