Chapter 9: Eternally Bound
I glanced around the kitchen unsurely as I did my best to stop myself sneezing from my tickly nose. FINALLY I had found the X on the treasure map only to find the counters dusty and the fridge bare. Resisting the urge to slump to the floor as it was in a worse condition that the surfaces around me I pondered my next move in the master grand plan of things.
With no food in the kitchen, the tiny rations that I did have gone and no where else to look, it left the town an hour away. Hesitancy pulled at my consciousness and with good reason. To leave this house was bad enough, especially with no team members going with me but this mansion was in the middle of nowhere and the forest along the road to get here put chills down my back, and I had been in the car at the time, not in the open. My stomach rumbled loudly, its insistent gurgling demanding food.
Without thinking I left the dirty room and followed back along the corridors, avoiding staring into the mirror and dashing into the room for my jacket. Although it was the middle of the summer, I knew it would be cool in the shadows of the forest and who knew how long I would be. I took my purse from my bag and tucking it in the jacket pocket I finally left the house.
Being inside the creepy house had made me forget about the beauty of the surrounding land, it was like the storm last night had never occurred. The ground was dry and the grass was pure green and stretched for miles away. Throughout the grounds were bushes and trees and in the distance I saw a straight line of large hedgerows twice my height. I decided I would check them out later when I returned, my body itched to investigate now but hunger was a more immediate problem. It seemed to take forever to walk down the avenue and by the time I came to the small bridge my mind was already filled with suspicions as I glanced at the river. Sure it was pretty high but no where even near flooding level… Where had everyone gone last night?
I thought for a brief second before I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, I felt eyes boring into me full with some kind of intent, whether it was good or bad I couldn't tell. I breathed calmly, I am a ghost investigator, and I can handle anything. Before I could take a step forward to dash off the property and I forced myself to hastily turn around. I let myself blink once then twice before shaking my head, it had almost seemed for a second that I had seen that old woman standing in front of the unopened front door but she disappeared in the blink of an eye. Hallucination, I really needed to get food, I already felt really tired and nauseous even though there was nothing in my stomach to throw up. I stared around me for another moment before I nearly tripped over my feet dashing to the gate and swinging it shut behind me.
I didn't bother to look back knowing that I would have a feeling of dread just looking at the house; instead I looked onwards towards the dim forest with its odd trees on both sides of the road, meeting above it to form a type of archway.
I took my first hesitant step before taking another and gradually producing a slow walk, I paused before forcing myself to take a step under the trees outstretched creaking branches and immediately felt the coolness of the shade descend upon me causing a brief shudder.
Calming my thoughts with teddy bears and picnics I left the safety of the closest civilisation and began my long haul trek to the town. An hour's journey by car meant at least a two to four hour walk, by the time I reached the town and got everything I needed it'd be too dark to start the walk back. Perhaps I could stay in a hotel and wait for Yasuhara to give me a lift tomorrow morning. That way I could view the information without being seen by Naru or anyone else.
'Mai' a soft swirl of wind blew past me, letting my loose hair fly into my face and stinging my eyes. I pushed it back quickly as I strained to see what was ahead of me as the leaves of the trees rustled tenaciously overhead.
That overwhelming of a vision flooded my senses and I quickly closed my eyes and calmed down my breathing, letting myself flow with it and not struggle against it as Lin-san had briefly taught me.
'Come child,' I breathed deeply again and my awareness of my surroundings faded out from under me after I felt my knees and then my face hit the concrete of the road.
"Ju-kun, wait up!" a little girl called out after a boy not much older than her. "Ju-kin!!!" she squealed as she tripped over a fallen log that had gone unnoticed by her as she had tried to catch up with the faster child in front of her. The boy turned back to glance at her and shook his head exasperatedly.
"Can you not stay on your feet for even a second," he scoffed as he walked back to where the little girl was on the ground sniffling quietly, her eyes downcast and therefore not seeing the concerned look she was getting from her friend. "What did you do now?" he scowled and with folded arms he hunched down to her level on the forest floor.
The girl peeked up from underneath her fringe but flinched and looked back down when she made eye contact with him. "Jushiro," she whispered quietly as she clutched the hem of her dress, "I'm sorry for holding you back again," she hiccupped, "I tried to keep up, I really did," she glanced up tearfully, "You should just leave me behind, I'll head back to the house,"
Before she could move or even begin to protest Jushiro had hauled her to her feet, "You're staying with me, I'm not going to leave you ever," he said softly before planting a kiss on her cheek. Both children blushed and looked away from the other, a small smile playing on their lips.
Hmm something is seriously weird, the amount of words not including this AN is 1089 in microsoft word but when I uploaded the document it became 1100 and I hadn't edited it yet. What's going on there????
Oh another problem. My internet is really really slow, it's speed ranges from 36-54 Mbps when it used to be around 106, it's not like I download and the speed is making watching videos a pain to load. Anyone know how to boost the speed? We've tried speed tests but they're not working