Disclaimer: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt.
Comments: Thank you for your reviews. I want to mention a few words. I have read a little bit of the original novel (aka "Evil Spirit series") of GH. It's written in Mai's perspective, and I'm trying to capture her personality there… though I'm having trouble with it. A little adjustment has been made on purpose though. Sigh, writing in first person is always hard! Still, please enjoy!
[[HOUSE OF EVERGREEN]]
Episode 2: Investigation Launches
"Mai. Get the equipments set up."
Hi, Mai Taniyama back at your service. As you see, I am currently setting up microphones and tape recorder for a start. I am glad that Naru accepted the request of a lovely client, Iwazaki-san. Ah, she's such a graceful lady!
I snap back to reality when Naru scolds me for daydreaming.
"Mai, concentrate."
"Eh…? Okay, okay."
I head upstairs to set all the microphones up there too. While doing so, I summarise the list of people living here. So, there's Kayako Iwazaki-san, Iwazaki-san's husband (I believe his name is "Kaoru-san") and their son. Iwazaki-san's sister and a widow, Sawako Muramoto-san. And her children; a boy called "Shinogu-kun", and a girl. There also is a student – a kin of theirs – who is residing here, because apparently, this house is closer to his university.
This floor looks different from the one below. It has a long corridor with a few windows on the right and bedrooms on the left. It's like a hotel. This is a very Westernised Victorian house. A very elegant house; it perfectly matches its owner!
However, this place feels strange. There's something hanging in the air – like eeriness – since I entered through the elaborate main gate, admiring the gorgeous garden, full of evergreen plants. A chill runs down my spine. I shiver slightly.
Oh… now I see. This floor feels slightly cooler than the other one. Is there a window open somewhere?
I walk around the corridor, looking for any windows open, but I can't find any. Hmm… I wonder any of the windows in the bedrooms are open…
I hear footsteps – light and quick – and became distracted. Someone walks up the stairs.
"Auntie! Auntie!"
A small boy running around calling his auntie. Wow… He's so cute… I wonder whether he's Shinogu-kun, who was badly injured. He spots me just standing around, and asks who I am. I smile and reply: "Hi, I'm Mai Taniyama from SPR, Shibuya Psychic Research."
"Wow, really? You research psychic stuff?"
"Uh-huh. Are you Shinogu-kun?"
"No, I'm not Shinogu-niichan, I'm Hajime. Hajime Iwazaki."
Ah, so he's Iwazaki-san's son. He seems friendly and cute – I might ask him some questions. After all, this is an investigation. I might be useful for once.
"Hmm… Hajime-kun, can you please tell me if something strange has ever happened to you? Like the others? It'll be a great help to us."
"Umm…"
He thinks about it, rolling his eyes. Aww… he so cute!
"Nothing much!"
He grins widely and shouts. Then he tells me "Bye bye, nee-san, nice meeting you!" and leaves, looking for his aunty again. Just before the stairs, he suddenly becomes stationary. He yells.
"I remembered something!"
"Eh? What?"
"I share room with Shinogu-niichan. One night, I woke up when nii-chan was in hospital, I saw a woman besides his bed! She was wearing a black kimono with a big black traditional jacket wrapping her head, leaning against Shinogu-niichan's bed, and looking outside the window. She said something like, umm… what was it? 'I'm very sorry'?"
…I'm very sorry?
"Anyways, I thought it was a dream, and went back to sleep. But I think she was a real ghost, so now I believe in ghosts!"
Hajime-kun widened his eyes. How cute.
"Because I thought it was strange how the window was open in dream. I had the curtains closed before I went to bed, and it was still open in the morning!"
###
It is that evening Bou-san and Ayako arrived. Naru briefly introduced them to Iwazaki-san, and explained what kinds of phenomena have been happening in this house.
"Hmm…"
Bou-san and Ayako are quiet for a while after listening to the story, probably pondering. After a pause, Bou-san speaks.
"There are couple of myths, that this cloaked woman reminds me of."
"Like what?"
…I didn't think of anything. Does this mean I'm dumb?
"Like that Irish myth – what was it called? Ah, banshee."
"Banshee*?"
Isn't that a scary woman in cloak who announces the death of somebody known to you? Ugh, sounds creepy.
"Really?" Ayako asked. "I thought it reminded me more about shinigami**. This is Japan, after all."
Oh, goodness me. Ghosts and poltergeist, and now, banshee and shinigami? This is getting really spooky now…
###
I wake up in a room. It's completely empty… Outside the window, I can see beautiful azure sky. It seems very warm and sunny outside, but this place is full of darkness and gloomy.
How come? There is no curtain or blind here.
I realised the room wasn't exactly empty. I'm sitting on a rocking chair. I have been, all along. It's a very… odd rocking chair. It feels like, as if someone is holding on to me in their palms… A strange presence…
"Mai! Mai, wake up!"
When opened my eyes, Bou-san was staring into my face. Oh, gosh. Did I fall asleep again while I was working? Haha. I have to save myself from embarrassment somehow… I bet he'll tease me about it.
"Ah! Bou-san, when are John, Masako and Yasuhara-san coming?"
Bou-san stares at me blankly because I abruptly changed the topic, but promptly answers.
"Eh? They should be here by tomorrow evening… And Yasuhara's researching some background history of this house now, so he'll take a while."
So Naru did tell him that, didn't he? He didn't even respond when I asked that question. How annoying.
"Mai, Bou-san, and Lin-san! Come down! Dinner time!"
Ayako shouted from downstairs.
To be continued =]
Words and definitions – just in case you don't know:
*Banshee: a female spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld.
**Shinigami: "Death god" or "God of death". Whichever one you like better. Personification and symbol of death in Japan. (Source: Wikipeida)