You call out his name, hoping he's playing a trick on you.
Going against your better judgment, you enter the graveyard. Your so going to beat the crap out your friend when you find him.
A strange sound reaches you. You jump but ignore it as you get closer to the grave you guys wanted to see.
Closer now, the sound reaches you and you swear it's an inhalation like that of a scenting dog. Strange.
There's something on the ground before the grave. His jacket? You shuffle closer. And then you see it. It's not just his jacket.
Pained terror stabs your chest as your heart accelerates when you see it's him. His skin puddled on the ground.
You back up to run away. As you turn, you see the eyeless face.
This creature is found in the first book of Toriyama Sekien's series, Gazu Hyakki Yakō, which translates to basically Night Parade of A Hundred Demons. He did not write a single thing about this creature, but his inspiration may have come from older stories of a creature that fits this description.
One version of the origin story says that a blind man was murdered. His lasts words stated he wished he saw the one/ones who did it even if his eyes were in his hands.
Well, he got his wish. Tenome literally translates to eyes on hands. They hang out in graveyards and open fields and they like to eat fresh from the body bones.
The creature looks like a blind zato, a type of guildman. They are quick but not powerful, blind as a bat, but with a vicious sense of smell.
One story has a priest locking a victim in a chest to protect him, but the creature somehow sucked his bones out leaving the skin in the chest.
Yes, this nasty monster did inspire that blipping freaking s.o.b. in Pan's Labyrinth.
As someone who's followed your A to Z approximately from the start (not sure where I began), I must say you've done a fascinating amount of research!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm enjoying your posts as well!
DeleteAnother truly creepy beast! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteAnother creature I wouldn't care to meet on a dark night - or a light one for that matter!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Me either. Scares the crud out of me.
DeleteThis is why I never agree to meet friends any where near a graveyard yikes! so much better to stick to the local restopub. All the best for the last week of the challenge,
ReplyDeleteNilanjana.
Ninja Minion, A-Z 2016
Madly-in-Verse
Ah, but he hangs out in fields too. On the way home . . .
DeleteOh isn't our imagination truly endless? Love reading about the creatures from the minds of others, haven't heard of most of them! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAndrea from The Script Bible
Volunteer in Damyanti's D Company #atozchallenge
You're welcome.
DeleteYikes. Thanks for the nightmares. (Kidding) I never heard of tenomes before.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by at Fad to the Bone – Dog Products Revue -- and happy A-Z.
This one almost gave me nightmares!
DeleteWhat an interesting theme for A-Z. Looking over your list, I don't see anything familiar. I guess my taste in literature goes in another direction.
ReplyDeleteReturning the visit from A to Z
Wendy at Jollett Etc.
Oh I'm eclectic. This is just for fun.
DeleteSometimes I get fed up of all the aches and pains in my bones, but I like them on the inside! Nasty critter!
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Ever watch pan's labyrinth? He's there.
DeleteOoh, this sounds really scary. I'm sitting in full sunlight and I still feel a chill!
ReplyDeleteLove your A to Z theme.
Me too. Only it's still dark.
DeleteOh God, Pan's Labyrinth... That was creepy as hell. :D
ReplyDeleteSucking the bones out of someone... eek. Once again, Japanese imagination goes the extra mile...
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog