Dangerous Souls

Kumbaya

Chapter 6-Hair

August Day 4, 5:15 P.M.

"Itsuko, Nori, can you tell Naru, what you told John and I?" Mai asked the children politely, as they sat in folding chairs in SPR's current base.

"We know you're not really counselors," Itsuko repeated, looking back at the boy next to her.

"And we also know that Makoto isn't really sick, and that Wakana and the other kids didn't go home early," Nori added.

"And what makes you say that?" Naru responded, glancing at his black notebook.

"Because I was awake when Oscar went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. And Itsuko-chan was awake when Wakana went missing!" Nori explained, causing Naru to look away from his notebook.

"I see," Naru sighed, closing the book. "You two witnessed the disappearances, but stayed silent, because the other children didn't notice. But when Itsuko witnessed Wakana's disappearance, she came to you, because you are someone she can trust. You're her older brother."

"That's right, sir," Nori nodded, as his sister moved closer to him.

"Tell me, what happened when Oscar went missing?"

Nori took a deep breath as he remembered the night. "It was late, really late, probably like two in the morning, something woke me up. I turned to see Oscar putting on his sneakers. He told me to go back to sleep, he was just going to the bathroom. I believed him, but I couldn't go back to sleep, when I finally did, I saw Riku-san packing up Oscar's things. After that, I was told that he went home early, that he was homesick. Oscar wasn't homesick. I know he wasn't."

"The same thing happened to me with Wakana! She was never homesick, she loved camp! And I know that Mai saw her in the forest a couple days ago..." Itsuko added, sudden realization coming to her. She remained silent.

"How did you know we weren't counselors?" Naru asked calmly. Nori seeing his sister silenced, answered for her.

"I saw Mai setting up a camera outside my cabin, it didn't make sense if she were a real counselor even if Masako Hara was here, too," he explained.

"I see," Naru turned back to his black notebook, taking a few notes. Without looking back up he continued, "you may go, not a word of what you have said here is to be mentioned in front of the other campers."

"We know, sir." John lead the two out, as Mai's last encounter flashed in her head.

"Something wrong, Mai?" Naru asked nonchalantly.

"Well, uh..." she nearly began to explain the vision she just had in the shower, but remembered Naru's warning and the fact that John was there.

"Did you see another spirit?" Naru pressed, catching John's attention, and gesture him to come over.

Obviously it was fine if John was the only one listening, so Mai took a deep breath. "Yes, before John and I bumped into Ituko and Nori, I was in the shower room and..."

She explained the visions with such clear description, tears began to form in her eyes. John offered a comforting hand on her shoulder as she finished with the sinister laugh she heard. "And after that, I ran into John and those two kids ran into us," Mai finished wiping her tears away.

Naru assumed his thinking pose. So much t think about. Wakana's body showing up the day before. Makoto's encounter with Dai. Mai's dream with Dai. Mai's visions. Itsuko and Nori both knowing the truth. Where was the link?

"Something is either trying to warn you or scare you away," he concluded after a moment.

"Like whatever is causing the disappearances?" John asked, offering a tissue to Mai.