People I do know that John came from Australia, that was why I made the other John (the one I created, the ego one) come from America! There are two Johns in the story, I am very sorry if you get confused. So to ease your confusion, the original John would still be called John; the one I created would be called Brown-san! Is that ok with you!

And if you do not like Maki Nishimura, its ok, I don't give a damm. She's not my main concern.

Also I am not good with names, so forgive me if I name the characters wrongly. In ghost hunt Naru is the problem! So from now on, Naru would just be called Naru! That is final!

And sorry for the long wait, I have O level exams and their messing with my brain cells. Actually I have no problems failing these exams and becoming a cleaner, but my mom would kill me.

And enjoy.

The whispering mountain

File 3#

Looking in through the window

"This place sure is cold," John commented. Mai looked at him and nodded. Then she remembered, "John, there is another person in place with the same name as you...well, he came from America though," she said, "And his character is totally different from yours."

John appeared shocked for a moment before smiling. "I would like to meet this person." He said. Naru appeared behind the two of them. "You may not get a chance," he commented, "Please help move the equipment."

Mai remembered and rushed off towards the black van that Lin had just drove up the hill a few moments ago. The wind was blowing more harshly then before and the snow was picking up. They had to hurry and unload the van or not they would be trap in a blizzard.

"Doing an investigation n this weather is no joke," Mai whispered, she grabs the camera and trudge up a snowy path towards a medium sized hut that the villagers had prepared for them. "Immortality, huh," she said, thinking. "And missing bodies."

What was the connection?

She shook her head. Thinking about such a difficult thing was Naru's job, her job was too bring this heavy god knows what into the hut itself. Mai shifted the heavy equipment into a more comfortable position before continuing.

"Mai, be careful with that equipment, that thing cost more than your pay check!" Naru's voice sounded behind her and Mai stumbled catching the equipment and placing it on the ground.

"Then tell me earlier!" she shouted.

******************************************************************************************************************

It was hours later and the ghost hunt team sat in the hut surrounding a small kindling fire. Mai was sleepy and the fire's orange illuminating glow was making it harder to stay awake, Naru's monotonous voice was not helping either.

"Ayako and Masako I would like you to investigate the grave yard where the bodies went missing," Naru said.

"Bou-san, I would like you to find out more about the old woman's murder and this curse," he instructed and the monk sighed. "Leave the hard job to the eldest one, huh," he said.

"You are not the eldest," Masako pointed out. Bou-san gaze landed on Ayako and he sniggered, "Your right."

Naru sighed and pointed to Mai and John, "You two will set up voice recorders and video cameras around these places," he ordered and handed Mai a piece of paper. "Do not mess up."

"Yes, yes," Mai answered, irritated.

"Yasuhara-san, could you check out the profiles of everybody who are investigating this case."

"Ok, tomorrow we would get to work," Naru said.

"What about you and Lin?" Mai asked and Naru shrugged before walking towards Lin and the both of them began to discuss quietly.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were gay," Mai muttered and John snorted before holding his mouth to keep himself from laughing.

"This snow storm sure is ferocious," Masako said. She was looking out of the huts square like window. She was right, the winds banged continuously on the glass window making them rattle and the snow swirled so quickly everything was like a white blur. Mai and John stood up and joined her at the window. "It's like a close circle," John said and the two girls stared at him with questioning looks.

"Something mysterious happens and the people are trapped, thus only they themselves can help themselves," John answered. "It happens most of the time in detective dramas."

"Oh, like detective Conan," Masako said and she regretted it almost immediately.

"Masako, what is it with you and detective Conan," Mai said. Masako held her kimono up to cover her blushing face. "Shut up," she said and continues to stare out of the window.

Suddenly she gasped and she stood up. Mai and John noticing her shock turned to look out of the window and they fell back gasping. The window's glass was frosted because of the cold but there was most definitely a face mark printed on the frosted window.

The face print was moving slowly and it moved sideways across the frosted window, slowly. The eyes of the face mark were closed and Mai swallowed the saliva that was forming in her mouth. It moved slowly, sliding like a snail. Before it slid downwards and disappeared. It had left a path along the frosted window.

Ayako, Bou-san and Yasuhara-san who had noticed this all stood up and rushed towards the windows. Masako placed her hand on the window. "It's warm," she said. As she said this, a loud thud was heard outside the hut. Something had fallen on the soft snow. Mai jumped and Naru stood up. He walked towards the doors of the hut and without hesitating open the door.

"Naru!" Mai shouted.

A dark figure landed on Naru with such force it forced Naru on the ground. Ayako and Bou-san had their hands up ready to chant when Mai gave a scream. Lin winced and Ayako gasped. Bou-san turned away, John landed on the ground, wanting to puke, Yasuhara-san and Masako stood rooted on the spot each not knowing how to react. Naru pushed the figure away before standing up.

There was a dark spreading stain on his shirt and he stood there gasping. Lin the first to recover walked towards the figure and with nimble hands flipped the figure over, Mai winced there was a deep gaping hole in the figure's stomach and red blood was flowing smoothly. The figure had a face, Mai suppose, because where the face should have been, was just two pairs of close slitted eyes. There was no nose, no mouth; those features seemed to have been burnt away.

Then at the corner of her eyes Mai saw something white and moving towards their hut. "Close the door!" Masako and Mai shouted at the same time. The white figure was approaching fast, so fast it was almost upon their door when John slammed it shut.

There was silence for a few minutes before they heard a soft knock on their door. Mai gulped.

"Don't open it," Mai commanded John.

Tense silence filled the room and Masako slowly backed away from the window, pulling Ayako and Bou-san back too.

"Don't look," she whispered.

There was another faint knock, then another and soon knocking and rapping sounds could be heard around the window. Mai heard Ayako gasped and saw Masako covering the woman's eyes.

"Don't look," she said again. Mai turned and caught a glimpse of a face, pale and small staring into the room through the window. It was a woman. "Mai," Masako warned and Mai turned away. Mai looked away, she could feel the woman outside the window staring and inspecting everyone in the room.

There was a slight tap on the window, the tapings got louder and Mai held her breath. Please, she thought, please don't break. The window must not break. Soon the tapping became more violent bangs and the window rattled with each force. The house seems to shake and the winds outside howled even more loudly.

"Let me in," the woman rasped.

There was a shuddering boom and a strong gust of wind.

Then, it was gone. Masako sank to the ground and Bou-san heaved a big sigh. All turned to look at the figure on the ground.

"His dead," Lin answered.

It was a dead body of one of the villagers.