Thursday, October 21st 4:35pm
"I'm late again! Naru's going to kill me if I don't hurry! Why did I have to fall asleep?" I ran down the street like crazy. I just had to one more turn and I'll be there. Just when I engaged the turn I ran into something. I was thrown backwards and landed flat on my butt. "Ow!
"Are you all right? Let me help you."
"Yeah I think so."
The guy who I bumped into grabbed my hand and helped me up. He seemed to be the same age as Naru. But boy, he was handsome. He had gorgeous blue eyes and blond spiky hair. At first he looked kind of scary: he was wearing black jeans with black sneakers and a sleeveless red shirt. He had three piercings in his left ear and a grey sweatshirt was tied around his waist. However, the look in his eyes was warm and comforting. I suddenly realized that it was me who'd run into him and not the other way around. I bowed down really quickly. "I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you like that!" He looked confused for a minute then smiled at me.
Don't worry about it. No harm, no grudge.
Still, I should do something to repay you…
Actually, you could help me find my way around. I'm looking for the office of Shibuya Psychic Research. Any idea where it could be?
Whoa, what a coincidence. I'm going there right now. Oh no, I'm late! It's this way!
I grabbed his wrist and darted off again. We soon reached the entrance door of the office. I pushed the door open. "Naru, I'm bringing a client!"
There is no need to yell Mai, said a calm and collected voice I knew all too well. By the way you're late and I need tea.
Yes, you Highness, I pouted. 'I turned to our visitor and smiled.' This is Mr. Shibuya, the owner of the SPR. He's the one you want to see.
Thanks... um… Mai, was it?"
I nodded and went to the small kitchen area of the office. While preparing the tea, I heard Naru and our new client's request.
My name is Daniel Reed. My father died when I was young and my mother got remarried six month ago. We moved to Tokyo with my stepfather, Yukio Kimura. They bought a new house just outside the city and… strange things are happening.
Like what?
Well, at first it was just random noises in rooms where no one would be. We figured the house was making sounds because it was old, so we stopped paying attention. After a while they stopped for good but a week later, the oven exploded and nearly blew up the entire kitchen.
Is that all? Naru was not easily impressed. Most of the cases of haunted houses brought to us were due to human activity.
No. The other day, I was in the living room. Suddenly the temperature started dropping fast. It was like being outside in a snow storm. The lights started flickering and I heard something that sounded like a deep vibration. I could've sworn it was a growl. We had the gas, electricity and air conditioning checked dozens of time, but they never found anything.
Naru taught me that the dropping of temperature usually means that there are spirits around. The whistling of the boiler brought me back to reality. I prepared the tea quickly and brought a cup for Naru and another for Daniel. Lin was taking notes of what he was saying on his laptop. Then Naru spoke again.
When did this occur?
About three weeks ago.
Has anything else happened since?
Doors would open and close by themselves, but recently our "guest" has taken interest in breaking things. Every three days or so, something will break in the house. First it was small objects like glasses but last time we found a big hole in one of the doors.
I felt a chill down my spine. If the house was really haunted, it meant the spirits were getting violent.
So mister Shibuya… will you take the case?
Just one question: why are you the one making the request?
Because someone has to do it. My stepdad is too busy with work to notice all the bizarre things happening. My mother is simply refusing to take action without his permission. But if this question is about my age, you're the last person that should lecture me. 'He said that with an ironic grin on his face.'
Very well then 'Naru replied in his usual cool, neutral voice' we'll take the case. Mai.
Eh? Me? Yes?
Stop daydreaming and call the Kimura house. Tell them we'll be coming tomorrow.
Friday, October 22nd2:50pm - Kimura Residence.
When we arrived I was surprised at how big the house was. Almost like a manor. There were three floors with at least ten rooms each. "We could easily get lost in a house this big…"
You, probably. Me, not so much. Unlike you I have a pretty good sense of orientation.
Great, we'd been here five minutes and I already wanted to hit him. 'What's with all the insults anyway? What did I ever do to him?' I knew replying would be useless. Naru was just as good with his words as with his tech. Lin and I had just finished setting up base with all the screens and control boards. All that was left now was setting up the surveillance cameras in each room. I sat down for a moment and sighed loudly. I regretted that a second too late. "What are you doing Mai? Work isn't finished yet."
You can talk! All you've been doing was research on your laptop. Maybe your fingers need a little ice for that arduous task of typing, but as for me, the base set up put my back out, thank you very much!
Then how about I give you a hand, Mai?" Said a voice behind me. Daniel was in the door frame smiling.
Yeah, thanks a lot!"
I followed Daniel around the house and in each room, we set up cameras and microphones. While we were doing that I asked him about his family.
This house is kind of big for three people, don't you think?
Actually there are eight people living in this house.
So you have siblings?
I would very much like to hear about everyone in your family as well.
Naru! You scared the hell out of me!
It's nice to see how close you've become in such a short amount of time, but I'd like to get back to the case now."
That jerk! Why was he acting so rudely towards his own client? That was new. We all went back to base and Naru started questioning Daniel again. We learned that in the house resided also Yume (12), Daniel's stepsister, Rina and Miki (16), a pair of twins that were taken in by the Kimura couple, Ruka (20), a student that rented a room in the house and Shion (29) their aunt. "Has any of them been affected in any particular way by the activity here?" Before Daniel could answer we heard the door open and a voice shouted: "We're home!" Two girls past in front of the room and came in when they saw us. They were perfectly identical: same light purple dyed hair, and dark blue eyes. Only one of them, Miki I think, had hair cut short, and had a lollipop in her mouth. "Hey Dany, are those people the ghost hunters? Hope you can get rid of whatever it is fast. I already lost a mirror and two frames." She laughed lightly. Her voice was quiet and sweet at the same time. Rina however didn't speak. She was just staring at us. "If you need help just ask, 'kay?"
Miki where's Yume? Asked Daniel.
It's Friday, she has dance class until 6:00. Do you need us to prepare the rooms for them?
Yeah, good idea.
The twins left and took Daniel with them. Naru, Lin and I started checking on the gear. Then Lin noticed that the temperature was dropping in one of the rooms upstairs but nothing moved. We waited. Naru made a walk through in the house but found nothing. It wasn't unusual to not find anything in the first twenty-four hours of the investigation. The spirits are usually pretty shy.
After a couple hours, Daniel came and we asked him about the room. He told us it was Yume's bedroom. It remained cold the whole time. That meant the spirit, if it was one, was not moving. In that moment I really wished Masako were here: she could tell if it was really a spirit. I started having goose bumps. Then Miki knocked on the door frame: "Dany! Its 6:30 and Yume's still not here!" After she had just said that, Daniel rushed out of the house with Miki and Rina behind him. They came back fifteen minutes later. Rina was carrying a little girl with long auburn hair. I gasped when I saw her: Yume had bruises and blood all over her. She had holes in the sleeves of her sweatshirt and one of her shoes was missing. "Mai," I looked at Naru. "Go help them, we can manage here." I went to the kitchen and took some water and a towel. Yume was sitting in the couch, not moving. Her eyes were empty, like she was awake but not conscious. I helped Miki clean her wounds. "Yume, this is the second time this week." Miki still had her quiet voice but she was scolding her. Shion came in and helped us muttering to herself. "Those little rascals! I'll make sure to get them expel!" "What exactly happened, I asked?
She was beat up. 'Said Daniel coming in with a first aid kit.' I thought it'd stopped!
Why?
Yume's twelve but she is in eighth grade. Her classmates don't think she belongs there.
No way?
Dany, who is that? 'Asked the injured girl.'
Oh I'm sorry! My name is Mai.
I thought you might be Dany's girlfriend.
Huh?!
In that moment, her eyes sparkled and she laughed like a little kid. It was nice to see she was so brave after being beat up. We bandaged the rest of her injuries and then she asked what I was doing here. I told her that I was here with SPR. "We're going to help you with your ghost problem", I added smiling. She froze and stared at me in fear and confusion. Without any warning, she jumped out of her seat and dashed out of the room. We heard her go upstairs. "Did I say something I shouldn't have Daniel?"
I don't understand either. I did forget to tell her that you guys were coming but that reaction wasn't expected…
We went back to the base. The temperature in Yume's room went back to normal a second after she came in. "Daniel, was it Yume's door that got broken last time?" Asked Naru.
No. It was my mom and stepdad's. Now that I think about it, all the broken objects were mostly upstairs or in the office.
The office was on the first floor, right under Yume's room. We all went to bed after that.
Saturday, October 23rd
That morning, we were able to meet Mary, Daniel's mom. She was very nice to us. Since today was a weekend almost everyone would be in the house. At the breakfast table she told us that Mr. Kimura should return around noon from his trip. Shion was also very friendly. She was an archeologist that just came back from a search in Egypt. However, we didn't see Yume. I went to base with Naru and Lin and they started checking yesterday's data. "I'm still sleepy" I thought. "It won't kill anyone if I close my eyes for a few seconds". I fell asleep.
I was in the kitchen of a house. A little girl with auburn hair was trying to reach a cookie jar. It was nighttime. Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming towards us. "You're in danger" I said "Quick, hide!" The little girl didn't hear me and called out: "Mommy, is that you?" A masked man came in and pointed a gun towards the little girl. I wanted to throw myself in front of her but an arm grabbed me. Holding me was Naru. The one I always saw in my dreams. "This is a memory Mai. There's nothing you can do." He looked sad when he said that. I looked again. The man grabbed the girl and she screamed in pain. Then a woman came in running and threw herself on the man. The bullet hit her right in the chest. She fell to the ground. I screamed at the same time as the girl. "Mai, wake up!"
"Mai! Wake up!" I received a slap in the face. I opened my eyes. Naru's face was just above mine. "You were screaming." Are you all right?
Daniel? Where's Daniel?
Why? My boss asked frowning.
I need to ask him something.
Fine then.
Was it just me or did he look offended? Daniel came soon after. "Daniel, how did Yume's mom died?"
How did you know she died? I never mentioned it… Anyway, she was shot by a burglar when Yume was seven. And she saw the whole thing.
Did you have another clairvoyant dream Mai? Asked Naru suddenly interested.
Yeah. I saw the fight.
Daniel, asked Naru. You said you've been living here for six months, right? When exactly did the strange phenomenon start?
About two months after we moved in,but it only became violent about three weeks Yume, Miki and Rina, and Ruka came, it was quiet
Yume wasn't with her father?
After her mom died, Yukio sent her to live with her grandmother. To be honest, I think he couldn't bear to see her. When he came in the house after the murder, he found Yume bathed in her mom's blood. It's haunting him. They haven't talked in four years and they even avoid being in the same room.
That's awful! I shouted. How can he shun his own daughter like that?
However Yume seems fine… continued Naru.
When she moved back in with us, she had a friend named Shirogane. But he died just after Yume moved in, crushed by a car. After that, Yume went back to her cold self, but recently, she started getting better. I thought it was because the beatings had stopped.
I see.
Naru's eyes were lost in thought for a moment. Then he looked at me again: "Mai, I want you to…"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
We were interrupted by a scream. We all raced to the living room. The table was smashed into little pieces… The one that had screamed was Shion. She still had her hands in front of her mouth in shock: "I was just having a cup of tea, when I heard some kind of growl and the table started shaking and…
It's all right now, I told her. It's over.
It's still cold in here, noticed Lin.
What is going on here? 'I turned around to see for the first time Yukio Kimura.'
It was almost dinner time now. Daniel had explained to his father why SPR was here. Mr Kimura thanked us for coming and begged us to fix the problem quickly. I was helping Shion and Mary to prepare dinner. We then set up the table and called for everyone. I realized that we were missing someone: "Would you like me to go get Yume? She hasn't left her room all day…
Actually, replied Naru, she was the first one up. She left her room by the window at five thirty-four.
She what? Exclaimed Miki and Daniel at the same time.
That is strange, added Mary. None the less, would you please get her Mai?"
I agreed and got up. I went upstairs. If I remembered correctly, Yume's room was at the very end of the first hallway on the right. I knocked on the door and opened it: "Dinner's ready!" I realized that I was in the wrong room. When he saw me, Ruka quickly hid a piece of paper in a drawer and looked back at me with a smile. He looked embarrassed: "Oh you startled me! I'll be right there, thank you very much." He kind of looked like a nerd with his glasses, but he seemed like a nice guy. "No problem! Do you know where Yume's room is?
Of Course! It's all the way at the end of the hallway."
I got out and went to the end of the left hallway, cursing Naru for being right about my sense of direction. As I got closer to the room, I heard Yume speaking to herself: "I know you're getting itchy about them being here. But you have to control yourself. What's gotten into you?" Was she scolding herself? Did Yume dislike strangers that much? Who could blame her? Her mom was killed by a burglar with a mask… To her, he could be anyone. I knocked: "Yume, are you hungry?" I heard a gasp and a quick response: "I…I'll be right there."