Summary
On their way to school Madoka Kitano overhears some girls complain about the rowdy boys always carrying on. Madoka wishes she could settle them down like a good Group Leader like she's supposed to, but she can't speak up to the scary fourth and fifth graders. Even if she is a sixth grader. She gets picked on a lot because of this, usually by her popular classmate Misono, who frequently bumps into her and calls her things like sluggish. The girls complain over Madoka's poor leadership skills, until realizing she can hear them.
Madoka doesn't know why she gets treated so poorly, and by now she's come to hate them. Every single one.
Entering the dark, eerie tunnel Madoka sadly wonders if things will always be like this. She hates this tunnel as well, but because she purposely takes the long way home she must endure it each morning. The girls from earlier start discussing a rumor involving an accident in the tunnel several years back that took the lives of many. Afterwards, many construction workers who come in have gone missing, until eventually an exorcist was called to put a protection seal on it. The girls manage to attract more students with their outlandish story as the frightened Madoka tries to convince herself its just a rumor.
In class, Madoka's mood remains gloomy as Misono gets showered with praise like usual. Misono remains humbled, then once the attention turns away she drops a package on Madoka's desk and tells her to handle the job instead. Madoka says nothing, which Misono complains is boring before leaving with some friends.
With tears in her eyes Madoka runs for home until realizing she's gone the wrong way and is by the tunnel again. She doesn't want to go inside, but she becomes enraged over her poor treatment and steps inside to search for the so-called seal. Nervously she considers leaving as water drips from the ceiling, but in the process she falls back. To her surprise she finds the paper just within inches of her, sticking out in the opening. In disbelief she observes it until overhearing some boys from that morning coming in to search for it. She quickly pockets the paper and runs out of the tunnel.
She didn't mean to take it, it just happened.
The next morning Madoka overhears her group chatting about the missing boys. They never returned home and she feels immense guilt knowing she is to blame, and she shoves the paper back into her pocket noticing the tunnel up ahead. She tries convincing them to go around it but they refuse, pointing out they will be late because the other route is too long. She attempts to reason with them but they blow her off and enter it anyway.
Madoka is stressed out as she arrives to school just as the bell starts ringing. Some alarmed classmates inform the Teacher of the girls from earlier having gone missing, and Misono brings up that a first-year in her group vanished too. By now a sign making the tunnel off limits was put up. As she notes how suspicious it is, she happens to catch Madoka observing her and she goes on to say Madoka would be better off gone too. The world doesn't need cowards like her. Madoka is quite shaken by this statement as some students scold Misono's heartlessness, but she is tired of dealing with her screw-ups and being blamed for things she isn't involved with.
After class, Madoka approaches Misono and convinces her to join her at the tunnel. She reveals the seal has been ripped off but doesn't say she has it on her person as Misono asks why she would come to her knowing this. Madoka begins to cry, saying that she expected Misono's help because she is a true leader, and everyone respects her. This convinces Misono to at least take a look around, and as she approaches the tunnel entrance she asks where the seal is supposed to be. She hesitates and suggests they ask an an adult, turning in time to find Madoka inches behind her and about to push her forward.
Misono quickly deduces that she had something else in mind by asking her there. She can hardly believe a coward would do such a thing, and she grabs Madoka's arm and tries pulling her into the tunnel. Madoka weeps from disbelief as she continues pulling on her, and fueled by her rage, she reaches for a nearby rock and smashes it against Misono's head to be released. Startled as blood seeps from Misono's head, Madoka begin to panic and drops the bloodied rock.
She didn't mean to kill Misono. The tunnel was supposed to do it.
With no other option Madoka lifts Misono's limp body and drags it into the tunnel. She has the seal so she should be fine. She stares at Misono and lets go of her body, with this she is no longer a coward.
Suddenly, Madoka notices a strange human-like smear forming on the tunnel wall. She slowly reaches for it but as it smiles, she draws back, just in time to realize Misono's body is missing. Several more shadows begin to form around Madoka, who stares with fright as she wonders if they belong to those who vanished or died in the accident from long ago. She quickly searches for the seal, only to realize its fallen out of her pocket. She tries grabbing it but the wind blows it out of the tunnel, and she is surrounded by the corpses of various people, including Misono and the students who went missing.
Tropes
- Accidental Murder: Madoka killed Misono in self-defense, and she accidentally caused other people to die by removing the tunnel's seal.
- All of the Other Reindeer: Madoka, a Shrinking Violet and overwhelmingly meek young girl who can't take charge or stand up for herself.
- Crocodile Tears: Madoka uses these to convince Misono to help her, along with some flattery.
- Death of a Child: Before and during the story.
- Evil Is Not a Toy: Madoka's accidental removal of the seal gets a handful of people killed during the story. She also had no intention of using it for her own benefit until having enough of Misono's crap.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Because of Misono's hesitation she caught Madoka about to shove her into the tunnel, making her realize what her plan was. She tried turning things around on her but Madoka won their fight. She gets punished shortly after.
- Karmic Death: Applies to both Misono and Madoka.
- Never Found the Body: The people who enter the tunnel without the seal do not exit it, instead they are killed by the ghosts haunting it and join them as another trapped soul.
