Saturday, June 26th.

"Mai, tea." I heard Naru shout from the other room. It was 4 weeks after we found his brothers body. You're probably wonder why he's still here, huh? Everyone wanted him to stay so we could continue working together. He said he'd stay so we didn't annoy him, but we all know it's because he cares, even if it is just a little bit.

I walked into the small kitchen-like area and grabbed a small packet of tea. I went through the quick process of making, which by now has been drilled into my head after working here for almost 6 months. It's been real fun, I didn't feel so alone. I didn't have many friends before I met Naru. Michiru and Yuki told ghost stories with me all the time, but that was it, we never really hung out other than that. But now I have Monk, Yasu, Ayako, Naru, John, and I guess even Masako and Lin, but I never got along with those two for the most part.

"No surprise seeing you staring off." I heard Naru's plain voice from behind me. "Oh, uh... Here's your tea." I said, handing it to him. "We've got a job. A woman reported seeing the apparition of an entire family that died 3 weeks prior that had lived in the house that she had recently moved into. This job will almost definitely require and exorcism, call up Monk and the others. The address is 4, Himiwari road." Said Naru in a plain voice as he walked back to his office. I got an uneasy feeling. In japan, the number 4 is an unlucky number, the same meaning as death.

"Hey, Monk, Naru's got a job, we need you help." I said to Monk through my cellphone. "Uh... No can do, Mai. I'm on a tour, my band just performed a major hit and now we're going to some places around Europe. Uh, sorry." Said Monk awkwardly. "Oh... Uh, no problem, I'll call up Ayako, Yasu John, and Masako." I said. "Well, uh, John and Yasu came along with me... They wanted to see the sights of Europe." Monk said. Well, great then... I swear, Naru's going to blame this all on me... "Uh, no problem, just Ayako and Masako I guess... Bye." I replied. "Yeah, uh, sorry. Um, bye." Monk said, then hung up.

"Naru, um, Monk, John, and Yasu can't come, they're somewhere in Europe with Monks band..." I said. I heard him sigh. "Did you call Ayako?" He asked. "I'm about to, just telling you what Monk said." I replied. "Well get going. And more tea." He said. "Man, aren't you a slave driver." I whispered. "What was that, Mai?" I heard him asked. "Uh. Nothing, I'll call Ayako and get the tea." I panicked.

I dialed Ayako's number as I made another cup of tea for Naru's "Essential" need. "Hey, Ayako." I said as I walked into Naru's office, setting the cup in front of him. I picked up the old one and walked back into the kitchen. "Hey, Mai. What do you need?" she asked. "Naru's got a job, we need an exorcist for it." I said. "Sorry, Mai, I'm working at my parent's hospital. Ever since that mine collapsed up by Himiwari road , we've got an overflow of patients, more than the staff we have here, so my parents asked me to help out, sorry. And don't bother calling Masako, she's got a tv interview all the way in America for some big haunted mansion. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Have you called Monk and John?" She explained. "Yeah... There on a dumb tour with Monks band all across Europe. But... Himiwari road... A mine collapsed?" I asked. "Yeah, it hasn't been on the news yet, the press is trying to cover it up for some unknown reason. Why?" she asked. "The job is at 4 Himiwari road..." I whispered. "That's right by the mine. Are you sure you guys want to go up there? It's full of poisonous fumes and unstable buildings." She said. "But someone just moved there..." I whispered, confused. "What was that?" Ayako asked. "Uh, nothing, bye." I hung up.

I decided to type this down on a document on my laptop. I sat down in my office and opened a blank document. "Hey, Naru. What's the name of the woman for the job?" I asked. "Tori Kuroihane. Why?" replied Naru. "Just curious." I didn't want to tell him why. He'd probably call me stupid if I told him that I suspected she was dead.

Tori Kuroihane. I suspect the name could be a possible alias, because of the fact that there is no record of her name living in the residence of 4, Himiwari road. Recent mine explosion near the house is a possible culprit for the death of previous residential family, possible cause of haunting. Tori Kuroihhane, suspected of by me of being dead, possible manifested ghost may have manipulated phone lines to send the message that she saw the previous residence. She may have been a member of said family not knowing she has passed on and is very confused, but that wouldn't explain the fact that she feels as though she has recently moved to the house. -Mai Taniyama.

"Hey, Mai, I've been calling your name." I heard break me from my thoughts. "Huh? Oh." I looked up to see Naru standing in the doorway of my office. "Can Ayako and Masako come?" He asked. "No." I replied, continuing to type my suspicions. I looked back down at my computer screen and continued to type. "Hmm... What is it you're typing?" I heard Naru's voice once more. "N-nothing." I said. I didn't want him to think I'm overthinking this. "Hmm." I heard him say. Since when did I give him permission to read it? "Interesting. Maybe you are getting smarter. I never bothered to look into it." He said, sounding slightly impressed, but still sarcastic. "I've been speculating a similar idea." I heard Lin say. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I realized he was also reading over my shoulder. "Where did you get the idea?" Lin asked. "When I asked Ayako if she could come, she said the hospital she was currently working at had a massive surge of patients due to a mine collapsing on the very road as the place we're going to investigate. I got slight suspicions that something was up. I researched town records of a Tori Kuroihane but there is no such person, and there was also no record of anyone even moving there other than the family reported to be seen." I explained. "Hmm..." Said Lin.

"Wonderful. So no one can come, and all we have is you, Mai. Who knows nothing about how to exorcise buildings and has only done it once because the spirit of my brother told you step by step how." Naru said sarcastically. "Hey! C'mon, give me some credit it. It took a lot of guts and strength to do that and... And... Hey... I never told anyone that it was Gene's spirit who taught me how... How did you know. I know it wasn't his spirit that told you, either. He passed on after the exorcism when you found his body." I accused. "Did you forget I'm psychic?" He asked plainly. He was hiding something. "I know you are, but mind reading isn't one of your skills, manipulating is. I won't question you further, but I don't like being lied to. Anyway, when are we leaving. I have my drivers test tomorrow at 8 a.m., I can't afford to miss it. "So wait, you've been walking the 19 miles from here to your house every day?" asked Naru. "Well, the past couple weeks. I had a bike, but it was stolen. Then I had Monk and Ayako give me a ride, but I've walked the past few days." I admitted. "You mean you don't have a drivers license yet?" He accused. "No. I need the money to pay for my apartment. I live alone, remember? Anyways, I just got the money to get a motorcycle, I've been saving for one for 2 years. A good quality, $30,000 one." I said. "Were did you get that money?" He asked. "Oh, I never told you? I write and sell books, I also enter local trivia competitions. I'm not as stupid as I look. I feel like it would be suspicious if I expressed my professional level knowledge. I also know a lot more on spirits than you think." I said with a smirk. It wasn't a lie. I was an A+ student. Exams were next year, so wasn't graduation. And I'm going to be as old as Naru in 7 days. My birthday was on July 3rd. I could tell Naru and Lin were surprised but they didn't show it.

"We're leaving at 4 o'clock, you have time." said Naru. "Good, I can take the test and pick up my motorcycle then meet you at the house." I said, relieved. "I'll give you a ride home if you want." Naru offered. "Thanks, but no. I need to stop at a few places anyway." I lied. Naru suddenly being polite worried me. "Bye." I said. I grabbed my jacket and walked out the door.

This night was cold, too cold for a June evening, but I brushed it off. I walked the 19 miles back to my apartment with the feeling of being watched. That night I went to sleep with the shades closed and a baseball bat next to my bed. In my dreams I heard this voice. Not Gene's, but a womens.

"You are two halves,

Human and another.

To chose many paths,

You aren't human nor other."

(Authors note: DAMN. SHIT JUST GOT DEEP. Any feedback or suggetsions? I'll take 'em ;) )