Better Than Gold || Daisuke Kambe

[7]

Yotsuki Himari

What a great mo- I didn't get to sleep at all.

All night, my eyes were shut but in my mind's eye, I kept on seeing the women's butchered bodies. It was terribly graphic. Almost similar to when you enter a slaughter house where pork, beef, and chicken are prepared for the market. Very bloody and the scent of raw meat would cling to your clothes. Except, I saw rotten flesh of humans and what clung to me was the vomit-inducing odor.

Well aside from that recurring vision, nothing visited me this morning. No old woman's face appeared in the mirror while I brushed my teeth. There were no cold and freezing spots in my apartment. Nothing at all. It was very peaceful and quiet, nothing bothered me this morning and that is exactly why I felt so bothered by it. It almost felt like I was a normal person. That's also exactly why this feels so abnormal.

There were no other calls or messages from the police station. Not from the chief, not from Kambe-san. The only message I got from the police is a very nice message from Kato-kun which told me to, and I quote, "Good morning! Please take it easy today and get lots of rest! The police will handle the case from here on. Please leave everything to us! We'll treat you to some nice meal after this is all over."

It was a reassuring message. I wanted to stick my nose into the case further but at the same time, I wanted to leave them to do their job. Anyway, I did give them enough clues to get a good step forward in the cases.

I changed into  black v-neck shirt and a pair of washed out jeans. I also paired my casual outfit with a casual pair of white sneakers. I was going back to school after leaving my office empty yesterday. And in all honesty, I was quite worried about what has become of my office after letting Eichi feel so at home there. The kid was naughty but he was very reliable. 

"Ah shit, my car... Is at school." I sighed, standing at the parking lot where my old beat up sedan was usually parked, car keys on hand.

I dug my purse for the beep card I hardly ever use. The train station and the bus was a big no for me because sometimes, there were just spirits that I couldn't distinguish from normal, living humans. And I didn't like that feeling of uncertainty. But today could be a small exception. Besides, no spirits or entities have come near me ever since I got up from bed. Today might just be my lucky day.

I walked a good three minutes till the bus stop, waiting among other passengers just as I always did. I looked around and felt fairly pleased that my morning was  going smoothly. But at the same time, something from the pits of my stomach felt something very wrong.

Just before I started to overthink my morning, the bus had arrived. And as the door opened, a total of five people, including me, a middle aged man wearing a business attire, a middleschool girl wearing her usual sailor uniform, a woman wearing a set of rather thin and airy clothing considering its nearing fall right now, and an old man who struggled to walk even with a cane. Fortunately I was the second to get in the bus right after that old man. There was only one seat free and I let that grandpa take it. I was comfortable with standing anyway.

"Young girl. Why aren't you sitting?" The old man asked. I whipped my head towards him. "You can sit here." He pointed to the space beside him. But not to me, that seat wasn't empty. A man wearing a red jacket sat there. And at that moment, I froze. Red jacket, a pizza logo on the chest... an asian man but didn't look quite Japanese.

You can see me?

"What's the hold up? Move it! I'm late." I was pushed quite forcefully to sit on the free spot... where that man with the red jacket was sitting.

And just like that, vivid flashes of memory flooded my mind. It consumed me and all I could feel was a sharp pain that felt as if my head was being cracked open. I calmly out my head on my hands. But as the guy's memories invaded my head, my head started to hurt more. "Argh!" I clutched my head. "AARGH!!"

"What's wrong with her?" I heard someone say. But I wasn't jn the position to answer. I nursed my head and fell to the floor, trying to contain the pain but to no avail. "Someone call 911! She needs an ambulance!"

----------

"Who's this?"

"She's none of your concern."

"Stop, just send her home. She's drunk."

"You're a doctor. What would people think if
you keep on sleeping around?"

"Rather than lecturing me, why don't you get
a proper job? Delivering pizzas won't feed
you and your kid."

"Don't bring my son into this!"

-----------

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"That woman gave me no choice!"

"YOU KILLED HER!"

"Stop shouting. You'll wake up the neighbors.
Just help me dispose of the body."

"No! You aren't dragging me into this.
Leave me out of this."

----------

"You're my accomplice now."

"This will be the last time that I will
be helping you."

"What? You said that last time.
Its the sixth time now, brother."

"Just don't get caught... and...
Keep your word."

"Don't worry. I'll send your son to the
best school in America."

-----------

"THIS ISN'T WHAT WE AGREED UPON!
YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!"

"I'm just erasing all my trails brother."

"No! You can't do this. I have a son!
We're brothers! I said I'll take the blame if
you get caught!"

"You see, you're a liability that is better off dead.
Dead man tells no secrets."

"No hardfeelings bro. I'll take care of the kid
just as I promised."

"...."

"See, that wasn't too bad. I don't need you...
Because I won't get caught  by the police anyway."