Dangerous Souls

Shoji no Noroi

Chapter 4-E.V.P.

September Day 3, 8:08 A.M.

With a groan our favorite sleepy brunette rolled out of her bed and headed for the bathroom. It had been a long night for her, her dream simply consisted of her conversation with her boss after the incident with Akahana, as well as gory images that always seemed to follow her.

Of course the dream itself was not what played in her little head as she brushed her teeth. It was the conversation she had the night before and the horrible feeling she gained after it.

***

It was in her realization that she raced after her employer as he went to call the young priest. "Wait! Naru!" she called as they neared Base.

"What is it, Mai?" he returned somewhat annoyed. Surprise overtook that emotion when she gripped his sleeve.

"Don't call John!" she practically begged, causing him to raise a brow.

"His expertise is required for this case," he said, removing his arm from her grasp. "We need him or else Akahana is in danger-"

"John will be in danger if he comes!" she exclaimed, pulling on his shoulder.

Annoyed once again, Naru turned around. "And just what makes you say that?"

"This thing hates God." she said, he raised his brow again.

"Mai-" he never finished as his younger assistant blurted out this incident involving the demon like being.

"Something's telling me that if John does come here, he will be in far more danger than Akahana is!" She stood firm and her eyes held a determination that her employer had seen several time before, but today it was slightly frightening.

"I'm sorry, Mai, but he needs to be called," he said with a sigh, turning away and walking toward the table of monitors that Mai hadn't realized they had migrated into Base with their argument.

She took a step back as the door closed and Naru dialed the number. Her heart sank, a feeling of dread and anxiety filled her as she found it hard to breathe. A pounding in her head matched the rhythm of the one in her chest as her legs felt weak. Felt as though they would topple over despite her light weight.

She did the only thing she could think of doing.

She ran.

****

She shook her head of the memory to discover she had gotten herself dressed and observed her blind job in the mirror. Not bad, if she did say so herself, jeans and black tank top and a blue cardigan with a belt at her waist. Perhaps she should become lost in thought every time she got dressed.

After Akahana's attack the night before, the EVP session had been abandoned and Mai had stayed in her hotel room during dinner. She walked through the hallway, passing Base after a quick glimpse, she didn't expect to see anyone in there anyway. If anyone from the team was up, they were probably down having breakfast.

She reached the dining hall to find it practically empty, not even her team was there. That's odd...she thought to herself quickly glancing at a nearby clock to make sure she wasn't early or late for breakfast. 8:21, no I didn't miss anything...

"Morning, Mai!" a cheerful voice called out through the room.

"Akahana, good morning," Mai replied, greeting the woman. "Where is everyone?"

The woman paused for a moment in thought. "Sorry, I don't know, Mr. Shibuya requested that three breakfast plates be sent up to your base. Ayako and Masako claimed they weren't that hungry and I haven't seen Mr. Takigawa this morning," she shrugged apologetically. "How about you? Are you hungry?"