Naibu

Title: ナイーブ
Author: ju-on
Type: Original Fiction
Genre: Horror
Rating: G

Tick, tick, tick… the clock droned on and Naibu still couldn’t find sleep. Between ticks he heard a faint sound—like a pin dropping on metal—from the hall outside his door. A sound he hadn’t heard before tonight.

There can sometimes be nothing more terrifying than the very dead of night. When night creeps in and washes away the everyday hustle and bustle of life that once filled every corner of a house, even the most confident of characters can be left feeling as if something is watching them. In the silence that accompanies darkness, every last sound can appear deafening. And for some, the things that go bump in the night are the things of our nightmares.

In Naibu, silence is deadly. Our protagonist, Naibu, struggles to sleep at night due to the incessant ticking of an old grandfather clock in the hall outside his bedroom. Tonight, however, something is different – there’s a different noise there too, a noise that he can’t quite place. Curiosity takes over, and he finds himself leaving his bed to investigate. However, there’s something lurking in the shadows, something far darker and more dangerous than anything he has ever encountered, and that something might just be the end.

This brilliantly-written piece of horror by ju-on is one that will send shivers running up your spine. With a sense of discomfort that only grows as the piece goes on, Naibu plays on childhood fears of the dark, and what might lurk beyond it. Stellar description and a build-up that keeps on going makes this story one that everybody should add to their Halloween reading list. If you’re looking for a psychological ride that’ll keep you hanging onto every last word, then look no further than this fantastic story!