*Trigger Warning: this chapter and case mentions suicide and blood. If you or a loved one is having these feelings, please remember you are loved and you are not alone. I have also provided the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States: 1-800-273-8255. This lifeline is available 24/7 and they truly are life savers. I love you all.
Here is my longest and perhaps most intense chapter yet!
Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows. You all keep me motivated to write and I can't thank you enough.*
"Hello, Naru," Mai answered her phone with a smile. "Why am I not surprised you're still awake?"
"Mai," his deep voice replied in greeting. "Are there any updates on the case?"
"You must be really bored over there if you keep checking in on us," she laughed before biting her lip nervously. "But, well, I guess there have been some developments."
"Such as?" he prompted.
"I think Gene is starting to become affected by the spirit here," she admitted.
"Affected how?" She could hear the change in his tone.
"He's not acting himself. It's almost like it's playing with his mind and emotions," she sighed in concern. "I also talked to one of the spirits earlier. Apparently I see spirits differently than most mediums, including Masako. Did you know that?"
He was silent for a moment before replying. "I've had my suspicions. And of course you talked to a spirit. Tell me what happened."
Mai watched as the numbers of the lift slowly grew closer to the top floor, wondering why it was taking so long. "It was like he was in a daze. He kept saying he didn't know where he was and that since he had killed himself he was supposed to be with his deceased son in heaven now. There's also a spirit who has been watching us from the pictures in the hotel. The spirit of the man I was talking to said that the one in the pictures wouldn't let any of the others leave."
"It's in the pictures? How do you mean?" he sounded intrigued.
"It shows up in the reflections of the glass and watches us," she supplied. "Do you have any idea what could be happening? I know we'll figure it all out eventually, but with the way your brother is acting and all I'd like to try and solve this sooner rather than later."
Oliver was quiet once again. "How is he acting, Mai?"
"He's very irritable and sad. He even stormed out on Masako, they have...well, they have some things to work out. It didn't happen too long ago and he's spending the night in the base," she said softly.
The lift came to a stop and a chime echoed out as the doors slid open.
"What was that?" Oliver asked sharply.
Mai bit her lip. "The lift?"
"Why are you in the lift?" he said, clearly suspicious.
"Well, technically I'm not in it anymore," she dodged, walking into the hallway.
She could tell he didn't find that funny and winced. "Why were you in the lift?"
The brunette was silent.
An impatient sigh met her ears. "Mai?"
"Now, don't get mad-" she began and winced at her choice of words.
"You're alone aren't you?" he stated, irritation evident in his tone.
"Maybe," she shrank apprehensively.
He wasn't happy in the slightest. "How many times have I told you about running off on your own?"
"Well the thing is Gene and Masako had that fight, you see, and so Masako is staying in my room for the night, and I heard your brother leave the base not too long ago, and I was nervous because it's so late and I was like 'hm I wonder where he is going at this time of night,' and I tried to find him on the cameras but I couldn't see him anywhere, and then I saw the spirit that stays in the pictures on one of the cameras in the event hall so-" she bumbled nervously before being interrupted again.
"Mai," he said, his tone deeper than normal. "Tell me you aren't investigating on your own."
She winced at the tone of his voice "...Well-"
"Get back to the base," he ordered.
"Naru, I'll be okay," she added, hoping to calm him. "This spirit has only been watching us and we haven't felt any malicious intent coming from it. If I felt like I was in any danger, I wouldn't be out here. And knowing your brother, he is probably on his way here to investigate on his own as well."
She heard the man curse under his breath. "Gene better have a damned good excuse when I call him."
"Just let me look around for a moment and I'll head straight back to the base," she persuaded. "If anything happens, you're on the phone with me and can easily call someone to come find me."
"If that's your way of trying to convince me, you're doing a very poor job of it," he groaned.
She chuckled sweetly. "Oh come on, Naru. Just for a moment? I promise I'll head back right away."
Oliver was silent for a second before she heard another exhale. "Just for a minute. I'm staying on the phone with you until you're back at the rooms."
"Yes, Sir," she teased. She could just imagine him rolling his eyes on the other end of the line.
Mai walked up to the large doors that lead into the event hall and pushed them open. Peering inside, she looked around to find any trace of Gene. She frowned when he was nowhere in sight.
"Hm," she hummed unhappily. "He's not here. Where could he be?"
"I'm giving you two minutes, starting now." He was clearly displeased at the fact she was putting herself in harm's way once again.
"Fine," she sighed.
The brunette made her way into the event hall. Nothing caught her eye and she tried to ignore her disappointment. She walked over to the intricate wooden bar and placed the camera and EMF device down. She wasted no time before walking up to some of the photos on the wall, hoping to find at least some sort of clue.
"One minute," Oliver warned, no doubt timing her in his head.
She frowned. "Yeah, yeah, got it."
She began to walk around the room, studying all of the frames hanging on the walls. After a moment, a mirror on one of the walls caught her attention and she started to walk up to it. It was the same mirror Gene had been looking at before. Something about it called to her. She stared at the glass intensely and narrowed her eyes. An impulse to reach out to touch the glass overtook her. Ever so slowly she reached out and brought her fingertips closer to her reflection.
"Time's up, Mai." His voice startled her from her trance.
Her hand dropped in disappointment and a sigh of defeat left her lips. She looked back to the mirror and found nothing of significant importance.
"I know. There's nothing here anymore anyway. You'll be happy to hear I'm heading back," she groaned at her misfortune.
"Good," he said.
Mai walked out of the double doors and closed them behind her before making her way back in the direction of the lift.
"Mai, just because your powers are growing every day doesn't mean you're invincible," he said seriously. "I've told you that you can't run off on your own like this. You're a part of a team. Being part of that team means to not knowingly put yourself in harm's way. If you got hurt, not only would it affect Masako and Gene, but BSPR as well."
A wave of guilt washed over her and she gave a faint smile. "I know...But at least you were here on the phone with me."
"There's only so much I can do from nearly 500 kilometers away."
"So...how's sightseeing going?" she asked and pressed the button for the lift.
He sighed. "I know you're just trying to change the subject."
"Maybe," she admitted. "But I also really am curious."
"The sight from the hotel has been sufficient," he drawled.
Mai laughed softly. "Is tomorrow your last day of conferences, or Saturday?"
She could hear the sound of rustling sheets and knew he must have just sat down on his bed. "I'm unsure. Why?"
A playful smile pulled at her lips. "I think I'm going through withdrawals of having to make you tea every few hours. How's the tea over there?"
A faint chuckle left his lips and her heart began to pulse faster in her chest at the sound. "Barely adequate."
Maybe it was the late hour, or maybe it was the fact that she hadn't seen him in a few days, but she spoke before thinking. "I hope you come back soon."
Her eyes bulged in shock before she quickly tried to cover up her mistake. "I-I mean, it's practically insulting that you are in such a beautiful world-renowned city and aren't taking full advantage of it." She closed her eyes and hit her forehead at her attempted redirection. "So, what have you been doing at these conferences?"
He was quiet again for a moment before replying. "...I'm mentoring a group of psychics who have psychokinesis."
Her mouth fell open slightly. "You're teaching them in only one week?"
"Do you doubt my teaching abilities?" he queried with the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.
"Of course not!" she quickly replied.
"I'm only teaching them some simple techniques," he continued.
Mai paused and her brows furrowed. "Has it taken a toll on you at all? I mean, with Gene being all the way over here, is using your abilities affecting your body?"
"I'm fine, Mai."
She pursed her lips, still not satisfied with his answer. "If you say so."
She looked back at the button of the lift and it was no longer illuminated. Rolling her eyes, she pushed it once again.
The sound of a knock on a door caused her to turn around abruptly. It only took her a moment to realize it came from the phone. Her brows furrowed curiously.
"Someone's visiting this late?" she wondered in concern.
She could hear Oliver's footsteps before she heard the sound of his door open.
"Monsieur Davis," a woman's voice reached Mai's ears and she tensed subconsciously.
"Mademoiselle Laurent? Excuse me a moment," he greeted the woman.
"I have to go." His short dismissal came over the phone.
"O-Okay," Mai stuttered, but the call had already ended.
Mai stood there frozen for a moment. Slowly, she lowered her phone and placed it in the pocket of her pyjamas. She tried to ignore the ugly fist of jealousy that wrapped its shriveled fingers around her heart.
She closed her eyes and shook her head, not allowing the feeling to take up residency in her mind. Oliver was a grown man and she held no claim on him. She couldn't call him hers just because she had a stupid crush on him. That woman was probably there for help with work...even though it was nearly one in the morning...in the most romantic city in the world. Mai gulped as more unsavory thoughts began to fill her mind. She squeezed her eye's shut in order to stop her train of thought, and took a deep breath. Whoever he decided to keep company with was of no concern to her. Or so she told herself.
Groaning, she suddenly remembered that she had left the camera and EMF device back on the bar in the event hall. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes again. She pushed the door open to the event hall once again and stepped inside. It wasn't long before she realized the air felt thicker than usual, and an overwhelming sense of sadness washed over her.
The brunette felt a pain in her chest as the feeling of heartache and jealousy flooded her body.
Who was that woman? Why was she visiting so late at night? He hung up so quickly even though he knew she was out alone in a spirit-infested hotel and said he would stay on the line with her until she reached the base.
The bitter sting of tears pricked at her eyes. She reached up in shock as a stray tear trailed down her cheek.
"No," she hissed. "Why am I thinking this? It's none of my business."
It almost felt as if the emotions weren't her own.
She squeezed her eyes shut as the jealousy began to build like a volcano of unpleasant thoughts.
She shook her head viciously, trying to clear her mind. "Stop it!"
As quickly as it came, the feeling disappeared.
Mai froze as she realized what was happening. She slowly turned her head to look towards the mirror she had been studying earlier and her jaw tightened.
There, in the large mirror, was the clear image of a woman staring back at her. She had long black hair and tears streaking down her cheeks. Her skin was so pale it almost looked pearlescent. Large grey eyes were filled with sorrow and they pierced into Mai's soul.
Why do they do this to us?
The disembodied voice echoed in Mai's head.
We love them and they treat us like nothing.
She suddenly felt lightheaded and quickly held out her hand, hoping to find something for support. Unfortunately, there was nothing nearby to help her keep her balance. Her eyes fluttered closed and within seconds she collapsed to the floor as a vision took hold of her.
Mai awoke to find a small girl in a uniform sitting on the steps of her front door. The girl had jetblack hair and pale skin. Her slate grey eyes looked sadly down the street as she hugged a teddy bear close to her for comfort. Judging by the way she was shivering, Mai could tell the young child had been out in the cold for a while. She wondered where the girl's parents were and frowned.
Laughter caught her attention and she turned around to see a man and woman clutching on to each other as they stumbled down the street.
The woman had similar features to the child who currently sat forgotten on the steps. She was sloppily stroking the man's face when she noticed the girl and gasped.
"Cara, what are you doing outside?" she slurred in surprise.
The girl hugged her bear tighter and stood up. "You didn't pick me up from school and I don't have a key," she whimpered, clearly tired and frozen.
The woman clapped a hand to her cheek. "Oh, honey, Mummy's so sorry. A few colleagues wanted to grab something to eat and I must have lost track of time. Why didn't you use the spare?"
The young girl hesitated before replying. "You lost it last week."
"I did? Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she giggled drunkenly. She took off her jacket and wrapped it around her daughter. "Do you forgive me? You know how silly and forgetful Mummy can be."
The child, Cara, nodded slowly and was embraced by the woman. She looked up at the man standing feet away and then back to her mother.
The woman's eyes widened and she stood up unsteadily. "Oh! This is Mummy's new friend...oh...um...what's your name again?" she finished in an indiscreet whisper.
"Ben," he smirked and wrapped an arm around the woman's waist.
"Right!" the woman giggled. "This is Ben. He and I need to go over some very important work tonight so it's very important we don't get interrupted okay, sweetie?"
The girl looked at the man suspiciously and nodded. "Okay."
Her mother gave the girl a quick kiss on the forehead and they all walked into the house. "Oh! You must be starving, my little angel. Let me make you something. Let's see, do you want toast and juice?"
Cara shook her head faintly. "It's okay, Mummy, I can find something."
The woman's eyes crinkled happily and she kissed her daughter once again. "Look at you all grown up! It's hard to remember you're only six sometimes."
Mai tried to follow them into the house but the second she walked through the doorway she found herself someplace completely different. The sound of birds and the warmth of the summer sun on her skin told her that she was in a new memory. She looked around and found herself in a small park. The sound of laughter caught her attention and she turned.
A young boy and girl were running around the park trying to outrun each other. The girl's grey eyes glistened merrily in the sunlight. It was the same girl from the previous memory but she looked to be almost ten now. The dark haired boy chasing her laughed and he reached out his arm, trying to catch her.
"I'm going to get you, Cara!" he taunted teasingly.
The girl squeaked with a giddy giggle and dodged behind a tree. "In your dreams, Aarush!"
The boy was too fast and anticipated the girl's move, leaping to the other side of the tree. He pulled her into a tight embrace and laughed again.
"Gotcha," he beamed.
Cara pouted and stuck her tongue out at her friend. "No fair."
The boy let the girl go and tapped her nose teasingly. "I believe that makes the score ten to one. It's getting late, my Mum is going to be wondering where I am."
The girl pouted sadly. "Do you have to go already?"
Aarush looked at her with a supportive smile. "Is your mum still gone? Dad said you can stay the night whenever she's...out."
Cara shrugged. "It's okay. I've gotten used to it."
The boy couldn't hide the pity in his eyes but he gave her a big smile. "Okay, I should be able to stay for a few more minutes...I bet I can catch you even faster than last time!" he beamed.
"I'd like to see you try!" Cara giggled and began to run towards the other end of the park.
Mai dropped her head into her hands as her forehead began to throb. By the time she looked up, the memory had changed and more time had passed. The boy and girl were walking together wearing high school uniforms. Aarush seemed to be telling Cara a story of somesort, gesturing with his hands enthusiastically. All the while, the dark haired girl watched him with a wistful smile and lovestruck eyes.
The boy laughed about something and wrapped an arm around her neck pulling her to his side. He reached up with his other hand and playfully messed her hair. Cara pouted and swatted the hand away, but Mai could see the blush forming on the girl's cheeks.
Another wave of pressure and pain wracked Mai's mind and she reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose for relief. She opened her eyes, and again the memory had changed.
Cara was wearing a cute pink dress, with her hair braided off to one side. She was waiting in front of a coffee shop giddily. She lifted her arm to check the time on her wristwatch and then looked up and down the street expectantly.
Mai watched as the girl's smile slowly fell from her lips. She turned to see what Cara was looking at and felt sorry for the girl when she saw Aarush walking down the street talking to another girl. Aarush looked up and happily waved to his friend when he spotted her.
Within seconds he rushed over while gently leading the other woman by the hand.
"Cara, you're not going to believe this," he panted. "I was on my way here and look who I ran into? Junie, this is Cara, my best friend. Cara, meet Juniper. She's an old family friend. We used to be inseparable before I moved here in elementary school."
Juniper smiled sweetly and held out a hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Cara."
Cara instinctually reached out and shook the girl's hand. "I-It's nice to meet you too," she whispered in shock.
Mai watched as Aarush turned to his long-lost friend and she saw a blush creep up on his cheeks. "I never thought I'd see you again. Especially when your family moved to America."
Juniper smiled shyly. "I thought the same thing. We moved back only about a month ago, but we're here for good now."
"Really?" Aarush beamed. "I-I mean that's nice to hear."
The blonde pushed back a long lock of hair. "We'll have to get together some time."
The boy quickly turned towards Cara and clasped a hand on her shoulder. "You don't mind if Junie joins us, do you?"
"U-Uh, well, I mean-" the woman stuttered. The gravity of the whole situation was still shocking her.
Juniper noticed the girl's struggle and waved her hands frantically. "Oh! Don't worry, I'd hate to intrude on your date!"
Aarush looked at her with wide eyes. "Date? Oh, no. We aren't dating. Cara's just my best friend. Come on and join us. I know the two of you would get along swimmingly!"
Mai began to feel her chest ache but knew it wasn't her own pain. She turned to see Cara staring at the two others in despair.
The blonde looked back and forth between the others. "I mean, I would love to join the both of you, but only if Cara is okay with it."
Aarush turned to his friend desperately. "You don't mind, do you Cara?"
Cara's skin seemed to turn even paler as she stared at the boy she loved. Eventually she hung her head slightly and stared at her feet with a fake smile plastered on her face. "O-of course not. It would be great to have you join us."
Mai watched sadly as more memories began to flood her view. Juniper began to hang around them more often and eventually Cara began to feel like a third wheel. Aarush followed Juniper to her university and it wasn't long before Cara began to lose communication with him.
A memory tainted with heartache flashed before Mai's eyes as Juniper and Aarush announce their engagement.
Cara's pain ate at her, causing Mai to double over. Her hands braced herself on a counter of somesort. She didn't know where she was anymore due to the onslaught of visions she just witnessed within such a short amount of time. An agonizing gasp escaped her lips when it felt like an icy cold blade trail down her wrists. Mai looked down to see blood seeping from long wounds and a sob fell from her lips. Looking up, she saw her reflection in a mirror. The reflection that greeted her wasn't her own but Cara's.
The last thing she remembered was darkness and an overwhelming sensation of loneliness.
Mai let out a tortured whimper as she opened her eyes groggily. There was a dull ache in the back of her head and she reached a curious hand up to investigate. She hissed as her fingers gingerly probed the tender bump forming on her scalp as a result of her fall.
Remembering the last part of her vision, Mai quickly rolled up her sleeves and assessed her wrists.
She couldn't withhold the sigh of relief that escaped her when she saw her skin was bare.
"It was a dream," she whispered thankfully.
Mai slowly pushed herself into a sitting position but didn't want to risk standing up just yet. The memories from her vision came swarming back to her and she looked over at the mirror.
The spirit was still staring at her with sympathetic eyes.
I know the pain you are going through. You don't have to be alone. You can join me and we won't be alone anymore.
Mai's eyes widened. "Is that what's been happening around here? You watch people and sense their insecurities or sad thoughts? Yes, I may be sad, but I'll be okay."
The spirit looked at her confused.
But your heart is hurting just like mine did.
Mai shook her head and shakily stood to her feet. Her head throbbed and she blinked disorientedly for a moment. "Maybe it is, but that doesn't mean I want to die. Yes, I'm a little sad and I don't think I can deny the fact that I'm a little jealous, but it is his life and his choice. I'm entitled to my feelings but he doesn't have to reciprocate them, no matter how it may disappoint me. I'm very sorry for the pain you felt. I'm sorry you thought the only way out of that pain was through death. But...pain is a part of living. Being able to experience pain in our lives makes us treasure the good things that much more. Yes, it sucks and no one wants to be hurt, but things always get better eventually even if it doesn't happen right away."
The spirit watched her warily and Mai let out a deep breath.
A thought struck her and she looked at the spirit in revelation. "Is this why you are keeping the others here? You saw they were also hurting and you didn't want to be alone?"
Grey eyes narrowed in confusion.
Keeping the others here?
Mai's jaw opened slightly. "D-Did you not realize that you're keeping the other spirits from moving on?"
The spirit's brow furrowed.
No. They're here because they want to be.
"They're here because somehow you've imprisoned their spirits," Mai clarified. "They don't want to be here. They want to move on."
The spirit glared at her.
No. I haven't imprisoned them. They were lonely. I helped them...I helped them...
It began to shake its head in denial and Mai felt her skin begin to bump. The air in the room was growing significantly colder and it was becoming uncomfortable to breath.
No. No. It's not true. They want to be here.
The hairs on the back of Mai's neck stood on end and a nagging voice in her head was telling her to leave. She watched as the spirit held her head in her hands, fighting with its inner turmoil, and Mai began to back away towards the door. She could feel the change in the spirit's aura. Mai glanced over at the bar and noticed the forgotten EMF device and the camera but decided they weren't the most important thing right now.
Never taking her eyes off of the spirit, she felt herself bump into the large wooden doors and she slowly reached behind her to grab the handle.
No. No. No. It's not true.
Ever so quietly, Mai eased the door open just enough to squeeze her body through. She inwardly thanked the universe that the door didn't make a sound.
Before the spirit could see her, Mai quickly crept out of the room and ran down the hall to the lift. Even in the hallway the air was growing thick, and Mai knew she needed to get back to the base as soon as possible.
She pushed the button for the lift but it wouldn't illuminate. As if on cue, the lights overhead flickered and Mai gulped. She frantically pushed the button once more but, again, it didn't light up.
She looked to her left and saw the door to the stairwell. Glancing over her shoulder, she was relieved to see no evidence of the spirit following her yet. Mai quickly opened the door and began to run down the stairs.
The beautiful dark wood stairs echoed beneath her feet. She held onto the matching intricate railing for dear life as she ran down the first flight. She noted the pictures and mirrors and the wall and wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible before the spirit found her.
The sounds of her hurried steps echoed loudly through the stairwell, matching the pace of her beating heart. Maybe Oliver was right, she shouldn't have gone exploring on her own.
In her rush, she tripped slightly and stumbled into the railing. Her heart pulsed rapidly in her chest at the view of the distance to the floor. A wave of vertigo washed through her and she took a deep breath, steadying herself on the landing.
Something sent a shiver down her spine again and she slowly turned towards the door of the fifth storey. There was a long thin window that allowed her to see down the corridor. She took a tentative step forward, internally kicking herself for her curiosity.
She jumped with a startled cry when a bloodied face of a woman stepped into view. Mai's hands flew to her mouth in freight. Half of its face was mangled and bloody, akin to a self inflicted gunshot wound. The woman was looking right at Mai yet her eyes were unseeing and sad. A shaky hand reached up and touched the wound on her head.
Why?...Why?...Where am I?...
Mai stumbled backwards and jumped when she bumped into the railing. Tearing her eyes away from the spirit she began to run down the stairs even faster. Flight after flight, she didn't stop until she reached the floor the base was on. Her hand clutched at her chest as her lungs strained for air.
Remembering that this storey had a few items linked to the antique store, she nervously looked through the glass on the door.
There they were.
Three spirits were roaming the hallway in distress, as if waking up from a very long nightmare.
She was really starting to wish she hadn't left on her own earlier. She wondered where Gene was and hoped that he was safe. The brunette timidly brought her hands up to her chest, her fingers positioned to perform the nine cuts if need be.
Mai looked down the end of the hall and saw the base. She closed her eyes and took in another breath before letting it out through her nose. Opening her eyes, she nodded in determination. Nervous fingers reached out and quietly pulled the door open so as to not make a sound.
An overwhelming sense of pain and sorrow hit her like a slap in the face. The sensation made her feel physically sick.
The first spirit was staring at his hands numbly. His neck was bent at an odd angle with a ring of bruises maring his skin like a morbid necklace.
Where am I?
His voice sounded just as broken as the man from the meeting room she talked to just the previous day. She looked at him and their eyes met briefly.
Quick flashes of his life flooded her mind. The loss of his father, followed by his mother. Being fired from his job. His wife leaving and calling him useless. Getting evicted. Piles of debt. Tying a rope around his neck and stepping off of the ladder.
Mai stumbled as she came back to reality. She braced a hand against the wall and silently walked by the spirit, giving it as much space as she could. Even though they all seemed docile just hours ago, there was something different about the air ever since she talked to the spirit in the event hall. It was as if whatever spell kept them unaware of the present day suddenly lifted and now they were just lost and broken souls awakening in a world they didn't know. She remembered reading in one of Oliver's books that a spirit going through such shock and trauma could easily turn it violent.
After making it past the first spirit, Mai then had to make her way past the second. It was a woman crying uncontrollably as foam spilled and blood spilled from her mouth. Mai could have sworn she could smell the pungent stench of bleach as she made her way past the distraught woman.
This time Mai avoided the woman's gaze, not wanting to risk seeing just how the poor woman died.
Mai looked up and could have cried from happiness to see she was almost at the base. She quickened her pace but was cut short only metres from the room. In her quest to the base, she had nearly forgotten about the third spirit. She froze with a yelp when the spirit stepped in her way and grabbed a hold of her shoulders desperately.
Where am I? I want to go home.
Tears streamed down his face as he shook her shoulders frantically.
I want to go home. I want to go home.
Mai felt lightheaded as memories swept through her mind. Family resentment. Addiction to drugs. Regrets. Intentional overdose.
The spirit let his hands drop from Mai's shoulders and his eyes grew distant.
I want to go home. I want to go home. He chanted.
Taking the opportunity to escape, Mai quickly ran the rest of the way to the base and threw open the door. She closed it behind her and leaned her hand against the wall. A sheen of sweat covered her brow and she wasn't feeling so well. She looked up only to see that Gene was nowhere in sight and she frowned.
Her body stiffened and she could feel bile rising in her throat. It didn't take her long to hurriedly barge into the bathroom and throw herself over the loo. After only a few heaves, she emptied her stomach into the porcelain bowl and pulled back with a whimper. Her breathing was heavy and her muscles gave up as she sank to the floor. Mai's reached up to wipe the mess off of her mouth with a shaking hand.
Without warning an unyielding wave of exhaustion crashed over her. Her head drooped against the cold tiles on the floor and her eyes drifted closed. In mere seconds she was already asleep.
Despair.
Mai opened her eyes only to see the dark realm of her dreams. The feeling was overwhelming her. Feelings of pain, heartache, and betrayal wore away at her. She saw a light in the distance and began to make her way over but her body felt as though it weighed fifty stone. With every step, it became harder to move forward.
The feeling of anguish pressed down on her like a tidal wave and thoughts that were not her own began to fill her mind.
Why?
What's the point of it all?
She'll be happier without me.
They all will.
I should have died back then.
Mai's blood ran cold and she faltered mid-step momentarily. She knew that voice.
"Gene?" She called out into the vast emptiness.
There was no response and an unsettling feeling gnawed at her heart. She had to keep going, no matter how hard it was to move.
Pushing herself further, her chest huffed from exertion. It felt as if she were being held back by an invisible shield, yet she persisted. The light grew nearer. She needed to see. She needed to know if her intuition was correct.
Finally, she made her way into the light. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight in front of her.
Gene was standing at the top of one of the stairwells. His feet were balancing on the wooden banister while his hand steadied himself on a column. His eyes stared blankly down at the floor at the base of the stairs. The cold marble floor was calling to him. Slowly, Gene hovered one foot off of the railing. The thoughts in his head amplified tenfold within Mai's mind.
He took a fateful step forward.
"Gene!" Mai cried out in anguish.
Mai shot up from her spot on the cold bathroom floor. She was panting as sweat dripped down her forehead. For a moment she thought she was going to be sick again but she didn't care.
The brunette quickly jumped to her feet and ran out of the base. The spirits were still in the corridor but they appeared to be in even more unrest than before; each one was now oblivious to her presence. However, Mai paid them no mind. There was something more important at stake. She ripped the door to her room open and switched on the light.
Masako startled awake at the sudden noise and flinched at the blinding brightness.
"Mai?" she groaned groggily. "What's happening?"
Mai didn't care if the woman was upset. They had no time to lose.
"Masako, Gene's in trouble," she explained frantically and threw the blanket off of her friend.
Masako paled. "What do you mean?"
"We have to go now. I'll try to explain on the way," she pleaded, pulling the medium from the bed.
Grabbing a hold of Masako's hand, she pulled the woman out of the room within seconds. The dark haired woman followed blindly behind her.
"Wait, Ma-." Upon entering the hallway, Masako gasped in a mixture of shock and fright when she saw the unstable spirits. "Mai?" she whimpered.
The brunette ignored the other woman's protest and continued to pull her down the hall. "They aren't important right now. We need to save Gene."
"What's happening?! What do you mean 'save Gene?'" Masako cried out.
"The spirit's gotten into his head. He's going to kill himself," Mai admitted. "I just saw it in a dream."
She could feel Masako freeze in shock but she didn't allow her to stop. Pulling on her hand, she dragged her in the direction of the stairwell.
"W-What?" Masako whispered in agony.
"He's in one of the stairwells. I saw him in my dream and he…he..." she trailed off, not able to say anymore.
She could hear Masako beginning to cry behind her but the woman continued to keep up with her. Mai could only imagine the roller coaster of emotions she must have gone over in the past few hours, not to mention the last two minutes. She had been startled awake, suddenly dragged through a ghost-infested hallway, and then told her fiance was about to commit suicide.
"Are we going to the right stairway? Aren't there two? Should we split up?" Masako questioned through her tears. Reality of the situation was starting to take hold.
"I'm positive this is the right one, I can feel it," Mai said with a confident nod.
"It's the hotel?" Masako sniffled.
Mai threw the door open to the stairwell. "It's the spirit. The longer he stays inside the hotel the more it will affect him."
Masako looked over at the lift. "Would it be faster to use the-"
"The lift isn't working. The spirit is becoming unstable and I think it is beginning to interfere with the electronics in the hotel," Mai replied as they began their ascent up the stairs.
"Mai, you said you saw this in a dream?" Masako panted as they ran.
The brunette nodded.
Masako steadied Mai as she tripped slightly. "But your dreams are post-cognitive."
The newest member of BSPR avoided Masako's gaze. "Not all the time."
The medium watched Mai in understanding but said no more. Her interrogation could wait until later.
"We're almost there," Mai gasped. Her body was shaking. The adrenaline from all the events that night was wearing off and her body was beginning to give out. "Masako...my legs can't go any more…"
Masako looked at her in shock but wasted no time and continued running up the stairs. The dark haired woman looked up and her heart ached in agony at the sight of her fiance climbing onto the bannister in a daze.
"Gene!" she screamed.
He made no signs of if he had heard her or not. His blue eyes stared down at the bottom of the staircase in his trance.
"Eugene Terrence Davis! Don't you dare!" Masako scolded angrily as she reached the top of the stairs.
Something moving in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Her head turned sharply and her eyes narrowed at the sight of the shadow staring at her from a frame hanging on the wall. Rage filled her and she quickly ripped the picture off of the wall. The shadow seemed to flinch at the sudden action.
"Stay the bloody hell away from him!" Masako yelled and harshly threw it on the floor.
The glass shattered and skidded across the wooden floor and Masako glared at all of the other pictures to make sure the shadow hadn't returned. She nodded in victory when she couldn't see it any longer and promptly turned around to face Gene again.
He had a foot stretched out over the drop, but it was frozen mid-step. He blinked slowly and suddenly a pair of desperate arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him to safety.
Masako grunted as she hit the floor and her fiance fell on top of her but she refused to let go of him.
She watched as whatever trance he was under faded away and his eyes suddenly looked around wildly. They froze as they landed on the dark haired woman and his face twisted in despair.
"Masako?" he whispered brokenly.
A tear rolled down Masako's cheek and her arms wrapped around him even tighter.
"You idiot," she whimpered into his chest. "Don't ever do that again. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Gene pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her forehead desperately.
It was at that moment Mai finally reached the top of the stairs. She was holding her side and her breath was labored.
"Are you okay?" she panted.
Gene looked over at the woman seriously and stood up. "Now I am. I'm so sorry. Both of you. I couldn't control what I was doing."
Masako squeezed his arm lovingly. "No. Don't be sorry. I'm sorry. I...I have something I really have to tell you later."
Mai smiled softly at the sight of the couple but there was no time to waste. She walked past the two and opened the door to the sixth storey corridor.
"Mai! What are you doing?" Masako asked worriedly.
Mai continued walking all the way up to the large doors of the event hall while the other two followed after her.
Gene placed a hand on the door before Mai could open it. "I'm all for getting rid of this spirit, trust me. But the last thing we need is to upset it even more. We all need to be on the same page before we go barging in there."
Mai dropped her hand. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just," she paused and hung her head. "I was the one to upset her so I want to be the one to fix it."
Gene crossed his arms curiously. "Tell us a quick version of what happened."
"Well," she began. "After you decided to sleep in the base, I had been trying to sleep when I heard the door of the base open. I tried to find you on the computers but I couldn't see you anywhere."
Gene gave them an apologetic look. "I don't even remember that."
Masako held his hand tightly. "You couldn't help it, Gene. The spirit was affecting you. It was even watching you just now when you were at the top of the stairs."
Mai nodded and continued. "When I was looking on the computers, I noticed the spirit in the pictures was in the event hall. I thought that was where you went so I went to find you."
Gene dropped his head in his hand. "On your own?" he groaned at her bad decision.
Mai shrank slightly. "Well Naru had called and was on the phone with me so I wasn't completely alone."
Her boss's twin looked up at her incredulously. "He called you? Lord save me, Noll's going to have my head for this."
"If he's going to be upset with anyone it will be me. You weren't in the right state of mind. I was the one who consciously made the decision to go off on my own," Mai defended him.
Gene sighed. "Oh, don't get me wrong, he'll have some choice words for you as well, but it was my job to keep you safe and keep an eye on you."
Mai frowned. "I don't need babysitting."
Masako and Gene both stared at her blankly. "Apparently you do."
An embarrassed blush arose in her cheeks. "Anyway," she continued, "When I got up here there wasn't anything I could see. Naru had to go and I was on my way back but I forgot some equipment so I had to turn around. When I came back, I started feeling...different," she muttered, not wanting to think about her feelings and this Mademoiselle Laurent woman. "I wasn't having very pleasant thoughts but then I saw that the spirit had been watching me from the mirror."
"The wooden mirror?" Gene wondered.
"Yes, it was the one you were looking at earlier. The thing is, this time it wasn't just a shadow. I could actually see the spirit's face," Mai revealed.
Gene's eyes narrowed. "The last item we needed to identify was the wooden mirror. How much do you want to bet that's the one the spirit is attached to?"
Mai nodded eagerly. "Precisely! That's why I'm going back in there to talk to it again."
Masako took this moment to speak up. "What exactly did you say to her before?"
Mai winced. "Well she had mentioned how she was lonely and I could stay with her to escape any pain."
"Pain?" Gene wondered.
Mai bit her lip. She really didn't want to admit that she was falling for his brother, and the last thing she was going to say was that she was jealous that a woman paid Oliver a late night visit.
"Just some emotional things," she said vaguely. "But anyway, I refused and said I was fine and pain is a part of life. I wound up seeing some of her memories and I found out she had been in love with a childhood friend but when it wasn't reciprocated she killed herself. She's lonely and she's subconsciously keeping the other spirits here."
Gene rubbed his chin in thought. "That makes sense. It has been known that spirit being held back by vast emotional pain can keep others from passing on. They're like a magnet in a way; attracting any spirit in the vicinity."
"Well, the thing is that she didn't realize those spirits were here against their own will. She thought they stayed with her in order to not be alone anymore," Mai explained. "And, um, well I wasn't really thinking and I told her that they didn't want to be here and that's when everything started to happen."
"Everything?" Gene prompted.
"The lift stopped working, the lights were flickering, and the other spirits began to become aware of themselves. She started getting really angry and continued to deny what I had said," Mai trailed off quietly.
Gene groaned. "Noll's definitely going to have my head for this, and I wouldn't be surprised if you need to have an assigned buddy on every case after this."
"You don't know that, and either way, it's not very important right now is it?" Mai frowned. "Those other spirits are waking up and realizing what happened to them. Time's ticking until one of them decides to snap."
"Fine," Gene sighed.
"So what is the plan? Are we going to perform an exorcism?" Masako asked.
"Well, I was going to see if I could talk to it first but if that doesn't work then we'll have to retreat and find a way to exorcise it," the brunette explained.
"I would have preferred having a plan for the exorcism before coming here but I guess we don't really have a choice," Gene admitted.
Masako nodded. "I can feel the other spirits growing more uneasy by the second."
The trio all looked at each other nervously.
"Well, okay then. Here we go," Gene said and he pushed open the doors.