Ten Count [Modern Hyakumonogatari: Kowai Hanashi 6/99]

Ten Count (テンカウント)

By Nishiurawa in "Modern Hyakumonogatari: Kowai Hanashi"
   This story takes place in the same dojo.
   Right outside there's a small building for storage.
   Stuff like disused practice supplies, banners for tournaments, and other equipment are stored away inside of it.

   One day a rumor began to spread among the members that there was someone in the storage building at night.
   Every night they could hear a rattling sound coming from it.
   The sound was louder than if it had been caused by wind or mice.
   If you got close to try to find out what it was, the sound that made it seem like someone was in there would completely stop. But if you left and waited a while, it would start up again.
   Of course, since the door to the building was locked, there was no way someone could be going in and out of it.
   When it first started jokes like "a ghost girl moved in" or "someone's secretly keeping a pet in there" were being thrown around, but after it kept happening day after day, it was decided that they would finally figure out what was going on.

   At night a few of the dojo members gathered silently by the side of the storage building and waited for the sound to start.
   *rattle*   *rattle, rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle......*
   They barged in to see what was making the sound.
   *rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle......*
   The sound didn't stop and they could hear it coming from the middle of the room. The dojo members went to determine its location and found a tall stack of picture frames all rattling against each other.

   The next morning, they went to take a closer look at the picture frames and found that they held photographs of wrestlers who had previously passed away.
   During events these photographs were used for ten count gong ceremonies. They weren't thrown away so they piled up in the storage building for a long time.
   Immediately a priest from a nearby temple was called to burn each of the photographs while chanting a prayer.

   Ever since that day, it was agreed that a similar memorial service would be held for any photographs in the future.