Anaz2012

Katsumi Matsunaga:
[On tape, Remembering the events in 1983] Our class went on a trip. We all start on August 8 for three days and three nights. Our research advisor Professor Koga, had suggested we visit a local sanctuary. There is an old temple in this village called the Yomiyama Shrine. He said that if we all plead there, he was sure that the curse would be lifted. There were twenty-two students in total, me included. Only the half believed him. The second day, we went up the mountain to visit the shrine. The shrine was a very old and shabby place, as if it had been abandoned by the world. Despite of carrying the town name, it seemed that no one had maintained at all. So we decided to clean the place while we were there.

[after cleaning the place, the 1983 class pray]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
At that time, we were hoping that maybe we could lift the curse. And after praying, our teacher confidently declared: "Now everything will be alright" But it was not. It would not be so easy.

[the skies cloud over and starts to rain]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
As soon as we left the temple, suddenly clear skies clouded over and it began to rain, with lightning and everything. As we hurried down the mountain, the first victim was a boy named Hamaguchi.

[Students slowly down the road, one of them carrying an umbrella]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
He was a bit silly. He was the one who brought an umbrella and used it while we were on a mountain, in a lightning storm... he was walking in front of me, when...

[lightning strikes the boy with umbrella, the boy falls dead]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
For a second, my vision went white and I heard a great explosion. Hamaguchi was hit by lightning. I still remember the smell of his burning skin... Anyway; we all walked in panic and ran leaving Hamaguchi behind, desperate to get out of the mountain as fast as possible. But moments later we started running blindly through the rain...

[a girl slips and falls off a cliff]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
A girl named Hoshikawa...

[1998, a truck carrying a excavator starts rolling on a steep street to a house at the end of the street]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
She slipped and fell from a high and steep hill. All we could do was ask for help to get to the lower part of the mountain. Pray in the shrine, had no effect.

[Kouichi appears resigned]

Katsumi Matsunaga:
Now this is the important part. After finally we reached the lower part of the mountain, was there when it happened. And in saying that I mean... I...

[long silence]