"I could see that trying to talk Gouwa's wife out of it wasn't working, so I went to find Gouwa. But he still had that same vacant stare, like he'd lost his soul. No matter how much I called to him, he didn't react."
"They kept walking farther and farther away, and the fog grew thicker. I was frantic, begging him to stop and hurry home with his wife and child."
"At the words 'go home,' Gouwa finally reacted a little. His lips moved, and I had to lean in very close to make out what he was saying. He said he wanted to go listen to an opera."
"That's right, listen to an opera!"
"He also said that after he'd heard the opera, he could go home."
"I couldn't understand it. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was already asleep. Where... where could he and his family go to listen to an opera?"
"Then that strange man noticed me, too. He reached out and grabbed my arm." At this point, the old woman's expression changed abruptly, and her voice grew hurried. "His hand was scalding, like... like a red-hot branding iron. I tried to struggle, but I couldn't break free. In the end... it wasn't until I heard a sound!"
"It was... a gong!" The old woman lifted her head, adamant. "I'm sure of it. It was a gong, the kind they bang to call people over before an opera troupe begins a performance."
"When the gong sounded, that strange man finally let go of me."
"Only then did I realize I'd run into something supernatural. I didn't dare stay there any longer and immediately turned to run home."
"But I was still worried about Gouwa and his family. After I'd run a long way, I