This story is part of The Dweller Within series. If you haven't read Part 1, please read it from the link below.
It seems that A, upon being invited by another friend from their student days (let's call them F), visited B's home together. They wanted to see if "something" was still there and, more importantly, whether B's child was normal.
From what I heard after they returned, A regretted going, saying, "I shouldn't have gone."
According to A, B lives in a somewhat idyllic suburb and was happy to welcome them. It was a holiday, so B's spouse and child were also there, and they greeted them.
To conclude, it appears that "something" was indeed residing within B. Moreover, according to A, it had "grown." Whether it had gotten bigger, stronger, or more distinct is hard to say. "Of course, you can't see its shape or face or anything like that. If it were fog, you could say it 'thickened'; if it were a shadow, it had become 'more three-dimensional.' The presence felt stronger, and it seemed to emit a smell or radiation that had intensified, honestly giving me the creeps."
Furthermore, from the moment A and F got off at the nearest station, the town itself had a terribly unpleasant atmosphere. Even F, who is not sensitive to such things, felt uneasy, suggesting they visit B's home rather than a store due to the quiet despite the presence of many children.
On the short walk to B's house, A was astonished by the sheer number of spiritually malign entities they saw. There were spirits of those who had died terrible deaths, malevolent animal spirits swarming around, not just genuine spirits but also clumps of resentment-filled air, incredibly ancient and nasty presences, and indescribable beings drawing near, which truly frightened them.
"The town felt smothered in malevolence. I would have turned back if I were alone. But I didn't want F to think it strange if I talked about spirits, and it seemed like some had already followed us. I thought things would somehow work out once we reached B's house."
Upon hastily arriving at B's home, it seemed that nothing could approach it, and the inside was filled with the presence of "something" B was burdened with, yet it felt somewhat relieving compared to the outside.
"B's spouse and baby were normal. It's just that they were incredibly insensitive to such matters. Naturally, they feel neither good nor bad entities, so they are unaffected by either, living their lives solely in this 'real' world. Such people exist, and I think it's necessary if you're living with B. Neither B's spouse nor the baby had guardian spirits. Perhaps the guardian spirits couldn't stay in that house and had left."
Whether the guardian spirits return when B is not around was something A couldn't confirm.
Regardless, they caught up on each other's lives after a long time, and B's interest in ghost stories was still strong. F complimented the spacious and well-located room, which turned out to be a stigmatized property with a history of frequent tenant changes, accidents, suicides, and other misfortunes, making it notorious. Despite its relatively new condition, B's family was among the many tenants, which explained the remarkably low rent.
"The real estate agent did show us the place but wasn't too keen on recommending it. Even the neighbors knew and warned us, 'Are you sure it's okay? If anything happens, don't hesitate to move. Sorry to say this, but that room has seen too much... Be careful.' But my husband doesn't mind such things at all, and I was actually eager to see if there were ghosts."
B said this lightheartedly. "But in the end, it's all just stories. We've been living here for half a year without anything happening. Accidents happen around the neighborhood too, and there was a child hit by a train at a crossing. It's just as dangerous here as anywhere else. It's just coincidence that all these incidents happened to people in this room, making it seem cursed."
F agreed with B, but A had a hard time keeping their expression neutral.
According to A, the room was genuinely "cursed." Some places become gathering spots for malevolent entities due to various factors such as their spiritual location, proximity to swamps or seas, and other reasons. "If it's a room with high air tightness within a building, the accumulated entities can't escape. It's as if all the cockroaches, centipedes, and hornets from around the town were collected in a shed, and then a giant insecticide bomb was set off inside."
A added, "I don't dislike B, but I don't think I'll ever visit B's house or that area again. It seemed like it would take years for the situation to settle down."
A believed that B's spouse and child would be fine. As long as they live together, the presence of B's "something" continues to repel most entities, and they are naturally resistant to spiritual harm. Indeed, when B's spouse drove them to the station, it seemed that the malicious entities avoided them.
The concern remains for the people living nearby...
This story left a lingering unease.
Thank you for reading. I apologize for the unsettling nature of this tale.
I needed to get this off my chest, and I believe A felt the same. Although A can see spirits, they've said they're not like the super psychic characters in manga. They avoid engaging with entities they cannot overcome, surviving by not meddling in such matters.
When asked if they envied B for being unaffected by dangers they couldn't see, A emphatically shook their head. "Absolutely not. I'd hate to have something living inside me without my knowledge. It's hard to explain, but even if it somehow helped me, I can't accept that sensation."
The difference from normal spirits, A explained, is the absence of "emotions."
"Spirits, in a way, exist with their emotions exposed, whether human or animal, and you can always see some color or emotion, like 'I want to live' or 'I'm in pain.' Based on these emotions, they either curse or protect in this world. But with what's inside B, those emotions aren't visible. There's an active intent, but no underlying emotion, not even when it emerges from B, returns to B, or even when it clashed with something from the well. It's absolutely inconceivable for a spiritual entity."
What exactly could it be?