My hand slipped.
A coin rolled out from the belly of the lower half of the plush doll, split clean in two.
“…!”
I hurriedly covered it up and pressed the two pieces of the plush doll together for no reason at all.
“Brown?”
But of course there was no response.
The upper half of the stuffed doll merely slid down over the lower half.
“…….”
No….
No, maybe it was because I kept looking at it…!
“Brown.”
Turning my head away and closing my eyes, I held the doll close to my ear.
Then….
—■■, ■■■■■….
“…!!”
A vibration came from the doll.
It was definitely a signal.
But it was very faint, crackling like a radio frequency that had only barely been caught by accident.
‘It’s still there.’
It was still there. If that was the case….
‘The blood bath tub!’
Click.
I locked the train restroom door at once. Then, from the tattoo on my wrist, I pulled out the tiny tub with its blond hair and checkered pattern.
A.k.a. the Bath of Youth.
Thunk—the tub landed on the floor. I carefully placed the nearly severed doll inside, and then….
I picked up the cutter blade dropped by the passenger who had failed to attack us and passed out.
And sliced my forearm.