This old wooden house reminds her of those ghost stories told to
schoolchildren before they know better. The noise of insects scuttling
across threadbare tatami gives her goosebumps, the creaks the wood makes
under her bare feet makes her nervous about leaving her boots at the front
door, and the near-invisibility of her partner has her on edge. If he
doesn't watch out, she will shoot him by mistake, and she knows it'll be
in self-defense, the way this house creeps her out. Already, she's feeling
about as trigger-happy as Sakaki, with better reason. Damn old house. It
should be condemned.
"Amon," she says in a low voice, hoping his earpiece is on, "see anything?"
"No," is all he says.
Well, at least he answered. Kate continues using her Craft, walking as carefully as she can, wondering if Amon has trained with ninjas to walk so quietly in this creaky wooden house. Maybe that's his Craft, sneaking around like a cat. She smiles briefly. It certainly would explain a lot of things.
"Amon," she says again, "I don't see a damn thing. There should at least be some evidence, some victims. But this house, I don't think a human being has set foot in it before us."
"She's here," he says in that maddening monotone.
Yeah, say it often enough and the witch will just pop out like in the ghost stories. Kate bites her lower lip. Why is she thinking of ghost stories at a time like this? Could be that one of her recent hunts literally had her spooked, and the eerie atmosphere of this old house doesn't help. So help me, she thinks, if Amon suddenly appears, I am going to shoot him. And then take his car keys and get us the hell out of here.
"I don't like it here," she says, "even Yurika would notice the bad vibes around this place."
"Vibes?" he repeats mockingly.
"Shut up," she says, wishing he didn't act like such a know-it-all whose face she'd love to smash in the mud. "You know what I mean. Even on our worst hunts, I've never felt this before."
For a while, there is no answer, but when it comes, it sends chills up her spine. "This house was famous. It used to hold witches before they were sentenced to be burned."
"Really," Kate says faintly. Well, the witch certainly has a sick sense of irony, that's for sure. She takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. I will not be scared. I will not be scared. I will not be --
"Oh!" she gasps as she sees a figure materialize in front of her.
"Amon," she says in a low voice, hoping his earpiece is on, "see anything?"
"No," is all he says.
Well, at least he answered. Kate continues using her Craft, walking as carefully as she can, wondering if Amon has trained with ninjas to walk so quietly in this creaky wooden house. Maybe that's his Craft, sneaking around like a cat. She smiles briefly. It certainly would explain a lot of things.
"Amon," she says again, "I don't see a damn thing. There should at least be some evidence, some victims. But this house, I don't think a human being has set foot in it before us."
"She's here," he says in that maddening monotone.
Yeah, say it often enough and the witch will just pop out like in the ghost stories. Kate bites her lower lip. Why is she thinking of ghost stories at a time like this? Could be that one of her recent hunts literally had her spooked, and the eerie atmosphere of this old house doesn't help. So help me, she thinks, if Amon suddenly appears, I am going to shoot him. And then take his car keys and get us the hell out of here.
"I don't like it here," she says, "even Yurika would notice the bad vibes around this place."
"Vibes?" he repeats mockingly.
"Shut up," she says, wishing he didn't act like such a know-it-all whose face she'd love to smash in the mud. "You know what I mean. Even on our worst hunts, I've never felt this before."
For a while, there is no answer, but when it comes, it sends chills up her spine. "This house was famous. It used to hold witches before they were sentenced to be burned."
"Really," Kate says faintly. Well, the witch certainly has a sick sense of irony, that's for sure. She takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. I will not be scared. I will not be scared. I will not be --
"Oh!" she gasps as she sees a figure materialize in front of her.