Snow…everywhere…so white...so cold… so bloody. Mai found herself standing in the middle of the forest watching the snow fall from the cold sky. She
wrapped her arms around her as she shivered. "This dream…not again…" She started walking through the forest wanting to get out of the snow.
Usually Mai loved the snow but this snow seemed unfriendly. So different. So sickening. She started walking faster not wanting to stay here any
longer. Then something hit her head with a sickening crack. She fell in the snow with a gasp. She felt dazed…so much pain… Her vision began to blur
as she saw a pair of black fuzzy snow boots coming toward her slowly. "No…." She saw specks of red in the snow. Her blood. She felt another hit again
and again and again. This time, the snow was covered in blood. Another body to be hidden beneath the snow. Blood and snow. What a beautiful thought.
"Crap"! Mai yelled to herself as she run across the streets to the SPR building.
She skidded to a stop and glanced at her watch and sigh "Naru is going to be sooo mad at me for being late again for the billionth time".
She opened the door slowly trying not to making any noise and poked her head in. Empty. Good Naru and Lin where still in their offices. She slipped in
and slowly closed the door behind her making no noise in the office. She tipped -toed past Naru's office. "So far so good" she thought as she made it
pass Naru's office. She didn't hear Naru's door opening or see the blacked clothes teenager lean against the doorframe watching her with an irritated
glare. Naru was waiting for his female assistant to be at work so naturally he was near his door waiting to pounce. Mai made it to her desk as she sat
down. She looked up and froze. Standing in the doorway was the ever silent Naru glaring at her. Mai sighed. She knew she wasn't going to get away
with being late but she still tried anyways.
"Late again, Mai" Naru sighed. "Idiot… You will receive twice as much work to do today and we have a client
coming soon so be prepared" he said turning to head back into the office when he noticed something off about Mai.
No ranting. Just silence. He looked at her face. Her eyes were baggy and dark underneath. She looked nervous and skittish. She didn't even get mad or turn different shades of red as he insulted her.
"…Mai, did you have a dream yesterday when you were sleeping in the office again"? Mai froze quickly from filing her paperwork then
continued which was a dead giveaway that Naru was correct but she denied it with a small whispered "No". He glared at her for being stupid "…Mai…" She stood up
suddenly "You want tea right?" and she hurried past Naru but never made it to the kitchen. Naru grabbed Mai's arm and tugged softly.
"You do realize I know when you're lying, Mai". Brown eyes met blue as a flash of worry zipped by in Mai's eyes. "I…I…" There was a sudden knock at the door. Mai
sighed in relief and yelled "Coming!" "Saved by the door" she thought as she pulled away from Naru and raced to the door.
She heard an irritated sigh and felt two blue eyes drilling holes in her back as she opened the door.
She opened the door to see a young man standing I am Kobo Mayuzumi."
"Yes, it is please come in Mr. Mayuzumi" Mayuzumi walked past Mai flashing a weak smile and as she turned around she saw Naru already seated on the couch. Mai walked over to the couch and sat as far away from the irritated Naru as possible. Naru shot her a deadly "we WILL continue our conversation so don't
try to run off" glare. "Please explain why you believe your house is haunted Mr. Mayuzumi" Naru said in his monotone voice with still a hint of irritation.
"Well, I have heard many voices whispering back and forth to each other, chanting and even singing". "The only other person that lives in the house
with me is my wife Iku Mayuzumi so I know it's not her because the voices sound like children or different voices."
Naru just nodded. "And…Well…"
"And well what Mr. Mayuzumi"? Naru asked before the client could finish. "Well…I know it is in the middle of July but at our house it is constantly
snowing as has been since winter started"
That caught Naru and Mai's attention. "Snow…" Mai thought and shivered violently as clips of her dream
were remembered. Naru caught Mai's shiver and looked at her curiously. "Could this case be related to her dream"? Naru thought then snapped back
to listen to his client.
"There have also been reports of missing people near the snowy forest ever since the snow began to fall… I think it is up to about
50 missing people" "Missing people…dead…hidden in the snow…blood covered snow" Mai felt sick as she remembered her dream again. "All those
people...missing…dead…in the never-ending snow… blood and snow" All Mai heard was "We will take the case". She looked over at Naru who closed his
black notebook. Mai please get the address and other information from our client then escorted the client out. Mai got up from the couch got the info
and then sat at her desk staring blankly at her computer screen. She didn't see Naru edge himself on the edge of her desk glaring daggers at Mai but
then softened. She was too lost in thought.
"I can't go to this place…I can't tell Naru or anyone else. I fell like something terrible is going to happen if I do". She thought to herself. She was so
engrossed in her thoughts she didn't see her annoyed boss hovering over her. She flinched as she felt something flick her forehead. "To get a child to
pay attention sometimes you must stoop to their level" Naru thought.
She glanced up and was greeted by another flick to the forehead.
"Ouch, hey what was that for" Another flick.
"Are you going to tell me why you were lying to me earlier"?
"Naru...I…" The door bursted open and Monk strolled on in.
"Hey," monk said cheerfully but stopped as he saw Naru flicking Mai in the head. Naru glared at Monk for interrupting him. He was so close to getting
Mai to speak but then the idiot monk bye" Mai slipped out the
door and zipped down the street.
Monk looked at Naru "See what you did Naru"
Naru glared at monk and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose "Why are you here?"
"Oh… I left my guitar here" Monk said picking up his guitar from behind the couch.
"We have a case tomorrow so be here early" Naru glared as he watching the monk slip out of the office. Naru knocked on Lin's door "Call everyone to
be here at 5:00am and tell Mai to be here at 4:00 maybe then she won't be late". He heard a grunt and then headed back to his office. "Mai is going to
be the death of me one day" Naru said as he drove his hand though his thick black hair.
