HOLY CRAP! IT"S BEEN ALMOST TWO MONTHS! WHY HASN"T ANYONE STARTED LIKE PESTERING ME? lol so srry for not updating and without further adieu chapter 8 of DANGEROUS SOULS!

Chapter 2-Flashlight

August Day 1 6:20 P.M.

The Mess Hall was full of kids ranging from ages seven to twelve, along with several young men and women who were presumably the other counselors, around the ages of sixteen to twenty-six. Tamotsu stood on a small stage at one end as his wife rang a small bell, catching the children's attention. Tamotsu cleared his throat as the children quieted down. "Good evening, children. How are all of you doing today?" he greeted with a smile.

The children all returned his greeting positively as Monk leaned over to Mai. "If this isn't 'most' of the children they had earlier in the season, I wonder how they managed with only a few counselors," Monk whispered, Mai nodded in agreement.

"That's great, it seems you are all enjoying yourselves," the older man replied, turning to his newest staff members. "We happen to have a few counselors who are visiting for the next few days, please, make them feel welcome."

The group stepped forward as Tamotsu said each of their names. "We have Takigawa Houshou, Taniyama Mai, Matsuzaki Ayako, John Brown, Shibuya Kazuya, and a special treat, for those of you who have seen her show we have Hara Masako!"

The children stared in awe at their new guests, unsure if they really had seen the real thing. "I'm sure you're all wondering why Hara-san is here, she offered to help her friend, Kojo Lin, with an article he's writing about haunted camps. If anyone has any good scary stories about this camp I'm sure they will listen."

The more Mai thought about it, the more it made sense. Naru was obviously going to want to question some of the children of their experiences, but the children were to remain as clueless as possible. This was the perfect compromise, maybe Masako was good for something.

"And as tradition when we get a new staff member there will be a bonfire tonight, hope to see you all there!" Tamotsu finished, leaving the stage and showing the group to the table with the other counselors.

"So, no fake names I take it?" Miyuko greeted them, scooting over motioning Mai to sit next to her.

"Nope." Mai sat down. "I never thought we would really need them."

"After supper, we need to set up before the bonfire. I believe that as counselors we are to attend," Naru stated coldly.

"So you're the one in charge," a young man, probably around twenty-one, had said. He smirked before continuing. "At your age, impressive."

"Mai, I need you to position a camera outside one of the boys' cabin door," Naru ordered, as Mai picked up the equipment. "When you're done with that, I need tea."

Mai sighed, mumbling something about her workaholic, tea-obsessed, employer, while she marched out of Base.

It was eerily quiet by the cabin. The kids were either still at the Mess Hall or were gathering in front of the bonfire. With the sun setting, the only thing Mai wanted to do, was set up the camera and get away from there as fast as he could. "Mai-san?"

The voice made her jump. She turned around to find two boys behind her. "H-hai!" she responded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Sorry, you two just startled me. Can I help you?"

"Why are you putting that camera outside our door?" one of them asked.

Mai finished putting the camera in place as she tried to come up with an excuse. "Well, you see the reporter that came with Hara Masako asked me to help set up cameras around the came so that if they caught anything paranormal they could put it on their website," she lied, straightening herself.

"We're going to be on a website?" the other boy exclaimed in delight, as the other looked with suspicion.

"No we're not, she's lying," he retorted bitterly, Mai knelt down to his level. He had to be about eight or nine.

"What's your name? And what makes you think I'm lying?" she asked, cocking her head.

"I just know! Don't treat me like an idiot!" The boy stomped off.

"Nori! Wait up!" the other boy shouted, rushing after him.

She stood back up watching the two boys race off. "That was odd…"

She carried a steaming cup of tea back to Base, deep in thought. She didn't even mind that her boss never thanked her for her services, surprising her co-workers. "Mai? Are you okay?" Monk asked, breaking her trance.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, turning to the group. "Isn't it almost time for the bonfire? Aren't the 'counselors' supposed to get there first?"

Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to think. Finally, Monk sighed standing up. "You win this time, girlie…" He headed for the door, messing with Mai's hair as he walked by, making her pout.

"Hey!" she shouted, racing after him. Everyone else followed them.

"Alright! Seven to nine year olds! AKA cabins 3, 14, 18, 22, and 11! Time for you guys to hit the hay!" Tamotsu called out, ordering the grumbling children back to their cabins. "Counselors Miyuko, Ayako, Arata, Michi, and Yuu, cabin check!"

"I guess that's my queue?" The priestess stood up and followed her red-haired roommate to the cabins.

"Wow, that's about thirty kids!" Mai whispered in awe, as Riku came to sit next to her.

"Yeah, the seven to nine year kids are just a little under half the kids we have here, the rest are ten to twelve."

"What happens now?" Mai asked him, as Riku roasted a marshmallow.

"Camp tradition," one of the counselors replied, the boy from dinner to be exact. He held a flashlight to his face. "Ghost stories! Would you like to do the honors. Mai-san?"

What was his name? I swear he told me it at supper… Mai thought frantically. "Thanks, Daisuke, but I couldn't-"

"Oh come on, Mai! Go for it!" Monk chided, as Daisuke handed her the flashlight.

One of the female counselors quieted the children down so they could pay attention. Mai knew exactly which story to tell. She had the perfect voice for it. "You see, a friend of mine was in the bathroom at school. Rumors had gone around about how the last stall had been cursed, she didn't believe it. Curses don't exist, right?" Mai started, shining the flashlight around at the children. They shook their heads, listening intently.

"She was just about to leave the stall when a voice whispered in her ear, 'would you like a red coat?'" Her voice had gone two octaves lower and she spoke slowly, adding emphasis. The counselors returned silently, wanting to hear the tale.

"Terrified, she didn't even answer and ran out of there. She alerted the principal and though he didn't believe her, asked the local police officers to check it out, thinking it was some sort of prank from the seniors. A man and a woman were sent over. The woman had the man wait outside, stating she could handle this. He did just that."

Mai's voice got quieter, gathering the group's attention, even that of her boss. "It took a while, but the policewoman stayed in the last stall until finally, 'Would you like to wear a red coat?' The woman was startled, but certainly there was a speaker somewhere. She stood her ground. 'Sure! Give it to me! Red's my favorite color!' she mocked.

"The bathroom and hallway were silent until a bloodcurdling shriek filled the air! The woman's partner rushed into the bathroom and opened the stall. The woman's entire front side was covered in blood, as thought she were wearing a red coat," Mai finished, pointing the flashlight on her face and adding the last sentence one word at a time. A couple of the girls screamed, while the boys laughed at them.

"Sorry, was that too scary?" Mai jumped, hoping that she hadn't scarred the children for life.

"No, no," Daisuke laughed, as Mai handed him the flashlight. "Those girls scream at every story."

"You sure? 'Cause I had no idea Mai could tell such a tale." Monk crossed his arms then chuckled.

"Watch." Daisuke cleared his throat then began. "This is a true story. In fact it happened just before camp season started. It was late and I was alone in my apartment, I went into the kitchen to make a sandwich. Something was off and I knew it, too." Every word he said, drew in his audience expecting a ghost or something. "I looked in the fridge and realized…I was out of ham!"

And on queue, the two girls screamed again and Mai laughed this time, relieved she hadn't taken it too far. "My turn." a boy's voice rang out, reaching for the flashlight.

"Sure thing, Ichirou." He was handed the flashlight.

"Unlike the ghost of the Red Mantel, or the stupid joke of a story we just heard, this ghost is real…I saw it with my own eyes." Ichirou began, his tone all too serious. "Surely you all heard the legend of the boy who went missing and died several years ago, right?"

Everyone nodded, with the exception of a few.

"That's no legend, it's a fact. I saw the boy just a few nights ago." His eyes widened, continuing. "I was coming back from the bathroom and outside my cabin a boy a little shorter than me, with black hair and green eyes he told me to be careful. Something bad was going to happen…then he disappeared."

Mai's eyes widened, something her boss sitting next to her noted. "I saw him too!" one girl exclaimed.

"So did I! I thought I was seeing things!" another boy added.

"Hara-san! Do you see anything!" a girl shouted.

"Well…I…uh…"

"Okay, that's enough," Monk chided.

"Maybe someone else should tell a story," John offered, smiling.

"That's sounds good, how about Asami?" Tamotsu added, looking at an eleven year old girl with brown hair and violet eyes.

"Okay, well, this story is called 'Humans can lick, too….'"

Mai stared at the ceiling, somehow able to get the top bunk before Ayako did, something about Ayako falling out of bed. Aside from the three SPR members staying in the cabin, there were three others, what were their names? Miyuko, Nami, and Setsuko, that's it. All of them asleep, leaving Mai to deal with her never-ending list of thoughts.

With everything running through her mind at a lightning fast pace, she wondered how she would fall asleep. Her dreams. The case. The boy from earlier. The rumors going through the camp. And Dai. Everything seemed to fall into place, but at the same time, it didn't.

She was standing in a pitch-black area, her body glowing. Foxfires began floating up and the area began to gain a purple tint and the dream version of her employer walked toward her. "Naru…"

"It's not safe here." His voice was stern and his look was concerned. It was in that moment Mai even wonder if she was dreaming. Dream Naru was so much like the real Naru at this moment.

"That's what the boy said, Naru, what's going on?" Mai demanded. "I can't exactly leave without a legitimate reason."

Dream Naru shook his head. He didn't have long and couldn't simply explain to her how dire the situation was. He really only knew one thing, if she stayed something would happen.

"Mai, there's more to this than it seems. The longer you stay here, the more you're putting yourself at risk."

"What can I do to make sure I stay out of risk and still stay?" Mai challenged. This wasn't like Dream Naru, you'd think the two switched places.

But before Dream Naru could answer, he faded away. The young by from earlier taking his place.

Mai knelt down to his level again. "Who are you?" she asked with a smile.

"You should have listened to that guy!" The boy's green eyes were wide with concern. "You're not safe!"

"You're going to have to tell me more than that. What about your name?" Mai retorted, cocking her head.

"I can't tell you!"

"Yes, you can."

"No, I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because-"

"Mai! Get your butt up! If I can't sleep in, neither can you!" A pillow met Mai's face with little mercy.

August Day 2 7:02 A.M.

She nearly jumped off the bed, flailing arms coming close to ripping Ayako's face off. She grumbled once the remnants of sleep started to fade. "What time is it anyway?"

"About seven," Miyuko cheerfully replied, offering a cup of coffee to the girl.

Mai jumped down and gratefully took the cup. "Thanks, how are you so peppy in the morning?" Mai asked, taking a gulp.

"I've been up for about an hour. Riku and I get up earlier to make sure that none of the kids have gone missing." The redhead took a gulp from her own cup. "Plus I figured you guys could use some coffee."

"Thank you," Masako said, dressed in a red and blue kimono, made of lighter material for the heat.

"Yeah, I'm still tired." Ayako took her cup while trying to detangle her nest like hair.

"How'd you three sleep?" another girl, with long brown hair and blue eyes asked. Mai remembered her name was Nami.

"Okay, I guess. You said it was seven right?" Mai said, pulling a T-shirt over her head.

"Yeah, why?" The redhead sat down on one of the bottom bunks, fixing her ponytail.

"Naru's gonna want his tea," Mai grumbling running a brush through her hair.

"Kazuya-san, right?" Setsuko, a girl about sixteen with undercut style black hair with her bangs dyed dark purple, asked. Mai nodded. "I just saw him, he was grumbling to himself about his assistant sleeps too much. And that he need tea…"

"NARU!"

"The information the Samurakami family gave us was, indeed, factual, according to the file Yasuhara brought," Naru noted, sipping the tea Mai brought.

"Thanks, I think…" Riku and Yasuhara replied at the same time. Then looked at each other.

"Nee! Naru! I had another dream," Mai announced, gathering everyone's attention. Naru gestured his hand and she began to explain almost everything in her dream.

As Mai finished, Naru flipped through one of the files. "I asked him, 'why not?' Then he said 'Because…'" Mai stopped. There was a long pause. Everyone, even Naru, stopped doing anything.

"Because?" Monk asked after a moment. Mai shook her head.

"Come on, Mai, what did the boy say?" the priestess asked, starting to get a little annoyed.

"I wouldn't know, you woke me up before he could finish," Mai snapped coldly. Ayako back off. "Sorry, I-"

"Mai, is this the boy you've been seeing?" Naru held a photograph of a young boy in front of Mai's face. The boy was about ten years old, short black hair, and had emerald colored eyes.

"Hai." Mai nodded looking back up. "Who is he?"

"Just as I suspected. It seems as though Dai is inhabiting this place. Hara-san, have you sensed anything about him?" Naru sat back down in his seat.

"He keeps hiding, I can't seem to completely read him," the girl said, through her kimono sleeve.

"Seems like this case is similar to the Kenji case back in December," Monk commented, crossing his arms and leaning back.

"What makes you say that, oh wise one?" The priestess crossed her legs.

"Because, like Kenji, Dai seems to be out of control," John answered, sympathy coating his words. "I don't think he wants to harm these children, but is unable to stop himself from repeating his death. Almost like a residual haunting. You know, like a tape player, it keeps replaying one part and one part only, without a change."

"That seems to be the most likely possibility," Masako added solemnly.

"I don't think it's Dai." Mai's small voice crept out.

"Great, it's like the Kasai case all over again," Ayako proclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in annoyance.

"As I recall, on that case I was right!" Mai retorted, then settled back into her seat. "I just don't think Dai could even do something like that, even if he couldn't get over his death."

"Mai, it's like how in some cases deceased family members harm their living family even though they don't mean to. Sometimes there's no reason," Monk tried to comfort her.

"As much as Dai being the culprit is the most plausible theory, I'll still keep Mai's theory in the air, seeing as she has had some sort of accuracy in the past. For the time being, we need to investigate while keeping out cover as camp counselors," Naru ordered, standing back up. "We also need to figure out, who might possibly be the target to disappear."

"About that…" Mai's voice rang out again, everyone turning toward her.

"You seem to have all the answers today, huh? Mai-chan?" Yasuhara sang out, a sly smirk appearing on his face.

Mai ignored him. "Riku, what can you tell me about the little boy, Nori?"

Riku thought for a moment. "He's usually a very cheerful kid. The usual hyper, ten year old boy, I guess. I don't think I've heard a bad thought come from his mouth and I haven't heard any of the children complain about him. Why?"

Mai relayed the incident of the boy the day before. "Now, that, does not sound like him," Riku commented.

"Didn't Hisako-san say something about the children receiving personality changes?" John offered, everyone nodded.

"Lin, the camera Mai placed in front of Cabin 13 is still up and running, correct?" Naru asked Lin, who did not stop typing throughout this conversation.

"Hai."

"I checked the cabin this morning, Nori is still there," Riku added, relieved.

"I think it's safe to say, Nori has become the most likely target of Dai or whatever else may be causing the disappearances. For now, we'll just keep an eye on him, we need to keep our cover. Go. The children are almost finished breakfast," Naru finished, placing all the files back in their pile.

Something's bothering Naru, Mai mentally noted as Monk and Yasuhara nearly pushed her out the door. But what?

i kno i kno kind of a boring chapter i PROMISE i'll have some more action in the next one, but remember it's only their second day at the camp, so there's still plenty of time lol please review! btw! i promise that the next chapter will be uploaded next weekend or the weekend after! if not! i will upload TWO chapters the weekend after that! lol i SWEAR! :D jaa nee!