It was a good day. As good as they got, anyway. Ryou had gotten up early, deciding that a walk would soothe his still tired mind.
He wandered while breathing the cool morning air, feeling eerily calm. Sleep hadn't come easy for a while so he was used to being in a state of constant tiredness, drifting along through his days. As he walked he watched cars driving to unknown destinations and sleepy strangers trying to yawn their troubles away. He felt at peace then, staying idle in his thoughts and going wherever his feet decided to take him.
Going home would just ruin his mood – the empty house held no comfort for him, it felt suffocating. The walls often felt like they were closing in on him when he was alone. So instead Ryou resolved to walk for hours, until his feet hurt too much to carry on.
He strolled past the park he used to play in as a child, past the school where he had spent a majority of his teen years and though the village centre, surrounded by bright signs and coffee shops that smelt so compelling he nearly stopped at one. He took a detour from the main road where the hospital was, he wasn't ready to face that place and the memories that came along with it.
Walking on and hoping time would never catch up to him, Ryou wasn't even aware of where he was until a stranger bumped into him, breaking him out of the stupor. Ryou looked up to see the man raise a hand in apology as he continued walking away in a hurried pace. Ryou smiled kindly with a nod and looked around.
His feet hurt, but he'd just about made it to town centre. He could even hear the chatter from the market a few streets down. The market was a good place for finding things for cheap, so he decided that a trip there couldn't hurt. Cheap was good, and he'd happened to bring his wallet along just in case.
He walked around for a while, picking up some scented candles and a bunch of foods and candy. The bags were getting heavy and he realised that if he got any more stuff he simply wouldn't be able to carry it all home.
Ryou called quits and was on his way out of the market when a certain stall caught his attention.
A woman sat behind the stall, looking idle. Before her stretched out a table full of many bits and pieces connected to the occult. Ryou had always had a fascination with the occult and everything it was connected to, so the selection of tomes, amulets and other items excited him greatly. He made his way over to the stall with a smile and an awkward wave at the woman, whose eyes flickered over him for a second before flickering back to some heavy tome she held in her hands.
He was the only one at the stall. He spent several leisured minutes looking over all the bric-a-brac before catching the woman staring at him though his peripheral vision.
She would squint at him for a few seconds before directing her gaze to something under the table. Ryou ignored it. He had no business with her other than if he was interested in buying one of the items displayed before him. He figured for a couple of seconds whether the tome resting in his hands was worth the tenner on the price tag. It seemed to be a detailed history of Wicca, and as far as he could tell it was an antique edition. The book had that satisfying aged feel to it. Then again, money was dear when his father was god knows where trying to make a living.
He looked back at the woman and froze a little when he found her still staring at him through makeup heavy dark eyes. It felt almost like she was staring right into his soul and it made him want to shrivel up and make sure he was as far away as possible from those hollow eyes. He flickered his gaze down to the tome feeling conflicted. He didn't want to talk to her. Still, the book was good and if he could manage to lower its price it would be even better.
"Uh, is it possible to maybe," he looked up to meet the woman's scowl, "buy this for a bit less?" Her expression unnerved him. It made him feel completely alienated. He watched her consider his words for a moment before she broke into a wholly unpleasant toothy grin.
"I wonder," her voice grated on his ears like a knife at his skull. "Is it? Listen boy, that book is a one of a kind. It'd be a shame to let it go for any less really." Her accent was foreign, though Ryou couldn't put a finger to its origin. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He knew she wasn't done but suddenly he didn't want to hear a single thing she had to say. "Though, I could strike a deal with you." Her eyes held a glimmer to them, like she knew something he didn't. She reached down under the table and dragged out a wooden slab.
Sweeping everything else aside, she set it down. Ryou recognised the design of an Ouija board etched into it. He felt his hand sneak up to scratch the corner of his mouth.
"If you buy it, I'll give you the tome for free." She smiled and he narrowed his eyes. There had to be a catch. Somehow he couldn't imagine this woman being kind in any way.
"Well, that depends on the price of the board, really." She'd probably charge a fortune for it. Though, as Ryou let his eyes sweep over the board he couldn't help but notice how exquisite the craftsmanship was. The carving was delicate and beautifully done, and the board itself was a deep, attractive reddish colour. He guessed it might have been rosewood. He nearly reached out to trace along the surface of the wood to feel the indents of the carving but felt the woman's glare still on him.
He looked up at her reluctantly.
"A twenty." She said.
Ryou tried to let it sink in. No way. No way would she let go of it for so cheap, along with the novel too. There had to be a catch. Why would she be so eager to get it off her hands? The board was obviously an antique, and a well-made one at that. She could fetch a hefty price for it from some collector. He sighed. Her reasons didn't matter. She was willing to sell it for cheap and he sure as hell was going to buy it for cheap.
"I'll take it." Before she has a chance to change her mind, he thought to himself. He shuffled around in his wallet and got out two tenners. He put them on the table and slid them over to her before retreating his hand. "I don't suppose you have a bag, do you?" He asked. She smirked and reached for a fabric shoulder bag covered in pagan symbols.
"It's a fiver." She said as he reached for it. Ryou sighed and rolled his eyes in his mind. Of course it was. He fetched a fiver, put it on the table and hurriedly stuffed both the board and the book into the bag.
"Thank you," He said as he walked away, for the sake of politeness more than anything else. He was rather eager to go home and away from her menacing glower.
The woman watched him as he dissolved into the crowd before leaning back and having a laugh to herself. The stupid boy was going to get a nasty surprise once he played the board. Having the damn thing off her hands was a joy undescribed.
Meanwhile Ryou walked away feeling rather satisfied with the day's gets. His feet still ached so he hopped on the bus and went up onto the second deck and straight to the back. It was usually his favourite place to ride in, and since it was a weekday noon there weren't many people on the bus, meaning it was free.
He looked out of the window at the October sky. There were clouds on the horizon but for now the sun remained put, shining into his eyes. He had a feeling that wouldn't last, considering the temperament of the typical English weather.
Remembering his buys he reached to gingerly slide the Ouija board out of the bag. The board was indeed beautifully made, the designs compelling and detailed. Ryou skimmed his fingers over every curve and angle of the sharp designs. He contemplated playing it that night. Sure, he knew of all the dangers that came with it, but he was no fool and he knew how to avoid troublesome incidents.
Maybe he'd be able to talk to someone he knew. Maybe not. Some things he wasn't ready to face just yet. It would be an interesting way to pass the time nonetheless.
He placed the board back in his bag and bought it closer to his chest, almost embracing it. Nothing bad would happen.
Watching the familiar streets go by, Ryou quickly became entranced by the motion of his own steaming breath fogging the window. He was watching the spread and retreat of whiteness on the glass so intensely he jolted in realisation when the bus drove past his own road, pressed a stop button and raced down the narrow stairs, coming to the doors just as the bus pulled in. The driver gave him a weird glance from under his glasses and Ryou gave an awkward smile and a muttered 'thank you' on his way out.
It took him under a minute to get home, his breath steaming as he hurried down the sidewalk, eager to be back in a warm building. Glad to get his feet up on the sofa he settled for watching a little bit of TV as he warmed up under a woollen cover. The bags were set down a little ways from him, at the entrance to the living room. He supposed it was alright to at least get the feeling back into his legs before sorting them.
As he switched between channels he wished for a cup of tea, yet felt no desire to get up from beneath his comforting wonderland. Oh yes, living alone definitely had its losses. He wished for Amane's company back.
He felt himself drifting off to the sound of the chatter of some TV show host, the images running along the screen looking dull and unrefined. Switching off the TV Ryou decided to crash on the couch. Getting upstairs seemed like way too much effort. So he snuggled up under his temporary blanket and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.
Groggily opening his eyes Ryou found only darkness and the artificial glow of a streetlamp spilling into the room through the window. It was late. His nap must have taken longer than he expected, he mused as he sat up and stretched. He winced as the muscles in his back ached from curling in on himself in his sleep.
Ryou got up and started his way to the kitchen, only to stumble upon his forgotten bags, barely catching himself from falling flat on his face. If there was anyone around he might have even been a little embarrassed.
He picked the bags up and set them on the couch instead, and went off into the kitchen – feeling very much like a cup of tea.
When he returned he set the cup down and turned to the bags, his eyes instantly falling on the shape of the Ouija which was wedged between the tome and some candles. He set down his cup and popped himself down, taking it out, turning it this way and that in his hands.
There was a large burn stain on the back of it. The charred wood took up a three quarters of the board. Maybe this was the reason the woman was so eager to get rid of it? Ryou had heard plenty of stories of people trying to burn boards due to unpleasant experiences with a spirit or demon, so he supposed it was alright.
He set about pushing the coffee table to the edge of the room and clearing a space on the floor. Closing the curtains he looked around for candles to use, though only the rose scented ones he bought that day peeked out at him from the couch. He sighed and supposed they'd have to do. He set them up around the room and strode upstairs for paper and a pen.
Once he returned he finally plopped down the Ouija in the middle of the arrangement, feeling quite proud of himself.
Springing onto the floor next to the Ouija he sat cross-legged, placing his fingers on the planchette.
Ryou concentrated.
He closed his eyes even though his eyelids shook a little.
He murmured a 'what's the worst that could happen' under his breath.
Tentatively he began to move the planchette in a circular motion, waiting for the tell-tale tug of another's hands.
A minute passed. Ryou frowned. Another went by. Ryou bit his lip.
It seemed he wasn't having much luck tonight. He shook his head and wondered why he even tried – this wasn't a ritual typically undertaken on one's own anyway.
Maybe it'd be better to try on a different night.
He moved to take his fingers off the planchette and let out a heavy sigh.
It jolted.
Writing this story really got my /spirits/ up :D
Please comment if you liked it - I have the next few chapters written up already and if this gets a good response I'll post them quicker.