The second floor looked like a swamp. Trees with moss and vines filled the indoor room while fog filled the air. As the group stepped over leaves and sticks, Su was looking around in amazement.
"I want to make my room like this," she said as Mei took her hand and pulled her along.
"That would be cool as long as you make it less creepy."
Rin chuckled as he ran up to Keitaro's side. "This reminds me of a cartoon back in America. You know which one I'm talking about right?"
"The one with the hippie and talking dog?"
"Yeah, all we need is a big blue and green van with the words 'Mystery Machine' on the side."
"One like that?" Kanako said in a dry tone as she pointed to a van that looked like it had crashed in a swamp bed. Everyone sweat dropped as they noticed the van match the description Rin gave. They saw the van had claw marks and bloody hand prints and blood pools inside and out of it.
"That's... messed up," Mitsune said taking Keitaro hand.
"It's not that scary guys,.." Haitani started as he looked inside the van.
"The clown is back..." Kanako had a mischievous grin as Haitani jumped inside the van and closed the doors.
"Haitani, hurry up and get out of there! We need to keep moving if we want to get to the fourth floor."
Haitani slowly came out of the van, scowling as he rejoined the group. "So not funny!"
"Yes it was..." Kanako replied back as Haitani moved to the back of the group. Motoko started to chuckle at the young man.
"Hey isn't that a turtle?" This time Haitani laughed as Motoko went running for Keitaro.
"Keep it away! Evil creature!" she screamed, making Keitaro sweat drop as she hugged him.
"Let's keep going," Mei said as she took Kanako and Su's hands. The group kept moving forward till they heard another set of footsteps around them. Stopping they could hear shuffling steps and moans. They circled up,
putting their backs to each other.
"Keep your eyes open!" Rin told the group.
"They're surrounding us!" Motoko said as her and Kanako took fighting stances. Su looked around and spotted a cabin.
"There, I think we need to go in that building!" The gang looked to where she was pointing.
"There's an opening guys. Think we should take it?" Mitsune asked the group.
"It could be a trap, but it's all we got. Run for it!" Keitaro said as they all ran for the cabin. He stopped at the door as he took count of everyone before running in himself and locking the door. "Anyone see a way out of here?"
Kanako and Mei looked around the kitchen area. They both jumped as a hand burst though the wooden shutters. "Nothing here, But they're trying to get in," Mei called back.
Mitsune looked in one of the bedrooms. "There's a window but they're trying to get in t+here too."
"No way out here," Rin called with Su following him out of the bathroom.
Motoko looked over the living room. As Keitaro ran past her, she heard a hollow sound underneath the floorboards. Stomping on the same spot, she found a handle. "Everyone, over here!" Opening the trap door, she found one of the steps was made of an exit sign. The gang quickly made their way down into the basement of the cabin before Motoko followed behind and locked the door with three deadbolts.
"How did they fit all of this?" Haitani asked out loud looking around the dark for a light.
"Let's worry about getting out of here," Mitsune answered as she took hold of a string hanging from the ceiling. Pulling it, a dim bulb came on, lighting up the dirt floor and wooden wall room. Everyone gasped at the sight of
Shirai, who was tied down to some stakes over a hexagram. Haitani ran over to his side as he untied their friend. Shirai slowly woke up while wiping some drool off his face.
"Hey... what... I'm I..."
"How did you wind up here?" Keitaro asked as the rest of the gang circled around.
"All I remember was being left behind ..." He paused as he glared at the guilty three. "Next thing I know I'm falling down this long shaft and getting attacked by zombies and almost eaten by a swamp monster."
"Did you see a way to the next floor from here?" Mei asked as he was being helped up.
"My best guess made from all the horror movies I've ever seen...is that book shelf sitting over there."
Everyone sweat dropped as they looked at the large wooden shelf that was full of books. "That's so lame..." Rin said as Keitaro and Haitani pushed the shelf aside. Everyone looked down the dark hallway as a fog rolled out of it.
"We only have two more floors to go, guys, so let's get a move on. I want to get out of here and go get some ice cream," Mitsune said as she took the lead.
Naru sighed as she stood on the roof of the fun house. A few kids ran past her as they went down the slide leading back down to the park. Giving up on her hunt for Keitaro, she went down the slide herself. Walking down the trail leading to the rides, she found Ichigo and Haruka looking over a poster.
"Think we should give it a try? The kids are still running around and we still got a load of time to kill." Ichigo asked.
"Let's get those stuffed animals back to the van first. I'm not pushing those damn things around anymore." The two adults were about to leave when they spotted Naru. "Where's your sister at?"
"She's with Mitsune last I knew. Have you seen Keitaro around by any chance?"
The two adults looked at each other, both raising an eyebrow. "No, my guess is that he is with Kanako though. Why, what do you need him for?" Ichigo asked crossing his arms. "If you're looking to finish whatever business you had with him this morning then I'll take you back to the Hotel, and believe me you're going to hate it. I'll make sure you work off your debt the rest of tonight and tomorrow."
"No it's nothing like that!" Naru exclaimed after gulping. "I think Mei joined him and his sister, that's all."
The adults seem to relax a bit. "They weren't at the fun house?" Haruka asked the young girl.
"No, I just came from there."
"You think they would have tried the other house?"
Ichigo thought Haruka's question over a bit. "They could have. That prize could have drawn anyone in."
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Try the haunted house. They're giving a prize to whoever gets though the whole thing." Ichigo then took hold of the shopping cart as Haruka followed him. "Remember, don't cause any trouble or I'll make you hate life."
"Same goes for me," Haruka added.
Naru looked at the poster of the haunted house as she checked her yen again. "Damn it... They better be there!"
The third floor was made to look like an old Japanese styled house. As the gang went down the dimly lit halls, they could see shadows moving behind the paper walls.
"This is the third floor? Not so bad...I guess," Shirai said only to be slapped on the back of the head.
"Fool! Their waiting for our guard to lower," Motoko informed the young man.
"She's right, look how long they've been watching us," Kanako held Mei's hand as Su kept looking behind them.
"Didn't we pass this room before?" Haitani asked, pointing to a room with a mangled, bloody looking body in it.
"H-how did we do that?" Rin started walking back the way they came before Motoko grabbed him.
"Don't! They want us to panic."
"We stay together no matter what," Keitaro said as Mitsune took out a pen and paper.
"Think back guys. We took a left when we first came down,right?"
"After that we found ourselves in the cannibal kitchen, where we went straight." Rin added.
"Then there was the evil samurai that Motoko sent flying though the wall at the right," Su said as she watched a shadow crawl through the hallway behind them.
"Next Kanako punched out the grabby-handed pervert that cupped her chest before going straight again," Shirai chuckled as Kanako hugged her chest.
"Perverted bastard! What kind of scare was that supposed to be?"
After Mitsune finished, she held up the sketch. "We did go in a somewhat straight line. So How did we circle around like that?"
"What rooms did we go though?" Keitaro questioned.
"The kitchen, bedroom, a hallway, and the tea room," Su answered.
"What if one of the rooms was a turntable? Like in a fun house." Rin then pointed out.
"It would make sense seeing as it's made by the same people." Haitani said looking behind the gang. "Is it just me or did the hallway get longer?" The group looked back as the lights started to go out down the newly stretched hall. When it got to the end however a figure was standing at the end. It held up a head as it slowly made a cutting motion cross its throat. The last light flickered off as the figure's footsteps echoed through the halls.
"Let's getting moving!" screamed Mitsune as the gang took off down the hall. "Think people, we need to get it right this time around or we're done for."
"If it's a turntable then we should go left or one of the rights." Shirai said looking back to make sure Kanako and Su were still behind him.
"Which one?"
"Um... Second! Let's try the second one," Keitaro screamed.
"We can't afford to get this wrong, you know. This is all or nothing!"
"In the words of my dad, roll the dice!" Rin said as they made the first right. Not even stopping as the ghoul jumped from the wall, they made a left.
"Look, an elevator! Good call, Keitaro." Mitsune smiled at her boyfriend as they slowed down.
"Let's go for it guys - fourth floor, here we come!" Su laughed as they started to fill the elevator. When the last person entered, Keitaro pressed the button. They waited only to have nothing happen.
"So you made it this far..." A voice called from the darkness.
"Yeah let us at that basement floor!" Mei exclaimed as she pushed the button again.
"Slow it down, little missy." The man from the entrance then stepped out into the light. "This next floor is your final test. That is one that has a few catches to it."
"And what are those?" Mitsune asked in a irritated tone.
"First catch is you all have enter alone." The man could already tell they weren't happy with his rule. "Second is you can't wait for each other. Once you're down there, the next person can't enter till you pass the halfway
mark. You show the slightest sign that you're stopping to wait, you're going to be escorted out and disqualified. At anytime you want to quit, just yell out that you want out. With the rules given to you I bid you all farewell and good luck." He then slipped away, back into the darkness.
The group exited the elevator as they looked at one another. Mitsune could see Kanako wanted to cry as did Mei. She could see even Motoko was upset at the idea of being alone through the last floor. Su started to whimper as she kept to Motoko's side. Rin took hold of Mei's hand as she kept shaking.
"I-I can do this Oniisan. Don't worry about me. I-I'm not..." Kanako couldn't hold it back any longer as she hugged Keitaro.
"I'm not going to be angry if you don't want to do this." He could feel her shaking in his arms. "Think of the fun we had on the roller coaster today." He could feel her calming down. "Keep thinking about that and everything else we did this week. I'm going to go first so when you get though we can go right back to having fun." Kanako slowly let go of Keitaro as he backed into the elevator.
"Keitaro wait!" Mitsune called as she ran up and hugged him. "You're a good brother. I'll be doing the same for Mei so go right ahead and give Kanako the time of her life."
"We'll meet with the rest of you at the food stands. We'll finish the day together, and I mean all of us."
"I love you babe."
With a kiss Mitsune backed out of the elevator. With a gulp he pressed the button, making the door close and the elevator made its descent. Mitsune turned back to the rest of the gang as they all seemed distressed.
Kanako was still crying as she waited by the doors for her turn. Mitsune went right over to Mei who was fighting back tears herself as Rin held her hand. "Hey suga, when we get through this, how about we go win a few more big animals before getting some sweets." Mei only nodded as a buzzer went off and the elevator started back up. Kanako slowly entered it as she pressed the button.
"I-I saw a Neko Midnight doll like Kanako's at one of the booths."
"Darling, that doll is as good as yours."
Shirai and Haitani looked over at Rin as he kept shaking. Haitani put his hand over his shoulder to help the boy calm down. Mitsune went over to him next. "Your dad would be so proud of you right now. You're such a brave boy, you know that?" She chuckled as he grinned.
"We'll go before you buddy. After we get out we can hit up a few vendors for some fireworks," Shirai offered to the young boy. "That goes for you two as well. What do you say, girls?" He offered to Su and Motoko.
"Fireworks sound fun... right Motoko?" The young samurai only nodded as the buzzer went off again. Mitsune went inside the elevator as she hit the button. "I'll wait for you, Mei."
After checking her watch, Naru huffed as she waited alone at the entrance of the haunted house. She nearly jumped out of her skin as a large metal door swung opened. "Good evening young miss to hell on earth. Are you alone tonight my dear?" The black suited man asked with a bow.
"Drop the act buddy! I want to know if a dorky looking guy with a little gothic looking girl came though here."
"Hm? Friends of yours that passed away recently, I presume?"
"I said drop the act! Did they come here or not?"
The man in the suit opened his small notebook as he flipped though a few pages. "Let's see here... ah yes, Keitaro and Kanako Urashima, ages sixteen and thirteen."
"When did they come out?"
"Out? Sorry but they're still playing our little game. But why are you worried about those two? Your sister is in there as well."
"W-wait, what did you say?"
Again he flipped though his book. "Mei Narusegawa, age thirte-"
"How could you let her go in alone?" Naru growled as she grabbed the man by his collar. He only sighed as he looked at his book again. "She entered with a Mitsune Konno. Now, are you here to enter or waste my time?"
Letting go of the man, she took out the yen, shoved them in his hands before trying to enter the elevator, only to have it slam shut.
"Sorry but the elevator is closed." Naru watched as a small door clicked open and a small light flickered on. "You're going to have to take the stairs." Naru glared at him as she stomped her way through the door as it slammed shut. "She just earned herself the 'special' treatment..."
Mitsune found herself in a hospital like floor. The lights were flickering on and off as she started down the light blue and white halls. She came to a sign at the end with a arrow pointing left that read 'Psychiatric Floor' and to the right 'Emergency Room'. A sign underneath in blood said 'choose your fate'.
"Which sounds better... Crazy or dying people?" Looking at both doors she decided to go with psychiatric ward. With a deep sigh, she pushed the buzzer and the door clicked open. After she entered, the door slammed and locked shut. Again she gave a deep sigh as she kept pressing on.
The further she went the stranger the halls seemed. The colors went from the blue and white to a sickening yellow and brown. There was blood and other bodily-looking waste smeared on the walls and doors. Beds were turned over and some looked like they've been set on fire. She noticed how one looked like the person was strapped in the bed when it was set on fire. She gagged at the sight as she ran past it, only to jump as a man banged on a door with a large glass window.
"Hey let me out! Hehe... come on, unlock the door." She tried to ignore him as she went past only to have him bang on the door harder as he kicked at the glass. "OPEN THE DOOR!" he then screamed as she started to run. "You wanna ignore me?" The door blew open as he charged out of the room. She could see he had a bloody scalpel in his hand. "Come here!" Mitsune started sprinting as he chased after her. Another patient came sprinting around the corner, making her go down the opposite hall. She stopped when she noticed they weren't chasing her anymore.
Looking around, she found herself turned around at a four-way. "Great! Now what?" Looking for a sign, she found one that read 'Operating Theater'. Walking down the hall, she kept looking into patient rooms to see a woman banging her head on the wall, a man eating bloody remains of something, and a man writing scribbles on the walls. Coming to some double doors, she slowly opened the door as it looked like the doctor was already working on a patient. The room itself was in a large circle with thick glass that looked down over the operating room. The door marked exit was on the other side of the room with stairs that came level with the operating room and opened with the glass separating the two. She slowly started around the room when she noticed it wasn't the patient but the doctor lying on the table. The deranged patient grabbed a large saw off the table, revved it up, and slammed it into the doctor who screamed as blood splattered everywhere.
Mitsune ran for the exit as the psycho charged at the glass. Running the blade across the glass, he made sparks shoot out as he laughed. When she came to the end of the hall she found an elevator. "Thank god this is over..." She pressed the button as she rested on the railing. Her eyes shot open when she noticed it was going down, not up.
The doors open as she found herself in a prison. She could see the exit on the second floor as each cell had a inmate in it. As she left the elevator they started to whistle and howl at her. The sign above the exit read 'Death Row'.
"Hey baby, got a boyfriend?"
"Take it off sugar, come on!"
"You look yummy...let me taste you!"
At this point she was running up the steps. She could hear screaming as she looked back to see a guard being grabbed by a inmate before being choked. Her eyes widened as the inmate went for the keys. Running up the last flight she found another set of stairs at the exit. Almost out of breath she made it up to the top as she was buzzed though a large steel door. Inside the room she found herself in another theater. A intercom buzzed alive making her jump.
"Take a seat, please."
Mitsune gulped as she did so. She was about to run when seven more people came into the room and took a seat. Everyone watched as the lights kicked on behind a window while an inmate was escorted over to a electric chair by two guards. It all seemed real as a wet sponge was put on the top of his head and the priest read his last rights. She could hear the women in front of her saying how he was getting what he deserved. It was all set as the guard took his place at the switch. They waited as the warden gave the thumbs up.
As the switch was pulled Mitsune was horrified as the inmate was electrocuted. After his death the lights went out. She sat still till the lights came back on and no one was in the room, not even the inmate. She was shaking as she stood up and headed for the flashing exit sign.
Finding another elevator, praying for the end, she hit the button as she felt herself going up this time. When the doors open she was in a long hallway that looked like she was inside someone's intestines with lights at the end. Not wanting to waste any time she sprinted down the hall as she could hear sounds from the board walk. She felt even safer as she felt the wind from the outside. Finally coming to the end, she stopped to catch her breath before following the sign that lead her down the hill and back to the entrance.
"Mitsune, hey over here!" She felt her heart jump from her chest as Keitaro stood up from a bench where Kanako was also waiting. Running to him, she buried herself in his chest. "It was horrible! That last part... I thought he was actually being killed." After a few minutes of her crying she let go as Kanako hugged her too. "How you hold up, honey? Did you make it all the way through?"
"It was horrible like you said, but I made it all the way though. The part when the guy was put in the guillotine was gross."
"Guillotine? I saw a man get the electric chair."
"I watched a man get the firing squad. I think everyone gets a different set up because I started in a subway station, before winding up in a high school, and ended in the Zombified Wild West."
"Wait, so all of us get the prize?" Mitsune asked looking around for her grand prize.
"I'm guessing they're waiting to see how many of us make it out before handing out the prize," Kanako answered as Mei came down from the hill. Running to Mitsune she hugged her as Kanako joined them.
"I did it, I got through the basement!"
Following her was Shirai. "I made it! Holy crap, I'm never doing that again! I am NOT built to run like that."
Waiting, they watched as Motoko came down. Next was Su who went to Mei and Kanako for a hug. Rin came sprinting from the hill as he went to Mei to see if she was alright. Haitani was the last one down as he walked down from the hill.
"So where the heck are our prizes?" Mei asked just as the man in the suit came out holding a camera."
"I never thought I would have a whole group pass though our house like that. I was sure I'd get at least four of you to run away with your tails between your legs." He waved over to a man wearing a white mask as he took the camera. "Because I never had such a large group like we're doing something different. Everyone, group picture." The suited man took a spot next to the entrance as he held up a sign that read 'Survivors'. Keitaro and Mitsune stood in the back with Kanako and Mei between them in the front. Shirai and Haitani stood beside Keitaro as Rin, Su, and Motoko took to the front beside Kanako and Mei. "Say spooky!"
"Spooky!" The group cheered as the flash went off.
"And now what you all went through hell to get, your prizes!" The suited man waved three more men in white masks over as they carried three boxes each. Everyone picked a box as the men ran back inside the house.
Looking at each other they slowly opened their boxes.
Mitsune pulled out two free passes to both the fun house and the haunted house. Next was a yellow folder. Opening it she laughed at the pictures of her and the rest of the gang going though the house. She pulled a videotape that was labeled 'Your Near Death Experience'. Finally, she took out ten thousand yen, a free movie pass, and a free boat rental.
"That's not all! Well, we didn't have a bunch of these made so... I hope you guys don't mind sharing." He then pulled out a trophy with an evil smiling pumpkin on the top.
"Woohoo ten thousand yen!" Rin exclaimed, jumping up and down with his money.
"Free movie passes; we can all come back and see a movie." Mei and Su laughed.
"We can still go to the fun house tonight, Oniisan." Kanako said, pulling on Keitaro's sleeve.
"Let's go, I need it after that. You coming along guys?" He asked his two friends.
"No more clowns..." Haitani shivered as Shirai patted his back.
"We're going to sit this one out. Hey, what's with the free boat rental?"
The Suited man looked back as he let two more people in the haunted house. "It's a great way to see the fireworks tonight. I threw them in thinking you guys knew that."
"Oniisan, can we see the fireworks tonight?"
"I promise we'll go see the fireworks before we leave." Keitaro patted Kanako's head as he chuckled.
"Hey Mitsune, remember the Neko Midnight doll I was talking about?" Mei asked Mitsune.
"How can I forget? Let's get going if we want to win it before the fireworks."
"Yeah! Let me get my panda."
Haitani and Shirai looked over at Motoko and Su before Rin jumped on Haitani's back. "You promised me fireworks!"
"That we did. Coming girls?" Haitani asked as he gave Rin a piggyback ride.
"Fireworks yeah!" Su cheered as she jumped on Shirai's back.
Motoko started to curse under her breath. "More men hanging around is all we need. Whatever, they're buying, so..."
Again the group split up as they left to enjoy the rest of the night. No one noticed Naru being carried out by two white masked men from a hidden door next to the trash bins. Carrying her over to the benches, they set her
down as the park security came to get her. "Zombies, Giant ants, and C-clowns."