"So this is the creepy Hikawa Shrine. So where are the ghosts?" Steve asked.
"If you're good I'll summon a demon to follow you home." Kuri snapped.
"I knew there was something I liked about you." Steve responded offhandedly.
Kuri headed for the door and opened the partition. "Shoes off. And if you see my Grams, bow at the waist or you might wake up tomorrow morning underwater."
Darren took off his shoes and followed her inside. He had never seen a traditional Japanese temple before. It was eerily quiet, hard to picture anyone actually living here, though he could imagine ghosts hanging out here. It actually gave him the creeps.
Kuri walked over to what appeared to be an altar, clapped her hands twice and knelt, lighting incense. She then said a prayer in Japanese.
"So...what god are you praying to?" Steve knelt next to her.
Darren wasn't sure why Steve was acting so reverent and reserved all of a sudden, but he had a sneaking suspicion it was because Kuri happened to be very pretty.
"Goddess." Kuri corrected. "The goddess of Chaos."
"Wait why would you pray to a goddess who brings Chaos?" Darren asked.
"Darkness does not always equate to evil, and Light does not always equate to good." Kuri recited. "Chaos is the goddess who created the yokai. Creatures of supernatural intent misunderstood by humans."
"You mean monsters?" Steve said excitedly.
"Monsters...yes I guess you could indeed say that." Kuri said.
"Kuri!" Grams entered the receiving room. "You cannot just bring guests here. They are outsiders! Get them out of here! NOW!"
Kuri sighed and whispered. "Bow at the waist. Hurry!"
Darren and Steve obeyed, bowing at the waist.
"Don't look up, don't make eye contact. Back out, and only straighten when you are outside the temple walls." Kuri hissed.
The two boys did what she said, not sure why but terrified of the old woman wearing the kimono and waving bells at them.
"Grams they're gone." They heard her say.
Darren and Steve looked at each other and laughed, glad to have survived.