I would like to apologize for this taking so long to be updated. My only explanation is that life happened, I got strep throat and bronchitis and I fell behind in my school work. My original goal was to update about once a week but I think it might end up being once every two, but I am working on this. I sincerely am sorry. I hope this is everything you were waiting for and that you continue to read.
Miss Archery
P.S. I also wanted to say that this story is intended to take on a more mature attitude towards Ghost Hunt. So, the characters might seem different but I am trying my best to keep the soul the same.
When they arrived at the client's house Naru set the team immediately to work. Mai, in her juvenile way, observed the house with interest. Once they unloaded the van and set up the base, with plenty of entertainment from Monk and Ayako's complaining and bickering, the team set up the sleeping arrangements. Since the male to female ratio was tilted in the men's direction the boys would take the large guest bedroom while Mai and Ayako would be sleeping in the base—the living room- in sleeping bags, much to Ayako's distress.
"John, Ayako —Walk through the house and get a reading," bit out Naru in full work mode. "Mai, Monk – Set up cameras in all of the rooms and take the temperature."
Monk groaned and mumbled something about Ayako getting the easy jobs.
"Come on Monk, let's get to work," said Mai. She was too weary to fight about the treatment she received from Naru. This was dually noted by her young boss who was beginning to realize that his assistant had not been normal since she woke up.
"Geez Mai how do you handle the snippiness all the time?" Commented the Monk, incredulously. He worked on angling a camera in the living room while Mai set up the microphone.
"I don't know," she commented offhandedly. "I guess you just get used to it." There was silence in the room as they continued to work.
"Mai," said Monk breaking the still air. "Are you alright? You haven't been acting yourself lately." His face showed worry and concern.
"Yeah, I just had a troubling dream on the way up here."
"You had a dream?" Monk now looked alarmed. "Did you tell Naru? Mai this could be important!"
"Monk stop scolding me! I told him once I woke up," she said. He deflated like a dog realizing that it wasn't intruders coming into the house but it's master.
They were walking down a hallway to the Iwate's girl's room. Monk opened the door and there was a soft whooshing sound. The hair's on the back of Mai's neck rose and she had the sudden feeling that she should run. Her companion did not seem to notice anything and began to walk into the room when Mai gripped his sleeve.
"Mai?" he asked, worried.
She swallowed. "I," she stopped, breathed then continued. "I have a bad feeling, Monk." The tall man nodded, before pulling out a small radio. When it came to Mai it was better to be cautious then to ignore her intuition.
"Naru?" Monk asked into the device.
"What is it?" responded an irritated voice.
"Mai," Monk said. "She says she has a bad feeling."
"Where are you?" Naru snapped urgently.
"Outside of the Sara and Sakura's room," he answered. "Do you want us to go in?"
Silence. Then the sounds of footsteps were heard from the other end of the hall. Looking around they saw Naru walking towards them.
"Yes in fact, I do want you to go in." Monk looked at Naru, shocked, but then shook the feeling and stepped into the room with Mai and Naru close behind.
Mai felt both relieved and uncomfortable. On one hand having her boss there made her feel safer. On the other, he was watching her very intently for her reactions. Shaking it off she walked forward. She then stepped over the threshold, and collapsed. There was an exclamation in surprise from Monk as he ran to her worriedly. Naru, who was already kneeling next to Mai, placed a hand gently on her cheek and looked at her face intently. Her eyes although open had taken on a milky appearance and she seemed to be unconscious.
"What happened?" cried Monk almost frantic.
Naru did not answer but his eyes were hard and his jaw clenched, yet his hands were almost tender as he scooped her up into his arms. He let her head loll into his collar. Monk stared and shuddered at the blank gaze of his sister like friend in Naru's arms. Naru walked back out of the room.
"Monk, finish setting up the camera and come back to base." With that he turned around and headed back to base.
The first thing Mai noticed was that her arms were above her head and bound. The next thing she realized was much more alarming; she couldn't see. She could feel her eyes blink but everything was dark. Crying out in alarm and fright, she struggled with her bonds in her hands only to find that her legs and feet were bound against a wall making her body form an 'X'. Tears were dripping down her face by now. Screaming and sobbing, the feeling of claustrophobia was noxious.
A high and evil laugh traveled to Mai's ears quietly. Freezing mid sob she started shaking violently. The voice grew nearer until she could feel the soft huffing of warm breath in her ear. There was a whisper so light that if whatever it was had not been right next to her, Mai would never have heard it.
"You look delicious."
Mai's insides were twisting painfully with anxiety, and terror. She was so stiff that it was a wonder that her bones had not snapped yet. She felt cold fingers lift her shirt above her stomach and gently stroke her smooth skin. Next thing she knew there was a horrible ripping sensation where the fingers were. She screamed. She had never felt anything so painful in her life.
Then whatever it was that was doing this to her started lapping up the blood eagerly gripping her hips roughly.
Mai blacked out.
When Naru —hurriedly- reached the base he placed Mai on the couch, slightly relieved to set her down. When he was half way down the hall Mai had started struggling in his arms and he was unsure he wouldn't drop her. Now she was on laying on the couch her milky eyes staring up with tears leaking out. Lin, who had been typing something, came over next to Naru with his brows furrowed.
"What happened?" the Chinese man asked, concerned. Naru was just about to answer when she opened her mouth and screamed. Kneeling beside her Naru shook her.
"Mai!" he called. Nothing just more screaming. Naru was becoming increasingly less in control of himself. All he felt like doing was going into her head and socking whatever was causing Mai to scream like that.
She stopped screaming. Naru was just about to sigh in relief when she started quivering in tumults. Tears still cascading from her eyes continually. Without knowing why, Naru gripped her hand gently.
"Naru!" asserted Lin just as the girl began to scream once again.
Naru looked away from Mai's face and looked at Lin who had taken off his tie and was pressing it to Mai's abdomen. His eye's snapped to her stomach and then widened in the shear horror of it. Her light pink tee-shirt was staining red.
Taking off his jacket he flung it at Lin and bolted out the door. Running as near frantic as possible throughout the house, he flung multiple doors open until he heard the surprised voices he was looking for. Ayako and John looked at him with shock written in every line of their face. It was not just being startled it was the fact that the look on Naru's face was more emotional then they had ever seen. His jaw was clenched, his fists were so tight that the tendons were clearly showing and his eyes showed such a pure emotion that they were almost causing the temperature to drop from their intensity.
"Matsuzaki! Mai needs your medical attention!"
The woman's face went from surprise to white dread in a preternatural speed. She darted out of the room and fallowed Naru to the base, John only a few steps behind.
Ayako flew into the base and shoved Lin and Monk, who had only returned to base a few moments before, out of her way. She inspected the wound on the girl's stomach, tossing the bloodied jacket and tie away. At least Mai had stopped screaming, though now her eyes were closed.
Taking charge of the situation Ayako barked orders at the rest of the team.
"John get me my medical kit. Monk get me hot water. Lin, towels. Naru go get a clean shirt for her."
They all promptly went and retrieved what was needed. Before they returned Ayako had taken off the girl's now red and pink shirt.
When they returned Ayako went about washing the blood away and sanitizing the wound. When she finished she took a needle from the medical kit and sewed the gashes together.
Ayako sighed, quite loudly, in relief. "She'll be fine now." The tension in the room relaxed. Monk slumped against the wall and John sighed. Lin closed his eyes and let a ghost of a smile play on his face. Naru relaxed his hands and looked at the girl as Ayako cleaned the remainder of the blood. Then he noticed something and leaned a little closer to the Mai.
"The gashes," he said breaking the relieved silence. "They look like claw marks."
Silence.
Ayako put bandages around the marks before putting the over large shirt on Mai.
When everything settled down and it was assumed that Mai was no longer in danger everyone went back to work finishing their previously abandoned tasks. Naru, sat next to Mai while she slept reading a file. He zoned in and out of focus as he glanced back and forth from the file to Mai. When she suddenly started to stir he closed the file to give her his full attention.
Her eye lids fluttered and Naru kneeled next to her. "Mai,' he called firmly. Her eye's snapped open and glanced around. Naru felt his stomach churn when he saw the foggy film over her eyes.
"Mai," he said, again firmly.
"N-Naru?" she asked, unsure. Her eyes were darting in every direction possible.
"I'm here Mai."
"I-I can't see. Where are you?" tears threatened to fall once more from her face.
Naru although surprised at her statement instinctively grabbed her hand in his. "I'm right here Mai."
He felt her relax a bit. "What's going on? Why can't I see?" she cried.
Naru carefully used his other hand to prop her up into a sitting position. She cried out when her stomach was moved. He squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I don't know," he said softly. "Mai, can you tell me what you dreamed about?"
Mai froze and her grip on his hand tightened. "Y-yes. I-I think so." As best as she could Mai retold her dream to Naru. By the end Mai was wiping tears from her cheeks.
Naru, now sitting next to her, did a very un-Naru action and gingerly pulled her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her back and let her cry onto his shirt. She soon fell back asleep, most likely due to the pain killers that Ayako had given her and Naru scrupulously laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. He then got back to working on figuring out the case with a new urgent fervor.
He then decided it was time to contact back up.
