"We're almost to the top! What's the hold up?" called Rabbit.
Six exhausted humans trudged up a long staircase, each in a different spot. Steve Negrete made it halfway before slowing down. Matt and Michael were near the bottom still. The Walter Girls toiled in between, Carolina in the lead.
The Spine smirked as he stepped up the last step and looked back. Rabbit had figured Walter Girl Bunny would lead the group after Steve. Thanks to all the time he and Bunny had spent playing video games, however, Rabbit now owed The Spine twenty dollars.
Rabbit and Hatchworth joined him. Hatchworth settled on the ground with a hiss of steam while Rabbit turned to look back.
"Aw, come on, Bunny!" he groaned. The Spine knew it wasn't about the money. Rabbit just didn't like losing.
She waved feebly and sat down to rest. Rabbit put his hands over his face.
Steve stomped up the last few steps and jogged around the archway, stretching. "This place is amazing, guys," he called down encouragingly. He peered past the piled stones of the arch. "Shouldn't there be someone here to meet us?"
"We are… an hour late," gasped Carolina, still ten steps down.
"Yeah… I'm heading in to let them know we're here." He jogged through the stone courtyard toward the little temple.
"Here," said Rabbit flatly, handing The Spine his money as Carolina arrived at the top and sank down next to Hatchworth. He gave her a bottle of water from his pack.
"Why do we need to come here anyway? Shouldn't we just go to the theater?" asked Hatchworth.
"They paid for us to come to Japan, and they wanted us to meet them at the shrine, so here we are," Carolina gasped. "That's all I know."
"Alrighty."
The Spine had wondered the same thing many times. He had been curious to see the little shrine, however, so made no objections. He could see the little red temple from there. Steve was walking around it.
"Go inside," called The Spine. "Maybe the monk is hard of hearing…"
"It's… uh… kinda creepy," he called back. He looked up at the doorway where a string held an assortment of paper objects. "Like a big mouth with snaggly teeth. And it's pitch black in there…"
The Spine snorted. Imagine a guy like Steve being afraid of the dark! "Alright. I'll check it out." He pocketed the money and strolled into the courtyard.
It wasn't a fancy temple. It looked old… very old. The paint flaked in places, showing older red paint beneath. Around the sides were assorted stones and miniature arches like littler shrines, clustered together, with little statues of foxes here and there. And beyond those was a taller stone arch with Japanese characters lining its columns. There was something lying underneath…
Curious, The Spine turned from the little temple and approached the stone arch. Beneath the arch lay a sword in an elaborate sheath. Its handle was stained almost black in places.
"Spine? What're you doing?" called Steve.
He stared at the sword. Was that what was usually left at Japanese monuments? Weapons?
"Rabbit! Come check this out!" Steve called, apparently giving up on getting The Spine to enter the little temple.
"Come on, Hatchy. Robuts ain't superstitious."
"Right-o, brother."
The Spine glanced around quickly and picked the sword up for just a moment, admiring the craftsmanship and artistry of the sheath. He drew the sword and examined the blade.
"I don't like the look of this, Rabbit…" came Steve's voice, but The Spine didn't even glance their way.
"Beautiful…" he murmured, and paused, peering at the stains on the handle. Was that… blood? He touched it with his finger. It was still sticky. His eyes widened. Why would there be blood on the sword?
"Alright, I'll go in," Rabbit scoffed. "It's just a little dark, ya bunch of babies."
The Spine studied the weapon. Should he tell the police, maybe? It might be a murder weapon…
"Hatchy!" Rabbit shrieked, startling him. He looked up sharply.
"Something's got me! Hatchy!"
"Very funny, brother," said Hatchworth.
The Spine relaxed. "Honestly, Rabbit," he muttered reproachfully.
"Argh! No! Help me!"
"This is just another one of your shenanigans…"
"Hatchy! Please! It's too strong!"
"Oh, no, I am not falling for this one, Rabbit old friend. I did not come out of the vault yesterday, you know."
"Hatch-" Rabbit's scream was cut off sharply.
"Rabbit?"
"Rabbit, stop it!" Steve called worriedly. There was no response. "Um, Spine?"
The Spine ran. Rabbit might have been taking the prank too far. He often did. But there was something about this old shrine, the bloody sword, the mysterious temple door… Better safe than sorry.
"What happened?" he cried as he arrived.
"Spine…" said Hatchworth, wringing his hands. "Rabbit went into the little temple… He is so quiet, Spine. Quiet is not like Rabbit."
"Alright, I'm freaking out," said Steve. "I swear I saw a flash of light."
Several of the other humans staggered up the last few steps, gasping for air. "Where's… Rabbit?" asked Paige.
Hatchworth pointed at the gaping jaws of the temple. She started toward it and he caught her arm to stop her.
"Hatchworth? What's going on?"
"This place is seriously freaky, guys!" said Steve. "Rabbit went in there and started screaming and… We need to call the police, man."
"What? Rabbit!" she called. A shutter began to flip in the rising wind.
"Rabbit?" The Spine called, leaning around the doorframe.
"Spine, wait…" said Steve nervously.
"It's pitch black in there…" Paige murmured tremulously. "Rabbit? Come on, you're scaring everyone. This isn't funny."
Silence. They all looked at each other.
"Rabbit, get your butt out here and stop freaking me out!" shouted Paige.
"Can't you see anything, Spine? What about your night vision?" asked Michael.
"Switched on. It's like something's sucking in all the light…"
"What? Are you putting me on?"
Walter Girl Bunny dragged up the last few steps and approached. She shrugged at Paige.
"Rabbit's in there but he won't say anything…" said Paige, her voice trembling.
Bunny glared at them all. The Spine could guess what she was thinking… why were they all standing outside, then? She stood before the doorway, clapped sharply, and put her hands on her hips. This was usually enough to get Rabbit to stop his nonsense… you don't cross Walter Girl Bunny.
The only sound was the rising wind. Bunny stared sternly for a few heartbeats and startled everyone with a great sucking gasp. She stared at each of them in turn, wide eyed, as she pointed at The Spine.
"Spine… are you sliding?" Paige exclaimed.
"What?"
He realized he was edging closer to the doorway. He stepped backward but his forward motion didn't stop.
"Hatchy!" he cried.
Hatchworth grabbed his arm and braced his feet on the stone court. The doorway came closer.
"Michael! Steve! I can't stop it!" cried Hatchworth.
They started forward as The Spine grabbed onto the door frame with his free hand. Free hand? He still had the sword? He tried to drop it, to save himself, but his hand wouldn't open. He concentrated but his fingers wouldn't budge.
This wasn't right… things like this didn't happen…
"No!" he cried. "Hatchy, let go!" His fingers were slipping from the wood as the pull grew stronger. He looked at Michael and barked, "Don't grab on! You'll be pulled in, too!"
"No, brother!" Hatchworth cried, tightening his grip. "Not this time!"
The men, seeing their forward motion, hesitated.
"Spine… Steve, what do we do?" cried Michael.
"Just let me go!" The Spine responded through clenched teeth as his feet passed the threshold. "Something's pulling… I can't hold on much longer! Stay back!"
"Maybe there's a rope or something… " Michael replied, looking around helplessly.
"No!" The wooden door frame popped loudly under his fingers.
"We can't just let you…" Steve began.
"Yes!" interrupted The Spine as the wood splintered and his hand came loose. "You can…"
He was torn from the bright light into blackness, Hatchworth still hanging from his arm.
Matt stepped up the last stair and said, "Hey, I found this big cricket down here. It makes the coolest sound… What was all the yelling about, anyway?"
