Chapter 25
And all the people said 'On with the story!'
It was a little after five when the wife and boys returned and Naru sat down to have another interview with the family. Both the mother and fathers answers had been consistent but sometimes things would change slightly when people were played off each other.
"Saeki, was it you who wanted the boys to be in separate rooms?"The question caught the couple off guard.
"Actually that was me." the father, Yoshida, Matsu. spoke up. "I was a twin." Mai smiled, she had read that in the papers from earlier. "We did everything together until high school then one of us became a third wheel. Always Tagging along because we were twins, when we went to college in separate schools since we liked different things it was quite difficult."
"Oka-san, can I have some milk?"
"Yes, Minoru one moment." The mother got up to leave, "I will be right back" Mai fought the urge to follow and help. She had promised and didn't want to provoke Naru to send her home.
"I told my wife when she had twins my worries and we agreed to support them as twins but also individuality." When the mother returned with a glass of milk for one boy the other boy tugged on the fathers sleeve.
"Otou-san, can we play catch?"
"Not right now dear we have to speak with these people. They will help get rid of whatever keeps hurting you." The father soothed. "How about you go play in your room, I will come after a little bit."
"Mai, go with the boys, keep them busy for a little while." Naru ordered. Mai stood and smiled.
"Ok guys you heard Mister Grumps, let's go play." Mai walked over to the boys and held out her hands. The boys readily took them and playfully dragged her after them. "Where are your rooms?"
"Now," Naru stated slightly impatiently, "Could you tell us where these incidents normally occur?"
"It started out just in the boys' rooms, and then it happened in our room, and the back yard." The mother listed off. "They also got some bruises and cuts while alone in the living room and kitchen alone, but being boys we didn't think about it too much, boys will be boys."
"So you are not sure which ones are real and which ones may be rough play?"
"Some we are not sure about, when they first started claiming it was old ladies. Recently though, I believe almost all of the recent ones are not normal, the boys have not really played hard at all lately. Just sitting and reading."
"Does it happen at certain times of the day?"
"When it started, it was only at night, but after we tried the exorcism, it has been at other times as well, more often, and harsher." The mother lowered her head and buried it in her husbands shoulder.
"You stated, it only happens when they are alone. Does that mean just one of them, or with each other or just with out you two? Has it happened around anyone else?"
"Whenever one or both of them are not with an adult. They try to be with each other as much as possible. They have always been quite close."
A scream ripped through the quiet home. "Naru!"
Naru and Lin were on their feet, instantly recognizing the scream. Before the parents realized what happened both had fled the room
Following the screams down the hall Lin and Naru came to the boy's room, which had fallen eerily quiet.
Naru tried the handle finding it stuck he banged on the door. "Mai!" he called then louder, "Mai!"
He was only greeted with silence then the footsteps of the parents came rushing down the hall and joined him banging on the door. "Minoru! Haku!" After a few seconds they fell silent, straining to hear through the door.
A still small voice broke through the silence. "Onee-san, Onee-san, wake up. Wake up Onee-san!" the voice turned into a sad wail.
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Mai's POV.
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"Saeki, was it you who wanted the boys to be in separate rooms?"The question caught the couple off guard. Mai watched silently scratching notes into a pad. She pretended to be Madoka with out all the forcing people to do things. Mai knew she took notes as well as Lin and actually added a different point of view that might be helpful.
"Actually that was me." the father, Yoshida, Matsu. spoke up. "I was a twin." Mai smiled, she had read that in the papers from earlier. "We did everything together until high school then one of us became a third wheel. Always tagging along because we were twins, when we went to college in separate schools, since we liked different things it was quite difficult."
"Oka-san, can I have some milk?"
"Yes, Minoru one moment." The mother got up to leave, "I will be right back" Mai fought the urge to follow and help. She had promised and didn't want to provoke Naru to send her home.
"I told my wife when she had twins my worries and we agreed to support them as twins but also individuality." When the mother returned with a glass of milk for one boy the other boy tugged on the fathers sleeve.
"Otou-san, can we play catch?"
"Not right now dear we have to speak with these people. They will help get rid of whatever keeps hurting you." The father soothed. "How about you go play in your room, I will come after a little bit."
"Mai, go with the boys, keep them busy for a little while." Naru ordered. .
'You could have been a bit more polite about it.' Mai thought but only smiled and stood. "Ok guys you heard Mister Grumps, let's go play." Mai walked over to the boys and held out her hands. The boys readily took them and playfully dragged her after them. "Where are your rooms?"
"Onee-san this way!" They continued to playfully pull her along down the hall. Stopping at one door, pulling it open, and then leading her into it. The room was simple boys room, neutral colors, two beds, and toys strewn all over the place, dinosaurs and trucks, seemed to be the favorites.
"Onee-san why are you here? Why are those guys here?" Minoru asked.
"Well you see we heard you kept getting hurt but your parents don't know why or how, so we are going to help you stay safe."
"But Onee-san, they don't like it, they don't like it that you are here."
"They don't? Who doesn't Minoru?"
The boys looked at each other before looking at her. "You can't see them either can you; Okaa-san and Otou-san can't either." Minoru stated.
"They don't believe us." Haku confirmed.
"Are they here now? I used to be able to see things, but I got hurt and cannot see them anymore. What do they look like?"
"You believe us?" Haku asked wide-eyed looking at her.
"Of course, there are many things that exist that not everyone can see. My friends and boss they often help people with things others can't see."
"They don't like it, they want you to leave." Minoru stated starting to cry.
"We can't leave until you and your brother are safe." Mai stated firmly pulliing Minoru into a hug after a moment she reached a hand out to Haku, "Lets go talk to my big bad boss and have him scare these ghosties away."
Haku reached out to her but then tripped, Mai cuaght his hand and felt him being pulled away.
"Haku!" Minoru hollered reaching out to his brother grasping his other hand. Mai held him around his waste to prevent him from being ulled away and kept tight hold of Minoru's hand. With Haku's help she pulled him also up into her lap. Mai looked around hoping to see what was pulling the boys away but saw nothing.
She moved to stand keeping tight hold on both boys but felt her feet kicked out from under her. She knew it was past time to call her boss.
"Naru!" she screamed. A kick to her side interrupted her scream knocking the wind out of her lungs, she attempted to scoot towards the wall for protection. As she moved she felt something slash her back and stifled a cry focusing on getting away. Another kick sent her flying across the room, boys tightly gripped in her arms she tried to put herself between the boys and anything they might run into. She hit the wall with a curnch then slunk to the floor. Looking around she still saw othing but the two boys crying in her arms. Struggling to breath she pulled the boys close closing her fingers in the Fuou Myou-on she attempted to chant.
"Nau-maku-san-manda, bazaar-dan-kan" She felt nothing and saw nothing, it was not working, her mind screamed. She covered the boys as well as she could as she felt another attack in the side, this time it felt like a knife was cutting her, she gasped and continued the chant praying Naru and lin would come quickly. "Nau-maku-san-manda, bazaar-dan-kan" Again, "Nau-maku-san-manda, bazaar-dan-kan" She felt more cuts slice her back with intermittent kicked she tried one last time. "Nau-maku-san-manda, bazaar-dan-kan."
Knowing she could not hold on much longer the cuts were coming faster and harder. She released one hand and began the nine cuts hoping something would happen. 'Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen' some how she thought the blood loss, was making her feel stronger she repeated the cuts, 'Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai, Zen' As she tried to look around the room she felt a piercing pain run down her neck and the world faded to black.