Dangerous Souls

Shoji no Noroi

Chapter 10- Stones

October Day 6, 8:45 PM.

"No..." Mai gasped as she saw the pregnant woman lying unresponsive on the floor. "She can't..."

"Akahana!" several others exclaimed rushing or limping down the stairs as Naru and Lin raced in.

"What happened!" Naru ordered as Ayako knelt to the ground examining the poor woman.

"Akahana, Akahana, can you hear me?" the priestess called, tapping her shoulder. "Please, say something!" She took her pulse. Listened for breathing.

She's alive...thank goodness... Ayako felt herself relax slightly.

"Ayako?" the weak whisper came from the woman as she tried to turn her head.

"Don't move, everything's going to be fine," Ayako ordered with confidence, then turned to those around her. "We're going to need an ambulance."

"On it," Yasuhara pulled out his phone.

"Miss Hara, what happened?" Naru practically barked to the medium.

"I...I" she stuttered, completely baffled. "We were just going to get some ice for Kiko's ankle and then the air became cold..." She was just horrified as she continued. "It happened so fast, I didn't realize what happened until she was on the ground."

"Just before that happened," Kiko added. "I witnessed one of the ghost maids and had a knife thrown at me."

"One of?" Naru tried to confirm, when he noticed the crucifix lying on the ground. "Monk, get Father Brown immediately."

Confused the monk nodded and raced out as Ryouta dashed in. "Akahana!" he knelt down next to her. "Akahana! Good God! Are you okay? Akahana!" She gave a little bit of a smile and took his hand, despite the priestess's orders.

"It's time, Ryouta," she said with a long and somewhat painful breath. "It's time."

Yasuhara had gone out to wait for the ambulance while Naru had a word with the Australian priest when he arrived. The boy nodded and walked over to the crowd, picking up the fallen crucifix charm and kneeling before the expecting mother. "I understand that this is yours," he said with a calm smile. He placed the charm in her hand. "Would you like me to say a prayer for you and your baby?"

"Yes, please, Father," Akahana replied looking tired and in pain. John looked to the Father-to-be.

"Please, Father," Ryouta nodded as the priest began to say a prayer to St. Gerard.

"O great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God..." he recited, blessing the woman with Holy Water as well as the father as he went.

"H-how long do you think it will take the ambulance to get here?" Mai asked, as Kiko leaned on her for support.

"Soon." She sounded confident as she watched the fuss before them. The confidence was only an act. "I hope."

"Preserve this woman from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which she now carries, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." John finished, placing a rosary in the woman's hands as well. He gave another smile. "You're going to be just fine, Akahana. The spirit here will no longer harm you or anyone else." John always had this innocence about him that seemed to calm even the most dire situations. Needless to say, the woman was grateful for his concerned gesture.

"Thank you, Father."

***

It took over ten minutes for the ambulance to arrive, taking the expecting parents and a concerned priestess following behind in Yasuhara's car. All stocked with protection charms and a promise to report back their status, they left for the hospital praying that whatever those maids were, didn't follow.