Period 3: Mary's Dining Table

Period 3: Mary's Dining Table
Period	3
Volume	1
Previous	Period 2: The Bonds Of A Curse
Next	Period 4: The Abandoned School At Midnight

Mary's Dining Table is the third chapter of the Zekkyou Gakkyuu series and manga volume 1.

Premise

Rika is an extremely picky eater who doesn't like a lot of foods. One day she notices the old doll in her classroom and begins offering food as a joke, but upon realizing its been eaten, she uses the doll to dispose of the foods she dislikes. But soon she realizes that she is no longer hungry.

Yomi's Introduction

Yomi greets the readers and remarks on the season. It seems that another child has gone missing.

Summary

Rika looks at her food in disdain and prepares to throw it away when her friend brings up that she's yet to eat any of it. Rika doesn't believe it can be helped though, she doesn't like these foods. She hates many vegetables, milk, meats and several other things. There wouldn't be a problem if she was given sweets.

Just then, Rika's teacher scolds her for being wasteful and he forces her to take back the still wrapped raisin bread she was about to toss. She dislikes getting scolded, as much as she dislikes this food. While trying to determine what to do with the bread, Rika bumps into an old doll that's been in the classroom for a long while. She offers the bread to the doll as a joke and heads off, but to her and her classmates surprise they later return to discover a bite missing. A boy believes the doll is responsible, and he brings up a rumor involving her. It's said that Mary devoured the class fish once. Rika's friend tells the boy off for telling a scary story, but Rika becomes fond of the concept and she shoves Mary into her backpack when nobody is looking.

Overlooking their dinner for the evening, Rika complains and her mom attempts to express the importance of eating a good meal, and how many people aren't able to. Rika casually slips her food to Mary using a small dish, and when her mom realizes she isn't listening to her, she comes to the conclusion that Rika was trying to hide her food. But she fails to find anything and compliments her instead, then she begins to clear the table.. Rika happily grabs Mary and heads to her bedroom. She laughs recalling the look on her mom's face and comes to the realization that if Mary can eat for her then she won't need to worry about being forced to eat the foods she doesn't like anymore. Everyone else will think she's eating, and they will be impressed.

With that, Rika puts Mary to work over the next few days, and at school she surprises her friend with her sudden change in attitude. She expresses joy to see Rika show more consideration for her health and asks how she managed to do it, leading Rika to tease her until she begins to take notice that she's barely feeling any hunger. She didn't really eat anything lately, and for some reason Mary is beginning to look as good as new.

One day Rika is preparing to leave for school when her mom stops her to bring up the reward Rika got from her Teacher recently. He was impressed with her lately, and its made her very happy too. Rika confirms this and she leaves, but she is beginning to have doubts. She isn't hurting anybody and they are happy with her, but she feels a little guilty.

It's then her friend approaches to proudly announce that she has managed to conquer her hatred of mushrooms. Rika is very impressed and she asks how she did it. But her friend repeats Rika's taunt from the other day, and Rika realizes that with everyone giving their best, she hasn't really been trying. She doesn't deserve the praise she gets; so for today, she wont use Mary.

She forces herself to eat the lunch she strongly dislikes, and her friend sees how much she has to push herself, but Rika continues to eat, occasionally recoiling from disgust. Her Teacher expresses approval as he observes her, giving Rika the courage to finish it all. Her opinions haven't changed any but she likes trying her best when others compliment her. It feels much better than being scolded.

As this is going on, her classmates take notice that Mary has resurfaced.

While in the middle of gym class, Rika struggles to keep up with her friend. She doesn't understand why she has such low energy since she's been eating, but she still hasn't felt hungry either. Her friend remarks that she doesn't look well when Rika collapses just then, and as they go to get help she realizes her body became paralyzed. She couldn't move for a second. The teacher comes by to check on Rika and he suggests she just take things easy.

Worriedly, Rika returns to class when she discovers her desk is messy and covered in bite marks. She quickly deduces it is Mary's doing when her friends return to check up on her. Rika wants to tell them what happened, but she becomes startled after one of them mentions how strangely her hand looks. Rika looks to see that it looks like that of a dolls, and she begins to panic as it spreads to her arms. Somehow, she is turning into a doll.

Rika throws her school book at Mary and runs for home, begging her mother for help but she isn't there. She sees Mary is on the table and watches as her head turns on its own, leading her to desperately beg of her to stop and offers to keep feeding her. It's then she hears a foreign sound that frightens her. As she feels her heartbeat growing weak, she realizes Mary has somehow gained a heart of her own. Before she can say or do anything she suddenly becomes light-headed and loses consciousness.  

Time passes and Rika awakens to see that her mother is putting the final touches on a meal. Rika is relieved, until she realizes that she cannot move. While trying to determine what happened, a girl with curled pigtails steps into the room to remark on the delicious meal and greets Rika's mother. In return her mother greets "Rika", causing the real Rika to become alarmed. Her cries go unnoticed as Mary has a seat at the table, and Rika's mother expresses delight in her change of behavior towards food. She's been enjoys cooking as of late and likes to experiment. "Rika" giggles and recalls what her mother said a few days ago, that "Eating is Living" and begins to enjoy the meal.

The real Rika, now a simple doll can only shed a tear while she sits on the shelf.

Yomi's Epilogue

Yomi and the class sit at their desk while someone carts in food. She asks the readers if they waste their food, picking up her utensils as she claims that she never does.

Characters

• Rika Andou
• Mary
• Rika's Mother
• Teacher
• Rika's Friends

Trivia

• The story is likely inspired by the urban legend called ''Mary-san no Denwa'', about an old doll that comes to life and makes creepy calls to its owner