Disclaimer: I own nothing….
Office Hour
"And so V. Gordon Childe's Oasis model on the origins of food production states that thousands of years ago after the end of the last ice age great climatic changes occurred. These changes…" the professor droned on, explaining the various different models.
His monotonous voice was so dragging that more than a handful of the students were sleeping. One boy even stumbled sideways out of his seat trying to keep awake.
Makimachi Misao stared at the front of the lecture hall blearily pen in hand. She could not remember a time in her life when she had been more bored. Normally this class was very interesting for her. But the combination of her professors voice and her lack of sleep from the night before…studying (playing Ninja Gaidan) was torturous enough to make her want to commit seppuku.
Beside her, her two friends Okon and Omasu were in a similar state. Okon was playing spider solitaire on her laptop and trying to get the guy beside her to stop dropping onto her shoulder in sleep, while Omasu…Omasu was…
Frowning, Misao felt her eye twitch slightly as she stared at Omasu who appeared to have finally mastered the art of sleeping with her eyes open and pen in hand.
'Lucky girl…' Misao thought to herself. She had a sudden urge to shake her fist at the girl but refrained.
Misao picked up her large coffee and drank the remnants of the caffeinated drink. She groaned once she finished. It was not nearly enough.
Her green eyes flickered over to the clock hanging above the door. 1:53 p.m.
Seven more minutes just seven more minutes. She chanted it like a mantra in her head. She couldn't wait. After class she was going to pop in and see Aoshi then go and study with Kaoru.
Oh shoot, its Wednesday isn't it? Misao growled in annoyance. She had almost forgotten she had office hours this week. She would have to skip out on seeing Aoshi for today and head to the club room right after class.
She slumped down into her seat pouting. Her eyes were trained on the clock willing the time to move faster.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity the professor made a move to close off his lecture.
Why does he feel the need to talk all the way to the end of class?
After reminding them all of their midterm in a week he finally let them go.
"Oh sweet Kami-sama I thought it would never end!" Okon drawled quickly shoving her books and laptop into her bag. "That's two hours of my life I'll never get back."
"I know what you mean, I normally like this stuff, but that was too painful to describe." Omasu agreed. She had 'awoken' just as the professor said they could go. "I thought there was a law against the use of cruel and unusual punishment."
Misao just chuckled as she pulled on her scarf and coat. She could not agree more. "I just hate that he always talks until the very end of class."
The three girls continued to chat amiably amongst themselves as they descended the steps of the lecture hall.
"Misao, do you want to come eat with us right now?" Omasu asked.
"I can't today ladies I have club duties. But I'll see you next week okay?" After waving goodbye Misao turned and made a dash towards the stairs.
"Wah!! I'm going to be late!" Misao squealed as she turned a corner nearly colliding with another person. Muttering a quick apology Misao bowed and ran off again. Misao was an executive of her schools Historical Studies club and as a result had to hold regular office hours.
One of the things their club offered was the renting of past tests to students majoring or specializing in historical studies.
It was fun and a great way to become involved in the school community and Misao enjoyed it a lot. In fact several of her other friends were also executives like Kaoru and Kenshin. The only think she did not enjoy was that the office for their club was in the basement and a bit far from the rest of the school.
The sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor echoed loudly through the hall. She turned the bend and pulled open the double doors to the basement. Gah, I guess its fitting to have a historical studies club down here, this hallway is ancient!
Walking a couple more feet Misao finally spotted the H.S.M.P. room (Historical Studies Meeting Place). Misao waved to Kaede-San, the elderly lady that was the coordinator of the H.S.M.P. room.
"Going on your break Kaede-san?"
"Yes I'll be back in three hours." She said while smiling. She passed Misao and headed for the stairs. "By the way Misao-Chan, there is a letter on my desk when you have some time could you run over to Dr. Fukuyama's lab and deliver it for me? It's on this same floor. Thanks." She waved and smiled again as Misao nodded her assent.
Walking in, she quickly dumped her things on the worn sofa and logged into the computer. After opening the necessary programs she typed in her start time. She glanced at the computer time and saw she was about five minutes late. But she didn't care; no one seemed to have come in yet anyways.
So Misao sat back and waited. Being the energetic girl she was she couldn't really sit still for very long. Aoshi had tried to teach her how to meditate but it never worked. Misao was a creature of motion and thus needed to well…move. So she drummed her fingers against the desk and when that got boring began undoing the tie holding her long dark hair in its customary braid. She fiddled with the curled ends pondering what she could do for the next couple of hours.
"Well I guess I should study." She said aloud. Sighing she picked herself up and moved to her bag. Plopping down on the couch she rummaged through her notes and pulled out an article she had to read for her Introduction to Archaeology class.
She flipped her long hair over the back of the couch not bothering to re-tie it, instead allowing the long hair to slowly unwind. It was good to let her hair down sometimes she thought to herself as she placed her tie around her wrist.
Grabbing a highlighter she sank down and started reading.
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Tick. Tick. Tick.
Misao stared at the clock hanging on the wall across from her.
Why is it only 2:48 p.m.?
She shut her eyes and groaned. Time in her opinion was passing way too slow. She looked again at the article she had to read for class. She flipped disinterestedly through the pages seeing the words but not really reading them. Her head suddenly blurred from staring too long. Tossing the article aside she closed her eyes and gently pinched the bridge of her nose. After a minute she looked up again at the clock.
2:53 p.m.
"What the—augh!"
She rolled her eyes and glanced behind herself toward the door. Freedom was just beyond her reach. She could feel it. All she wanted to do was head to the cafeteria and grab something to eat and finally put to an end the most boring office hour of her life. Shaking her head she figured boring was going to be the theme of the day. No one had even come in so far to rent a test, ask a question. She let out a puff of air and slumped her shoulders in defeat.
She leaned farther into the brown sofa propping her feet up on the coffee table. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a bit. With her eyes closed she could hear the tick, tick, ticking of the clock, and the soft gentle hum of the computer. A couple of girls walked by the open doorway giggling about some guy they saw. Misao could hear the click of their heels against the ground as they passed. They gradually faded away leaving once again the sounds of the clock and the humming of the computer.
Just barely Misao could sense the air around her drop a couple degrees. With her eyes still closed she frowned, further pulling up the zipper on her black sweater. Through her closed eyelids she could see the light above her flicker, the bulb making a slight buzzing noise. Suddenly she heard the floor creak behind her. Her eyes popped open and she froze not moving. She moved her head slightly to look behind her just in time to see a Kaede's office door close partially.
"Kaede-san? Are you back from your lunch break early? How was it?" Misao inquired.
"Kaede?" Still no answer. She figured she couldn't hear her and turned back around leaning her head against the couch cushion. She checked the time again. 2:48 p.m.
Huh? Misao leaned forward to examine the clock. Wasn't it just 2:48? Is that clock slowing down? She shook her head and leaned back once more closing her eyes.
She could feel her muscles relaxing and her breathing slow. She knew she shouldn't fall into a deep or even light sleep. She was still on the clock and she had to get to the library by 4:00 p.m. to meet Kaoru to study. She frowned again as the room seemed to chill even more. She turned her head to the side. Something was weird though. Misao shifted slightly again. She adjusted her shirt and pulled her hair away from whatever seemed to keep to tugging on it.
Misao's eyes popped open and she froze. She held her breath trying to still the very blood from flowing through her body. But she could still feel it. It was unmistakable. The careful lifting of her hair as if someone were gently playing with the curled ends. In one quick motion she swung around to look behind her knocking her loose sheets of paper onto the floor.
Nothing.
She stood up and walked a few steps to see behind the wood case where students dropped off assignments. No one hiding. She had half expected to see Sano or Kaoru there hiding. She took an uncertain step back confused. She looked around and noticed that Kaede's half closed door was suddenly shut.
But…I didn't hear it close…
She frowned again, and slowly turned around to pick up her fallen papers.
"Ok that's 1, 2, 3, 4, uh, 10 pages, I'm missing one." She straightened up and surveyed the floor below her finally spotting her missing page by the computer desk. She walked over and bent down to retrieve it and almost missed seeing the pair of feet peeking out from underneath the desk.
Almost.
She jerked back in alarm and stood up. But there was no one behind the desk. She released the breath of air she hadn't realized she was holding in. She quickly walked back to her bag and began packing her things. It didn't matter if she still had little more than an hour of her office hour left she could be ready. She turned her head to check the time once more. Her eyes widened. 3:58 p.m.
"What the—um…" She shook her head. "Whatever I'm leaving now."
She swung her bag over her shoulder and quickly signed off and turned the computer off. As soon as she entered the hall she noticed how much warmer it was than in the Club room. She turned in the direction of the Cafeteria when she remembered that Kaede needed her to drop off that letter. Quickly stepping back in the club room she grabbed the letter and ran back into the hall.
The clack of her heels echoed off the walls as she walked. She continued in silence.
Why wasn't anyone else wandering around? She thought to herself. There should be some Bio labs going on. She frowned nervously and walked a bit faster.
As she turned a corner she began picking up another sound. Along with the sound of her heels was the sound of…sliding? The kind of sliding a person can make when they drag their feet behind them. Misao tightened the hold she had on her bag but kept walking. But she could still hear it.
Clack of her heels.
Step….slide
Clack
Step…slide
Clack
Step…slide
Passed the elevators, Misao began to quicken her pace. Pushing through the double doors she rounded the corner and nearly sprinted down the hall until she arrived in front of the Fukuyama lab. Whipping the letter out she didn't even bother knocking but instead slipped it beneath the door. As she straightened up she looked back the way she came and listened. There was no more sliding sounds.
She began to slowly walk back, but as she arrived at the corner she stopped and glanced to her right. There was a stairwell. She could take it up she thought, get to the second floor quicker and just take the long way to the cafeteria. It looked familiar so it shouldn't get her lost. She smiled thinking about what Kaoru would say to that: "HAHA you got lost in the bowels of the south building!"
Eventually she pushed through the doors, as they closed behind her, her smile slowly faded. Now she remembered why the stairwell was familiar. This is where Sano had taken her, Kaoru, Kenshin and Aoshi to watch the movie Shutter. Suddenly she noticed the cooler temperature. She swallowed heavily staring at the black void beneath the stairs.
Very carefully she willed her legs to move forward and opted to stare straight ahead instead of at the inky blackness. Her foot finally made it to the first step when suddenly Misao heard sniffling. She stopped and strained her ears. Very softly she could make out the sounds of whimpering. She back tracked slightly and glanced as far as she could underneath the stairs. Faintly she could make out the silhouette of a person sitting on the ground.
Feelings of sympathy got the better of her and she slowly stepped forward a step.
"Excuse me are you okay?" The whimpering stopped.
Setting her jaw Misao bravely walked under the stairs.
And saw no one.
Then she felt it. The careful lifting of her hair, as if someone were playing with the curled ends. In one hard yank she fell back as something grabbed her roughly.
She jerked forward in her seat pushing her papers off her lap.
"Uh, Misao you okay?" Her fellow Historical Studies member, Ryuuzaborou asked her. For one disoriented second Misao didn't know where she was until she realized she was still in the club room. She looked at the clock. 4:00 p.m. Her office hour was over.
"Yeah, must have dozed off."
"Well I just got here; you looked like you were having a headache so I didn't say anything. I already signed you out actually."
"Thanks I'll go then." She packed her bags and started out the door. She turned left in the direction of the cafeteria then remembered Kaede needed her to drop off something in the Fukuyama lab. Quickly walking back into the clubs room Misao took the letter off Kaede's desk and waved goodbye to Ryuuzaborou again. Her heels echoed off the walls as she went on in silence. Soon though, the sounds of her heels began mingling with another sound…
The sound of sliding…the kind a person makes when they drag their feet…
TBC…
AN: Well I finished this quicker than I thought. But here it is Chapter 2 done and done! (Dusts off Hands)
IMPT NOTE ABOUT WHISPERING CORRIDORS – I should say this here before anyone gets confused. Each chapter will generally focus on a different character and will actually be able to stand alone. Although they do all tie in together and you will see certain elements in one chapter carry over into another one.
REVIEW REPLIES :
Scarred Sword Heart: I'm actually a fan of your work (having read the whole Manga series as well I like to think your stories pick up where Watsuki-sensei left off) and am happy you have taken an interest in my story. I should hope it was creepy considering I had to scare myself to get into the right mood. : ). Thank you for your support, and I hope to see you come out with more stories as well.
Gabyhyatt: Thank for your support. I hope I don't let you down.
PidoChan: Thanks I'll try to make it scarier, or at least maintain its level of scariness.
Fickle Luck: Haunting eh? Hehe, I know they sound weird. When I first found out we were getting a new library with those shelves I had no idea what they were about. But it is true. All the shelves are on treads. You just have to find the right aisle press the start button and wait for it to make sure no one is in the aisle, and then once it says ready to use you just press the left or right button to get it to move. Hmm perhaps I should make a video of it, it's not hard to imagine is it? Well I hope not…anyways thank you for taking a liking to my story. : )
Raine: haha I have another friend also Filipino and her name is Raine, or at least it's her nickname. But anyways I should thank you for reviewing both this story and my stormy night one. I was going for that, the fact that it's very different than most RK fics on this site. While I always like a good fic focused on getting KK together I like to write different stories. As for the blue bells I tried looking up the flowers native to Japan that I could use and ended up on a wikipedia site. It had a chart of flowers that Japanese people send (A tradition derived from the Victorian one) and it said blue bells meant grateful. But since it was a wikipedia page I guess it could be wrong. Thanks for reviewing I hope I can have your continued support. : )
Thank you for reading my story. Until next time.