(A/N): Happy 30th Chapter Anniversary! Aaaaaaah we're on chapter 30! :D
I leave this chapter on a bit of an annoying note - annoying as in chapter 21 kind of thing - so I apologise in advance for this...;)
I'm not sure if anyone has heard, but apparently someone is making Ghost Hunt into a live action film or something...I'm not sure if that's good or bad, honestly, but I do really hope they get a good person to play John and Takigawa. I'm always a bit uncertain when books or comics or mangas are made into films (bad experiences and 'aaaah they left this out no I loved that scene!' kind of thing) but who knows, it might be good. I was a bit surprised, actually, I didn't realise Ghost Hunt was so popular hat they would make a live action film. Well, live and learn.
It took a long time before Sinead made her appearance to some of the SPR members, even though I first mentioned her right at the beginning of the chapter, but I had always planned on her making her entrance when Saburou did the whole schizophrenia shuh-bang, but I didn't realised it would take so long (I added in more scenes than I planned) but she's here now. I'm pretty fond of her as an OC, actually. That brings me to my next question - out of these characters, who is your favourite? And who is your favourite OC? I'm very curious about that. :) Also, does anyone draw fanfic? If you do, I'd love to see some of it - about anything, I'm not fussy.
Ok review answer time! First of all -
To the guest review: I am really sorry about that, I didn't realise you were supporting me and I thought you were sticking up for CuteKyo, as she now calls herself, so I apologise for jumping to that conclusion. Also there are so many anonymous reviewers flying around, I thoguth you were one of the people who had reviewed anonymously telling me to delete my story. Strangely, someone who called themselves 'IsTooLazyIsLogon' did actually review my sister's story and left a nasty review - I saw it myself - so maybe someone was impersonating you? Either way, I'm really sorry. My sister was upset about it, since it was the first review she received on her story, so I got a bit angry about it as well. Please don't feel like you need to review anonymously - we aren't going to send you horrid messages. If you don't want to, that's fine.
Actually, I think everyone who reviews anonymously should use a name so we can determine you from everyone else. I know we have Good Anon and Raven's Shadow, so use any other name if you review anonymously, so I can tell you apart :)
To myangelicladyofdarkness: Well, the plagiarist has changed her username and the name of the story (probably in an attempt to hide from me so I can't report her) but she hasn't sent me any nasty messages and neither have her followers, so I'm hoping she's giving it up. Also, I'm guessing you figured out the hints I left when Sinead and Olivia were fighting (like the use of Aryan) yeah, I've been wanting to introduce Sinead for ages, so I'm glad she's finally made an appearance too! :)
To NightOfTheWriters: Oh no don't feel like you're not a true fan! It's ok to forget a character - the last time I mentioned her was in, like, chapter 18, and a lot ahs happened since then, so it's fine :) You are a brilliant fan!
To Raven's Shadow: Yay I feel like I haven't heard from you in awhile, I was missing you! Yeah, my sister was pretty annoyed about it as well, especially since it was the first review she got, which was a bit of a kicker. Heheheh I really like Sinead as well, when I was creating her I thought, "Yeah, I like this OC" She's pretty badass, in my humble opinion ;) Also thanks about the piano exam (I've looked at grade seven and it's really hard I'm scared)
To Good Anonymous: Thankfully, I haven't gotten a flaming review too recently (apart from that stupid one about the spelling where they spelt clearly wrong) but I really think that there isn't much I can do but hope wattpad sorts it out. Also, Wolfstadt says thanks as well :) Thanks for your compliments, they really warm my heart and I'm not exaggerating, I get really happy when someone leaves a nice review, especially after the flames.
Thank you, all my fans. You are all very, very precious to me, and thank you for being so supportive and wonderful. When I first started writing my story, and I got my first reviews, I never imagined that one day I would have so many dedicated fans. But here I am now, uploading chapter 30!
Thank you for reading, favouriting, following and reviewing! And I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Within a short space of time, we had reached very high ground. A forest loomed ahead of us.
"Shall we leave the car here?" Takigawa asked, getting out of the car.
I followed. "Yes." Adrenaline was coursing through me. We were almost there.
The forest was dense, and little of the morning light could penetrate the thick canopy that stole away the day from us. Instead, we walked through the undergrowth, relying on snatches of dappled light to find our way.
A hidden instinct deep inside of me wanted to turn and run away as fast as I could. Get away from this place before it was too late. But I steeled myself against this feeling, regardless. I had to go back. I had to investigate.
Eventually, the forest seemed to be thinning. Fewer roots tripped us up. More light reached us. The sound of the river was far away now, leaving nothing but the empty sound of our feet against twigs and a few weak bird songs.
At last, all too soon – I couldn't decide – we left the forest. I froze where I stood.
There it was.
In front of us, a charred, vast ruin had crumbled and disintegrated. What once had been a large building now only consisted of a blackened skeleton. A chill swept across me. Yet there was a terrifying stillness. The site seemed to absorb all sounds and movements; absorb each echo of our footsteps, leaving a soundless chasm behind. The clouds overhead were blank and dully grey, with neither a brush of blue sky, nor the faint shades of black from oncoming rain. The area had swallowed all colour. Even the grass was scorched, and little vegetation grew. There was no wind, no comforting breeze to stir some life into the scene. Instead, an insurmountable barrier had formed, isolating the tableau from the rest of the world. There was nothing, nothing but a sickening mess of worthless destruction. However, breaking through even this ominous barrier, a sinister hint of disinfectant managed to mingle its way towards us.
Mattaku Psychiatric Ward.
Taking a deep breath, I began to walk warily towards the site. My heart was beating rapidly as I neared it.
Perhaps 50 meters away, I paused, taking in the soot coated rubble and the overwhelming stillness. I became aware of my heart pumping blood. Adrenaline began to beat around me. Fear crept into my mind like a parasite, and I felt my blood go faster and faster.
"Hey."
I jumped. Takigawa had joined me.
"So, this is it?"
"Yes." Now the silence had been shattered, the site wasn't nearly as hostile.
"What do you think we'll find here?"
Bodies? Solitary isolation?
"I'm not sure. But it's evidence. The police will have to investigate now."
Takigawa nodded, and we walked slowly towards the building.
A chill set upon us as we arrived at the rubble. Takigawa breathed in shock at the close proximity, speechless. Quickly, I scanned the area. No one was here.
"Were there…people in here? I mean, when it…burnt down?"
I shuddered, and nodded. "Yes." Back then, I had only been half-aware of the screams. Now I could fully comprehend the terror behind them.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Takigawa peered across the debris. The ward stretched on for a long while, and was bigger than I realised. "I can't see anyone here, but if this place burnt down, then there could be any number of hazards waiting for us."
I nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. We should probably stick together."
"You sure? We could cover more ground apart."
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. We could get attacked much easier if we're apart." Not to mention I was terrified. I wanted something, anything, to break the awful silence that would occur if we were apart. Instead, we walked closely together, stumbling across rubble and blocks of wall. Treading carefully down what was once a corridor where the patients stood during roll call, I struggled to keep the raging and repulsing memories in the back of my mind. The hallway now consisted of a mere half meter of wall running along both sides, black and burnt, with various gaps where doors must have been. Swallowing, I paused outside each remain of a door. This is where everyone had to sleep.
"What is this?" Takigawa asked.
"The hall way, and the rooms where we slept."
Takigawa frowned and turned to me. "'We'?"
I hesitated, realising that Takigawa did not know I had been abducted by Saburou on the 5th March, and that I had just revealed it to him. When I did not answer him, he pressed further.
"Brown-san. Why did you say 'we'?"
Inhaling, I spoke up. "Because I was here. They took me here." Then I moved on, picking my way across the rubble.
Behind me, Takigawa stood, dazed, for a moment, before hurrying to catch up with me.
"They took you?"
"Yes." I kept my answer brief.
"H-How? Why?"
"They abducted me. I got too close to the secrets here while I was investigating Sayomi Watanabe's disappearance."
Takigawa swallowed. "…How did you escape?"
"I'm not sure. Kazuki helped me, I think."
"Why was Kazuki-san there, anyway?"
Again, I hesitated, before explaining, "He worked here."
"He…" Somehow, it was as if this made sense to Takigawa in some way, from the look of revelation across his face. "Of course…"
"What do you mean?" I asked him. He did not answer me, though, and looked straight ahead with wide eyes.
Frowning, I turned to see what he was looking at.
There was someone there, at the end of the corridor. A person. It was a woman, a young woman, and she looked somewhat familiar.
"Don't move." I breathed to Takigawa, who nodded mutely.
The woman was wearing the blue uniform. And her arms were drenched in blood. So was her mouth. There was blood running from her teeth and her jaw, like she had been drinking it. Her eyes were vacant and blank. Her body was faint, like an old picture.
A spirit.
Swallowing, I took a deep breath, and spoke up. "Hello?"
The woman did not reply. She did not even appear to notice us.
"We're not here to hurt you." I assured her, all while wondering where I had seen her before. "What's your name?"
No reply again. But this time, the woman turned around and began to walk slowly away. I tugged at Takigawa's sleeve.
"Let's follow her."
Uncertainly, Takigawa nodded, and we began to walk at a slow pace behind her.
As we walked, I became aware of a chill that ran up my spine. It was getting colder. The woman walked over the rubble with ease, while we struggled over the hazardous debris. If it had not been for her slow pace, we might have fallen behind.
Finally, she stopped in front of a blackened, but more intact, wall, with a door that was still in place. A metal, bolted door…My blood ran cold. Had she lead us to…?
Takigawa grabbed my arm. "Look."
The woman opened the door and walked through. Inside, the room was dark but not completely black. There was no roof, so some sunlight was getting in from the charred floorboards above us.
"Who are you?" I called again after the woman, following her inside.
She stopped in the middle of the room, where there was a single table and the remains of some electronic device.
"I'm not insane."
Then she flickered from sight, and was gone.
Wait…
…Someone bursts into the dining hall.
"Stay away from me!" A woman shouts, slamming the doors behind her. Immediately, they burst open again. A group of orderlies hurry into the room, with Saburou at the front.
"I'm not ill!" The woman shouts. "I shouldn't be here!"
Saburou looks to the other orderlies. "Put her in solitary isolation."
The orderlies, not making a sound, grab her arms and drag her out of the room.
"I'm not ill!" She screams. "I'm not insane! Let me go!"
Saburou watches her go while we stand, motionless in shock. Ritsuka tenses up and I see the mop shaking in her hands, as the screams continue down the corridor.
"I'm not insane! I'm not insane!..."…
It was her, the one they took to solitary isolation. That woman who tried to run away. I didn't even know her name. And her wrists…
…"What about the anechoic chamber?" An orderly suggests. I don't know what that is.
"No, not today. We still need to clean up the mess in there after that patient…well, you know what happened."
I hear one of the orderlies mutter to another one. "Using her teeth…that must have been painful…"…
"That woman…" Oh God. "Her wrists…they did something to her. She killed herself. Using…"
…"Using her teeth"…
"Oh God." I felt sick.
"Using her what?"
"She used her teeth." I swallowed, trying to get rid of the nausea. "Oh, my God. She used her teeth to bite…" I couldn't continue. It was too horrible.
Takigawa realised what I meant. "Holy shit…" He stared at the space where the woman had been. "Why? What did they do to her?" He asked in disgust.
I shook my head, still reeling with repulsion. "I don't know. They mentioned…an anechoic chamber, I think…"
Takigawa froze. "A what?"
His intense gaze, the horror in his eyes, made my blood freeze. "…An anechoic chamber…Do you know what that is?"
He looked away, sickened, and nodded.
"…Yes." He exhaled, tried to change his shocked demeanour, patted my shoulder consolingly, and looked around. "Where are we?"
I recognised the place from my previous visit. "It's solitary isolation."
"What?"
"A…punishment room." He still hadn't answered my question.
"Is this where they…you know…"
Branded me? "Yes." I looked around. In a corner, I could see the charred remains of a furnace. It made my back twang in pain, and I looked hurriedly away.
"Why did that spirit bring us here?" Takigawa asked, his voice low. Something was bothering him.
"I think…the way she said that, 'I'm not insane'…Do you think she wants us to help avenge her death? Find where she died?"
Takigawa stared at the floor, solemn. His expression was grave and troubled. It was to do with that chamber. What did he know about it?
"…I think that's possible." He agreed. Not looking at me, he stepped forwards and began to walks further into solitary isolation, as if he was searching for something.
"What's the matter?" I asked him. He did not answer me.
"Takigawa-san." I walked beside him, trying to catch his gaze. But he refused to create eye contact. "What…What is an anechoic chamber?"
He stopped suddenly.
"That."
Frowning, I turned to see what he was pointing at. A small room, it must have been, was tucked away in the corner. The walls looked thick, and next to it there was a lot of broken equipment that had been destroyed by the fire.
It made dread engulf me.
My throat felt raw. Adrenaline raced through me.
"What is it?" I whispered.
"…It's a room. A specially designed room. A silent room."
"S-silent?"
"Yeah. -9 decibels. One of the quietest places in the world." It sounded familiar. Had someone mentioned it to me before?
…He was put into a room that was especially designed to be completely silent…
Yes. Ritsuka Amane mentioned it.
"And that's it?"
"I think so." Takigawa walked forwards, but I grabbed his sleeve. The action was not one of my own, but automatic.
"What is it?" Takigawa asked me.
"I…let's leave. Let's just go. Please." I was shaking now. I couldn't stop myself from trembling.
"Look, it's fine. Let me just have a look."
"N-No. Please. No. Let's go. Please."
He carefully lowered my hand. "We don't have to go in."
I nodded, and exhaled shakily. I wanted to break down and start crying.
"What's wrong with me?" I whispered. "Why am I so…scared?"
Takigawa met my gaze now. His eyes were sad. "Do you remember?"
"Remember what?"
"When Naru-kun did the hypnotic technique, and the music started? And you began to shout and cry for help?"
"Umm…" I swallowed. "I've tried to forget that."
Takigawa turned back to the room. He pulled me closer towards it. Now I was closer, I could see that a part of the wall had become so burnt, it had fallen through partially. The hole was big enough to climb easily into the room.
"Look inside." Takigawa told me gently.
Trembling uncontrollably, I peered inside. The interiors of the wall were covered in vents and grills.
"No." I stepped back. It took all my strength not to throw up. "No. I-I…I don't want to go in there."
"Brown-san, I'm not making you."
Terror overwhelmed me. I was too afraid to look away from the dreadful chamber, as if it would attack me, but with each moment that I kept my eyes locked onto the empty hole, the more fear was filling up inside of me. "N-no…I don't want to go in there. Don't make me."
"I'm not making you."
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the room. The silent room. "No. No. I-I…Please. Don't make me."
Takigawa reached out to me. His hand brushed my arm.
That was the final spark. Fear exploded inside of me.
"No!" John screamed. "No! Leave me alone! Stay away from me!" His eyes were wide, his pupils were small with terror. He backed away from Takigawa, shaking his head, breathing hard.
"I'm not insane! I'm not insane! Don't make me go in there!" Takigawa had no idea what to do.
"Stay away from me!" John screamed. He sank to the floor, withdrew his knees into a defensive position, and shielded his head. "Stay away…"
"Brown-san." Takigawa was too afraid to touch him, in case it made things worse. "I…I'm not making you go in there. I'm sorry."
John did not answer him. He remained still, shivering.
"I'm sorry. Let's leave now. Ok?"
"I'm not insane. I don't have schizophrenia."
"I know. I believe you." Takigawa tried to reassure him.
"I'm not insane." John repeated.
"I know."
"Don't make me go in there."
"I'm not going to. It's me. It's Takigawa. You're safe."
After what seemed like a very long time, John began to calm down. He wasn't shaking as much. His breathing had become slower, and less panicked. Finally, he uncurled himself from his position. Rather than fear etched on his face, he looked more confused.
"What…" He rose slowly to his feet. "What…" He could not say anymore, and instead stood in front of Takigawa, speechless.
"It's ok now. Let's just leave." It was a mistake showing him that room. Takigawa did not realised it would create such a fear inside of him.
Dazed, John nodded. "But why…Why am I so scared?"
Takigawa stared at his feet, too afraid to look John in the eye. "…When you took part in the hypnotic technique, when you had that flashback, you mentioned something. A silent room. A room that turns people mad."
I stared at Takigawa in disbelief. They…They put me in there? They put me in this chamber? This silent room? The same place where that woman killed herself?
"Oh God." It was harder to suppress the feeling of sickness now. "Oh, my God. They…they put me in that room?"
"Look, let's just leave now." Takigawa made a slight movement towards me, and I flinched.
Seeing the almost hurt look on Takigawa's face, I muttered, "I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry. I'm a little jumpy."
"That's ok." Takigawa beckoned to the door of solitary isolation. "Let's leave."
I nodded. "Yeah."
We explored the rest of the ward with barely a word to each other. I tried to keep my mind off of the anechoic chamber, but it was impossible. Only the adrenaline and the fear of being attacked kept me distracted. The worst thing was the spirits. There was more than one, more than the woman who had shown us solitary isolation. Sometimes, when we'd turn a corner, there'd be an orderly, with burns up their arm, watching us. Or if we looked away from the corner of a room, a patient coated in blood would have appeared. It was making me more and more on edge. We needed to leave here as soon as possible.
"Hey. Look at this." Takigawa peered inside a particularly burnt area. Even compared to the rest of the place, it had been completely incinerated.
"What is it?" The hairs on the back of my neck had risen, probably from the spirit of a doctor who had been following us for a little while now. I recognised her as the doctor who I had spoken to on the first day here. She was standing behind me now, watching me silently.
"Is it just me, or does it look like this room is particularly more burnt than the rest?"
"I guess…" I could see what he meant. There was not a scrap of colour anywhere, just soot. The walls had been burnt down completely. Nothing remained from whatever type of room it had been.
"It's almost…It's almost as if someone has gone over the place with some gasoline and lit a match."
"The office."
We turned around. The spirit behind us had spoken up. She stared mindlessly at the vacant room.
"He burnt it down. He didn't want anyone to find out what had been in there."
"…What was in there?" I asked her.
Her gaze was suddenly upon me. "You know."
Takigawa and I looked at each other. When we turned back, the spirit was gone.
"I don't like this." Takigawa spoke up after a while. We were searching the hall way and the patients' rooms again. "We should leave. Those spirits…they're unstable. They could turn on us at any minute."
I had been crouching, trying to decipher a series of scratch marks that were just legible in a scrap of wall that had not been touched by the fire. It looked like someone had tried to write something there, but had to scratch it with their fingernail.
"I know. I think we should leave, too. But I've found something here, and I'm just trying to figure out what it says."
Takigawa crouched next to me and peered at the writing. "Well, it's in the English alphabet, so I won't be able to help you much."
"Hm…" I tilted my head. "The first part looks like initials…An R and an M."
"What's that beneath it?" Takigawa asked.
"Umm…I don't know, it's a bit obscured by the soot. I think…I see 'M', 'A'….then a double 'T', I think."
"Matt…as in, Mattaku?"
"Yeah, probably. Then underneath it, it says…" This part was the least illegible. "…burial site?"
"Burial site? Like, that one in Shiroku?" Takigawa suggested.
"Maybe. I wonder who –"
Takigawa grabbed my arm suddenly. He was staring at something.
"John." He breathed, standing up slowly.
"What is it?"
He walked over to the corner of the room. There was…a speaker?
"A speaker? Why is that here?" It looked new, and untouched by the flames that had raged here.
"That's mine."
I froze. "What?"
"It belongs to my band. A while back, on the 22nd, a speaker went missing after our concert. We never actually found it."
"And…you're sure this is yours?"
"Yeah." He looked around wildly. "This is not good. We need to go."
There was a quiet, popping noise. Takigawa started, and clutched his arm, frowning. When he looked at his hand, it was covered in blood.
Then the speaker began to play. A slow, jarring melody boomed out.
The blood drained from my face. "No…" It was a trap. We had fallen into a trap.
Someone came around the corner. A man with scarred hands. Takigawa barely had time to turn around before the man struck him on the head with his gun.
"Houshou!" He fell to the ground, and I ran to his side. His arm was bleeding, a lot. I felt his pulse. He was still alive.
"Houshou, please wake up." I shook him gently. He did not stir. "Please."
The man laughed. I glared at him.
"Stay away from him, Saburou. He hasn't done anything. Leave him be. He doesn't have to be involved with this."
Saburou snarled. "Oh, he does." He raised the gun. "And this time, I'm not going to let you get away."
When Takigawa came to, pain grabbed him immediately. It crawled up his arm, wormed its way through his flesh and tore at his tendons. He became aware of someone calling his name.
"Houshou. Wake up. Please."
It was John. He sounded scared. Groaning, Takigawa opened his eyes and tried to sit up.
John was sitting next to him. Although he was trying to contain his fear, he could not hide it through his eyes. "H-Houshou. Are you ok?"
"Ugh…" Takigawa shut his eye to get rid of the spinning in his head. "What happened?"
"…Oh God, Houshou. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry. You were right. We shouldn't have come here."
Opening his eyes, Takigawa looked at the young man properly. This time around, he noticed that John's head was bleeding again, and much more than previously. The side of his head had been hit, and was already beginning to bruise. And his hands were tied behind his back.
Takigawa realised that his hands were bound as well. He looked up.
A man with scarred hands, the man who had called himself Manzo Ueda, was standing over them with a gun in his hands.
"Oh yes, you were right. You really should not have come here." He smiled, and shifted the gun menacingly.
"Because now, you're going to die."