Chapter Two: Witching Hour

Part 1

Mai pov

"An Asylum?" Masako asks while she takes a sip of her tea, Naru leans back on his chair and nods at her.

"Is an old Asylum not far from Tokyo," he explains, while I move a bit forward, and rub my neck.

"Why did you pick this case? I mean, normally you go with either with people with money or a very haunted place." I asked him.

"That's the key word. The last group of investigators ended up dead, so the owners of the asylum ask me to get rid of the ghost," my eyes bugged out.

"Wait, so you're risking your coworker's life for that?" I gasp out, Masako lifts her gaze towards me, since I stood up, feeling angry.

"Well, not my fault that our reputation precedes us. Don't worry, we won't spend the night either, we only spend morning until afternoon shift. The deaths normally reported in the nighttime. I will play safe on how I will lead this. We leave tomorrow morning. As well, I have Yasuhara researching deeply into the case, because something doesn't add up."

"What about the rest of the group? And what doesn't?" but Naru cold stare cause me to keep my mouth shut.

"You will see. I have to stay behind with Lin and Ayako. The rest of the group will meet you over there, remember Mai at seven sharp," he orders watching Naru head towards his office.

"Oh, and Tea.." with that he slams the door shut, causing me to grind my teeth.

"Jerk, you never tell me anything, and I'm supposed to be our assistant," I growled out. Masako sigh, standing up, and picked up her purse.

"Well, he's your problem," she smiles at me. I felt a vein pop out.

"He's your boss, so is our problem." I bend down, picking up Naru and Masako empty cups, but Masako covers her mouth with her hand.

"What?" I asked her, lifting myself up.

"Nothing, I just think is cute, that's all." I rolled my eyes at her and sigh.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Naru pov

'Do you believe in demons?' her question echoes in my head for the last few days. I went to find any type of information on her, but nothing came out. Is like she never existed, and Dr. Misaki won't tell me why she is dangerous. Only to visit her twice a week. I didn't like that at all.

"So what do you think?" Lin asks, placing his plate on top of the table, we stood inside the kitchen, a small kitchen, with one stove on the right, gas stove, pretty old fashion with one round table. Across the kitchen, there's the bigger kitchen to prepare the patient's dinner, but only four cooks will come twice a day to cook. This place doesn't get too many visitors.

I lifted my gaze.

"About?" I asked him. He places a piece of meat in his mouth and chew.

"About the hospital? It's been five days already," he tells me, so I shrug at him.

"Is okay, trying to get around and familiarize with my patients," I told him, taking a hold of my cup and sipping my hot tea.

"Oh, today the patients can go outside to get some fresh air. Remember to not let them near the waters, nor sharp objects. The backyard is fenced is to help prevent those accidents, but keep an eye." he warns me. I nodded at him, turning my gaze towards the door, to see Doctor Misaki walking down the hall with a patient, a tall male, with curly red hair. Pale completion, wearing his blue pajamas. His eyes connect with mine, and a sudden cold chill rushed down my spine.

'Strange.' I thought, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Lin asks me. Placing my hands inside of my pockets, I shrug at him.

"I'm going to see one of my patients. I'll see you soon."

"Wait, you haven't finished your tea," then he looks down to see an empty cup. I smirked, taking my clipboard.

"Bye." I bow, turning to head out. Rubbing my neck, I went towards the stairs, which is located at the entrance, they are wide and covered with blue carpets. As I went up something moves rapidly, catching my attention. A woman, a small woman with dark clothes, sweeping the stairs. I raised a brow, turning to face her, but she was gone.

"Well, that was odd," I mumble out loud, but shook my head.

'There's no such thing as ghost or demons.'

Going up to the third floor, I turn towards my right and started to hear banging. Loud banging.

"Please help me!" a female voice echoes the solitary hallway. My heart jump, so I spread my legs heading towards the only patient on this floor. Finally reaching her door. I use my card to open it, by swiping it on the system. The door clicks open. Entering, I find Mai in the corner, shivering in pure fear. Her small body balled up.

"Mai?" I slowly move up towards her. She is strapped in a straight jacket, her hair is a mess, knotted, and her deep brown eyes are bloodshot red. She locks eyes with mine.

"Naru," she gasps out, as I bend down, slowly approaching her.

'Naru? Who's that?'

"Are you okay? What happen?" I asked her. Mai shakes her head.

"We are running out of time," she cries out. I sigh, sitting down on the patted floor.

"Mai, why were you screaming?" I asked her gently.

"You won't understand right now. Can, can you untie me?" she asks me, looking down at the straightjacket. I shook my head.

"Did Doctor Misaki place this on you?" I asked her.

"No. He did," she tells me. I lifted my gaze, looking at her.

"Who is he?"

"Can I tell you a small story," she asks. I nodded, slowly turning her around, to undo the back.

"You may."

"There is a young man that I admire, he took a case, in an abandoned asylum. You see he made his employees go first than him since he had to stay behind with two other people. So when his employees enter this asylum, things went horribly wrong." she explains. I finally freed her from the straightjacket, and she turns to stare at me.

"What's the point of that story?" I asked her. Mai moves closer, placing her hands on my lap. In doing so, that strange heart skip happens again. She looks so lost and scared.

"The point is that when I get out of here, he's going to hear an earful out of me. I told him that it was a bad idea," she growls, but her shaky hands grasp my pants.

"Then why do you admire him?" I asked her. Her expression changed into a tender one, and her bloodshot eyes soften.

"Because he's the man I love," My eyes narrow and my heart thump not pleasantly, some odd reason I didn't like that at all. It bothers me. It shouldn't, but it does.

'Maybe is someone she made up?'

"That would be scary, I feel bad for that guy. Are you feeling better?" I asked her to change the subject. Mai lifts her gaze up.

"No, I'm going crazy. Why are you here?" she asks. I place my arm under her legs and raised her, she wraps her arms around my shoulders, and her pale cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink. I lift my gaze and ignored how small she felt in my arms or warm. Luckily she has pants on.

"I came to see if you wanted to go outside to get fresh air." I place her down on the bed and sat next to her.

"Have you gotten permission with the doctor?"

"No, since I'm your doctor," I told her. Mai went quiet, and her brown eyes sadness. Is like five days ago. When I first laid my eyes on Mai, something deep inside me stirs and I never felt that before. I can't name it or place it, but for a reason, she looks like someone I met before, a sense of Deja' Vu, but not at the same time.

"I'm dangerous," she admits.

"Exactly why are you dangerous? Why are you the only one here I mean as a female?" Mai moves her body slowly, to get more comfortable.

"I don't know, maybe because I'm only that can send him to hell. Why do you want me to go outside?''

'She keeps saying that. Hell, why?'

"To get fresh air, when was the last time you went out?"

"Don't remember, feels like months or years," she shrugs. I stood up and turn to face her.

"Naru, can you do me a favor," she asks. Stretching her body flat on the bed. I watch as her white pajamas clenched into her body, giving me a good view of her curves. I cleared my throat, but nodded.

"I won't go outside today, but when you have time, at a night time, can you come and visit me," she asks. I blinked,

"You want me to?"

"Yes, and while you can, can you bring me Housho," with that, she closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber. Her back, breathed out evenly. I bend down, staring at her small face. She has dark circles under her eyes, and very pale.

"Housho? How do you know him?"

Mai pov

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

"Can you stop it!" I screamed, as I snap my eyes open and stare at him. He tilts his head to the side and smirks at me.

"Why? It's entertaining," his voice is low and light tone. His dark eyes, smile while his deadly pale face seems to shine with the outside sun.

"Is annoying."

"Good," he turns and starts to pound the flood once again. I cover my eyes with my palm.

"Stop it, stop it," I growled out,

"Not until you submit to us," he says, turning his gaze back at me.

"Never," I growled, suddenly he moves swiftly, jumping on top of me, then his clammy hands wrap around my throat, causing me to go wide eyes.

"I should kill you," he smiles wickedly. I wrap my hand around his hands, trying to stop him from choking me.

"You have been a hard one to kill, the previous ones died with such ease. Since you won't die, we have to make your life a living hell. I will assure you, that you will become insane, and that the new doctor will never, I mean never help you. All your friends will suffer the same fate, you pathetic human." with that he disappears, causing me to gasp for air. I stood up and crawled out of my bed. Crawling towards the window, I use my strength to lift myself up, in doing so, I glance down. There I spot a few patients walking around with some doctors, then I spot Lin. He sat on the bench talking to John, and next to him Naru. My eyes scan him, as I stretch my arm out. Pushing down my feelings, my fears.

'Naru, please bring everyone back, you're our only hope.' I felt a tear run down, while Lin crosses his arms, talking to John.

'John. What was he doing before we got trapped? Come on Mai, remember it feels important.' I hit my side of my head. Suddenly Naru lifts his gaze up, and as though he could see me, our eyes locks. Behind a movement can be seen. I lifted my eyes to see a dark shadow appear behind Naru. My heart starts to beat hard.

"No, Naru, behind you." I start to scream, grasping the bar, but no use the window was in the way for him to hear me. I watch in horror as the shadow moves his arm to wrap it around Naru mouth.

"NO!" I shout, the shadow lifts his head up and glance at me. I shivered from the contact, and then I heard it. The knocking sound. My eyes widen, feeling my heart thump in pure fear. Naru turns his gaze back towards Lin.

"No use, my dear, he will die just like the others," I heard behind me. Then I felt my body being pulled away from the window, slamming against the opposite wall.

"No!"

Naru pov

It's been two days since I seen Mai. I have been debating on seeing her that late.

"So, do you believe me now? Have you seen them?" Housho asks as we walk down the hallway that night.

"No," I told him, but in doing so an eerie feeling pass by my spine. I lifted my gaze from my clipboard and turn around, there was no one.

"You have to believe me. I hear them at night. I hear them." he protested, grasping my arm and held it a little too tight.

"There's no such thing as the supernatural, is just a figment of the imagination, fear that consumes people," I explain to him. Housho shakes his head.

"No, is the truth. Demons are here in this hospital. Especially Doctor.."

"Housho, can you let go of Dr. Shibuya?" I heard Dr. Misaki voice out. Turning towards my right, he stood there smiling at Housho. Housho lets go of me and turn his head.

"Can I go back to my room?" he asks. I nodded.

"Alright, today you did better than yesterday," I told him, he ignores me, and I walk forward to open his room. He enters, but in doing so, he suddenly grabs my arm and took notice if Dr. Misaki is looking at us. He isn't since he's facing his right, as though talking to someone else, so Housho leans forward.

"Keep an eye on him, don't believe everything he does," with that he returns back. I sigh, closing the door, and turned towards Dr. Misaki.

"May I help you?" I asked him.

"I wanted to introduce you to one of my patients," he turns and wave his hand. The same guy with curly red hair came up to me. He made eye contact. Again, that eerie, chilling sensation ran down my spine.

"This is Kenichi, he's been here in this hospital for three years," he introduced me. I bow slightly, but my eyes are sharp.

"I'm.." but Kenichi smirks at me.

"I know who you are. I have been dying to meet you," the way he said that made me feel uncomfortable, but I nodded either way.

"Sorry, Dr. I just wanted to introduce you to him. Well, oh check on Ms. Taniyama, I think she had one of her episodes." Dr. Misaki stated. My eyes narrow.

"What episodes?"

"Didn't I told you, she's a dangerous patient. She inflicts harm on herself. I couldn't even go inside, afraid of my own life. Please watch her." he bow. I nodded, taking a step back, watching them walk down the hallway. I rub my arms.

'Something is off, and I don't like it at all. Why didn't he report this to me earlier? Mai,' I thought, feeling a heavy uneasy feeling.

"She doesn't look like a person that can harm herself. Damn it." Now speed walking down, in doing so, a sudden bang cause me to jump slightly from fright. I turned towards my right to see Yasuhara smiling at me. Breathing out, I move towards the door and slide the window open.

"Do you need something?" I asked him.

"Tonight is the witching hour, just be careful, and don't let the cats out," with that he turns to sit right back down on his bed. I closed the window and sigh.

'These people live in the supernatural a little too much.'

…..O...O...

Upon arriving Mai's floor, a heavy atmosphere is felt. I felt strange. Walking towards Mai room, a sudden child laughter is heard, causing me to stop in my tracks.

"Want to play a game?" I heard behind me. A child's voice, I turned to see no one there. I shook my head and went back to open the door.

'Okay, now I'm hearing things.'

Entering Mai room, I found her rocking herself in a corner.

I move to her side and reach out my hand, she turns her head, and her eyes landed on mine.

"Naru," she says once again. I stare at her with slightly wide eyes. She has her mouth half cut and dry blood. She has a bruise on her neck with scratches.

"Who did this to you?" Surely she can't do this to herself. Her eyes are redder than last time.

"Naru," she cries out, moving her arms, wrapping it around me. I move and wrap my arms around her back to pick her up a little.

"You finally came. I waited for you," she cries on my shoulder. I open my legs, so she can move closer to me. She enters into my embrace, as I wrap my legs around her. I have no idea why, though. A sudden urge to protect her rush into my veins.

"Answer me, who did this to you?"

"He did it. Don't leave me. Time is running out. Please don't leave me." she begs, her body shook.

"Who's he? If one of the doctors is doing this to you, then I won't stand still and.." but she shakes her head, avoiding my question.

"I want to sleep, I'm sleepy, but they won't let me sleep. I'm scared Naru. Please help me. Help us." she suddenly said. I lower my head, to see her head leaning on my chest.

'Us?'

"I will, and I won't leave you again," I told her, as I picked her up.

"Where are we going?' she sleepily asks.

"You're going to take a bath and a change of clothes." Mai body goes rigid.

"No, he stares, I don't like it when he stares. I refuse to shower because of that. I'm scared that he might do something to me." her body shakes. I stop, and my heart heave unevenly.

"Has anyone done anything to you? Force you?" the simple thought causes my heart to feel unease, the thought of someone forcing himself on her, pissed me off, and it scared me. I shouldn't have left her by herself that long. She's a girl and in this state, anyone can take advantage of her, even a doctor.

'Please, don't let it be.' she shakes her head.

"No, thank God, but he just watches me sometimes when I am bathing. I don't like it. I feel as though he's touching me or something. I'm afraid one day he will." she trembles like a scared small cat. I held her tighter, getting angrier.

"I'll be there, no one will do anything to you."

"Then come in with me," she begs. I went still, I shouldn't go in a shower with a strange girl I just met. Is not my thing.

"I.." She clenches into my shirt.

"Please, the only one I trust is you," her voice shakes at her pleading. I gulped, but nodded.

"If you want me to, but.."

"I trust you," she said, closing her eyes on my chest. I sigh, but want to open the door.

In doing so, a sudden cold chill runs down my spine. Mai's eyes snap open, and when I open the door, there was a noise, the noise of dripping of water.

'Drip, drip, drip,'

"Do you hear that?" Mai asks. I nodded, walking down the hallway.

"Maybe a pipe is leaking somewhere," I told her, but she didn't seem convinced.

"Is not." she tells me.

"Do you want to play with me?" I heard the same child voice. I stop in my tracks, feeling Mai shake once again.

"No. I don't want to. Leave me alone." Little did I know a dark shadow appears behind me, Mai lifted her head, and her eyes widen in pure fear.

"No, leave Naru alone," she shouts, as the dark shadow smirks at her, wrapping its arms around my neck….

"Come, my little children, it's time to play..."

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Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt