The author gets nightmares at night after writing this

The forbidden forest

File 13#

Little red riding hood entered the forest

He was there, standing in the darkness. He wasn't smiling. Mai ran over to Naru. "What is wrong, Naru?" she asked. Naru took her hand and squeezed it. Mai wanted to pull away but held herself. "Mai, the village is sinking." He said.

"I told you I can't..."

Naru placed his hand over her mouth. "I know." He said and a small sad smile appeared on his lips. "We're...just too alike, I know you wouldn't leave." He said. He clicked his fingers and they were standing in hollow space. Mai gasped. Fires were everywhere, burning the houses; people were dressed in white hoods and dancing around their fires.

"What is going on Naru?" she asked. Naru was grim. "The ritual; is starting, the festival is burning, the night woman will bring the spell of doom and the fires will consume the village."

"What is wrong...Naru?"

"Memorise it Mai." He said. Mai looked at him and he squeezed her hand and pulled her close, hugging her close. "You be safe."

"AKAI!"

Mai opened her eyes and found a very angry Masako staring at her. Mai stood up shocked. "Shit, I fainted again." She said. Masako pulled Mai's ear. Mai hit her. "What is that for!" she shouted. 'While you were here leaning on this wall dozing off I was inside the police station badgering the police for the map of the town...and for some weird reason they refuse to co-operate with me!" she exclaimed. "And why did you use my real name!"

Mai sighed, and pushed Masako gently away she was getting too close. "I can't tell you." She said. Masako looked like she was about to kill her. "Anyway since they refuse to give you the map then we would have to resort to other measures." Mai said, smiling.

"Please tell me why I am not keen on your plan." Masako groaned.

"Because you're the bait."

"I knew it."

Naru watches as the house was engulfed in flames. Lin watches silently but Naru could feel the slight shiver in Lin's arms. "Did you do that, Rin?" he asked. Lin shook his head. There was a strong gust of winds and the fire vanished. It was dark again. Naru glared at the house. It was still intact. It was still standing.

"Naru." Lin said. Naru placed his hand on his chin cupping it. "Phantom fire." He whispered. Lin heard him and his eyes widen. "This is not good." Naru whispered. He turned to stare at the forest. The cicadas have started up again. The darkness in the forest seemed to twist and turn. He remembered the carvings on the trees.

He flipped out Shiho's hand phone from his pocket and flipped it open. He scanned the pictures she took and realisation hit him. "Rin...I need to know the names of everyone living in this town!" he said. Lin looked at him slightly confused.

"Why?" HE asked.

Naru slipped the hand phone into the forest. "Just do it." He said.

The policeman stood up from his desk. There was that irritating, kimono wearing girl again. Wait...this time she brought in another girl.

"Why are you still here?" he said, frustrated. "Shiho is dead, you all failed to solve the case, please just leave here."

The girl wearing the kimono forced a smile. "My name is Hara Mako." She said.

"I know that." The policemen said absentmindedly. "How did you know that?" Mako said and the policeman looked up, he flinched. The girl was sitting on the table. She placed her fingers on his chest. "Hey..." she said. The policeman sweated, he chuckled and his hands reached out towards the girl. Now that she was closer...he could see that she was really beautiful.

"Move MAKO!" a voice shouted.

The girl moved quickly, the policeman gasped. Something hard came crashing down on him. He flopped forward. "Base ball bat..." he whispered before darkness took him.

"Stop laughing." Masako said, blushing. Mai held her stomach doubling over. "When I said get his attention, I didn't mean seduce him!" Mai said. Masako turned away and Mai caught up to her laughing. "Sorry, sorry." She said.

"What about the other policemen?" Masako said.

Mai gave her a victory sign, placing the base-ball bat on her shoulder. "Took care of them." she said. "You are one violent woman."

"You are pissing me off." Mai retorted. Masako shrugged. Mai realised that she could hit Masako with the base ball bat but chose not to.

"Anyway the map." Masako said and she scooted over towards the large cabinet. Mai followed her. "It's locked!" Masako said, pulling. She turned and moved away with a cry. Mai had sent the base ball bat smashing down on the lock.

"Are you trying to kill me!" she shouted. Mai shrugged. "Sah, who knows?"

"Violent woman."

"You shouldn't piss someone who is holding a bat...off."

The cabinet locks snapped and the door opened slowly making a slight creaking noise. Masako peered inside and smiled. She fished out the map from under the contents of newspaper articles. "Ok let's go." She said. Mai stared at the newspaper articles. She took the one at the top and stared at it. "Monday, 21st February 1999." She read. She placed the newspaper down and took another newspaper from the pile. "Tuesday, 22nd February 1999." She read. Masako placed the map down and took the stack of newspaper out of the cabinet.

"10 newspapers each dating year 1999...5 years ago." She whispered.

Mai tripped and banged her head on the cabinet. The cabinet bounced and Mai's forehead smarted. Masako eyes were huge. Mai rubbed her head and stared into the cabinet. She fell back. There in front of her was a huge white hood, hanging in the middle of the cabinet. There was a hidden compartment in the cabinet itself.

Mai took the hood and flinched. It stung her nose. Masako placed her kimono over her nose. "I think we better take this information and get out of here." She said. Mai nodded in agreement. They took the whole stack of newspapers and the map and left the police station.

"Hey wouldn't they remember us?" Masako asked Mai while running. Mai smirked. "Oh, they wouldn't have any proof and what's more...they wouldn't be able to remember anything, after all, I'm a violent woman."

"They are back." Naru said when Mai entered the room. He stood up and touched Mai's forehead.

"Hey." Mai said. "No touching."

Naru did not say anything just looked at the newspapers they were holding. His eyes widened. "How did you get that?" he exclaimed.

"Girl power." Mai said. Naru ignored her comment before picking up the newspaper. He turned to Lin and Lin nodded.

'Where is Eri?" Mai asked. Naru pointed to a very exhausted Ayako who lay at the corner of the room Eri wasn't with her. "Aya, where is Eri?" Ayako looked at Naru and Naru sighed. Mai felt chills g up her spine.

"Mai...Eri she disappeared...she ran into the forest."