Chapter Three

"Where...where did Kuwabara go!?" Yusuke yelled. He searched every nook and cranny, but he couldn't find him. "Dammit!" He yelled. "Yusuke, stay calm and I'm sure we'll find him." Kurama said coolly. Yusuke sighed. "Fine." He said.

"Kuwabara? Hiei? Where are you?" Kurama called, shining the light on every wall. Still, there was no trace of their two missing friends. "Where could they be?" Yusuke groaned. "I don't know, but we have to keep looking. If we give out now, they might be dead by the time we find them." Kurama hissed. Yusuke glared, but nodded. They kept looking.

Then, a dark, shadowy figure confronted the two. "Who...who are you?!" Yusuke demanded. The figure, of course, did not reply. "Yusuke, I don't think it wants to answer." Kurama whispered. The figure's breathing was heavy, and it was wearing a long black cloak. It seemed to have no face, but then it slowly removed the invisible mask it was wearing. Underneath was a face, the flesh was burnt and it was repulsive to look at. Yusuke and Kurama's heart raced. They didn't know what this thing wanted with them. Then, it pulled out a bloody knife and wiped the blood on its cloak. The two swallowed. This thing would definitely kill them.

Kurama pulled a rose from his hair, and then attempted to use his Rose whip. Unfortunately for him, his spirit energy was just...gone. Kaput. It was the same with everyone else. "RUN!!!!" Yusuke yelled, and the two screamed and ran off.

The sound of their heels hitting the hard, tile floor echoed throughout the halls. "Yusuke, we have to find the others! What if that thing kills them before we can find them!?" Kurama yelled. "Well then, just split up and run really, really fast!" Yusuke screamed, then screeched to a stop. "This would be a good place to split up. You go that way, and I'll go this way!" Kurama ran down the hall to the right, and Yusuke to the left.

Once Yusuke was pretty positive the thing wasn't following them, he stopped and took deep breaths. "Wow...what a...workout..." He gasped. He looked closely at the flashlight in hand. He noticed it was slowly flickering away. "No, don't die on me yet!" He yelled, shaking the light. Then, the light dimmed and went out completely. "Great, just great. Now that...that thing will definitely get me since I can't see him." Fortunately for Yusuke, he saw a pulsating red and orange light at the end of the hall. Fire? Yusuke feared fire-- for some reason --in this house. But he slowly stepped to it; at least he could see what it was. He'd run away if there were something wrong.

The thing is, Yusuke wasn't going to see that thing any time soon.

Kurama continued running down the halls. He was positive the monster wasn't following him anymore, but no one could be too sure. He slowed to a stop, and then he heard heavy breathing behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stuck up. It was probably that thing again. Probably? Probably wasn't the right word. It was that thing again. Kurama whirled around to be sure.

Maybe he was paranoid...Nothing was there when he turned around. He continued walking.