Ghost Hunt Volume 1 Chapter 7
Jan. 14th, 2018 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sera131Table of Contents
Chapter 7 - Tidal Flooding Alert
1
After briefly going home, I got John to help me set up a few tape recorders and microphones in the old school building.
Actually, I wanted to set up cameras, but I didn’t know how. In the end, I gave up and decided to use the recorders capable of recording for 24 hours. We put the recorders in the western rooms on the first and second floors, the second floor corridor immediately after going up the stairs where Joshi said she was attacked, and the lab.
Every once in a while, Bou-san and Ayako would wander around the inside of the schoolhouse.
...I wonder if Naru’s not planning to come back tonight.
As I sat on the first floor stairs thinking so, I saw a figure appear in the entryway.
“Naru?”
The figure came inside. It was a girl. It was Kuroda-joshi.
“Kuroda-san…”
She looked around. “What’s new?”
“Well, after you went home, Bou-san and Miko-san did their exorcisms. Right now, they’re going around patrolling.”
“...Hmm. And Naru?”
“He’s not here. He went somewhere.”
“...I see.”
“Hey,” I said, leaning forward, “Didn’t you say there were spirits here, Kuroda-san? Do you know what kind?”
She shook her head. “I saw a lot of spirits here that were injured, though.”
“...Oh right, you said that before, didn’t you? I wonder if there are any clues.”
If only there were some clue.
I turned it over in my head.
The old school building is full of disturbing rumors. But rumors are just rumors. And I don’t have any psychic powers. I have no way of determining whether or not the spirits of the dead are still wandering around here.
“Are you all right?” Kuroda-joshi peered at me.
“Yeah, I was just wondering whether there’s really an evil spirit here.”
“I saw it!”
“...Right. That’s right…”
Shoot, it’s hard to say. In my case.
As I was thinking it over, Miko-san came down the stairs.
“Oh?” Miko-san frowned at seeing Joshi. “It’s not the time for child’s play, you know!”
“...Do you think your exorcism worked?”
“Is that any of your business?” Miko-san said coldly.
“Naru said… that the wavelength of the spirit in this building might match mine.”
“So? You think Naru’s words can be trusted?”
...What a rude woman!
Miko-san looked from Kuroda-joshi to me, then said, “The exorcism’s complete. I’m sticking around just in case, but I know it was a success. There was a response. So why don’t you kids run along home and go to bed?”
“Didn’t you say that before and fail?” I shot back.
Miko-san got all huffy. “It’s fine this time! There’s really no more activity.”
“Uh-huh.”
...Say whatever you want, dummy.
“The spirits haven’t been exorcised yet,” said Kuroda-joshi.
“Oh really? And why’s that?” Miko-san’s eyes hardened.
“I can feel them. There are still lots of spirits…”
Miko-san laughed. “You’re still pretending you have psychic powers? Don’t let being a little spiritually sensitive go to your head. After all, I’m a pro.”
“Even though you say you’re a pro, you can’t really do much, can you?”
The pair glared at each other. Just then, Bou-san and John came along from the back of the the corridor. They looked between Miko-san and Kuroda-joshi, then looked at one another.
2
Having heard Kuroda-joshi’s remark about the spirits not being exorcised, Bou-san laughed.
“Never mind Ayako. I did it, so there’s no doubt. There aren’t any spirits anymore.”
“Hey, what’s that, ‘Never mind Ayako,’!?”
“It’s probably true.”
“Don’t go stealing someone else’s credit!”
“There’s no need to.”
...They’re at it again. Do you two only get along when you’re picking on Naru?
Bou-san and Miko-san started arguing loudly. When I finally got sick of it and turned away, I noticed John staring at the ceiling.
Following his gaze, I looked up at the ceiling, too.
Huh…? What is that? Footsteps?
There was the sound of footsteps coming from the second floor…
Noticing us, Miko-san and Bou-san looked up at the ceiling as well.
Pitter-patter…
There was the sound of someone running. To the right. To the left.
Bou-san stood up. “What’s that sound…?”
“It sounds like someone running, doesn’t it…” Miko-san said, glancing around at everyone.
Nobody was missing. Naru hadn’t been here this whole time. So then, whose footsteps were those…?
The footsteps came closer to the stairway. Everyone was suddenly on their feet.
Halfway up the stairway was the stair landing. From there, the stairway turned in the opposite direction and went up farther. From where we were at the bottom of the stairs, we could only see half the stairway. Just the handrail was visible of the other half.
The pitter-patter of footsteps came to the top of the stairs. The footsteps, having reached the stairway, were directly above us. They stomped down the stairs. One step, two steps, three steps… They descended the stairs halfway, approaching the landing. We should be able to see someone. Someone…
As everyone held their breath, the footsteps suddenly stopped.
Just like that, the patter disappeared. There was no sound after that.
Bou-san roused himself and rushed up the stairs, running up to the spot where we could see the landing. Shortly after, he came back down, shaking his head.
I asked, “Was anyone there?”
“...No.”
“Then what were those footsteps just now?”
“Probably just a trick of the mind.”
“Trick of the mind? That? I heard it clearly!”
“...”
“Your exorcism was a success, wasn’t it? You’re a pro, aren’t you? You’re different from a woman and child, right? So then, what was that!?”
Miko-san glared at me. “Just the sound of the wind.”
Why you! Did Naru make such a ridiculous excuse? While you two were completely bad-mouthing him, did Naru even make a single excuse!?
I’m sickened. I glared at Bou-san and Miko-san as hard as I could. The pair looked away.
Just then, the sound of doors opening and closing started up on the second floor.
BANG! BOOM!
There was a series of loud bangs that shook the building.
Then came a furious knocking, followed by a stampede of feet. It was like a crowd of people on a rampage, running through the building and violently opening and closing all the doors.
The floor shook with the vibration of it.
Suddenly, the fluorescent lamps, which remained in form only, burst above our heads. Thin shards rained down. We quickly stood up on the spot and ran for it. When we scattered into the corridor to the entryway, the shoe shelves crowding the entryway were rattling now. They shook as if trembling and made snapping sounds.
Without thinking, I held one of the shoe shelves in place. I have no idea why I did that. I wonder if I thought it was about to fall over.
As I held the shoe shelf in place, I noticed it was warm. It was about the temperature of lukewarm water.
...What was it Naru said?
The temperature of objects moved by a poltergeist…
The shoe shelf struggled in my hands. That’s what it felt like. Then the struggling intensified, and the shelf quickly came falling towards me. At once, I put out my hand to hold it up, but it struck me hard before I was able to support it.
I was pushed over and let out an involuntary scream.
...I don’t remember anything after that…
3
My head is throbbing.
I can feel a cool breeze against my face… it feels so nice. I woke up just as I thought so.
I blinked open my eyes.
I was somewhere dark and narrow. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized that somewhere was the inside of Naru’s van.
It’s the van… is it moving?
When I suddenly had that realization and tried to get up, my whole body felt weak.
...Uhhh…
Oh yeah, I got hit by the shoe shelf. Hmm, I wonder if that was a curse from the assistant I made get injured… just kidding.
I looked around me. There were no signs of people. There was no one in the driver’s seat, either.
But, the van, it isn’t moving?
No… it’s not. This is dizziness.
Strange, I’m lying down, but I feel dizzy.
It’s like when I get carsick. My head is swimming and I have a headache!
...I wonder who carried me here. I feel so lonely when I’m by myself. When I thought so and tried to sit up, it made incredibly nauseous, so I quickly lay down.
How strange… I wonder if I’m injured.
Footsteps, a huge commotion, the warm shoe shelf.
What happened after that? How long was I asleep? Where is everyone…?
……
Agh, it’s no use, I’m super sleepy.
My eyes closed on their own.
I was just about to doze off when I suddenly woke up.
It seems like something’s wrong with me. Did I get hurt? I feel weak.
It’s making me uneasy.
I have to get up. I have to call for someone. I wonder what everyone’s doing. There’s no one nearby. There’s no sign of anyone. I wonder if anyone else was injured.
As I raised my body, trying to force myself to get up again, a white hand touched my forehead.
“Who…”
My voice lost its strength. I moved my gaze along the hand. A faint, white face was visible in the darkness.
“Naru…?”
...He came back? Thank goodness.
Naru spoke quietly. “You shouldn’t move,” he said, smiling.
I was a bit shocked. I never expected Naru to be capable of such a smile.
It’s a warm smile.
“You should always smile like that,” I accidently said aloud.
Ah! There really is something wrong with me. But Naru only tilted his head and smiled.
I asked, “Is anyone around?”
“No,” he said quietly.
“...Oh.”
...I’m sleepy…
“Hey, I’m sorry, but it looks like it’s a poltergeist after all… I’m really sorry…”
Naru shook his head. “It’s more important that you rest. I don’t expect you to get up yet.”
“Mm…”
...I wonder what’s come over Naru. He’s being incredibly nice.
“...Thank you.”
Naru shook his head and smiled…
***
...I woke up.
Looking around me, I was inside the van. Moonlight was shining in. I could faintly see the equipment packed tightly on the shelves.
My head is throbbing.
And I slept on a hard bed, so my back hurts as well.
..Naru?
Speaking of Naru, where is he?
He’s not here. Where’d he go?
...Or… was that a dream?
Uhh…
I looked around the inside of the van while still lying down. The back seat was full of equipment. Clearly, it’s unlikely there’d be enough space for someone else to fit inside with me lying down.
Huh???
As I was thinking, a voice came from overhead. Bou-san was peering in from the van’s window.
“Oi! Girlie, you okay!?”
4
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was the only one injured.
I was pinned under the shoe shelves, which fell one after another like a row of dominoes. When they dug me out from underneath them, I was completely unconscious. They called me and slapped me, but I wouldn’t wake up. As for Miko-san, she apparently thought I was dead.
Don’t go killing a person as you please, I felt like shouting. But I’ll let it slide this time since Miko-san cried in relief when she realized I was just unconscious.
***
Everyone was gathered in front of the van. There was a cold night breeze.
“What time… is it now?”
“Four o’clock. It’ll be dawn soon.”
...Then, I slept for quite a long time…
“And Naru? Did he come back?”
“No.”
Hmm, it was a dream after all.
...Why’d I have a dream like that?
John quietly said, “Still, I’m glad ya weren’t seriously injured, Mai-san.”
“Sorry.”
“That was a powerful poltergeist. This the first time I’ve seen such violent ‘un!”
“What happened after that?”
Bou-san shrugged. “Nothing since then. It doesn’t respond to prayers.”
“Hmm… Huh? Where’s Kuroda-joshi?”
“She went home a while ago.”
“Oh.”
Miko-san grumbled, “It feels a bit dangerous, though. An exorcism doesn’t seem to have any effect, either...”
“Wow, you’re acknowledging your exorcism was a failure?”
After I said that, Miko-san looked away irritably.
Heheheh.
A moment later, she grumbled sardonically for all to hear.
“Naru still hasn’t come back from wherever he ran off to and his assistant is a burden. We can’t count on the exorcist and Bou-san’s incompetent…”
“What about you?” Bou-san questioned sharply.
“...I don’t have the power,” Miko-san reluctantly admitted. “It seems somewhat dangerous, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t we take our own safety into consideration?”
“You can say that again!”
“Oh? You feel like running away?” I retorted to Miko-san.
“...So what!” she countered. “Even your boss probably hightailed it after seeing that glass suddenly break, right? I bet he’s at home right now, trembling.”
...Ack!
“...Miko-san, are you being serious?”
Bou-san, seeming thoroughly amused, said, “Oh, so you’re sticking up for him, huh?”
“I’m not sticking up for him or anything… I just wish you wouldn’t make up such terrifying imagery. I can’t even picture Naru running away and trembling!”
It's scary just thinking about it!
Bou-san laughed. “That’s true, huh? But right now he’s probably crying with his futon pulled over him. Since we bullied him during the daytime.”
Stop it!
“That’s even worse! What a horrific image! Crying with his futon pulled over him!? That ridiculously self-important, unbelievably self-impressed, holier-than-thou narcissist?”
After I said that, Bou-san blinked. “...Ain’t that the truth…”
“In Shibuya-san’s case,” John added, “It’d be more appropriate ta say he’s angrily making straw effigies.”
Miko-san slightly burst into laughter and the rest of us couldn’t help joining in.
It faintly began to grow lighter over the roof of the gym, which was visible to the east.
Collaborators: bebekgulings, csakuras
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