The Slit Mouth Woman

Kuchisake onna (The Slit Mouth Woman) is a terrifying Japanese urban legend of a vengeful spirit that attacks people at night.

It was a cold winter day and I had just finished my studying at the library. My breath froze as I started walking back to her home. I strolled past clear, empty streets as the yellow street lights flickered on and off.  I walked home from studying almost every night but for some reason today felt different. It felt like somebody was watching me. 

My heart started to pound as a black figure swooped from the corner of my eye. I froze like ice and stared down the street. My eyes locked, I wondered if I was sure of what I had seen. I stayed frozen, not moving a muscle when suddenly, someone tapped on my shoulder. I felt my body drop as I swooped around as quickly as possible. When I turned around I was met with a young woman maybe in her 20s wearing a surgical mask. She seemed kind and her long black hair shined in the little bit of light that the street light let off.

“Oh, I’m sorry I thought you were someone else,” I said relieved. There was a linger of awkward silence before the woman asked, “do you think I’m pretty?”  Confused by the random question I answered yes. “Oh, thank you,” The frail woman said as she lifted her head slightly and looked dead straight into my eyes. She began to slowly take off her mask revealing a large, bloody slit from one ear to the other of the woman’s face. “But what about now?” the woman asked with the biggest grin on her face.