Hey guys! Just finished editing this chapter, although I cannot promise that it is perfect, I'm a tad busy nowadays trying to finish my dissertation! Wish me luck because it is so not fun! Haha!
Yasu showed up half an hour later. He had gotten all the shopping for three full meals for everyone for the next couple of days, and dinner for tonight.
Mai brought in a tray of tea and handed a cup to everyone. She gave Shibuya his last and plopped herself down on the beanbag by his side.
"Slight change of plans" Shibuya announced as everyone tucked into the food. "The girls will take the beds in the guest room. Miss Hara, you shall share with Miss Matuzaki and Taniyama will have the other bed"
"Does that mean we are staying in the other bedroom?" Monk asked, a little skeptically.
"No, we shall take turns watching base and sleeping in here" Shibuya explained. No one questioned the room being left untouched. It seemed personal, and they knew better then to infringe on Taniyama's privacy.
Mai looked sheepish at the very least.
~o0o~
An hour later in base.
"So what were these questions you needed to ask?" Mai smiled, sipping her fresh tea that Yasu had so kindly made her. She was still snuggled into her beanbag, feeling a little less uncomfortable then she had in her first interrogation.
"I wanted to get more details on the encounters you have had in this house" Shibuya enlightened, tapping his pen on his paper.
"OK, well you already know it started six weeks ago" Mai began, her hands fiddling with the end of her shirt. "Before then there was nothing happening out of the ordinary"
"Did anything of significance happen to your knowledge, around that time?" Shibuya asked, hinting to be told about any family loss in that time.
"No, nothing that I know of" Mai met Shibuya's eye, hearing his unsaid question, and answering without delving too deep into her sad story. "When it did start, it seemed a little strange because it took a couple of nights to go from nothing to what the house is now"
"And when the spirits started communicating with you, what did they say?" Lin pipped in, still typing away.
"As I mentioned before, it was a lot of how they died" Mai's voice suddenly turned serious and sullen. This was not something easy for her to talk about. "Sadly they weren't exactly explicit, and a lot of it is gathered from context"
"Anything you can tell us will be helpful" Shibuya assured, he's whole demeanor calm and soothing. He seemed to almost emanate it.
Mai took a deep breath. "I would hear what sounded to be different people choking, some of them complaining that they couldn't breath"
"You believe that they were strangulation victims?" Shibuya clarified.
"I'm not sure" Mai replied slowly. "It may have been, but I heard nothing that could be considered conclusive"
"Anything else you have heard or seen?" Shibuya was regarding her strangely.
"A few of the spirits looked... mangled" Mai looked away, her hands shaking. "They would sometimes drag themselves around the house"
As if on cue, the sound of bones snapping and flesh dragging played within her head. Mai shot up, looking around the room frantically, too panicked to locate its source. Lin quickly ran to the monitors, turning up the volume so everyone could hear what Mai was hearing. It was truly horrific sounding. A low pitched groan soon joined the vile chorus.
The lights went out. The room was cold.
A scream tore through the house, breaking the fear that gripped Mai in place. "Masako!" She called, barely able to keep her feet beneath her as she hastened out of the room, the boys hot on her heels.
It was still dark in the hallways, and Mai stopped dead in her tracks at the top of the stairs. Masako lay weak at the bottom of the stairs, her hand desperately clutching her ankle... Had she been bitten?
More pressingly, on the stairs and frozen by their gaze was a pair of red glowing eyes. It took a moment to adjust to the all encompassing darkness, but soon they could make out more of the terrifying being. Its limbs where bent in unnatural ways, much like the long spindly legs of a spider. Its dirty wet hair was covering much of its face...
Everyone was still and silent. Time passed by agonizingly slowly.
Terror retook its hold on Mai, and she backed into Shibuya. He quickly pulled her behind him, holding her wrist. Mai could hardly breathe, feeling a lump in her throat and a scream in her lungs.
And then it's face shot up at her. It blinked once, tilted it's head further then is natural, and grinning impossibly wide. It's teeth were bloody.
Slowly its leg bent over its shoulder, accompanied by the sound of cartilage ripping and bones snapping. Its other leg pushed up the stairs, and its decaying hand reached impossibly far to grasp one of the steps. Its black nails scrapping as it did so. Too afraid to shriek, Mai just watched as the creatures movements became faster. More jagged.
It was about to reach the top step when a whistle shredded through the house.
A white light pierced the beast, and it screamed and flailed and disappeared.
Mai was trembling as she collapsed against the wall behind her. Lin and Ayako ran to Masako's side, checking her injuries.
"Are you OK Masako?" Mai asked weakly, the lump in her throat finally allowing her to breath and talk.
"I will be fine" Masako promised, her own body shaking.
~o0o~
Mai couldn't sleep.
It was understandable really, she wasn't used to sleeping well in haunted houses.
Masako and Ayako didn't seem to have that problem. Masako had suggested that Mai and her share a bed instead, and Mai agreed. However, she still couldn't sleep.
Sighing, Mai snuck out of the room. She glanced at the stairs, and thought better then going down them. So instead she walked to the room SPR were using for base.
She knocked.
"Come in Taniyama!" Takigawa called. Mai resisted the urge to smile.
She opened the door, and was peaked her head through. "Sorry I can't sleep"
"It's not going to be easier to sleep in here" Shibuya pointed out.
"I know that" Mai pouted slightly. "Do you guys mind if I read in here, I will be quite?"
"Sure we don't mind" Takigawa smiled, and Mai couldn't help but feel comforted by it.
"Thank you" Mai smiled, going over to her closet and grabbing a book. It was the newest book by Oliver Davis. Lin and Shibuya shared a look.
"You're a fan of Oliver Davis?" Takigawa asked, almost giddy.
"Me and Yasu are huge fans, we are constantly covering his material" Mai gushed. "We can't study parapsychology, so it's more of a hobby"
"That is the new book right?" Takigawa asked. Mai nodded. "Have you read all the previous ones?"
Mai blushed slightly. "I've read all the books written by Oliver Davis, and Martin Davis, and all their papers"
Shibuya bit back a smirk. Least the girl had good taste.
Mai was about to go back to reading, when she noticed the tea set and small stove in the corner. She didn't feel comfortable going downstairs, but she did want tea. "May I use your tea kit?" Mai asked, smiling sweetly at Shibuya. He was the CEO and the tea enthusiast, so it had to be his.
"If you are willing to make me one" Shibuya didn't look up from the file Yasu had given him.
"Absolutely" Mai beamed. "You guys want tea?"
"Please" Takigawa yawned. Lin stayed quiet. Mai shrugged her shoulder and elected to make him one anyway.
"How is the investigation going?" Mai asked as she waited for the tea to boil.
Shibuya rolled his eyes. She promised to read quietly.
"It sounds like an event here or nearby, triggered a spiritual disturbance" Takigawa summarized, shrugging. "Still working on what that is"
Normally telling a client about their case was a bad idea. This time seemed a little more acceptable.
"If I can do anything, let me know" Mai offered, finishing the tea.
She handed one to Lin, who nodded in thanks. She handed one to Takigawa, who grinned at her, thanking her. Then she handed one to Shibuya, smiling.
Shibuya looked at her, and went back to work.
Mai waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Mai sighed. "Manners are free, by the way"
Takigawa snickered. "He doesn't know those words"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Thought so" she sighed and went back to her beanbag and slumped into it.
~o0o~
She was reading for what must have been half an hour, before falling asleep.
"Awe, she's cute when she's sleeping" Monk teased, reading the files after Shibuya finished.
"Monk if she is going to be a distraction, feel free to carry her into the girls room" Shibuya suggested, writing down notes.
"She doesn't seem like a light sleeper, but I really don't want to risk waking her" Monk crossed his arms. "The poor kid looks like she could use the sleep"
Shibuya had to agree with him there. However, he did not like that Monk called Mai a kid, as she was the same age as him. "Then lay her on the sofa at least, and get her a blanket"
Monk rolled his eyes. It was rather sweet of Shibuya to care. Takigawa was as gentle as possible, when he scooped up Mai into his arms. She immediately placed her head on his chest, the furrowing in her brow relaxing. She made cute sleeping noises, as Monk placed her on the couch. Quickly bundling her up in a duvet. "Hey Shibuya?"
Shibuya looked up from his notes, to show he was listening.
"Do you think Mai is an orphan?" Takigawa felt strange asking. "I mean, Ayako was Mai's mothers doctor, and she passed right? And Ayako said she never saw Mai's father"
"There is a definite possibility" Shibuya answered slowly. "But this is circumstantial, and it should be kept private"
"Of course" Monk frowned. He knew that. He was just worried for her.
"Distance yourself from the case and the client, this is not your first job" Shibuya scolded, but it was not clear if he was even speaking to Monk.
Hey guys, hoped you liked this update! If you did, please leave a review! And as a reminder, anyone who would like to join the discord is more then welcome! It is very lively and everyone is just like us! Fans of reading, writing, art, anime and ghost hunt! What could be better? The link is the normal discord stuff then: 4YWjNT ! I look forward to seeing you there!
