Chapter One: Ghostly Inhabitants
12 hours before the prologue…
"This looks like the place!" Keiko exclaimed to her three friends.
The four girls were walking down the street. All of them wore their high school uniforms. It was Friday so the girls had left school with the intention of having fun before going home.
Mai Taniyama inspected the tall, slightly rundown building. "Where are we? This looks like a residential area. I thought we were going to the movies?" she asked.
The other girls did not respond to Mai's question. Instead Keiko, Michiru, and Yuuri looked at each other with conspirator's guilt. Normally, they were trustworthy friends.
Suspiciously, Mai said, "Don't tell me. We aren't going to the movies?"
Mai should have been working this evening at Shibuya Paranormal Research, but today she had asked off. Well, called in sick. She promised her boss that she would make up the time the next week. Her friends had been complaining how between school and Mai's job, they hardly ever got to hang with her anymore.
Hesitantly, Michiru spoke up, "We still plan to go, but we wanted to detour here first."
"Why?"
Keiko said, "Because my cousin lives here and she says there is something strange happening here. She would like your advice. I told her how you worked for an office that studies psychics and ghosts."
"This sounds too much like work to me."
"Then it should be easy for you to do."
"I don't know. You could have just asked."
Keiko frowned, "Even I don't know the whole story. Tamoka, my cousin, has not even told me."
"I feel like lying to my boss is going to bite me in the butt."
Yuuki said, "Is that anything like your boss biting you in the butt?"
Everyone froze in shock.
Mai's mind just froze. The image was both horrifying and erotic, making her brain shut down. She could not even retort a comment.
Michiru spoke up first, "Yuuki! That is so dirty."
"Oh come on! It is not like everyone else didn't think that fit perfectly after I said it." Yuuki frowned at them.
Keiko laughed "I wouldn't mind him taking a bite out of mine."
Mai could easily envision Naru sneezing at that moment. Hopefully he would realize that it was not her SAYING THIS BS! She projected mental images of bunny rabbits his way.
Keiko patted Mai's shoulder. Mai jumped.
"Hey don't be so stressed. This is a fun day."
"Yea, f-u-n. Whoo-hoo," said Mai glumly.
So I am skipping work so I can work…
"Thanks guys! Soooo much!" Mai said sarcastically as she slumped down. Naru is going to kill me!
Yuuki marched up to Mai's other side and linked arms with her. "We will make it up to you."
Michiru commented, "What is so bad Mai? I know you complain about him, but Kazuya has always seemed nice to us."
Mai's friends had met her boss months ago. He had used his charm, which had won them over. They were still fawning over him. At the time, he had introduced himself as Kazuya Shibuya. She knew that was a lie. His real name was Dr. Oliver Davis, but Mai could not tell them that.
Mai stared at the ground. "That is because you don't know him."
"Come on girls." Yuuri called, already at the entrance.
"Some friends," Mai muttered. Maybe he wouldn't find out about the lie.
A voice inside her head told her she was not that lucky.
As the girls entered the apartment building, Mai felt something pulling at her pocket. She reached in to find the key to her childhood home. She wore it as a charm, a sacred token that reminded her of her parents. It felt really heavy in her hands.
That's strange…
"Come on," Keiko said. "My family lives on the eighth floor. Apartment 824." She led the rest of the girls to an elevator.
As they moved further toward the interior of the building, Mai felt a prickling on her neck as if somebody was watching her. She kept glancing back, hoping to get a glimpse of something, but she never saw anything.
They rode the elevator up with no mishaps.
The eighth floor was a spooky place. Paint peeled from the walls, which was that nasty tan color people painted schools with. The carpet had probably at one time been a deep burgundy color, but at some point it had faded to look like mud. The lights flickered every now and then.
Mai would have paid major cash to be anywhere else at the moment.
Keiko found the apartment and knocked.
A man opened the door. He was tall and in his late twenties. He had dull brown hair and bangs.
"Yes?" He said in a monotone voice.
"Shigure-sama, it is nice to see you." Keiko said cheerfully. "Remember I was going to come by and bring my friends?"
All the girls bowed. The man did not even acknowledge the action but held the door wider for them to enter.
Wow! Real friendly guy
The apartment had a comfortable middle class atmosphere to it. It was not elaborately decorated, but had some comforting furniture and plants that scattered the living room. A large TV screen hung on one wall. On the other was a painting of a beach. Charms hung beside the door, and a small Buddha statue sat on a coffee table by the couch.
A slightly plump woman with short, curly red hair stepped into the living room. She dried her hands on a dishtowel before stuffing the rag into her apron pocket. She greeted Keiko warmly. Keiko in turn made the introductions. The husband, Shigure, left them to move into a backroom.
"This is Mai Taniyama. She works with people who investigate the paranormal."
Mai bowed then said, "Please explain what has happened to make you seek advice on this subject."
The lady, Tamoka, said, "Well it was not so bad when we first moved in here. We have lived here for about a year. This apartment was cheaper than our last and closer to my husband's work." Her voice was soft and lacked some of the emotion of the earlier greeting.
Mai thought she detected the glisten of tears in Tamoka's eyes. Before continuing with the story, Ms. Tamoka offered to get drinks for everybody before walking away.
"She seems nice," said Yuuki.
Keiko didn't answer. She was very watchful in the direction Tamoka left.
Michiru said, "She seems a bit absent minded."
Mai offered, "Maybe she is just worried. She seems stressed."
Tamoka returned. Her hands shook a bit as she poured tea. Distributing the cups, she accidently spilt some of the contents on Michiru's hand.
"Ow!"
Tamoka apologized, "I am so sorry!" She reached into her apron for her towel and wiped the liquid off Michiru's hand. Tamoka asked Michiru if she needed medicine.
Michiru confessed, "I think it is ok. It did hurt a bit, but it more surprised me than anything,"
There was silence.
Mai broke the quietness by asking again for the story.
"Honestly we are all rattled nerves here," Tamoka admitted, "I do not mean just in this apartment, but everyone who lives in this building. The children seem like the only ones that are fine. I have talked to our neighbors. We all have the same experience. First, we do not get much sleep anymore because of the tapping sounds that come at night. It is similar to knocks but lighter."
Tamoka went on to say that all kinds of strange things happen. They had heard untraceable music. Sometimes shadows jump across the room.
"Items are also taken. They are typically sentimental items that are not worth much therefore, nobody has reported theft. At first, we thought we had misplaced things. Then the missing stuff became so common that we thought the children did it. I started talking to my friends and they said the same thing happen to them. But the worse thing is the children."
Many ideas were running through Mai's head. She hated cases that affected children.
Tamoka said, "Sometimes the children disappear. They are gone a good length of time. Once I even called the police, but they reappear. They never seem to have a memory of where they were. It is really scary. That is why I wanted to seek advice. If we can't find a reason for these problems then we will move. I just hate to move again. This location works so well, and I have made some new friends."
The lady turned her pleading gaze at Mai. "So you think your office will take the case?"
Mai was uncomfortable in answering, "Well I can never really tell with Naru, but I definitely think you should stop by. He might not take it because of unwanted publicity. This is a really huge building."
Tamoka smiled, "There is actually not that many people inhabiting the building. That is why it looks so worn down. Most people, especially young couples and people with children, have moved out already.
"It seems like it is the work of ghosts and they do not want anyone around."
Yuuki spoke up, "Has anyone actually died here?"
"Well older places will have histories of deaths. Elderly people die all the time. Accidents will happen. There are some rumors about tragic deaths in the past, but I had not heard of them until recently. One of the stories involves a college girl who had moved from the country. She jumped from the building, or was pushed, but they found a suicide note. I think that might be something you would call suspicious?"
"Well if we took the case, we would research previous tenants and deaths. Naru and Yasu are good at that." She thought on it. "Naru might be interested in this case. If he is not, I will try to persuade him to take it. You just need to come by the office to fill out papers. I could have brought a form if I had known I was coming," Mai stopped to glare at her friends before continuing, "If he is there when you come, I will try to get you an interview. I am working tomorrow, which would be an awesome time for you to come."
Tamoka bowed her head. "That is all I can ask. And I will try to come. I might have to bring the kids with me. They are studying right now; otherwise, I would introduce you. They had a toy fight and refused to clean up their mess. So even though it is Friday, they have to do their homework."
Mai asked, "How old are your children?"
"I have a boy, Toki, and a girl, Saiya. She is ten, and Toki is six."
Mai didn't have any more questions. Quietly everyone sipped their tea. They put their cups on the tray when they were done. Seeing the conversation was over, the girls thanked the lady for her hospitality. All the girls stood up, and Keiko hugged her cousin.
Mai turned to Tamoka and said, "Please don't mention that I was here. I took off from work today. It would look bad for me to say I was traveling with my friends tonight."
Tamoka promised that she and her husband would not utter a word.
Thanking them for their hospitality, Mai left with the girls.
With a sigh of resignation, Mai tried to think on the problem, but all she could do was think about how her life will suck tomorrow if Tamoka gave away Mai's secret.
Walking down the narrow hall, Michiru said, "I'm glad that is over. I seriously felt something was wrong as soon as we went in the room. Really that feeling has not left."
Yuuki folded her arms, "Me too, but brrrrr… It is cold in here."
The hallway was at least ten degrees lower than it was when they arrived.
Keiko agreed.
Yuuki said, "I don't think it was that cold when we came in."
Mai said, "I don't want to freak anyone out, but the temperature always drops before a spirit makes an appearance."
Everyone laughed.
The light flickered.
"Yea, right Mai. You, you are just trying to s-scare us." Keiko stammered.
Michiru trembled, "She doesn't have to try; I am scared."
The lights went off.
The girls screamed grabbing each other.
Light suddenly flooded the corridor. The temperature also seemed to rise.
"Wow! That was seriously creepy," said Keiko.
"Let's get out of here! I don't want to stay another second," shrieked Yuuki. She and Michiru hurried toward the elevator.
Keiko looked back, "What do you think Mai?"
Mai was not behind them.
"Mai?"
Yuuki and Michiru stopped. Turning around, Michiru asked, "Hey Keiko, where is Mai?"
They began to search for Mai, but there was nowhere for the missing girl to have gone.
Growing more worried, all the girls began to shout, "Mai?! Mai?!"
She did not answer.
Their friend had vanished without a trace.